thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--I'm A Blind Woman. Here's How COVID-19 Has Changed The Way I Ask For Help.

Crossing the street has always been an odyssey for me .
I ’ ve been totally blind since birth , so the only thing that allows me to get my bearings in this situation are the sounds of vehicles .
But with the coronavirus pandemic , and the lack of acoustic traffic lights in Colonia , Uruguay , where I live , this simple task for most people becomes really complex ― albeit not impossible ― for me .
One day recently , I was walking on the sidewalk following the wall as a reference and as a way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mistake , while waiting carefully for the moment when the wind would hit my face and alert me that I was facing a corner .
My white cane touched the step that would take me to the street , and before I could think of anything , a stranger grabbed me and carried me , practically running , to the other side .
This might be shocking to some .
But people trying to help me without asking me if I really need the help or how I need it is quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , touch me and try to take me to the places they believe ― without asking or knowing me ― are where I want to go .
In some cases , they ask me , but don ’ t listen to me , as if it were a mere courtesy and my answer is not something expected .
My problems with stranger-imposed help is something I ’ ve been dealing with for as long as I can remember .
When I was a child , I allowed myself to be helped in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t care if strangers grabbed me or pushed me or tried to help me in whatever way they thought was right without stopping to think if I needed that help to begin with .
In fact , rather than allowing it , it was an act of resignation : the unfounded fear of not getting help when I really needed it because I had refused it before made me accept whatever help was imposed on me , even if it wasn ’ t necessary or the way wasn ’ t right .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaks for herself and defends her needs and situations , but in these cases , remaining silent seemed easier .
When I was born , at 26 weeks gestation , I had to spend months in an incubator to save my life ― and it was the oxygen they used that saved my life but also irreversibly damaged my retinas .
Although things could have been much worse , my visual impairment is the only consequence I have from that situation .
My parents , from a very young age , always encouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything for myself .
When I was in primary school , because there was no state support , my mother had to learn Braille ― the reading and writing system for the blind ― and transcribe , day by day , all the things I wrote so that my teachers could read them .
I remember the exact moment when that started to change .
I was outside my new high school , about to enter class .
It was one of the first days , so even though I didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way to get to the place where I would meet the rest of my classmates .
Almost without warning , I felt a stranger grabbing me by the shoulder , trying to get me to a place .
“ Not like that !
” My mother ’ s scream , who was in the car watching everything , took me by surprise .
I knew grabbing me wasn ’ t right , but until that moment I had been genuinely scared that if I set boundaries , I wouldn ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment when my mother tired of this situation led me to explain to the person who tried to help me the way I wanted to be helped .
That was life-changing for me , because I found that by doing so , I not only received help the way I wanted to be helped , but I could also take control of the things that happened to me and the way people interacted with me .
Not all the help I am offered is met with rejection on my part though .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my limits , and I know that there are a variety of situations where selfless help from strangers is not only necessary , but welcomed and appreciated .
From shopping in a big store to finding my way when I get lost , it is the help I receive from people I don ’ t know that allows me to move safely in the places I go .
People tend to forget that I can speak for myself because they assume I ’ m totally incapable because I ’ m blind .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still speak .
The fact that this person assumed , as so many have , that because I have a disability I am not able to do things independently shows that , even today , there are people who find it difficult to separate my disability from me as a human with my own agency and opinions .
Even with the precautions needed because of the coronavirus , I ’ ve realized that , whether in open or closed spaces , people will still approach me and ― without asking me ― grab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and putting themselves as well as me at risk .
And it was then at the crosswalk that I understood that saying no and explaining my needs is not only an act of protecting my body , my desires and my ability to act individually , but now , it ’ s also a way to demonstrate that my health , like that of people without disabilities , matters too .
Now when I go out on the street , I have to take many more precautions ― and I go out much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures , for example , are often very difficult for me to follow .
The fact that I don ’ t see people ― and that when they don ’ t talk or make noise I can ’ t tell how close or far away they are from me ― and that I can ’ t see the distance marks on the floor in stores , makes outings , if I ’ m not with a companion , much more complex and stressful .

The author. Courtesy of Milagros Costabel
Crossing the street has always been an odyssey for me. I’ve been totally blind since birth, so the only thing that allows me to get my bearings in this situation are the sounds of vehicles. But with the coronavirus pandemic, and the lack of acoustic traffic lights in Colonia, Uruguay, where I live, this simple task for most people becomes really complex ― albeit not impossible ― for me.
One day recently, I was walking on the sidewalk following the wall as a reference and as a way to prevent me from going into the street by mistake, while waiting carefully for the moment when the wind would hit my face and alert me that I was facing a corner. My white cane touched the step that would take me to the street, and before I could think of anything, a stranger grabbed me and carried me, practically running, to the other side.
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This might be shocking to some. But people trying to help me without asking me if I really need the help or how I need it is quite normal for me. Many people grab me, touch me and try to take me to the places they believe ― without asking or knowing me ― are where I want to go. In some cases, they ask me, but don’t listen to me, as if it were a mere courtesy and my answer is not something expected.
For me, personal space — something that is often taken for granted with most people — is a concept that seems to be completely blurred. And now, in the midst of a pandemic with a virus that spreads by proximity and physical contact, not respecting my personal space increases my risk of getting sick.
“This might be shocking to some. But people trying to help me without asking me if I really need the help or how I need it is quite normal for me.”
My problems with stranger-imposed help is something I’ve been dealing with for as long as I can remember. When I was a child, I allowed myself to be helped in any way I could. I didn’t care if strangers grabbed me or pushed me or tried to help me in whatever way they thought was right without stopping to think if I needed that help to begin with.
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In fact, rather than allowing it, it was an act of resignation: the unfounded fear of not getting help when I really needed it because I had refused it before made me accept whatever help was imposed on me, even if it wasn’t necessary or the way wasn’t right. I have always been a person who speaks for herself and defends her needs and situations, but in these cases, remaining silent seemed easier.
When I was born, at 26 weeks gestation, I had to spend months in an incubator to save my life ― and it was the oxygen they used that saved my life but also irreversibly damaged my retinas. Although things could have been much worse, my visual impairment is the only consequence I have from that situation. My parents, from a very young age, always encouraged me to be independent and to do everything for myself. When I was in primary school, because there was no state support, my mother had to learn Braille ― the reading and writing system for the blind ― and transcribe, day by day, all the things I wrote so that my teachers could read them.
The lack of state support, coupled with the fact that I was, and still am, one of the few blind people in my area, made things more difficult when interacting with people. The lack of awareness meant that very few people knew what blind people were capable of, which led, in many cases, to situations like the one I mentioned at the beginning.
My reluctance, at least in the beginning, to correct people when these things happened was rooted in a fear of offending or upsetting people.
“When I was in primary school, because there was no state support, my mother had to learn Braille — the reading and writing system for the blind — and transcribe, day by day, all the things I wrote so that my teachers could read them.”
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I remember the exact moment when that started to change. I was outside my new high school, about to enter class. It was one of the first days, so even though I didn’t know the entire facility, I knew the way to get to the place where I would meet the rest of my classmates. Almost without warning, I felt a stranger grabbing me by the shoulder, trying to get me to a place. “Not like that!” My mother’s scream, who was in the car watching everything, took me by surprise. I knew grabbing me wasn’t right, but until that moment I had been genuinely scared that if I set boundaries, I wouldn’t be helped when I needed it.
This fear, in part, was instilled by society itself. The generalizations that are still made about people with disabilities made me believe that, if I denied help, or explained how I really wanted to be helped, people would get a bad impression not only of me, but also of other people with disabilities.
That moment when my mother tired of this situation led me to explain to the person who tried to help me the way I wanted to be helped. That was life-changing for me, because I found that by doing so, I not only received help the way I wanted to be helped, but I could also take control of the things that happened to me and the way people interacted with me.
From that day on, it was no longer so difficult to reject or decline unwarranted help because I’m an independent person who is capable of making her own decisions.
“However, there is a big difference between helping and taking someone’s space or ignoring their needs and desires.”
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Not all the help I am offered is met with rejection on my part though. As a visually impaired person, I know my limits, and I know that there are a variety of situations where selfless help from strangers is not only necessary, but welcomed and appreciated. From shopping in a big store to finding my way when I get lost, it is the help I receive from people I don’t know that allows me to move safely in the places I go.
However, there is a big difference between helping and taking someone’s space or ignoring their needs and desires. If a person without a disability was grabbed in the way I was at the crosswalk that day, it would be unacceptable. But when it happened to me, the situation was considered totally normal.
Just because I’m visually impaired and sometimes need help doesn’t mean I’m helpless.
That day on the street, many things could have been done differently. For starters, the person who was trying to help me, even though he meant well, didn’t stop to ask himself if I really needed that help or if I really wanted to cross that street.
People tend to forget that I can speak for myself because they assume I’m totally incapable because I’m blind. I can still hear, and I can still speak. The fact that this person assumed, as so many have, that because I have a disability I am not able to do things independently shows that, even today, there are people who find it difficult to separate my disability from me as a human with my own agency and opinions.
Now that we are in the midst of a global pandemic caused by a virus that has taken the lives of thousands of people around the world, this problem is no longer just personal. The way people interact with me, as well as with other people, can be the difference between life and death.
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Even with the precautions needed because of the coronavirus, I’ve realized that, whether in open or closed spaces, people will still approach me and ― without asking me ― grab me, ignoring social distancing measures altogether and putting themselves as well as me at risk. And it was then at the crosswalk that I understood that saying no and explaining my needs is not only an act of protecting my body, my desires and my ability to act individually, but now, it’s also a way to demonstrate that my health, like that of people without disabilities, matters too.
“I've learned that saying no and explaining my needs is not only an act of protecting my body, my desires and my ability to act individually, but now, it's also a way to demonstrate that my health, like that of people without disabilities, matters too.”
Now when I go out on the street, I have to take many more precautions ― and I go out much less often than before. Social distancing measures, for example, are often very difficult for me to follow. The fact that I don’t see people ― and that when they don’t talk or make noise I can’t tell how close or far away they are from me ― and that I can’t see the distance marks on the floor in stores, makes outings, if I’m not with a companion, much more complex and stressful.
The fact that the virus spreads through physical contact is also a big problem, because one of the senses I use most to interact with the space around me is touch. Finally, when someone does offer me help, I have no way of knowing if they are wearing a mask.
Today, more than ever, it is necessary for people with disabilities to claim freedom over our bodies and, above all, over our decisions. And although the coronavirus has been the perfect opportunity to do so, it is also not necessary for the threat of a disease to be felt so that, once and for all, we are respected, not only as people with disabilities, but as human beings.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Experts Predict What Life Will Be Like After A COVID-19 Vaccine Arrives

The coronavirus has uprooted life as we know it .
Everything from our social gatherings to our daily errands has been completely changed and most of us are not too fond of the switch ( to say the least ) .
The whole world is eagerly awaiting a COVID-19 vaccine for the safety of ourselves and our loved ones and for the return of life as we know it .
“ One thing that is important to remember : This is not going to be one of those light switch things when all of a sudden we have a vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going to take some time , ” said Hilary Godwin , dean of the University of Washington ’ s School of Public Health .
“ We ’ re fortunate in that we have a number of vaccine candidates that are under development , but we really sped up the process enormously so the chance of any one of those being super effective is not great.
” Expect the United States to change to a mask-wearing culture Scientists and doctors will have to learn about the efficacy and effectiveness of the vaccine even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anticipate concerns surrounding the actual distribution of the vaccine Count on fewer business trips and more remote work opportunities Don ’ t plan to attend a concert or sporting event just yet Look forward to a public health system that is more prepared to handle epidemics and pandemics Anticipate certain levels of discord throughout communities The virus won ’ t go away completely

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The coronavirus has uprooted life as we know it. Everything from our social gatherings to our daily errands has been completely changed and most of us are not too fond of the switch (to say the least). The whole world is eagerly awaiting a COVID-19 vaccine for the safety of ourselves and our loved ones and for the return of life as we know it.
Realistically and sadly, though, life will not go back to what it was for quite some time due to questions around the actual vaccine and how and when it will be distributed.
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“One thing that is important to remember: This is not going to be one of those light switch things when all of a sudden we have a vaccine and everyone is vaccinated. It’s going to take some time,” said Hilary Godwin, dean of the University of Washington’s School of Public Health. “We’re fortunate in that we have a number of vaccine candidates that are under development, but we really sped up the process enormously so the chance of any one of those being super effective is not great.”
Life is going to look different for the next few years, but what exactly does that mean? Below, we spoke with experts in public health and mental health about what the world may look like after the anticipated COVID-19 vaccine arrives.
Expect the United States to change to a mask-wearing culture
A year from now, and even beyond that, Godwin expects to still see people wearing masks in public — especially people who are more vulnerable to COVID-19.
“I think a big part of the future will be greater expectations around masks. Mask-wearing has not been part of the culture in the United States for infectious disease control other than in clinical settings,” she said.
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“Mask-wearing will become more normal, the way it has been in many Asian countries in recent years,” she added. “We’ll see a shift toward that.”
mladenbalinovac via Getty Images The United States may be a mask-wearing culture, even after a COVID-19 vaccine exists.
Scientists and doctors will have to learn about the efficacy and effectiveness of the vaccine even after it’s out
The speed at which scientists are working to create a COVID-19 vaccine is impressively fast, but the excitement surrounding fast-track vaccine development is met with concerns from many health professionals.
“The rate of development of the vaccine is like nothing we have ever seen before,” said Aparna Kumar, a nurse-scientist and assistant professor at Thomas Jefferson University. “It’s great that the science is moving quickly, but it also creates limitations in terms of what we know about the efficacy of the vaccines.”
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She defined the efficacy of a vaccine as how well a vaccine works in ideal conditions, like in a randomized controlled trial. The efficacy demonstrates how much the vaccine reduces the frequency of illness in a vaccinated versus an unvaccinated population.
Kumar ― who is also the chief community officer at Dear Pandemic, an all-female team of researchers and clinicians who are working to combat COVID-19 misinformation by sharing accessible and accurate information on social media ― said the vaccine may not eradicate the virus, either.
She noted that childhood vaccines work very well, but something like the flu vaccine is 40% to 60% effective, depending on the year and the strain of flu.
“The flu vaccine prevents many people from getting severely ill and from the disease circulating in the community to the level it would, but we still know that a large number of people are going to get sick,” she said.
She added that discoveries around a vaccine’s effectiveness are difficult to discuss until the vaccine is deployed to the community, meaning health professionals cannot predict the effectiveness rate of the COVID-19 vaccine until it is administered to the general public.
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Doctors also anticipate concerns surrounding the actual distribution of the vaccine
The impressively fast creation of a COVID-19 vaccine also lends itself to worries about the actual distribution of the approved vaccine.
“We’re going to have challenges getting a vaccine deployed primarily because of supply chain problems,” said Tony Moody, a physician-scientist at Duke University. “How do you manufacture enough doses and get them distributed in a timely manner? We can do really nice things with vaccine manufacturing capacity — we make billions of doses of the influenza vaccine every year — but doing that for a new product and having the ability to get it rapidly distributed is going to be really challenging.”
He also anticipates problems around the glass vials and stoppers needed for vaccine storage and distribution.
“Most vials and stoppers are manufactured overseas and if you can’t actually get ships coming in, you can’t get supplies,” he said. “Even if you can make the vaccine, can you get enough vials?”
MoMo Productions via Getty Images Employers may continue to be more flexible with work-from-home policies even after there's a vaccine for COVID-19.
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Count on fewer business trips and more remote work opportunities
With the increase in digital technologies and the realization that some industries can easily continue without sending staff across the county or across the globe, Godwin said she expects business trips will be reduced for people in most industries.
“My guess is there will probably be fewer business trips. We now don’t have to be physically in the same room to accomplish many things,” she said.
She added that work-from-home routines have accelerated the adoption of technologies like Zoom in a way that would not have happened otherwise. She expects corporations to be more flexible with remote work policies ― especially if work is still getting accomplished at home while keeping people from getting sick and helping the company with operations costs.
Don’t plan to attend a concert or sporting event just yet
Unfortunately, as the vaccine is rolling out and determinations about its efficacy are being made, crowded sporting events and packed concerts won’t become part of our new normal.
“It’s going to be hard to convince people to go back to large gatherings that are simply for entertainment or recreational purposes,” Moody said. “I think what you’ll see is clusters of people at smaller gatherings. I doubt we’re going to have big events with tens of thousands of people coming together.”
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He voiced concerns regarding crowds inside of performing arts and sporting venues, in particular. He questioned how to safely welcome groups of people into an enclosed space and what that means for the venue.
“How quickly are we going to be able to get people back into venues? Is it going to be a situation where venues have to charge twice as much because they can only fill half as many seats? Which then makes so many of these things out of reach for people — I think that’s going to be really challenging,” Moody said.
And since fresh air circulation helps mitigate the risk of the virus, he added that outdoor social gatherings will become even more of the norm.
Imgorthand via Getty Images Outdoor gatherings may continue to be more common in the coming years.
Expect significant psychological, societal and cultural impacts
There is no question that people are profoundly affected by the major events that occur in their lifetime. People who lived through the Great Depression have different tendencies than those who did not; those who grew up during the Vietnam War have a different outlook than those born postwar. It is to be expected that modern-day society will be shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Edwin Fisher, a professor of health behavior at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, noted that the psychological after-effects of disasters typically emerge six months after the event ends. He anticipates long-term mental health effects and societal changes as a result of the pandemic, which has kept millions of Americans isolated socially and physically for months.
“Because it’s ubiquitous, because it’s everywhere, because it hits us 24/7, we tend to lose track of the effects of COVID on our daily lives, mood and consciousness,” Fisher said. “Well, what will the similar effect be of having lived through the greatest global pandemic in over 100 years? There are going to be many, many long-term effects.”
He worries about depression, suicide rates and marital problems — things that are currently at heightened rates because of the pandemic.
Look forward to a public health system that is more prepared to handle epidemics and pandemics
Kumar pointed out that our health system will only be more prepared for any future health crisis or future coronavirus outbreaks after what we’ve experienced with the pandemic.
“We’ve learned a lot about our own public health systems and structures in this pandemic, and those things can only get better,” Kumar said. “As we continue to move on, we’re more prepared for potential future outbreaks. Having these structures and systems in place, we can just reactivate them when we need to.”
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Most of the general public now also understands pandemic-fighting behaviors like social distancing and mask-wearing, two things that were virtually unheard of in the U.S. before this year.
FG Trade via Getty Images The public health system will be more prepared for future health crises.
Anticipate certain levels of discord throughout communities
While the vast majority of people are counting down the days, Fisher warned that any unrealistic and premature hyping of the vaccine could lead people to believe that all troubles will be over as soon as the needle pricks their body.
“I think there is a tremendous likelihood of conflict, social discord and unanticipated consequences with the arrival of the vaccine,” he said.
Communities, co-workers, friends and families will be faced with tough decisions regarding everything from the topic of how to safely socialize after months and months of isolation to sending their child to school where there may be unvaccinated students.
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He also stressed that there are likely going to be issues regarding vaccine distribution and the potential for inequalities around race that the illness has already highlighted and exacerbated.
The virus won’t go away completely
Sadly, COVID-19 won’t disappear when the vaccine is deployed. Godwin noted that the U.S. has a long history of people being opposed to vaccines.
“We are already seeing people saying they wouldn’t want to get the vaccine and that limits our ability to create herd immunity, which provides protection for those who can’t get the vaccine or haven’t gotten the vaccine,” Godwin said.
She cautioned that the virus will still be circulating even after an effective vaccine is widely available as a result of those who choose not to get the vaccine.
“We are going to be living with COVID for a while,” she stressed.
Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus. The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time, but it’s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Joe Biden Hits Trump’s Biggest Boast With A Brutal Coronavirus Reality Check

President Donald Trump has made the economy the centerpiece of his reelection campaign ― but former Vice President Joe Biden says that record is nothing to brag about .
The markets crashed in March at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic .
And while they ’ ve since recovered , millions of Americans remain without work and the gross domestic product plunged by a historic 32.9 % for the second quarter , the worst such number on record .
Biden tweeted a new video saying the Trump administration ’ s poor response to the pandemic is responsible for the deflated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the president ’ s personal history with money in the process : The truth of the matter is , Donald Trump inherited a growing economy from President Obama and me .
And just like everything else he inherited in his life , he squandered it .
pic.twitter.com/EPxDx4ecoU — Joe Biden ( @ JoeBiden ) August 5 , 2020 Biden has made the economy a focus of his own campaign with his “ Build Back Better ” recovery plan .
And he ’ s dismissed Trump ’ s claims that the pandemic alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The depth of economic devastation our nation is experiencing is not an act of God , it ’ s a failure of presidential leadership , ” Biden said in a statement last week .
“ Had President Trump taken immediate and decisive action , tens of thousands of lives and millions of jobs would never have been lost.
” Trump ’ s economic record also came under fire on MSNBC earlier this week , when campaign adviser Steve Cortes boasted that Trump had built “ the greatest economy in American history.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s claims of success were weak even before the coronavirus hit , noting that 11 million new jobs were created during the Obama administration , compared with 6.7 million under Trump prior to the pandemic .
Early in the pandemic , the economy was one area where Trump consistently scored ahead of Biden in the polls .
More recently , however , the two are running even on the issue .

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President Donald Trump has made the economy the centerpiece of his reelection campaign ― but former Vice President Joe Biden says that record is nothing to brag about.
The markets crashed in March at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. And while they’ve since recovered, millions of Americans remain without work and the gross domestic product plunged by a historic 32.9% for the second quarter, the worst such number on record.
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Biden tweeted a new video saying the Trump administration’s poor response to the pandemic is responsible for the deflated economy.
And he took a dig at the president’s personal history with money in the process:
The truth of the matter is, Donald Trump inherited a growing economy from President Obama and me. And just like everything else he inherited in his life, he squandered it. pic.twitter.com/EPxDx4ecoU — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 5, 2020
Biden has made the economy a focus of his own campaign with his “Build Back Better” recovery plan.
And he’s dismissed Trump’s claims that the pandemic alone is responsible for the downturn.
“The depth of economic devastation our nation is experiencing is not an act of God, it’s a failure of presidential leadership,” Biden said in a statement last week. “Had President Trump taken immediate and decisive action, tens of thousands of lives and millions of jobs would never have been lost.”
Trump’s economic record also came under fire on MSNBC earlier this week, when campaign adviser Steve Cortes boasted that Trump had built “the greatest economy in American history.”
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But host Ari Melber said the president’s claims of success were weak even before the coronavirus hit, noting that 11 million new jobs were created during the Obama administration, compared with 6.7 million under Trump prior to the pandemic.
Early in the pandemic, the economy was one area where Trump consistently scored ahead of Biden in the polls.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Expert Who Claims Perfect Election Prediction Record Makes His 2020 Pick

Joe Biden continues to lead President Donald Trump in the polls , with an edge of 7.6 % nationally , according to the latest average on FiveThirtyEight .
But he ’ s also leading by another measure : Biden is ahead in the 13 election “ keys ” co-created by American University history professor Allan Lichtman , who says this formula has called every election since 1984 .
“ The keys predict that Trump will lose the White House , ” Lichtman says in a video posted by The New York Times .
Biden has seven of those keys in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
He explains his system ― and why Biden has an edge ― in the video below : But Lichtman also warned that there are a couple of wild cards that could change the race .
“ Don ’ t just take my word for it .
There are forces at play outside the keys , ” he said .
“ Voter suppression .
Russian meddling .
It ’ s up to you , the voter , to decide the future of our democracy , so get out and vote.
” Lichtman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come with an asterisk .
In 2000 , he predicted Al Gore would defeat George W. Bush .
Lichtman claims that his prediction holds , since Gore won the popular vote .
However , he also gives himself credit for predicting a Trump win in 2016 , despite the fact that Trump lost the popular vote .

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Joe Biden continues to lead President Donald Trump in the polls, with an edge of 7.6% nationally, according to the latest average on FiveThirtyEight.
But he’s also leading by another measure: Biden is ahead in the 13 election “keys” co-created by American University history professor Allan Lichtman, who says this formula has called every election since 1984.
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“The keys predict that Trump will lose the White House,” Lichtman says in a video posted by The New York Times.
Biden has seven of those keys in his favor, compared with six for Trump. He explains his system ― and why Biden has an edge ― in the video below:
But Lichtman also warned that there are a couple of wild cards that could change the race.
“Don’t just take my word for it. There are forces at play outside the keys,” he said. “Voter suppression. Russian meddling. It’s up to you, the voter, to decide the future of our democracy, so get out and vote.”
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Lichtman’s claim of long-term success does come with an asterisk.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Republican Military Veterans Turn On Trump In New Attack Ad Airing On Fox News

A new attack ad featuring Republicans who ’ ve served in the military will air on Fox News in the swing states during the Republican National Convention later this month .
These Republican veterans say they ’ re done with Trump ― and they ’ re planning to vote for Democrat Joe Biden in the new spot from Republican Voters Against Trump : Republican Voters Against Trump , which highlights the voices of everyday members of the party who are disaffected with the president , says the spot will air on Fox News during the convention in the swing states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Arizona and Florida .
Trump won all of those states in 2016 , which combine for 85 electoral votes , but Biden has an edge this year in all five , according to polls .
The new ad will also run on digital media outlets in the battleground states .
Republican Voters Against Trump is one of several anti-Trump groups hitting the president from the right .
The Lincoln Project has been running its own anti-Trump attack ads , while former members of the administration of President George W. Bush have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , it ’ s unclear whether these efforts will move voters .

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A new attack ad featuring Republicans who’ve served in the military will air on Fox News in the swing states during the Republican National Convention later this month.
But it’s not a celebration of President Donald Trump’s nomination.
These Republican veterans say they’re done with Trump ― and they’re planning to vote for Democrat Joe Biden in the new spot from Republican Voters Against Trump:
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Republican Voters Against Trump, which highlights the voices of everyday members of the party who are disaffected with the president, says the spot will air on Fox News during the convention in the swing states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona and Florida.
Trump won all of those states in 2016, which combine for 85 electoral votes, but Biden has an edge this year in all five, according to polls.
The new ad will also run on digital media outlets in the battleground states.
Republican Voters Against Trump is one of several anti-Trump groups hitting the president from the right.
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The Lincoln Project has been running its own anti-Trump attack ads, while former members of the administration of President George W. Bush have also formed a group in support of Biden.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Chris Cuomo Uses Donald Trump’s 2016 Promises Against Him In Coronavirus Slam

Chris Cuomo on Wednesday demanded that President Donald Trump make good on some of his 2016 election promises in an @ @ @ @ @ pandemic that continues to rage across the country .
The host of CNN ’ s @ @ @ @ @ — who himself tested positive for COVID-19 in March ― suggested a six-week reintroduction of @ @ @ @ @ Then , “ this federal government gets off its ass and starts like crazy to @ @ @ @ @ get the rapid testing up and going , ‘ MAGA , MAGA , MAGA , @ @ @ @ @ , the way you promised , end the carnage , which is the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ ” the anchor continued , addressing President Donald Trump .
Cuomo speculated that “ everything @ @ @ @ @ we could safely send our kids back to school “ if those measures , combined @ @ @ @ @ virus , were implemented by the Trump White House .
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Chris Cuomo on Wednesday demanded that President Donald Trump make good on some of his 2016 election promises in an effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic that continues to rage across the country.
The host of CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time” — who himself tested positive for COVID-19 in March ― suggested a six-week reintroduction of restrictions in hot spots.
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Then, “this federal government gets off its ass and starts like crazy to do everything it can to get the rapid testing up and going, ‘MAGA, MAGA, MAGA,’ get our manufacturing going, the way you promised, end the carnage, which is the pandemic, the way you promised,” the anchor continued, addressing President Donald Trump.
Cuomo speculated that “everything would change” and “we could safely send our kids back to school“ if those measures, combined with increased testing for the virus, were implemented by the Trump White House.
Check out Cuomo’s monologue here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-05--Trump Campaign Busted For Deceptively Manipulating Biden Photos In New Ad

President Donald Trump ’ s latest attack ad depicts former Vice President Joe Biden as isolated and alone , “ diminished ” and “ hiding ” in a basement at his Delaware home .
But as sharp observers noted on Twitter , the images were heavily manipulated ― and the one of him “ alone ” and “ in his basement ” was actually taken in a room full of people ( pre-pandemic ) that was neither in a basement nor even in his home .
The image of Biden sitting on the floor “ alone ” and “ hiding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Iowa .
The background was manipulated to make it look as if Biden were sitting on the floor of an empty room : About that new Trump ad alleging that Biden is “ Alone .
Hiding .
Diminished.
” The clip at the four second mark is edited to make it look like he is sitting on the floor of his basement alone .
But it ’ s from an Iowa event last December .
The room was full .
See below : pic.twitter.com/t6ZcUHUXfZ — Philip Wegmann ( @ PhilipWegmann ) August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden at an outdoor event , in sunglasses and with a mic in hand .
The original shows him pause to scratch his head or adjust the sunglasses , but the Trump campaign altered it to remove the mic and place him in a “ basement.
” They also gave him pale and sickly skin : Biden was photographed touching his forehead while conducting a town hall at an Iowa nature preserve in September 2019 .
The Trump campaign edited out his mic and the trees to portray him as stuck in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
https : //t.co/3XT2tmJZHj pic.twitter.com/I2zgIL1x0M — Daniel Dale ( @ ddale8 ) August 5 , 2020 And in another case , they isolated an image of Biden with his head down and in prayer at a church to make him appear down and dejected : The new Trump ad accidentally shows just how few photos/how little b-roll Biden has produced since March .
An image meant to make him look defeated/old is of him praying in church !
pic.twitter.com/f7F9MNCLve — Dave Weigel ( @ daveweigel ) August 5 , 2020

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President Donald Trump’s latest attack ad depicts former Vice President Joe Biden as isolated and alone, “diminished” and “hiding” in a basement at his Delaware home.
But as sharp observers noted on Twitter, the images were heavily manipulated ― and the one of him “alone” and “in his basement” was actually taken in a room full of people (pre-pandemic) that was neither in a basement nor even in his home.
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Here’s the Trump ad:
Deep in the heart of Delaware, Joe Biden sits in his basement.
Alone. Hiding. Diminished. pic.twitter.com/0QVsbp2iis — Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) August 5, 2020
The image of Biden sitting on the floor “alone” and “hiding” was actually from a football-watching party in Iowa. The background was manipulated to make it look as if Biden were sitting on the floor of an empty room:
About that new Trump ad alleging that Biden is “Alone. Hiding. Diminished.”
The clip at the four second mark is edited to make it look like he is sitting on the floor of his basement alone.
But it’s from an Iowa event last December. The room was full. See below: pic.twitter.com/t6ZcUHUXfZ — Philip Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) August 5, 2020
Another image was of Biden at an outdoor event, in sunglasses and with a mic in hand. The original shows him pause to scratch his head or adjust the sunglasses, but the Trump campaign altered it to remove the mic and place him in a “basement.”
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They also gave him pale and sickly skin:
Biden was photographed touching his forehead while conducting a town hall at an Iowa nature preserve in September 2019.
The Trump campaign edited out his mic and the trees to portray him as stuck in his Delaware basement...though kept his sunglasses. https://t.co/3XT2tmJZHj pic.twitter.com/I2zgIL1x0M — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 5, 2020
And in another case, they isolated an image of Biden with his head down and in prayer at a church to make him appear down and dejected:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--LeBron James Dunks On Donald Trump’s Claim He Won’t Watch NBA If Players Take A Knee

Trump told Fox News on Wednesday that he ’ d turn off a game if he saw players following the lead of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick , who in 2016 began taking a knee during the national anthem before games to protest systemic racism and police brutality .
“ I think it ’ s disgraceful , ” said Trump , who has long launched vitriolic attacks on athletes kneeling to call for institutional change .
James was asked about Trump ’ s comments following the Los Angeles Lakers side ’ s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bubble in Florida .
James and other players took a knee before the game : “ I really don ’ t think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership , ” James responded to a reporter .
James initially claimed he wouldn ’ t “ get into it ” because “ I already know where this could go.
” But he delivered a pointed dig at Trump later in the interview when calling out the leadership in the U.S .
He said the 2020 election was “ a big moment for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity ” for change .
“ The game will go on without his eyes on it , ” James added .
“ I can sit here and speak for all of us that love the game of basketball .
We could care less.
” LeBron James on Donald Trump saying he won ’ t watch any more NBA games because people have kneeled to protest systemic racism during the national anthem : “ I really don ’ t think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership.
” pic.twitter.com/l9sP7LiFsi — Mark Medina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 James has traded barbs with Trump before , most notably when the president attacked him over an interview he gave to CNN ’ s Don Lemon in 2018 .
In the sit-down , James accused Trump of enabling racists and of using sports “ to kinda divide us.
” Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television , Don Lemon .
He made Lebron look smart , which isn ’ t easy to do .
I like Mike !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 4 @ @

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NBA superstar LeBron James said the basketball community “could care less” about losing President Donald Trump as a viewer.
Trump told Fox News on Wednesday that he’d turn off a game if he saw players following the lead of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who in 2016 began taking a knee during the national anthem before games to protest systemic racism and police brutality.
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“I think it’s disgraceful,” said Trump, who has long launched vitriolic attacks on athletes kneeling to call for institutional change.
James was asked about Trump’s comments following the Los Angeles Lakers side’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday at the NBA’s bubble in Florida. James and other players took a knee before the game:
Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images
“I really don’t think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership,” James responded to a reporter.
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James initially claimed he wouldn’t “get into it” because “I already know where this could go.” But he delivered a pointed dig at Trump later in the interview when calling out the leadership in the U.S. He said the 2020 election was “a big moment for us as Americans” and “an opportunity” for change.
“The game will go on without his eyes on it,” James added. “I can sit here and speak for all of us that love the game of basketball. We could care less.”
Check out James’ comments here:
LeBron James on Donald Trump saying he won’t watch any more NBA games because people have kneeled to protest systemic racism during the national anthem: “I really don’t think the basketball community are sad about losing his viewership.” pic.twitter.com/l9sP7LiFsi — Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) August 6, 2020
James has traded barbs with Trump before, most notably when the president attacked him over an interview he gave to CNN’s Don Lemon in 2018.
In the sit-down, James accused Trump of enabling racists and of using sports “to kinda divide us.”
Trump hit back on Twitter, questioning the intelligence of both men.
Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2018


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Fox News Doctor Boasts That Trump Is 'Very Cognitively Advanced'

The Fox News doctor who once said the “ worst-case scenario ” for the coronavirus was that it “ could be the flu ” is now boasting of President Donald Trump ’ s cognitive skills .
Dr. Marc Siegel said Trump is “ very cognitively advanced , ” a conclusion he reached because he spent an hour with the president during an interview last month .
That was the infamous interview in which Trump boasted of acing a cognitive test in part by remembering “ person , woman , man , camera , TV ” in order , ostensibly wowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exam .
“ They said nobody gets it in order , ” Trump said .
“ It ’ s actually not that easy , but for me it was easy.
” The test ’ s inventor last said that it ’ s “ supposed to be easy , ” as it ’ s checking for signs of cognitive impairment , not intelligence .
Trump ’ s description of his assessment became the fodder of memes .
But it left Siegel impressed , and he said Trump was “ right ” to demand a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Siegel also dug into Biden ’ s medical history , suggesting he could have lingering damage from brain aneurysms years ago and hinted that the former vice president may have suffered a “ silent stroke.
” Siegel made headlines in March when he pumped up the president ’ s response to the coronavirus , saying Trump acted quickly and could not have possibly acted faster .
Most experts believe delays in the administration ’ s response to the pandemic in its early days have led directly to the situation today , in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak than most other nations .
Siegel early in the pandemic dismissed COVID-19 as , “ at worst , worst-case scenario it could be the flu.
” He also reported that “ test kits are coming ” at a time when tests were in fact almost impossible to come by in much of the country and would remain so for weeks .
And he falsely claimed the H1N1 swine flu outbreak that took place during the Barack Obama presidency killed 300,000 Americans .
Close to 160,000 people have been killed by the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @

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The Fox News doctor who once said the “worst-case scenario” for the coronavirus was that it “could be the flu” is now boasting of President Donald Trump’s cognitive skills.
Dr. Marc Siegel said Trump is “very cognitively advanced,” a conclusion he reached because he spent an hour with the president during an interview last month.
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That was the infamous interview in which Trump boasted of acing a cognitive test in part by remembering “person, woman, man, camera, TV” in order, ostensibly wowing his doctors in the middle of the exam.
“They said nobody gets it in order,” Trump said. “It’s actually not that easy, but for me it was easy.”
The test’s inventor last said that it’s “supposed to be easy,” as it’s checking for signs of cognitive impairment, not intelligence.
Trump’s description of his assessment became the fodder of memes. But it left Siegel impressed, and he said Trump was “right” to demand a cognitive test of Democratic rival Biden.
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the fox doctor wants you to know that Trump is "very cognitively advanced" pic.twitter.com/SKJuVZoUyY — Brendan Karet 🚮 (@bad_takes) August 6, 2020
Siegel also dug into Biden’s medical history, suggesting he could have lingering damage from brain aneurysms years ago and hinted that the former vice president may have suffered a “silent stroke.”
Siegel made headlines in March when he pumped up the president’s response to the coronavirus, saying Trump acted quickly and could not have possibly acted faster.
Most experts believe delays in the administration’s response to the pandemic in its early days have led directly to the situation today, in which the United States is having a worse outbreak than most other nations.
Siegel early in the pandemic dismissed COVID-19 as, “at worst, worst-case scenario it could be the flu.”
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He also reported that “test kits are coming” at a time when tests were in fact almost impossible to come by in much of the country and would remain so for weeks.
And he falsely claimed the H1N1 swine flu outbreak that took place during the Barack Obama presidency killed 300,000 Americans.
The CDC reports that the death toll was 12,469.
Close to 160,000 people have been killed by the coronavirus in the U.S. so far.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-05--Trump Eyes White House For RNC Acceptance Speech Venue

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed accepting the Republican Party ’ s presidential nomination in a speech from the White House , prompting the country ’ s leading elected Democrat to accuse him of politicizing the historic residence .
Separately , the Democratic party announced former Vice President Joe Biden , Trump ’ s election rival , will accept its nomination in an address from his home state of Delaware rather than in Milwaukee as planned .
The coronavirus pandemic has led both political parties to downsize their traditional made-for-television affairs featuring often-raucous speeches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faithful .
Denied the larger crowds he thrives on , Trump said on Fox News : “ I ’ ll probably do mine live from the White House.
” At a White House briefing later , he rejected the suggestion of some lawmakers and nonpartisan groups that it was inappropriate and possibly illegal to use a nonpartisan , public site for a political address .
“ Well , it is legal , ” Trump said , arguing the 1939 Hatch Act barring government employees from using official authority to interfere with the outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
“ If I use the White House , we save tremendous amounts of money for the government in terms of security , traveling.
” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , a Democrat who is third in line for the presidency , denounced the plan , telling MSNBC that Trump would once again “ degrade the White House ” by using it for a political event .
Even if Trump is safe , convention-related activities at the White House could still put other government officials at risk of violating the Hatch Act , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law School professor , adding the plan also “ might backfire on political , rather than legal , grounds.
” “ Trump may not care , but others in the party should tread carefully here , ” Ohlin said .
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told CNN Trump would not give the speech from the Oval Office , usually reserved for addresses on national concerns , but might speak “ anywhere over on the East Wing ” considered the president ’ s private space .
The decision to pull Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had planned to hold an in-person nominating convention , ensures the event from Aug. 17-20 will be almost entirely virtual .
“ I wanted to set an example as to how we should respond individually to this crisis , ” Biden said at a fundraiser , referring to the pandemic that has recently been claiming more than 1,000 U.S. lives on average every day .
Trump told Fox the Republican convention would be virtual and include some live speeches from different locations .
Media will be invited to a “ nomination night ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , contrary to reports it might be closed to reporters .

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed accepting the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in a speech from the White House, prompting the country’s leading elected Democrat to accuse him of politicizing the historic residence.
Separately, the Democratic party announced former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump’s election rival, will accept its nomination in an address from his home state of Delaware rather than in Milwaukee as planned.
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The coronavirus pandemic has led both political parties to downsize their traditional made-for-television affairs featuring often-raucous speeches in front of thousands of the party faithful.
Denied the larger crowds he thrives on, Trump said on Fox News: “I’ll probably do mine live from the White House.”
At a White House briefing later, he rejected the suggestion of some lawmakers and nonpartisan groups that it was inappropriate and possibly illegal to use a nonpartisan, public site for a political address.
“Well, it is legal,” Trump said, arguing the 1939 Hatch Act barring government employees from using official authority to interfere with the outcome of an election does not apply to him. “If I use the White House, we save tremendous amounts of money for the government in terms of security, traveling.”
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat who is third in line for the presidency, denounced the plan, telling MSNBC that Trump would once again “degrade the White House” by using it for a political event.
Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson said Trump “probably shouldn’t do it.”
Even if Trump is safe, convention-related activities at the White House could still put other government officials at risk of violating the Hatch Act, said Jens David Ohlin, a Cornell Law School professor, adding the plan also “might backfire on political, rather than legal, grounds.”
“Trump may not care, but others in the party should tread carefully here,” Ohlin said.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told CNN Trump would not give the speech from the Oval Office, usually reserved for addresses on national concerns, but might speak “anywhere over on the East Wing” considered the president’s private space.
The decision to pull Biden and other speakers from Milwaukee, where Democrats had planned to hold an in-person nominating convention, ensures the event from Aug. 17-20 will be almost entirely virtual.
“I wanted to set an example as to how we should respond individually to this crisis,” Biden said at a fundraiser, referring to the pandemic that has recently been claiming more than 1,000 U.S. lives on average every day.
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Trump told Fox the Republican convention would be virtual and include some live speeches from different locations. Media will be invited to a “nomination night” in Charlotte, North Carolina, he said, contrary to reports it might be closed to reporters.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-05--Jared Kushner Targeted As 'Trump's Secretary Of Failure' In GOP Group's Ad

A new video released Wednesday by The Lincoln Project , a conservative Republican group that has been targeting President Donald Trump , goes after his senior adviser and son-in-law , Jared Kushner , for his “ malignant response to the national COVID-19 pandemic.
” The “ Secretary of Failure ” 60-second spot begins by noting that Trump has assigned multiple important tasks to Kushner .
The group gets in a double shot with the line that , “ like his father-in-law , Jared ’ s not up to the task.
” The bare-knuckled video includes a reference to a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s role in producing a national testing plan in the earlier stages of the pandemic .
The national response plan never saw the light of day .
According to a source in the report , the plan was scrapped over a belief the virus was hitting blue states hardest and that blame could therefore be shifted to the governors of those states .
The White House denies those claims .
“ Jared Kushner doesn ’ t care about your life or mine , ” Reed Galen , GOP strategist and co-founder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news release from the group .
“ He thought the pandemic was just another political prop — and now we ’ re all suffering .
He is beyond evil.
” The Lincoln Project was founded by longtime Republican operatives , including George Conway , Rick Wilson , Steve Schmidt and Jennifer Horn .
It has pledged to work to take down not only Trump but also those who support him , including Republicans in Congress .
It recently announced a $ 4 million ad blitz targeting competitive Senate races in Alaska , Maine @ @ @

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A new video released Wednesday by The Lincoln Project, a conservative Republican group that has been targeting President Donald Trump, goes after his senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for his “malignant response to the national COVID-19 pandemic.”
The “Secretary of Failure” 60-second spot begins by noting that Trump has assigned multiple important tasks to Kushner. The group gets in a double shot with the line that, “like his father-in-law, Jared’s not up to the task.”
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The bare-knuckled video includes a reference to a recent Vanity Fair article, which scrutinizes Kushner’s role in producing a national testing plan in the earlier stages of the pandemic. The national response plan never saw the light of day. According to a source in the report, the plan was scrapped over a belief the virus was hitting blue states hardest and that blame could therefore be shifted to the governors of those states. The White House denies those claims.
“Jared Kushner doesn’t care about your life or mine,” Reed Galen, GOP strategist and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, said in a news release from the group. “He thought the pandemic was just another political prop — and now we’re all suffering. He is beyond evil.”
“Defeating Trumpism means defeating cronies like Jared. Come November 3rd, it’s time to clean house,” the group’s statement concluded.
The Lincoln Project was founded by longtime Republican operatives, including George Conway, Rick Wilson, Steve Schmidt and Jennifer Horn. It has pledged to work to take down not only Trump but also those who support him, including Republicans in Congress. It recently announced a $4 million ad blitz targeting competitive Senate races in Alaska, Maine and Montana.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--The Truth Is Not Out There In ‘X-Files’ Supercut Of Donald Trump’s Conspiracy Theories

Lou Dobbs recently asked Trump about , of all things , UFOs .
As @ JoyAnnReid says , “ UFOs @ @ @ @ @ many of the conspiracy theories Trump and his followers have embraced.
” So we at @ @ @ @ @ our own version of the X-Files called “ The Trump Files.
” pic.twitter.com/TNubVlDs94

Lou Dobbs recently asked Trump about, of all things, UFOs. As @JoyAnnReid says, “UFOs are far more believable than many of the conspiracy theories Trump and his followers have embraced.”
So we at #TheReidOut came up with our own version of the X-Files called “The Trump Files.” pic.twitter.com/TNubVlDs94


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-05--Record Number Of Women Of Color Running For Congress In 2020

This year , at least 267 women of color are major-party candidates for Congress — shattering the previous record of 179 women of color who ran in 2018 , according to a report released Wednesday by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University .
With candidates ’ filing deadlines passed in all 50 states , the report reflects the total filed major-party candidates , including women who ran and already won or lost their primaries , as well as those who still have primaries to come .
The number of women of color — who identify as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islander , Middle Eastern or North African , Native American or multiracial — running for the U.S. House jumped from 167 in 2018 to 249 this year .
For the Senate , at least 18 women of color are running in 2020 , compared with 12 in 2018 .
The last congressional elections in 2018 broke numerous records for racial and gender representation in Congress .
The current Congress is the most diverse ever , with history makers such as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , the youngest woman elected to Congress ; Rashida Tlaib @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women in the body ; and Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids , the country ’ s first Native congresswomen .
This year , a number of women of color have already won primaries , including Cori Bush , a Black progressive candidate and activist who unseated Democratic Rep. William Lacy Clay in Missouri on Tuesday .
Other women of color face primaries ahead , including Keeda Haynes in Tennessee , whose primary is Thursday and who hopes to become the first Black woman the state sends to Congress .
Former public defender Keeda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is running for Congress in Tennessee , challenging a nearly two-decade Democratic incumbent and hoping to become the first Black woman the state sends to Congress .
This year has also seen more women overall running for Congress than ever before — shattering 2018 ’ s record .
In 2020 , 584 women are major-party candidates for the U.S. House — a nearly 23 % increase from the previous record of 476 women who ran two years ago .
But there are still strides to be made for women ’ s representation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 50 % of the U.S. population , they are only 30 % of House candidates and 24 % of Senate candidates this year .
This year also has seen a record number of Republican women running for Congress .
However , women still make up a higher percentage of Democratic candidates ( 38 % of Democratic House candidates and 31 % of Democratic Senate candidates ) than of Republican candidates ( 21 % of Republican House candidates and 17 % of Republican Senate candidates ) .
With the current 116th Congress , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the most diverse in history , it remains to be seen after November ’ s election if this next Congress will be even more diverse .

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A historic number of women of color are running for U.S. Congress in 2020.
This year, at least 266 women of color are major-party candidates for Congress — shattering the previous record of 179 women of color who ran in 2018, according to a report released Wednesday by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
With candidates’ filing deadlines passed in all 50 states, the report reflects the total filed major-party candidates, including women who ran and already won or lost their primaries, as well as those who still have primaries to come.
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The number of women of color — who identify as Black, Latina, Asian or Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern or North African, Native American or multiracial — running for the U.S. House jumped from 167 in 2018 to 248 this year. For the Senate, at least 18 women of color are running in 2020, compared with 12 in 2018.
The last congressional elections in 2018 broke numerous records for racial and gender representation in Congress. The current Congress is the most diverse ever, with history makers such as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman elected to Congress; Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, the first Muslim women in the body; and Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids, the country’s first Native congresswomen.
This year, a number of women of color have already won primaries, including Cori Bush, a Black progressive candidate and activist who unseated Democratic Rep. William Lacy Clay in Missouri on Tuesday. Other women of color face primaries ahead, including Keeda Haynes in Tennessee, whose primary is Thursday and who hopes to become the first Black woman the state sends to Congress.
Former public defender Keeda Haynes, who was also formerly incarcerated, is running for Congress in Tennessee, challenging a nearly two-decade Democratic incumbent and hoping to become the first Black woman the state sends to Congress. Keeda Haynes
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This year has also seen more women overall running for Congress than ever before — shattering 2018’s record. In 2020, 583 women are major-party candidates for the U.S. House — a nearly 23% increase from the previous record of 476 women who ran two years ago.
But there are still strides to be made for women’s representation in politics: Though women make up over 50% of the U.S. population, they are only 30% of House candidates and 24% of Senate candidates this year.
This year also has seen a record number of Republican women running for Congress. However, women still make up a higher percentage of Democratic candidates (38% of Democratic House candidates and 31% of Democratic Senate candidates) than of Republican candidates (21% of Republican House candidates and 17% of Republican Senate candidates).
With the current 116th Congress, sworn in after the historic 2018 election, the most diverse in history, it remains to be seen after November’s election if this next Congress will be even more diverse.
CORRECTION: We revised figures per a correction provided by the authors of this report, after one woman of color candidate did not make it to the ballot.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Michelle Obama Blames Her 'Low-Grade Depression' In Part On Donald Trump

“ I ’ m dealing with some form of low-grade depression , ” the former first lady said on her podcast Wednesday , per The Hill .
“ Not just because of the quarantine , but because of the racial strife and just seeing this administration , watching the hypocrisy of it day in and day out , is dispiriting.
” “ I don ’ t think I ’ m unusual in that , ” she added .
“ But I ’ d be remiss to say that part of this depression is also a result of what we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the continued racial unrest , that has plagued this country since its birth .
I have to say that waking up to the news , waking up tohow this administration has or has not responded , waking up to yet another story of a Black man or a Black person somehow being dehumanized , or hurt or killed , or falsely accused of something , it is exhausting .
And it has led to a weight that I haven ’ t felt in my life in a while.
” Obama said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ routine , but allows herself to say , “ You ’ re just not feeling that treadmill right now , ” according to the “ Access ” video segment above .
“ Staying connected with people in my life who bring me joy ” has lifted her spirits , she said , per the New York Post .

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Michelle Obama said Wednesday she’s experiencing depression in part because of President Donald Trump’s administration.
“I’m dealing with some form of low-grade depression,” the former first lady said on her podcast Wednesday, per The Hill. “Not just because of the quarantine, but because of the racial strife and just seeing this administration, watching the hypocrisy of it day in and day out, is dispiriting.”
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“I don’t think I’m unusual in that,” she added. “But I’d be remiss to say that part of this depression is also a result of what we’re seeing in terms of the protests, the continued racial unrest, that has plagued this country since its birth. I have to say that waking up to the news, waking up tohow this administration has or has not responded, waking up to yet another story of a Black man or a Black person somehow being dehumanized, or hurt or killed, or falsely accused of something, it is exhausting. And it has led to a weight that I haven’t felt in my life in a while.”
Obama said she works out as part of her self-care routine, but allows herself to say, “You’re just not feeling that treadmill right now,” according to the “Access” video segment above.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Poll: Democrats Lead In North Carolina, Arizona Senate Races

Kevin Lamarque / reuters A new survey from a progressive group says Democratic Senate candidates , such as Mark Kelly in Arizona , can embrace clean energy mandates with little political risk .
A new set of polls from a progressive group shows Democratic Senate challengers in North Carolina and Arizona with healthy leads over Republican incumbents in those states , while challengers in Iowa and Maine have small leads in toss-up races .
Two races elsewhere are tighter .
In Iowa , Democrat Theresa Greenfield is earning 45 % of the vote to Republican Sen. Joni Ernst ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon is leading now with 48 % of the vote to 45 % for Republican Sen. Susan Collins .
The surveys also show former Vice President Joe Biden leading against President Donald Trump by 10 percentage points in Maine , with smaller leads in North Carolina and Arizona .
In Iowa , Trump is polling at 46 % of the vote and Biden is at 45 % .
Data for Progress argues that its data shows all four Democratic candidates should put the fight against climate change at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the message can appeal to swing voters with little downside .
Republicans have a 52-48 advantage in the Senate , but Democrats have targeted six GOP-held seats as they seek to win control of both houses of Congress in November .
“ To retire Mitch McConnell as majority leader , candidates in key Senate races must embrace a bold climate agenda around strong clean energy standards , robust federal investment , and centered in justice , ” said Jamal Raad , a former top aide to Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee who co-founded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic candidates must take it to Trump and Senate Republicans on their weakest issue.
” The poll found 54 % of likely voters in the four states surveyed said they would be more likely to support a candidate who wants to move the country to 100 % clean electricity by 2035 , and 56 % said they would be more likely to back a candidate who wants to invest $ 2 trillion in clean energy jobs over the next four years .
A plurality of voters surveyed wanted Congress to make fighting climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” while a majority supported the latest version of Biden ’ s climate plan .
Even when presented with Republican arguments , likely voters were still supportive of policies to battle climate change .
Fifty-seven percent said they were more worried about “ Republican politicians who protect corporate polluters , ” while 43 % said they worried about Democrats “ beholden to environmentalists ” who would raise taxes or kill jobs to stop climate change .
“ There ’ s a common misconception that climate change is only a winning issue on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brave NoiseCat , Data for Progress ’ s vice president of policy and strategy .
“ Our polling shows that progressive climate action ― things like transitioning the electricity sector to 100 % clean energy by 2035 , not just some symbolic stuff around the Paris Agreement ― can help Democrats win the Senate in 2020 .
This marks a real turning point in the politics of the issue .
And if Democrats can run on climate and win , they can pass laws and govern on it , too .
”

A new survey from a progressive group says Democratic Senate candidates, such as Mark Kelly in Arizona, can embrace clean energy mandates with little political risk. Kevin Lamarque / reuters
A new set of polls from a progressive group shows Democratic Senate challengers in North Carolina and Arizona with healthy leads over Republican incumbents in those states, while challengers in Iowa and Maine have small leads in toss-up races.
The surveys from Data for Progress show Democrat Mark Kelly leading GOP Sen. Martha McSally, 47% to 38%, in Arizona, and Cal Cunningham leading Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, 49% to 41%, in North Carolina.
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Two races elsewhere are tighter. In Iowa, Democrat Theresa Greenfield is earning 45% of the vote to Republican Sen. Joni Ernst’s 43%. And in Maine, Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon is leading now with 48% of the vote to 45% for Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
The surveys also show former Vice President Joe Biden leading against President Donald Trump by 10 percentage points in Maine, with smaller leads in North Carolina and Arizona. In Iowa, Trump is polling at 46% of the vote and Biden is at 45%.
Data for Progress argues that its data shows all four Democratic candidates should put the fight against climate change at the center of their campaigns, saying that the message can appeal to swing voters with little downside. Republicans have a 52-48 advantage in the Senate, but Democrats have targeted six GOP-held seats as they seek to win control of both houses of Congress in November.
“To retire Mitch McConnell as majority leader, candidates in key Senate races must embrace a bold climate agenda around strong clean energy standards, robust federal investment, and centered in justice,” said Jamal Raad, a former top aide to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee who co-founded the advocacy group Evergreen Action. “Democratic candidates must take it to Trump and Senate Republicans on their weakest issue.”
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The poll found 54% of likely voters in the four states surveyed said they would be more likely to support a candidate who wants to move the country to 100% clean electricity by 2035, and 56% said they would be more likely to back a candidate who wants to invest $2 trillion in clean energy jobs over the next four years. A plurality of voters surveyed wanted Congress to make fighting climate change a “Day 1 priority,” while a majority supported the latest version of Biden’s climate plan.
Even when presented with Republican arguments, likely voters were still supportive of policies to battle climate change. Fifty-seven percent said they were more worried about “Republican politicians who protect corporate polluters,” while 43% said they worried about Democrats “beholden to environmentalists” who would raise taxes or kill jobs to stop climate change.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Death Toll Rises, Mass Power Outages After Isaias Storm Destruction

WINDSOR , N.C. ( AP ) — At least nine people , including a 5-year-old girl with autism , were killed as Tropical Storm Isaias battered the U.S. East Coast with rain and fierce winds after making landfall as a hurricane in North Carolina .
Millions of people were without power on Wednesday after felled trees downed power lines .
The sound of generators and chainsaws punctuated the sunrise in New Jersey , where more than 1 million homes and businesses were without electricity .
NJ Transit train service remained suspended while crews cleared about 150 trees and repair signals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also suspended in Philadelphia after Isaias raised the Schuylkill River and sent an unsecured construction barge into a bridge .
Inspectors were checking for damage .
Interstate 676 , which crosses the bridge , was also closed in both directions .
Cynthia Cooper looks for personal items for a family member who had their home destroyed after a tornado spawned by Hurricane Isaias destroyed a rural mobile home neighborhood , killing two residents , near Windsor N.C. on Wednesday .
Two people died when Isaias spun off a tornado that struck a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person died in Pennsylvania when their vehicle was overtaken by water and swept downstream .
The 5-year-old girl had gone missing from her Philadelphia-area home during the height of the storm Tuesday and was found dead Wednesday .
Authorities said they believed she was swept away by floodwaters in the creek behind her house .
Three others were killed by falling trees toppled by the storm in Maryland , Connecticut and New York City , and another person died in Delaware when a tree branch fell on them , authorities said .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire house Tuesday evening .
Neighborhood residents stop to inspect damage caused by a tree that fell on top of a house during Tropical Storm Isaias , Wednesday , in the Queens borough of New York .
Isaias sustained top winds of up to 65 mph ( 105 kph ) more than 18 hours after coming ashore , but it was down to 40 mph max winds as of early Wednesday , according to the National Hurricane Center .
Isaias toggled between hurricane and tropical storm strength as it churned toward the East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the storm got a late burst of strength as a rejuvenated hurricane with top sustained winds of 85 mph ( 136 km/h ) before coming ashore late Monday near Ocean Isle Beach , North Carolina .
Its tropical storm status was sustained , but weakened , as it headed north into Canada on Tuesday night .
Tornadoes were confirmed by the National Weather Service in Virginia , Maryland , Delaware and New Jersey .
Power outages also spread as trees fell , with more than 2.1 million customers without electricity across multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to PowerOutage.US , which tracks utility reports .
A cooking pot from one of the homes destroyed by a tornado from Hurricane Isaias was tossed across Sunrise Road into a cotton field in North Carolina .
With many people facing several days in the dark , New York and Connecticut ’ s governors called for investigations into how utilities responded to the storm .
New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo blasted the companies for showing “ reckless disregard ” for storm planning and said it can ’ t happen again .
Con Ed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that saw more outages from Isaias than from any storm except Superstorm Sandy in 2012 , set up stations Wednesday to hand out ice to people who were still without power .
In Doylestown , Pennsylvania , officials said four children were treated for minor injuries after high winds partially tore the roof off a day care center .
Also in the Philadelphia suburbs , rescue workers in Delaware County were searching for a young person who fell or jumped into the fast-moving water of a swollen creek , said Timothy Boyce , @ @ @ @ @ @

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WINDSOR, N.C. (AP) — At least nine people, including a 5-year-old girl with autism, were killed as Tropical Storm Isaias battered the U.S. East Coast with rain and fierce winds after making landfall as a hurricane in North Carolina. Millions of people were without power on Wednesday after felled trees downed power lines.
The sound of generators and chainsaws punctuated the sunrise in New Jersey, where more than 1 million homes and businesses were without electricity. NJ Transit train service remained suspended while crews cleared about 150 trees and repair signals and overhead wires.
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Regional rail service was also suspended in Philadelphia after Isaias raised the Schuylkill River and sent an unsecured construction barge into a bridge. Inspectors were checking for damage. Interstate 676, which crosses the bridge, was also closed in both directions.
Cynthia Cooper looks for personal items for a family member who had their home destroyed after a tornado spawned by Hurricane Isaias destroyed a rural mobile home neighborhood, killing two residents, near Windsor N.C. on Wednesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Patrick Foye, chairman of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said more than 2,000 trees fell across the system’s train and bus network.
“This storm caused severe damage,” Foye said Wednesday. “Not since Superstorm Sandy has our system experienced this type of wind.”
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Two people died when Isaias spun off a tornado that struck a North Carolina mobile home park. Another person died in Pennsylvania when their vehicle was overtaken by water and swept downstream. The 5-year-old girl had gone missing from her Philadelphia-area home during the height of the storm Tuesday and was found dead Wednesday. Authorities said they believed she was swept away by floodwaters in the creek behind her house.
Three others were killed by falling trees toppled by the storm in Maryland, Connecticut and New York City, and another person died in Delaware when a tree branch fell on them, authorities said. A woman was found dead inside a New Hampshire house Tuesday evening.
Neighborhood residents stop to inspect damage caused by a tree that fell on top of a house during Tropical Storm Isaias, Wednesday, in the Queens borough of New York. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Isaias sustained top winds of up to 65 mph (105 kph) more than 18 hours after coming ashore, but it was down to 40 mph max winds as of early Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Isaias toggled between hurricane and tropical storm strength as it churned toward the East Coast. Fueled by warm ocean waters, the storm got a late burst of strength as a rejuvenated hurricane with top sustained winds of 85 mph (136 km/h) before coming ashore late Monday near Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. Its tropical storm status was sustained, but weakened, as it headed north into Canada on Tuesday night.
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Before making landfall late Monday, Isaias killed two people in the Caribbean and battered the Bahamas before brushing past Florida.
Tornadoes were confirmed by the National Weather Service in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. Power outages also spread as trees fell, with more than 2.1 million customers without electricity across multiple states as of Wednesday night, according to PowerOutage.US, which tracks utility reports.
A cooking pot from one of the homes destroyed by a tornado from Hurricane Isaias was tossed across Sunrise Road into a cotton field in North Carolina. ASSOCIATED PRESS
With many people facing several days in the dark, New York and Connecticut’s governors called for investigations into how utilities responded to the storm. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo blasted the companies for showing “reckless disregard” for storm planning and said it can’t happen again.
Con Ed, the New York City power utility that saw more outages from Isaias than from any storm except Superstorm Sandy in 2012, set up stations Wednesday to hand out ice to people who were still without power.
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In Doylestown, Pennsylvania, officials said four children were treated for minor injuries after high winds partially tore the roof off a day care center. Also in the Philadelphia suburbs, rescue workers in Delaware County were searching for a young person who fell or jumped into the fast-moving water of a swollen creek, said Timothy Boyce, the county emergency services director.
Some of the worst damage seemed to be east and north of where the hurricane’s eye struck land in North Carolina.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Time Magazine Dumps Donald Trump Into A Sea Of Surging Coronavirus For New Cover

President Donald Trump stands in a sea of the coronavirus — outside the White House — on Time ’ s new cover .
“ The rising water as a metaphor for chaos in the Trump White House could only end two ways , ” artist Tim O ’ Brien explained of his picture that will grace the cover of the magazine ’ s Aug. 17 issue .
Trump “ survives only to be in the surging waves surrounded by coronavirus , each one a little bomb , ” O ’ Brien added .
The cover story — headlined “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic has changed the 2020 campaign .
It also imagines how Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s respective campaigns may have played out without the public health crisis .
O ’ Brien ’ s depictions of Trump ― whose administration ’ s response to the pandemic has been fiercely criticized ― have appeared on the publication ’ s cover on multiple previous occasions .
In 2017 , the “ chaos ” inside the White House was laid bare via this image : The text was tweaked for the April 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign cash to buy porn star Stormy Daniels ’ silence over their alleged affair. Trump was “ In Deep ” with this cover by O ’ Brien in September 2018 : And in April 2019 , O ’ Brien showed Trump in a more joyous mood following the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation : Sneak peek at this week 's cover of @ TIME .
I could see the president getting this one framed ... pic.twitter.com/i6cDRmEzMc — Brian Stelter ( @ brianstelter ) March 28 , 2019

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President Donald Trump stands in a sea of the coronavirus — outside the White House — on Time’s new cover.
“The rising water as a metaphor for chaos in the Trump White House could only end two ways,” artist Tim O’Brien explained of his picture that will grace the cover of the magazine’s Aug. 17 issue.
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Trump “survives only to be in the surging waves surrounded by coronavirus, each one a little bomb,” O’Brien added.
Check out the cover here:
TIME’s new cover: How COVID-19 changed everything about the 2020 election https://t.co/WcGbCk7j7t pic.twitter.com/Bwq5PyKBzR — TIME (@TIME) August 6, 2020
The cover story — headlined “The Plague Election” — tells how the pandemic has changed the 2020 campaign.
It also imagines how Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s respective campaigns may have played out without the public health crisis.
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O’Brien’s depictions of Trump ― whose administration’s response to the pandemic has been fiercely criticized ― have appeared on the publication’s cover on multiple previous occasions.
In 2017, the “chaos” inside the White House was laid bare via this image:
The text was tweaked for the April 2018 edition as Trump faced accusations of using campaign cash to buy porn star Stormy Daniels’ silence over their alleged affair.
Trump was “In Deep” with this cover by O’Brien in September 2018:
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And in April 2019, O’Brien showed Trump in a more joyous mood following the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Deutsche Bank Complied With Trump Subpoena From Manhattan DA: Report

New York prosecutors subpoenaed President Donald Trump ’ s longtime bank last year during a probe into his business practices , and the lender complied , The New York Times reported .
The Manhattan district attorney ’ s office sent the subpoena to Deutsche Bank , requesting financial documents Trump and his company used to secure billions of dollars in loans .
Deutsche Bank has been Trump ’ s main lender since the 1990s and has loaned his company more than $ 2 billion .
The Times , citing unnamed people familiar with the subpoena , said bank officials responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Trump and his company , including information he provided to secure the loans .
The outlet said prosecutors sought any material that may point to fraud , although the probe is still in its early stages .
Cyrus Vance , New York ’ s district attorney , has spent nearly a year trying to obtain eight years of the president ’ s personal and corporate tax returns .
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has engaged in a furious legal battle to block the release of his taxes .
The Supreme Court upheld @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying the Constitution does not bar a grand jury from demanding the records of a president .
But Trump has so far refused to hand them over .
Lawmakers in Congress have also sought the records , although the Supreme Court said they could not see them until lower courts determine if the request for information should be narrowed .
The decision almost guarantees Congress wouldn ’ t be able to see the documents until after the November election .
Wednesday ’ s report follows a court filing earlier this week that suggests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his business committed bank and insurance fraud .
Vance filed documents that mention “ public reports of possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.
” “ This possible criminal activity occurred within the applicable statutes of limitations , particularly if the transactions involved a continuing pattern of conduct , ” the DA said in the filing .
The move signals that Vance may be looking into broader possible lawbreaking .
Initial reports suggested that the investigation focused on hush money payments before the 2016 election to two women who @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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New York prosecutors subpoenaed President Donald Trump’s longtime bank last year during a probe into his business practices, and the lender complied, The New York Times reported.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office sent the subpoena to Deutsche Bank, requesting financial documents Trump and his company used to secure billions of dollars in loans. Deutsche Bank has been Trump’s main lender since the 1990s and has loaned his company more than $2 billion.
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The Times, citing unnamed people familiar with the subpoena, said bank officials responded by providing detailed records about its dealings with Trump and his company, including information he provided to secure the loans. The outlet said prosecutors sought any material that may point to fraud, although the probe is still in its early stages.
Cyrus Vance, New York’s district attorney, has spent nearly a year trying to obtain eight years of the president’s personal and corporate tax returns. Trump has denied wrongdoing and has engaged in a furious legal battle to block the release of his taxes.
The Supreme Court upheld Vance’s subpoena in July, saying the Constitution does not bar a grand jury from demanding the records of a president. But Trump has so far refused to hand them over.
Lawmakers in Congress have also sought the records, although the Supreme Court said they could not see them until lower courts determine if the request for information should be narrowed. The decision almost guarantees Congress wouldn’t be able to see the documents until after the November election.
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Wednesday’s report follows a court filing earlier this week that suggests the district attorney was investigating whether Trump and his business committed bank and insurance fraud. Vance filed documents that mention “public reports of possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.”
“This possible criminal activity occurred within the applicable statutes of limitations, particularly if the transactions involved a continuing pattern of conduct,” the DA said in the filing.
The move signals that Vance may be looking into broader possible lawbreaking. Initial reports suggested that the investigation focused on hush money payments before the 2016 election to two women who said they had affairs with Trump.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--1.2 Million Seek Jobless Aid After $600 Federal Check Ends

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Nearly 1.2 million laid-off Americans applied for state unemployment benefits last week , evidence that the coronavirus keeps forcing companies to slash jobs just as a critical $ 600 weekly federal jobless payment has expired .
The Labor Department ’ s report Thursday marked the 20th straight week that at least 1 million people have sought jobless aid .
Before the pandemic hit hard in March , the number of Americans seeking unemployment checks had never surpassed 700,000 in a week , not even during the Great Recession of 2007-2009 .
The new jobless claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week after rising for two straight weeks .
The pandemic , the lockdowns meant to contain it and the wariness of many Americans to venture back out to eat , shop or travel have delivered a devastating blow to the economy despite the government ’ s emergency rescue efforts .
The nation ’ s gross domestic product , the broadest measure of economic output , shrank at an annual rate of nearly 33 % from April through June .
It was by far the worst quarterly fall on record , though the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , the government is expected to report a sizable job gain for July — 1.6 million .
Yet so deeply did employers slash payrolls after the pandemic paralyzed the economy in March that even July ’ s expected gain would mean that barely 40 % of the jobs lost to the coronavirus have been recovered .
And the pace of hiring is clearly slowing .
A resurgence of cases in the South and the West has spread elsewhere and upended hopes for a speedy economic recovery as bars , restaurants and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to reopen and rehire staff .
All told , 16.1 million people are collecting traditional unemployment benefits from their state .
For months , the unemployed had also been receiving the $ 600 a week in federal jobless aid on top of their state benefit .
But the federal payment expired last week .
Congress is engaged in prolonged negotiations over renewing the federal benefit , which would likely be extended at a reduced level .
In the meantime , millions of the unemployed suddenly have less money to pay for essentials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 million people nationwide who are at risk of being evicted from their homes , according to The Aspen Institute , as moratoriums enacted because of the coronavirus expire .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 1.2 million laid-off Americans applied for state unemployment benefits last week, evidence that the coronavirus keeps forcing companies to slash jobs just as a critical $600 weekly federal jobless payment has expired.
The Labor Department’s report Thursday marked the 20th straight week that at least 1 million people have sought jobless aid. Before the pandemic hit hard in March, the number of Americans seeking unemployment checks had never surpassed 700,000 in a week, not even during the Great Recession of 2007-2009.
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The new jobless claims were down by 249,000 from the previous week after rising for two straight weeks.
The pandemic, the lockdowns meant to contain it and the wariness of many Americans to venture back out to eat, shop or travel have delivered a devastating blow to the economy despite the government’s emergency rescue efforts. The nation’s gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic output, shrank at an annual rate of nearly 33% from April through June. It was by far the worst quarterly fall on record, though the economy has rebounded somewhat since then.
On Friday, the government is expected to report a sizable job gain for July — 1.6 million. Yet so deeply did employers slash payrolls after the pandemic paralyzed the economy in March that even July’s expected gain would mean that barely 40% of the jobs lost to the coronavirus have been recovered.
And the pace of hiring is clearly slowing. A resurgence of cases in the South and the West has spread elsewhere and upended hopes for a speedy economic recovery as bars, restaurants and other businesses have had to delay or reverse plans to reopen and rehire staff.
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All told, 16.1 million people are collecting traditional unemployment benefits from their state. For months, the unemployed had also been receiving the $600 a week in federal jobless aid on top of their state benefit. But the federal payment expired last week. Congress is engaged in prolonged negotiations over renewing the federal benefit, which would likely be extended at a reduced level.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-06--Seth Meyers Nails Why Trump's Axios Interview Went So Far Off The Rails

Seth Meyers laid into President Donald Trump Wednesday night for retreating to Fox News and Fox Business for softball interviews in the wake of his eyebrow-raising sit-down with Axios ’ Jonathan Swan that aired on HBO earlier this week .
In the viral HBO session , Trump floundered and deflected as he was repeatedly pressed on the rising death rates from the coronavirus .
He also doubled down on his controversial support for Ghislaine Maxwell , the British socialite accused of enabling Jeffrey Epstein ’ s sex trafficking of young girls , and refused to praise the late Rep. John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights leader .
Trump called into Fox Business on Tuesday night to speak with Lou Dobbs , one of his most devout right-wing allies , and dialed into Fox News program “ Fox & Friends ” the following morning .
He made dozens of false or misleading claims in these interviews , most of which the hosts allowed unchecked .
“ Trump was apparently so embarrassed by this venture outside the right-wing media bubble that after the disastrous Axios interview aired , he immediately rushed back to the safe confines of Fox News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Night.
” Meyers noted that in his rare excursions outside friendly media , Trump tends to embarrass himself , which his media supporters appear to acknowledge .
He pointed to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh , who asked on his show Tuesday why Trump would do an interview with Axios , which Limbaugh described as not from “ the friendly side of the aisle.
” “ It ’ s rare when we get a glimpse of the president outside his insulated bubble , but we got that this week , ” Meyers said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he immediately ran back to safe territory on Fox .
”

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Seth Meyers laid into President Donald Trump Wednesday night for retreating to Fox News and Fox Business for softball interviews in the wake of his eyebrow-raising sit-down with Axios’ Jonathan Swan that aired on HBO earlier this week.
In the viral HBO session, Trump floundered and deflected as he was repeatedly pressed on the rising death rates from the coronavirus. He also doubled down on his controversial support for Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite accused of enabling Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking of young girls, and refused to praise the late Rep. John Lewis for his history as a civil rights leader.
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“Trump was apparently so embarrassed by this venture outside the right-wing media bubble that after the disastrous Axios interview aired, he immediately rushed back to the safe confines of Fox News,” Meyers said on “Late Night.”
Meyers noted that in his rare excursions outside friendly media, Trump tends to embarrass himself, which his media supporters appear to acknowledge. He pointed to conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who asked on his show Tuesday why Trump would do an interview with Axios, which Limbaugh described as not from “the friendly side of the aisle.”
“It’s rare when we get a glimpse of the president outside his insulated bubble, but we got that this week,” Meyers said. “And it went so badly he immediately ran back to safe territory on Fox.”
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