thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--Trump Has Nearly Eliminated Intelligence Briefings From His Schedule Entirely

Trump went from a high of 4.1 briefings per week on average in March 2017 to 0.7 per week since July 1 , shortly after it became public that he had ignored intelligence reports about Russia offering bounties to the Taliban for each American soldier killed in Afghanistan .
“ And now that they are arguably more important than ever , as foreign actors are again interfering in our democracy , tensions with Beijing are swirling , and America ’ s adversaries and competitors are becoming more emboldened , the president can ’ t seem to find the time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Briefings from intelligence community officials are based on a package of report summaries from around the world prepared in the pre-dawn hours each morning specifically for the president .
The sessions are among the few responsibilities in the modern presidency that can not be delegated to others .
Both of Trump ’ s immediate predecessors took daily briefings in the White House .
Republican George W. Bush typically had his shortly after his arrival in the Oval Office at 6:45 a.m. each day .
Democrat Barack Obama had the written material , known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brief , ” loaded onto his iPad by 6 a.m. each day , when he would read it prior to the in-person session later in the morning .
Trump , by contrast , rarely gets to the West Wing before noon after spending much of each morning watching television and posting tweets based on his viewing .
He displayed a diligence toward intelligence briefings only briefly , upon first taking office .
In March 2017 he had 18 scheduled briefings on the 23 available weekdays .
In April 2017 , he had 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But starting that May , right after he fired FBI Director James Comey for failing to end the investigation into the assistance his campaign received from Russia , the frequency of his briefings fell dramatically .
Up until that day , May 9 , Trump had taken 54 intelligence briefings in his 110 days in office , an average of 3.4 per week .
In the 1,200 days since then , he has received 281 briefings , an average of only 1.6 per week .
White House officials for years have denied that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more infrequently , insisting that the public schedule does not always reflect the briefings he receives .
They have declined to explain why some briefings wind up on the public schedule but not others .
On Tuesday , though , White House communications director Alyssa Farah said : “ The president is briefed on critical intelligence daily by his national security adviser , his career CIA briefer , and/or his chief of staff .
He also takes part in full formal presidential intelligence briefings near weekly or every other week with the CIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of national intelligence , White House counsel , and usually the secretary of treasury , secretary of state , and sometime the secretary of defense in person in the Oval Office.
” Trump has demonstrated time and again that he ’ s not one to put America ’ s national security first .
Ned Price , former CIA analyst and National Security Council spokesman under Obama One former top White House aide , asked on condition of anonymity whether Trump actually took more intelligence briefings than were reflected on his public schedules , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s reaction was the same when asked whether Trump reads the intelligence briefing books prepared for him .
“ He ’ s just not receptive to new facts , ” Bolton told CBS News last month .
“ The intelligence briefings don ’ t communicate as much information as they should .
We tried to think of ways to change that .
I think it was probably a doomed effort.
” Trump ’ s engagement on intelligence has become a major issue in his reelection bid , after reports earlier this year that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January that a pneumonia-like virus was spreading in China .
Trump did not have a briefing on his schedule until Jan. 6 , a week after Taiwanese authorities raised the alarm with U.S. officials about an epidemic on the mainland .
He then spent more than two months downplaying the virus and praising China ’ s dictator for his great work and “ transparency ” in controlling the coronavirus , even as it had gained a foothold in the United States and was spreading across the country .
Months later , first The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that Trump had ignored intelligence that Russia was paying rewards of up to $ 100,000 per American soldier murdered in Afghanistan .
Trump has called those reports “ a hoax ” and “ fake news ” and acknowledged that he has never raised the issue with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in the numerous phone calls they have shared this year .

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UPDATE: In April 2021, 10 months after The New York Times, Associated Press and Washington Post reported on U.S. intelligence that Russia had offered secret bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans, the Biden administration said that CIA analysts only have “low to moderate confidence” that the bounty program ever existed. WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump’s interest in taking intelligence briefings has been declining steadily since his first months in office and has dropped to near zero in recent weeks, according to a HuffPost review of all of his daily schedules.
Trump went from a high of 4.1 briefings per week on average in March 2017 to 0.7 per week since July 1, shortly after it became public that he had ignored intelligence reports about Russia offering bounties to the Taliban for each American soldier killed in Afghanistan.
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Monday’s briefing, in fact, was the first in August and the first since July 22. That month had only three briefings scheduled.
“It’s remarkable that, even at their peak, they never exceeded 20 per month,” said Ned Price, a former CIA analyst and a spokesman for the National Security Council during the Obama administration.
“And now that they are arguably more important than ever, as foreign actors are again interfering in our democracy, tensions with Beijing are swirling, and America’s adversaries and competitors are becoming more emboldened, the president can’t seem to find the time to be briefed,” he added.
A HuffPost review of President Donald Trump's daily schedules shows his declining interest in intelligence briefings over time. January 2017 and August 2020 are partial months. Source: White House S.V. Date/HuffPost
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Briefings from intelligence community officials are based on a package of report summaries from around the world prepared in the pre-dawn hours each morning specifically for the president. The sessions are among the few responsibilities in the modern presidency that cannot be delegated to others.
Both of Trump’s immediate predecessors took daily briefings in the White House. Republican George W. Bush typically had his shortly after his arrival in the Oval Office at 6:45 a.m. each day. Democrat Barack Obama had the written material, known as the “President’s Daily Brief,” loaded onto his iPad by 6 a.m. each day, when he would read it prior to the in-person session later in the morning.
Trump, by contrast, rarely gets to the West Wing before noon after spending much of each morning watching television and posting tweets based on his viewing. He displayed a diligence toward intelligence briefings only briefly, upon first taking office. In March 2017 he had 18 scheduled briefings on the 23 available weekdays. In April 2017, he had 17 briefings on the 20 available weekdays.
But starting that May, right after he fired FBI Director James Comey for failing to end the investigation into the assistance his campaign received from Russia, the frequency of his briefings fell dramatically. Up until that day, May 9, Trump had taken 54 intelligence briefings in his 110 days in office, an average of 3.4 per week. In the 1,200 days since then, he has received 281 briefings, an average of only 1.6 per week.
White House officials for years have denied that Trump has been getting briefings more and more infrequently, insisting that the public schedule does not always reflect the briefings he receives. They have declined to explain why some briefings wind up on the public schedule but not others.
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On Tuesday, though, White House communications director Alyssa Farah said: “The president is briefed on critical intelligence daily by his national security adviser, his career CIA briefer, and/or his chief of staff. He also takes part in full formal presidential intelligence briefings near weekly or every other week with the CIA director, national security adviser, director of national intelligence, White House counsel, and usually the secretary of treasury, secretary of state, and sometime the secretary of defense in person in the Oval Office.”
“Trump has demonstrated time and again that he’s not one to put America’s national security first.” - Ned Price, former CIA analyst and National Security Council spokesman under Obama
Trump himself, asked about intelligence briefings in a recent interview with Axios, called the reports of the Russian bounties “fake news,” that they had “never reached” his desk, and that he does read the PDBs and is regularly briefed.
“I read a lot. I spend a lot of time at meetings. Usually it’s once a day or at least two or three times a week, intelligence meetings,” Trump said.
One former top White House aide, asked on condition of anonymity whether Trump actually took more intelligence briefings than were reflected on his public schedules, began laughing aloud. The aide’s reaction was the same when asked whether Trump reads the intelligence briefing books prepared for him.
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Trump’s last national security adviser, John Bolton, has stated publicly that Trump does not read his intelligence briefing book and that making him absorb information was a difficult challenge.
“He’s just not receptive to new facts,” Bolton told CBS News last month. “The intelligence briefings don’t communicate as much information as they should. We tried to think of ways to change that. I think it was probably a doomed effort.”
Trump’s engagement on intelligence has become a major issue in his reelection bid, after reports earlier this year that he ignored warnings in his PDBs in January that a pneumonia-like virus was spreading in China. Trump did not have a briefing on his schedule until Jan. 6, a week after Taiwanese authorities raised the alarm with U.S. officials about an epidemic on the mainland.
He then spent more than two months downplaying the virus and praising China’s dictator for his great work and “transparency” in controlling the coronavirus, even as it had gained a foothold in the United States and was spreading across the country.
Months later, first The New York Times and then other outlets reported that Trump had ignored intelligence that Russia was paying rewards of up to $100,000 per American soldier murdered in Afghanistan. Trump has called those reports “a hoax” and “fake news” and acknowledged that he has never raised the issue with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in the numerous phone calls they have shared this year.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--Why Kamala Harris Is A Historic Vice Presidential Pick

In a tweet announcing his choice , the former vice president described Harris as “ a fearless fighter for the little guy , and one of the country ’ s finest public servants.
” There are many reasons why Harris , a former attorney general of California and ex-district attorney of San Francisco , is a historic pick for the ticket .
Here are some : She is the first African American and first Asian American to be nominated for vice president by a major political party .
Harris will be only the fourth woman on major party ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s degree at the University of Delaware and got his law degree from Syracuse University .
Harris is a graduate of Howard University in Washington , D.C. She earned her law degree at the University of California , Hastings .
Harris is the first graduate of Howard University to be on a major party ticket .
The school ’ s president , Wayne A. I. Frederick , lauded Harris joining the ticket , calling it an “ extraordinary moment in the history of America ” and Howard University ― one that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to acknowledge the leadership Black women have always exhibited.
” Harris , who earlier campaigned against Biden in a bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination , said Tuesday that she was “ honored to join him as our party ’ s nominee for Vice President .
”

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Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has tapped Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) to be his running mate.
In a tweet announcing his choice, the former vice president described Harris as “a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants.”
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I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 11, 2020
There are many reasons why Harris, a former attorney general of California and ex-district attorney of San Francisco, is a historic pick for the ticket. Here are some:
She is the first Black person and first Asian American to be nominated for vice president by a major political party.
Harris’ mother was an Indian immigrant and her father was a Jamaican immigrant.
Harris has described herself as “a proud American” whose Black and Indian heritage “are of equal weight in terms of who I am.”
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Future vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris with her younger sister, Maya, and mother, Shyamala, outside their apartment on Milvia Street in Berkeley, 1970. pic.twitter.com/8JKCq53HWL — John McMurtrie (@McMurtrieSF) August 11, 2020
Harris will be only the fourth woman on major party’s national ticket.
The previous three ― Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016; Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee; and Geraldine Ferraro, the 1984 Democratic vice presidential nominee ― all lost their bids for president or vice president.
The Biden-Harris ticket will be the first Democratic ticket since the 1980s to not have an Ivy League alumnus on it
Biden earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Delaware and got his law degree from Syracuse University. Harris is a graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C. She earned her law degree at the University of California, Hastings.
Kamala Harris's selection means that the Democratic ticket will not have someone with an Ivy League degree for the first time since 1984 — Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) August 11, 2020
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Harris is the first graduate of Howard University to be on a major party ticket.
Harris graduated from the historically Black university in 1986.
The school’s president, Wayne A. I. Frederick, lauded Harris joining the ticket, calling it an “extraordinary moment in the history of America” and Howard University ― one that “represents a milestone opportunity for our democracy to acknowledge the leadership Black women have always exhibited.”
From the Hilltop to Capitol Hill, congratulations to our alumna, Senator @KamalaHarris, The democratic candidate for Vice President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/qe4T1j2kbk — Howard University (@HowardU) August 11, 2020
Harris, who earlier campaigned against Biden in a bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, said Tuesday that she was “honored to join him as our party’s nominee for Vice President.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--North Carolina GOP House Candidate Defends His Photos From Hitler's Vacation Retreat

A Republican congressional candidate in North Carolina first archived , then reinstated , photos on his Instagram account from a 2017 vacation to Adolf Hitler ’ s Eagle ’ s Nest retreat after a recent news article about them .
The post shows 25-year-old Madison Cawthorn and his brother grinning in front of the Nazi retreat where Hitler often vacationed in Germany .
“ The vacation house of the Führer , ” Cawthorn wrote in a caption for the post , addressing Hitler using the reverential term Nazis associated with their leader .
“ Seeing the Eagles Nest has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it did not disappoint , ” he continued .
He noted it was “ strange to hear so many laughs and share such a good time with my brother ” in the same place “ a supreme evil shared laughs and good times with his compatriots.
” Cawthorn ’ s photos were first removed on Monday , the same day Jezebel published a story arguing that he is “ following the playbook of other , more successful far-right Republicans in recent years , attempting to rebrand his extreme views … as squarely in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When our soldiers were photographed at the Eagle ’ s Nest in 1945 they were clearly celebrating the Allies triumph over one of the greatest evils in human history , ” he tweeted .
“ They weren ’ t celebrating evil ; they were celebrating their victory over evil.
” Another fake news controversy : When our soldiers were photographed at the Eagle ’ s Nest in 1945 they were clearly celebrating the Allies triumph over one of the greatest evils in human history .
They weren ’ t celebrating evil ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
pic.twitter.com/K4rbSGjYqX — Madison Cawthorn ( @ CawthornforNC ) August 11 , 2020 Cawthorn told HuffPost that the Allied victory “ was the history I had in mind ” when visiting the Eagle ’ s Nest .
“ It was a surreal experience to be remembering their joy in a place where the Nazi regime had plotted unspeakable acts of evil , ” he said .
According to Jezebel , however , the candidate has named his real estate company SPQR ― a term popular among white nationalist groups ― and has allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American flag , which the Anti-Defamation League says has been appropriated by far-right militias “ among other Revolutionary War-era symbols.
” A similar report released over the weekend includes many of the same details as Jezebel ’ s , including evidence of Cawthorn ’ s far-right vision .
The report was published by AVL Watchdog , a nonprofit news organization covering the region of North Carolina that Cawthorn is hoping to represent in Congress .
The real estate investor won the GOP nomination for North Carolina ’ s 11th Congressional District in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary runoff .
Bennett had received endorsements from both President Donald Trump and his chief of staff Mark Meadows , who until earlier this year held the House seat .
Cawthorn ― who also supports Trump ― will face Democrat Moe Davis , a former military prosecutor , in November ’ s general election .
Despite recent boundary changes resulting from litigation , the district still leans Republican .
Davis joined in on the tweets pointing to Cawthorn ’ s Instagram post , saying , “ Hitler ’ s vacation retreat is not @ @ @ @ @ @

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A Republican congressional candidate in North Carolina first archived, then reinstated, photos on his Instagram account from a 2017 vacation to Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest retreat after a recent news article about them.
The post shows 25-year-old Madison Cawthorn and his brother grinning in front of the Nazi retreat where Hitler often vacationed in Germany.
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“The vacation house of the Führer,” Cawthorn wrote in a caption for the post, addressing Hitler using the reverential term Nazis associated with their leader.
“Seeing the Eagles Nest has been on my bucket list for awhile, it did not disappoint,” he continued. He noted it was “strange to hear so many laughs and share such a good time with my brother” in the same place “a supreme evil shared laughs and good times with his compatriots.”
Cawthorn’s photos were first removed on Monday, the same day Jezebel published a story arguing that he is “following the playbook of other, more successful far-right Republicans in recent years, attempting to rebrand his extreme views … as squarely in the mainstream of the Republican Party.”
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The candidate posted a string of tweets later Tuesday responding to the photos.
“When our soldiers were photographed at the Eagle’s Nest in 1945 they were clearly celebrating the Allies triumph over one of the greatest evils in human history,” he tweeted. “They weren’t celebrating evil; they were celebrating their victory over evil.”
“I don’t cower to the mob,” he continued. “The new Republican Party that I represent will fight back against liberal lies.”
Another fake news controversy:
When our soldiers were photographed at the Eagle’s Nest in 1945 they were clearly celebrating the Allies triumph over one of the greatest evils in human history. They weren’t celebrating evil; they were celebrating their victory over evil. pic.twitter.com/K4rbSGjYqX — Madison Cawthorn (@CawthornforNC) August 11, 2020
Cawthorn told HuffPost that the Allied victory “was the history I had in mind” when visiting the Eagle’s Nest. “It was a surreal experience to be remembering their joy in a place where the Nazi regime had plotted unspeakable acts of evil,” he said.
According to Jezebel, however, the candidate has named his real estate company SPQR ― a term popular among white nationalist groups ― and has allegedly displayed Betsy Ross’ version of the American flag, which the Anti-Defamation League says has been appropriated by far-right militias “among other Revolutionary War-era symbols.”
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A similar report released over the weekend includes many of the same details as Jezebel’s, including evidence of Cawthorn’s far-right vision. The report was published by AVL Watchdog, a nonprofit news organization covering the region of North Carolina that Cawthorn is hoping to represent in Congress.
The real estate investor won the GOP nomination for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District in June, defeating Lynda Bennett in the Republican primary runoff. Bennett had received endorsements from both President Donald Trump and his chief of staff Mark Meadows, who until earlier this year held the House seat.
Cawthorn ― who also supports Trump ― will face Democrat Moe Davis, a former military prosecutor, in November’s general election. Despite recent boundary changes resulting from litigation, the district still leans Republican.
Davis joined in on the tweets pointing to Cawthorn’s Instagram post, saying, “Hitler’s vacation retreat is not on my bucket list.”
Hitler’s vacation retreat is not on my bucket list.#NC11 pic.twitter.com/mxyCUt33Y6 — Moe Davis (@ColMorrisDavis) August 11, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--Donald Trump Was Once A Kamala Harris Donor

Donald Trump ’ s campaign didn ’ t waste any time on Tuesday criticizing Joe Biden ’ s choice of Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential running mate , calling her “ phony ” and part of a “ radical mob.
” But it wasn ’ t long ago that Trump was one of her big donors .
Trump donated a total of $ 6,000 to Harris ’ s campaign for California attorney general .
He gave her money in 2011 and again in 2013 .
Ivanka Trump donated to her attorney general campaign , too : $ 2,000 in 2014 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nonprofit that advocates for civil and human rights for Central Americans , her presidential campaign spokesman told McClatchy in March 2019 .
She didn ’ t make that donation until 2015 , a year after she won reelection as attorney general and was turning her attention toward a Senate bid .
In 2011 and 2013 , Donald Trump donated a total of $ 6,000 to Kamala Harris ' campaign for California attorney general .
In a Tuesday evening call with reporters , Katrina Pierson , a senior adviser on Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s donations to Harris .
“ It ’ s a question that the president has answered many times earlier on the campaign trail , ” Pierson said .
“ The president , as a private businessman , donated to candidates across all aisles , and I ’ ll note that Kamala Harris is a Black woman and he donated to her campaign , so I hope we can squash this racism argument now.
” “ I think that ’ s absolutely right , ” Harris said .
“ The sad thing about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a debatable point .
There is just a long list of statements and tweets and behaviors from this president that make it very clear that he possesses hate .
And that he is divisive .
And that he is a racist .
”

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Donald Trump’s campaign didn’t waste any time on Tuesday criticizing Joe Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential running mate, calling her “phony” and part of a “radical mob.” But it wasn’t long ago that Trump was one of her big donors.
Trump donated a total of $6,000 to Harris’s campaign for California attorney general. He gave her money in 2011 and again in 2013. Ivanka Trump donated to her attorney general campaign, too: $2,000 in 2014.
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Harris later gave that money to a nonprofit that advocates for civil and human rights for Central Americans, her presidential campaign spokesman told McClatchy in March 2019.
She didn’t make that donation until 2015, a year after she won reelection as attorney general and was turning her attention toward a Senate bid.
In 2011 and 2013, Donald Trump donated a total of $6,000 to Kamala Harris' campaign for California attorney general. Samuel Corum via Getty Images
In a Tuesday evening call with reporters, Katrina Pierson, a senior adviser on Trump’s reelection campaign, addressed the president’s donations to Harris.
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“It’s a question that the president has answered many times earlier on the campaign trail,” Pierson said. “The president, as a private businessman, donated to candidates across all aisles, and I’ll note that Kamala Harris is a Black woman and he donated to her campaign, so I hope we can squash this racism argument now.”
“I think that’s absolutely right,” Harris said. “The sad thing about this is it’s no longer really a debatable point. There is just a long list of statements and tweets and behaviors from this president that make it very clear that he possesses hate. And that he is divisive. And that he is a racist.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--Joe Biden's Running Mate Announcement Imminent

Democrats close to the campaign say an announcement is imminent , and could come as early as Tuesday .
The campaign has already been preparing , even as Biden himself spent some of the past week privately interviewing contenders in advance of his final decision .
It will mark just the third time in history a woman has been chosen as a running mate on a major party presidential ticket , and could be the first time a Black woman is elevated to the role .
Reporters descended on an otherwise quiet Wilmington on Tuesday , anxious to detect any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind .
But they found only security personnel gathered outside his home , with no indication Biden himself was there .
There didn ’ t appear to be a motorcade at the home that would have suggested Biden was there , though a small group of journalists staked out the area in cars parked on the other side of the road .
Biden ’ s campaign won ’ t confirm its candidate ’ s exact location , but video images from recent days have shown him in Rehoboth Beach , where the Bidens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 90 miles from his house in Wilmington .
Alnother group of about a dozen reporters gathered around the different entrances of the stately Hotel duPont in downtown Wilmington .
The venue could serve as a backdrop if Biden decided to organize an in-person announcement event , though valets and other staff members milling about the exterior said they didn ’ t have any details about an upcoming event involving Biden .
“ It has become typical over the past few presidential campaign cycles for the presumptive nominee to put a team in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit the ground running , and so that it ’ s a more integrated campaign , ” he said .
And that immediate integration into the campaign becomes all the more important at a time when nearly all of the campaign has gone online .
The unique nature of this year ’ s campaign — set against the backdrop of a global pandemic , economic uncertainty and a reckoning over systemic racism — could add more weight to Biden ’ s pick than those in recent history .
She ’ ll be called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race and economic inequality , and she ’ ll be evaluated on her ability to govern and lead during a particularly rocky phase in America ’ s history .
Liz Allen , who previously worked at consulting firm Glover Park Group , served as both Biden and Obama ’ s deputy communications director , and will fill the role of communications director for Biden ’ s running mate .
Sheila Nix , who served as chief of staff to Biden during the 2012 campaign and subsequently filled the same role for second lady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be a senior adviser .
Karine Jean-Pierre , who held senior leadership roles on both the 2012 and 2008 Obama campaigns and worked as a regional political director in the White House during Obama ’ s first term , will serve as the running mate ’ s chief of staff .
The full slate includes a policy director , political director and scheduling and advance staffers for both the running mate and her spouse , and a number of staffers who have been serving on the Biden campaign since 2019 .
Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice-presidential pick in 2016 , said that he and his wife did nearly 1,000 events , fundraisers and media interviews in the 105 days he was on the campaign .
Kaine , describing himself as a “ road warrior , ” said he visited 140 cities in 40 states — but noted this year the running mate could be expected to do even more , from the comfort of her home .
“ The bad news is , it ’ s gon na be hard to go to 140 cities in 40 states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent a lot of time in the air getting from one place to the next , ” Kaine said .
He estimated he did on average seven events a day during the campaign , but now that the vice-presidential pick can do them by zoom , they might be able to do 15 or 20 .

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WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Joe Biden is on the cusp of announcing the biggest, and possibly most consequential, decision of his political career with the unveiling of his running mate.
The staff is in place. There’s a communications rollout strategy ready to go. And organizers of the Democratic National Convention have a speaking slot scheduled, on Thursday night next week.
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All that’s missing is the name.
Democrats close to the campaign say an announcement is imminent, and could come as early as Tuesday. The campaign has already been preparing, even as Biden himself spent some of the past week privately interviewing contenders in advance of his final decision.
It will mark just the third time in history a woman has been chosen as a running mate on a major party presidential ticket, and could be the first time a Black woman is elevated to the role.
Reporters descended on an otherwise quiet Wilmington on Tuesday, anxious to detect any hint that Biden had made up his mind. But they found only security personnel gathered outside his home, with no indication Biden himself was there.
There didn’t appear to be a motorcade at the home that would have suggested Biden was there, though a small group of journalists staked out the area in cars parked on the other side of the road. Biden’s campaign won’t confirm its candidate’s exact location, but video images from recent days have shown him in Rehoboth Beach, where the Bidens own a vacation home, which is about 90 miles from his house in Wilmington.
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Alnother group of about a dozen reporters gathered around the different entrances of the stately Hotel duPont in downtown Wilmington. The venue could serve as a backdrop if Biden decided to organize an in-person announcement event, though valets and other staff members milling about the exterior said they didn’t have any details about an upcoming event involving Biden.
Earlier Tuesday, the campaign announced a slate of nine staff members already assigned to the pick, including a number of longtime Biden and Barack Obama aides.
Appointment of those aides is meant to help the running mate get started immediately after she’s announced, according to Mo Elleithee, a longtime Democratic operative who served as a spokesman on Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign.
“It has become typical over the past few presidential campaign cycles for the presumptive nominee to put a team in place so that the running mate can hit the ground running, and so that it’s a more integrated campaign,” he said.
And that immediate integration into the campaign becomes all the more important at a time when nearly all of the campaign has gone online.
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The unique nature of this year’s campaign — set against the backdrop of a global pandemic, economic uncertainty and a reckoning over systemic racism — could add more weight to Biden’s pick than those in recent history. She’ll be called upon to speak credibly on issues of race and economic inequality, and she’ll be evaluated on her ability to govern and lead during a particularly rocky phase in America’s history.
Liz Allen, who previously worked at consulting firm Glover Park Group, served as both Biden and Obama’s deputy communications director, and will fill the role of communications director for Biden’s running mate. Sheila Nix, who served as chief of staff to Biden during the 2012 campaign and subsequently filled the same role for second lady Jill Biden in the White House, will be a senior adviser.
Karine Jean-Pierre, who held senior leadership roles on both the 2012 and 2008 Obama campaigns and worked as a regional political director in the White House during Obama’s first term, will serve as the running mate’s chief of staff. The full slate includes a policy director, political director and scheduling and advance staffers for both the running mate and her spouse, and a number of staffers who have been serving on the Biden campaign since 2019.
Sen. Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton’s vice-presidential pick in 2016, said that he and his wife did nearly 1,000 events, fundraisers and media interviews in the 105 days he was on the campaign. Kaine, describing himself as a “road warrior,” said he visited 140 cities in 40 states — but noted this year the running mate could be expected to do even more, from the comfort of her home.
“The bad news is, it’s gonna be hard to go to 140 cities in 40 states. The good news is, I spent a lot of time in the air getting from one place to the next,” Kaine said. He estimated he did on average seven events a day during the campaign, but now that the vice-presidential pick can do them by zoom, they might be able to do 15 or 20.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--Trump: If Biden Wins, You'll 'Have To Learn To Speak Chinese'

President Donald Trump continued his xenophobic warnings about China on Tuesday , claiming that if he loses the election , everyone in the U.S. will have to learn to speak Chinese .
“ Look , China will own the United States if this election is lost by Donald Trump , ” he said in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt .
“ If I don ’ t win the election , China will own the United States .
You ’ re going to have to learn to speak Chinese , you want to know the truth.
” Demonizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s reelection campaign ever since the coronavirus pandemic took hold .
The president and his allies have attempted to shift attention away from the White House ’ s actions by blaming China for the global pandemic .
In late January , Trump put restrictions on travelers from China .
And he has repeatedly referred to the coronavirus as the “ China virus ” and “ kung flu.
” Yet for weeks , beginning in late January , Trump still praised Chinese officials for their response to the virus .
National security adviser Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is trying to hack into U.S. election infrastructure in an effort to help Joe Biden win the presidency .
The claim conveniently fits into another narrative that Trump has been pushing , which is that Biden is catering to Chinese interests .
One ad from the Trump campaign , for example , alleges : “ The coronavirus infected millions .
Crushed the world economy .
One nation deserves the blame : China .
They lied about it .
Covered it up .
Joe Biden coddles China.
” But according to The Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that the “ U.S .
doesn ’ t currently have intelligence showing that Beijing is directly trying to hack election-related systems.
” “ Donald Trump has been the weakest president in American history with respect to China , ” Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said on Tuesday .
“ As the most devastating public health crisis in 100 years rapidly spread , he echoed Chinese Communist Party propaganda to downplay the threat and justify inaction ― disregarding warnings from the intelligence community and Joe Biden not to take their word .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failures , by every metric , China ’ s position is stronger and ours is diminished.
” The group Stop AAPI Hate has been tracking the harm caused by demonizing China and comments like “ kung flu.
” According to a July 1 press release from the group , Asian Americans in California reported 832 incidents of discrimination and harassment over the previous three months .
“ A man kicked my dog and told me to shut my dog up and then spat at me , ” one person reported , “ saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruining our country and go home .
’ ”

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President Donald Trump continued his xenophobic warnings about China on Tuesday, claiming that if he loses the election, everyone in the U.S. will have to learn to speak Chinese.
“Look, China will own the United States if this election is lost by Donald Trump,” he said in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. “If I don’t win the election, China will own the United States. You’re going to have to learn to speak Chinese, you want to know the truth.”
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Demonizing China has been central to Trump’s reelection campaign ever since the coronavirus pandemic took hold. The president and his allies have attempted to shift attention away from the White House’s actions by blaming China for the global pandemic.
In late January, Trump put restrictions on travelers from China. And he has repeatedly referred to the coronavirus as the “China virus” and “kung flu.” Yet for weeks, beginning in late January, Trump still praised Chinese officials for their response to the virus.
“China is working very hard,” he said on Feb. 7. “They’re working really hard, and I think they are doing a very professional job.”
“President Xi loves the people of China, he loves his country, and he’s doing a very good job with a very, very tough situation,” Trump added on Feb. 18.
National security adviser Robert O’Brien recently claimed that China is trying to hack into U.S. election infrastructure in an effort to help Joe Biden win the presidency. The claim conveniently fits into another narrative that Trump has been pushing, which is that Biden is catering to Chinese interests.
One ad from the Trump campaign, for example, alleges: “The coronavirus infected millions. Crushed the world economy. One nation deserves the blame: China. They lied about it. Covered it up. Joe Biden coddles China.”
But according to The Wall Street Journal, officials familiar with the matter say that the “U.S. doesn’t currently have intelligence showing that Beijing is directly trying to hack election-related systems.”
“Donald Trump has been the weakest president in American history with respect to China,” Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said on Tuesday. “As the most devastating public health crisis in 100 years rapidly spread, he echoed Chinese Communist Party propaganda to downplay the threat and justify inaction ― disregarding warnings from the intelligence community and Joe Biden not to take their word. As a consequence of Donald Trump’s failures, by every metric, China’s position is stronger and ours is diminished.”
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The group Stop AAPI Hate has been tracking the harm caused by demonizing China and comments like “kung flu.” According to a July 1 press release from the group, Asian Americans in California reported 832 incidents of discrimination and harassment over the previous three months.
“A man kicked my dog and told me to shut my dog up and then spat at me,” one person reported, “saying ‘Take your disease that’s ruining our country and go home.’”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--Interior Department Withheld Trump Nominee Docs Ahead Of Confirmation, Watchdog Finds

The finding , detailed in a seven-page report due out Tuesday , comes approximately a year after Interior ’ s Office of Inspector General began investigating the department ’ s controversial Freedom of Information Act policy , which gives political appointees the ability to review public information requests prior to their release , and in some cases withhold material altogether .
They accused Trump administration officials of having “ orchestrated a coverup to protect Secretary Bernhardt during his confirmation ” and renewed a demand that the Department of Justice open a criminal investigation into whether Daniel Jorjani , the Interior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the FOIA policy during his May confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee .
“ Not since the Teapot Dome scandal have we seen a more corrupt Interior Department , ” said Wyden and Grijalva , referring to an early 1920s scandal involving secret oil leases in Wyoming .
“ Political appointees at the agency have put their ideologically-based personal interests over the interests of the American people , violating the public trust upon which the Department of the Interior is based.
” But when Sen. Angus King ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmation hearing who was in charge of Interior FOIA requests , Jorjani replied : “ I , myself , don ’ t review FOIAs or make determinations.
” In a subsequent written response to Wyden , Jorjani said he “ typically did not review records prior to their release under the FOIA.
” He also flatly denied the existence of a “ heightened awareness ” FOIA process for top agency officials .
The public record shows otherwise .
Documents released in July 2019 by environmental group Earthjustice indicate Jorjani was not only aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Interior , but often examined FOIA material before it was released .
The inspector general ’ s report notes that soon after President Donald Trump nominated Bernhardt in February 2019 to replace scandal-plagued outgoing Secretary Ryan Zinke , then-counselor to the secretary Hubbel Relat “ directed staff ” from the department ’ s solicitor and FOIA offices to “ temporarily withhold documents related to Bernhardt , ” including communications to and from him , in response to an FOIA lawsuit .
As part of that civil lawsuit , a federal court ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per month and release all responsive documents .
Interior and a Department of Justice attorney told the inspector general ’ s investigators that the court order only requires the review of 1,500 pages , and the department may determine which to release .
The order to withhold documents related to Bernhardt came directly from Relat , according to the inspector general , citing unnamed department attorneys .
One “ remembered that this direction from Relat was to remain in place until after Bernhardt ’ s confirmation , ” the report says .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withheld from a batch of documents released in February 2019 .
Most were that December , some seven months after the Senate confirmed Bernhardt as Interior chief , according to the IG report .
Relat downplayed the directive in an interview with the inspector general .
He said his approach was to release what the department was legally obligated to , but to be strategic about “ sensitive information ” it was not required to make public .
“ Either I came up with the idea ― and I would like to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ― or Hubbel [ Relat ] , being proactive , said , ‘ Oh , can we do this compliantly and consistent with the court ’ s direction , ’ and then ran it past me , ” Jorjani told the inspector general .
“ It would be one of those two , I would think.
” Interior spokesperson Ben Goldey sought to portray the report as a victory , saying it “ demonstrates that the Department ’ s actions were consistent with its legal , ethics , and FOIA obligations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed to what Edward Keable , then the assistant solicitor of general law , told investigators .
“ My recollection is that this was not a ‘ hold off and don ’ t produce anything ’ direction so much as a ‘ let ’ s take a hard look at these documents and make appropriate determinations on what to do with them , based on that careful review , ’ ” Keable said , according to the inspector general .
The inspector general noted that Jorjani acknowledged that the directive to withhold FOIA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s top lawyer .
As for whether Interior met its court-ordered obligations to produce FOIA records , the inspector general said it ’ s for a judge to decide .
At his confirmation hearing last year , Jorjani appeared alongside Mark Greenblatt , then Trump ’ s nominee to serve as Interior inspector general .
Greenblatt , who has since been confirmed to the post and issued Tuesday ’ s report , told lawmakers at the time that he had a long track record of “ fair , objective , independent oversight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant inspector general for investigations at the Department of Commerce .

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Ahead of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s Senate confirmation hearing in March 2019, political appointees blocked the public release of documents about the nominee, the agency’s internal watchdog concluded.
The finding, detailed in a seven-page report due out Tuesday, comes approximately a year after Interior’s Office of Inspector General began investigating the department’s controversial Freedom of Information Act policy, which gives political appointees the ability to review public information requests prior to their release, and in some cases withhold material altogether.
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Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who last year made separate requests for the inspector general to expand the probe into Interior’s so-called awareness review policy, slammed the department in a joint statement Tuesday.
They accused Trump administration officials of having “orchestrated a coverup to protect Secretary Bernhardt during his confirmation” and renewed a demand that the Department of Justice open a criminal investigation into whether Daniel Jorjani, the Interior Department solicitor, perjured himself when questioned about the FOIA policy during his May confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
“Not since the Teapot Dome scandal have we seen a more corrupt Interior Department,” said Wyden and Grijalva, referring to an early 1920s scandal involving secret oil leases in Wyoming. “Political appointees at the agency have put their ideologically-based personal interests over the interests of the American people, violating the public trust upon which the Department of the Interior is based.”
Daniel Jorjani, the Interior Department's top lawyer, appears before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on May 2, 2019. YouTube/Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
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Jorjani, who served as the agency’s principal deputy solicitor before being promoted, oversees Interior’s embattled ethics office and the department’s FOIA program.
But when Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) asked Jorjani at his May confirmation hearing who was in charge of Interior FOIA requests, Jorjani replied: “I, myself, don’t review FOIAs or make determinations.” In a subsequent written response to Wyden, Jorjani said he “typically did not review records prior to their release under the FOIA.” He also flatly denied the existence of a “heightened awareness” FOIA process for top agency officials.
The public record shows otherwise. Documents released in July 2019 by environmental group Earthjustice indicate Jorjani was not only aware of the “awareness review” policy at Interior, but often examined FOIA material before it was released.
Wyden and Grijlava said Tuesday that the IG report shows Jorjani provided false information under oath.
Jorjani, a former Koch brothers adviser, has shown himself a Trump administration loyalist, once telling colleagues that “our job is to protect the secretary” from ethics probes and negative media coverage, as HuffPost first reported.
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The inspector general’s report notes that soon after President Donald Trump nominated Bernhardt in February 2019 to replace scandal-plagued outgoing Secretary Ryan Zinke, then-counselor to the secretary Hubbel Relat “directed staff” from the department’s solicitor and FOIA offices to “temporarily withhold documents related to Bernhardt,” including communications to and from him, in response to an FOIA lawsuit.
As part of that civil lawsuit, a federal court ordered Interior to review 1,500 pages of records per month and release all responsive documents. Interior and a Department of Justice attorney told the inspector general’s investigators that the court order only requires the review of 1,500 pages, and the department may determine which to release.
The order to withhold documents related to Bernhardt came directly from Relat, according to the inspector general, citing unnamed department attorneys. One “remembered that this direction from Relat was to remain in place until after Bernhardt’s confirmation,” the report says.
The directive resulted in some 250 pages being withheld from a batch of documents released in February 2019. Most were that December, some seven months after the Senate confirmed Bernhardt as Interior chief, according to the IG report.
Relat downplayed the directive in an interview with the inspector general. He said his approach was to release what the department was legally obligated to, but to be strategic about “sensitive information” it was not required to make public.
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Jorjani told investigators he could not recall discussing the order with Relate, but it sounded “quite reasonable” and “perfectly consistent with how I would have approached it.”
“Either I came up with the idea ― and I would like to think I’m smart enough to do that ― or Hubbel [Relat], being proactive, said, ‘Oh, can we do this compliantly and consistent with the court’s direction,’ and then ran it past me,” Jorjani told the inspector general. “It would be one of those two, I would think.”
Interior spokesperson Ben Goldey sought to portray the report as a victory, saying it “demonstrates that the Department’s actions were consistent with its legal, ethics, and FOIA obligations, including the applicable court order.” Goldey pointed to what Edward Keable, then the assistant solicitor of general law, told investigators.
“My recollection is that this was not a ‘hold off and don’t produce anything’ direction so much as a ‘let’s take a hard look at these documents and make appropriate determinations on what to do with them, based on that careful review,’” Keable said, according to the inspector general.
David Bernhardt, a former oil and gas lobbyist, was confirmed as the 53rd secretary of the Interior Department in April 2019. (Photo by Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Caroline Brehman via Getty Images
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Jorjani and Relat previously worked together at Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, a now-defunct Koch brothers-backed nonprofit.
The inspector general noted that Jorjani acknowledged that the directive to withhold FOIA documents falls on him as the agency’s top lawyer. As for whether Interior met its court-ordered obligations to produce FOIA records, the inspector general said it’s for a judge to decide.
At his confirmation hearing last year, Jorjani appeared alongside Mark Greenblatt, then Trump’s nominee to serve as Interior inspector general. Greenblatt, who has since been confirmed to the post and issued Tuesday’s report, told lawmakers at the time that he had a long track record of “fair, objective, independent oversight” in his previous role as the assistant inspector general for investigations at the Department of Commerce.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--Donald Trump Is Already Working To Rig The 2020 Election

Trump ’ s biggest obstacle in pursuit of reelection this fall is his deep unpopularity .
According to FiveThirtyEight , Trump ’ s bad approval rating makes him the most unpopular president running for reelection since Gerald Ford , who lost his bid more than 40 years ago ; and his only advantage in dealing with this widespread unpopularity might be his familiarity with it .
In 2016 , 3 million more Americans cast ballots for Hillary Clinton than for Donald Trump .
But a narrow Electoral College victory ― aided by Russian voter suppression efforts and laws restricting access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ path for Trump to win the White House without actually having to win more votes .
Over the past four years , Trump has been impeached , his administration has mishandled multiple disaster relief efforts ― including the coronavirus pandemic ― he ignited multiple human rights crises along the U.S.-Mexico border , he has enriched his failing businesses using tax dollars , and he is currently presiding over rapid job losses and widespread evictions across the country .
These are the markings of an unpopular president , and they are the reasons Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as possible have their votes counted in November .
Many more Americans than usual are expected to vote by mail in November ’ s elections due to coronavirus concerns , but Trump ― himself a mail-in voter ― has lobbed false attacks meant to make the practice seem ripe for “ fraud.
” Voter fraud — including fraud while voting by mail — is extremely rare in the United States .
Trump tipped his hand during an interview in March , when he said he rejected a coronavirus stimulus bill Democrats proposed because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he claimed , would hurt Republicans .
“ The things they had in there were crazy , ” Trump said .
“ They had things — levels of voting that , if you ever agreed to it , you ’ d never have a Republican elected in this country again.
” Trump and his campaign have spent much of the year waging a war against the U.S .
Postal Service .
White House aides are looking into executive actions Trump could take to curb mail-in voting , Politico reported , and the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provisions they put in place to make mail-in voting easier .
Democrats in the House also allege Trump ’ s newly appointed postmaster general , a campaign donor , has instituted changes that “ threaten the timely delivery of mail — including medicines for seniors , paychecks for workers and absentee ballots for voters — that is essential to millions of Americans.
” Many Americans have reported long delays in mail delivery over the last month , and the danger those delays could pose to their vote if they persist through the fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign filed a lawsuit in Nevada to , among other things , bar the state from counting late-arriving ballots .
In 2018 , a consent decree requiring the Republican Party to gain court approval before engaging in poll-watching on Election Day was allowed to expire after nearly 40 years .
Poll-watching has historically been used by racist intimidators to scare away nonwhite voters from the polls , sometimes through violence .
Ahead of the 2016 elections , several white supremacists coordinated poll-watching efforts to “ monitor ” polls in nonwhite communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , signed by the Democratic and Republican national committees , in 1982 following reports that the RNC placed armed , off-duty law enforcement officers at the polls in minority neighborhoods .
The purpose was to ensure the national party wasn ’ t deploying racist harassment tactics to suppress the vote .
“ For about 40 years , the Republican Party has been fighting this battle with one hand tied behind its back , ” Justin Clark , a senior Trump campaign official , said at this year ’ s Conservative Political Action Conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brand-new opportunity to be able to activate an Election Day operation program that ’ s really robust.
” As the president of an economically depressed nation gripped by disease , Trump has all but given up on pursuing likability and chosen instead to ride a wave of fear and angst to reelection .
Much like his 2016 campaign , his 2020 campaign relies on disinformation ― some self-generated and some from foreign sources ― concerning his opponent , himself and the state of the union .
In particular , Trump has shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very scheme that got him impeached : requesting and amplifying unsubstantiated , pro-Russian talking points from Ukraine depicting Joe Biden as corrupt .
Asked recently about intelligence showing Russia is trying to “ denigrate ” Biden to keep Trump in office , the president said , “ I don ’ t care what anybody says , ” and falsely claimed he has been “ tougher ” on Russia than any other president .
In reality , Trump has been servile to Russian President Vladimir Putin , even refusing to mention Russia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of U.S. soldiers during a conversation between the two leaders in late July .

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Voters don’t like Donald Trump, and he knows it. Faced with historically low approval in an election year, he’s doing everything he can to make sure voters don’t vote.
Trump’s biggest obstacle in pursuit of reelection this fall is his deep unpopularity. According to FiveThirtyEight, Trump’s bad approval rating makes him the most unpopular president running for reelection since Gerald Ford, who lost his bid more than 40 years ago; and his only advantage in dealing with this widespread unpopularity might be his familiarity with it. In 2016, 3 million more Americans cast ballots for Hillary Clinton than for Donald Trump. But a narrow Electoral College victory ― aided by Russian voter suppression efforts and laws restricting access to the vote ― charted an illiberal path for Trump to win the White House without actually having to win more votes.
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Over the past four years, Trump has been impeached, his administration has mishandled multiple disaster relief efforts ― including the coronavirus pandemic ― he ignited multiple human rights crises along the U.S.-Mexico border, he has enriched his failing businesses using tax dollars, and he is currently presiding over rapid job losses and widespread evictions across the country.
These are the markings of an unpopular president, and they are the reasons Trump is trying to ensure as few people as possible have their votes counted in November.
The U.S. Postal Service, especially essential during coronavirus lockdowns, has been in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump as he looks to undermine mail-in voting. Alexi Rosenfeld via Getty Images
Attacking The U.S. Postal Service
Many more Americans than usual are expected to vote by mail in November’s elections due to coronavirus concerns, but Trump ― himself a mail-in voter ― has lobbed false attacks meant to make the practice seem ripe for “fraud.” Voter fraud — including fraud while voting by mail — is extremely rare in the United States. Trump tipped his hand during an interview in March, when he said he rejected a coronavirus stimulus bill Democrats proposed because its increased funding for vote-by-mail options, he claimed, would hurt Republicans.
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“The things they had in there were crazy,” Trump said. “They had things — levels of voting that, if you ever agreed to it, you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
Trump and his campaign have spent much of the year waging a war against the U.S. Postal Service. White House aides are looking into executive actions Trump could take to curb mail-in voting, Politico reported, and the Trump campaign is currently suing several states over provisions they put in place to make mail-in voting easier. Democrats in the House also allege Trump’s newly appointed postmaster general, a campaign donor, has instituted changes that “threaten the timely delivery of mail — including medicines for seniors, paychecks for workers and absentee ballots for voters — that is essential to millions of Americans.”
Many Americans have reported long delays in mail delivery over the last month, and the danger those delays could pose to their vote if they persist through the fall has already materialized. Last week, the Trump campaign filed a lawsuit in Nevada to, among other things, bar the state from counting late-arriving ballots.
In-person voting, too, could be compromised by Republican "poll-watching" efforts that have historically been used to intimidate nonwhite voters. Elijah Nouvelage via Getty Images
Voter Intimidation
In 2018, a consent decree requiring the Republican Party to gain court approval before engaging in poll-watching on Election Day was allowed to expire after nearly 40 years. Poll-watching has historically been used by racist intimidators to scare away nonwhite voters from the polls, sometimes through violence. Ahead of the 2016 elections, several white supremacists coordinated poll-watching efforts to “monitor” polls in nonwhite communities.
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A court issued the original decree, signed by the Democratic and Republican national committees, in 1982 following reports that the RNC placed armed, off-duty law enforcement officers at the polls in minority neighborhoods. The purpose was to ensure the national party wasn’t deploying racist harassment tactics to suppress the vote.
After a federal judge declined to renew the decree in 2018, Republican Party officials announced plans to recruit 50,000 “poll watchers” to monitor the 2020 elections.
“For about 40 years, the Republican Party has been fighting this battle with one hand tied behind its back,” Justin Clark, a senior Trump campaign official, said at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference. “In 2020, we have a brand-new opportunity to be able to activate an Election Day operation program that’s really robust.”
A number of Democratic groups in various states have said they will assign poll watchers of their own to flag voter suppression efforts.
As Trump's mishandling of the coronavirus crisis has threatened his poll numbers ahead of the November election, he has made misinformation a key component of his reelection strategy. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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Disinformation
As the president of an economically depressed nation gripped by disease, Trump has all but given up on pursuing likability and chosen instead to ride a wave of fear and angst to reelection. Much like his 2016 campaign, his 2020 campaign relies on disinformation ― some self-generated and some from foreign sources ― concerning his opponent, himself and the state of the union. In particular, Trump has shown an eagerness to move forward with the very scheme that got him impeached: requesting and amplifying unsubstantiated, pro-Russian talking points from Ukraine depicting Joe Biden as corrupt.
Asked recently about intelligence showing Russia is trying to “denigrate” Biden to keep Trump in office, the president said, “I don’t care what anybody says,” and falsely claimed he has been “tougher” on Russia than any other president. In reality, Trump has been servile to Russian President Vladimir Putin, even refusing to mention Russia’s payments to the Taliban for the killing of U.S. soldiers during a conversation between the two leaders in late July.
Multiple Trump allies in the Senate, including Republican committee chairmen Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley, are in contact with pro-Russian Ukrainians who have promised to leak information designed to harm Biden and help Trump at an opportune time.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--Trump Attacks Protesting Athletes, Pushes For Football Despite Coronavirus Concerns

President Donald Trump on Tuesday continued his yearslong attack on athletes who kneel during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality .
He urged NFL and college football leagues to play this year despite coronavirus concerns ― so long as players stand for the national anthem .
Asked whether he believes the NFL will move forward with its scheduled season opener next month , Trump told Fox Sports Radio that his administration is doing “ everything possible ” to help the league .
“ They want to open badly , ” Trump said .
“ I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t stand for the national anthem , I hope they don ’ t open .
But other than that , I ’ d love to see them open .
...
They can protest in other ways .
They shouldn ’ t protest our flag or our country.
” Trump , who claimed in June that he ’ s “ an ally of all peaceful protesters , ” has repeatedly bashed professional athletes for protesting during the national anthem since then-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick first took a knee in 2016 .
The movement gained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of George Floyd in May and the subsequent nationwide anti-racism protests .
On MLB ’ s opening day last month , players and coaches kneeled on the field for about 20 seconds before the national anthem was played .
About a week later , NBA players wore Black Lives Matter shirts and kneeled during the national anthem on their league ’ s opening day .
“ I think it ’ s been horrible for basketball .
Look at the basketball ratings , ” the president said .
“ There was a nastiness about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too .
So I think the NBA is in trouble.
” “ Again , you have to stand for your flag , and you have to respect your flag and your country , ” Trump said .
“ You ’ re making millions of dollars a year to play a sport you ’ d playing anyway if you didn ’ t make ― they ’ d be playing it on the weekends .
And they have to respect their country.
” Trump said it would be a “ tragic mistake ” for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the pandemic .
Several conferences , including the Big Ten and Pac-12 , have reportedly voted not to play this year .
On Tuesday , the University of Massachusetts joined the University of Connecticut in canceling its football season .
“ They ’ re very healthy people , ” Trump said of college football players .
“ You know , people don ’ t realize , it ’ s a tiny percentage of people that get sick and they ’ re old .
It just attacks old people , especially old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some kind of a physical problem , a weight problem.
” He continued : “ These football players are very young , strong people physically .
I mean they ’ re physically in extraordinary shape .
So you ’ re not going to have a problem .
... You ’ re not going to see people dying.
” While it ’ s true that people 65 and older are much more likely to be hospitalized or die after contracting the virus than younger people , COVID-19 has proven to be serious and sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday continued his yearslong attack on athletes who kneel during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality. He urged NFL and college football leagues to play this year despite coronavirus concerns ― so long as players stand for the national anthem.
Asked whether he believes the NFL will move forward with its scheduled season opener next month, Trump told Fox Sports Radio that his administration is doing “everything possible” to help the league.
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“They want to open badly,” Trump said. “I would say this: If they don’t stand for the national anthem, I hope they don’t open. But other than that, I’d love to see them open. ... They can protest in other ways. They shouldn’t protest our flag or our country.”
Trump, who claimed in June that he’s “an ally of all peaceful protesters,” has repeatedly bashed professional athletes for protesting during the national anthem since then-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick first took a knee in 2016. The movement gained momentum this year following the police killing of George Floyd in May and the subsequent nationwide anti-racism protests.
On MLB’s opening day last month, players and coaches kneeled on the field for about 20 seconds before the national anthem was played. About a week later, NBA players wore Black Lives Matter shirts and kneeled during the national anthem on their league’s opening day.
Trump on Tuesday blamed the national anthem protests for the NBA’s declining ratings before attacking some players as “very nasty” and “very dumb.”
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“I think it’s been horrible for basketball. Look at the basketball ratings,” the president said. “There was a nastiness about the NBA the way it was done, too. So I think the NBA is in trouble.”
He added that he “did not like what baseball did even a little bit.”
“Again, you have to stand for your flag, and you have to respect your flag and your country,” Trump said. “You’re making millions of dollars a year to play a sport you’d playing anyway if you didn’t make ― they’d be playing it on the weekends. And they have to respect their country.”
Trump said it would be a “tragic mistake” for college football leagues to cancel their season because of the pandemic.
Several conferences, including the Big Ten and Pac-12, have reportedly voted not to play this year. On Tuesday, the University of Massachusetts joined the University of Connecticut in canceling its football season.
“They’re very healthy people,” Trump said of college football players. “You know, people don’t realize, it’s a tiny percentage of people that get sick and they’re old. It just attacks old people, especially old people with bad hearts, diabetes or some kind of a physical problem, a weight problem.”
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He continued: “These football players are very young, strong people physically. I mean they’re physically in extraordinary shape. So you’re not going to have a problem. ... You’re not going to see people dying.”
While it’s true that people 65 and older are much more likely to be hospitalized or die after contracting the virus than younger people, COVID-19 has proven to be serious and sometimes fatal in some young, healthy people.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--The Entire Senate Democratic Caucus Opposes Confirming Trump's Toxic Public Lands Chief

Senate Democrats and the chamber ’ s two independents have seen enough from President Donald Trump ’ s pick to serve as permanent director of the Bureau of Land Management ― all 47 of them have signaled that they will vote against confirming William Perry Pendley , a self-proclaimed “ sagebrush rebel ” with extreme anti-environmental views , to the post .
“ Mr .
Pendley ’ s public record , including his advocacy for reducing public lands and access to them , routine attempts to undermine tribes , and climate change denial makes him unfit for the position , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico .
“ We urge you to identify a new , qualified candidate for this critical position ― one who supports public lands and the mission of the Bureau of Land Management , ” the lawmakers said .
Trump officially nominated Pendley , a conservative lawyer from Wyoming with a long history of advocating for the sale of federal lands in the West , in June to serve as BLM ’ s permanent director .
He has run the bureau in an acting capacity for more than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that put him in charge of overseeing 245 million acres of public land — more than 10 % of the entire U.S. landmass — and 700 million subsurface mineral acres .
Republican control of the Senate means Pendley could win confirmation if most of the GOP bloc unites behind him but signs have emerged that the nomination could be in trouble .
The White House waited nearly eight weeks to submit the paperwork necessary for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to move forward with Pendley ’ s confirmation , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Murkowski ( R-Alaska ) , has not yet scheduled a hearing to consider the nomination .
If and when she does , supporting Pendley could prove particularly awkward for GOP Sens .
Cory Gardner of Colorado and Steve Daines of Montana , Trump allies facing tough reelection bids who recently scored rare points with the conservation community , as HuffPost previously reported .
Backing Pendley , though , likely would erase these political inroads for the two.
“ Lobbying efforts by influential environmental groups opposing Pendley are intensifying .
“ 47 hard no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Collin O ’ Mara , president of the nonprofit National Wildlife Federation , wrote in a Tuesday post to Twitter .
“ The question is which four Republicans ... will have the courage to say hell no to an anti-public lands zealot ?
” His post also noted that just two GOP members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee could join with the panel ’ s Democrats to block Pendley ’ s confirmation from even coming to a full floor vote .
Both Gardner and Daines serve on the panel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ teeth under James Watt , President Ronald Reagan ’ s controversial Interior Department chief who was anathema to environmentalists , and been described as Watt ’ s “ ideological twin.
” Pendley became the BLM ’ s acting chief after decades running the Mountain States Legal Foundation , a conservative property rights nonprofit that has pushed for the government to sell off millions of federal acres .
He is a former leader of the so-called “ Wise-Use movement , ” a group of anti-government organizations pushing to boost mining , drilling and logging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic terrorists .
Pendley has sued the federal government numerous times over the last three decades , railed often against and “ eco-fascists , ” compared the climate crisis to a “ unicorn ” and immigrants to a “ cancer , ” and claimed that the Endangered Species Act seeks “ to kill or prevent anybody from making a living on federal land.
” In the 1990s , as HuffPost first reported , he published anti-environmental pieces in a fringe magazine produced by Lyndon LaRouche , the late cult leader , convicted fraudster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Pendley has come under fire for his views on racial equality .
In a November 2017 op-ed in The Washington Examiner , he wrote that the Black Lives Matter movement was “ built on ” a “ terrible lie — a lie the mainstream media perpetrated , that cowardly politicians , fearful of saying ‘ all lives matter , ’ emboldened.
” “ Mr .
Pendley has on many prior occasions mischaracterized , mocked , or undermined tribes ’ experiences , rights , and religion , ” the lawmakers wrote .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is particularly concerning given the Bureau ’ s statutory and treaty responsibilities regarding consultations with tribes.
” “ His careful acting stewardship of the Bureau to its new home in Grand Junction , Colorado , has helped transfer jobs outside the Swamp ( the derisive term Trump and his allies apply to Washington ) while maintaining smooth operations throughout , ” he said .
“ The White House fully supports his expeditious confirmation by the Senate.
” In a letter earlier this month to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee , more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on senators to oppose Pendley , saying they have a “ constitutional and moral duty ” to do so .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Senate Democrats and the chamber’s two independents have seen enough from President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as permanent director of the Bureau of Land Management ― all 47 of them have signaled that they will vote against confirming William Perry Pendley, a self-proclaimed “sagebrush rebel” with extreme anti-environmental views, to the post.
In a Tuesday letter, the entire Senate Democratic caucus, which includes the independents, slammed Pendley and urged Trump to pick a new nominee.
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“Mr. Pendley’s public record, including his advocacy for reducing public lands and access to them, routine attempts to undermine tribes, and climate change denial makes him unfit for the position,” reads the letter, led by Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico.
“We urge you to identify a new, qualified candidate for this critical position ― one who supports public lands and the mission of the Bureau of Land Management,” the lawmakers said.
Trump officially nominated Pendley, a conservative lawyer from Wyoming with a long history of advocating for the sale of federal lands in the West, in June to serve as BLM’s permanent director. He has run the bureau in an acting capacity for more than a year, thanks to a backdoor appointment that put him in charge of overseeing 245 million acres of public land — more than 10% of the entire U.S. landmass — and 700 million subsurface mineral acres.
Republican control of the Senate means Pendley could win confirmation if most of the GOP bloc unites behind him but signs have emerged that the nomination could be in trouble.
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The White House waited nearly eight weeks to submit the paperwork necessary for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to move forward with Pendley’s confirmation, and the panel’s chairwoman, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), has not yet scheduled a hearing to consider the nomination.
If and when she does, supporting Pendley could prove particularly awkward for GOP Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado and Steve Daines of Montana, Trump allies facing tough reelection bids who recently scored rare points with the conservation community, as HuffPost previously reported. Backing Pendley, though, likely would erase these political inroads for the two.
Lobbying efforts by influential environmental groups opposing Pendley are intensifying. “47 hard no votes on William Perry Pendley confirmation,” Collin O’Mara, president of the nonprofit National Wildlife Federation, wrote in a Tuesday post to Twitter. “The question is which four Republicans ... will have the courage to say hell no to an anti-public lands zealot?”
His post also noted that just two GOP members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee could join with the panel’s Democrats to block Pendley’s confirmation from even coming to a full floor vote. Both Gardner and Daines serve on the panel.
Pendley, 75, cut his government teeth under James Watt, President Ronald Reagan’s controversial Interior Department chief who was anathema to environmentalists, and been described as Watt’s “ideological twin.” Pendley became the BLM’s acting chief after decades running the Mountain States Legal Foundation, a conservative property rights nonprofit that has pushed for the government to sell off millions of federal acres. He is a former leader of the so-called “Wise-Use movement,” a group of anti-government organizations pushing to boost mining, drilling and logging on federal lands while deriding environmentalists as domestic terrorists.
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Pendley has sued the federal government numerous times over the last three decades, railed often against “eco-fascists,” compared the climate crisis to a “unicorn” and immigrants to a “cancer,” and claimed that the Endangered Species Act seeks “to kill or prevent anybody from making a living on federal land.” In the 1990s, as HuffPost first reported, he published anti-environmental pieces in a fringe magazine produced by Lyndon LaRouche, the late cult leader, convicted fraudster and paranoid conspiracy theorist.
Of late, Pendley has come under fire for his views on racial equality. In a November 2017 op-ed in The Washington Examiner, he wrote that the Black Lives Matter movement was “built on” a “terrible lie — a lie the mainstream media perpetrated, that cowardly politicians, fearful of saying ‘all lives matter,’ emboldened.”
Pendley has repeatedly refused to address his personal views and past statements, arguing they are “irrelevant” to the job of leading a federal bureau.
In its Tuesday letter, the Senate’s Democratic caucus highlighted much of Pendley’s record, including his rhetoric on indigenous communities.
“Mr. Pendley has on many prior occasions mischaracterized, mocked, or undermined tribes’ experiences, rights, and religion,” the lawmakers wrote. “Mr. Pendley’s problematic history is particularly concerning given the Bureau’s statutory and treaty responsibilities regarding consultations with tribes.”
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White House spokesman Judd Deere defended Pendley in an email to HuffPost on Tuesday, calling him “a true son of the West, an outdoorsman, a Marine, and an accomplished public servant.”
“His careful acting stewardship of the Bureau to its new home in Grand Junction, Colorado, has helped transfer jobs outside the Swamp (the derisive term Trump and his allies apply to Washington) while maintaining smooth operations throughout,” he said. “The White House fully supports his expeditious confirmation by the Senate.”
In a letter earlier this month to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, more than 300 environmental and civil rights groups called on senators to oppose Pendley, saying they have a “constitutional and moral duty” to do so.
Here’s Heinrich Twitter post that includes the Democratic caucus’ letter:
William Perry Pendley's beliefs are antithetical to the very idea of America's public lands.
He is glaringly unqualified to run the Bureau of Land Management.
I led a letter with every single @SenateDems calling on Trump to find a new, qualified nominee to lead @BLMNational. pic.twitter.com/ZEY4oZ9rSy — Martin Heinrich (@MartinHeinrich) August 11, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-11--Mark Kelly Took Part In A Sexist Watch Marketing Campaign

Mark Kelly , a former astronaut and the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Arizona , participated in a marketing campaign for watchmaker Breitling that the company later admitted was outdated and sexist .
Kelly worked as a brand ambassador for the Swiss watchmaker starting in 2011 after he used the company ’ s watches in space .
The arrangement ended shortly after Kelly began running for Senate in 2019 .
At the time , Breitling frequently deployed scantily clad models at its stores and in advertising , which drew fire from female pilots .
“ Mark used their watches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked well for him , which is why he decided to work with the company .
He thinks it ’ s right that they have changed their advertising practices , ” campaign spokesman Jacob Peters said .
During his run against GOP Sen. Martha McSally , Republicans repeatedly attacked Kelly ’ s post-NASA career as an investor , speaker and marketer .
McSally ’ s campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on television ads blasting Kelly as a sellout .
“ Mark Kelly ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexist marketing campaign is gross , and his refusal to apologize further proves he hasn ’ t learned his lesson , ” McSally communications director Caroline Anderegg said in an email .
“ Arizonans deserve a leader like Martha McSally who has been a pioneer for women and girls , not a sleezy salesman who enables the objectification of women and will do anything to make a quick buck.
” The attacks so far have had little effect on the race .
Public polling shows Kelly with a consistent lead over McSally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American woman to fly in combat .
A Kelly victory is essential to Democratic hopes of winning Senate control in November .
Breitling has long-standing ties to aviation and aerospace communities and Kelly was far from the only astronaut to wear and pitch the company ’ s watches .
The company has ties to NASA dating back to the 1950s , when it created a watch with a 24-hour dial for astronaut Scott Carpenter , the second American to orbit the Earth .
Carpenter would later appear in advertisements for the company .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Breitling paid Kelly at least $ 5,000 to serve as a celebrity endorser in 2017 and 2018 .
Much of Kelly ’ s work for the company was noncontroversial : He gave interviews to GQ Australia and Seattle Magazine about how great Breitling ’ s watches are .
But at other times , Kelly took part in events featuring scantily clad models in pilot and flight attendant uniforms , part of a marketing strategy the Financial Times once dubbed “ shamelessly sexist ” and Forbes Magazine said was “ Trump-like.
” The brand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ topless female DJs and caused a stir in the British press for putting a busty female mannequin atop a missile in shop windows .
( Kelly did not attend the trade show party . )
Kelly ’ s participation in the campaign came mostly at Breitling events : Local media outlets and trade publications showed him posing with models at events in New York City in 2012 , in Miami in 2015 , again in New York in 2016 and in San Francisco in 2017 .
“ I stopped them immediately , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SonntagsZeitung in 2018 , according to Reuters .
“ Some customers thought they were funny .
But such clips were no longer suitable and do not reflect values of today ’ s society.
” Mireille Goyer , the founder of the Institute for Women of Aviation Worldwide , criticized Breitling ’ s marketing strategy and called it an “ unwelcomed step backward ” for the aviation industry , which spent decades discriminating against female pilots .
She said it was important for Kelly and his opponent to work to change the culture of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address gender discrimination .
“ Culture is blinding .
It may seem ‘ normal ’ to a Navy guy like Mark Kelly to see women used as sex objects to grab men ’ s attention as it may seem ‘ normal ’ to an Air Force gal like Martha McSally to be referred as an ‘ airman , ’ ” Goyer said in an email to HuffPost .
“ We believe that change can only occur when the culture , not the people , is denounced and replaced .
”

Democratic Senate candidate Mark Kelly poses with models at a Breitling event. Facebook screenshot
Mark Kelly, a former astronaut and the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Arizona, participated in a marketing campaign for watchmaker Breitling that the company later admitted was outdated and sexist.
Kelly worked as a brand ambassador for the Swiss watchmaker starting in 2011 after he used the company’s watches in space. The arrangement ended shortly after Kelly began running for Senate in 2019. At the time, Breitling frequently deployed scantily clad models at its stores and in advertising, which drew fire from female pilots.
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A spokesman for Kelly’s Senate campaign said he was pleased the company abandoned the marketing and advertising strategy.
“Mark used their watches during his shuttle missions, and they worked well for him, which is why he decided to work with the company. He thinks it’s right that they have changed their advertising practices,” campaign spokesman Jacob Peters said.
During his run against GOP Sen. Martha McSally, Republicans repeatedly attacked Kelly’s post-NASA career as an investor, speaker and marketer. McSally’s campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on television ads blasting Kelly as a sellout.
“Mark Kelly’s willing participation in this type of blatantly sexist marketing campaign is gross, and his refusal to apologize further proves he hasn’t learned his lesson,” McSally communications director Caroline Anderegg said in an email. “Arizonans deserve a leader like Martha McSally who has been a pioneer for women and girls, not a sleezy salesman who enables the objectification of women and will do anything to make a quick buck.”
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(McSally has not been critical of President Donald Trump, who has been accused of sexual assault and walking into the dressing rooms of beauty pageants he owned while contestants were undressed. In 2018, she said Trump was a role model.)
The attacks so far have had little effect on the race. Public polling shows Kelly with a consistent lead over McSally, an Air Force veteran and the first American woman to fly in combat. A Kelly victory is essential to Democratic hopes of winning Senate control in November.
Breitling has long-standing ties to aviation and aerospace communities and Kelly was far from the only astronaut to wear and pitch the company’s watches. The company has ties to NASA dating back to the 1950s, when it created a watch with a 24-hour dial for astronaut Scott Carpenter, the second American to orbit the Earth. Carpenter would later appear in advertisements for the company.
Financial disclosures filed with the Senate showed Breitling paid Kelly at least $5,000 to serve as a celebrity endorser in 2017 and 2018. Much of Kelly’s work for the company was noncontroversial: He gave interviews to GQ Australia and Seattle Magazine about how great Breitling’s watches are.
But at other times, Kelly took part in events featuring scantily clad models in pilot and flight attendant uniforms, part of a marketing strategy the Financial Times once dubbed “shamelessly sexist” and Forbes Magazine said was “Trump-like.” The brand threw parties at a trade show featuring topless female DJs and caused a stir in the British press for putting a busty female mannequin atop a missile in shop windows. (Kelly did not attend the trade show party.)
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Kelly’s participation in the campaign came mostly at Breitling events: Local media outlets and trade publications showed him posing with models at events in New York City in 2012, in Miami in 2015, again in New York in 2016 and in San Francisco in 2017.
Breitling switched marketing strategies in 2018, when a new CEO arrived and decided to clean up the company’s image.
“I stopped them immediately,” CEO Georges Kern told the Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung in 2018, according to Reuters. “Some customers thought they were funny. But such clips were no longer suitable and do not reflect values of today’s society.”
Mireille Goyer, the founder of the Institute for Women of Aviation Worldwide, criticized Breitling’s marketing strategy and called it an “unwelcomed step backward” for the aviation industry, which spent decades discriminating against female pilots. She said it was important for Kelly and his opponent to work to change the culture of aviation and to lay out plans to address gender discrimination.
“Culture is blinding. It may seem ‘normal’ to a Navy guy like Mark Kelly to see women used as sex objects to grab men’s attention as it may seem ‘normal’ to an Air Force gal like Martha McSally to be referred as an ‘airman,’” Goyer said in an email to HuffPost. “We believe that change can only occur when the culture, not the people, is denounced and replaced.”