thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--WHO Chief Warns There May Never Be A 'Silver Bullet' For Coronavirus

The director of the World Health Organization warned Monday that there may never be a “ silver bullet ” for defeating COVID-19 , even as pressure mounts from the White House to create a vaccine well before the end of this year .
“ A number of vaccines are now in phase 3 clinical trials and we all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection , ” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a media briefing .
“ However , there ’ s no silver bullet at the moment and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the importance of exercising “ the basics of public health and sieges control ” to stop outbreaks from occurring .
“ Testing , isolating and treating patients , and tracing and quarantining their contacts .
Do it all , ” he urged .
`` A number of vaccines are now in phase three clinical trials and we all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection .
However , there ’ s no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be '' - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( WHO ) ( @ WHO ) August 3 , 2020 '' For now , stopping # COVID19 outbreaks comes down to the basics of public health and disease control .
Testing , isolating and treating patients , and tracing and quarantining their contacts .
Inform , empower and listen to communities .
Do it all '' - @ DrTedros — World Health Organization ( WHO ) ( @ WHO ) August 3 , 2020 There are currently six coronavirus vaccine candidates in late-stage testing or close to it .
Dr. Anthony Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a White House coronavirus task force member , said last week that he ’ s “ cautiously optimistic that we will have a vaccine by the end of this year and as we go into 2021.
” But Fauci has also said he doesn ’ t believe the virus will ever be eliminated .
“ I think with a combination of good public health measures , a degree of global herd immunity and a good vaccine , which I do hope and feel cautiously optimistic that we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all three of those together , we will get control of this , whether it ’ s this year or next year .
I ’ m not certain , ” he told the TB Alliance in an interview last month .
“ I don ’ t really see us eradicating it.
” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday at WHO headquarters in Geneva that there may never be a `` silver bullet '' for the coronavirus and that people must instead practice “ the basics of public health '' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in contrast , has repeatedly insisted that the virus will one day “ disappear ” and has called Fauci an “ alarmist.
” At a news conference last month , Trump said he expects there will be a vaccine “ long before the end of the year .
”

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The director of the World Health Organization warned Monday that there may never be a “silver bullet” for defeating COVID-19, even as pressure mounts from the White House to create a vaccine well before the end of this year.
“A number of vaccines are now in phase 3 clinical trials and we all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a media briefing. “However, there’s no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be.”
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Tedros instead stressed the importance of exercising “the basics of public health and sieges control” to stop outbreaks from occurring.
“Testing, isolating and treating patients, and tracing and quarantining their contacts. Do it all,” he urged.
"A number of vaccines are now in phase three clinical trials and we all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection.
However, there’s no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be"-@DrTedros #COVID19 — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 3, 2020
"For now, stopping #COVID19 outbreaks comes down to the basics of public health and disease control.
Testing, isolating and treating patients, and tracing and quarantining their contacts.
Inform, empower and listen to communities. Do it all"-@DrTedros — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 3, 2020
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There are currently six coronavirus vaccine candidates in late-stage testing or close to it.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a White House coronavirus task force member, said last week that he’s “cautiously optimistic that we will have a vaccine by the end of this year and as we go into 2021.”
But Fauci has also said he doesn’t believe the virus will ever be eliminated.
“I think with a combination of good public health measures, a degree of global herd immunity and a good vaccine, which I do hope and feel cautiously optimistic that we will get, I think when we put all three of those together, we will get control of this, whether it’s this year or next year. I’m not certain,” he told the TB Alliance in an interview last month. “I don’t really see us eradicating it.”
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday at WHO headquarters in Geneva that there may never be a "silver bullet" for the coronavirus and that people must instead practice “the basics of public health" to stop outbreaks. FABRICE COFFRINI via Getty Images
President Donald Trump, in contrast, has repeatedly insisted that the virus will one day “disappear” and has called Fauci an “alarmist.” At a news conference last month, Trump said he expects there will be a vaccine “long before the end of the year.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--The U.S. Health Care System Is Designed To Fail When It's Needed Most

The novel coronavirus pandemic and the United States ’ feckless response to the outbreak has triggered a historic economic downturn that has cost tens of millions of jobs .
Because almost half of the country ― about 160 million workers , spouses and dependents ― get their health coverage through an employer , those lost jobs almost always mean lost health insurance .
Between February and May , an estimated 5.4 million people became uninsured because of job loss , according to the liberal advocacy organization Families USA .
The group describes this as the largest loss of job-based health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than during the Great Recession in 2008 and 2009 .
And job losses have continued to mount since May , meaning the number of those who lost health benefits is likely to be much higher now .
Many millions more are at risk as the coronavirus outbreak and its economic toll continue to escalate .
Many workers can extend their employer-based health insurance through COBRA , which allows unemployed people to keep their benefits for up to 36 months .
But doing so is hugely expensive , as they take on the full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former employers .
That ’ s a heavy lift .
The average annual cost of a job-based family health insurance plan is nearly $ 20,000 , which translates to more than $ 1,600 a month , according to a survey of employers conducted by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation last year .
Businesses cover an average of 70 % of those premiums while workers are employed , but that goes away when a person is laid off .
In May , House Democrats passed legislation that would subsidize COBRA premiums , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicaid , which covers 72 million people , provides a safety net for those that the bad economy has hit hardest , but access is limited and varies greatly from state to state , especially for adults .
The Affordable Care Act authorized a Medicaid expansion to anyone earning up to 133 % of the federal poverty level , which is about $ 35,000 a year for a family of four .
Residents of the states that have expanded Medicaid have access to these benefits when their incomes fall .
But 13 states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those non-expansion states , adults who don ’ t have children living at home and don ’ t have disabilities can ’ t access coverage regardless of how low their incomes are .
Parents and adults with disabilities in those states typically are eligible only if they earn a small fraction of poverty wages .
That ’ s an imperfect situation when things are good , but it becomes a major problem when the economy is suffering .
Unlike the federal government , states are required to balance their budgets .
Bad economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenues going to state governments .
In turn , this very often leads to cuts in Medicaid benefits and eligibility at times when the program is most needed .
Medicaid enrollment began rising early in the pandemic .
Between February and April , the program ’ s rolls grew by more than 1 million .
Like the data on employer-based insurance , these numbers lag and are likely to be significantly higher now .
One estimate projects as many as 23 million people could enroll in Medicaid over the course of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May that would have extended the additional Medicaid funding , but the package Senate Republicans are considering for another round of stimulus doesn ’ t include it .
Without that money , states are almost certain to begin scaling back Medicaid by eliminating benefits and restricting eligibility .
The federal government has used this means of shoring up state finances during previous economic downturns , including the Great Recession in the late 2000s .
Trump Took Aim At The Safety Net The Trump administration has taken a series of actions to harm the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available to people who lose their jobs even outside of the annual open enrollment period .
During the pandemic , the administration refused to reopen the exchanges to all uninsured people , not just the newly jobless , in contrast to the District of Columbia and 11 states that operate their own health insurance exchanges ( Idaho ’ s exchange also didn ’ t reopen ) .
On Medicaid , the administration has attempted two major new policies designed to make benefits hard to get and keep .
Courts struck down the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Medicaid recipient .
The second would cut Medicaid funding and place new limitations on coverage for adults .
During Trump ’ s presidency , more than 1 million children have been kicked off Medicaid , and the national uninsured rate was rising even before the pandemic walloped the economy .
And if Trump and the Republican Party have their way , the safety net as expanded by the Affordable Care Act will go away , leading to an estimated 20 million more uninsured people .
Trump supports a lawsuit , pending at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entire law , including its health insurance subsidies , its Medicaid expansion and its guarantee of coverage to people with preexisting conditions .

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The American health care system leaves us all vulnerable to massive costs and uneven access, even under the best of circumstances. But when the economy goes south, things get really awful.
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Between February and May, an estimated 5.4 million people became uninsured because of job loss, according to the liberal advocacy organization Families USA. The group describes this as the largest loss of job-based health benefits in U.S. history, worse even than during the Great Recession in 2008 and 2009.
And job losses have continued to mount since May, meaning the number of those who lost health benefits is likely to be much higher now. Many millions more are at risk as the coronavirus outbreak and its economic toll continue to escalate.
Many workers can extend their employer-based health insurance through COBRA, which allows unemployed people to keep their benefits for up to 36 months. But doing so is hugely expensive, as they take on the full cost of premiums without contributions from their former employers. That’s a heavy lift.
The average annual cost of a job-based family health insurance plan is nearly $20,000, which translates to more than $1,600 a month, according to a survey of employers conducted by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation last year. Businesses cover an average of 70% of those premiums while workers are employed, but that goes away when a person is laid off. In May, House Democrats passed legislation that would subsidize COBRA premiums, but Senate Republicans have resisted the idea.
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Newly jobless people can buy insurance policies from health insurance exchanges like HealthCare.gov, but those are also very costly ― hundreds of dollars a month for a single person and upwards of $1,000 for families ― for those who don’t qualify for the most generous subsidies.
Even the least expensive plans typically carry deductibles that can exceed $10,000 a year for a family. An estimated 750,000 people have enrolled in exchange policies because of job loss since the pandemic began.
Medicaid Access Is Limited
Medicaid, which covers 72 million people, provides a safety net for those that the bad economy has hit hardest, but access is limited and varies greatly from state to state, especially for adults. The Affordable Care Act authorized a Medicaid expansion to anyone earning up to 133% of the federal poverty level, which is about $35,000 a year for a family of four. Residents of the states that have expanded Medicaid have access to these benefits when their incomes fall.
But 13 states have refused to adopt it. In those non-expansion states, adults who don’t have children living at home and don’t have disabilities can’t access coverage regardless of how low their incomes are. Parents and adults with disabilities in those states typically are eligible only if they earn a small fraction of poverty wages.
What’s more, the structure of the Medicaid program itself makes it ill-suited to tough economic times. The federal government and the states jointly manage the program, with the federal government covering more than half of the expense.
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That’s an imperfect situation when things are good, but it becomes a major problem when the economy is suffering. Unlike the federal government, states are required to balance their budgets. Bad economies and rising unemployment lead to lower tax revenues going to state governments. In turn, this very often leads to cuts in Medicaid benefits and eligibility at times when the program is most needed.
Medicaid enrollment began rising early in the pandemic. Between February and April, the program’s rolls grew by more than 1 million. Like the data on employer-based insurance, these numbers lag and are likely to be significantly higher now. One estimate projects as many as 23 million people could enroll in Medicaid over the course of the pandemic.
The first round of economic stimulus that Congress and President Donald Trump enacted earlier this year included a boost in federal Medicaid funding, as well as a guarantee that states wouldn’t cut back on Medicaid while the money was flowing.
House Democrats passed a bill in May that would have extended the additional Medicaid funding, but the package Senate Republicans are considering for another round of stimulus doesn’t include it. Without that money, states are almost certain to begin scaling back Medicaid by eliminating benefits and restricting eligibility. The federal government has used this means of shoring up state finances during previous economic downturns, including the Great Recession in the late 2000s.
Trump Took Aim At The Safety Net
As has been the case with so many things the past three years, Trump has made matters worse by weakening an already frayed health care safety net.
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The Trump administration has taken a series of actions to harm the health insurance exchange marketplaces, which is available to people who lose their jobs even outside of the annual open enrollment period. During the pandemic, the administration refused to reopen the exchanges to all uninsured people, not just the newly jobless, in contrast to the District of Columbia and 11 states that operate their own health insurance exchanges (Idaho’s exchange also didn’t reopen).
Trump also expanded access to junk insurance policies the Affordable Care Act had curbed. These so-called short-term plans now can be purchased for up a year. Unlike real health insurance, people with preexisting conditions can be excluded and the policies offer very meager coverage that leaves patients exposed to extremely high medical costs.
And if Trump and the Republican Party have their way, the safety net as expanded by the Affordable Care Act will go away, leading to an estimated 20 million more uninsured people. Trump supports a lawsuit, pending at the Supreme Court, that would eliminate the entire law, including its health insurance subsidies, its Medicaid expansion and its guarantee of coverage to people with preexisting conditions.
And despite Trump’s empty claims otherwise, they have no notion of how to replace those things, which will lead to further suffering if the high court rules in their favor.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--New Wisconsin Justice Sworn In During 100-Mile Ultramarathon

MADISON , Wis. ( AP ) — New Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Jill Karofsky has finished her 100-mile ( 161-kilometer @ @ @ @ @ in mid-run .
Karofsky , who finished the run Sunday , was sworn in around @ @ @ @ @ 35-mile marker of her route in south-central Wisconsin .
State Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Dallet @ @ @ @ @ in Basco .
Karofsky began running Saturday at 6 a.m. WMTV-TV reports the run took @ @ @ @ @ complete .
Karofsky shared an image of herself at mile 99 on Twitter around 3 @ @ @ @ @ Karofsky defeated incumbent Daniel Kelly in April to narrow the court ’ s conservative majority @ @ @ @ @ are happening now .
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Manhattan DA Is Investigating Trump And His Company Over Reports Of Fraud

The Manhattan district attorney ’ s office suggested that President Donald Trump and his business were under investigation over bank and insurance fraud , according to court documents filed Monday .
The documents — filed as part of an ongoing legal battle between District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. and Trump over Trump ’ s tax returns — mention “ public reports of possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.
” The office was already known to be investigating alleged hush-money payments Trump ’ s legal team made to two women who claim to have had affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The new documents suggest that the scope of the investigation is much wider than originally thought .
“ This possible criminal activity occurred within the applicable statutes of limitations , particularly if the transactions involved a continuing pattern of conduct , ” court documents read .
Last week , Trump ’ s current attorneys attempted to block Vance ’ s subpoena of Trump ’ s accounting firm Mazars USA , arguing that the subpoena was “ wildly overbroad ” and sought “ irrelevant records.
” Vance ’ s team called on District Judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims because they impeded the investigation , noting that the delay in the investigation allows Trump to achieve “ temporary absolute immunity.
” While Trump may think the subpoena is “ overbroad , ” that concern is based on a “ false premise ” that the investigation is only looking at Trump ’ s “ so-called ‘ hush-money ’ payments ” made by Trump ’ s former attorney Michael Cohen in 2016 , Vance ’ s team said .
Instead , the district attorney ’ s office noted that their probe was more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bank fraud by the Trump Organization and its officers .

The Manhattan district attorney’s office suggested that President Donald Trump and his business were under investigation over bank and insurance fraud, according to court documents filed Monday.
The documents — filed as part of an ongoing legal battle between District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. and Trump over Trump’s tax returns — mention “public reports of possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.”
The office was already known to be investigating alleged hush-money payments Trump’s legal team made to two women who claim to have had affairs with Trump before he took office. The new documents suggest that the scope of the investigation is much wider than originally thought.
“This possible criminal activity occurred within the applicable statutes of limitations, particularly if the transactions involved a continuing pattern of conduct,” court documents read.
Last week, Trump’s current attorneys attempted to block Vance’s subpoena of Trump’s accounting firm Mazars USA, arguing that the subpoena was “wildly overbroad” and sought “irrelevant records.”
Vance’s team called on District Judge Victor Marrero to reject Trump’s claims because they impeded the investigation, noting that the delay in the investigation allows Trump to achieve “temporary absolute immunity.”
While Trump may think the subpoena is “overbroad,” that concern is based on a “false premise” that the investigation is only looking at Trump’s “so-called ‘hush-money’ payments” made by Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen in 2016, Vance’s team said.
Instead, the district attorney’s office noted that their probe was more broadly related to claims of alleged insurance and bank fraud by the Trump Organization and its officers.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Schools Begin To Reopen Amid Nationwide Coronavirus Surge

DALLAS , Ga. ( AP ) — Putting your child on the bus for the first day of school is always a leap of faith for a parent .
Now , on top of the normal worries about teachers and lessons and adjusting to new routines , there ’ s COVID-19 .
With a new school year beginning this week in some states , Adamus is struggling to balance her fears with her belief that her children need to go to school for the sake of their education .
The death toll in the U.S. from the coronavirus has reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in numerous states .
`` I tried not to cry .
I ’ m usually not like this on the first day of school , ” said Adamus , who said her aunt died from COVID-19 in Alabama and her husband ’ s great uncle succumbed to the virus in a New Jersey nursing home .
“ This is the hardest it ’ s been.
” The Adamus children are among tens of thousands of students in Georgia and across the nation who were set to resume in-person school Monday for the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Tennessee will also be among those navigating the new academic year as schools open up in parts of those states this week .
Schools in Hawaii were supposed to reopen Tuesday , but the teachers union led a move to delay that until Aug 17 .
Many school districts around the country had offered parents a choice of at least some in-person classes or remote instruction .
But an uptick in COVID-19 cases in many states has prompted districts to scrap in-person classes at least for the start of the school year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington .
Adamus lives near North Paulding High School , where the principal sent a letter over the weekend announcing a football player tested positive for the coronavirus after attending practice .
The Georgia High School Association , in a memo sent last week , said it has received reports of 655 positive tests since workouts for football and other sports started on June 8 .
Mandatory practices began statewide last week .
In Mississippi , where the virus is spreading fast , 44 districts begin classes in person this week , starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system east of Jackson .
The 2,700-student Corinth district was the first traditional district to begin class in Mississippi last week .
By week 's end , one Corinth High student had tested positive and a dozen or more classmates were in quarantine .
School Superintendent Harold Olin said the student was tested days earlier and attended class before receiving the results .
The student was isolated in the school clinic , while school nurses worked to identify others who may have had close contact .
“ This really does not change our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We knew that we would have a positive case at some point in the fall .
We simply did not think it would happen on Day One.
” One student who won ’ t be starting at North Paulding on Monday is Aliyah Williams .
Her mother , Erica Williams , said she was keeping the 14-year-old freshman home because two of her younger sons have cystic fibrosis and she can ’ t risk their being exposed .
Williams said she thinks her daughter will be OK academically with online classes .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s inability to see her friends .
Other parents have to balance their job with schooling decisions .
Shannon Dunn has to report to her job this week as a cafeteria manager at an elementary school in Baton Rouge , Louisiana , but she has no idea what she will do when her daughter starts kindergarten with online-only instruction .
“ My family works .
I have no one I can take her to and say , ` OK , at 12 o ’ clock you are going to have to start working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Dunn said .

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DALLAS, Ga. (AP) — Putting your child on the bus for the first day of school is always a leap of faith for a parent. Now, on top of the normal worries about teachers and lessons and adjusting to new routines, there’s COVID-19.
Rachel Adamus was feeling those emotions at sunrise Monday as she got 7-year-old Paul ready for his first day of second grade and 5-year-old Neva ready for the start of kindergarten.
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With a new school year beginning this week in some states, Adamus is struggling to balance her fears with her belief that her children need to go to school for the sake of their education. The death toll in the U.S. from the coronavirus has reached about 155,000, and cases are rising in numerous states.
As the bus pulled away from the curb in Adamus' Dallas, Georgia, neighborhood, the tears finally began to fall.
"I tried not to cry. I’m usually not like this on the first day of school,” said Adamus, who said her aunt died from COVID-19 in Alabama and her husband’s great uncle succumbed to the virus in a New Jersey nursing home. “This is the hardest it’s been.”
The Adamus children are among tens of thousands of students in Georgia and across the nation who were set to resume in-person school Monday for the first time since March.
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Both youngsters were wearing masks, although that is not mandatory for the 30,000 students in Paulding County, about 25 miles northwest of Atlanta.
Nine districts were starting face-to-face classes in Georgia, all also offering parents a stay-at-home virtual option. That’s in addition to three districts that started face-to-face classes last week. Five more Georgia districts were starting all-online classes on Monday.
Parents in Louisiana and Tennessee will also be among those navigating the new academic year as schools open up in parts of those states this week. Schools in Hawaii were supposed to reopen Tuesday, but the teachers union led a move to delay that until Aug 17.
Many schools are planning a hybrid approach, with students alternating between in-person classes and online instruction. Some schools will have full in-person instruction for lower grade levels only.
Many school districts around the country had offered parents a choice of at least some in-person classes or remote instruction. But an uptick in COVID-19 cases in many states has prompted districts to scrap in-person classes at least for the start of the school year, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington.
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Adamus lives near North Paulding High School, where the principal sent a letter over the weekend announcing a football player tested positive for the coronavirus after attending practice. The Georgia High School Association, in a memo sent last week, said it has received reports of 655 positive tests since workouts for football and other sports started on June 8. Mandatory practices began statewide last week.
In Mississippi, where the virus is spreading fast, 44 districts begin classes in person this week, starting Monday with the rural 1,700-student Newton County system east of Jackson. The 2,700-student Corinth district was the first traditional district to begin class in Mississippi last week. By week's end, one Corinth High student had tested positive and a dozen or more classmates were in quarantine.
In Indiana, where schools reopened last week, a student at Greenfield-Central Junior High School tested positive on the first day back to class.
School Superintendent Harold Olin said the student was tested days earlier and attended class before receiving the results. The student was isolated in the school clinic, while school nurses worked to identify others who may have had close contact.
“This really does not change our plans,” Olin said. “We knew that we would have a positive case at some point in the fall. We simply did not think it would happen on Day One.”
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One student who won’t be starting at North Paulding on Monday is Aliyah Williams. Her mother, Erica Williams, said she was keeping the 14-year-old freshman home because two of her younger sons have cystic fibrosis and she can’t risk their being exposed. Williams said she thinks her daughter will be OK academically with online classes. But she’s worried about Aliyah’s inability to see her friends.
“She’s a social butterfly. That’s a big part of her personality," Williams said.
Aliyah has been participating in color guard with the school band, but Williams said she is now “conflicted” about that too, considering the football player’s positive test.
Other parents have to balance their job with schooling decisions. Shannon Dunn has to report to her job this week as a cafeteria manager at an elementary school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but she has no idea what she will do when her daughter starts kindergarten with online-only instruction.
Dunn’s East Baton Rouge Parish district has asked employees to begin work this week, while students are set to begin virtual classes next week. School officials have said they hope to begin in-person classes after Labor Day.
“My family works. I have no one I can take her to and say, `OK, at 12 o’clock you are going to have to start working online with her for school,’” Dunn said.
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Dunn said she hopes her daughter will be able to attend in-person classes at her school after Labor Day. But even if she does, that will not ease Dunn's mind completely.
“I'm definitely going to worry," she said. "I will send her to in-person classes, but if I hear of the spread of COVID at the school, then I'd have to rethink it all over again."
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Trump Withdraws Controversial Nomination Of Anthony Tata To Pentagon

WASHINGTON , Aug 3 ( Reuters ) - President Donald Trump has withdrawn the nomination of Anthony Tata , a @ @ @ @ @ has called former President Barack Obama a “ terrorist leader , ” to be undersecretary @ @ @ @ @ the White House said on Monday .


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Va. Judge Issues New Injunction Barring Removal Of Robert E. Lee Statue

The new 90-day injunction bars the state from “ removing , altering , or dismantling , in any way ” the larger-than-life statue or its massive pedestal while the claims in a lawsuit filed by a group of Richmond property owners are litigated .
Separately , Marchant dismissed entirely as not “ legally viable ” the claims filed by a descendant of signatories to an 1890 deed that transferred the statue to the state , and he dissolved an existing injunction in that case .
Plaintiff William C. Gregory , the great-grandson of land donors , had argued the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ affectionately protect ” the statue on historic Monument Avenue .
The Associated Press sent an inquiry to his attorney seeking comment .
The governor appreciates the dismissal of the Gregory case and “ looks forward to another victory in court as soon as possible , ” his spokeswoman , Alena Yarmosky , said in a statement .
“ This statue will come down - and Virginia will be better for it , ” she said .
Northam announced plans to remove the statue in early June , citing the pain felt across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd in Minneapolis .
Should a court eventually clear the way , it won ’ t be a simple task to remove the 21-foot-high ( 6.4-meter-high ) equestrian statue , which the state has said weighs about 12 tons ( 11 metric tonnes ) .
A state board ’ s removal plan calls for cutting it into three sections for eventual reassembly elsewhere .
Now covered by graffiti , the Lee monument has become a gathering spot for the sustained protests since Floyd ’ s death .
In the property owners ’ case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the general standing to sue , and then considered one of their five claims , finding that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed “ under the common law doctrine of restrictive covenants running with the land.
” He said he would hear evidence and arguments on all five counts at another hearing .
Court records did not indicate such a hearing has been scheduled .
Four of the plaintiffs own property near statue ; another is a trustee of a property owner .
Among them is Helen Marie Taylor , a longtime Monument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They claim that removing the Lee statue — the last Confederate statue now standing on Monument Avenue — could result in the loss of the neighborhood ’ s National Historic Landmark designation , “ which will have a substantial adverse impact “ on the plaintiffs , ” including the loss of favorable tax treatment and reduction in property values.
” Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring has filed a motion to dismiss their lawsuit , and “ remains committed to ensuring this divisive , antiquated relic is removed as soon as possible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokeswoman , Charlotte Gomer .

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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A judge dismissed a legal challenge Monday preventing Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration from removing an enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, but immediately imposed another injunction in a different lawsuit.
The new 90-day injunction bars the state from “removing, altering, or dismantling, in any way” the larger-than-life statue or its massive pedestal while the claims in a lawsuit filed by a group of Richmond property owners are litigated.
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Richmond Circuit Court Judge W. Reilly Marchant wrote that “the public interest does weigh in favor” of a temporary injunction.
Separately, Marchant dismissed entirely as not “legally viable” the claims filed by a descendant of signatories to an 1890 deed that transferred the statue to the state, and he dissolved an existing injunction in that case.
Plaintiff William C. Gregory, the great-grandson of land donors, had argued the state agreed to “faithfully guard” and “affectionately protect” the statue on historic Monument Avenue. The Associated Press sent an inquiry to his attorney seeking comment.
The governor appreciates the dismissal of the Gregory case and “looks forward to another victory in court as soon as possible,” his spokeswoman, Alena Yarmosky, said in a statement.
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“This statue will come down - and Virginia will be better for it,” she said.
Northam announced plans to remove the statue in early June, citing the pain felt across the country about the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Should a court eventually clear the way, it won’t be a simple task to remove the 21-foot-high (6.4-meter-high) equestrian statue, which the state has said weighs about 12 tons (11 metric tonnes). A state board’s removal plan calls for cutting it into three sections for eventual reassembly elsewhere.
Now covered by graffiti, the Lee monument has become a gathering spot for the sustained protests since Floyd’s death.
In the property owners’ case, Marchant found that the plaintiffs have the general standing to sue, and then considered one of their five claims, finding that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed “under the common law doctrine of restrictive covenants running with the land.”
He said he would hear evidence and arguments on all five counts at another hearing. Court records did not indicate such a hearing has been scheduled.
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Four of the plaintiffs own property near statue; another is a trustee of a property owner. Among them is Helen Marie Taylor, a longtime Monument Avenue resident and defender of the statues. They claim that removing the Lee statue — the last Confederate statue now standing on Monument Avenue — could result in the loss of the neighborhood’s National Historic Landmark designation, “which will have a substantial adverse impact “ on the plaintiffs, ”including the loss of favorable tax treatment and reduction in property values.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Tech Giants Won't Run Anti-Trump Ad Showing Police Brutality In America

“ We don ’ t allow advertisers to run ads that contain graphic violence , including depictions of blood , baton beatings , and other instances of physical trauma , ” Google spokesperson Charlotte Smith told the Post .
“ These policies apply to all advertisers , regardless of political affiliation , ” she added .
Hulu told Priorities USA Action it objected to “ consistent violent imagery , ” including “ human-to-human violence , ” but did agree to run part of the ad .
Meanwhile , Verizon said : “ The issue is that the video features some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distressing .
In general , we don ’ t allow ads that depict violence , criminal behavior , physical harm or leverage fear , across all categories.
” Jenn Stowe , deputy executive director of Priorities USA , criticized the tech companies in a press release for the ad .
“ Anti-violence content policies were clearly put in place for good reasons , but we don ’ t live in reasonable times , ” she said .
“ With Trump continuing to stoke violence across the country as a political tactic , ad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issues facing voters in this election are not being censored by their out-of-date policies.
” Trump ’ s long-criticized autocratic tendencies have been amplified in recent weeks as he ’ s attempted to suppress nationwide anti-racism protests by deploying tens of thousands of military police to American cities .
In a particularly egregious display of federal force , federal officers in unmarked vans detained demonstrators in Portland , Oregon , during late-night protests last month .
One disturbing video features two officers approaching an individual who is holding their hands up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then driving off .

Yet according to the PACs behind it, Google refused to allow the ad to be used on its platforms, while Hulu and Verizon, which owns HuffPost’s parent company, also had issues with it. (Facebook is one of the companies to approve the ad with no changes.)
In a statement to The Washington Post , Google says it blocked the ad because of its “shocking and disturbing content.”
“We don’t allow advertisers to run ads that contain graphic violence, including depictions of blood, baton beatings, and other instances of physical trauma,” Google spokesperson Charlotte Smith told the Post.
“These policies apply to all advertisers, regardless of political affiliation,” she added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Trump’s 'Full And Complete' Health Plan Promise Joins A Long List Of Unkept Vows

When asked in a July 19 Fox News interview why , 3½ years into his presidency , he had not repealed and replaced the Affordable Care Act , as he had claimed he would when he ran for president , Trump promised that it would be done within two weeks .
Trump has also failed to follow through on off-the-cuff promises he has made during media interviews and news conferences .
On July 1 , he told Fox Business , for example , that he would release a statement within two weeks about the minimum wage but has failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he claimed he would issue a statement about Hezbollah ’ s involvement in the Lebanese government within 24 hours .
He did not do that , either , and more than 400 days passed before he mentioned Hezbollah again , when he called it a terrorist group in a statement denouncing Iran .
Rick Tyler , a former top aide to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz ’ s 2016 campaign for the GOP presidential nomination , said Trump ’ s willingness to promise things and then ignore them seems just part of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment .
“ It ’ s a compulsive disorder to hide his obvious failings , but worse is he believes what he says at the time he says it , ” Tyler said .
“ In his mind , that fact that he uttered it makes it true without any connection to the reality that it is manifestly untrue.
” The White House over the weekend responded to queries about the “ full and complete ” plan with a statement from press secretary Kayleigh McEnany that did not address the question but instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders ― such as one designed to lower the cost of insulin ― was showing his commitment to health care .
A pen to be used by President Donald Trump rests upon an executive order during a meeting with U.S. tech workers Monday at the White House .
Trump later signed the order to prioritize hiring American workers during the economic crisis .
On Monday , they did not respond at all to HuffPost questions about why Trump failed to deliver on his promise or why he has repeatedly made such promises and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump will say whatever he has to to make it through the interview or the news cycle .
He doesn ’ t know or care about the policy , and his narcissism means he doesn ’ t care about any damage he ’ s doing to others , ” said Josh Schwerin , senior strategist and communications director at the Democratic super PAC Priorities USA .
“ Trump isn ’ t trying to solve the nation ’ s problems .
He ’ s just trying to get through the day .
That leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country.
” Trump and his campaign have for years been using the slogan “ Promises Made , Promises Kept , ” boasting about the pledges made during his campaign and codified in the “ Contract with the American Voter ” speech he gave in Gettysburg , Pennsylvania , on Oct. 22 , 2016 , including to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement , stop making payments to the United Nations to counter climate change and approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline .
That same “ contract , ” though , also listed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has failed to keep , including ending Common Core academic standards and giving all parents private school vouchers , labeling China a “ currency manipulator , ” and passing an “ End the Offshoring Act ” to punish companies who move jobs overseas .
Of course , before Trump began that long list of promises in that Gettysburg address , he started by promising he would sue every woman who had publicly accused him of sexual assault , harassment and other misconduct .
He has not followed through on that , either .

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WASHINGTON ― Two weeks after vowing to sign a “full and complete health care plan” within two weeks, President Donald Trump has failed to keep a promise. Again.
When asked in a July 19 Fox News interview why, 3½ years into his presidency, he had not repealed and replaced the Affordable Care Act, as he had claimed he would when he ran for president, Trump promised that it would be done within two weeks.
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“We’re signing a health care plan within two weeks, a full and complete health care plan,” he said.
Trump has also failed to follow through on off-the-cuff promises he has made during media interviews and news conferences. On July 1, he told Fox Business, for example, that he would release a statement within two weeks about the minimum wage but has failed to do so. And in July 2017, he claimed he would issue a statement about Hezbollah’s involvement in the Lebanese government within 24 hours. He did not do that, either, and more than 400 days passed before he mentioned Hezbollah again, when he called it a terrorist group in a statement denouncing Iran.
Rick Tyler, a former top aide to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s 2016 campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, said Trump’s willingness to promise things and then ignore them seems just part of his standard operating procedure to get through the moment.
“It’s a compulsive disorder to hide his obvious failings, but worse is he believes what he says at the time he says it,” Tyler said. “In his mind, that fact that he uttered it makes it true without any connection to the reality that it is manifestly untrue.”
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The White House over the weekend responded to queries about the “full and complete” plan with a statement from press secretary Kayleigh McEnany that did not address the question but instead claimed that Trump’s various executive orders ― such as one designed to lower the cost of insulin ― was showing his commitment to health care.
A pen to be used by President Donald Trump rests upon an executive order during a meeting with U.S. tech workers Monday at the White House. Trump later signed the order to prioritize hiring American workers during the economic crisis. Alex Brandon/ASSOCIATED PRESS
On Monday, they did not respond at all to HuffPost questions about why Trump failed to deliver on his promise or why he has repeatedly made such promises and then failed to keep them.
“Trump will say whatever he has to to make it through the interview or the news cycle. He doesn’t know or care about the policy, and his narcissism means he doesn’t care about any damage he’s doing to others,” said Josh Schwerin, senior strategist and communications director at the Democratic super PAC Priorities USA. “Trump isn’t trying to solve the nation’s problems. He’s just trying to get through the day. That leads to broken promises and a badly damaged country.”
Trump and his campaign have for years been using the slogan “Promises Made, Promises Kept,” boasting about the pledges made during his campaign and codified in the “Contract with the American Voter” speech he gave in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 22, 2016, including to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, stop making payments to the United Nations to counter climate change and approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
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That same “contract,” though, also listed a host of other promises that Trump has failed to keep, including ending Common Core academic standards and giving all parents private school vouchers, labeling China a “currency manipulator,” and passing an “End the Offshoring Act” to punish companies who move jobs overseas.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Biden Calls Trump's Attacks On Voting By Mail 'Bald-Faced Lies'

Aug. 3 ( Reuters ) - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Monday that President Donald Trump was telling “ bald-faced lies ” about voting by mail to distract from his own failures , after Trump last week suggested it could be cause to delay the election .
Biden ’ s remarks were his strongest on the issue since Trump , who trails the presumptive Democratic nominee in opinion polls , tweeted on Thursday that he would not trust the results of an election that included widespread mail voting - a measure many observers see as critical during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nov. 3 vote could be postponed , anidea immediately rejected by Democrats and his fellowRepublicans in Congress - the sole branch of government with theauthority to make such a change .
Speaking during a virtual campaign fundraiser on Monday , Biden said he believed Trump would do everything in his power to ” argue this election is fraudulent.
” “ He suggested we should postpone the election , full of justbald-faced lies about how mail-in votes were fraud , and how itwas so terrible , ” Biden said .
“ Well look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to exploit thispandemic for political purposes .
It distracts from his completefailure , ” he said .
The United States is enduring a coronavirus pandemic thathas claimed more than 155,000 lives - the most in the world - acrippling recession sparked by the outbreak , and nationwideprotests against police violence and racism .
Without evidence , Trump has repeatedly claimed increasedmail voting would be rife with fraud , remarks that have deepenedDemocrats ’ fears that he will refuse to accept the electionoutcome should he lose .
( Reporting by Michael MartinaEditing by @ @ @

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Aug. 3 (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Monday that President Donald Trump was telling “bald-faced lies” about voting by mail to distract from his own failures, after Trump last week suggested it could be cause to delay the election.
Biden’s remarks were his strongest on the issue since Trump,who trails the presumptive Democratic nominee in opinion polls, tweeted on Thursday that he would not trust the results of an election that included widespread mail voting - a measure many observers see as critical during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
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Trump then suggested the Nov. 3 vote could be postponed, anidea immediately rejected by Democrats and his fellowRepublicans in Congress - the sole branch of government with theauthority to make such a change.
Speaking during a virtual campaign fundraiser on Monday,Biden said he believed Trump would do everything in his power to”argue this election is fraudulent.”
“He suggested we should postpone the election, full of justbald-faced lies about how mail-in votes were fraud, and how itwas so terrible,” Biden said.
“Well look, he’s calling out any effort to exploit thispandemic for political purposes. It distracts from his completefailure,” he said.
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Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a requestfor comment.
The United States is enduring a coronavirus pandemic thathas claimed more than 155,000 lives - the most in the world - acrippling recession sparked by the outbreak, and nationwideprotests against police violence and racism.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--After Undermining Postal Service, Trump Claims It's Not Ready For Mail-In Voting

President Donald Trump again went after the United States Postal Service , this time claiming it is not “ prepared ” for a rise in mail-in ballots in the upcoming general election .
“ There ’ s never been a push like this for mail-in ballots , ” Trump said at Monday ’ s White House coronavirus briefing .
The president went on to criticize primary elections in states like New York and New Jersey , which used expanded mail-in voting this year , and railed against Nevada ’ s Democratic Gov .
Steve Sisolak , who ’ s expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to all eligible voters .
“ By the way , I have to say , the post office for many years has been run in a fashion that hasn ’ t been great .
… And I don ’ t think the post office is prepared for a thing like this , ” Trump said of mail-in ballot use in the general election .
“ How can the post office be expected to handle ?
” The president went on to list how USPS receives not only “ regular mailing , ” but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” from “ the internet ” and Amazon , calling this “ a tremendous strain.
” ( Some states provide secure drop boxes for voters so they can opt not to send their ballots through the mail , however . )
“ Again , absentee is great , it works .
Like in Florida , they ’ ll do absentee , it really works , ” said Trump , who has voted by absentee ballot himself and ignores that absentee ballots are , in fact , mail-in ballots .
“ But universal mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a great embarrassment to our country.
” Meanwhile , in recent weeks , Postmaster General Louis DeJoy — a major Trump campaign donor appointed in May — has recently made changes to the postal service in the name of cutting costs , including slashing overtime for employees and telling them to leave mail behind if it will delay carriers ’ routes — all of which could slow down mail delivery in the coming months .
With the November election less than 100 days away , the U.S. continues to lead the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 4.6 million confirmed cases and over 155,000 dead from the virus so far .
After seeing revenue fall for years , the postal service reached an agreement with the Trump administration last week on the terms of a $ 10 billion loan the agency can draw on if it needs aid during the coronavirus pandemic .
On Monday , former Vice President Joe Biden , Trump ’ s 2020 election rival , denounced the president ’ s baseless attacks on mail-in voting during a virtual campaign fundraiser , saying that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ argue this election is fraudulent.
” “ He suggested we should postpone the election , full of just bald-faced lies about how mail-in votes were fraud , ” the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said .
“ Well look , he ’ s calling out any effort to exploit this pandemic for political purposes .
It distracts from his complete failure.
” Asked in Monday ’ s coronavirus briefing if he ’ d issue an executive order on mail-in ballots , Trump said : “ Well , I have a right to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there yet , but we ’ ll see what happens .
”

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President Donald Trump again went after the United States Postal Service, this time claiming it is not “prepared” for a rise in mail-in ballots in the upcoming general election.
Voters are expected to vote by mail in record numbers in November as gatherings in public, including at polling places, threaten people’s health amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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“There’s never been a push like this for mail-in ballots,” Trump said at Monday’s White House coronavirus briefing. The president went on to criticize primary elections in states like New York and New Jersey, which used expanded mail-in voting this year, and railed against Nevada’s Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, who’s expected to sign a bill to mail ballots to all eligible voters.
Trump then went in on the postal service, which has been a target of his attacks for years.
“By the way, I have to say, the post office for many years has been run in a fashion that hasn’t been great. … And I don’t think the post office is prepared for a thing like this,” Trump said of mail-in ballot use in the general election. “How can the post office be expected to handle?”
The president went on to list how USPS receives not only “regular mailing,” but also “a massive number of purchases” from “the internet” and Amazon, calling this “a tremendous strain.” (Some states provide secure drop boxes for voters so they can opt not to send their ballots through the mail, however.)
HuffPost did not immediately get a response from USPS for comment.
“Again, absentee is great, it works. Like in Florida, they’ll do absentee, it really works,” said Trump, who has voted by absentee ballot himself and ignores that absentee ballots are, in fact, mail-in ballots. “But universal mail-in ballots, it’s going to be a great embarrassment to our country.”
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Trump has repeatedly and baselessly claimed elections using mail-in ballots are “fraudulent.” There is no evidence of this.
Meanwhile, in recent weeks, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy — a major Trump campaign donor appointed in May — has recently made changes to the postal service in the name of cutting costs, including slashing overtime for employees and telling them to leave mail behind if it will delay carriers’ routes — all of which could slow down mail delivery in the coming months.
With the November election less than 100 days away, the U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus cases and deaths, with more than 4.6 million confirmed cases and over 155,000 dead from the virus so far.
"The post office for many years has been run in a fashion that hasn’t been great," said President Donald Trump. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
After seeing revenue fall for years, the postal service reached an agreement with the Trump administration last week on the terms of a $10 billion loan the agency can draw on if it needs aid during the coronavirus pandemic.
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On Monday, former Vice President Joe Biden, Trump’s 2020 election rival, denounced the president’s baseless attacks on mail-in voting during a virtual campaign fundraiser, saying that Trump would do everything in his power to “argue this election is fraudulent.”
“He suggested we should postpone the election, full of just bald-faced lies about how mail-in votes were fraud,” the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said. “Well look, he’s calling out any effort to exploit this pandemic for political purposes. It distracts from his complete failure.”
Last week, Trump tweeted unfounded claims that universal mail-in voting would make the November election “the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history,” and suggested the election should be delayed.
The president has no power to do this, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle nixed the concept.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Kanye West Submits Petitions To Appear On Arkansas Ballot

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
( AP ) — Rapper Kanye West on Monday filed signatures to appear on the @ @ @ @ @ an independent presidential candidate .
Representatives of West submitted 1,723 signatures with the secretary of @ @ @ @ @ which has 10 days to verify that he ’ s submitted the 1,000 signatures from @ @ @ @ @ on the Arkansas ballot .
West , who once backed Republican President Donald Trump , @ @ @ @ @ had broken with Trump and would launch his own presidential bid .
West has since @ @ @ @ @ the ballot in neighboring Oklahoma .
A formal complaint was filed in New Jersey last @ @ @ @ @ submitted to appear on that state ’ s ballot .
West ’ s wife , @ @ @ @ @ mogul Kim Kardashian West , asked the public on social media last month to show @ @ @ @ @ husband because he is bipolar .
Arkansas is a solidly Republican state that Trump won @ @ @ @ @ conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Rapper Kanye West on Monday filed signatures to appear on the Arkansas ballot this fall as an independent presidential candidate.
Representatives of West submitted 1,723 signatures with the secretary of state’s office, which has 10 days to verify that he’s submitted the 1,000 signatures from registered voters required to appear on the Arkansas ballot.
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West, who once backed Republican President Donald Trump, announced last month that he had broken with Trump and would launch his own presidential bid.
West has since submitted paperwork to appear on the ballot in neighboring Oklahoma. A formal complaint was filed in New Jersey last week challenging the signatures he submitted to appear on that state’s ballot.
West’s wife, reality TV star and beauty mogul Kim Kardashian West, asked the public on social media last month to show compassion and empathy toward her husband because he is bipolar.
Arkansas is a solidly Republican state that Trump won easily in 2016.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Delta Confirms 2 Passengers Were Removed From Flight For Refusing To Wear Masks

A Delta Air Lines flight returned to the gate at its airport of origin last week in order to remove two passengers who refused to wear masks .
A spokesperson for the Georgia-based airline confirmed to HuffPost in a Monday email that Flight 1227 departed Detroit for Atlanta July 23 before it was forced to turn around .
“ Flight 1227 from Detroit to Atlanta returned to the gate following two customers who were non-compliant with crew instructions , ” the statement read .
“ After a short delay , the aircraft departed to Atlanta.
” News of the incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures in hopes of reviving foreign and domestic travel , both of which were left decimated as COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March .
On its official website , Delta notes customers and employees “ are required to wear a face mask , or appropriate cloth face covering over their nose and mouth throughout their travel.
” This includes both airport check-in as well as the full duration of the respective flight , with the exception of “ limited time while eating or drinking.
” In addition , the total number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % capacity in first class and 60 % capacity in coach , with the middle seats in all cabins blocked in cases where parties of three or more are not traveling together .
In an interview on “ Today ” last month , Delta CEO Ed Bastian said more than 100 people had already been banned from the airline for their refusal to wear a mask while onboard .
“ You can not board a Delta plane unless you have a mask on , ” he said .
“ If you board the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your mask , we will insist that you don ’ t fly Delta into the future.
” Customers who are unable to wear masks due to health conditions are required to receive a medical screening at the airport .
Under Delta ’ s “ Clearance-To-Fly ” procedure , such consultations can take more than one hour .
“ We implemented a new procedure this week because we ’ ve had some customers indicate that they have an underlying condition that makes wearing a mask dangerous for them , ” Bastian said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not want to fly , to reconsider whether air travel is the right form of transportation.
” Anyone found falsifying health claims so as to circumvent the mask requirement could be prohibited from flying Delta as long as face coverings are required , he added .
While the airline industry has seen a slight rebound since April , many experts now believe air travel won ’ t return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024 .
Last week , the International Air Transport Association said renewed outbreaks of the coronavirus in the U.S. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over job security and rising unemployment , have led to a “ more pessimistic recovery outlook .
”

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A Delta Air Lines flight returned to the gate at its airport of origin last week in order to remove two passengers who refused to wear masks.
A spokesperson for the Georgia-based airline confirmed to HuffPost in a Monday email that Flight 1227 departed Detroit for Atlanta July 23 before it was forced to turn around.
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“Flight 1227 from Detroit to Atlanta returned to the gate following two customers who were non-compliant with crew instructions,” the statement read. “After a short delay, the aircraft departed to Atlanta.”
The spokesperson confirmed that the passengers were “removed due to non-compliance with Delta’s mask requirement,” but offered no additional details.
#⃣2⃣ All customers and employees are required to wear a mask or face covering, for everyone’s safety. https://t.co/yBWrMGRAbU — Delta (@Delta) July 30, 2020
News of the incident comes as airlines have implemented new safety measures in hopes of reviving foreign and domestic travel, both of which were left decimated as COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March.
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On its official website, Delta notes customers and employees “are required to wear a face mask, or appropriate cloth face covering over their nose and mouth throughout their travel.” This includes both airport check-in as well as the full duration of the respective flight, with the exception of “limited time while eating or drinking.”
In addition, the total number of passengers has been reduced to 50% capacity in first class and 60% capacity in coach, with the middle seats in all cabins blocked in cases where parties of three or more are not traveling together.
In an interview on “Today” last month, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said more than 100 people had already been banned from the airline for their refusal to wear a mask while onboard.
“You cannot board a Delta plane unless you have a mask on,” he said. “If you board the plane and you insist on not wearing your mask, we will insist that you don’t fly Delta into the future.”
Customers who are unable to wear masks due to health conditions are required to receive a medical screening at the airport. Under Delta’s “Clearance-To-Fly” procedure, such consultations can take more than one hour.
Advertisement
“We implemented a new procedure this week because we’ve had some customers indicate that they have an underlying condition that makes wearing a mask dangerous for them,” Bastian said. “We’ve told them that you may not want to fly, to reconsider whether air travel is the right form of transportation.”
Anyone found falsifying health claims so as to circumvent the mask requirement could be prohibited from flying Delta as long as face coverings are required, he added.
While the airline industry has seen a slight rebound since April, many experts now believe air travel won’t return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024.
Last week, the International Air Transport Association said renewed outbreaks of the coronavirus in the U.S. and other nations, as well as concerns over job security and rising unemployment, have led to a “more pessimistic recovery outlook.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Portia de Rossi Breaks Silence About Ellen DeGeneres Workplace Scandal

Portia de Rossi has broken her silence on the workplace scandal enveloping her wife , Ellen DeGeneres .
In the post , de Rossi added this comment to supporters : “ To all our fans ... .we see you .
Thank you for your support .
# stopbotattacks ” It is unknown what de Rossi meant by including the # stopbotattacks hashtag , but she was responding to a series of stories by BuzzFeed alleging rampant sexual misconduct on DeGeneres ’ s show and claims that employees “ faced racism , fear , and intimidation ” on a regular basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other ” is a big part of DeGeneres ’ brand , the talk show host later issued an apology to employees saying she was unaware of the negative work environment and promising to correct the issues .
However , former producer Hedda Muskat told The Wrap that the comedian allowed a “ culture of fear ” from the show ’ s beginning .
Muskat added that she had never seen such “ toxic host ” behavior and described one incident involving former executive producer Ed Glavin , who started screaming at a staffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something to stop the abuse , Muskat alleges , DeGeneres “ crossed her legs up on the chair and she said , ‘ Well , I guess every production needs their dog.
’ ” So far , de Rossi ’ s post has been liked more 47,000 times , though many of the comments were along the lines of a woman who noted , “ Do you think those employees who are coming out and complaining are all liars ?
” CORRECTION : An earlier version of this article said Portia de Rossi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Her message said , “ I Stand By Ellen .
”

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Portia de Rossi has broken her silence on the workplace scandal enveloping her wife, Ellen DeGeneres.
On Monday, the actor expressed her support for the talk show host with an Instagram post that read: “I Stand By Ellen.”
In the post, de Rossi added this comment to supporters: “To all our fans....we see you. Thank you for your support. #stopbotattacks”
It is unknown what de Rossi meant by including the #stopbotattacks hashtag, but she was responding to a series of stories by BuzzFeed alleging rampant sexual misconduct on DeGeneres’s show and claims that employees “faced racism, fear, and intimidation” on a regular basis.
Since “be kind to each other” is a big part of DeGeneres’ brand, the talk show host later issued an apology to employees saying she was unaware of the negative work environment and promising to correct the issues.
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However, former producer Hedda Muskat told The Wrap that the comedian allowed a “culture of fear” from the show’s beginning.
Muskat added that she had never seen such “toxic host” behavior and described one incident involving former executive producer Ed Glavin, who started screaming at a staffer during a meeting. Instead of saying something to stop the abuse, Muskat alleges, DeGeneres “crossed her legs up on the chair and she said, ‘Well, I guess every production needs their dog.’”
So far, de Rossi’s post has been liked more 47,000 times, though many of the comments were along the lines of a woman who noted, “Do you think those employees who are coming out and complaining are all liars?”
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article said Portia de Rossi declared, “I Stand With Ellen.” Her message said, “I Stand By Ellen.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--'Bachelorette' Rumor Mill Hints At Big Twist This Season

The 16th season of “ The Bachelorette ” could be the most dramatic in the show ’ s history if the reality TV rumor mill is correct .
A Reddit post that popped up over the weekend suggests that lead Clare Crawley will be replaced as the “ Bachelorette ” by former “ Bachelor ” contestant Tayshia Adams , according to Cosmopolitian .
Apparently , Crawley ’ s chemistry with one particular contestant , Dale Moss , was so intense that she didn ’ t see the point in going through with the rest of the season .
So producers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some of the contestants Crawley had previously eliminated may come back to win Adams ’ heart , according to Deadline .
Crawley , 38 , was announced as the “ Bachelorette ” in March , before the coronavirus pandemic halted filming on the season .
The show resumed production in late June .
HuffPost reached out to Warner Brothers , which produces the hit ABC show , but no one immediately responded .
There has been no public comment about the rumors , but an inside source reportedly told Variety that there may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replacing Crawley during the season .
“ It ’ s shaping up to be a very interesting season creatively with lots of twists and turns , ” the source told the publication .
If the production company is trying to stop the rumors , it isn ’ t getting much help from Crawley .
On Sunday , Crawley appeared to show support for Adams being the new “ Bachelorette ” by liking , and later un-liking , this tweet :

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The 16th season of “The Bachelorette” could be the most dramatic in the show’s history if the reality TV rumor mill is correct.
A Reddit post that popped up over the weekend suggests that lead Clare Crawley will be replaced as the “Bachelorette” by former “Bachelor” contestant Tayshia Adams, according to Cosmopolitian.
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Apparently, Crawley’s chemistry with one particular contestant, Dale Moss, was so intense that she didn’t see the point in going through with the rest of the season.
So producers reportedly tapped Adams to replace Crawley. Some of the contestants Crawley had previously eliminated may come back to win Adams’ heart, according to Deadline.
Crawley, 38, was announced as the “Bachelorette” in March, before the coronavirus pandemic halted filming on the season. The show resumed production in late June.
HuffPost reached out to Warner Brothers, which produces the hit ABC show, but no one immediately responded.
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There has been no public comment about the rumors, but an inside source reportedly told Variety that there may some validity to the rumors of Adams replacing Crawley during the season.
“It’s shaping up to be a very interesting season creatively with lots of twists and turns,” the source told the publication.
If the production company is trying to stop the rumors, it isn’t getting much help from Crawley.
On Sunday, Crawley appeared to show support for Adams being the new “Bachelorette” by liking, and later un-liking, this tweet:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-03--Racist Couple Suspected Of Vandalizing Black Man's Truck Charged With Hate Crime

A white couple filmed shouting racist epithets and hitting the truck of a Black man in California last month have been arrested on hate crime and vandalism charges .
Gregory and Rachel Howell , both 29 , were arrested by police in Torrance , California , on Friday , just over a week after video featuring the two harassing Itzel Lopez and her boyfriend , who is Black , went viral .
The footage filmed by Lopez shows the Howells exit their pickup truck while both couples were stopped at a red light in the Los Angeles metro area on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other side of the vehicle , Gregory throws a Nazi salute and says , “ White power , ” prompting Lopez and her boyfriend to erupt in disbelieving laughter .
“ Crazy .
The shit we have to go through in 2020 , ” Lopez remarks on the video .
The Howells then briefly return to their truck , where Gregory retrieves a shovel .
He turns back to the other vehicle and slams the shovel into the driver ’ s side as Lopez ’ s boyfriend backs up and drives away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said kept moving to block their path .
Lopez , 25 , told KTLA that she and her boyfriend were on their way home from her birthday dinner when the other truck appeared to follow them , tailing them for several miles .
“ It really threw me off , ” she told the local station .
“ Never in my life did I think I was gon na experience this , ” she said .
“ It ’ s actually really scary .
They don ’ t even know you and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s sad.
” A second video shared by Lopez shows the couple identifying the Howells ’ license plate , which they then provided to police .

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A white couple filmed shouting racist epithets and hitting the truck of a Black man in California last month have been arrested on hate crime and vandalism charges.
Gregory and Rachel Howell, both 29, were arrested by police in Torrance, California, on Friday, just over a week after video featuring the two harassing Itzel Lopez and her boyfriend, who is Black, went viral.
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The footage filmed by Lopez shows the Howells exit their pickup truck while both couples were stopped at a red light in the Los Angeles metro area on the night of July 22.
Rachel approaches Lopez’s side of the vehicle and, raising dual middle fingers, shouts, “White lives matter, bitch!” She then repeats, “Only white lives matter, bitch!”
On the other side of the vehicle, Gregory throws a Nazi salute and says, “White power,” prompting Lopez and her boyfriend to erupt in disbelieving laughter.
“Crazy. The shit we have to go through in 2020,” Lopez remarks on the video.
The Howells then briefly return to their truck, where Gregory retrieves a shovel. He turns back to the other vehicle and slams the shovel into the driver’s side as Lopez’s boyfriend backs up and drives away ― carefully avoiding Rachel, who Lopez said kept moving to block their path.
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Lopez, 25, told KTLA that she and her boyfriend were on their way home from her birthday dinner when the other truck appeared to follow them, tailing them for several miles.
“It really threw me off,” she told the local station. “Never in my life did I think I was gonna experience this,” she said. “It’s actually really scary. They don’t even know you and they’re willing to hurt you. It’s sad.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-04--Asked About John Lewis' Legacy, Trump Gripes He Didn't 'Come To My Inauguration'

After a week of tributes and mourning for Rep. John Lewis ( D-Ga. ) , President Donald Trump declined to offer any praise for the late civil rights icon and instead bemoaned the fact that he “ didn ’ t come to my inauguration.
” In an interview with Axios that aired Monday , Trump was asked how he thinks history will remember Lewis .
“ I don ’ t know , ” Trump said .
“ I don ’ t know John Lewis .
He chose not to come to my inauguration .
I never met John Lewis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The interview was recorded last Tuesday as Lewis ’ body lay in state in the U.S. Capitol .
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle visited the casket to pay their respects , including Vice President Mike Pence , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) .
Trump did not .
Nor did he attend Lewis ’ Atlanta memorial service Thursday , where former presidents Barack Obama , George W. Bush and Bill Clinton spoke in honor of the man whose nonviolent activism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Voting Rights Act in 1965 .
Lewis organized peaceful demonstrations and voter-registration drives , led one of the most famous marches in American history ― was beaten by a state trooper for doing so ― and later served as the U.S. representative for Georgia ’ s 5th Congressional District for more than three decades .
Yet when pressed on whether he found Lewis ’ history impressive , Trump said that he “ can ’ t say one way or the other.
” “ I find a lot of people impressive , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people not impressive .
But no , he didn ’ t come to my inauguration .
He didn ’ t come to my State of the Union speeches , and that ’ s okay .
That ’ s his right .
And , again , nobody has done more for Black Americans than I have .
He should ’ ve come .
I think he made a big mistake.
” Lewis said in 2017 that he skipped Trump ’ s inauguration because he did not believe Trump to be a “ legitimate president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
Lewis also skipped Bush ’ s first inauguration .
A documentary about his life was released last month :

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After a week of tributes and mourning for Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), President Donald Trump declined to offer any praise for the late civil rights icon and instead bemoaned the fact that he “didn’t come to my inauguration.”
In an interview with Axios that aired Monday, Trump was asked how he thinks history will remember Lewis.
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“I don’t know,” Trump said. “I don’t know John Lewis. He chose not to come to my inauguration. I never met John Lewis, actually, I don’t believe.”
The interview was recorded last Tuesday as Lewis’ body lay in state in the U.S. Capitol. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle visited the casket to pay their respects, including Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Trump did not. Nor did he attend Lewis’ Atlanta memorial service Thursday, where former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton spoke in honor of the man whose nonviolent activism helped galvanize support for the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
.@jonathanvswan: "How do you think history will remember John Lewis?"
President Trump to #AxiosOnHBO: "I don't know...I don't know John Lewis. He chose not to come to my inauguration." pic.twitter.com/LDv76rrIFc — Axios (@axios) August 4, 2020
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Lewis organized peaceful demonstrations and voter-registration drives, led one of the most famous marches in American history ― was beaten by a state trooper for doing so ― and later served as the U.S. representative for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District for more than three decades. Yet when pressed on whether he found Lewis’ history impressive, Trump said that he “can’t say one way or the other.”
“I find a lot of people impressive,” Trump added. “I find many people not impressive. But no, he didn’t come to my inauguration. He didn’t come to my State of the Union speeches, and that’s okay. That’s his right. And, again, nobody has done more for Black Americans than I have. He should’ve come. I think he made a big mistake.”
Lewis said in 2017 that he skipped Trump’s inauguration because he did not believe Trump to be a “legitimate president” due to Russian interference in the election. Lewis also skipped Bush’s first inauguration. A documentary about his life was released last month:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-04--Twitter Users Stunned At 'Full-Blown Lunacy' Of Trump's Wild Axios Interview

President Donald Trump ’ s long-awaited Axios interview with Jonathan Swan finally aired on Monday night and it was a wild ride .
Trump tried to paint a rosy picture of the coronavirus pandemic , claiming “ we ’ re last , meaning we ’ re first ” in an attempt to downplay the death toll and current surge in fatalities .
Trump doubled down on his well-wishes for Ghislaine Maxwell , the longtime associate of child sex predator Jeffrey Epstein , who is in custody and facing her own charges .
“ I do wish her well , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not looking for anything bad for her.
” Trump was also asked about the legacy of the late Rep. John Lewis ( D-Ga. ) , who died last month at the age of 80 .
Trump harped on the fact that Lewis didn ’ t attend his inauguration , then downplayed the civil rights icon while praising himself .
“ Nobody has done more for Black Americans than I have , ” Trump said .
“ He should ’ ve come.
” Twitter users had high praise for Swan ’ s interviewing skills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance , not so much : After watching the new full video of @ realDonaldTrump ’ s interview with @ axios , I think @ ProjectLincoln & @ gtconway3d et al have driven Trump into full blown lunacy .
It is amazing how there are no limits to how proudly Trump shows off his mental deterioration & narcissism .
— Spiro Agnew ’ s Ghost ( @ SpiroAgnewGhost ) August 4 , 2020 You can not convince me that this isn ’ t satire or a sick joke oh my god pic.twitter.com/xAZTbV5QiV — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 , 2020 It ’ s honestly hilarious that this is the guy who supposedly wants MORE debates https : //t.co/uB0rsZVPFr — Jon Favreau ( @ jonfavs ) August 4 , 2020 I watched the full @ Axios interview via YouTube .
Why did Trump agree to do this interview w/ @ jonathanvswan ?
45 's weaknesses are on full display for 37+ minutes : ignorance , narcissism , duplicitousness , lack of compassion , irresponsibility and lunacy .
https : //t.co/NXChpC4nGQ — When they go low , feel free to go lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 He really has to be one of the dumbest people alive .
https : //t.co/OkdHQPcqb5 — George Conway ( @ gtconway3d ) August 4 , 2020 Many astounding things about this clip , but really striking that the President ’ s brain is too mushy to even remember “ We have a lower case fatality rate than other countries.
” He just remembered there was a graph with different lines that we were doing well on .
https : //t.co/l1xmEE0Bxz — Chris Hayes ( @ chrislhayes ) August 4 , 2020 If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing , it 's that the president is completely out of gas .
The job has chewed him up , spit him out , and there 's nothing left in the tank .
— Max Burns ( @ themaxburns ) August 4 , 2020 I ’ m seven minutes into the Axios interview it ’ s just a disaster for the President .
He ’ s just all over the place — Acyn Torabi ( @ Acyn ) August 4 , 2020 How can you watch this exchange and think that this person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to a deadly pandemic ?
https : //t.co/tPnzlUgOuU — Republican Voters Against Trump ( @ RVAT2020 ) August 4 , 2020 Trump is Michael Scott in Scott ’ s Tots with none of the charm or remorse https : //t.co/q7I9uIecsC — Annie Rose Stracener ( @ anniestracener ) August 4 , 2020 This is a masterclass in how to effectively interview a compulsive liar - ask questions and then present evidence proving they are lying - and never let up .
Excellent job , Jonathan .
— Red *Person Woman Man Camera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 How am I still not used to Trump ?
This is just absolute madness .
He ’ s got the donkey brains .
https : //t.co/l2QbEdFJlm — Nate Igor Smith ( @ drivenbyboredom ) August 4 , 2020

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President Donald Trump’s long-awaited Axios interview with Jonathan Swan finally aired on Monday night and it was a wild ride.
Trump tried to paint a rosy picture of the coronavirus pandemic, claiming “we’re last, meaning we’re first” in an attempt to downplay the death toll and current surge in fatalities.
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Trump doubled down on his well-wishes for Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of child sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, who is in custody and facing her own charges.
“I do wish her well,” Trump said. “I’m not looking for anything bad for her.”
Trump was also asked about the legacy of the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who died last month at the age of 80. Trump harped on the fact that Lewis didn’t attend his inauguration, then downplayed the civil rights icon while praising himself.
“Nobody has done more for Black Americans than I have,” Trump said. “He should’ve come.”
Twitter users had high praise for Swan’s interviewing skills. As for the president’s performance, not so much:
It’s like an episode of Veep but real. https://t.co/xAIgtDK4yd — Justin Amash (@justinamash) August 4, 2020
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After watching the new full video of @realDonaldTrump’s interview with @axios, I think @ProjectLincoln & @gtconway3d et al have driven Trump into full blown lunacy. It is amazing how there are no limits to how proudly Trump shows off his mental deterioration & narcissism. — Spiro Agnew’s Ghost (@SpiroAgnewGhost) August 4, 2020
Trump during the Axios interview: pic.twitter.com/oPa6Mn9vxM — Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) August 4, 2020
You cannot convince me that this isn’t satire or a sick joke oh my god pic.twitter.com/xAZTbV5QiV — Meena Harris (@meenaharris) August 4, 2020
It’s honestly hilarious that this is the guy who supposedly wants MORE debates https://t.co/uB0rsZVPFr — Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) August 4, 2020
I watched the full @Axios interview via YouTube. Why did Trump agree to do this interview w/ @jonathanvswan? 45's weaknesses are on full display for 37+ minutes: ignorance, narcissism, duplicitousness, lack of compassion, irresponsibility and lunacy. https://t.co/NXChpC4nGQ — When they go low, feel free to go lower (@angelialevy) August 4, 2020
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He really has to be one of the dumbest people alive. https://t.co/OkdHQPcqb5 — George Conway (@gtconway3d) August 4, 2020
Many astounding things about this clip, but really striking that the President’s brain is too mushy to even remember “We have a lower case fatality rate than other countries.” He just remembered there was a graph with different lines that we were doing well on. https://t.co/l1xmEE0Bxz — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) August 4, 2020
If this incredible @Axios interview shows one thing, it's that the president is completely out of gas. The job has chewed him up, spit him out, and there's nothing left in the tank. — Max Burns (@themaxburns) August 4, 2020
I’m seven minutes into the Axios interview it’s just a disaster for the President. He’s just all over the place — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) August 4, 2020
How can you watch this exchange and think that this person should be in charge of managing the response to a deadly pandemic? https://t.co/tPnzlUgOuU — Republican Voters Against Trump (@RVAT2020) August 4, 2020
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Trump is Michael Scott in Scott’s Tots with none of the charm or remorse https://t.co/q7I9uIecsC — Annie Rose Stracener (@anniestracener) August 4, 2020
This is frankly disgusting. Insane. Cruel. But typical Trump. Axios interview is madness. #TrumpIsNotWell https://t.co/uNTNsY6rHv — Christopher Reeves (@tmservo433) August 4, 2020
This is a masterclass in how to effectively interview a compulsive liar - ask questions and then present evidence proving they are lying - and never let up.
Excellent job, Jonathan. — Red *Person Woman Man Camera TV* (@Redpainter1) August 4, 2020
How am I still not used to Trump? This is just absolute madness. He’s got the donkey brains. https://t.co/l2QbEdFJlm — Nate Igor Smith (@drivenbyboredom) August 4, 2020
Swan/Trump is the new Frost/Nixon — MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) August 4, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-04--Challenged On 'So Many' COVID-19 Deaths, Trump Snaps At 'Fake News CNN'

President Donald Trump boasted on Monday that his administration was doing an “ amazing job ” battling COVID-19 , even as America leads the world in loss of lives to the pandemic .
When he was challenged , he snapped at “ fake news CNN.
” “ We ’ ve done an amazing job with ventilators , ” Trump told journalists .
“ Ventilators are very hard , very expensive , very hard to make , very complex.
” That ’ s when CNN reporter Jim Acosta interjected : “ But why does the U.S. have so many deaths ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to so many countries around the world.
” He never addressed the numbers throughout the rest of his comments .
“ We have done a great job in this country , ” Trump added .
“ We haven ’ t been given ... the vice president , the task force , have not been given the kind of credit .
If you look at countries all over the world are exploding right now — people that you said were doing a wonderful job , so wonderful , but right now , take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Asked Trump why the US has so many deaths compared to so many countries around the world .
Trump claims the US has done “ an amazing job ” on the coronavirus .
— Jim Acosta ( @ Acosta ) August 3 , 2020 COVID-19 cases are surging in several countries .
But the U.S. was still leading Monday in case numbers — and deaths .
The total U.S. death toll as of Monday was more than 155,000 , while the global count was 691,000 .
The U.S. has tallied more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a country with just 4 % of the world ’ s population .
Trump again touted hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the novel coronavirus in his remarks , contradicting scientific experts on his own task force that the drug has proved to be ineffective against the virus .
It can also cause fatal heart arrhythmia .
Check out the latest testy exchange between Acosta and the president in the clip above .

President Donald Trump boasted on Monday that his administration was doing an “amazing job” battling COVID-19, even as America leads the world in loss of lives to the pandemic. When he was challenged, he snapped at “fake news CNN.”
“We’ve done an amazing job with ventilators,” Trump told journalists. “Ventilators are very hard, very expensive, very hard to make, very complex.”
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That’s when CNN reporter Jim Acosta interjected: “But why does the U.S. have so many deaths? The U.S. has so many death compared to so many countries around the world.”
Trump cut him off. “Fake news CNN, hold it,” he said.
He never addressed the numbers throughout the rest of his comments.
“We have done a great job in this country,” Trump added. “We haven’t been given ... the vice president, the task force, have not been given the kind of credit. If you look at countries all over the world are exploding right now — people that you said were doing a wonderful job, so wonderful, but right now, take a look at the countries that are exploding.”
He added: “What China unleashed was a very, very sad situation.”
Asked Trump why the US has so many deaths compared to so many countries around the world. Trump claims the US has done “an amazing job” on the coronavirus. — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 3, 2020
COVID-19 cases are surging in several countries. But the U.S. was still leading Monday in case numbers — and deaths.
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The total U.S. death toll as of Monday was more than 155,000, while the global count was 691,000. The U.S. has tallied more than 22% of global coronavirus fatalities in a country with just 4% of the world’s population.
Trump again touted hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the novel coronavirus in his remarks, contradicting scientific experts on his own task force that the drug has proved to be ineffective against the virus. It can also cause fatal heart arrhythmia.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-04--Jerry Falwell Jr. Shares, Then Deletes, Bizarre Pic With His Pants Unzipped

Jerry Falwell Jr. , the head of Liberty University and a leading voice for evangelical Christians , shared and then deleted a strange picture of himself with his pants open .
The image appears to be from a party on a yacht themed to the cult-comedy TV show “ Trailer Park Boys , ” with Falwell dressed as the hard-drinking character Julian .
On the show , Julian – played by John Paul Tremblay ― is just about always seen with a rum and Coke in hand , although Falwell ’ s caption insisted the drink , in this case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Falwell deleted the image from his Instagram and left a close-up photo in place showing him in the same costume .
The Pulpit & Pen website also found video from the event : A video of “ Trailer Park Boys ” fans having fun in costume would generally not arouse much attention , but the show is known for its off-color humor centered around sex , drugs , alcohol and foul language .
Former Liberty students said the school ’ s strict code would forbid a gathering such as the one Falwell attended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disciplined for wearing yoga pants to a yoga class .
One critic tried to calculate the potential punishments a student in such a video could incur : We back .
Here are all of the Liberty Way violations and penalties from Jerry Falwell ’ s 43-second yacht video .
$ 9k .
900 hours service .
40 counts of possible expulsion .
pic.twitter.com/vSeCnEQjB5 — Jonah Schmucker ( @ JonahSchmucker ) August 3 , 2020 Others were quick to point out the hypocrisy , especially given that this wasn ’ t the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct that wouldn ’ t fly at Liberty : Imagine the righteous outrage from people like Jerry Falwell if those kinds of pictures had been posted by AOC ; the sermonizing we ’ d have heard from the “ families values ” folks.
# Hypocrites — John Pavlovitz ( @ johnpavlovitz ) August 3 , 2020 There were already so many good reasons not to entrust your kids to Jerry Falwell Jr ’ s learning institution .
The unzipped pants yacht photo - of the school ’ s PRESIDENT - is sadly the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cupp ( @ secupp ) August 4 , 2020 Please tell me this Jerry Falwell Jr post is real .
Please tell me Christmas came early .
— Wajahat `` Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic '' Ali ( @ WajahatAli ) August 3 , 2020 Help !
I tried to look anywhere not-alarming in this Jerry Falwell Jr. photo and I sprained my eyeballs !
People are coming up with all kinds of kooky theories about this pic , but I ’ ll just go ahead & say it .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve ever seen !
https : //t.co/Eq7SkM0Xxd — bettemidler ( @ BetteMidler ) August 4 , 2020 Ok , this is really bizarre .
@ JerryFalwellJr posted and then deleted this vacation photo .
Anyone else disturbed ?
pic.twitter.com/nEwD6Gbgza — Fred Guttenberg ( @ fred_guttenberg ) August 3 , 2020

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Jerry Falwell Jr., the head of Liberty University and a leading voice for evangelical Christians, shared and then deleted a strange picture of himself with his pants open.
The image appears to be from a party on a yacht themed to the cult-comedy TV show “Trailer Park Boys,” with Falwell dressed as the hard-drinking character Julian.
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Houston Chronicle religion reporter Robert Downen shared the image:
Jerry Falwell Jr. Robert Downen
On the show, Julian – played by John Paul Tremblay ― is just about always seen with a rum and Coke in hand, although Falwell’s caption insisted the drink, in this case, was just “black water.”
Falwell deleted the image from his Instagram and left a close-up photo in place showing him in the same costume.
The Pulpit & Pen website also found video from the event:
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A video of “Trailer Park Boys” fans having fun in costume would generally not arouse much attention, but the show is known for its off-color humor centered around sex, drugs, alcohol and foul language. Former Liberty students said the school’s strict code would forbid a gathering such as the one Falwell attended, and some shared stories about being disciplined for wearing yoga pants to a yoga class.
One critic tried to calculate the potential punishments a student in such a video could incur:
We back. Here are all of the Liberty Way violations and penalties from Jerry Falwell’s 43-second yacht video.
$9k.
900 hours service.
40 counts of possible expulsion. pic.twitter.com/vSeCnEQjB5 — Jonah Schmucker (@JonahSchmucker) August 3, 2020
Others were quick to point out the hypocrisy, especially given that this wasn’t the first time Falwell had surfaced in photos engaging in conduct that wouldn’t fly at Liberty:
Imagine the righteous outrage from people like Jerry Falwell if those kinds of pictures had been posted by AOC; the sermonizing we’d have heard from the “families values” folks.#Hypocrites — John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) August 3, 2020
There were already so many good reasons not to entrust your kids to Jerry Falwell Jr’s learning institution. The unzipped pants yacht photo - of the school’s PRESIDENT - is sadly the least of them. — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) August 4, 2020
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Please tell me this Jerry Falwell Jr post is real. Please tell me Christmas came early. — Wajahat "Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic" Ali (@WajahatAli) August 3, 2020
Help! I tried to look anywhere not-alarming in this Jerry Falwell Jr. photo and I sprained my eyeballs! People are coming up with all kinds of kooky theories about this pic, but I’ll just go ahead & say it. That is the best Peg Bundy impersonator I’ve ever seen! https://t.co/Eq7SkM0Xxd — bettemidler (@BetteMidler) August 4, 2020
It’s a “trailer park” themed party from Jerry Falwell Jr. How many “trailer parks” aka “mobile homes parks” in Lynchburg, Virginia, home to Liberty University, you ask? 13 https://t.co/WFFKPK96fi https://t.co/XjurussM0v — Matthew Boedy (@MatthewBoedy) August 3, 2020
Ok, this is really bizarre. @JerryFalwellJr posted and then deleted this vacation photo. Anyone else disturbed? pic.twitter.com/nEwD6Gbgza — Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) August 3, 2020
Do these images of Jerry Falwell Jr. reflect your values as a Christian university, @LibertyU? pic.twitter.com/vtJkPZd4gW — Travis Akers (@travisakers) August 3, 2020