thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--The 2020 Election Has Been Groundbreaking For Disability Rights — But Now What?

Former Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke ( D-Texas ) became the first 2020 presidential candidate to mention the disability community during a primary debate , saying in October that “ any American with disabilities knows just how hard it is to make it and get by in this country.
” Other candidates held Twitter town halls to answer questions from the disability community , including former Housing Secretary Julián Castro and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, who released comprehensive plans .
People with disabilities spent more than a year urging the former vice president to release a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hashtag # AccessToJoe in an attempt to get his attention .
In that time , Biden was criticized after he stroked a disabled college student ’ s face at a New Hampshire event and for saying at a town hall that a stutter — which Biden has had since childhood — is the only disability that still gets made fun of .
His campaign insisted a policy plan was on its way .
“ For me , it all comes down to a simple truth : everyone is entitled to a life of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my north star , ” Biden wrote in a Medium post at the time .
“ That ’ s why , from the beginning , I ’ ve made building a more inclusive and more resilient middle class the cornerstone of my campaign .
And this time , we ’ re going to make sure everyone comes along.
” “ The disability community should be commended for their advocacy to promote the release of this plan .
Their voices were clearly heard by the campaign that this is a priority and not an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement at the time , praising Biden ’ s focus on accessible child care , fair housing policies and a proposed expansion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program .
Since then , Biden has hired a disability engagement director , Warren campaign alumna Molly Doris-Pierce , and on Tuesday he announced an economic plan that would expand access to care for elderly and disabled Americans in their homes and communities rather than in institutional care facilities .
He has also participated in other disability events , including a bipartisan summit on the disability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s reelection campaign spoke at the event as well . )
With just over three months to go until the general election , Biden leads Trump by about 8 percentage points in an aggregate of national polls .
Trump ’ s administration has pushed ableist policies across education , health care and immigration — to name just a few issues — that have hurt thousands of people with disabilities .
Even for many disabled voters who would have preferred to have Warren or Castro at the top of the ticket , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid a second Trump term , which would most likely lead to more attempts to gut disability rights .
( It ’ s worth noting that many barriers continue to hinder the disability vote , including inaccessible polling stations and voter ID laws . )

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As seven presidential candidates gathered for the final Democratic primary debate of 2019, moderator Tim Alberta of Politico posed a question: As president, what steps would you take to help people with disabilities become more integrated into their communities?
That night, disability rights — a topic that usually only comes up when candidates answer health care questions — became the focal point of the discussion as the candidates vied to highlight their plans for a more accessible and inclusive America.
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For the 61 million Americans living with disabilities, that primary debate helped further legitimize disability rights as an essential issue that politicians can’t afford to ignore.
Disabled people make up nearly a quarter of the adult U.S. population, and with turnout surging in 2018, they have quickly become an indispensable constituency. In many battleground states, voters with disabilities have the ability to sway elections.
“I don’t think there’s a single issue that doesn’t disproportionately impact the disability community,” said Rebecca Cokley, director of the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress, a liberal-leaning public policy research and advocacy institute.
Though political candidates and lawmakers have largely neglected disability issues in the past, Cokley said she is finally seeing more politicians actively engaging with the community, particularly as disabled people continue to lead efforts within the progressive movement, including the fight to save the Affordable Care Act in 2017.
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“I think we’ve clearly demonstrated that we aren’t willing to take a backseat to policies or nominations, which can have a significant and long-lasting impact on our lives,” Cokley said.
Indeed, disability rights have seen an unprecedented level of visibility on the political stage during the 2020 election. Almost every major Democratic presidential candidate released a disability rights platform during the primaries, starting with Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), who focused on issues such as disability employment, accessible transportation and “Medicare for All.”
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) became the first 2020 presidential candidate to mention the disability community during a primary debate, saying in October that “any American with disabilities knows just how hard it is to make it and get by in this country.” Other candidates held Twitter town halls to answer questions from the disability community, including former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who released comprehensive plans.
Before too long, the message became clear for candidates: If you weren’t engaging with the disability community, you were doing it wrong.
And so it was initially disappointing for many disabled people when the only major candidate without a disability plan started to overwhelmingly win primaries: Joe Biden.
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Then, in late May, Biden released his long-awaited platform on protecting the rights of Americans with disabilities during a briefing featuring leading disability advocates. It included a plan specifically focused on supporting disabled people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This cycle, democratic presidential candidates were pressured to come out with better and better disability policies, & they largely delivered.
But now, not only does the disability community not have a substantive policy from the presumptive nominee, we don't have #AccessToJoe — Coset the Table (@cosetthetable) May 23, 2020
“For me, it all comes down to a simple truth: everyone is entitled to a life of dignity and opportunity. That’s my north star,” Biden wrote in a Medium post at the time. “That’s why, from the beginning, I’ve made building a more inclusive and more resilient middle class the cornerstone of my campaign. And this time, we’re going to make sure everyone comes along.”
Reactions from the disability community were mostly positive, lauding Biden for including many crucial elements of other candidates’ plans and for promising to recruit disabled people to serve in leadership roles in his administration.
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“The disability community should be commended for their advocacy to promote the release of this plan. Their voices were clearly heard by the campaign that this is a priority and not an afterthought,” Cokley said in a statement at the time, praising Biden’s focus on accessible child care, fair housing policies and a proposed expansion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
However, some argued the plan wasn’t innovative or expansive enough. Disability activist Matthew Cortland, for example, pointed out that Biden’s COVID-19 plan would ensure that care attendants would be provided with personal protective equipment, but not their clients.
Since then, Biden has hired a disability engagement director, Warren campaign alumna Molly Doris-Pierce, and on Tuesday he announced an economic plan that would expand access to care for elderly and disabled Americans in their homes and communities rather than in institutional care facilities. He is slated to launch a coalition of supporters with disabilities on Sunday, the 30th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
He has also participated in other disability events, including a bipartisan summit on the disability vote. (Members of President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign spoke at the event as well.)
“Everyone should be able to live independently in their chosen communities — to enrich our society with their talents and contributions,” Biden said in a video statement at the summit. “That means aggressively enforcing the civil rights of people with disabilities and safeguarding against any efforts to weaken the ADA.”
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He went on to mention his support for the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which banned disability discrimination in federal programs, the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.
“It was an enormous step forward,” Biden said of the ADA. “It demonstrated that we could accomplish big things, that Democrats and Republicans could work together to make life better for millions of Americans. Thirty years on, the work of full participation isn’t finished yet.”
His comments — and acknowledgment of the work disability activists had been doing for decades — marked a major shift in Biden’s strategy with disabled voters, many of whom had previously felt ignored by him.
“I thank everyone in the disabilities community for your advocacy and your leadership over so many years to push the nation — our nation — to a more equitable society,” Biden said. “That’s what we must be: a more equitable society.”
With just over three months to go until the general election, Biden leads Trump by about 8 percentage points in an aggregate of national polls. Trump’s administration has pushed ableist policies across education, health care and immigration — to name just a few issues — that have hurt thousands of people with disabilities.
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Even many disabled voters who would have preferred to have Warren or Castro at the top of the ticket note that electing Biden may be the only way to avoid a second Trump term, which would most likely lead to more attempts to gut disability rights. (It’s worth noting that many barriers continue to hinder the disability vote, including inaccessible polling stations and voter ID laws.)
And the former vice president does seem to understand that people with disabilities are affected by every major political issue, including health care, education and housing — a low standard for a worthy presidential nominee but one that’s higher than Trump has met.
Happy Disability Pride Month 🥳 Thrilled to say I've joined @TeamJoe as the Disability Engagement Director. Looking forward to continuing to build political power w/ my community and electing @JoeBiden! #CripTheVote
https://t.co/d5xjaVkO9q — Molly Doris-Pierce (@mollytwonames) July 16, 2020
Many disability advocates said they’re “optimistic” about Biden’s recent engagement with the community. But they stressed that in order to receive enthusiastic support from disabled voters, Biden must turn his words and proposals into action.
Who Biden picks as his running mate could also help sway the disability vote. He has committed to choosing a woman for vice president as early as next month, and the list of potential veeps includes Warren, Harris and Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.).
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Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) — a combat veteran, disabled woman of color and the first senator to give birth while in office — has also emerged as a possible contender for the role. Having her on the ticket would be historic. Duckworth helped stop a 2018 House bill that would have weakened the ADA. She also reviewed — and gave feedback on — Biden’s disability platform before it was released.
“I made several changes to the platform, which the Biden camp agreed to,” she told HuffPost. “I know it took them a little time to get up, but they were being very methodological and responsive.”
What’s most important is not for politicians to always get things right on disability issues, but to make sure that disabled people have leadership roles and help shape the policies that directly affect their lives, said Andrew Pulrang, co-founder of #CripTheVote, a nonpartisan campaign bringing visibility to issues that affect the disability community.
“I think we are beginning to flex our potential political power in ways we haven’t before,” Pulrang said. “We are powerful enough now, when sufficiently motivated or provoked, to cause actual political problems for any given elected official or candidate.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant Owner Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

NEW YORK ( AP ) — The operator of Ann Taylor and Lane Bryant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Thursday , the latest retailer to do so during the pandemic .
Mahwah , New Jersey-based Ascena Retail Group Inc. , which operates nearly 3,000 stores mostly at malls , had been dragged down by debt and weak sales for years .
As part of its bankruptcy plan , the company said Thursday that it would close all of its Catherines stores and a “ a significant number ” of Justice stores and a select number of Ann Taylor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grey stores .
The company said it has reached an agreement with its creditors to reduce its debt by $ 1 billion .
It received $ 150 million in new financing to continue operating during its reorganization .
Ascena joins a growing list of retailers that have filed for Chapter 11 in recent weeks , including Brooks Brothers , Neiman Marcus , J.C. Penney , J.Crew and Stage Stores .
These retailers were already struggling with weak sales but the forced closure of non-essential stores in March to reduce the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ascena furloughed 90 % of its workers when it temporarily shuttered its stores while also canceling merchandising orders where possible to preserve cash .
It started to reopen its outlets in mid-May and now has about 95 % of its stores open .
Prior to the pandemic , Ascena ’ s stores accounted for about 60 % of total revenues .
Consequently , the pandemic “ has significantly reduced our earnings and cash flow , ” according to a May statement from Carrie Teffner , interim executive chair of Ascena .
Total revenues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which covered the February through April period , were down 45 % compared with the same period a year ago .
The company said in late May that it ended the fiscal third quarter with outstanding debt of $ 1.3 billion with interest payments due in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 of $ 20.9 million and its next quarterly loan payment of $ 22.5 million due in November .
At the time , Ascena said it would continue to evaluate all available options to preserve its ongoing operations .

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NEW YORK (AP) — The operator of Ann Taylor and Lane Bryant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Thursday, the latest retailer to do so during the pandemic.
Mahwah, New Jersey-based Ascena Retail Group Inc., which operates nearly 3,000 stores mostly at malls, had been dragged down by debt and weak sales for years.
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As part of its bankruptcy plan, the company said Thursday that it would close all of its Catherines stores and a “a significant number” of Justice stores and a select number of Ann Taylor, Loft, Lane Bryant and Lou & Grey stores.
The company said it has reached an agreement with its creditors to reduce its debt by $1 billion. It received $150 million in new financing to continue operating during its reorganization.
Ascena joins a growing list of retailers that have filed for Chapter 11 in recent weeks, including Brooks Brothers, Neiman Marcus, J.C. Penney, J.Crew and Stage Stores. These retailers were already struggling with weak sales but the forced closure of non-essential stores in March to reduce the spread of the coronavirus put them further in peril.
Ascena furloughed 90% of its workers when it temporarily shuttered its stores while also canceling merchandising orders where possible to preserve cash. It started to reopen its outlets in mid-May and now has about 95% of its stores open.
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Prior to the pandemic, Ascena’s stores accounted for about 60% of total revenues. Consequently, the pandemic “has significantly reduced our earnings and cash flow,” according to a May statement from Carrie Teffner, interim executive chair of Ascena. Total revenues in the third quarter of fiscal 2020, which covered the February through April period, were down 45% compared with the same period a year ago.
The company had revenue of $5.5 billion during its latest fiscal year ended Aug. 3, 2019.
The company said in late May that it ended the fiscal third quarter with outstanding debt of $1.3 billion with interest payments due in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 of $20.9 million and its next quarterly loan payment of $22.5 million due in November.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--1.4 Million Seek Jobless Aid, First Increase Since March

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The number of laid-off Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week for the first time since the pandemic struck in March , evidence of the deepening economic pain the outbreak is causing to the economy .
The rise in weekly jobless claims to 1.4 million underscores the outsize role the unemployment insurance system is playing among the nation ’ s safety net programs — just when a $ 600 weekly federal aid payment for the jobless is set to expire at the end of this week .
All told , the Labor Department said Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment benefits , though that figure could include double-counting by some states .
Some economists say the figure is likely closer to 25 million .
Last week ’ s pace of unemployment applications — the 18th straight week it ’ s topped 1 million — was up from 1.3 million the previous week .
Before the pandemic , the number of weekly applications had never exceeded 700,000 .
An additional 975,000 applied for jobless aid under a separate program that has made self-employed and gig workers eligible for the first time .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trends , so it ’ s reported separately .
The resurgence of confirmed viral cases across the country has forced some businesses to close a second time or to impose tighter restrictions on customers in response to state mandates .
The resulting pullback in business activity has hindered job growth and likely forced additional layoffs .
The federal government ’ s $ 600 weekly benefit for laid-off workers — which is in addition to whatever jobless aid a state provides — is the last major source of economic help from the $ 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
A small business lending program and one-time $ 1,200 payment have largely run their course .
Members of Congress are negotiating another aid package that might extend the $ 600 benefit , though likely at a lower level .
Because of the $ 600 weekly federal benefit , roughly two-thirds of the unemployed are receiving more in aid than they earned at their former jobs , research has shown — a finding that ’ s led Republicans to argue that it is discouraging people from returning to work .
Yet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source of support for people who lost jobs that no longer exist or who fear being infected by the virus if they return to work .
The federal jobless aid has also helped buttress the overall economy .
Unemployment aid accounted for 6 % of all U.S. income in May , a greater share than even Social Security .
Economists say it ’ s one reason why retail spending rebounded as quickly as it did in May and June , helping fuel a modest economic rebound .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of laid-off Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week for the first time since the pandemic struck in March, evidence of the deepening economic pain the outbreak is causing to the economy.
The rise in weekly jobless claims to 1.4 million underscores the outsize role the unemployment insurance system is playing among the nation’s safety net programs — just when a $600 weekly federal aid payment for the jobless is set to expire at the end of this week.
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All told, the Labor Department said Thursday that roughly 32 million people are receiving unemployment benefits, though that figure could include double-counting by some states. Some economists say the figure is likely closer to 25 million.
Last week’s pace of unemployment applications — the 18th straight week it’s topped 1 million — was up from 1.3 million the previous week. Before the pandemic, the number of weekly applications had never exceeded 700,000.
An additional 975,000 applied for jobless aid under a separate program that has made self-employed and gig workers eligible for the first time. That figure isn’t adjusted for seasonal trends, so it’s reported separately.
The resurgence of confirmed viral cases across the country has forced some businesses to close a second time or to impose tighter restrictions on customers in response to state mandates. The resulting pullback in business activity has hindered job growth and likely forced additional layoffs.
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The federal government’s $600 weekly benefit for laid-off workers — which is in addition to whatever jobless aid a state provides — is the last major source of economic help from the $2 trillion relief package that Congress approved in March. A small business lending program and one-time $1,200 payment have largely run their course.
Members of Congress are negotiating another aid package that might extend the $600 benefit, though likely at a lower level. Because of the $600 weekly federal benefit, roughly two-thirds of the unemployed are receiving more in aid than they earned at their former jobs, research has shown — a finding that’s led Republicans to argue that it is discouraging people from returning to work.
Yet the additional money has also been a key source of support for people who lost jobs that no longer exist or who fear being infected by the virus if they return to work.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Brooke Baldwin Asks Why Trump Isn't Sending Well Wishes To Jeffrey Epstein Victims

CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin on Wednesday posed a question to President Donald Trump in response to his shocking comments about Ghislaine Maxwell , the British socialite accused of enabling her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse young women .
On Tuesday , when Trump was asked during a news briefing about Maxwell ’ s arrest and whether she might implicate any powerful men involved in Epstein ’ s inner circle , the president said : “ I don ’ t know .
I haven ’ t really been following it too much .
I just wish her well , frankly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times over the years , especially since I lived in Palm Beach.
” Baldwin was aghast .
“ Maxwell is facing federal charges .
She is accused of recruiting , grooming and sexually abusing young girls as part of a yearslong criminal enterprise , ” she told viewers .
“ And their stories are so abhorrent I can ’ t even go into some of the detail on national television.
” She noted there were some important women the president “ left off his well-wishes list ” : “ How about wishing well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ the danger Maxwell poses must be taken seriously ?
’ How about wishing well anonymous Jane Doe who said ‘ Without Ghislaine , Jeffrey could not have done what he did.
’ How about wishing well Virginia Roberts Giuffre , who claims that Epstein kept her as a teenage sex slave , and that he was able to keep her with the assistance of Ghislaine Maxwell ?
How about wishing well the women whose younger years were allegedly stolen , whose lives are forever scarred , whose futures they hope will see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was arrested this month in connection with Epstein ’ s sexual abuse of several underage girls between 1994 and 1997 .
She faces six felony charges , including conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts , enticement and transportation of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts , and perjury .
She has pleaded not guilty .
Her arrest came nearly one year after authorities arrested Epstein , who died of apparent suicide in August after he was denied bail .

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CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin on Wednesday posed a question to President Donald Trump in response to his shocking comments about Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite accused of enabling her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse young women.
On Tuesday, when Trump was asked during a news briefing about Maxwell’s arrest and whether she might implicate any powerful men involved in Epstein’s inner circle, the president said: “I don’t know. I haven’t really been following it too much. I just wish her well, frankly. I’ve met her numerous times over the years, especially since I lived in Palm Beach.”
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Baldwin was aghast. “Maxwell is facing federal charges. She is accused of recruiting, grooming and sexually abusing young girls as part of a yearslong criminal enterprise,” she told viewers. “And their stories are so abhorrent I can’t even go into some of the detail on national television.”
She noted there were some important women the president “left off his well-wishes list”:
“How about wishing well alleged victim Annie Farmer, who said ‘the danger Maxwell poses must be taken seriously?’ How about wishing well anonymous Jane Doe who said ‘Without Ghislaine, Jeffrey could not have done what he did.’ How about wishing well Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claims that Epstein kept her as a teenage sex slave, and that he was able to keep her with the assistance of Ghislaine Maxwell? How about wishing well the women whose younger years were allegedly stolen, whose lives are forever scarred, whose futures they hope will see justice?”
Maxwell, 58, was arrested this month in connection with Epstein’s sexual abuse of several underage girls between 1994 and 1997. She faces six felony charges, including conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement and transportation of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and perjury. She has pleaded not guilty.
Her arrest came nearly one year after authorities arrested Epstein, who died of apparent suicide in August after he was denied bail.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Samantha Bee Sums Up GOP Governors' Coronavirus Failings With 3 Scathing Words

The comedian went to town on the “ deniers , dimwits and lies ” of the GOP leaders whose states @ @ @ @ @ devastating surge of new coronavirus cases .
Greg Abbott of Texas , Ron DeSantis of @ @ @ @ @ Georgia , Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma and Doug Ducey of Arizona all faced Bee ’ @ @ @ @ @ segment .
“ For someone who hates masks , Gov .
Kemp is getting Georgia @ @ @ @ @ Eyes Wide Shut ’ party , ” Bee cracked at one point , adding that @ @ @ @ @ strategy ” to tackle the pandemic .
Check out the videos here : Important conversations @ @ @ @ @ your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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Republican governors drew Samantha Bee’s ire on Wednesday’s episode of “Full Frontal.”
The comedian went to town on the “deniers, dimwits and lies” of the GOP leaders whose states are currently engulfed in a devastating surge of new coronavirus cases.
Greg Abbott of Texas, Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma and Doug Ducey of Arizona all faced Bee’s wrath in the two-part segment.
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“For someone who hates masks, Gov. Kemp is getting Georgia more fucked than an ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ party,” Bee cracked at one point, adding that “we need a unified strategy” to tackle the pandemic.
Check out the videos here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Mary Trump Shares The 'Crucial Reason' Trump Has 'Gotten As Far As He Has'

Mary L. Trump , President Donald Trump ’ s niece , on Wednesday shared what she said is the “ crucial reason ” her uncle has found success despite his many shortcomings .
During an interview with Stephen Colbert on “ The Late Show , ” Mary Trump said that while she believes the president demonstrates “ sociopathic tendencies ” such as an inability to show empathy , he “ is not high functioning at all.
” “ We ’ re talking about a man who I do not believe could function in the real world on his own , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crucial reason that he ’ s gotten as far as he has is because he ’ s continually protected by what I consider institutions.
” “ He ’ s had all of his needs taken care of , he ’ s never been held accountable , he ’ s been protected from his failures , and been allowed to fail upwards spectacularly.
” With these aspects of his personality in mind , and knowing how they would be reinforced by his powerful office , Mary Trump said the night her uncle was elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nights of my life.
” Mary Trump has given a string of blistering interviews following the publication of her tell-all book , “ Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World ’ s Most Dangerous Man , ” which sold a staggering 950,000 copies during its first day on sale .
She has repeatedly cited a lack of accountability , along with other elements of his upbringing .
as a crucial factor leading to Trump ’ s most egregious transgressions .
The book was published earlier this month after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publication .
TONIGHT !
In a late night exclusive , @ StephenAtHome sits down with President Trump 's niece , @ MaryLTrump , who provides insight into what she describes as the President 's disturbing pathologies .
# LSSC pic.twitter.com/RM621jvxdW — A Late Show ( @ colbertlateshow ) July 23 , 2020

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Mary L. Trump, President Donald Trump’s niece, on Wednesday shared what she said is the “crucial reason” her uncle has found success despite his many shortcomings.
During an interview with Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show,” Mary Trump said that while she believes the president demonstrates “sociopathic tendencies” such as an inability to show empathy, he “is not high functioning at all.”
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“We’re talking about a man who I do not believe could function in the real world on his own,” she said. “But a crucial reason that he’s gotten as far as he has is because he’s continually protected by what I consider institutions.”
“He’s had all of his needs taken care of, he’s never been held accountable, he’s been protected from his failures, and been allowed to fail upwards spectacularly.”
With these aspects of his personality in mind, and knowing how they would be reinforced by his powerful office, Mary Trump said the night her uncle was elected president was “one of the worst nights of my life.”
Mary Trump has given a string of blistering interviews following the publication of her tell-all book, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” which sold a staggering 950,000 copies during its first day on sale. She has repeatedly cited a lack of accountability, along with other elements of his upbringing. as a crucial factor leading to Trump’s most egregious transgressions.
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The book was published earlier this month after a court battle attempting to block its publication.
Watch a clip of the interview below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Seth Meyers Hammers Media For Falling For Donald Trump's 'BS' All Over Again

Seth Meyers is panning President Donald Trump ’ s shift in tone on the coronavirus pandemic — and the way some news organizations lapped it up .
On Wednesday ’ s episode of “ Late Night , ” the comedian tore into media outlets that fell for Trump ’ s new act of “ pretending to take the crisis seriously ” during his coronavirus briefing on Tuesday ― after months of downplaying and mishandling the pandemic ― as some kind of defining moment .
“ Good Lord , ” said Meyers .
“ I really think you could duct tape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s paw , and half of the media would say , ‘ Oh my God !
That dog ’ s a chef !
’ ” Continued the comedian : “ What ’ s wrong with you guys ?
How can you keep falling for this ?
It ’ s been five years of this BS , and every time President Werewolf over here manages to novocaine his way through a prepared statement without passing out at the podium , you act like he ’ s a totally different person all of the sudden.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to steal his phone back and tweet some racist nonsense , right ?
” Meyers asked .
He noted that the president had even “ morphed back into the real Trump mid-press conference ” with the claim that the virus will disappear.
” Check out the video above and Meyers ’ monologue below :

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Seth Meyers is panning President Donald Trump’s shift in tone on the coronavirus pandemic — and the way some news organizations lapped it up.
On Wednesday’s episode of “Late Night,” the comedian tore into media outlets that fell for Trump’s new act of “pretending to take the crisis seriously” during his coronavirus briefing on Tuesday ― after months of downplaying and mishandling the pandemic ― as some kind of defining moment.
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“Good Lord,” said Meyers. “I really think you could duct tape a spatula to a Golden Retriever’s paw, and half of the media would say, ‘Oh my God! That dog’s a chef!’”
Continued the comedian: “What’s wrong with you guys? How can you keep falling for this? It’s been five years of this BS, and every time President Werewolf over here manages to novocaine his way through a prepared statement without passing out at the podium, you act like he’s a totally different person all of the sudden.”
“Look, you know Trump is going to steal his phone back and tweet some racist nonsense, right?” Meyers asked. He noted that the president had even “morphed back into the real Trump mid-press conference” with the claim that the virus will disappear.”
Check out the video above and Meyers’ monologue below:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Mayor Of Portland, Oregon, First Booed By Protesters, Then Tear Gassed By Federal Agents

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) — The mayor of Portland , Oregon , was tear gassed by the U.S. government late Wednesday as he stood at a fence guarding a federal courthouse during another night of protest against the presence of federal agents sent by President Donald Trump to quell unrest in the city .
Mayor Ted Wheeler , a Democrat , said it was the first time he ’ d been tear gassed and appeared slightly dazed and coughed as he put on a pair of goggles someone handed him and drank water .
He didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , and continued to take gas .
Around Wheeler , the protest raged , with demonstrators lighting a large fire in the space between the fence and the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse and the pop-pop-pop of federal agents deploying tear gas and stun grenades into the crowd .
Earlier in the night , Wheeler was mostly jeered as he tried to rally demonstrators who have clashed nightly with federal agents but was briefly applauded when he shouted “ Black Lives Matter ” and pumped his fist in the air .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Oregon ’ s largest city , but he has faced harsh criticism from many sides and his presence wasn ’ t welcomed by many , who yelled and swore at him .
“ I want to thank the thousands of you who have come out to oppose the Trump administration ’ s occupation of this city , ” Wheeler told hundreds of people gathered downtown near the federal courthouse .
“ The reason this is important is it is not just happening in Portland ... we ’ re on the front line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including City Council members , have accused Wheeler of not reining in local police , who have used tear gas multiple times before federal agents arrived early this month in response to nearly two months of nightly protests since George Floyd was killed .
Others , including business leaders , have condemned Wheeler for not bringing the situation under control before the agents showed up .
Protesters in the crowd held signs aloft that read “ Tear Gas Ted ” in reference to the Portland Police Bureau ’ s use of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mayor left the protest , around 12:40 a.m. , some protesters surrounded him and shouted angrily at him as he walked away .
One person shouted , “ You ’ ve got to be here every single night !
” While taking questions Wednesday night — and before he was tear gassed — Wheeler was criticized for the actions of his own police department , not defunding the local police , national movement that seeks to redirect funds from policing to community needs like housing and education , and not having Portland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The mayor said he wants to use the energy of the protests to make changes .
Ted Wheeler on Wednesday faced a hostile crowd of protesters , who sharply questioned him as he tried to rally demonstrators who have clashed repeatedly with federal agents sent in by President Donald Trump to quell ongoing unrest in the city .
The arguments from the state and the U.S. government came in a lawsuit filed by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum , who accuses federal agents of arresting protesters without probable cause , whisking them away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Federal authorities have disputed those allegations .
The lawsuit is part of the growing pushback to Trump sending federal agents to Portland and announcing they would be going to Chicago and Albuquerque , New Mexico , to fight rising crime , a move that ’ s deepening the country ’ s political divide and potentially setting up a constitutional crisis months ahead of the presidential election .
Democratic mayors of 15 cities condemned the use of federal officers in a letter to the U.S. attorney general .
The motion for a temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mosman to command agents from the Department of Homeland Security , Customs and Border Patrol , Federal Protective Service and U.S .
Marshals Service to immediately stop detaining protesters without probable cause , identify themselves and their agency before arresting anyone , and explain why an arrest is taking place .
The lawsuit is one of several filed over authorities ’ response to the Portland protests .
On Thursday , a judge will hear arguments in a legal challenge that the American Civil Liberties Union filed on behalf of journalists and legal observers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Portland police while documenting demonstrations .

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The mayor of Portland, Oregon, was tear gassed by the U.S. government late Wednesday as he stood at a fence guarding a federal courthouse during another night of protest against the presence of federal agents sent by President Donald Trump to quell unrest in the city.
Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, said it was the first time he’d been tear gassed and appeared slightly dazed and coughed as he put on a pair of goggles someone handed him and drank water. He didn’t leave his spot at the front, however, and continued to take gas. Around Wheeler, the protest raged, with demonstrators lighting a large fire in the space between the fence and the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse and the pop-pop-pop of federal agents deploying tear gas and stun grenades into the crowd.
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It wasn’t immediately clear if the federal agents knew Wheeler was in the crowd when they used the tear gas.
Earlier in the night, Wheeler was mostly jeered as he tried to rally demonstrators who have clashed nightly with federal agents but was briefly applauded when he shouted “Black Lives Matter” and pumped his fist in the air. The mayor has opposed federal agents’ presence in Oregon’s largest city, but he has faced harsh criticism from many sides and his presence wasn’t welcomed by many, who yelled and swore at him.
Ted Wheeler on Wednesday faced a hostile crowd of protesters, who sharply questioned him as he tried to rally demonstrators who have clashed repeatedly with federal agents sent in by President Donald Trump to quell ongoing unrest in the city. AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus
“I want to thank the thousands of you who have come out to oppose the Trump administration’s occupation of this city,” Wheeler told hundreds of people gathered downtown near the federal courthouse. “The reason this is important is it is not just happening in Portland ... we’re on the front line here in Portland.”
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Some Portland residents, including City Council members, have accused Wheeler of not reining in local police, who have used tear gas multiple times before federal agents arrived early this month in response to nearly two months of nightly protests since George Floyd was killed. Others, including business leaders, have condemned Wheeler for not bringing the situation under control before the agents showed up.
Mayor Ted Wheeler speaks to people gathered in downtown Portland, Ore., on Wednesday. AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus
Department of Homeland Security acting Secretary Chad Wolf said federal agents were not inflaming the situation in Portland. He told “CBS This Morning” on Thursday that the mayor was legitimizing criminality in the city.
“What we know is before DHS law enforcement, civil law enforcement, officers arrived in Portland, the mayor is on record as saying that the city is on — has a certain level of violence,” Wolf said. “It was ongoing well for a month before we arrived.”
Protesters in the crowd held signs aloft that read “Tear Gas Ted” in reference to the Portland Police Bureau’s use of the substance before federal agents arrived. When the mayor left the protest, around 12:40 a.m., some protesters surrounded him and shouted angrily at him as he walked away. One person shouted, “You’ve got to be here every single night!”
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While taking questions Wednesday night — and before he was tear gassed — Wheeler was criticized for the actions of his own police department, not defunding the local police, national movement that seeks to redirect funds from policing to community needs like housing and education, and not having Portland police protect people from federal agents. The mayor said he wants to use the energy of the protests to make changes.
Wheeler then addressed the much larger crowd from a raised balcony, saying “I am here tonight to stand with you.”
Earlier Wednesday, the City Council banned police from cooperating with federal agents or arresting reporters or legal observers.
Wheeler’s tense nighttime appearance downtown came hours after attorneys for Oregon urged a judge to issue a restraining order against agents deployed to quell the protests.
The arguments from the state and the U.S. government came in a lawsuit filed by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, who accuses federal agents of arresting protesters without probable cause, whisking them away in unmarked cars and using excessive force. Federal authorities have disputed those allegations.
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The lawsuit is part of the growing pushback to Trump sending federal agents to Portland and announcing they would be going to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico, to fight rising crime, a move that’s deepening the country’s political divide and potentially setting up a constitutional crisis months ahead of the presidential election. Democratic mayors of 15 cities condemned the use of federal officers in a letter to the U.S. attorney general.
The court hearing focused on the actions of more than 100 federal agents responding to protests outside the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse, which has been a target for the demonstrations.
The motion for a temporary restraining order asks U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman to command agents from the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Patrol, Federal Protective Service and U.S. Marshals Service to immediately stop detaining protesters without probable cause, identify themselves and their agency before arresting anyone, and explain why an arrest is taking place.
The state acknowledged that federal agents have the right to defend the courthouse but argued that they had overstepped.
Rosenblum, the state attorney general, said she wanted the court to “declare it not acceptable for federal officers to use unconstitutional, police-state-type acts to detain citizens of Oregon without cause.”
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David Morrell, an attorney for the U.S. government, called the motion “extraordinary” and said it was based solely on “a few threadbare declarations” from witnesses and a Twitter video.
“The Hatfield courthouse did not damage itself,” he said, calling the protests “dangerous and volatile.”
The lawsuit is one of several filed over authorities’ response to the Portland protests. On Thursday, a judge will hear arguments in a legal challenge that the American Civil Liberties Union filed on behalf of journalists and legal observers who say they were targeted and attacked by Portland police while documenting demonstrations.
A freelance photographer covering the protests for The Associated Press submitted an affidavit that he was beaten with batons, chemical irritants and hit with rubber bullets.
A U.S. judge previously ruled that journalists and legal observers are exempt from police orders requiring protesters to disperse once an unlawful assembly has been declared. Federal lawyers say that journalists should have to leave when ordered.
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The ACLU filed another lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of volunteer medics who have been attending to injured protesters. It alleges that federal agents have used rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray, batons and stun grenades against medics in violation of federal protections for freedom of speech and freedom of movement.
Police say protesters have tried repeatedly to break into the federal courthouse and set fires around it and that the federal agents drive them back with tear gas and stun grenades.
Federal authorities have defended their response, saying officials in Oregon had been unwilling to work with them to stop the vandalism against the the U.S. courthouse and violence against federal officers.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Jordan Klepper Sinks Trump’s Boater-Voters With Some Expert Offshore Trolling

President Donald Trump this summer celebrated the “ boat parades ” in support of his reelection ― so Jordan Klepper @ @ @ @ @ ” took to the water to meet some of those boater-voters .
Klepper went to @ @ @ @ @ Jersey to find out why Trump seems to be doing so well with the yacht @ @ @ @ @ demographic : Klepper has been trolling the president ’ s supporters on land as well @ @ @ @ @ this year , he went to Iowa , where he quizzed Trump voters on the @ @ @ @ @ year , he went to Trump rally in Hershey , Pennsylvania .
Important conversations are @ @ @ @ @ voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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President Donald Trump this summer celebrated the “boat parades” in support of his reelection ― so Jordan Klepper of “The Daily Show” took to the waters to meet some of those boater-voters.
Klepper went to a boat parade in New Jersey to find out why Trump seems to be doing so well with the yacht, boat and jet ski demographic:
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Fox News Host Grills Kellyanne Conway For Urging Mask Wearing: 'Why Now?'

Kellyanne Conway was met with some unusual resistance Wednesday on Fox News when she echoed President Donald Trump ’ s new messaging about the importance of wearing masks to limit the spread of the coronavirus .
In an interview with “ America ’ s Newsroom ” host Martha MacCallum , the White House counselor preached about the benefits of face masks “ to all those people out there who are resisting wearing a mask ” ― which , until very recently , included the president , despite public health experts flagging mounting evidence indicating the effectiveness of masks since April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conway said , “ it costs nothing , it takes two seconds and you ’ ll get your liberties back sooner if you wear your mask.
” MacCallum interrupted : “ But Kellyanne , I guarantee that there are people at home who ’ ll listen to that and say , ’ Why didn ’ t the White House have this message for all of us two months ago ?
” “ Why now ?
” she added .
“ Why wasn ’ t this pushed and emphasized and encouraged by the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made even more of a difference ?
” Conway hedged that Trump “ did say in April that if people want to wear a mask that they should wear a mask ” and noted experts advised early on in the pandemic that wearing masks wouldn ’ t help .
“ We know now that it would , ” she said , adding that White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx briefed Trump a day earlier ― before his first coronavirus briefing in months ― that “ we have these studies now that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that masks help prevent you from spreading it.
” Health experts , including those at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization , changed their guidance more than three months ago .
Trump largely resisted wearing a mask throughout the pandemic even as lawmakers in both parties implored him to lead by example .
He began changing his tune in June , and he wore a mask in public for the first time this month , when the U.S. death toll surpassed 130,000 people and confirmed cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months leading to this change , Trump said he resisted being seen in public wearing a mask because he didn ’ t want to “ give the press the pleasure of seeing it , ” and before that , because it would “ send the wrong message .
”

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Kellyanne Conway was met with some unusual resistance Wednesday on Fox News when she echoed President Donald Trump’s new messaging about the importance of wearing masks to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
In an interview with “America’s Newsroom” host Martha MacCallum, the White House counselor preached about the benefits of face masks “to all those people out there who are resisting wearing a mask” ― which, until very recently, included the president, despite public health experts flagging mounting evidence indicating the effectiveness of masks since April.
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“Listen, folks,” Conway said, “it costs nothing, it takes two seconds and you’ll get your liberties back sooner if you wear your mask.”
MacCallum interrupted: “But Kellyanne, I guarantee that there are people at home who’ll listen to that and say, ’Why didn’t the White House have this message for all of us two months ago?”
“Why now?” she added. “Why wasn’t this pushed and emphasized and encouraged by the president back then, when it might have made even more of a difference?”
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Conway hedged that Trump “did say in April that if people want to wear a mask that they should wear a mask” and noted experts advised early on in the pandemic that wearing masks wouldn’t help.
“We know now that it would,” she said, adding that White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx briefed Trump a day earlier ― before his first coronavirus briefing in months ― that “we have these studies now that prove what we suspected: which is that masks help prevent you from spreading it.”
Health experts, including those at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, changed their guidance more than three months ago.
Trump largely resisted wearing a mask throughout the pandemic even as lawmakers in both parties implored him to lead by example. He began changing his tune in June, and he wore a mask in public for the first time this month, when the U.S. death toll surpassed 130,000 people and confirmed cases spiked across the country. In the months leading to this change, Trump said he resisted being seen in public wearing a mask because he didn’t want to “give the press the pleasure of seeing it,” and before that, because it would “send the wrong message.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--The Psychology Behind Why Men Refuse To Wear Face Masks

In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic , Hélène Barcelo , a professor of mathematics at the University of California , Berkeley , was strolling around a park when she spotted a family of four all masked up .
Well , almost all masked up : The mom was wearing a protective covering .
So , too , were the children .
But the father ’ s mask was hanging from his neck .
Barcelo is the deputy director of the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute at Berkeley and is currently studying face mask usage , so the scene at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on , she brought it up when Skyping with her colleague Valerio Capraro , a senior lecturer in economics at Middlesex University in London .
Spurred on by what they saw , the pair recently released a study that probes why men are more mask-resistant .
The researchers polled 2,459 U.S. participants and found that men were more likely to opt out of wearing masks , believing them to be “ shameful , ” “ a sign of weakness , ” and “ not cool ” — in spite of the data showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women of dying from a coronavirus infection .
After months of refusing to wear a mask in public and even questioning their efficacy , President Donald Trump seems to have come around to face coverings .
On July 11 , four months into the pandemic and with more than 134,000 Americans dead , the president finally slipped on a mask during a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center .
“ The results of the study reflect what we would expect , given gender roles in the U.S. , ” Owens told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individualism , strength and courage ” are stereotypically associated with masculinity , and in the eyes of many American men , “ wearing a mask runs counter to most of those traits , ” Owens said .
“ Masculinity can hinder men in a lot of ways – asking for directions , going to counseling , and wearing a mask for the coronavirus fits right in with these.
” - Kurt Smith , a therapist whose clients are mostly men , in Roseville , California “ We did see that in counties where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and women said they ’ d comply with that rule , ” she said .
“ Making it mandatory everywhere would seem like an effective way to get through.
” Experts are still learning about the novel coronavirus .
The information in this story is what was known or available as of press time , but it ’ s possible guidance around COVID-19 could change as scientists discover more about the virus .
Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations .

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In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, Hélène Barcelo, the deputy director of the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley, California, was strolling around a park when she spotted a family of four all masked up. Well, almost all masked up: The mom was wearing a protective covering. So, too, were the children. But the father’s mask was hanging from his neck.
Barcelo is currently studying face mask usage, so the scene at the park piqued her interest. Later on, she brought it up when Skyping with her colleague Valerio Capraro, a senior lecturer in economics at Middlesex University in London.
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“When I mentioned it, Valerio shared a similar story,” Barcelo told HuffPost. “He lives in London and saw several couples where the female was wearing a mask, while the male was not. So, we thought: ‘Perhaps there’s something in there, with men.’”
Spurred on by what they saw, the pair recently released a study that probes why men are more mask-resistant. The researchers polled 2,459 U.S. participants and found that men were more likely to opt out of wearing masks, believing them to be “shameful,” “a sign of weakness,” and “not cool” — in spite of the data showing that men are at higher risk than women of dying from a coronavirus infection.
The researchers also found that men were less likely than women to believe they would be seriously affected by the coronavirus.
“This was quite unexpected and somewhat ironic, given the fact that official statistics show that men are more likely than women to die from COVID-19,” Barcelo said.
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Equally surprising to the researchers is that in counties where wearing a face mask was mandatory, those gender differences almost disappeared, though men still expressed the same negative emotions toward masks.
“In other words, in counties where wearing a face mask is mandatory, men dislike wearing it as they do in counties where wearing a face mask is not mandatory, but at least it increases their intentions to wear it,” she said.
That’s an especially important takeaway, given how slow some government officials have been to enact mask mandates and even to mask up themselves.
Jim Mone/ASSOCIATED PRESS Vice President Mike Pence visits the molecular testing lab at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Pence chose not to wear a face mask, an apparent violation of the medical center's policy.
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After months of refusing to wear a mask in public and even questioning their efficacy, President Donald Trump seems to have come around to face coverings. On July 11, four months into the pandemic and with more than 134,000 Americans dead, the president finally slipped on a mask during a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Then, earlier this week, he shared a photo of himself wearing one.
“We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance,” Trump tweeted, making a racist reference to the coronavirus.
We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance. There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President! pic.twitter.com/iQOd1whktN — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2020
“There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President!” he added.
Still, the president has said he won’t endorse the mask mandate lawmakers like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have pushed for. And hours after tweeting the mask photo, he was seen mingling with supporters at a fundraiser, mask-free.
Inconsistent messaging, yes — but progress nonetheless, given Trump’s previous personal stance on face masks. (According to The New York Times, the president complained privately to staff that he thought it would make him look weak and would draw attention to the public health crisis.)
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Trump and other men’s waffling on wearing a mask ― or their outright refusal to wear one ― isn’t surprising, said Shane G. Owens, a psychologist and the assistant director of campus mental health at Farmingdale State College SUNY.
“The results of the study reflect what we would expect, given gender roles in the U.S.,” Owens told HuffPost. Traits like “self-reliance, individualism, strength and courage” are stereotypically associated with masculinity, and in the eyes of many American men, “wearing a mask runs counter to most of those traits,” Owens said.
For many men rejecting the mask, “there’s a sense of rugged individualism and a desire to appear impervious to harm,” Owens said.
He said the study’s findings made a lot of sense when you contextualize them with men’s low prioritization of medical care and their health. Think of how many men shrug off annual check-ups with their doctor.
Owens was surprised by the study’s finding that appealing to men’s sense of family responsibility didn’t much increase their intention to wear masks, whereas appealing to their sense of community did.
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“Maybe these men are thinking, ‘I don’t need anyone to tell me how to protect my family,’” Owens said.
“Masculinity can hinder men in a lot of ways – asking for directions, going to counseling, and wearing a mask for the coronavirus fits right in with these.” - Kurt Smith, a therapist whose clients are mostly men, in Roseville, California
Kurt Smith, a therapist in Roseville, California, works primarily with men. He told HuffPost that he believes the demand for conformity on masks ― and sometimes, shaming people if masks aren’t worn ― causes some men to dig their heels in deeper.
“For example, I know people who’ve been screamed at in stores for not wearing a mask,” Smith said. “No one deserves to be treated this way. I think it just fuels further resistance.”
Couple that with the optics of wearing a mask ― “it makes me look unmanly,” some feel ― and you’ve got a solid recipe for mask resistance.
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“Masculinity can hinder men in a lot of ways — asking for directions, going to counseling, and wearing a mask for the coronavirus fits right in with these,” he said.
A shame-based approach won’t work in convincing guys like that, Smith said, but friendly peer pressure might.
“Not wearing one can actually be more uncomfortable than doing so as you stick out so much when surrounded by so many people who are,” he said.
Talking about some of the nonmedical benefits can help buy-in, too, Smith said. They make you look kind of cool, like you’re going incognito, he joked.
Anecdotally, women sure seem to find a man in a mask attractive. Look at how much praise “Wonder Woman” actor Chris Pine got for wearing a mask after making a bookstore run in this viral tweet from a few weeks ago.
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I don’t know who needs to see it but here are some pictures of Chris Pine walking out of an indie bookstore with a GIANT bag of books while also wearing a mask. pic.twitter.com/qbKSAVCcN7 — Nerd Girl Says (@Rachael_Conrad) June 29, 2020
Sharing photos of good looking, masked-up actors won’t work for everyone, but Owens does think some kind of PSA campaign featuring public figures men admire wearing masks could be helpful.
“Get people guys idolize to wear masks,” he said. “An advertisement that shows men’s favorite sports team or other public figures wearing masks might be useful. Face coverings that sport the logos of favorite teams are a phenomenal idea.”
As the aforementioned study suggests, it also helps to appeal to people’s sense of community or patriotism.
Authorities relied heavily on patriotic messaging during the 1918 influenza epidemic, according to Alex Navarro, assistant director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan and one of the editors-in-chief of the American Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919: A Digital Encyclopedia.
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As Navarro told the Los Angeles Times recently, when the first mandatory mask orders in 1918 were met with opposition, public service announcements by the Red Cross and other groups urged people to “do their part,” deeming those who refused to get on board “slackers.”
This time around, Navarro said a focus on getting America back on track economically may be more effective.
“The message is, ‘We cannot have a normal economy until we get the pandemic under control,’ and that is not going to happen 100% until we get a vaccine,” he told the Times. “But we can get much closer to having it under control if people comply with social distancing and wearing a mask while in public.”
Barcelo and Capraro said they’re working on more research that suggests Americans respond particularly well to messages telling them to “rely on their reasoning” rather than their emotion. That was true of men and women, Barcelo said.
Still, as their first study showed, the biggest motivator of all remains a mandatory mask order.
“We did see that in counties where wearing face covering was mandatory, both men and women said they’d comply with that rule,” she said. “Making it mandatory everywhere would seem like an effective way to get through.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--U.S. Surpasses 4 Million Confirmed Coronavirus Cases

The United States surpassed 4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday , a mere two weeks after hitting the 3 million mark , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
The surge in confirmed coronavirus cases can not be explained by increases in testing alone .
As testing has expanded in the U.S. , the rate of people testing positive should have fallen .
Instead , that rate has nearly doubled in recent weeks .
While the average number of tests conducted each day has grown by 80 % since early June ( to 780,000 per day ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , daily case counts have grown by 215 % in the same period .
“ Certainly we are not winning the game right now , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the country ’ s leading infectious disease expert , said on Tuesday .
“ We are not beating it.
” Four months into the pandemic , the rate of positive tests is falling in only 14 states .
The U.S. outbreak has had an outsize effect on Black , Latinx and Indigenous people , who are four to five times more likely than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
With around 380,000 confirmed cases among its 22 million people , including more than 77,000 in the last seven days , Florida is home to the country ’ s most severe outbreak .
Despite those numbers , Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) continues to push a hasty reopening schedule and refuses to issue a mask requirement , which health experts say is key to slowing the spread of the disease .
President Donald Trump also continues to downplay the severity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The virus will disappear .
It will disappear , ” he said during a White House briefing on the pandemic on Tuesday .
But amid the worsening outbreak , even Trump has been forced to change his tune slightly .
At that same briefing , he acknowledged for the first time that “ it will get worse before it gets better ” and firmly endorsed wearing masks .

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The United States surpassed 4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a mere two weeks after hitting the 3 million mark, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
The surge in confirmed coronavirus cases cannot be explained by increases in testing alone. As testing has expanded in the U.S., the rate of people testing positive should have fallen. Instead, that rate has nearly doubled in recent weeks. While the average number of tests conducted each day has grown by 80% since early June (to 780,000 per day), The New York Times reported Wednesday, daily case counts have grown by 215% in the same period.
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“Certainly we are not winning the game right now,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, said on Tuesday. “We are not beating it.”
Four months into the pandemic, the rate of positive tests is falling in only 14 states. The U.S. outbreak has had an outsize effect on Black, Latinx and Indigenous people, who are four to five times more likely than white people to be infected, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
With around 380,000 confirmed cases among its 22 million people, including more than 77,000 in the last seven days, Florida is home to the country’s most severe outbreak. Despite those numbers, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) continues to push a hasty reopening schedule and refuses to issue a mask requirement, which health experts say is key to slowing the spread of the disease.
President Donald Trump also continues to downplay the severity of the outbreak in the U.S.
“The virus will disappear. It will disappear,” he said during a White House briefing on the pandemic on Tuesday.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Police Violence Against Black Disabled People Can’t Be Ignored Anymore

“ We don ’ t feel safe in either community because we experience harm by both communities , ” said @ @ @ @ @ Twitter hashtag # DisabilityTooWhite four years ago .
“ In many ways , where do @ @ @ @ @ the disabled community where the white folks or non-people-of-color can be anti-Black or racist , @ @ @ @ @ community where Black folks are ableist .
So where do we ( A ) fit @ @ @ @ @ feel safe enough to even proclaim that our lives matter too ?
” “ They @ @ @ @ @ anything other than disability , you ’ re taking away from the movement and it @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ I think that a lot of white disabled people are @ @ @ @ @ knowing that they have white privilege even though they ’ re also disabled .
So @ @ @ @ @ a reckoning internally with many of them in seeing how you can be the oppressor @ @ @ @ @ same time .
”

Pearl Pearson Jr. was driving home from a Starbucks in Oklahoma City in 2014 when he noticed police lights flashing behind him. Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers suspected him of being involved in a hit-and-run, but Pearson — a then-64-year-old Deaf Black man whom his daughter described as “gentle and kind” — had no idea why he was being pulled over.
He parked his car and placed his hands on the steering wheel as a trooper approached his vehicle with a gun drawn. Pearson couldn’t hear what the trooper was saying and reached for a placard he kept in his car that explained his disability. But before he could grab it, the trooper punched him in the face.
Pearson was dragged from his car, severely beaten and put in a chokehold; one of his arms was ripped from its socket. He experienced brain and eye damage from the encounter, but he survived.
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Deborah Danner was a 66-year-old Black woman with schizophrenia. In 2016, an NYPD officer shot her in her Bronx apartment while responding to her neighbor’s call that she had been behaving erratically. She did not survive.
Chillingly, Danner wrote an essay four years before her death about the dangers of people with mental health conditions interacting with police that predicted her fate.
“We are all aware of the all too frequent news stories about the mentally ill who come up against law enforcement instead of mental health professionals,” she wrote. “And end up dead.”
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The circumstances of Danner’s death echo those of Breonna Taylor’s. Louisville, Kentucky, police officers shot the EMT eight times in March after bursting into her home on a “no-knock warrant” related to a drug investigation.
Pearson’s story shares DNA with so many other stories about police violence toward Black people at traffic stops, like Philando Castile and Maurice Gordon.
Yet conversations and media coverage surrounding both Pearson and Danner’s cases zeroed in on their disabilities and largely treated their race as irrelevant.
Conversely, prominent victims of police brutality like Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Elijah McClain and Tanisha Anderson all had disabilities or underlining health issues that may have played significant roles in their deaths — yet these aspects of their identities tend to get glossed over.
Sandra Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, talks with reporters in March 2016 after an arraignment hearing for former Texas state trooper Brian Encinia, who had pulled Bland over in July 2015 for not signaling. Bland — who had depression and epilepsy — was arrested, couldn’t make bail, and three days later was found hanged in her jail cell. A perjury charge against Encinia was dropped in 2017 despite the evidence from a recording of their exchange. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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In cases of police violence against Black disabled people, the media tends to focus on either the victim’s race or the victim’s disability, instead of examining the overlap between the two identities, said Vilissa Thompson, a Black disabled social worker and activist who is a consultant for the Movement 4 Black Lives. This gives the public an incomplete story.
The “erasure of people’s disabilities when we talk about them” is a major issue when it comes to Black disabled victims of police violence, Thompson told HuffPost. “Either the complete erasure or omission, or leaving it as a footnote and not understanding the connection between race [and] disability … and who is being disproportionately impacted within the Black and disabled communities.”
Both people of color and people with disabilities are more likely to come in contact with law enforcement. And both groups have higher chances of negative things happening as a result. Britney Wilson, a Black disabled civil rights attorney
There is no reliable national database tracking how many Black disabled people experience and die from police violence. In fact, there’s not even a public federal database tracking who dies in police custody in general. But the data we do have sheds some light on how the combination of being Black and disabled may have dire consequences when interacting with law enforcement.
In 2015, The Washington Post began work on a real-time database that tracks fatal police shootings. A 2016 report by the Post compared that data with the most recently available U.S. census figures and found that Black Americans were 2.5 times more likely than white people to be shot and killed by law enforcement.
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And the Ruderman Foundation, a philanthropic foundation with a focus on disability advocacy, has estimated that one-third to one-half of all people killed by police are disabled.
A Black Lives Matter protester in a wheelchair leads others in chanting during a rally outside New York City Hall in July. SOPA Images via Getty Images
The brutal killing of George Floyd has sparked nationwide protests and heated conversations about racial justice and police violence over the past few months. But the issue of disability has been largely ignored, even though disability can increase a person’s risk of death or injury by police, especially if that person is also Black.
For instance, the movements and actions of disabled people can be misinterpreted as out of the ordinary or threatening to law enforcement.
Heather Watkins, a Black disabled activist based in Boston, gave the example of how police could easily misinterpret the speech patterns of someone who has cerebral palsy.
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“[If] they’re talking, then someone might consider them drunk,” Watkins said. “I’ve had friends who have cerebral palsy that say that they’ve been targeted for appearing inebriated.”
Police interactions can turn dangerous when a disabled person cannot immediately respond to an officer’s demands for compliance the same way that a non-disabled person would. And when law enforcement’s default is to respond violently to someone who doesn’t immediately obey demands, a disabled person is certainly at risk. For a Black disabled person, this risk is compounded by biased officers’ perception of them as more threatening than non-Black people.
Disabled people also often face indifference ― from police, courts and the general public ― about the legal rights afforded to them by the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against disabled people, including discrimination by police.
“I’ve been in court cases where lawyers — police brutality lawyers — had no clue about the Americans with Disabilities Act,” said Leroy Moore, a Black disabled activist who is the chair of the Black Disability Studies Committee for the National Black Disability Coalition. “The ADA doesn’t count in court cases around police brutality. And if it does, it gets thrown out constantly.”
A photo of the “Capitol Crawl” on March 12, 1990. While fighting for passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, protesters got out of their wheelchairs and climbed the 78 marble steps up the Capitol's west front. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Black Americans are five times as likely as white Americans to say they’ve been unfairly stopped by police because of their race, according to a 2019 Pew survey.
Disabled people also wind up encountering police even though they are not posing a threat. They get the cops called on them for what others perceive as strange behavior or by family, friends or neighbors requesting so-called wellness checks on their mental health condition. In numerous instances, these situations have ended up deadly for people with disabilities.
“Both people of color and people with disabilities are more likely to come in contact with law enforcement,” said Britney Wilson, a Black disabled civil rights attorney. “And both groups have higher chances of negative things happening as a result.”
Lisa “Tiny” Gray-Garcia, founder of Poor Magazine and a self-described “formerly houseless incarcerated” person, told HuffPost that the tendency to silo a victim’s identities is “absolutely idiotic.”
“The connection or the intersectionality of disability, racism, white terrorism and poverty are almost always interlinked,” she said.
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Black Americans also often don’t have access to unbiased medical and mental health care. Because of this and the barriers to health care in general, disabilities and other health conditions that Black Americans develop can go undiagnosed and untreated.
And the fight for justice is harder when Black disabled people feel they are not fully accepted by either the Black or the disability community.
“We don’t feel safe in either community because we experience harm by both communities,” said Thompson, who created the Twitter hashtag #DisabilityTooWhite four years ago. “In many ways, where do we belong? We have the disabled community where the white folks or non-people-of-color can be anti-Black or racist, and you have the Black community where Black folks are ableist. So where do we (A) fit? And (B) feel safe enough to even proclaim that our lives matter too?”
If you want me to go back to the slave trade, we were brought here based on our ability to produce. That’s something that inherently links race and ability. That’s the function of capitalism, it’s instinctively and intrinsically tied to race and ability. Britney Wilson
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Thompson said she’s experienced racism from white disabled activists.
“They feel if you talk about anything other than disability, you’re taking away from the movement and it’s a distraction,” she said. “I think that a lot of white disabled people are not comfortable with understanding and knowing that they have white privilege even though they’re also disabled. So I think there’s a reckoning internally with many of them in seeing how you can be the oppressor and be oppressed at the same time.”
Disability rights protesters gathered outside a New York courthouse in January to highlight the inaccessibility of the city’s public transportation. Erik McGregor via Getty Images
There’s also a stigma against disability within the Black community, which Wilson attributes in part to centuries of oppression.
“If you want me to go back to the slave trade,” she said, “we were brought here based on our ability to produce. That’s something that inherently links race and ability. That’s the function of capitalism, it’s instinctively and intrinsically tied to race and ability,” Wilson said. She also discussed this idea in a 2016 article she wrote for The Nation.
“When you already have one societal strike against you,” Wilson said, referring to race, “who’s going to sign up for two?”
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Proposed solutions to police brutality ― both against Black disabled people and in general ― are wide-ranging, and advocates often don’t agree on what strategies are best.
Gray-Garcia and Moore, who work closely together through Poor Magazine, stressed the importance of people not calling 911 about behavior they may perceive as suspicious.
“Most humans in the United States have been told that the way to solve all their problems is to call those three numbers,” Gray-Garcia said. She described a situation in which an Indigenous man died in police custody after someone called 911 to report he was having a mental health crisis on the streets.
“The reality is somebody called those numbers because they wanted to, quote, ‘help him.’ Their heart wasn’t necessarily wanting to get him killed. But that’s the system we have.”
Some initiatives aimed at decreasing police violence, particularly toward people with disabilities or mental health issues, include programs to enhance police training or to redirect some 911 calls to other kinds of responders.
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The White Bird Clinic in Eugene, Oregon, for instance, runs a program called CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets) that redirects non-emergency 911 calls that involve mental health, substance abuse and homelessness to a team of medics and crisis-care workers.
The Arc, one of the country’s largest disability rights organizations, launched its own program in 2015 that teaches criminal justice professionals how to identify people with disabilities in order to interact with and accommodate them better.
But not everyone agrees these reforms are enough. Gray-Garcia and Moore argue that solutions focused on better training for law enforcement won’t work and believe the police should be disbanded entirely.
“Let’s expand our search for models and talk about actual livable models without the police when we’re having this conversation,” said Gray-Garcia, pointing to efforts outside the U.S.
Both also think that in order to combat police violence, American society needs to grapple with a myriad of issues facing marginalized communities.
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“There’s not one big answer for everything. It’s the small things that are going to make it happen,” Moore said. “So there’s the solution ― educating the community about mental health, about disability, about the ADA, about being a neighbor, about reshaping your disabled neighbor as a person.”
Gray-Garcia underscored that the situation is messy and it will take all people — regardless of race, ability, gender or class — to do the hard work needed to create change.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Dolly Parton Parody Puts Anti-Mask 'Karens' On Blast On 'Late Show'

“ Karens ” — most of whom aren ’ t actually named Karen — have been making a name for @ @ @ @ @ masks in public places .
The label , usually reserved for white women exhibiting rude @ @ @ @ @ , has become even more commonplace during the coronavirus pandemic .

“Karens” — most of whom aren’t actually named Karen — have been making a name for themselves by refusing to wear masks in public places. The label, usually reserved for white women exhibiting rude, obnoxious or privileged behavior, has become even more commonplace during the coronavirus pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--What Drinking On An Empty Stomach Does To Your Body

Most of us will have had a drink or two on an empty stomach at one point or another – the after work trip to the bar where you didn ’ t have chance to grab food beforehand , or your friend ’ s wedding reception where you filled up on Prosecco before the starters came out .
Keith Grimes , a general practitioner for online doctor service Babylon Health , explains that when someone drinks alcohol , it is absorbed into the blood stream from the small intestine – the part of the bowel that starts where the stomach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the absorption of alcohol happens here , and it happens quickly , ” he says .
“ The stomach plays an important role in determining how quickly alcohol makes it into the small intestine.
” If your stomach is empty , this happens faster .
But if your stomach is full of delicious grub , alcohol enters your bloodstream more slowly ― and generally more safely .
Tony Rao , a consultant for the United Kingdom National Health Service and a specialist in alcohol and mental health , says eating food usually coats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alcohol ― but not always .
Fatty foods tend to be the exception .
Eating unhealthy , fatty foods can increase motility , which results in alcohol entering your bloodstream quicker .
“ So , eating your kebab and chips may result in alcohol being absorbed sooner than , say , drinking a glass of milk , ” he says .
The type of alcoholic drink you have can also determine motility .
“ Stronger drinks such as spirits and fizzy alcoholic drinks increase motility and speed up alcohol absorption , ” Rao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce motility and delay it.
” People who eat a meal before drinking tend to be better off , because the rate of alcohol absorption into the bloodstream slows down ― and the body works to adsorb it in a more manageable way .
Experts advise against drinking on an empty stomach because of the impact it can have on the body .
“ The short-term effects of drinking on an empty stomach , particularly stronger alcoholic drinks , can mean a more rapid rise in blood alcohol , ” Rao says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel more drunk quickly and will struggle with thinking clearly and coordinating your body movements .
“ Binge-drinking on an empty stomach is dangerous , as the rapid rise in blood alcohol can increase the toxic effects of alcohol on the brain , ” he adds .
Alcohol can also irritate the lining of the stomach when combined with stomach acid , which can worsen when the stomach is empty .
In very rare cases , if a person is fasting or starving , significant alcohol consumption can trigger a serious complication called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is where the metabolism of the body is disrupted and can lead to severe nausea , vomiting and abdominal pain .
The condition requires hospital treatment .
“ Tragically , we saw a young , fit woman die from this , ” he says , referring to the death of a 27-year-old from the UK , who passed away suffering from reported alcoholic ketoacidosis .
News reports suggest she had been drinking alcohol on an empty stomach .
For those who do end up drinking and forget to eat , Grimes advises keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drinking it slowly , or with a still , non-alcoholic mixer .
“ If possible , have some snacks as an accompaniment , ” he suggests .

Most of us will have had a drink or two on an empty stomach at one point or another – the after work trip to the bar where you didn’t have chance to grab food beforehand, or your friend’s wedding reception where you filled up on Prosecco before the starters came out.
But what’s happening in the body when you drink without eating first?
Keith Grimes, a general practitioner for online doctor service Babylon Health, explains that when someone drinks alcohol, it is absorbed into the blood stream from the small intestine – the part of the bowel that starts where the stomach ends.
“About 80% of the absorption of alcohol happens here, and it happens quickly,” he says. “The stomach plays an important role in determining how quickly alcohol makes it into the small intestine.”
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If your stomach is empty, this happens faster. But if your stomach is full of delicious grub, alcohol enters your bloodstream more slowly ― and generally more safely.
Tony Rao, a consultant for the United Kingdom National Health Service and a specialist in alcohol and mental health, says eating food usually coats the stomach and slows down absorption of alcohol ― but not always. Fatty foods tend to be the exception.
How fast the alcohol enters the bloodstream depends on stomach “motility,” he explains, which is basically a fancy term for how fast the stomach empties.
Eating unhealthy, fatty foods can increase motility, which results in alcohol entering your bloodstream quicker. “So, eating your kebab and chips may result in alcohol being absorbed sooner than, say, drinking a glass of milk,” he says.
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The type of alcoholic drink you have can also determine motility. “Stronger drinks such as spirits and fizzy alcoholic drinks increase motility and speed up alcohol absorption,” Rao says. “Sugary drinks and caffeine reduce motility and delay it.”
People who eat a meal before drinking tend to be better off, because the rate of alcohol absorption into the bloodstream slows down ― and the body works to adsorb it in a more manageable way.
Klaus Vedfelt via Getty Images
Experts advise against drinking on an empty stomach because of the impact it can have on the body. “The short-term effects of drinking on an empty stomach, particularly stronger alcoholic drinks, can mean a more rapid rise in blood alcohol,” Rao says. As this happens, you’ll feel more drunk quickly and will struggle with thinking clearly and coordinating your body movements.
“Binge-drinking on an empty stomach is dangerous, as the rapid rise in blood alcohol can increase the toxic effects of alcohol on the brain,” he adds.
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Alcohol can also irritate the lining of the stomach when combined with stomach acid, which can worsen when the stomach is empty.
In very rare cases, if a person is fasting or starving, significant alcohol consumption can trigger a serious complication called alcoholic ketoacidosis, Grimes says. This is where the metabolism of the body is disrupted and can lead to severe nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
The condition requires hospital treatment. “Tragically, we saw a young, fit woman die from this,” he says, referring to the death of a 27-year-old from the UK, who passed away suffering from reported alcoholic ketoacidosis. News reports suggest she had been drinking alcohol on an empty stomach.
For those who do end up drinking and forget to eat, Grimes advises keeping the strength of your drink low and drinking it slowly, or with a still, non-alcoholic mixer. “If possible, have some snacks as an accompaniment,” he suggests.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Here's Why Mitt Romney Thinks Donald Trump Will Win Reelection

Mitt Romney is one of Donald Trump ’ s biggest Republican critics on Capitol Hill .
He ’ s the only GOP senator who voted to convict the president for abuse of power earlier this year , and he regularly calls Trump out on policy and personal conduct .
Yet the Utah lawmaker , who was his party ’ s presidential standard-bearer in 2012 , believes Trump is likely to win reelection this November .
“ There are enormous advantages to being the incumbent , number one , ” Romney told HuffPost on Thursday .
“ Number two , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards the middle in his communication than he has so far.
” “ And number three , I think the voters that are most animated in opposition to the president tend not to come out to vote ― and that ’ s young people and the minorities .
They ’ re active in polls , but not necessarily active at actually getting out to the polls , ” the senator said .
The futility of expecting Trump to somehow moderate his tone aside , Romney ’ s theory about the nature of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Current polling methods don ’ t accurately sample minority and young voters for a variety of reasons .
Racial minorities for whom English is not their native language and young adults are often underrepresented in phone surveys , for example .
Pollsters attempt to correct for those difficulties by applying sampling weights based on their assumptions about the ultimate makeup of the electorate .
Partisans on both sides of the aisle have attempted to “ unskew ” unfavorable polls by tinkering with those assumptions .
Moreover , Romney might not be right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in November .
He lost to President Barack Obama in the 2012 election due to unexpectedly high turnout from young people and minorities .
He later blamed his defeat on what he called “ gifts ” the Obama administration gave to key voter blocs , including African Americans , Hispanics and young women .
Romney ’ s loss came as a complete shock to the candidate and his campaign , who believed they were headed for victory on Election Day based on rosy internal polling .
Romney ’ s confidence in victory was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote a concession speech .
Neil Newhouse , his campaign pollster at the time , suggested that the voters who turned out in 2012 were overall much younger and less white than the campaign anticipated , especially across the Sun Belt states .
In other words , don ’ t count out all those young and minority Americans fed up with Trump .
But Biden has also shown an unusual strength among older voters ― a group that at least in modern history has tended to favor GOP presidential candidates .
That could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House that doesn ’ t necessarily rely on a surge of young and minority voters .

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Mitt Romney is one of Donald Trump’s biggest Republican critics on Capitol Hill. He’s the only GOP senator who voted to convict the president for abuse of power earlier this year, and he regularly calls Trump out on policy and personal conduct.
Yet the Utah lawmaker, who was his party’s presidential standard-bearer in 2012, believes Trump is likely to win reelection this November.
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Asked why he foresees that outcome, especially with most public polls showing Trump trailing badly behind presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, Romney offered three reasons.
Sen. Mitt Romney thinks President Donald Trump is favored to win reelection. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
“There are enormous advantages to being the incumbent, number one,” Romney told HuffPost on Thursday. “Number two, I think [Trump] will tack more towards the middle in his communication than he has so far.”
“And number three, I think the voters that are most animated in opposition to the president tend not to come out to vote ― and that’s young people and the minorities. They’re active in polls, but not necessarily active at actually getting out to the polls,” the senator said.
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The futility of expecting Trump to somehow moderate his tone aside, Romney’s theory about the nature of the electorate and polling is an interesting one.
Current polling methods don’t accurately sample minority and young voters for a variety of reasons. Racial minorities for whom English is not their native language and young adults are often underrepresented in phone surveys, for example. Pollsters attempt to correct for those difficulties by applying sampling weights based on their assumptions about the ultimate makeup of the electorate. Partisans on both sides of the aisle have attempted to “unskew” unfavorable polls by tinkering with those assumptions.
Moreover, Romney might not be right on who will show up to vote in November. He lost to President Barack Obama in the 2012 election due to unexpectedly high turnout from young people and minorities. He later blamed his defeat on what he called “gifts” the Obama administration gave to key voter blocs, including African Americans, Hispanics and young women.
Romney’s loss came as a complete shock to the candidate and his campaign, who believed they were headed for victory on Election Day based on rosy internal polling. Romney’s confidence in victory was so great that he reportedly never even wrote a concession speech.
Neil Newhouse, his campaign pollster at the time, suggested that the voters who turned out in 2012 were overall much younger and less white than the campaign anticipated, especially across the Sun Belt states.
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“The Colorado Latino vote was extraordinarily challenging,” Newhouse said in 2012. “As it was in Florida.”