thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--My Life Is Like ‘Indian Matchmaking,’ But Here’s The Question No One Is Asking Me

I grew up being made to believe that marriages were between families ( not individuals ) , and to be in a successful marriage the female partner must have a “ good biodata , ” which means she must be educated , but not too educated or else she would be demanding , be soft-spoken and have a “ fair ” complexion .
An aunt once said at a family event : “ Marrying a dark girl is bad karma.
” And once , when I was 14 , I asked my uncle : “ What if a man loves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revulsion has stayed with me to this day .
A same-sex arrangement was unimaginable .
What would the neighbors say ?
What would the community think ?
I remember a pharmacist having to close up his shop after his son came out as gay .
Once the news spread , community members boycotted the store “ to teach him and his family a lesson.
” For us , arranged marriages weren ’ t a form of entertainment or a spectacle confined to television characters .
They were the conduits to our cherry-picked realities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes fell apart .
Every now and then , my family would joke about the unbearable anticipation of finding my future match .
And by the time I was 16 , they had already decided which newspapers would carry an ad with my photograph looking for a wife who would be slim , demure and have a “ good biodata.
” But their matchmaking hopes were dashed as I left India after high school to pursue a college degree in America .
And while they felt a deep sense of disappointment , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave them behind ― where shirking my parental responsibilities was a personal affront , an attestation of “ poor upbringing ” as my neighbors reminded my parents ― I was glad to be able to escape and redefine many aspects of my personal life , including avoiding the theatrics of arranged marriages .
After making sure she was comfortable , we discussed what brought her to the emergency room , her past medical history , medication allergies and social history ( among other things ) .
Her symptoms indicated heartburn , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ M. so he could loop her in .
Before finishing the encounter , I thanked her for answering all my questions and asked if she had any for me .
I wish I could say that the impromptu matchmaking was an isolated incident , but it wasn ’ t .
The following week , a patient tried to set me up with her niece in Philadelphia who was graduating from Penn with a degree in psychology .
The week after , Mrs. S asked if she could take a photo of me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who apparently was the best jalebi ( an Indian dessert ) maker in Englewood , New Jersey , and also spoke fluent Russian .
Perhaps the questioning was a hallmark of collectivist cultures that were the joy and pride of every Bengali family ― no secrets were to be kept ; everything was meant to be communal knowledge .
I grew up watching my mother ask similarly personal questions to strangers and acquaintances , taking upon herself the role of a matchmaker to “ help out a sister , ” as she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offended .
Or , if they were , it was behind closed doors .
The ferocious sense of fear had lived with me and I worried that saying anything about a husband would alienate my patients — especially those I shared the same background with .
Was talking about my life necessary ?
Wasn ’ t what was bringing us together their moments of vulnerability , not mine ?
Or was I afraid that they would look at me differently ?
Think of me as flawed ?
Mistrust my medical judgment ?
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and closeted to another is a strange dichotomy to live with .
But every time I skirt around the question of wife and kids from the Sima Aunties in my professional life , I clutch my wallet afterward , and give it a tight squeeze so that the matte photograph of my husband ’ s face that rests between the taut leather sleeves feels the tenderness of my grip .
When I try to explain the dichotomy to my friends , especially the non-Indian ones , they scoff at me , or look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s 2020 !
” Others say , “ You ’ re married .
Get over it .
What do you have to lose ?
”

The author Courtesy of Lala Tanmoy Das
My reputation among friends is the guy who never watches TV. But toward the end of July, my best friend insisted: “You have to watch this new Netflix show called ‘Indian Matchmaking’ starring Sima Taparia, who is apparently Mumbai’s top matchmaker.”
“Why?” I asked.
“It’s about arranged marriages in the Indian community. I think you’ll get a kick out of it,” he replied.
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But the truth of the matter was that I didn’t need a TV show to explain the nuts and bolts of arranged marriages. In fact, I was intimately aware of the rigmarole, having grown up in a religious Hindu family in India.
I spent most of my childhood surrounded by relatives vying for crème de la crème suitors for their children and grandchildren, decrying “love marriages” as disrespectful and destined to fail, rejecting portfolios of matches from “lower caste backgrounds,” and comparing pedigrees and horoscopes with scientific rigor.
I grew up being made to believe that marriages were between families (not individuals), and to be in a successful marriage the female partner must have a “good biodata,” which means she must be educated, but not too educated or else she would be demanding, be soft-spoken and have a “fair” complexion. An aunt once said at a family event: “Marrying a dark girl is bad karma.”
And once, when I was 14, I asked my uncle: “What if a man loves another man?” His look of revulsion has stayed with me to this day. A same-sex arrangement was unimaginable. What would the neighbors say? What would the community think? I remember a pharmacist having to close up his shop after his son came out as gay. Once the news spread, community members boycotted the store “to teach him and his family a lesson.”
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For us, arranged marriages weren’t a form of entertainment or a spectacle confined to television characters. They were the conduits to our cherry-picked realities through which our family grew, or sometimes fell apart. Every now and then, my family would joke about the unbearable anticipation of finding my future match. And by the time I was 16, they had already decided which newspapers would carry an ad with my photograph looking for a wife who would be slim, demure and have a “good biodata.”
But their matchmaking hopes were dashed as I left India after high school to pursue a college degree in America. And while they felt a deep sense of disappointment, even regret, in my conscious decision to leave them behind ― where shirking my parental responsibilities was a personal affront, an attestation of “poor upbringing” as my neighbors reminded my parents ― I was glad to be able to escape and redefine many aspects of my personal life, including avoiding the theatrics of arranged marriages.
But little did I know then that 12 years later, my life would be like an episode of “Indian Matchmaking.”
The author, exhausted yet content, after a recent shift. Courtesy of Lala Tanmoy Das
I started medical school at age 30 after a four-year stint at a finance firm. And a few months later, I was assigned to a New York City emergency room to start preceptorship, where I would be seeing patients and taking their clinical histories under the watchful eye of an attending physician.
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As I walked into the triage area on my very first day, I was greeted by Dr. M. in burgundy scrubs. And after a brief exchange of small talk and pleasantries, he said: “I have the perfect patient for you to practice your history-taking skills on. You might need an interpreter though; I don’t think she speaks English.”
But I didn’t need an interpreter. What Dr. M. had confused for a foreign language was actually English with a thick Indian accent. She also spoke the same Bengali dialect that I did growing up, so understanding her medical concerns was not an issue.
After making sure she was comfortable, we discussed what brought her to the emergency room, her past medical history, medication allergies and social history (among other things). Her symptoms indicated heartburn, but I needed to relay the information to Dr. M. so he could loop her in. Before finishing the encounter, I thanked her for answering all my questions and asked if she had any for me.
“Actually, I do,” she replied. “Are you from India?”
“Yes,” I said and smiled.
“Nice, beta [son]. How long have you been here?”
“Over 12 years now. But eight in New York.”
“I see. I see. And do you have a wife? Any kids?”
I laughed. “No, no. I don’t. Why?”
“I have a 23-year old daughter and she’s still single,” she said. “I told her yesterday that she needs to get married soon. I want her to marry a nice Indian boy ― preferably a doctor or a lawyer, you know, one with a nice biodata like you. Let me show you pictures.”
I was confused yet entertained by what was happening, but didn’t revolt. She pulled out a dozen Polaroid photos from her goatskin leather handbag and held them like a deck of cards. “What do you think? Interested?” she asked.
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“She looks great, but I’m actually seeing someone. Thank you for thinking of me though,” I said sheepishly and excused myself.
Heartburn or not, my local Sima Aunty had arrived. (In India, any older person is often endearingly referred to as Aunty or Uncle.)
I wish I could say that the impromptu matchmaking was an isolated incident, but it wasn’t. The following week, a patient tried to set me up with her niece in Philadelphia who was graduating from Penn with a degree in psychology. The week after, Mrs. S asked if she could take a photo of me to show to her neighbor’s daughter, who apparently was the best jalebi (an Indian dessert) maker in Englewood, New Jersey, and also spoke fluent Russian.
The questions didn’t stop at the prospect of sharing photos. Some wanted to know the brand of car my father drove. Others wanted to know if my mother was a housewife. Did I go to a local Hindu temple? Did I keep up with the latest Bollywood flicks? And most importantly, why wasn’t I married?
Being asked those questions ― albeit personal and sensitive ― never bothered me. Instead, they made me nostalgic. It was also a stark reminder of my naïveté in thinking that trading continents could magically morph a culture like flipping a switch.
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Perhaps the questioning was a hallmark of collectivist cultures that were the joy and pride of every Bengali family ― no secrets were to be kept; everything was meant to be communal knowledge. I grew up watching my mother ask similarly personal questions to strangers and acquaintances, taking upon herself the role of a matchmaker to “help out a sister,” as she proudly proclaimed. No one was ever offended. Or, if they were, it was behind closed doors.
But what did bother me was an old insecurity, being rewound and replayed during these emergency room shifts.
It is true that I don’t have a wife. However, I could never get myself to volunteer the fact that I am indeed happily married ― to a man.
The author (right) with his partner, Eric, at a friend’s wedding in New York City. Courtesy of Lala Tanmoy Das
Perhaps the hesitation was rooted in the estrangement from my parents when I finally came out to them that had rattled me deeply and filled me with fear. When I craved their presence, I received silence. When I implored their encouragement, I received anger.
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The ferocious sense of fear had lived with me and I worried that saying anything about a husband would alienate my patients — especially those I shared the same background with. Was talking about my life necessary? Wasn’t what was bringing us together their moments of vulnerability, not mine? Or was I afraid that they would look at me differently? Think of me as flawed? Mistrust my medical judgment?
Choosing not to wear a wedding band is turning out to be a big mistake, I thought.
Maybe some people wouldn’t care. Maybe it could be a teaching point for others. After all, how would society change if the vectors themselves stayed mute? But the drive to elicit change would quickly dampen as the words from a colleague’s mother would play in my ears: “Ultimately, we have to accept whatever lifestyle choices you young people make, don’t we?”
I screamed.
To be out to one group of people and closeted to another is a strange dichotomy to live with. But every time I skirt around the question of wife and kids from the Sima Aunties in my professional life, I clutch my wallet afterward, and give it a tight squeeze so that the matte photograph of my husband’s face that rests between the taut leather sleeves feels the tenderness of my grip. When I try to explain the dichotomy to my friends, especially the non-Indian ones, they scoff at me, or look confused. Some say, “But it’s 2020!” Others say, “You’re married. Get over it. What do you have to lose?”
While it is indeed 2020, and I have little left to lose, there is probably a reason why the Netflix show didn’t feature a single same-sex couple ― and it is no coincidence. Although Indian culture is changing, and little victories in LGBTQ rights are being celebrated, shifting the minds of entire generations will take some time.
At the same time, I am painfully aware that despite the anticipation of estrangement and the fear of alienation, the needle of mainstream representation will never move unless individuals like me engage in dialogue to diffuse the disgust, the hatred, and the embarrassment around queerness in my culture.
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And with doing so, perhaps one day my real-life Sima Aunty, while resting on a stretcher, hooked to a telemetry monitor, will instead ask me: “Do you have a wife? Or a husband? Or someone else in your life who you love?”
Lala Tanmoy (Tom) Das is an MD-Ph.D student in the Weill Cornell/Rockefeller University/Memorial Sloan Kettering Tri-Institutional Program. He lives with his partner Eric in New York City.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Tucker Carlson Attacks Michelle Obama, Cardi B In Off-The-Rails Night On Fox News

Fox News ’ Tucker Carlson ranted against not one , but two prominent Black women on Tuesday evening , calling Michelle Obama ’ s speech at the Democratic National Convention “ a total and complete crock ” before assailing Cardi B ’ s new hit “ WAP ” as “ filth.
” Michelle Obama , Carlson said in an opening segment devoted to criticizing the DNC , “ delivered a taped address from her $ 11 million estate on Martha ’ s Vineyard .
Michelle Obama , it ’ s fair to say , has done pretty well for herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know last night was that she is still a victim ― she and everyone who looks like her ― so shut up and accept her dominion over you.
” “ They hate me for my race , says the woman whose husband was elected by that very same country twice in a row , hence allowing her to buy an $ 11 million spread on Martha ’ s Vineyard , from which she lectures the plebes .
And by the way , if Michelle Obama hates politics so much , why is she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention ?
” Carlson then showed a supercut of presenters from CNN and MSNBC praising the former first lady , claiming that the media didn ’ t dare question her .
This supercut lacked several of Carlson ’ s colleagues at Fox News , including Dana Perino and Chris Wallace , who also lauded Obama ’ s DNC address .
Later in his show , Carlson switched gears for a rare segment on pop culture , targeting rapper Cardi B for her new song about female pleasure .
“ It ’ s garbage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stressing that the “ WAP ” lyrics were too risqué for television .
“ It ’ s aimed at young American girls , maybe your girls , your granddaughters and what is it doing to them ?
Can you even imagine what it ’ s doing to them ?
People are getting rich pushing that crap on the country , and they should be ashamed of themselves , but they ’ re not ashamed of themselves .
Joe Biden just did an interview with Cardi B.
” As a heading on-screen declared that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MOST VULGAR SONG TO EVER TOP THE BILLBOARD CHARTS , ” Carlson and frequent Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce speculated that Biden didn ’ t even know who Cardi B was when she interviewed him .
“ This [ song ] is pushed by rich people , powerful people , in order to degrade and destroy our culture , ” Carlson said , echoing one of his frequent talking points about liberal elites destroying America .
“ And I never thought I would use this word on TV because it ’ s such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is filth .
It actually is filth .
”

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Fox News’ Tucker Carlson ranted against not one, but two prominent Black women on Tuesday evening, calling Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention “a total and complete crock” before assailing Cardi B’s new hit “WAP” as “filth.”
Michelle Obama, Carlson said in an opening segment devoted to criticizing the DNC, “delivered a taped address from her $11 million estate on Martha’s Vineyard. Michelle Obama, it’s fair to say, has done pretty well for herself. But what she wanted you to know last night was that she is still a victim ― she and everyone who looks like her ― so shut up and accept her dominion over you.”
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Carlson argued that Obama was playing up her victimhood and used her speech to stoke racial tension.
“They hate me for my race, says the woman whose husband was elected by that very same country twice in a row, hence allowing her to buy an $11 million spread on Martha’s Vineyard, from which she lectures the plebes. And by the way, if Michelle Obama hates politics so much, why is she giving a political speech at a political convention?”
Carlson then showed a supercut of presenters from CNN and MSNBC praising the former first lady, claiming that the media didn’t dare question her. This supercut lacked several of Carlson’s colleagues at Fox News, including Dana Perino and Chris Wallace, who also lauded Obama’s DNC address.
See Tucker’s segment on Obama below, courtesy of Media Matters:
Later in his show, Carlson switched gears for a rare segment on pop culture, targeting rapper Cardi B for her new song about female pleasure.
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“It’s garbage,” Carlson said, after repeatedly stressing that the “WAP” lyrics were too risqué for television. “It’s aimed at young American girls, maybe your girls, your granddaughters and what is it doing to them? Can you even imagine what it’s doing to them? People are getting rich pushing that crap on the country, and they should be ashamed of themselves, but they’re not ashamed of themselves. Joe Biden just did an interview with Cardi B.”
As a heading on-screen declared that ”‘WAP’ IS LIKELY THE MOST VULGAR SONG TO EVER TOP THE BILLBOARD CHARTS,” Carlson and frequent Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce speculated that Biden didn’t even know who Cardi B was when she interviewed him.
“This [song] is pushed by rich people, powerful people, in order to degrade and destroy our culture,” Carlson said, echoing one of his frequent talking points about liberal elites destroying America. “And I never thought I would use this word on TV because it’s such a 1950s blue-nose cliché, but this is filth. It actually is filth.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--James Corden Has A Problem With Barack Obama’s Summer Playlist

And “ The Late Late Show ” host James Corden has a problem with it .
Over the past few months , I ’ ve spent a lot of time listening to music with my family .
I wanted to share some of my favorites from the summer—including songs from some of the artists at this week ’ s @ DemConvention .
Hope you enjoy it .
pic.twitter.com/2ZFwdN46jR — Barack Obama ( @ BarackObama ) August 17 , 2020 “ I don ’ t believe this is his playlist .
Yeah , yeah , I said it , ” Corden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioned some of the former president ’ s choices .
“ I believe Sheryl Crow , I believe Childish Gambino .
I just don ’ t believe that Barack Obama is driving round listening to ” the remix of Megan Thee Stallion ’ s “ Savage , ” which features Beyoncé , said Corden .
“ He ’ s 59 years old , ” he continued .
“ If you had an uncle who picked you up from the airport and you got in and he was listening to that and knew all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like ‘ Uncle Roger , this is really weird.
’ ” “ I think this is just Barack Obama just thinking ‘ aw , this is cool ’ and this is what he should do , ” Corden added .
“ And I get it .
If I got asked to do a Spotify playlist , I wouldn ’ t give them my actual playlist .
I ’ m not going to give them Act One of ‘ Little Shop of Horrors .
’ ”

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Former President Barack Obama released his summer music playlist on Monday.
And “The Late Late Show” host James Corden has a problem with it.
Over the past few months, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to music with my family. I wanted to share some of my favorites from the summer—including songs from some of the artists at this week’s @DemConvention. Hope you enjoy it. pic.twitter.com/2ZFwdN46jR — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 17, 2020
“I don’t believe this is his playlist. Yeah, yeah, I said it,” Corden said Tuesday as he explained why he questioned some of the former president’s choices.
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“I believe Sheryl Crow, I believe Childish Gambino. I just don’t believe that Barack Obama is driving round listening to” the remix of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage,” which features Beyoncé, said Corden.
“He’s 59 years old,” he continued. “If you had an uncle who picked you up from the airport and you got in and he was listening to that and knew all the words, you’d be like ‘Uncle Roger, this is really weird.’”
“I think this is just Barack Obama just thinking ‘aw, this is cool’ and this is what he should do,” Corden added. “And I get it. If I got asked to do a Spotify playlist, I wouldn’t give them my actual playlist. I’m not going to give them Act One of ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’”
Check out the segment here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Kerry Washington Asked Kids About Donald Trump And The Replies Were Merciless

Kerry Washington asked kids what they thought of President Donald Trump .
And the youngsters were mercilessly honest with their @ @ @ @ @ ” star , who guest-hosted the late-night show “ Jimmy Kimmel Live !
” this @ @ @ @ @ know is that he ’ s going nuts , ” one child told Washington in @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
Check out the full video here : Important conversations are happening now .
@ @ @ @ @ HuffPost Today !

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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Stephen Colbert Points Out The Irony Of Bill Clinton’s DNC Attack On Donald Trump

Stephen Colbert pointed out why former President Bill Clinton probably isn ’ t the best person to attack President Donald @ @ @ @ @ the Oval Office .
Clinton used his address Tuesday to the 2020 Democratic National Convention @ @ @ @ @ you want a president who defines the job as spending hours a day watching TV @ @ @ @ @ media ” then Trump is “ your man.
” “ At a time like this @ @ @ @ @ be a command center .
Instead , it is a storm center , ” Clinton @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t think Bill Clinton gets to lecture anyone on what should happen in @ @ @ @ @ the comedian continued .
“ Those in glass houses should not be allowed near the @ @ @ @ @ , in reference to Clinton ’ s relationship with Monica Lewinsky when he was president @ @ @ @ @ now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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Stephen Colbert pointed out why former President Bill Clinton probably isn’t the best person to attack President Donald Trump’s behavior in the Oval Office.
Clinton used his address Tuesday to the 2020 Democratic National Convention to tell voters “if you want a president who defines the job as spending hours a day watching TV and zapping people on social media” then Trump is “your man.”
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“At a time like this, the Oval Office should be a command center. Instead, it is a storm center,” Clinton added.
“The Late Show” host Colbert agreed Clinton had made “a good point.”
“But I don’t think Bill Clinton gets to lecture anyone on what should happen in the Oval Office,” the comedian continued.
“Those in glass houses should not be allowed near the interns,” Colbert added, in reference to Clinton’s relationship with Monica Lewinsky when he was president.
Check out Colbert’s monologue here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Amber Ruffin Reels Off Long List Of Bad Things Donald Trump Has Done To Women

Donald Trump boasted last week that he ’ s “ done more for WOMEN than just about any President in @ @ @ @ @ Night ” writer Amber Ruffin agreed with Trump ’ s assessment on Tuesday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ .
But not in the way the president meant .
Ruffin instead reeled off a @ @ @ @ @ the bad things Trump has done for women — from his administration ’ s policies @ @ @ @ @ offensive comments .
“ He didn ’ t say he ’ s done good things @ @ @ @ @ Ruffin , whose own show is launching imminently on NBC ’ s streaming service Peacock @ @ @ @ @ ‘ no president has done more , ’ ” she added .
“ And he @ @ @ @ @ president has done more for women , to make our lives worse.
” Ruffin last @ @ @ @ @ to expose Trump ’ s attacks on Black Americans .
Important conversations are happening now @ @ @ @ @ Join HuffPost Today !

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Donald Trump boasted last week that he’s “done more for WOMEN than just about any President in HISTORY!”
“Late Night” writer Amber Ruffin agreed with Trump’s assessment on Tuesday’s episode of the NBC show.
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But not in the way the president meant.
Ruffin instead reeled off a very long list of all the bad things Trump has done for women — from his administration’s policies to his own sexist and offensive comments.
“He didn’t say he’s done good things for women,” explained Ruffin, whose own show is launching imminently on NBC’s streaming service Peacock.
“He just said ‘no president has done more,’” she added. “And he’s right, no president has done more for women, to make our lives worse.”
Ruffin last week used the same logic to expose Trump’s attacks on Black Americans.
Check out Ruffin’s latest video here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Trevor Noah Notes 'Biggest Self-Own' In Trump's Jab At Michelle Obama

In his recap of Monday night ’ s Democratic National Convention opener , Trevor Noah praised former first lady Michelle Obama for bringing down the house and reviewed some of the flak she received from one particular critic .
Obama ’ s much-lauded speech took aim at President Donald Trump for sowing chaos and division and failing to lead with empathy .
She said Trump was in over his head and urged voters to elect former Vice President Joe Biden in November .
The president hit back at Obama in a series of outraged tweets and in remarks at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s in over her head , and frankly , she should ’ ve made the speech live , which she didn ’ t do , ” Trump said .
“ She taped it .
And it was not only taped , it was taped a long time ago , because she had the wrong deaths.
” As Trump pointed out , Obama said more than 150,000 people had died from COVID-19 in the U.S .
The most recent numbers show that figure sits at well over 170,000 .
“ My God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self owns I have ever seen !
’ 150,000 deaths ?
I ’ ve killed 20,000 more since then , you idiot !
’ ” Noah said Tuesday night .
Check out the clip on “ The Daily Show ” below :

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In his recap of Monday night’s Democratic National Convention opener, Trevor Noah praised former first lady Michelle Obama for bringing down the house and reviewed some of the flak she received from one particular critic.
Obama’s much-lauded speech took aim at President Donald Trump for sowing chaos and division and failing to lead with empathy. She said Trump was in over his head and urged voters to elect former Vice President Joe Biden in November.
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The president hit back at Obama in a series of outraged tweets and in remarks at the White House on Tuesday.
“Well she’s in over her head, and frankly, she should’ve made the speech live, which she didn’t do,” Trump said. “She taped it. And it was not only taped, it was taped a long time ago, because she had the wrong deaths.”
As Trump pointed out, Obama said more than 150,000 people had died from COVID-19 in the U.S. The most recent numbers show that figure sits at well over 170,000.
“My God, that is one of the biggest self owns I have ever seen! ’150,000 deaths? I’ve killed 20,000 more since then, you idiot!’” Noah said Tuesday night.
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Check out the clip on “The Daily Show” below:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Dentists Report Spike In Bad Breath Caused By 'Mask Mouth'

The coronavirus is leaving a bad taste in the mouths of people in more ways than one .
First , people started griping about “ maskne , ” those breakouts of blemishes and whiteheads that occur after wearing a face mask for a long time .
But some dentists are reporting a spike in patients seeking relief from bad breath caused by a condition that has been dubbed “ mask mouth.
” Dr .
Rob Raimondi , a periodontist in New York , tells “ Inside Edition ” that “ mask mouth ” is linked to poor oral health .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people with more inflammation , more cavities and gum disease , ” he said .
Another New York periodontist , Dr. Marc Sclafani , said “ mask mouth ” could partially be blamed on breathing through the mouth while wearing the mask in order to get more air .
“ We all have normal bacteria in their mouth , which acts with our saliva , which bathes our teeth , ” Sclafini told “ Inside Edition.
” “ So with the lack of saliva , more of this gooey plaque is sticking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breath.
” Dr. Blake Billups , a dentist in Memphis , Tennessee , told WREG-TV that it ’ s still up in the air whether there are long-term consequences to “ mask mouth , ” but the risks are there .
“ Anytime we have a drier mouth , we have a higher chance of getting tooth decay or periodontal ( gum ) disease because the mouth is drier , ” he said .

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The coronavirus is leaving a bad taste in the mouths of people in more ways than one.
First, people started griping about “maskne,” those breakouts of blemishes and whiteheads that occur after wearing a face mask for a long time.
But some dentists are reporting a spike in patients seeking relief from bad breath caused by a condition that has been dubbed “mask mouth.”
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Dr. Rob Raimondi, a periodontist in New York, tells “Inside Edition” that “mask mouth” is linked to poor oral health.
“We’re seeing a lot of people with more inflammation, more cavities and gum disease,” he said.
Another New York periodontist, Dr. Marc Sclafani, said “mask mouth” could partially be blamed on breathing through the mouth while wearing the mask in order to get more air.
“We all have normal bacteria in their mouth, which acts with our saliva, which bathes our teeth,” Sclafini told “Inside Edition.” “So with the lack of saliva, more of this gooey plaque is sticking to the teeth, causing the bad breath.”
Dr. Blake Billups, a dentist in Memphis, Tennessee, told WREG-TV that it’s still up in the air whether there are long-term consequences to “mask mouth,” but the risks are there.
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“Anytime we have a drier mouth, we have a higher chance of getting tooth decay or periodontal (gum) disease because the mouth is drier,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Could The Key To Treating COVID-19 Be In Our Nose?

Loss of smell and taste is one of the three key symptoms of COVID-19 that people are urged to be aware of .
It ’ s pretty common – a study of 24,000 people with the virus found 25 % lost their ability to smell .
Other viral infections – including different forms of coronavirus – have also been known to cause a loss of smell and taste .
With the common cold , for example , people will get infected , have a blocked or runny nose and their senses will be numbed for a few days .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smell and taste is quickly restored .
With COVID-19 , people aren ’ t showing those classic signs of a stuffy nose but are still losing their sense of smell .
And in some cases , their sense of smell and taste is being distorted even after they recover from the virus .
Some may be left with permanent smell loss – although we don ’ t know exactly why or how many .
Experts have believed for a while now that the virus enters the nasal tissues through an enzyme called the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receptor – and then causes temporary damage to the smell nerves , which results in a loss of smell , and subsequently a loss of taste .
A new study published in the European Respiratory Journal makes a case for this .
Scientists analyzed tissue removed from 23 patients ’ noses during surgery and discovered extremely high levels of ACE-2 in the area of the nose responsible for smelling .
Researchers believe the enzyme is the “ entry point ” that allows coronavirus to get into the cells of the body and cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a key route for the virus to infiltrate the body and spread , targeting this part of the body could result in more effective treatments , they said .
Could a nasal spray one day stop COVID-19 in its tracks ?
It ’ s possible .
The team from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore in the US , analyzed tissue samples from the back of the nose of 23 patients , removed during endoscopic surgical procedures for conditions such as tumors or chronic rhinosinusitis , an inflammatory disease of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studied biopsies from the trachea ( windpipe ) of seven patients .
None of the patients had been diagnosed with coronavirus .
In the lab , the researchers used fluorescent dyes on the tissue samples to detect and visualize the presence of ACE2 under a microscope and compare levels of ACE2 in different cell types and parts of the nose and upper airway .
They found the most ACE2 , by far , on the lining cells of a very specific area at the back of the nose where the body detects smells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cells was between 200 and 700 times higher than other tissue in the nose and trachea , and they found similarly high levels in all of the samples , regardless of what type of condition the patient had .
Co-author and research associate Mengfei Chen said : “ This technique allowed us to see that the levels of ACE2 – the COVID-19 ‘ entry point ’ protein – were highest in the part of the nose that enables us to smell .
These results suggest that this area of the nose could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the body.
” The area at the back of the nose where the body detects smells , called the olfactory epithelium , is “ quite an easy part of the body for a virus to reach , ” Chen added .
“ It ’ s not buried away deep in our body , and the very high levels of ACE2 that we found there might explain why it ’ s so easy to catch COVID-19.
” Co-author Andrew Lane , a professor and director of the division of rhinology and skull base surgery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing more experiments in the lab to see whether the virus is indeed using these cells to access and infect the body .
If that ’ s the case , we may be able to tackle the infection with antiviral therapies delivered directly though the nose.
” Tobias Welte , an expert in pulmonary medicine and director of the Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases at Hannover University School of Medicine , Germany , said the finding needs to be confirmed but it offers “ possible new avenues for treating the infection.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our symptoms apart from other illnesses this winter – like cold and flu .
A study , published in the journal Rhinology , compared how people with loss of smell and taste ( anosmia ) from COVID-19 differed from those with other causes of upper respiratory tract infections and found smell loss was “ much more profound ” in COVID-19 patents .
For the study they carried out smell and taste tests on 10 COVID-19 patients , 10 people with bad colds and 10 healthy people .
Distinguishing features of smell loss caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freely , not having a runny or blocked nose , and being unable to detect bitter or sweet tastes .
“ It was this loss of true taste which seemed to be present in the COVID-19 patients compared to those with a cold , ” said lead researcher Carl Philpott , a professor from University of East Anglia ’ s Norwich Medical School .
“ Although such tests could not replace formal diagnostic tools such as throat swabs , they could provide an alternative when conventional tests are not available or when rapid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of primary care , in emergency departments or at airports , ” Philpott said .
“ Our results reflect , at least to some extent , a specific involvement at the level of central nervous system in some COVID-19 patients , ” Philpott said .
“ It is particularly interesting that COVID-19 seems to particularly affect sweet and bitter taste receptors , because these are known to play an important role in innate immunity .
”

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Loss of smell and taste is one of the three key symptoms of COVID-19 that people are urged to be aware of. It’s pretty common – a study of 24,000 people with the virus found 25% lost their ability to smell.
Other viral infections – including different forms of coronavirus – have also been known to cause a loss of smell and taste. With the common cold, for example, people will get infected, have a blocked or runny nose and their senses will be numbed for a few days. When the symptoms disappear, their sense of smell and taste is quickly restored.
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With COVID-19, people aren’t showing those classic signs of a stuffy nose but are still losing their sense of smell. And in some cases, their sense of smell and taste is being distorted even after they recover from the virus. Some may be left with permanent smell loss – although we don’t know exactly why or how many.
Experts have believed for a while now that the virus enters the nasal tissues through an enzyme called the angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE-2) receptor – and then causes temporary damage to the smell nerves, which results in a loss of smell, and subsequently a loss of taste.
A new study published in the European Respiratory Journal makes a case for this. Scientists analyzed tissue removed from 23 patients’ noses during surgery and discovered extremely high levels of ACE-2 in the area of the nose responsible for smelling.
Researchers believe the enzyme is the “entry point” that allows coronavirus to get into the cells of the body and cause an infection.
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And with the nose being a key route for the virus to infiltrate the body and spread, targeting this part of the body could result in more effective treatments, they said. Could a nasal spray one day stop COVID-19 in its tracks? It’s possible.
Softulka via Getty Images
The team from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore in the US, analyzed tissue samples from the back of the nose of 23 patients, removed during endoscopic surgical procedures for conditions such as tumors or chronic rhinosinusitis, an inflammatory disease of the nose and sinus. They also studied biopsies from the trachea (windpipe) of seven patients. None of the patients had been diagnosed with coronavirus.
In the lab, the researchers used fluorescent dyes on the tissue samples to detect and visualize the presence of ACE2 under a microscope and compare levels of ACE2 in different cell types and parts of the nose and upper airway. They found the most ACE2, by far, on the lining cells of a very specific area at the back of the nose where the body detects smells. The levels of ACE2 in these cells was between 200 and 700 times higher than other tissue in the nose and trachea, and they found similarly high levels in all of the samples, regardless of what type of condition the patient had. Co-author and research associate Mengfei Chen said: “This technique allowed us to see that the levels of ACE2 – the COVID-19 ‘entry point’ protein – were highest in the part of the nose that enables us to smell. These results suggest that this area of the nose could be where the coronavirus is gaining entry to the body.”
The area at the back of the nose where the body detects smells, called the olfactory epithelium, is “quite an easy part of the body for a virus to reach,” Chen added. “It’s not buried away deep in our body, and the very high levels of ACE2 that we found there might explain why it’s so easy to catch COVID-19.”
Co-author Andrew Lane, a professor and director of the division of rhinology and skull base surgery, added: “We are now doing more experiments in the lab to see whether the virus is indeed using these cells to access and infect the body. If that’s the case, we may be able to tackle the infection with antiviral therapies delivered directly though the nose.”
Tobias Welte, an expert in pulmonary medicine and director of the Department of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases at Hannover University School of Medicine, Germany, said the finding needs to be confirmed but it offers “possible new avenues for treating the infection.”
The nose could also help us tell our symptoms apart from other illnesses this winter – like cold and flu. A study, published in the journal Rhinology, compared how people with loss of smell and taste (anosmia) from COVID-19 differed from those with other causes of upper respiratory tract infections and found smell loss was “much more profound” in COVID-19 patents. For the study they carried out smell and taste tests on 10 COVID-19 patients, 10 people with bad colds and 10 healthy people. Distinguishing features of smell loss caused by COVID-19 included being able to breathe freely, not having a runny or blocked nose, and being unable to detect bitter or sweet tastes.
“It was this loss of true taste which seemed to be present in the COVID-19 patients compared to those with a cold,” said lead researcher Carl Philpott, a professor from University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School.
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Smell and taste tests could be developed for fast COVID-19 screening, which could be used in primary care and emergency departments, he suggested.
People who lose their sense of smell or taste are currently advised to get tested for COVID-19 and self-isolate.
“Although such tests could not replace formal diagnostic tools such as throat swabs, they could provide an alternative when conventional tests are not available or when rapid screening is needed – particularly at the level of primary care, in emergency departments or at airports,” Philpott said.
It’s previously been suggested that the COVID-19 virus affects the central nervous system, based on neurological symptoms developed by some patients.
“Our results reflect, at least to some extent, a specific involvement at the level of central nervous system in some COVID-19 patients,” Philpott said. “It is particularly interesting that COVID-19 seems to particularly affect sweet and bitter taste receptors, because these are known to play an important role in innate immunity.”
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This piece originally appeared in HuffPost UK.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--She Called Muslims ‘Savages’ And Islam A ‘Cancer.’ Now She’s A GOP Nominee.

An anti-Muslim extremist who once said she didn ’ t care about the mass murder of Muslims won a Republican congressional primary election in Florida on Tuesday , and received a late-night congratulations from the president .
Laura Loomer , a 27-year-old far-right operative whose bigotry is so vile she ’ s been kicked off multiple social media platforms , beat out five opponents to capture the GOP nomination for Congress in Florida ’ s 21st District .
Loomer will face Democratic incumbent Rep. Lois Frankel in the general election in November in a race Loomer is widely expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district by 30 percentage points in 2018 .
But Loomer ’ s primary win underscores the degree to which explicit anti-Muslim bigotry isn ’ t just tolerated in the GOP , but rewarded .
It ’ s hard to overstate her hatred for Muslims .
Loomer — whose long extremist resumé includes stints as a writer and correspondent at far-right operations including The Rebel , Project Veritas and InfoWars — has called Muslims “ savages ” and described herself as a “ # ProudIslamophobe.
” Last year she called on her 112,000 Instagram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kicked off the platform ) to “ rise up ” against Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn. ) , whom she falsely accused of being a terrorist who was “ pushing for another 9/11.
” “ Islam is a cancer on humanity and Muslims should not be allowed to seek positions of political office in this country , ” Loomer wrote in another Instagram post about Omar .
“ Nobody cares about Christchurch , ” Loomer wrote , referring to the 2019 white nationalist massacre of 51 Muslims inside two mosques in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t. ” Loomer , according to a report from Right Wing Watch , also works closely with a Florida-based organization called United West , which is listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-Muslim hate group .
Loomer , who is Jewish , also has frequented white nationalist circles and once posed for a photograph with fascist figurehead Richard Spencer .
But it hasn ’ t stopped her from gaining support of those in the MAGAverse .
Rep. Matt Gaetz ( R-Fla. ) , one of Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So did Rep. Paul Gosar and Fox News ’ Jeanine Pirro .
At the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this year , HuffPost spotted Loomer — who was not allowed inside the event itself — talking with white supremacist Rep. Steve King ( R-Iowa ) .
Loomer raised over $ 1 million for her congressional campaign , according to The Daily Beast .
She hired Karen Giorno to lead her campaign .
Giorno worked as an adviser to Trump ’ s 2016 presidential campaign .
She celebrated her victory at a party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Palm Beach Post .
Among the party guests were longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone , convicted last year of witness tampering and lying to Congress ; disgraced former Breitbart columnist Milo Yiannopoulos ; and Gavin McInnes , the founder of the neo-fascist street gang the Proud Boys .

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An anti-Muslim extremist who once said she didn’t care about the mass murder of Muslims won a Republican congressional primary election in Florida on Tuesday, and received a late-night congratulations from the president.
Laura Loomer, a 27-year-old far-right operative whose bigotry is so vile she’s been kicked off multiple social media platforms, beat out five opponents to capture the GOP nomination for Congress in Florida’s 21st District.
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The district includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, and the president took time Tuesday night to send Loomer some words of encouragement.
“Great going Laura,” he tweeted a little before midnight. “You have a great chance against a Pelosi puppet!”
Loomer will face Democratic incumbent Rep. Lois Frankel in the general election in November in a race Loomer is widely expected to lose. Frankel won the heavily Democratic district by 30 percentage points in 2018.
But Loomer’s primary win underscores the degree to which explicit anti-Muslim bigotry isn’t just tolerated in the GOP, but rewarded.
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It’s hard to overstate her hatred for Muslims. Loomer — whose long extremist resumé includes stints as a writer and correspondent at far-right operations including The Rebel, Project Veritas and InfoWars — has called Muslims “savages” and described herself as a “#ProudIslamophobe.”
She’s stated that she doesn’t want “another Muslim entering this country EVER AGAIN!”
Last year she called on her 112,000 Instagram followers (she’s since been kicked off the platform) to “rise up” against Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), whom she falsely accused of being a terrorist who was “pushing for another 9/11.”
“Islam is a cancer on humanity and Muslims should not be allowed to seek positions of political office in this country,” Loomer wrote in another Instagram post about Omar.
The next month on Telegram, Loomer demonstrated her utter disregard for Muslim lives.
Laura Loomer uses social media (Telegram) to make it clear that she cares more about social media than she does the 51 people brutally massacred by a white nationalist terrorist who sounded a lot like Laura Loomer on social media. pic.twitter.com/sZmMdYR8QF — Luke O'Brien (@lukeobrien) May 17, 2019
“Nobody cares about Christchurch,” Loomer wrote, referring to the 2019 white nationalist massacre of 51 Muslims inside two mosques in the New Zealand city. “I especially don’t.”
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“I 👏 DON’T 👏 CARE 👏 ABOUT 👏 CHRISTCHURCH,” Loomer wrote in another Telegram post.
Loomer, according to a report from Right Wing Watch, also works closely with a Florida-based organization called United West, which is listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-Muslim hate group.
Loomer, who is Jewish, also has frequented white nationalist circles and once posed for a photograph with fascist figurehead Richard Spencer.
As noted by Right Wing Watch, the white nationalist website VDare supported her candidacy for Congress.
Loomer’s bigotry has earned her bans from many tech platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, PayPal, GoFundMe, Venmo, Uber, Lyft, and Uber Eats.
But it hasn’t stopped her from gaining support of those in the MAGAverse. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), one of Trump’s biggest supporters in Congress, endorsed Loomer. So did Rep. Paul Gosar and Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro.
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At the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this year, HuffPost spotted Loomer — who was not allowed inside the event itself — talking with white supremacist Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa).
“Text me,” King, who lost his GOP primary this year, could be heard saying to Loomer.
Walked past white supremacist congressman Steve King talking to anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist Laura Lo*mer at CPAC. Didn’t hear what they were talking about, but they exchanged numbers and at the end King said “text me.” pic.twitter.com/pV7F4b7Me5 — Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) February 27, 2020
Loomer raised over $1 million for her congressional campaign, according to The Daily Beast. She hired Karen Giorno to lead her campaign. Giorno worked as an adviser to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Loomer earned 42% of the vote in Tuesday’s crowded primary field.
She celebrated her victory at a party alongside prominent far-right extremists, according to the Palm Beach Post. Among the party guests were longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone, convicted last year of witness tampering and lying to Congress; disgraced former Breitbart columnist Milo Yiannopoulos; and Gavin McInnes, the founder of the neo-fascist street gang the Proud Boys.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Trump Attacks Goodyear After It Asks Workers To Avoid Politics On Job

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged people to boycott tires from Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. , tweeting that the Ohio-based company had “ announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS.
” But the company didn ’ t announce such a specific ban , only said it had asked employees to refrain from workplace expressions involving political campaigning or “ forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues issues.
” Don ’ t buy GOODYEAR TIRES - They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS .
Get better tires for far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Radical Left Democrats do .
Two can play the same game , and we have to start playing it now ! )
.
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 19 , 2020 Trump ’ s tweet immediately sent the company ’ s stock downward .
The stock had lost about 3.8 % percent of its value in mid-day trading .
“ Get better tires for far less !
( This is what the Radical Left Democrats do .
Two can play the same game , and we have to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump tweeted .
Trump ’ s tweet followed a report from WIBW television station in Topeka , Kansas , based on an anonymous Goodyear employee ’ s screenshot that listed Black Lives Matter and Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual , Transgender Pride messages as acceptable while politically affiliated slogans and material , including “ MAGA Attire ” and “ Blue Lives Matter , ” were listed as unacceptable .
The screenshot was described in the report as part of the company ’ s diversity training .
But Goodyear responded to Trump with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company was the focus of a conversation that “ created some misconceptions about our policies and our company .
Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so.
” Yesterday , Goodyear became the focus of a conversation that created some misconceptions about our policies and our company .
Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so .
pic.twitter.com/oO6jUg2rTR — Goodyear ( @ goodyear ) August 19 , 2020 The company said the screenshot was not created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporate offices or part of a diversity training class .
However , it also stressed that it does ask its workers to “ refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party , as well as similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues.
” Goodyear has a more than 120-year history in Ohio , a battleground state in the presidential election .
Most of its competition is headquartered outside the United States .
Sen. Sherrod Brown , D-Ohio , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despicable that the President would call for a boycott of an American company , based in Akron , that employs thousands of U.S. workers.
” Presidents have at times used the bully pulpit to go after companies , but Trump has taken that opportunity to an elevated level , often with little or no pushback from GOP lawmakers .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged people to boycott tires from Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., tweeting that the Ohio-based company had “announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS.”
But the company didn’t announce such a specific ban, only said it had asked employees to refrain from workplace expressions involving political campaigning or “forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues issues.”
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Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES - They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!). — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2020
Trump’s tweet immediately sent the company’s stock downward. The stock had lost about 3.8% percent of its value in mid-day trading.
“Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!),” Trump tweeted.
Trump’s tweet followed a report from WIBW television station in Topeka, Kansas, based on an anonymous Goodyear employee’s screenshot that listed Black Lives Matter and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride messages as acceptable while politically affiliated slogans and material, including “MAGA Attire” and “Blue Lives Matter,” were listed as unacceptable. The screenshot was described in the report as part of the company’s diversity training.
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But Goodyear responded to Trump with a tweet of its own, saying that the company was the focus of a conversation that “created some misconceptions about our policies and our company. Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so.”
Yesterday, Goodyear became the focus of a conversation that created some misconceptions about our policies and our company. Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so. pic.twitter.com/oO6jUg2rTR — Goodyear (@goodyear) August 19, 2020
The company said the screenshot was not created or distributed by the company’s corporate offices or part of a diversity training class. However, it also stressed that it does ask its workers to “refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party, as well as similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues.”
Goodyear has a more than 120-year history in Ohio, a battleground state in the presidential election. Most of its competition is headquartered outside the United States.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, tweeted that “It’s absolutely despicable that the President would call for a boycott of an American company, based in Akron, that employs thousands of U.S. workers.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--The DNC Hasn’t Been Too Eventful, But It Has Driven Right-Wing Media Mad

The Democratic National Convention has been a mild affair this year .
At times , it has felt like a charity telethon , which is perhaps inevitable with an all-remote event .
It has been praised for defining Joe Biden ’ s biography and humanizing the Democratic presidential nominee , while also being criticized as too much of a bland , ideological grab bag .
The most viral moment so far arguably involved Rhode Island and a plate of calamari .
The far left is taking over the “ Democrat Party.
” Former first lady Michelle Obama hates America .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” for allowing activist Linda Sarsour to speak at a sub-event for Muslim delegates .
And Biden is simply “ pretending to be faith & family candidate , ” as one Fox News chyron read .
These are the main storylines to emerge out of the DNC in much of right-wing media .
“ Fox & Friends ” host Brian Kilmeade claimed that Ocasio-Cortez ’ s nomination of Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) on Tuesday night was a shocking event , and her not mentioning Biden was intended as a snub .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is unbelievable , it looks like there is an agenda trying to get out , ” Kilmeade said , adding “ the theory is , and it ’ s hard to push it down , that once Joe Biden is elected , this party is going flying left.
” That claim echoed a misleading NBC tweet that Ocasio-Cortez criticized and that was eventually deleted .
( In reality , her symbolic nomination of Sanders was part of a procedural measure that takes place when a certain candidate acquires enough delegates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ocasio-Cortez was a “ classless creep ” while linking to a right-wing outlet that accused her of pushing a “ socialist agenda ” at the DNC .
“ Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country .
He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job , but he is clearly in over his head .
He can not meet this moment .
He simply can not be who we need him to be for us .
It is what it is , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hysterical attacks while struggling to find content in her speech to substantively criticize .
Pro-Trump activist and frequent right-wing media guest Charlie Kirk told audiences on his podcast that “ Michelle Obama just hates America , ” and nonsensically argued that her address was “ not a speech ” because she was sitting down .
Radio host Rush Limbaugh , whom Trump awarded with a Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this year , went on a strange tangent accusing Obama and “ all Democrat women ” of being unable to pronounce certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioned why Obama would be qualified to criticize Trump in the first place .
Pro-Trump pundits also resorted to invoking even more overtly racist and sexist rhetoric to try to detract from Obama ’ s speech , sometimes barely putting a veneer over their bigotry .
Fox News host Tucker Carlson , who recently had one of his top writers resign for a history of sexist and racist remarks , accused Obama of using the fact she is a Black woman to play a “ victim , ” saying “ what she wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she is still a victim , she and everyone who looks like her , so shut up and accept her dominion over you.
” Elsewhere on Fox News , host Brit Hume tried to frame Obama as an angry Black woman while praising Jill Biden ’ s speech for having a softer tone and lacking the “ hard angry edge ” he claimed Obama showed .
But apart from the chorus of bigoted attacks against Obama , right-wing pundits have scrambled to find a consistent narrative about the convention .
Conservative media tends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House , taking cues from their messaging for their own content as well as providing narratives for the administration .
Trump , meanwhile , has been largely silent about the convention .
Apart from tweeting criticism of Obama ’ s address , he has said little publicly about the event and continued his own campaign with an anti-immigrant speech in Yuma , Arizona , on Tuesday .
He will appear at the Republican National Convention next week , alongside a number of other speakers that right-wing media has elevated to celebrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholic school student Nicholas Sandmann and St. Louis couple Mark and Patricia McCloskey , who became conservative stars after pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters in their gated neighborhood .

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The Democratic National Convention has been a mild affair this year. At times, it has felt like a charity telethon, which is perhaps inevitable with an all-remote event. It has been praised for defining Joe Biden’s biography and humanizing the Democratic presidential nominee, while also being criticized as too much of a bland, ideological grab bag. The most viral moment so far arguably involved Rhode Island and a plate of calamari.
But for right-wing media, the DNC has been a parade of breathtaking outrages.
The far left is taking over the “Democrat Party.” Former first lady Michelle Obama hates America. Democrats are “the party of anti-Semitism” for allowing activist Linda Sarsour to speak at a sub-event for Muslim delegates. And Biden is simply “pretending to be faith & family candidate,” as one Fox News chyron read. These are the main storylines to emerge out of the DNC in much of right-wing media.
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Much of conservatives’ ire targets two prominent women of color who spoke: Obama and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who only talked for 60 seconds.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) seconds the nomination of Sen. Bernie Sanders via video feed during the second day of the Democratic National Convention. BRIAN SNYDER via Getty Images
“Fox & Friends” host Brian Kilmeade claimed that Ocasio-Cortez’s nomination of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Tuesday night was a shocking event, and her not mentioning Biden was intended as a snub. “She looked like a hostage video. It is unbelievable, it looks like there is an agenda trying to get out,” Kilmeade said, adding “the theory is, and it’s hard to push it down, that once Joe Biden is elected, this party is going flying left.”
That claim echoed a misleading NBC tweet that Ocasio-Cortez criticized and that was eventually deleted. (In reality, her symbolic nomination of Sanders was part of a procedural measure that takes place when a certain candidate acquires enough delegates.) Conservative host Mark Levin tweeted that Ocasio-Cortez was a “classless creep” while linking to a right-wing outlet that accused her of pushing a “socialist agenda” at the DNC.
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Right-wing media’s other main fixation is America’s first Black first lady, who gave a more than 18-minute address on Monday night that cleanly dissected many failings of the Trump administration and gained widespread news coverage.
“Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is,” she said.
Right-wing pundits responded with a series of hysterical attacks while struggling to find content in her speech to substantively criticize. Pro-Trump activist and frequent right-wing media guest Charlie Kirk told audiences on his podcast that “Michelle Obama just hates America,” and nonsensically argued that her address was “not a speech” because she was sitting down.
Radio host Rush Limbaugh, whom Trump awarded with a Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this year, went on a strange tangent accusing Obama and “all Democrat women” of being unable to pronounce certain words. Right-wing media personality Ben Shapiro questioned why Obama would be qualified to criticize Trump in the first place.
“Apart from the chorus of bigoted attacks against Michelle Obama, right-wing pundits have scrambled to find a consistent narrative about the convention.”
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Pro-Trump pundits also resorted to invoking even more overtly racist and sexist rhetoric to try to detract from Obama’s speech, sometimes barely putting a veneer over their bigotry. Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who recently had one of his top writers resign for a history of sexist and racist remarks, accused Obama of using the fact she is a Black woman to play a “victim,” saying “what she wanted you to know last night was that she is still a victim, she and everyone who looks like her, so shut up and accept her dominion over you.” Elsewhere on Fox News, host Brit Hume tried to frame Obama as an angry Black woman while praising Jill Biden’s speech for having a softer tone and lacking the “hard angry edge” he claimed Obama showed.
But apart from the chorus of bigoted attacks against Obama, right-wing pundits have scrambled to find a consistent narrative about the convention. Conservative media tends to exist in symbiosis with Trump and the White House, taking cues from their messaging for their own content as well as providing narratives for the administration.
But when neither party settles on strong talking points, the result is often a muddled attempt at finding which message will stick.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham, for instance, aired a scattered segment questioning various aspects of Biden’s character, while senior Trump 2020 campaign adviser Mercedes Schlapp claimed, “Democrats took God out of their platform not too long ago.”
Trump, meanwhile, has been largely silent about the convention. Apart from tweeting criticism of Obama’s address, he has said little publicly about the event and continued his own campaign with an anti-immigrant speech in Yuma, Arizona, on Tuesday. He will appear at the Republican National Convention next week, alongside a number of other speakers that right-wing media has elevated to celebrity status in recent years ― including Covington Catholic school student Nicholas Sandmann and St. Louis couple Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who became conservative stars after pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters in their gated neighborhood.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Trump Will Decide Whether To Accept Election Result Afterward: Press Secretary

Reporters asked variations of that question twice at a Wednesday afternoon press briefing with White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany .
The answer should have been easy — but as Trump himself has said on several occasions , McEnany suggested that the president may not commit to the election results if he loses .
The first question : “ Does the President believe there ’ s any circumstance under which he could lose the election fairly ?
” The second question : “ Is the President saying if he doesn ’ t win this election that he will not accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reporter : `` Is the President saying if he does n't win this election that he will not accept the results unless he wins ? ''
Kayleigh McEnany : `` The President has always said he 'll see what happens and make a determination in the aftermath . ''
pic.twitter.com/iH606u3V38 — The Hill ( @ thehill ) August 19 , 2020 Ultimately , said McEnany , Trump will “ see what happens and make a determination in the aftermath.
” Here ’ s the thing : Trump doesn ’ t get to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can challenge the results in individual states and request recounts , ultimate authority in how states conduct their elections resides with each state .
“ It is not up to President Trump , and the country does not have to satisfy him that he has lost , ” Jonathan Turley , a constitutional law professor at George Washington University , told CBS when Trump suggested in July he wouldn ’ t respect the results of the election .
“ The Secret Service on Inauguration Day is under the direction of the new president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the oath of office taken by his successor , President Trump becomes a guest in the White House .
If he remains , he becomes an unwelcome guest .
If he refuses to leave , he becomes an arrested guest.
” Voter fraud is exceedingly rare , even when voting happens by mail .
In Colorado , one of five states that conduct elections entirely by mail , secretaries of state from both parties have concluded the process is safe and secure .
Trump also complained loudly of voter fraud in 2016 after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrowly won via the Electoral College , going so far as to establish a commission to substantiate his claims .
The commission disbanded after it was unable to do so .

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Will Donald Trump accept the outcome if he doesn’t win the election?
Reporters asked variations of that question twice at a Wednesday afternoon press briefing with White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. The answer should have been easy — but as Trump himself has said on several occasions, McEnany suggested that the president may not commit to the election results if he loses.
The first question: “Does the President believe there’s any circumstance under which he could lose the election fairly?”
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The second question: “Is the President saying if he doesn’t win this election that he will not accept the results unless he wins?”
Reporter: "Is the President saying if he doesn't win this election that he will not accept the results unless he wins?"
Kayleigh McEnany: "The President has always said he'll see what happens and make a determination in the aftermath." pic.twitter.com/iH606u3V38 — The Hill (@thehill) August 19, 2020
Ultimately, said McEnany, Trump will “see what happens and make a determination in the aftermath.”
Here’s the thing: Trump doesn’t get to make that determination. While the Trump campaign can challenge the results in individual states and request recounts, ultimate authority in how states conduct their elections resides with each state.
“It is not up to President Trump, and the country does not have to satisfy him that he has lost,” Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law professor at George Washington University, told CBS when Trump suggested in July he wouldn’t respect the results of the election.
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“The Secret Service on Inauguration Day is under the direction of the new president,” Turley said. “Upon the oath of office taken by his successor, President Trump becomes a guest in the White House. If he remains, he becomes an unwelcome guest. If he refuses to leave, he becomes an arrested guest.”
Voter fraud is exceedingly rare, even when voting happens by mail. In Colorado, one of five states that conduct elections entirely by mail, secretaries of state from both parties have concluded the process is safe and secure.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Twitter Freaks After White House Says Trump Might Not Accept Election Results

Kayleigh McEnany struck fear into the hearts of many Twitter users on Wednesday .
Of course , that was bound to happen after the White House press secretary refused to explicitly say whether President Donald Trump would accept the results of the November election even if he lost to Joe Biden .
Instead , McEnany told reporters the president is waiting until after the election to decide whether he would leave if he loses .
“ The President has always said he ’ ll see what happens and make a determination in the aftermath , ” she said .
Reporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he does n't win this election that he will not accept the results unless he wins ? ''
Kayleigh McEnany : `` The President has always said he 'll see what happens and make a determination in the aftermath . ''
pic.twitter.com/iH606u3V38 — The Hill ( @ thehill ) August 19 , 2020 Considering that a peaceful transfer of power is considered one of the great things about the American political system , many Twitter users were disturbed about the message being sent to American citizens .
What no US President has ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //t.co/AuurVHAMiy — Mark S. Zaid ( @ MarkSZaidEsq ) August 19 , 2020 For the first time in American history , a president openly threatens to disregard an impending election and assume dictatorial power .
https : //t.co/3aVVAZnc3t — James Gleick ( @ JamesGleick ) August 19 , 2020 This is tantamount to an act of war by a President against his own country .
https : //t.co/0OHHbWSlif — Joe Walsh ( @ WalshFreedom ) August 19 , 2020 Wrong answer .
We are a democracy .
We the people decide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Dan Rather ( @ DanRather ) August 19 , 2020 That ’ s not how democracy works .
We , the people , will make our determination about this president .
Not the other way around .
https : //t.co/yHIiyRfaVu — Pete Buttigieg ( @ PeteButtigieg ) August 19 , 2020 This is so scary .
Trump does n't get to decide if the election is free and fair .
That 's NOT his job .
( & he would not be the first leader with autocratic proclivities to try to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Remember Serbia 2000 , Ukraine 2004 , Malawi 2019 , Belarus , 2000 . )
https : //t.co/Bn2kbzMR0B — Michael McFaul ( @ McFaul ) August 19 , 2020 No matter how this plays out in November , it ’ s going to get ugly .
https : //t.co/NQ9R3rSIDi — Monica Rix ( @ MonicaRix ) August 19 , 2020 Seems clear Trump will probably call any election he loses a fraud .
But he could also just leave and continue to hold and espouse that view for the rest of his life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) August 19 , 2020 Donald Trump has n't articulated many policy ideas for his second term , other than potentially not accepting the outcome of the election , or suggesting he deserves an unconstitutional third term .
https : //t.co/d7b1IhaXom — Jackson Proskow ( @ JProskowGlobal ) August 19 , 2020 Does anyone else think we are going to need to escort Trump out of the oval office in handcuffs , when he does n't accept the election results in November ?
https : //t.co/tMsKnBhGXH — Chip Franklin ( @ chipfranklin ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure we ’ re all adequately prepared for how much November ( and possibly December and January ) are going to be absolutely awful .
https : //t.co/0wFpiDfSgW — Marc Torrence ( @ marctorrence ) August 19 , 2020

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Kayleigh McEnany struck fear into the hearts of many Twitter users on Wednesday.
Of course, that was bound to happen after the White House press secretary refused to explicitly say whether President Donald Trump would accept the results of the November election even if he lost to Joe Biden.
Instead, McEnany told reporters the president is waiting until after the election to decide whether he would leave if he loses.
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“The President has always said he’ll see what happens and make a determination in the aftermath,” she said.
Reporter: "Is the President saying if he doesn't win this election that he will not accept the results unless he wins?"
Kayleigh McEnany: "The President has always said he'll see what happens and make a determination in the aftermath." pic.twitter.com/iH606u3V38 — The Hill (@thehill) August 19, 2020
Considering that a peaceful transfer of power is considered one of the great things about the American political system, many Twitter users were disturbed about the message being sent to American citizens.
What no US President has ever said --- until now. https://t.co/AuurVHAMiy — Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) August 19, 2020
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For the first time in American history, a president openly threatens to disregard an impending election and assume dictatorial power. https://t.co/3aVVAZnc3t — James Gleick (@JamesGleick) August 19, 2020
This is tantamount to an act of war by a President against his own country. https://t.co/0OHHbWSlif — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) August 19, 2020
Wrong answer. We are a democracy. We the people decide. Not an autocrat. https://t.co/y94tQjCWgL — Dan Rather (@DanRather) August 19, 2020
“Aftermath”.... why doesnt she just say The Purge https://t.co/otcaPTJ60W — Hal Sparks (@HalSparks) August 19, 2020
That’s not how democracy works. We, the people, will make our determination about this president. Not the other way around. https://t.co/yHIiyRfaVu — Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 19, 2020
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This is so scary. Trump doesn't get to decide if the election is free and fair. That's NOT his job. (& he would not be the first leader with autocratic proclivities to try to stay in power after losing an election. Remember Serbia 2000, Ukraine 2004, Malawi 2019, Belarus, 2000.) https://t.co/Bn2kbzMR0B — Michael McFaul (@McFaul) August 19, 2020
No matter how this plays out in November, it’s going to get ugly. https://t.co/NQ9R3rSIDi — Monica Rix (@MonicaRix) August 19, 2020
Seems clear Trump will probably call any election he loses a fraud. But he could also just leave and continue to hold and espouse that view for the rest of his life. — Ben White (@morningmoneyben) August 19, 2020
Donald Trump hasn't articulated many policy ideas for his second term, other than potentially not accepting the outcome of the election, or suggesting he deserves an unconstitutional third term. https://t.co/d7b1IhaXom — Jackson Proskow (@JProskowGlobal) August 19, 2020
The president can have a little authoritarianism, as a treat https://t.co/SiMHk0kcDT — Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) August 19, 2020
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Does anyone else think we are going to need to escort Trump out of the oval office in handcuffs, when he doesn't accept the election results in November? https://t.co/tMsKnBhGXH — Chip Franklin (@chipfranklin) August 19, 2020
When some states threaten to secede will Trump accept a loss? Putin will advise accordingly. https://t.co/tZWG2iH2p4 — David Carroll 🦅 (@profcarroll) August 19, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Trump Says He 'Appreciates' That QAnon Supporters 'Like Me Very Much'

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he “ appreciates ” that supporters of QAnon , the far-right conspiracy movement , “ like me very much.
” “ I don ’ t know much about the movement , other than I understand they like me very much , which I appreciate , ” he told a reporter in response to a question about QAnon .
“ I have heard that it is gaining in popularity … I ’ ve heard these are people that love our country.
” Trump is asked to shed light on his thoughts about about the lunatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , he says , `` I understand they like me very much , which I appreciate . ''
`` I 've heard these are people who love our country , '' he adds , coming close to an endorsement pic.twitter.com/gcvHvuqzIa — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) August 19 , 2020 Supporters of QAnon , which has been identified by the FBI as a potential domestic terrorism threat , believe that an individual dubbed “ Q ” has been leaving “ breadcrumbs ” of information online about Trump and others .
Among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followers — some of whom have been implicated in multiple crimes in recent years , including armed standoffs , kidnappings and murder — include the claim that Trump has been working to dismantle a “ deep state ” cabal of liberal and Hollywood elites who traffic children and worship Satan .
When asked directly by a reporter about this claim — that Trump is “ secretly saving the world ” from a “ Satanic cult of pedophiles and cannibals , ” the president wondered aloud as to whether that was a “ bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I haven ’ t heard that , but is that supposed to be a bad thing or a good thing ?
” he said .
“ If I can help save the world from problems , I ’ m willing to do it.
” “ Trump is flirting with the dangerous and unhinged QAnon conspiracy theory , ” DNC War Room said in a post .
Trump is flirting with the dangerous and unhinged QAnon conspiracy theory .
After being told what it is , Trump says `` Is that supposed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theory has resulted in kidnappings and bomb threats , but Trump 's glad he has their support .
pic.twitter.com/22CuEcziU1 — DNC War Room ( @ DNCWarRoom ) August 19 , 2020

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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he “appreciates” that supporters of QAnon, the far-right conspiracy movement, “like me very much.”
“I don’t know much about the movement, other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate,” he told a reporter in response to a question about QAnon. “I have heard that it is gaining in popularity … I’ve heard these are people that love our country.”
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Trump is asked to shed light on his thoughts about about the lunatic QAnon conspiracy theory. Instead of denouncing it, he says, "I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate."
"I've heard these are people who love our country," he adds, coming close to an endorsement pic.twitter.com/gcvHvuqzIa — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 19, 2020
Supporters of QAnon, which has been identified by the FBI as a potential domestic terrorism threat, believe that an individual dubbed “Q” has been leaving “breadcrumbs” of information online about Trump and others.
Among the baseless conspiracy theories touted by QAnon followers — some of whom have been implicated in multiple crimes in recent years, including armed standoffs, kidnappings and murder — include the claim that Trump has been working to dismantle a “deep state” cabal of liberal and Hollywood elites who traffic children and worship Satan.
When asked directly by a reporter about this claim — that Trump is “secretly saving the world” from a “Satanic cult of pedophiles and cannibals,” the president wondered aloud as to whether that was a “bad thing or a good thing.”
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“I haven’t heard that, but is that supposed to be a bad thing or a good thing?” he said. “If I can help save the world from problems, I’m willing to do it.”
A Twitter account associated with the Democratic National Convention, underway this week, condemned Trump’s remarks.
“Trump is flirting with the dangerous and unhinged QAnon conspiracy theory,” DNC War Room said in a post.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Facebook Adds Mail-In Ballot Link To Trump's 'Vote In Person' Post

On Monday morning , Trump continued his ongoing effort to win the 2020 election by voter suppression with a Facebook post slamming Americans who want to vote by mail during the coronavirus pandemic .
“ IF YOU CAN PROTEST IN PERSON , YOU CAN VOTE IN PERSON !
” Trump ’ s post reads .
Right below that snarky attack on Black Lives Matter protesters , Facebook added a very prominent link directing users to the social media platform ’ s voting information center — a page with links on how to request a mail-in ballot , register to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When Facebook ’ s little addition drew notice on Twitter , one user pointed out the ridiculousness of Trump ’ s post in a simple comment : And you take just as big a chance of being exposed to COVID-19 doing either .
Difference : You ca n't mail in a protest .
— Dave Molter Music ( @ molter_dave ) August 19 , 2020 Facebook ’ s decision to add a link to Trump ’ s post — which offers users pragmatic information that contradicts the president ’ s words — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company played in the 2016 presidential election .
The social media giant came under intense scrutiny when reports revealed that it had effectively aided the Trump campaign by allowing the spread of misinformation , often created by Russian bots .
The platform also allowed Cambridge Analytica — a political consulting firm eventually hired by the Trump campaign — to gain unauthorized access to the data of more than 50 million Facebook users prior to the election .
Facebook ’ s effort to provide its users with more balanced and factual information comes about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he is trying to undermine the U.S .
Postal Service ’ s ability to deliver ballots by blocking funding for the agency .
Many Americans want to cast their ballots by mail and many state governments want to facilitate that in light of the ongoing pandemic .
“ Now they need that money in order to make the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , ” Trump told Fox Business last week .
“ But if they don ’ t get those two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have universal mail-in voting .
”

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Facebook just served President Donald Trump a nice, healthy heaping of shade.
On Monday morning, Trump continued his ongoing effort to win the 2020 election by voter suppression with a Facebook post slamming Americans who want to vote by mail during the coronavirus pandemic.
“IF YOU CAN PROTEST IN PERSON, YOU CAN VOTE IN PERSON!” Trump’s post reads.
Right below that snarky attack on Black Lives Matter protesters, Facebook added a very prominent link directing users to the social media platform’s voting information center — a page with links on how to request a mail-in ballot, register to vote and volunteer to be a poll worker.
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When Facebook’s little addition drew notice on Twitter, one user pointed out the ridiculousness of Trump’s post in a simple comment:
And you take just as big a chance of being exposed to COVID-19 doing either. Difference: You can't mail in a protest. — Dave Molter Music (@molter_dave) August 19, 2020
Facebook’s decision to add a link to Trump’s post — which offers users pragmatic information that contradicts the president’s words — is especially significant considering the role the company played in the 2016 presidential election.
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The social media giant came under intense scrutiny when reports revealed that it had effectively aided the Trump campaign by allowing the spread of misinformation, often created by Russian bots. The platform also allowed Cambridge Analytica — a political consulting firm eventually hired by the Trump campaign — to gain unauthorized access to the data of more than 50 million Facebook users prior to the election.
Facebook’s effort to provide its users with more balanced and factual information comes about a week after Trump seemed to admit that he is trying to undermine the U.S. Postal Service’s ability to deliver ballots by blocking funding for the agency. Many Americans want to cast their ballots by mail and many state governments want to facilitate that in light of the ongoing pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--LeBron James, Lakers Wear Crossed-Out MAGA Hats Demanding Justice For Breonna Taylor

LeBron James and his Los Angeles Lakers teammates made a statement Tuesday with edited “ Make America Great Again ” hats demanding justice for Breonna Taylor instead of supporting President Donald Trump .
The NBA star and fellow Lakers wore the bright-red hats before and after their first playoff appearance against the Portland Trail Blazers .
The hat read , “ Make America Arrest the Cops who Killed Breonna Taylor.
” Taylor was the 26-year-old emergency room technician shot and killed by police officers in her Kentucky home in March .
Police had used a no-knock warrant to enter in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
Earlier in the night , the Los Angeles Lakers Twitter account shared images of the team wearing the hat , with James leading the charge .
At a news conference on Tuesday night after the game , James explained his decision to wear the hat : You know the situation that ’ s going on in Louisville , Kentucky .
An innocent woman being killed by the name of Breonna Taylor .
A woman who had a bright future , and her life was taken away from her .
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been no justice , not only for her but for her family .
And we want to continue to shed light on that situation , which was unjust .
That ’ s what it ’ s about .
“ There has been no justice not only for her , but for her family.
” @ KingJames on his Game 1 attire for Breonna Taylor .
pic.twitter.com/Togu3jQQRH — NBA on TNT ( @ NBAonTNT ) August 19 , 2020 The Lakers join many high-profile people and groups calling for the arrests of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Detective Brett Hankison , Sgt .
Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove .
Last month , WNBA players announced they would pay homage to women who have been killed by police and in episodes of racial violence with “ special uniforms to seek justice for the women and girls , including Sandra Bland , Breonna Taylor , Vanessa Guillen and many more who have been the forgotten victims of police brutality and racial violence , ” according to a statement from the league .
Their warmup jerseys have “ Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her Name ” on the back .
Celebrities like Cardi B , Oprah , Jennifer Lawrence and Beyoncé have also spoken out for justice or been part of wide-scale efforts to make people aware of what happened to Taylor .
It has been more than 150 days since Taylor ’ s death and none of the officers has been charged .
Hankison was fired , while Mattingly and Cosgrove were placed on administrative leave .

LeBron James and his Los Angeles Lakers teammates made a statement Tuesday with edited “Make America Great Again” hats demanding justice for Breonna Taylor instead of supporting President Donald Trump.
The NBA star and fellow Lakers wore the bright-red hats before and after their first playoff appearance against the Portland Trail Blazers. The hat read, “Make America Arrest the Cops who Killed Breonna Taylor.”
Instagram / LeBron James
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Taylor was the 26-year-old emergency room technician shot and killed by police officers in her Kentucky home in March. Police had used a no-knock warrant to enter in search a suspect who did not live there.
Earlier in the night, the Los Angeles Lakers Twitter account shared images of the team wearing the hat, with James leading the charge.
Justice for Breonna Taylor pic.twitter.com/vkDYRc0Eb1 — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) August 18, 2020
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At a news conference on Tuesday night after the game, James explained his decision to wear the hat:
You know the situation that’s going on in Louisville, Kentucky. An innocent woman being killed by the name of Breonna Taylor. A woman who had a bright future, and her life was taken away from her. There’s been no arrests. There’s been no justice, not only for her but for her family. And we want to continue to shed light on that situation, which was unjust. That’s what it’s about.
“There has been no justice not only for her, but for her family.”@KingJames on his Game 1 attire for Breonna Taylor. pic.twitter.com/Togu3jQQRH — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 19, 2020
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The Lakers join many high-profile people and groups calling for the arrests of the officers involved in Taylor’s death — Detective Brett Hankison, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove.
Last month, WNBA players announced they would pay homage to women who have been killed by police and in episodes of racial violence with “special uniforms to seek justice for the women and girls, including Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor, Vanessa Guillen and many more who have been the forgotten victims of police brutality and racial violence,” according to a statement from the league.
Their warmup jerseys have “Black Lives Matter” on the front and “Say Her Name” on the back.
Celebrities like Cardi B, Oprah, Jennifer Lawrence and Beyoncé have also spoken out for justice or been part of wide-scale efforts to make people aware of what happened to Taylor.
It has been more than 150 days since Taylor’s death and none of the officers has been charged. Hankison was fired, while Mattingly and Cosgrove were placed on administrative leave.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Facebook And Instagram Are Finally Cracking Down On QAnon

Instagram and its parent company , Facebook , are implementing new measures to stifle the spread of the far-right conspiracy theory movement QAnon on their platforms , according to new a policy released Wednesday .
The social media giants said they will de-rank and limit algorithmic recommendations for QAnon pages , groups and accounts ; remove those that discuss potential violence ; and ban QAnon ads and fundraising efforts altogether .
Facebook said it has already removed more than 790 groups , 100 pages and 1,500 ads tied to QAnon ; blocked more than 300 hashtags across Facebook and Instagram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,950 groups and 440 pages on Facebook and more than 10,000 accounts on Instagram .
“ Today we are taking action against Facebook Pages , Groups and Instagram accounts tied to offline anarchist groups that support violent acts amidst protests , US-based militia organizations , and QAnon , ” Facebook said in its announcement .
“ While we will allow people to post content that supports these movements and groups , so long as they do not otherwise violate our content policies , we will restrict their ability to organize on our platform.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement that baselessly claims President Donald Trump is waging a secret war against a “ deep state ” cabal of Satanist elites running an international child sex trafficking ring .
Its adherents are accused of carrying out numerous acts of violence , including a deadly shooting .
In recent months , QAnon has wormed its way from the fringes into the political mainstream as a growing threat to democracy that ’ s hellbent on tainting the political narrative with disinformation .
At least 76 current or former congressional candidates support the movement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ QAnon groups and pages have thrived on Facebook with millions of members and followers , NBC News reported earlier this month .
The new policy comes on the heels of similar crackdowns by Twitter and TikTok , and marks a major reversal : As a HuffPost investigation revealed last year , Instagram in particular has long been quietly and aggressively expanding QAnon ’ s reach by algorithmically amplifying its content .
Facebook said it will “ continue studying specific terminology and symbolism ” used by QAnon supporters to identify the language indicating violence @

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Instagram and its parent company, Facebook, are implementing new measures to stifle the spread of the far-right conspiracy theory movement QAnon on their platforms, according to new a policy released Wednesday.
The social media giants said they will de-rank and limit algorithmic recommendations for QAnon pages, groups and accounts; remove those that discuss potential violence; and ban QAnon ads and fundraising efforts altogether.
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Facebook said it has already removed more than 790 groups, 100 pages and 1,500 ads tied to QAnon; blocked more than 300 hashtags across Facebook and Instagram; and imposed restrictions on more than 1,950 groups and 440 pages on Facebook and more than 10,000 accounts on Instagram.
“Today we are taking action against Facebook Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts tied to offline anarchist groups that support violent acts amidst protests, US-based militia organizations, and QAnon,” Facebook said in its announcement. “While we will allow people to post content that supports these movements and groups, so long as they do not otherwise violate our content policies, we will restrict their ability to organize on our platform.”
QAnon is a sprawling online extremist movement that baselessly claims President Donald Trump is waging a secret war against a “deep state” cabal of Satanist elites running an international child sex trafficking ring. Scott Olson via Getty Images
QAnon is a sprawling online extremist movement that baselessly claims President Donald Trump is waging a secret war against a “deep state” cabal of Satanist elites running an international child sex trafficking ring. Its adherents are accused of carrying out numerous acts of violence, including a deadly shooting.
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In recent months, QAnon has wormed its way from the fringes into the political mainstream as a growing threat to democracy that’s hellbent on tainting the political narrative with disinformation. At least 76 current or former congressional candidates support the movement. Its scale is still unknown, but QAnon groups and pages have thrived on Facebook with millions of members and followers, NBC News reported earlier this month.
The new policy comes on the heels of similar crackdowns by Twitter and TikTok, and marks a major reversal: As a HuffPost investigation revealed last year, Instagram in particular has long been quietly and aggressively expanding QAnon’s reach by algorithmically amplifying its content.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-19--Far-Right Extremist Laura Loomer Wins Florida Republican Primary

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. ( AP ) — A far-right social media provocateur whose hate speech got her banned from social media won her Republican primary on Tuesday and will challenge Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel for Congress in November .
Laura Loomer also won praise from President Donald Trump early Wednesday , who tweeted that she has a “ great chance.
” Frankel has been a political fixture for decades in the Palm Beach County district , which is firmly Democratic and includes Trump ’ s Mar-a-Lago resort .
Loomer has been a guest on Fox News and alt-right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and politicians in stunts posted online .
Her campaign advisor is Karen Giorno , a political strategist who worked for Gov .
Rick Scott and Trump ’ s 2016 campaign in Florida .
Loomer reportedly celebrated her victory alongside Trump ’ s longtime pal Roger Stone , who was convicted last year of lying to Congress and witness tampering ; former Breitbart columnist Milo Yiannopoulos ; and Gavin McInnes , the founder of extremist street gang Proud Boys .
Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A far-right social media provocateur whose hate speech got her banned from social media won her Republican primary on Tuesday and will challenge Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel for Congress in November.
Laura Loomer also won praise from President Donald Trump early Wednesday, who tweeted that she has a “great chance.”
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Frankel has been a political fixture for decades in the Palm Beach County district, which is firmly Democratic and includes Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
Loomer has been a guest on Fox News and alt-right programs after gaining followers by ambushing journalists and politicians in stunts posted online. Her campaign advisor is Karen Giorno, a political strategist who worked for Gov. Rick Scott and Trump’s 2016 campaign in Florida.
Loomer reportedly celebrated her victory alongside Trump’s longtime pal Roger Stone, who was convicted last year of lying to Congress and witness tampering; former Breitbart columnist Milo Yiannopoulos; and Gavin McInnes, the founder of extremist street gang Proud Boys.
Right-wing bold-faced names Roger Stone, Milo Yiannopoulos and Gavin McInnes join Laura Loomer in celebrating her win in GOP primary in South Florida. https://t.co/Dw3lERKBmR pic.twitter.com/axHqWo0R8o — Jim Roberts (@nycjim) August 19, 2020
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