thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Joe Biden Sympathizes With Pandemic-Hit Americans On 'The Late Show'

Joe Biden reflected on his own grieving to empathize with Americans who ’ ve lost loved ones to the coronavirus in an emotional interview on Thursday ’ s broadcast of “ The Late Show.
” The de-facto Democratic 2020 nominee , toward the end of a 50-minute chat with host Stephen Colbert , urged people who have been sucked into the pandemic ’ s “ big black hole ” of grief to remember that those who died were “ still part of you , they ’ re your heart , they ’ re your soul.
” “ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this connection that is real , and the only way I know for me how to get through it is to find purpose , ” he said .
“ What would the person you lost , what would they want you to doing ?
What can you do to make it better ?
” Biden , whose first wife , Neilia , and their 1-year-old daughter , Naomi , were killed in a 1972 car crash , later recalled a promise his son Beau made him make just months before he died of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He said , ‘ Dad , I know no one in the world loves me more than you do , ’ ” remembered Biden .
“ ‘ But , Dad , I promise you , I ’ m going to be OK. My word , I ’ m going to be OK .
But , Dad , promise me you ’ re going to be OK. ’ ” “ He was worried I would withdraw , ” Biden explained , appearing to get visibly emotional .
“ I would go inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot different than being able to mourn in private .
And he made me promise to stay engaged.
” “ They ’ re tough .
They can handle it , ” he said .
“ And tell them what ’ s going to happen and tell them how you ’ re going to get these things done .
He ’ s done none of that .
”

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Joe Biden reflected on his own grieving to empathize with Americans who’ve lost loved ones to the coronavirus in an emotional interview on Thursday’s broadcast of “The Late Show.”
Biden also slammed the Trump White House’s fumbled response to the pandemic.
The de-facto Democratic 2020 nominee, toward the end of a 50-minute chat with host Stephen Colbert, urged people who have been sucked into the pandemic’s “big black hole” of grief to remember that those who died were “still part of you, they’re your heart, they’re your soul.”
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“It’s who you are, there’s this connection that is real, and the only way I know for me how to get through it is to find purpose,” he said. “What would the person you lost, what would they want you to doing? What can you do to make it better?”
Biden, whose first wife, Neilia, and their 1-year-old daughter, Naomi, were killed in a 1972 car crash, later recalled a promise his son Beau made him make just months before he died of brain cancer at age 46 in 2015.
“He said, ‘Dad, I know no one in the world loves me more than you do,’” remembered Biden. “‘But, Dad, I promise you, I’m going to be OK. My word, I’m going to be OK. But, Dad, promise me you’re going to be OK.’”
“He was worried I would withdraw,” Biden explained, appearing to get visibly emotional. “I would go inside, because mourning in public is a lot different than being able to mourn in private. And he made me promise to stay engaged.”
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“I’m sorry I get so personal,” Biden told Colbert after the candid discussion.
Earlier in the interview, Biden wondered why President Donald Trump wasn’t telling citizens the truth about the pandemic.
“They’re tough. They can handle it,” he said. “And tell them what’s going to happen and tell them how you’re going to get these things done. He’s done none of that.”
Check out the full interview here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Poll: Many Americans See Room For Some Middle Ground On Reopening

AP Photo/Noah Berger Circles designed to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus by encouraging social distancing in San Francisco 's Dolores Park on May 21 , 2020 .
Most Americans continue to support measures to control the coronavirus outbreak , a new HuffPost/YouGov survey finds , with only about one-fifth chafing at the level of restrictions they personally face .
A significant number , however , see room for some reopening .
As the coronavirus outbreak first ballooned across the U.S. , dozens of polls found consistent , overwhelming support for a vigorous government response .
Now , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and piecemeal fashion , the way pollsters measure Americans ’ preferences could prove increasingly important .
The HuffPost/YouGov survey included three different questions about restrictions , each with a different number of options respondents could choose from .
They include : No single question is demonstrably the “ right ” way to ask about the restrictions , especially given the wide range of situations that Americans are currently living through .
But taken together , the results suggest there ’ s some nuance in public opinion on how and when to reopen the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public , meanwhile , says the level of restrictions in place where they live is about right , with 27 % saying there aren ’ t enough restrictions and 19 % that there are too many .
Americans ’ worries about coronavirus , which peaked in early April , have since largely stabilized , with 46 % currently saying they ’ re very concerned about the national outbreak , and about one-third that they ’ re very concerned they or a family member will catch the disease .
A 78 % majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay home as much as possible , down from a peak of 89 % .
About 44 % of Americans currently say they ’ d continue to stay home as much as possible even if all restrictions are lifted , with about 25 % saying they ’ d leave the house more but continue to take major precautions , and 6 % saying they ’ d go back to living normally .
Another 14 % say they ’ re not currently making an effort to stay home .
The public is closely split @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling of coronavirus , with 45 % approving and 47 % disapproving .
Forty-three percent approve of the handling of the issue by the government as a whole , with 47 % disapproving .
A 64 % majority believe the outbreak will have a lasting effect on the United States , with just 21 % expecting things to soon get back to normal .
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey , using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted May 15-17 among U.S. adults , using a sample selected from YouGov ’ s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population .

Circles designed to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus by encouraging social distancing in San Francisco's Dolores Park on May 21, 2020. AP Photo/Noah Berger
Most Americans continue to support measures to control the coronavirus outbreak, a new HuffPost/YouGov survey finds, with only about one-fifth chafing at the level of restrictions they personally face. A significant number, however, see room for some reopening.
As the coronavirus outbreak first ballooned across the U.S., dozens of polls found consistent, overwhelming support for a vigorous government response. Now, with states across the country reopening in partial and piecemeal fashion, the way pollsters measure Americans’ preferences could prove increasingly important.
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The HuffPost/YouGov survey included three different questions about restrictions, each with a different number of options respondents could choose from. They include:
A binary question, which we’ve been tracking since late March, on whether state stay-at-home orders are currently the right or wrong decision. In response, 67% say these orders are the right decision and 21% that they are the wrong decision.
A question on Americans’ preferences for restrictions in their own area (asked of half the respondents), with one middle option. In response, 31% say there should be restrictions shutting down all nonessential businesses and activities. The lion’s share, 43%, say that there should be restrictions on some nonessential businesses and activities. Another 13% say that there shouldn’t be any restrictions.
A question on Americans’ preferences for restrictions in their own area (asked of the other half), with two middle options. In response, 26% say there should be restrictions shutting down all nonessential businesses and activities. Another 26% say there should be restrictions on most nonessential businesses and activities; 28% say there should be restrictions on a few nonessential businesses and activities. Just 11% want to see no restrictions at all.
Chart showing the results of a new HuffPost/YouGov survey on the coronavirus outbreak. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
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No single question is demonstrably the “right” way to ask about the restrictions, especially given the wide range of situations that Americans are currently living through. But taken together, the results suggest there’s some nuance in public opinion on how and when to reopen the country.
A 44% plurality of the public, meanwhile, says the level of restrictions in place where they live is about right, with 27% saying there aren’t enough restrictions and 19% that there are too many.
Americans’ worries about coronavirus, which peaked in early April, have since largely stabilized, with 46% currently saying they’re very concerned about the national outbreak, and about one-third that they’re very concerned they or a family member will catch the disease. A 78% majority currently say they’re trying to stay home as much as possible, down from a peak of 89%.
Chart showing the results of a new HuffPost/YouGov survey on the coronavirus outbreak. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
About 44% of Americans currently say they’d continue to stay home as much as possible even if all restrictions are lifted, with about 25% saying they’d leave the house more but continue to take major precautions, and 6% saying they’d go back to living normally. Another 14% say they’re not currently making an effort to stay home.
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The public is closely split in its ratings of Trump’s handling of coronavirus, with 45% approving and 47% disapproving. Forty-three percent approve of the handling of the issue by the government as a whole, with 47% disapproving.
A 64% majority believe the outbreak will have a lasting effect on the United States, with just 21% expecting things to soon get back to normal.
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups.
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted May 15-17 among U.S. adults, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
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HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here. Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors. YouGov’s reports include a model-based margin of error, which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling. If these assumptions are wrong, the model-based margin of error may also be inaccurate.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--White House Press Secretary Goofs Up, Broadcasts Trump's Banking Details

Leah Millis/Reuters White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany holds up a donation check signed by Donald Trump for $ 100,000 made out to the `` Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health '' — complete with bank account details .
Oops .
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Friday inadvertently revealed President Donald Trump ’ s banking details to a massive audience as she showed off a check he had written .
Trump ’ s bank account and routing number were visible on the paperwork McEnany displayed to the media at a press briefing , The New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exploited to hack into an account .
But the president ’ s account would likely have high-level protections to ward off theft .
The $ 100,000 check signed by Trump and written on a Capital One account , which looked like the real thing , had bank details attached .
It was made out to the Department of Health and Human Services to help “ support the efforts being undertaken to confront , contain and combat the coronavirus , ” McEnany explained at the press conference .
It was part of Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual salary as president .
He makes out a check quarterly .
His last quarterly check was also to HHS .
A copy of that check alone — without the accompanying paperwork McEnany revealed Friday — was tweeted back in March .
President @ realDonaldTrump made a commitment to donate his salary while in office .
Honoring that promise and to further protect the American people , he is donating his 2019 Q4 salary to @ HHSGov to support the efforts being undertaken to confront , contain , and combat # Coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) March 3 , 2020 A source told the Times that Trump ’ s contribution checks shown off at press briefings are never fake .
White House spokesperson Judd Deere slammed the media ’ s twisted attention to the check .
“ Leave it to the media to find a shameful reason not to simply report the facts , focusing instead on whether the check is real or not , ” Deere said in a statement to the Times .
Trump vowed during his campaign that he would donate his salary each year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far more from customers of his private businesses who spend large amounts to curry favor with Trump and to win favorable federal treatment or contracts .
U.S. taxpayers have also been stuck with the price tag for Trump ’ s frequent trips to his private golf resorts that serve to publicize those operations .
As of February , Trump ’ s golf trips cost the public $ 133.8 million , the equivalent of 334 years of his salary , according to an analysis by HuffPost .

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany holds up a donation check signed by Donald Trump for $100,000 made out to the "Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health" — complete with bank account details. Leah Millis/Reuters
Oops. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Friday inadvertently revealed President Donald Trump’s banking details to a massive audience as she showed off a check he had written.
Trump’s bank account and routing number were visible on the paperwork McEnany displayed to the media at a press briefing, The New York Times noticed.
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The information could typically be exploited to hack into an account. But the president’s account would likely have high-level protections to ward off theft.
The $100,000 check signed by Trump and written on a Capital One account, which looked like the real thing, had bank details attached. It was made out to the Department of Health and Human Services to help “support the efforts being undertaken to confront, contain and combat the coronavirus,” McEnany explained at the press conference.
It was part of Trump’s vow to contribute his $400,000 annual salary as president. He makes out a check quarterly. His last quarterly check was also to HHS. A copy of that check alone — without the accompanying paperwork McEnany revealed Friday — was tweeted back in March.
President @realDonaldTrump made a commitment to donate his salary while in office. Honoring that promise and to further protect the American people, he is donating his 2019 Q4 salary to @HHSGov to support the efforts being undertaken to confront, contain, and combat #Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/R6KUQmBRl1 — Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) March 3, 2020
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A source told the Times that Trump’s contribution checks shown off at press briefings are never fake.
White House spokesperson Judd Deere slammed the media’s twisted attention to the check. “Leave it to the media to find a shameful reason not to simply report the facts, focusing instead on whether the check is real or not,” Deere said in a statement to the Times.
Trump vowed during his campaign that he would donate his salary each year. Critics have accused him of collecting far more from customers of his private businesses who spend large amounts to curry favor with Trump and to win favorable federal treatment or contracts. U.S. taxpayers have also been stuck with the price tag for Trump’s frequent trips to his private golf resorts that serve to publicize those operations. As of February, Trump’s golf trips cost the public $133.8 million, the equivalent of 334 years of his salary, according to an analysis by HuffPost.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--CDC Issues Alarming Triple-Fatality Report On COVID-19 Cases At Arkansas Church

COVID-19 cases first contracted by a pastor and his wife ended up spreading to 35 others who attended events at their rural Arkansas church that resulted in three deaths , a troubling report revealed Friday .
An additional 26 cases in the community occurred among people who had contact with those who participated in the church events , according to the study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
One of them also died .
The study was released the same day President Donald Trump demanded churches and other houses of worship reopen for services amid the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ essential ” and threatened to override governors who ignored his orders for health and safety reasons .
Legal experts don ’ t believe he has the authority to do so .
TRUMP : `` Some governors have deemed liquor stores & abortion clinics essential , but have left out churches ... it 's not right .
So I am correcting this injustice & am calling houses of worship essential .
I call upon governors to allow churches & places of worship to open right now '' pic.twitter.com/e0VU8XeLEm — Aaron Rupar ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report found that more than a third of 92 people who attended events at the church from March 6 to 11 contracted confirmed cases of COVID-19 , and three later died .
The pastor , the first known case along with his wife , led a Bible study group at the church before he developed symptoms , according to the study , “ High COVID-19 Attack Rate Among Attendees at Events at a Church — Arkansas , March 2020.
” Other events at the church during the time studied included worship services and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three days that involved a community meal , singing and the passing of “ offerings ” from children to adults .
The pastor closed the church March 12 after others in his congregation began to feel ill two days after his initial symptoms developed , according to the study .
“ This outbreak highlights the potential for widespread transmission of ... the virus that causes COVID-19 , both at group gatherings during church events and within the broader community , ” the study warned .
“ These findings underscore the opportunity for faith-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities ’ guidance and the U.S. Government ’ s Guidelines.
” Arkansas hadn ’ t issued social distancing guidelines urging people to stay 6 feet apart until March 16 , the report noted .
But the pastor told researchers that church members sat apart during the Bible study he led .
Revised guidelines by the CDC set out various precautions to take at houses of worship planning to reopen , depending on the existing rates of community transmission of COVID-19 .
They include daily cleaning of churches , limiting the size of gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or reciting ” during services , maintaining social distancing , providing hand sanitizer and encouraging the use of face masks .
Social distancing guidelines have not been followed in a number of churches that have already restarted services in various states .
Reopened houses of worship have reported COVID-19 cases and deaths .
Church services can be “ super-spreader ” events , serving as incubators for a wider-scale community infection .
One church in South Korea is believed to have provided a setting for thousands of people to contract the virus over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Politico that Trump demanded that houses of worship reopen because of slipping poll numbers showing him losing ground to Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden .
Two recent polls this month show support for the president eroding among white evangelicals and white Catholics , who had been crucial backers .

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COVID-19 cases first contracted by a pastor and his wife ended up spreading to 35 others who attended events at their rural Arkansas church that resulted in three deaths, a troubling report revealed Friday.
An additional 26 cases in the community occurred among people who had contact with those who participated in the church events, according to the study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of them also died.
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The study was released the same day President Donald Trump demanded churches and other houses of worship reopen for services amid the coronavirus crisis. He deemed religious services “essential” and threatened to override governors who ignored his orders for health and safety reasons. Legal experts don’t believe he has the authority to do so.
TRUMP: "Some governors have deemed liquor stores & abortion clinics essential, but have left out churches ... it's not right. So I am correcting this injustice & am calling houses of worship essential. I call upon governors to allow churches & places of worship to open right now" pic.twitter.com/e0VU8XeLEm — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2020
The church in the CDC study was identified only as “Church A” in a rural Arkansas county of 25,000 people.
The report found that more than a third of 92 people who attended events at the church from March 6 to 11 contracted confirmed cases of COVID-19, and three later died. The pastor, the first known case along with his wife, led a Bible study group at the church before he developed symptoms, according to the study, “High COVID-19 Attack Rate Among Attendees at Events at a Church — Arkansas, March 2020.”
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Other events at the church during the time studied included worship services and a special children’s event over three days that involved a community meal, singing and the passing of “offerings” from children to adults. The pastor closed the church March 12 after others in his congregation began to feel ill two days after his initial symptoms developed, according to the study.
“This outbreak highlights the potential for widespread transmission of ... the virus that causes COVID-19, both at group gatherings during church events and within the broader community,” the study warned. “These findings underscore the opportunity for faith-based organizations to prevent COVID-19 by following local authorities’ guidance and the U.S. Government’s Guidelines.”
Arkansas hadn’t issued social distancing guidelines urging people to stay 6 feet apart until March 16, the report noted. But the pastor told researchers that church members sat apart during the Bible study he led.
Revised guidelines by the CDC set out various precautions to take at houses of worship planning to reopen, depending on the existing rates of community transmission of COVID-19. They include daily cleaning of churches, limiting the size of gatherings, suspending “singing, chanting, or reciting” during services, maintaining social distancing, providing hand sanitizer and encouraging the use of face masks.
Social distancing guidelines have not been followed in a number of churches that have already restarted services in various states. Reopened houses of worship have reported COVID-19 cases and deaths.
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Church services can be “super-spreader” events, serving as incubators for a wider-scale community infection. One church in South Korea is believed to have provided a setting for thousands of people to contract the virus over the course of a month.
Sources told Politico that Trump demanded that houses of worship reopen because of slipping poll numbers showing him losing ground to Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden. Two recent polls this month show support for the president eroding among white evangelicals and white Catholics, who had been crucial backers.
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--McEnany Scorched After Demeaning Journalists For 'Desperately' Opposing Church Openings

“ I object to that , ” Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason countered .
“ I go to church .
I ’ m dying to go back to church.
” What reporters want to know , he emphasized : “ Is it safe.
” The confrontation occurred after President Donald Trump demand that churches and other houses of worship open immediately amid the COVID-19 crisis .
He threatened to override governors who ignore him out of concern for health and safety — even though most legal experts say he has no authority to do so .
McEnany was first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Trump ’ s legal authority to second-guess governors .
“ What specific provision of federal law allows the president to override a governor ’ s stance ?
” he asked .
McEnany dodged the question , answering : “ The president will strongly encourage every governor to allow their churches to reopen.
” ( At another point , she referred to the situation as “ hypothetical.
” ) Then she added : “ Boy , it ’ s interesting to be in a room that desperately wants to see these churches and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The question we are asking you and would have liked to have asked the president ” — who left without answering any questions after his announcement — “ is : Is it safe ?
” Mason said .
“ Jeff , it is safe to reopen your churches if you do so in accordance with the guidelines ” issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , McEnany declared .
In fact , the revised CDC guidelines on reopening houses of worship do not say it ’ s “ safe ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommends certain steps to take to decrease the risk of spreading the coronavirus in such a gathering .
The CDC issued a report Friday that detailed a COVID-19 infection rate of more than 30 % among members of a rural Arkansas church in March that resulted in four deaths .
Mason also emphasized to McEnany that he and his colleagues celebrate the First Amendment right to freedom of religion , and their questions don ’ t concern prohibiting people from praying but instead addressed safety .
In addition to the Arkansas case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignored health and safety regulations in various states to reopen , triggering new COVID-19 cases and deaths .
Outbreaks not only occur among church members but in surrounding communities as congregants return to their homes , their jobs and stores .
CNN ’ s Jack Tapper bashed McEnany ’ s comment as “ such a hideous and inappropriate thing to say .
And just wrong , ” he added in a tweet .
“ Many journalists are people of faith .
It ’ s also our job to ask if it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to churches and other houses of worship.
” This is such a hideous and inappropriate thing to say .
And just wrong .
Many journalists are people of faith .
It ’ s also our job to ask if it ’ s *safe* for people to go back to churches and other houses of worship .
https : //t.co/YCdjCSM5Cg — Jake Tapper ( @ jaketapper ) May 22 , 2020 I would love to get back to my church and enjoy that fellowship , but it may do more harm to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
As my pastor says , the building is closed , but the church is open .
— Alex Keown ( @ alexkeown ) May 22 , 2020

A frustrated reporter shot back Friday at White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany after she berated “all journalists” for being “desperately” opposed to reopening houses of worship.
She seemed to be implying that reporters are anti-religion.
“I object to that,” Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason countered. “I go to church. I’m dying to go back to church.” What reporters want to know, he emphasized: “Is it safe.”
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The confrontation occurred after President Donald Trump demand that churches and other houses of worship open immediately amid the COVID-19 crisis. He threatened to override governors who ignore him out of concern for health and safety — even though most legal experts say he has no authority to do so.
McEnany was first pressed by CBS News’ Ben Tracy about Trump’s legal authority to second-guess governors. “What specific provision of federal law allows the president to override a governor’s stance?” he asked.
McEnany dodged the question, answering: “The president will strongly encourage every governor to allow their churches to reopen.” (At another point, she referred to the situation as “hypothetical.”)
Then she added: “Boy, it’s interesting to be in a room that desperately wants to see these churches and houses of worship stay closed.”
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That’s when Mason unloaded.
"Kayleigh, I object to that. I go to church. I'm dying to go back to church" -- @jeffmason1 takes umbrage after McEnany suggests that reporters don't want churches to reopen because they have something against religion pic.twitter.com/uEJQDgcApN — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2020
“The question we are asking you and would have liked to have asked the president” — who left without answering any questions after his announcement — “is: Is it safe?” Mason said.
“Jeff, it is safe to reopen your churches if you do so in accordance with the guidelines” issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, McEnany declared.
In fact, the revised CDC guidelines on reopening houses of worship do not say it’s “safe” to return to holding services. It recommends certain steps to take to decrease the risk of spreading the coronavirus in such a gathering.
The CDC issued a report Friday that detailed a COVID-19 infection rate of more than 30% among members of a rural Arkansas church in March that resulted in four deaths.
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Mason also emphasized to McEnany that he and his colleagues celebrate the First Amendment right to freedom of religion, and their questions don’t concern prohibiting people from praying but instead addressed safety.
In addition to the Arkansas case, a number of houses of worship have ignored health and safety regulations in various states to reopen, triggering new COVID-19 cases and deaths. Outbreaks not only occur among church members but in surrounding communities as congregants return to their homes, their jobs and stores.
Sources told Politico that Trump demanded that houses of worship reopen because of slipping poll numbers among white evangelicals and white Catholics, who had been crucial backers.
CNN’s Jack Tapper bashed McEnany’s comment as “such a hideous and inappropriate thing to say. And just wrong,” he added in a tweet. “Many journalists are people of faith. It’s also our job to ask if it’s ‘safe’ for people to go back to churches and other houses of worship.”
This is such a hideous and inappropriate thing to say. And just wrong. Many journalists are people of faith. It’s also our job to ask if it’s *safe* for people to go back to churches and other houses of worship. https://t.co/YCdjCSM5Cg — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 22, 2020
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I would love to get back to my church and enjoy that fellowship, but it may do more harm to the church body by potentially spreading a deadly virus. As my pastor says, the building is closed, but the church is open. — Alex Keown (@alexkeown) May 22, 2020
Since @PressSec want to make religion an issue, reporters should ask trump to recite common prayers
Who thinks he could even get “Hail Mary” right without prompting?? — Bob (@bobpi31415) May 22, 2020
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--Hillary Clinton Puts Donald Trump On Notice Over His Coronavirus Drug Advice

Hillary Clinton has made it crystal clear what she thinks of President Donald Trump ’ s hyping of unproven treatments for the coronavirus .
Trump in recent weeks has repeatedly promoted the use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure or treatment for COVID-19 , contrary to the advice of the Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies that have warned against its use .
He ’ s even claimed he ’ s been taking it himself as protection against the virus .
Clinton called out Trump on Friday , tweeting “ the president needs to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former secretary of state shared reporting from The Washington Post on a new analysis that discovered that taking the drug is ” linked to increased risk of death in coronavirus patients.
” A study of 96,000 coronavirus patients found that those who received a drug Trump has promoted as a treatment had a “ significantly higher risk of death compared with those who did not.
” The president needs to stop playing a doctor on TV.https : //t.co/0bimpU2WXG — Hillary Clinton ( @ HillaryClinton ) May 22 , 2020 It was Clinton ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks on Trump ’ s fumbled response to the pandemic that has now killed more than 97,000 people nationwide .
On Monday , Trump ’ s Democratic rival in the 2016 election tweeted that “ Americans deserve a president who will listen to science and act decisively to mitigate the pandemic ― not waste time , peddle fakes cures , and wish it away.
” Americans deserve a president who will listen to science and act decisively to mitigate the pandemic—not waste time , peddle fake cures , and wish it away .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HillaryClinton ) May 18 , 2020 In March , as cases soared worldwide , Clinton hit Trump on his favorite social media platform for “ turning to racist rhetoric to distract from his failures to take the coronavirus seriously early on.
” She also advised Americans not to take medical advice “ from a man who looked directly at a solar eclipse ” and has repeatedly urged people to vote Trump out in November .
The president is turning to racist rhetoric to distract from his failures to take the coronavirus seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and adequately prepare the country for a period of crisis .
Do n't fall for it .
Do n't let your friends and family fall for it .
— Hillary Clinton ( @ HillaryClinton ) March 18 , 2020

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Hillary Clinton has made it crystal clear what she thinks of President Donald Trump’s hyping of unproven treatments for the coronavirus.
Trump in recent weeks has repeatedly promoted the use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure or treatment for COVID-19, contrary to the advice of the Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies that have warned against its use. He’s even claimed he’s been taking it himself as protection against the virus.
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Clinton called out Trump on Friday, tweeting “the president needs to stop playing a doctor on TV.” The former secretary of state shared reporting from The Washington Post on a new analysis that discovered that taking the drug is “linked to increased risk of death in coronavirus patients.”
A study of 96,000 coronavirus patients found that those who received a drug Trump has promoted as a treatment had a “significantly higher risk of death compared with those who did not.”
The president needs to stop playing a doctor on TV.https://t.co/0bimpU2WXG — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 22, 2020
It was Clinton’s latest in a long line of attacks on Trump’s fumbled response to the pandemic that has now killed more than 97,000 people nationwide.
On Monday, Trump’s Democratic rival in the 2016 election tweeted that “Americans deserve a president who will listen to science and act decisively to mitigate the pandemic ― not waste time, peddle fakes cures, and wish it away.”
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Americans deserve a president who will listen to science and act decisively to mitigate the pandemic—not waste time, peddle fake cures, and wish it away. https://t.co/NDxCZYGroS — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 18, 2020
In March, as cases soared worldwide, Clinton hit Trump on his favorite social media platform for “turning to racist rhetoric to distract from his failures to take the coronavirus seriously early on.” She also advised Americans not to take medical advice “from a man who looked directly at a solar eclipse” and has repeatedly urged people to vote Trump out in November.
Please do not take medical advice from a man who looked directly at a solar eclipse. — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 24, 2020
The president is turning to racist rhetoric to distract from his failures to take the coronavirus seriously early on, make tests widely available, and adequately prepare the country for a period of crisis.
Don't fall for it. Don't let your friends and family fall for it. — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 18, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Trump's Push To Open Churches Contradicts Jesus' Teaching To Love Neighbors, Clergy Say

“ Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential , but have left out houses of worship @ @ @ @ @ right , ” Trump said .
“ So I ’ m correcting this injustice by @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump ’ s push aligns most closely with the priorities of white evangelicals and @ @ @ @ @ evangelical allies , such as the evangelist Franklin Graham and Texas pastor Robert Jeffress .
@ @ @ @ @ than other American religious groups to say they were worried that coronavirus restrictions won ’ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a Pew Research Center survey completed on May 5 .
Nevertheless , @ @ @ @ @ this constituency that state governments will return to normal too quickly .
Around half of @ @ @ @ @ ) say they are more concerned that coronavirus restrictions will be lifted too quickly .

“Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential, but have left out houses of worship. It’s not right,” Trump said. “So I’m correcting this injustice by calling houses of worship essential.”
Trump’s push aligns most closely with the priorities of white evangelicals and quickly drew praise from close evangelical allies, such as the evangelist Franklin Graham and Texas pastor Robert Jeffress. White evangelicals were more likely than other American religious groups to say they were worried that coronavirus restrictions won’t be lifted quickly enough, according to a Pew Research Center survey completed on May 5.
Nevertheless, there is concern even among this constituency that state governments will return to normal too quickly. Around half of white evangelicals (51%) say they are more concerned that coronavirus restrictions will be lifted too quickly.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--Chris Wallace Hits Donald Trump With Blunt Fact-Check On Mail-In Ballot Fraud Claims

Fox News host Chris Wallace risked drawing the ire of Donald Trump yet again on Friday after he debunked the president ’ s false claims on mail-in voter fraud .
Trump has ramped up his rhetoric against mail-in voting in recent weeks , at one point even threatening to withhold federal funds from Nevada and Michigan if they went ahead with sending applications to voters .
“ Well , you know , I ’ ve done some deep dive into it , there really is no record of massive fraud or even serious fraud from mail-in voting , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Trump 's mail-in voting lies Wallace : `` There really is no record of massive fraud , or even serious fraud from mail-in voting ...
When people get their ballots and mail them in themselves , no history of fraud at all . ''
pic.twitter.com/4cyYDu26iu — Lis Power ( @ LisPower1 ) May 22 , 2020 “ It ’ s being carried out in Republican states .
It ’ s being carried out in Democratic states , ” Wallace continued .
“ There ’ s no indication that mail-in voting , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favor one party over another.
” Wallace noted how “ if anything , it tends to favor Republicans ” because “ the people , now we ’ re talking about outside a pandemic , who historically have tended to vote most often by mail are elderly people , people over 65 , and they tend to vote more Republican than Democratic.
” “ Have there been some cases ?
Yes , ” Wallace acknowledged , also citing the potential problem of vote harvesting .
“ But when people get their ballots and mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud at all , ” he said .
Trump has also falsely claimed on multiple occasions that up to 5 million votes were illegally cast in the 2016 presidential election .
He lost the popular vote to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by almost 3 million votes .
Wallace ’ s fact-checking of Trump came amid an escalation in tensions between the president and Fox News , whose primetime hosts , in particular , have been widely accused of being a propaganda vehicle for the Trump administration .
Trump lashed out at the widely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anchor Neil Cavuto slammed the president ’ s claim about taking the unproven drug hydroxychloroquine as protection against the coronavirus .
“ Many will disagree , but @ FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans , and me , get re-elected on November 3rd , ” Trump tweeted Thursday .
Many will disagree , but @ FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans , and me , get re-elected on November 3rd .
Sure , there are some truly GREAT people on Fox , but you also have some real “ garbage ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Dummy Juan Williams , Schumerite Chris ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 21 , 2020 ... .Hahn , Richard Goodstein , Donna Brazile , Niel Cavuto , and many others .
They repeat the worst of the Democrat speaking points , and lies .
All of the good is totally nullified , and more .
Net Result = BAD !
CNN & MSDNC are all in for the Do Nothing Democrats !
Fox WAS Great !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 21 , 2020

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Trump has ramped up his rhetoric against mail-in voting in recent weeks, at one point even threatening to withhold federal funds from Nevada and Michigan if they went ahead with sending applications to voters.
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That’s despite Trump himself voting by mail in Florida’s GOP primary in March.
Wallace, the host of “Fox News Sunday,” fact-checked the president’s claims on Friday’s broadcast of “America’s Newsroom.”
“Well, you know, I’ve done some deep dive into it. There really is no record of massive fraud or even serious fraud from mail-in voting,” he said.
Check out the video here:
Chris Wallace pours cold water on Trump's mail-in voting lies
Wallace: "There really is no record of massive fraud, or even serious fraud from mail-in voting ... When people get their ballots and mail them in themselves, no history of fraud at all." pic.twitter.com/4cyYDu26iu — Lis Power (@LisPower1) May 22, 2020
“It’s being carried out in Republican states. It’s being carried out in Democratic states,” Wallace continued. “There’s no indication that mail-in voting, as opposed to in-person voting, tends to favor one party over another.”
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Wallace noted how “if anything, it tends to favor Republicans” because “the people, now we’re talking about outside a pandemic, who historically have tended to vote most often by mail are elderly people, people over 65, and they tend to vote more Republican than Democratic.”
“Have there been some cases? Yes,” Wallace acknowledged, also citing the potential problem of vote harvesting. “But when people get their ballots and mail them in themselves, no history of fraud at all,” he said.
Trump has also falsely claimed on multiple occasions that up to 5 million votes were illegally cast in the 2016 presidential election. He lost the popular vote to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by almost 3 million votes.
Wallace’s fact-checking of Trump came amid an escalation in tensions between the president and Fox News, whose prime-time hosts, in particular, have been widely accused of being a propaganda vehicle for the Trump administration.
Trump lashed out at the widely watched conservative network earlier this week after anchor Neil Cavuto slammed the president’s claim about taking the unproven drug hydroxychloroquine as protection against the coronavirus.
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“Many will disagree, but @FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd,” Trump tweeted Thursday.
Many will disagree, but @FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd. Sure, there are some truly GREAT people on Fox, but you also have some real “garbage” littered all over the network, people like Dummy Juan Williams, Schumerite Chris... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 21, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--Donald Trump Flips Out At Fox News Again: Hope Roger Ailes 'Is Looking Down’

President Donald Trump went after Fox News on Twitter yet again on Friday , this time invoking its late CEO and chairman Roger Ailes .
Trump , in response to a Fox News poll showing him trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden nationwide , first suggested the network should “ fire their Fake Pollster.
” In a second tweet , Trump said he hoped Ailes — who left the network in 2016 amid a sexual misconduct scandal that cost the network millions of dollars in settlements ― is “ looking down and watching what has happened to this once beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FoxNews put up the CNBC POLL or the ( believe it or not ! )
@ CNN Poll ?
Hope Roger A is looking down and watching what has happened to this once beautiful creation !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 22 , 2020 Trump on Thursday complained that Fox “ is doing nothing to help Republicans , and me , get re-elected on November 3rd.
” Many will disagree , but @ FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans , and me , get re-elected on November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truly GREAT people on Fox , but you also have some real “ garbage ” littered all over the network , people like Dummy Juan Williams , Schumerite Chris ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 21 , 2020 On Monday , he moaned Fox News “ is no longer the same.
” “ We miss the great Roger Ailes , ” he tweeted of his former ally , who advised on his 2016 campaign .
Ailes died in 2017 .
“ You have more anti-Trump people , by far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , adding : “ Looking for a new outlet !
” .
@ FoxNews is no longer the same .
We miss the great Roger Ailes .
You have more anti-Trump people , by far , than ever before .
Looking for a new outlet !
https : //t.co/jXxsF0flUM — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 19 , 2020 Trump has faced criticism from the network ’ s hosts over his fumbled response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Neil Cavuto this week blasted Trump ’ s claim about taking an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Chris Wallace on Friday also fact-checked Trump ’ s false statements about mail-in voter fraud .
However , its primetime personalities , such as Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham , often use their shows to stump for the president .
Trump ’ s latest attack , and his invocation of Ailes , were too much for many on Twitter to bear : The president thinks Fox News should rig polls for him .
It 's utterly deranged but here he is saying so publicly !
https : //t.co/xBUoAPTqoC — Aaron Rupar ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is more UPSET with HIS poll numbers than with the fact over 95,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus and a record 39 million Americans are out of work and struggling to survive .
# StayANGRY https : //t.co/xGTTxi6D2x — ( ( ( DeanObeidallah ) ) ) ( @ DeanObeidallah ) May 22 , 2020

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President Donald Trump went after Fox News on Twitter again on Friday, this time invoking its late CEO and chairman Roger Ailes.
Trump, in response to a Fox News poll showing him trailing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden nationwide, first suggested the network should “fire their Fake Pollster.”
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In a second tweet, Trump said he hoped Ailes — who left the network in 2016 amid a sexual misconduct scandal that cost Fox millions of dollars in settlements ― is “looking down and watching what has happened to this once beautiful creation!”
.@FoxNews should fire their Fake Pollster. Never had a good Fox Poll! https://t.co/joHfkQwd9L — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 22, 2020
Why doesn’t @FoxNews put up the CNBC POLL or the (believe it or not!) @CNN Poll? Hope Roger A is looking down and watching what has happened to this once beautiful creation! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 22, 2020
Trump on Thursday complained that Fox “is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd.”
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Many will disagree, but @FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd. Sure, there are some truly GREAT people on Fox, but you also have some real “garbage” littered all over the network, people like Dummy Juan Williams, Schumerite Chris... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 21, 2020
On Monday, he moaned Fox News “is no longer the same.”
“We miss the great Roger Ailes,” he tweeted of his former ally, who advised on his 2016 campaign. Ailes died in 2017. “You have more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before,” said Trump, adding: “Looking for a new outlet!”
.@FoxNews is no longer the same. We miss the great Roger Ailes. You have more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before. Looking for a new outlet! https://t.co/jXxsF0flUM — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2020
Trump has faced criticism from the network’s hosts over his fumbled response to the coronavirus pandemic. Neil Cavuto this week blasted Trump’s claim about taking an unproven drug to protect from the coronavirus.
Chris Wallace on Friday also fact-checked Trump’s false statements about mail-in voter fraud. However, its primetime personalities, such as Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, often use their shows to stump for the president. Trump’s latest attack, and his invocation of Ailes, were too much for many on Twitter to bear:
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The president thinks Fox News should rig polls for him. It's utterly deranged but here he is saying so publicly! https://t.co/xBUoAPTqoC — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2020
Up. Roger is looking up. https://t.co/zBuShTBF24 — Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) May 22, 2020
He's going to start his own network. Bet on it.https://t.co/wEyB9xgZS7 https://t.co/Mc7o3phfQM — Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) May 22, 2020
Trump is more UPSET with HIS poll numbers than with the fact over 95,000 Americans have died from the coronavirus and a record 39 million Americans are out of work and struggling to survive. #StayANGRY https://t.co/xGTTxi6D2x — (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) May 22, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--The Cuomo Brothers' Dynamic Is Entertaining. It's Also Bad Journalism.

There ’ s an age-old rule in journalism that reporters should avoid interviewing people they know personally , especially their own family members , to avoid a manifest conflict of interest in their work .
CNN anchor Chris Cuomo and his brother , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , have spent the last several weeks unintentionally making a great case for that rule to be more aggressively applied , even though their on-air sibling antics and prop comedy have provided some much-needed levity during an endlessly dark news cycle .
The problem isn ’ t their on-screen banter ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s top anchors is throwing softball questions at the man governing the epicenter of the coronavirus , all while evidence increasingly shows that his response to the outbreak was insufficient , especially for New York ’ s most vulnerable age groups .
“ Obviously , no one is going to grill their sibling over this , ” Matthew Gertz , a senior fellow with watchdog group Media Matters tweeted Thursday , “ which is why they shouldn ’ t be allowed to interview their sibling , this is pretty basic !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his brother on and asked him to respond to President Donald Trump ’ s claims that the U.S. would have been fine had New York and New Jersey not had so many COVID-19 cases .
The governor defended his state , fairly noting that many flights from countries with high infection rates were landing at New York ’ s airports .
The CNN anchor moved on , but it should have been the moment he pressed Gov .
Cuomo to address one of his critics ’ biggest complaints in recent weeks : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus response , has come under fire for his state directive requiring nursing homes to take on new patients infected with COVID-19 .
The controversial move was scrapped earlier this month , but the damage had been done .
On Friday , The Associated Press reported findings that New York had sent more than 4,500 coronavirus patients to nursing homes , which likely accelerated outbreaks among a vulnerable population living in easily contaminated environments .
In other press appearances , Gov .
Cuomo has said he was simply following guidance from Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To Chris Cuomo ’ s credit , he did challenge his brother on his comments about access to coronavirus tests during that interview , but that ’ s far from the biggest criticism the governor is facing .
The CNN anchor also hasn ’ t pressed his brother on the rising evidence that he waited too long to put his state into lockdown in late March .
To the detriment of New Yorkers who deserve to see their governor answer tough questions , it ’ s the Cuomos ’ raillery that steals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview , it was Chris teasing Andrew about his nose size with a giant swab .
Chris is known for fearlessly sparring with his on-air guests , but with his brother , the combat often takes the form of sharing embarrassing photos , jabs over cooking skills and coining nicknames .
“ You get trust from authenticity and relatability and vulnerability , ” he told The New York Times last month .
“ That ’ s what the brothers Cuomo are giving us right now.
” “ The thing about the obviously unethical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Media Matters also tweeted , “ is that CNN knows they are obviously unethical as indicated by the network banning Chris from doing them in 2013 after he did one and everyone said it was obviously unethical .
”

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There’s an age-old rule in journalism that reporters should avoid interviewing people they know personally, especially their own family members, to avoid a manifest conflict of interest in their work.
CNN anchor Chris Cuomo and his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have spent the last several weeks unintentionally making a great case for that rule to be more aggressively applied, even though their on-air sibling antics and prop comedy have provided some much-needed levity during an endlessly dark news cycle.
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The problem isn’t their on-screen banter; it’s that one of CNN’s top anchors is throwing softball questions at the man governing the epicenter of the coronavirus, all while evidence increasingly shows that his response to the outbreak was insufficient, especially for New York’s most vulnerable age groups.
Of course, that’s an uncomfortable thing for family members to discuss in a professional setting, so why CNN repeatedly books the governor on his brother’s show baffles media watchdogs.
“Obviously, no one is going to grill their sibling over this,” Matthew Gertz, a senior fellow with watchdog group Media Matters tweeted Thursday, “which is why they shouldn’t be allowed to interview their sibling, this is pretty basic!”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing increasing criticism for deaths in New York nursing homes. Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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The day before, Chris Cuomo had his brother on and asked him to respond to President Donald Trump’s claims that the U.S. would have been fine had New York and New Jersey not had so many COVID-19 cases. The governor defended his state, fairly noting that many flights from countries with high infection rates were landing at New York’s airports.
The CNN anchor moved on, but it should have been the moment he pressed Gov. Cuomo to address one of his critics’ biggest complaints in recent weeks: The governor, once widely lauded for his coronavirus response, has come under fire for his state directive requiring nursing homes to take on new patients infected with COVID-19.
The controversial move was scrapped earlier this month, but the damage had been done. On Friday, The Associated Press reported findings that New York had sent more than 4,500 coronavirus patients to nursing homes, which likely accelerated outbreaks among a vulnerable population living in easily contaminated environments. In other press appearances, Gov. Cuomo has said he was simply following guidance from Trump’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To Chris Cuomo’s credit, he did challenge his brother on his comments about access to coronavirus tests during that interview, but that’s far from the biggest criticism the governor is facing. The CNN anchor also hasn’t pressed his brother on the rising evidence that he waited too long to put his state into lockdown in late March.
To the detriment of New Yorkers who deserve to see their governor answer tough questions, it’s the Cuomos’ raillery that steals the spotlight. In Wednesday’s interview, it was Chris teasing Andrew about his nose size with a giant swab. Chris is known for fearlessly sparring with his on-air guests, but with his brother, the combat often takes the form of sharing embarrassing photos, jabs over cooking skills and coining nicknames.
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But CNN head Jeff Zucker thinks the dynamic is working.
“You get trust from authenticity and relatability and vulnerability,” he told The New York Times last month. “That’s what the brothers Cuomo are giving us right now.”
It’s an odd take, given that in 2013, CNN banned Chris Cuomo from interviewing his brother on-air, citing journalistic ethics, and only lifted that policy now.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--Jenna Bush Hager Pays Tribute To White House Butler Who Died Of Coronavirus

Jenna Bush Hager paid an emotional and heartfelt tribute to former White House butler Wilson Roosevelt Jerman , who died last weekend , describing him as “ the loveliest ” person who made the official residence feel like a real home .
Jerman died at the age of 91 after contracting the coronavirus .
He served 11 presidents , from Dwight Eisenhower to Barack Obama , during his 55-year career at the White House .
He retired in 2012 .
The “ Today ” show host Bush Hager , the daughter of former President George W. Bush , reflected on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to co-host Hoda Kotb on Thursday ’ s episode .
“ He was the loveliest .
I think ‘ lovely ’ is a word that can kind of be overused .
But he was always smiling , ” she said .
“ You know , it ’ s interesting because people will say , ‘ Gosh , how was the White House ?
Did it feel like home ?
’ And the reason why it felt like home was because of people like him.
” Bush Hager recalled telling former first lady Michelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House , that the staff would become part of their family .
At the funeral of another butler who she called “ Smiley , ” Bush Hager said Obama approached her and said she now knew what she meant .
“ Smiley made my girls feel like this place was a home , ’ ” Jenna remembered Obama telling her .
“ And Mr. Jerman did that in tenfold .
We loved him .
He was beloved by my family , and he will be so missed.
” Check out the interview @ @

Jenna Bush Hager paid an emotional and heartfelt tribute to former White House butler Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, who died last weekend, describing him as “the loveliest” person who made the official residence feel like a real home.
Jerman died at the age of 91 after contracting the coronavirus. He served 11 presidents, from Dwight Eisenhower to Barack Obama, during his 55-year career at the White House. He retired in 2012.
Bush Hager, the daughter of former President George W. Bush, reflected on Jerman’s impact on her family to “Today” show co-host Hoda Kotb on Thursday’s episode.
“He was the loveliest. I think ‘lovely’ is a word that can kind of be overused. But he was always smiling,” she said. “You know, it’s interesting because people will say, ‘Gosh, how was the White House? Did it feel like home?’ And the reason why it felt like home was because of people like him.”
Bush Hager recalled telling former first lady Michelle Obama, when showing her around the White House, that the staff would become part of their family. At the funeral of another butler whom she called “Smiley,” Bush Hager said Obama approached her and said she now knew what she meant.
“Smiley made my girls feel like this place was a home,’” Jenna remembered Obama telling her. “And Mr. Jerman did that in tenfold. We loved him. He was beloved by my family, and he will be so missed.”
Check out the interview here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--Study: White Supremacist Groups Are ‘Thriving’ On Facebook, Despite Extremist Ban

“ With millions of people now quarantining at home and vulnerable to ideologies that seek to exploit people ’ s fears and resentments about COVID-19 , Facebook ’ s failure to remove white supremacist groups could give these organizations fertile new ground to attract followers , ” TTP ’ s study said .
The study comes after years of rising white nationalism in the U.S. and heightened scrutiny over social media companies ’ role in providing online spaces for hate groups to spread their propaganda , to organize and to recruit .
There was a Facebook event page , after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supremacist rally in Charlottesville , Virginia .
And a white supremacist gunman live-streamed on Facebook as he massacred 51 people at two New Zealand mosques early last year .
( The company later said it had removed 1.5 million videos of the mass shooting . )
Facebook has since taken a more aggressive stance in banning white supremacist activity but has been criticized for what extremism researchers describe as a whack-a-mole approach to hate on the platform .
The company often takes down content only after inquiries from journalists .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platform and are reviewing content in this report , ” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement to HuffPost , adding that the company has “ banned over 250 white supremacist organizations and removed 4.7 million pieces of content tied to organized hate globally in the first quarter of 2020 , over 96 % of which we found before someone reported it.
” Of the 113 white supremacist organizations that the project found on Facebook , 64 % had pages that had been created by Facebook itself .
Such auto-generated pages occur when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his or her profile that doesn ’ t have a corresponding business page .
If one or more users list the Universal Aryan Brotherhood Movement as an employer , Facebook creates a page for the neo-Nazi group .
Still , many white supremacist organizations identified in TTP ’ s report remain on Facebook .
One user-created page for Arktos Media — the fascist European publishing house with close ties to American white supremacist Richard Spencer — is still active .
More than 42,000 people have liked the page .
But the company does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of hate groups and so may not always agree with hate group identifications made by the Southern Poverty Law Center , the Anti-Defamation League or TTP , the spokesperson added .
“ TTP ’ s investigation found that among the 113 hate groups that had a Facebook presence , 77 of them had Pages that displayed Related Pages , often pointing people to other extremist or right-wing content , ” the report said .
“ In some cases , the Related Pages directed users to additional SPLC- or ADL-designated hate groups.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klux Klan ’ in their official name , only one triggered the link to anti-hate resources , ” the report found .

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A new study reported that white supremacist groups are “thriving” on Facebook, despite repeated assurances from the company that it doesn’t allow extremists on its platform.
The watchdog group Tech Transparency Project released a study Thursday that found more than 100 white supremacist groups had a presence on Facebook.
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Project researchers identified 221 white supremacist groups — using information collected by Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League, two of America’s most prominent anti-hate organizations — and searched for those groups on Facebook.
About 50% of the groups were present on the platform, the study said.
Of the 113 white supremacist groups the project found on Facebook, 36% had pages or groups created by active users. The remaining 64% had a page auto-generated by Facebook itself.
“With millions of people now quarantining at home and vulnerable to ideologies that seek to exploit people’s fears and resentments about COVID-19, Facebook’s failure to remove white supremacist groups could give these organizations fertile new ground to attract followers,” TTP’s study said.
A screenshot of a white supremacist group's Facebook page from the study by the Tech Transparency Project. Tech Transparency Project
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The study comes after years of rising white nationalism in the U.S. and heightened scrutiny over social media companies’ role in providing online spaces for hate groups to spread their propaganda, to organize and to recruit.
There was a Facebook event page, after all, for the deadly 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. And a white supremacist gunman live-streamed on Facebook as he massacred 51 people at two New Zealand mosques early last year. (The company later said it had removed 1.5 million videos of the mass shooting.)
Facebook has since taken a more aggressive stance in banning white supremacist activity but has been criticized for what extremism researchers describe as a whack-a-mole approach to hate on the platform. The company often takes down content only after inquiries from journalists.
After HuffPost emailed a Facebook spokesperson about TTP’s report this week, project researchers noticed the company had removed pages for 55 white supremacist groups identified in its report.
“We are making progress keeping this activity off our platform and are reviewing content in this report,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement to HuffPost, adding that the company has “banned over 250 white supremacist organizations and removed 4.7 million pieces of content tied to organized hate globally in the first quarter of 2020, over 96% of which we found before someone reported it.”
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Facebook has a team of 350 people working to develop and enforce its Dangerous Individual and Organizations policy, under which hate and terror groups are banned, the spokesperson added.
A screenshot by the Tech Transparency Project shows how Facebook auto-generates pages for white supremacist groups. Tech Transparency Project
Of the 113 white supremacist organizations that the project found on Facebook, 64% had pages that had been created by Facebook itself. Such auto-generated pages occur when an individual user lists a job in his or her profile that doesn’t have a corresponding business page. If one or more users list the Universal Aryan Brotherhood Movement as an employer, Facebook creates a page for the neo-Nazi group.
Auto-generated pages don’t have administrators who can use the pages to communicate with followers, Facebook’s spokesperson said.
An anonymous whistleblower filed a complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission about Facebook auto-generating pages for hate and terror groups. Sometimes such pages earn thousands of likes, offering hate groups a ready-made recruiting pool, the whistleblower argued.
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More than 250 people liked the auto-generated page for the Council on Conservative Citizens — whose white supremacist propaganda inspired Dylann Roof to massacre nine black parishioners at a Charleston, South Carolina, church in 2015.
That page, which included a link to the group’s website, appeared to have been removed by Facebook on Friday.
A screenshot showing another auto-generated white supremacist page. HuffPost
Facebook also appeared Friday to have removed auto-generated pages for the white nationalist website VDare and the violent neo-Nazi group Northwest Front, both of which were mentioned in TTP’s report.
A user-created page for the neo-Nazi group Aryan Nations, which had been active for just over 10 years, was also removed on Friday.
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Still, many white supremacist organizations identified in TTP’s report remain on Facebook. One user-created page for Arktos Media — the fascist European publishing house with close ties to American white supremacist Richard Spencer — is still active. More than 42,000 people have liked the page.
A page for the hate group Fight White Genocide, which has more than 1,000 likes, is still active. A trio of years-old pages or groups called Right Wing Death Squad are also still online.
Facebook has an extensive process — including consultations with academics and various organizations — for developing criteria to determine which groups are considered hate groups, the company’s spokesperson told HuffPost.
But the company does not follow any one organization’s list of hate groups and so may not always agree with hate group identifications made by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League or TTP, the spokesperson added.
A screenshot shows how users can be directed to visit other hate pages. Tech Transparency Project
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TTP’s report raises an alarm about the function of so-called related pages on Facebook, which it said can push users into a white supremacist echo chamber.
“TTP’s investigation found that among the 113 hate groups that had a Facebook presence, 77 of them had Pages that displayed Related Pages, often pointing people to other extremist or right-wing content,” the report said. “In some cases, the Related Pages directed users to additional SPLC- or ADL-designated hate groups.”
The user-created Facebook page for American Freedom Union, for example, included a link to a page for the book “White Identity: Racial Consciousness in the 21st Century,” by Jared Taylor, another prominent U.S.-based white supremacist.
Redirects to Life After Hate surfaced in only 6% of searches for white supremacist content. Tech Transparency Project
In 2019, Facebook announced that it would redirect users who searched white supremacist terms to a page for a group that works to rehabilitate extremists.
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“Searches for terms associated with white supremacy will surface a link to Life After Hate’s page, where people can find support in the form of education, interventions, academic research and outreach,” the company said at the time.
But TTP’s study found that the Life After Hate link only surfaced in 6% of its 221 searches for white supremacist groups.
“One factor may be that not all of the hate groups listed by SPLC and ADL make their ideologies obvious in their names,” the TTP report conceded, a reference to how fascist groups sometimes use coded language to hide their true motives.
But the project said its researchers were rarely redirected to Life After Hate even when searching obvious white supremacist terms.
“Of 25 groups with ‘Ku Klux Klan’ in their official name, only one triggered the link to anti-hate resources,” the report found.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--Trump Plays Golf As Coronavirus Death Toll Nears 100,000 In U.S.

STERLING , Va. ( AP ) — President Donald Trump played golf Saturday for the first time since he declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency more than two months ago , leading to the shutdown of much of American society .
His return to the course was the latest sign that he wants the country back to pre-outbreak times , even as the U.S. death toll from the virus nears 100,000 , twice what he once predicted it would be .
Trump also planned Memorial Day visits to Arlington National Cemetery and the Fort McHenry national monument in Baltimore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s coast on Wednesday to watch to U.S. astronauts blast into orbit .
The golf outing came a day after Trump said houses of worship are “ essential ” and he demanded that governors allow them to reopen during the holiday weekend .
It also followed guidance from Dr. Deborah Birx , the White House coronavirus task force coordinator , that it was OK for people to be outdoors this weekend as long as they took appropriate safety precautions .
President @ realDonaldTrump waved at my camera on Saturday while golfing at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one of his golf properties since March amid the coronavirus pandemic .
By CNN 's count , this is his 265th visit to one of his golf clubs since becoming President .
# cnn pic.twitter.com/NBHofTOAnt — Khalil Abdallah ( @ abdallahcnn ) May 23 , 2020 Trump pulled away from the White House on a sunny morning wearing a white polo shirt , white cap and dark slacks .
Photographs that appeared later on Twitter showed him swinging a golf club and driving alone in a cart on the course at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Virginia .
The White House had no comment on the president ’ s activities at the club , but said he had discussed the pandemic ’ s effect on the global economy with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday .
The golf trip was the president ’ s first visit to one of his money-making properties since March 8 , when he visited his private golf club in West Palm Beach during a weekend at his Florida home .
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global pandemic on March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national emergency declaration two days later .
Trump is an avid golfer who has been overheard telling his White House guests how much he missed playing the game .
On Friday , Birx said it ’ s OK for Americans to play golf , tennis or other sports this weekend “ if you stay 6 feet ( 1.8 meters ) apart.
” She also said the Washington metropolitan area had the highest positivity rate in the country .
The capital city ’ s coronavirus death rate is higher than all but four states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massachusetts and Connecticut .
The U.S. leads the world with a reported 1.6 million coronavirus cases and more than 96,000 deaths , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
Trump has ordered U.S. flags on federal buildings and national monuments to half-staff through Sunday in memory of Americans lost to COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
“ Can you believe that with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S. , President Obama spent the day playing golf .
Worse than Carter , ” Trump tweeted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West Africa , comparing Obama to former President Jimmy Carter .

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STERLING, Va. (AP) — President Donald Trump played golf Saturday for the first time since he declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency more than two months ago, leading to the shutdown of much of American society. His return to the course was the latest sign that he wants the country back to pre-outbreak times, even as the U.S. death toll from the virus nears 100,000, twice what he once predicted it would be.
Trump also planned Memorial Day visits to Arlington National Cemetery and the Fort McHenry national monument in Baltimore, followed by a trip to Florida’s coast on Wednesday to watch to U.S. astronauts blast into orbit.
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The golf outing came a day after Trump said houses of worship are “essential” and he demanded that governors allow them to reopen during the holiday weekend. It also followed guidance from Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, that it was OK for people to be outdoors this weekend as long as they took appropriate safety precautions.
President @realDonaldTrump waved at my camera on Saturday while golfing at his Virginia club.
His first visit to one of his golf properties since March amid the coronavirus pandemic.
By CNN's count, this is his 265th visit to one of his golf clubs since becoming President. #cnn pic.twitter.com/NBHofTOAnt — Khalil Abdallah (@abdallahcnn) May 23, 2020
Trump pulled away from the White House on a sunny morning wearing a white polo shirt, white cap and dark slacks. Photographs that appeared later on Twitter showed him swinging a golf club and driving alone in a cart on the course at his private Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia.
The White House had no comment on the president’s activities at the club, but said he had discussed the pandemic’s effect on the global economy with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday.
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The golf trip was the president’s first visit to one of his money-making properties since March 8, when he visited his private golf club in West Palm Beach during a weekend at his Florida home. The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global pandemic on March 11, and Trump followed with the national emergency declaration two days later.
WATCH: President Trump golfs on Saturday at his Virginia golf club. pic.twitter.com/L8SJf0wKzo — The Hill (@thehill) May 23, 2020
Trump is an avid golfer who has been overheard telling his White House guests how much he missed playing the game.
On Friday, Birx said it’s OK for Americans to play golf, tennis or other sports this weekend “if you stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart.” She also said the Washington metropolitan area had the highest positivity rate in the country. The capital city’s coronavirus death rate is higher than all but four states: New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
The U.S. leads the world with a reported 1.6 million coronavirus cases and more than 96,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
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Trump has ordered U.S. flags on federal buildings and national monuments to half-staff through Sunday in memory of Americans lost to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Trump levied frequent criticism of Barack Obama’s regular golf outings when he was president.
“Can you believe that with all of the problems and difficulties facing the U.S., President Obama spent the day playing golf. Worse than Carter,” Trump tweeted in October 2014 during the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, comparing Obama to former President Jimmy Carter.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--Fox News' Judge Napolitano Says Trump Has No Power To Override Governors On Churches

Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano says that President Donald Trump has no legal authority to override governors who decide not to allow religious gatherings for safety and health concerns .
Napolitano was responding on Friday to Trump ’ s demand that houses of worship , which he declared are providing “ essential ” services , “ open right now.
” Trump added : “ I will override the governors ” if they refuse to allow it .
“ Does he have the power to do that ?
” Fox News host Dana Perino asked Napolitano .
“ In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Napolitano .
“ As ill-advised as these gubernatorial orders are , as essential as is the right to worship , as fundamental as it is , as absolutely protected by the First Amendment as it is , the president does not have any authority to override the governors.
” The president “ on his own , no matter well intended he may be — and I believe he ’ s well intended here — is without authority to do that , ” Napolitano added .
Trump could , however , “ dispatch ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging states where a judge could “ override the governors.
” Napolitano said Trump ’ s “ threat ” alone is “ enough ” to appeal to the president ’ s base .
TRUMP : `` Some governors have deemed liquor stores & abortion clinics essential , but have left out churches ... it 's not right .
So I am correcting this injustice & am calling houses of worship essential .
I call upon governors to allow churches & places of worship to open right now '' pic.twitter.com/e0VU8XeLEm — Aaron Rupar ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sources told Politico that Trump demanded that houses of worship reopen because of slipping poll numbers among white evangelicals and white Catholics , who have been crucial backers .

Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano says that President Donald Trump has no legal authority to override governors who decide not to allow religious gatherings for safety and health concerns.
Napolitano was responding on Friday to Trump’s demand that houses of worship, which he declared are providing “essential” services, “open right now.” Trump added: “I will override the governors” if they refuse to allow it.
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“Does he have the power to do that?” Fox News host Dana Perino asked Napolitano.
“In a word, no,” said Napolitano. “As ill-advised as these gubernatorial orders are, as essential as is the right to worship, as fundamental as it is, as absolutely protected by the First Amendment as it is, the president does not have any authority to override the governors.”
The president “on his own, no matter well intended he may be — and I believe he’s well intended here — is without authority to do that,” Napolitano added.
Trump could, however, “dispatch” the Department of Justice to file lawsuits challenging states where a judge could “override the governors.”
Napolitano said Trump’s “threat” alone is “enough” to appeal to the president’s base.
TRUMP: "Some governors have deemed liquor stores & abortion clinics essential, but have left out churches ... it's not right. So I am correcting this injustice & am calling houses of worship essential. I call upon governors to allow churches & places of worship to open right now" pic.twitter.com/e0VU8XeLEm — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2020
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Sources told Politico that Trump demanded that houses of worship reopen because of slipping poll numbers among white evangelicals and white Catholics, who have been crucial backers.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--National Review Denounces QAnon-Supporting GOP Senate Nominee

Conservative publication the National Review took the rare step of denouncing a GOP Senate candidate over her belief in the QAnon conspiracy theory .
Jo Rae Perkins , Oregon ’ s Republican nominee in this year ’ s Senate race , should be “ shunned and repudiated ” for her belief in a dangerous , baseless conspiracy theory , the publication said in an editorial Saturday .
“ Perkins is an unreconstructed exponent of a batty and corrosive conspiracy theory running a longshot campaign that carries only political downside for Republicans , ” the editorial reads .
“ They should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her candidacy.
” The QAnon theory , which began in 2017 , posits that President Donald Trump is involved in stopping a pedophile network of Satan-worshipping cannibals who have infiltrated every level of government and the mass media .
Believers follow “ Q ” an anonymous person who claims to be in a high-level government position and who leaves vague clues about supposed future mass arrests that never happen .
That hasn ’ t stopped Q ’ s legion of followers from falling down countless absurd rabbit holes that have also led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perkins won her primary by a landslide , she came out in full support of the extremist group .
“ I stand with Q and the team , ” she said in a Twitter video .
“ Thank you , Anons , and thank you , patriots .
And together , we can save our republic.
” Her campaign retracted Perkins ’ endorsement of QAnon on Wednesday , and Perkins said in a new video she “ would never describe herself as a follower.
” A day later , Perkins went against her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ literally physically in tears ” at having to read the statement .
“ My campaign is gon na kill me , ” Perkins told the outlet .
“ How do I say this ?
Some people think that I follow Q like I follow Jesus .
Q is the information and I stand with the information resource.
” Now , the National Review is calling for Republicans to denounce the conspiracy theorist .
More from the editorial : QAnon is a story of exploitation , in which some digitally literate person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along the gullible with a fanciful story , inviting them to work together to decode clues and discuss lore .
It is also a story of radicalization , in which skepticism about the Mueller investigation or distrust of political institutions mutates into a fantasy world in which the American elite is full of Jeffrey Epsteins .
We don ’ t know whether Perkins is a cynic or a true believer , but whatever the case , she should be shunned and repudiated .

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Conservative publication the National Review took the rare step of denouncing a GOP Senate candidate over her belief in the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Jo Rae Perkins, Oregon’s Republican nominee in this year’s Senate race, should be “shunned and repudiated” for her belief in a dangerous, baseless conspiracy theory, the publication said in an editorial Saturday.
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“Perkins is an unreconstructed exponent of a batty and corrosive conspiracy theory running a longshot campaign that carries only political downside for Republicans,” the editorial reads. “They should do what they can to distance themselves from her candidacy.”
The QAnon theory, which began in 2017, posits that President Donald Trump is involved in stopping a pedophile network of Satan-worshipping cannibals who have infiltrated every level of government and the mass media. Believers follow “Q” an anonymous person who claims to be in a high-level government position and who leaves vague clues about supposed future mass arrests that never happen.
That hasn’t stopped Q’s legion of followers from falling down countless absurd rabbit holes that have also led to dangerous real-world consequences. And when Perkins won her primary by a landslide, she came out in full support of the extremist group.
“I stand with Q and the team,” she said in a Twitter video. “Thank you, Anons, and thank you, patriots. And together, we can save our republic.”
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Her campaign retracted Perkins’ endorsement of QAnon on Wednesday, and Perkins said in a new video she “would never describe herself as a follower.”
A day later, Perkins went against her own campaign, telling ABC News she was “literally physically in tears” at having to read the statement.
“My campaign is gonna kill me,” Perkins told the outlet. “How do I say this? Some people think that I follow Q like I follow Jesus. Q is the information and I stand with the information resource.”
Now, the National Review is calling for Republicans to denounce the conspiracy theorist. More from the editorial:
QAnon is a story of exploitation, in which some digitally literate person (or group of people) strings along the gullible with a fanciful story, inviting them to work together to decode clues and discuss lore. It is also a story of radicalization, in which skepticism about the Mueller investigation or distrust of political institutions mutates into a fantasy world in which the American elite is full of Jeffrey Epsteins. We don’t know whether Perkins is a cynic or a true believer, but whatever the case, she should be shunned and repudiated.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-23--Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions Slams Trump And His 'Anger' On Twitter

Former attorney general and current GOP Senate candidate Jeff Sessions took an uncharacteristic swipe directly at President Donald Trump on Twitter late Friday .
Sessions fired off the bitter tweet after Trump blasted him yet again and urged voters not to “ trust ” Sessions in his race for Senate because he “ let our country down.
” Trump repeated his endorsement in a tweet for Sessions ’ rival , former college football coach Tommy Tuberville , in the upcoming primary contest for the Alabama seat that Sessions held before becoming Trump ’ s AG in 2017 .
Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the start of his presidency since his then-attorney general recused himself from an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election because of his own conversations with former Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak .
The investigation was later headed by special counsel Robert Mueller .
“ Look , I know your anger , but recusal was required by law , ” Sessions wrote to Trump .
“ I did my duty & you ’ re damn fortunate I did.
” He claimed his actions eventually led to Trump ’ s “ exoneration.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ feelings don ’ t dictate who Alabama picks as their senator , the people of Alabama do.
” .
@ realdonaldtrump Look , I know your anger , but recusal was required by law .
I did my duty & you 're damn fortunate I did .
It protected the rule of law & resulted in your exoneration .
Your personal feelings do n't dictate who Alabama picks as their senator , the people of Alabama do .
https : //t.co/QQKHNAgmiE — Jeff Sessions ( @ jeffsessions ) May 23 , 2020 Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and denied the former AG ’ s claim that his ex-boss was exonerated by Mueller in the Russia probe .
( Mueller made clear to Congress that his final report did not , in fact , exonerate Trump . )
But conservative lawyer George Conway , who is married to White House counselor Kellyanne Conway , welcomed Sessions to the “ resistance.
” Amusing and so adorable until you dropped the word “ Exoneration ” .
Couldn ’ t quite go all the way .
Huh ?
https : //t.co/HDn0fR0PSO — MikeFarb ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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Former attorney general and current GOP Senate candidate Jeff Sessions took an uncharacteristic swipe directly at President Donald Trump on Twitter late Friday.
Sessions fired off the bitter tweet after Trump blasted him yet again and urged voters not to “trust” Sessions in his race for Senate because he “let our country down.” Trump repeated his endorsement in a tweet for Sessions’ rival, former college football coach Tommy Tuberville, in the upcoming primary contest for the Alabama seat that Sessions held before becoming Trump’s AG in 2017.
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Trump has been nursing a grudge against Sessions almost from the start of his presidency since his then-attorney general recused himself from an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election because of his own conversations with former Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. The investigation was later headed by special counsel Robert Mueller.
“Look, I know your anger, but recusal was required by law,” Sessions wrote to Trump. “I did my duty & you’re damn fortunate I did.” He claimed his actions eventually led to Trump’s “exoneration.”
Sessions added: “Your personal feelings don’t dictate who Alabama picks as their senator, the people of Alabama do.”
.@realdonaldtrump Look, I know your anger, but recusal was required by law. I did my duty & you're damn fortunate I did. It protected the rule of law & resulted in your exoneration. Your personal feelings don't dictate who Alabama picks as their senator, the people of Alabama do. https://t.co/QQKHNAgmiE — Jeff Sessions (@jeffsessions) May 23, 2020
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Twitter critics slammed both Trump and Sessions, and denied the former AG’s claim that his ex-boss was exonerated by Mueller in the Russia probe. (Mueller made clear to Congress that his final report did not, in fact, exonerate Trump.)
But conservative lawyer George Conway, who is married to White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, welcomed Sessions to the “resistance.”
welcome to the resistance https://t.co/wzqPjjO2T2 — George Conway (@gtconway3d) May 23, 2020
Amusing and so adorable until you dropped the word “Exoneration”. Couldn’t quite go all the way. Huh? https://t.co/HDn0fR0PSO — MikeFarb (@mikefarb1) May 23, 2020
But he wasn't exonerated — Grudge of Whales (@grudging1) May 23, 2020