thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--7 Things People With Long COVID-19 Really Want You To Know

The purpose of the interviews ― conducted with 24 people still struggling with persistent and long-lasting symptoms of COVID-19 ― was to raise awareness of long COVID among doctors .
There are no exact statistics on how prevalent it is , but the COVID Symptom Study app estimates it impacts 1 in 10 people who become infected with the virus .
None of those who took part in the interviews had been admitted to hospital during their initial suspected or confirmed coronavirus infection ― and half hadn ’ t been tested for COVID-19 , as testing wasn ’ t widely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were tested , only one had a positive result .
1 .
COVID-19 takes its toll on the body .
The woman was particularly concerned about the long-term impact on her lungs .
“ I ’ m very conscious of my lungs because I don ’ t want to put too much pressure on them , ” she said .
“ I know instantly when they ’ ve done too much because the pain is back , especially in the right one .
It ’ s quite bad .
Participants described how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed them , often using the phrase “ compared with how I used to be.
” One man , 60 , said of his neurological symptoms : “ I wasn ’ t just fogged , I was confused .
I had a very difficult encounter as a result of just being confused about things and that took a long time to resolve .
I love words and I enjoy the business of communicating , and I felt that part of my life was lost .
Really , I just did admin , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear thinking.
” 2 .
People are trying anything to manage their symptoms .
A 42-year-old woman told the Keele study : “ I mean initially I started taking vitamin D. Had a joint vitamin C and zinc thing , which I didn ’ t take every day but I took some multivitamins , but then I was a bit unsure really ... my husband ’ s quite anti-vitamin use ...
So anyway , then I took nothing for a while , and then I more recently started the vitamin D again , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of all the burning in my feet ... and a probiotic and some omega-3.
” Another female participant , 30 , said she ’ s having acupuncture , massages and dry-needling to try and ease her symptoms , which she hopes will help : “ What I found helpful for me with the fatigue was anti-inflammatory but also anti-histamine diet — it ’ s very strict , but it really helped me , so the moment I started to do it , I noticed improvements with the neurological symptoms as well.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is hard .
A 40-year-old woman told researchers : “ I tend to speak to different GPs every time .
There was one GP who just thought it was all anxiety ... she said , ‘ There ’ s nothing wrong with your lungs .
This is all anxiety .
You must treat your anxiety .
There ’ s nothing wrong with you .
How are you going to manage the pandemic if you don ’ t treat your anxiety ?
’ “ That was really upsetting because I knew I was short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also , it didn ’ t help because , at that stage , it wasn ’ t known about the ongoing symptoms and my husband wasn ’ t massively supportive at that time ...
I just felt very , very alone with no one to support me or talk to me.
” “ I could still feel this weight on my chest .
And then after about 14 , 15 days I woke up one morning and it wasn ’ t there , ” she said .
“ I thought , ‘ Oh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a relief , I can remember the feeling , you know thinking , ‘ Oh , you know I ’ ve managed to get through it ’ .
“ And that ’ s when the fatigue hit ... it was just like I ’ d been run over ; you know I felt , gravity felt like it was applying extra on my limbs .
And I couldn ’ t seem to manage to do anything , I stopped walking completely .
And the doctor suggested , you know , post-viral fatigue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing anything at all.
” 5 .
Pacing yourself is really important .
6 .
Support groups can be a blessing , but in moderation .
A 34-year-old female patient said : “ Initially it was very encouraging that I wasn ’ t on my own , and I wasn ’ t making it all up and I didn ’ t feel like I was the only one , but the more it ’ s gone on , it ’ s scary , so I try to avoid it now , it affects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t feel like I resonate any more with some of the stuff.
” 7 .
Being listened to is a powerful thing .

Nuthawut Somsuk via Getty Images
People struggling with long-term symptoms of COVID-19 ― dubbed long COVID ― have spoken about the challenges they’ve faced since contracting the coronavirus earlier in the year.
Their testimonies have been shared as part of a new study, published in the British Journal of General Practice Open.
Advertisement
The purpose of the interviews ― conducted with 24 people still struggling with persistent and long-lasting symptoms of COVID-19 ― was to raise awareness of long COVID among doctors. There are no exact statistics on how prevalent it is, but the COVID Symptom Study app estimates it impacts 1 in 10 people who become infected with the virus.
Participants described how hard it was experiencing, understanding and managing their symptoms. They also discussed the range of support they’ve sought: from peers, online, using complementary therapies, trying special diets and supplements, as well as from formal health care.
None of those who took part in the interviews had been admitted to hospital during their initial suspected or confirmed coronavirus infection ― and half hadn’t been tested for COVID-19, as testing wasn’t widely available at the time. Of those who were tested, only one had a positive result.
Many of the participants in the study were female, too. A report from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change said long COVID affects women more than men ― and the median age of those suffering is 45.
Advertisement
The study, led by Keele University, concluded that further research is needed to “better understand recovery trajectories” and to inform and improve the care of patients. Here’s what we can learn from the stories they shared.
1. COVID-19 takes its toll on the body.
A 20-year-old woman involved in the study spoke about how she used to enjoy running and exercising, but can barely go on walks now. “I’m just exhausted and I just want to know why I’m so exhausted,” she told researchers.
The woman was particularly concerned about the long-term impact on her lungs. “I’m very conscious of my lungs because I don’t want to put too much pressure on them,” she said. “I know instantly when they’ve done too much because the pain is back, especially in the right one. It’s quite bad.
“I used to enjoy running, and exercising, and stuff like that. I rarely even go on walks now because I know if I walk to the end of the street, they’re going to start hurting.”
Participants described how the persistent problems they’ve had changed them, often using the phrase “compared with how I used to be.” One man, 60, said of his neurological symptoms: “I wasn’t just fogged, I was confused. I had a very difficult encounter as a result of just being confused about things and that took a long time to resolve. I love words and I enjoy the business of communicating, and I felt that part of my life was lost. Really, I just did admin, I didn’t do anything that required clear thinking.”
Advertisement
2. People are trying anything to manage their symptoms.
A quick glimpse at any Long COVID Facebook support group is enough to see just how many people are struggling with long-term symptoms ― and many share tips and tricks of how they’re managing to get by.
A 42-year-old woman told the Keele study: “I mean initially I started taking vitamin D. Had a joint vitamin C and zinc thing, which I didn’t take every day but I took some multivitamins, but then I was a bit unsure really... my husband’s quite anti-vitamin use... So anyway, then I took nothing for a while, and then I more recently started the vitamin D again, and I’m on B12 just because of all the burning in my feet... and a probiotic and some omega-3.”
Another female participant, 30, said she’s having acupuncture, massages and dry-needling to try and ease her symptoms, which she hopes will help: “What I found helpful for me with the fatigue was anti-inflammatory but also anti-histamine diet — it’s very strict, but it really helped me, so the moment I started to do it, I noticed improvements with the neurological symptoms as well.”
3. Not being believed by doctors is hard.
Many of the study’s participants described the difficulty of accessing care, partly due to the move to remote consulting during the pandemic, but also feeling their symptoms were not believed or recognized by healthcare professionals as warranting care. This is something those with long COVID have told HuffPost UK repeatedly.
All participants emphasized the importance of finding the right doctor or GP: someone who would listen to and believe them, taking their concerns seriously.
Advertisement
A 40-year-old woman told researchers: “I tend to speak to different GPs every time. There was one GP who just thought it was all anxiety... she said, ‘There’s nothing wrong with your lungs. This is all anxiety. You must treat your anxiety. There’s nothing wrong with you. How are you going to manage the pandemic if you don’t treat your anxiety?’
“That was really upsetting because I knew I was short of breath... I just cried and also, it didn’t help because, at that stage, it wasn’t known about the ongoing symptoms and my husband wasn’t massively supportive at that time... I just felt very, very alone with no one to support me or talk to me.”
4. Relapsing symptoms are tough.
One 50-year-old patient described the ordeal of a relapse in symptoms, which many with long COVID appear to experience. They can feel like they’re getting better, only to be hit by a wall of fatigue ― or a host of new symptoms ― once more.
“I could still feel this weight on my chest. And then after about 14, 15 days I woke up one morning and it wasn’t there,” she said. “I thought, ‘Oh I’m done.’ It was such a relief, I can remember the feeling, you know thinking, ‘Oh, you know I’ve managed to get through it’.
“And that’s when the fatigue hit... it was just like I’d been run over; you know I felt, gravity felt like it was applying extra on my limbs. And I couldn’t seem to manage to do anything, I stopped walking completely. And the doctor suggested, you know, post-viral fatigue and to rest, so I stopped doing anything at all.”
Advertisement
5. Pacing yourself is really important.
Many long COVID patients cite the need to not overdo things in order to avoid a relapse of symptoms. A 34-year-old female patient said her symptoms are so bad she is unable to peel carrots immediately after peeling potatoes ― she needs a rest between.
“I really have to pace myself... I couldn’t do two or three household chores back to back, I have to do a chore, sit down for 15, 20 minutes and then do the next, which frustrates me, it’s like peeling potatoes, I can’t peel the carrots straight afterwards,” she said.
6. Support groups can be a blessing, but in moderation.
Throughout the pandemic, many people with long-term symptoms of the virus have sought solace and support online. But some stressed that it can be quite anxiety-inducing too.
A 34-year-old female patient said: “Initially it was very encouraging that I wasn’t on my own, and I wasn’t making it all up and I didn’t feel like I was the only one, but the more it’s gone on, it’s scary, so I try to avoid it now, it affects my mental health, and I don’t feel like I resonate any more with some of the stuff.”
Another female patient, aged 31, said of internet support groups: “Yeah on the Facebook groups that I’m on, I mean to be honest, I try not to read that group too much because it depresses me, makes me a bit anxious.”
Advertisement
7. Being listened to is a powerful thing.
Many of those still suffering from the illness simply wanted their voices to be heard – and for their experience to be recognized.
One 42-year-old female patient said: “I have to say it was a really powerful experience speaking to the GPs... just the experience of being heard and feeling like somebody got it and was being kind about it, but you know it was okay that they couldn’t do anything, I just kind of needed to know that I wasn’t losing it really and it was real what I was experiencing.”
Another said the same of her doctor. “She just listens a little bit more to what I’m saying and she’s much more willing to say, ‘Of course, we don’t really know what’s going on because it’s a new virus.’ She doesn’t try to pretend that she understands what’s going on, which is good.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Dianne Feinstein Heaps Praise On Lindsey Graham After Amy Coney Barrett Hearing

Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) showered Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) with praise as the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett wrapped on Thursday with little drama , standing in sharp contrast to the contentious and acrimonious hearings for Justice Brett Kavanaugh that nearly blew up the Senate in 2018 .
“ I just want to thank you .
This has been one of the best set of hearings that I ’ ve participated in , ” Feinstein , the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee , told Graham .
“ Thank you so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Senate Judiciary Committee , who angered Democrats by abandoning his 2016 vow not to confirm a Supreme Court justice in a presidential election year , then embraced Feinstein in a hug .
Notably , neither senator wore a mask .
Thursday ’ s largely drama-free meeting of the Judiciary Committee marked the final day of confirmation hearings for Barrett , a conservative judge who clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia .
A committee vote on her nomination is scheduled for next week , and the full Senate is expected to confirm her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats called Barrett an extreme nominee cut from the cloth of Scalia who would vote to curtail health care , abortion rights , worker rights and gun restrictions , among other things .
They railed against the rushed process as “ illegitimate ” and a “ sham , ” especially after Republicans blocked President Barack Obama from appointing a Supreme Court justice in a similar election year .
While Feinstein echoed other Democrats in opposing Barrett , the top Democrat on the committee took a more conciliatory tone throughout the hearing , welcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Democrats reacted to the 87-year-old senator ’ s handling of the hearing and her praise of Graham , a top Trump ally who is on the ballot in November , with anger and dismay .
“ It ’ s very hard to watch a colleague in decline .
That this is occurring publicly is even harder , ” said one Democratic senator , who spoke on the condition of anonymity .
Brian Fallon , founder and executive director of Demand Justice , a progressive judicial advocacy group that urged Democrats to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by calling for Feinstein ’ s removal from the Senate Judiciary Committee .
“ She has undercut Democrats ’ position at every step of this process , from undermining calls for filibuster and Court reform straight through to thanking Republicans for the most egregious partisan power grab in the modern history of the Supreme Court , ” Fallon said in a statement .
Democrats landed few blows against Barrett during her confirmation hearings , thanks in large part to her evasiveness on pretty much every topic of the law .
Their only success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future of the Affordable Care Act , which is being threatened by a GOP lawsuit seeking to strike down the law in its entirety .
The Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for the case shortly after the November election .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) showered Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) with praise as the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett wrapped on Thursday with little drama, standing in sharp contrast to the contentious and acrimonious hearings for Justice Brett Kavanaugh that nearly blew up the Senate in 2018.
“I just want to thank you. This has been one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in,” Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Graham. “Thank you so much for your leadership.”
Advertisement
The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who angered Democrats by abandoning his 2016 vow not to confirm a Supreme Court justice in a presidential election year, then embraced Feinstein in a hug. Notably, neither senator wore a mask.
Thursday’s largely drama-free meeting of the Judiciary Committee marked the final day of confirmation hearings for Barrett, a conservative judge who clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia. A committee vote on her nomination is scheduled for next week, and the full Senate is expected to confirm her by the end of the month.
Democrats called Barrett an extreme nominee cut from the cloth of Scalia who would vote to curtail health care, abortion rights, worker rights and gun restrictions, among other things. They railed against the rushed process as “illegitimate” and a “sham,” especially after Republicans blocked President Barack Obama from appointing a Supreme Court justice in a similar election year.
Advertisement
While Feinstein echoed other Democrats in opposing Barrett, the top Democrat on the committee took a more conciliatory tone throughout the hearing, welcoming her warmly as questioning began on Tuesday.
“It’s wonderful to see you here,” Feinstein told Barrett.
After an exchange with Barrett about the Affordable Care Act, Feinstein praised the nominee, saying Barrett’s answer left her “really impressed.”
Democrats reacted to the 87-year-old senator’s handling of the hearing and her praise of Graham, a top Trump ally who is on the ballot in November, with anger and dismay.
“It’s very hard to watch a colleague in decline. That this is occurring publicly is even harder,” said one Democratic senator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
“Excuse me while I go punch a hole in the wall,” Democratic strategist Adam Parkhomenko added on Twitter.
Advertisement
Brian Fallon, founder and executive director of Demand Justice, a progressive judicial advocacy group that urged Democrats to play hardball during the hearings, went further by calling for Feinstein’s removal from the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“She has undercut Democrats’ position at every step of this process, from undermining calls for filibuster and Court reform straight through to thanking Republicans for the most egregious partisan power grab in the modern history of the Supreme Court,” Fallon said in a statement.
Keeping Feinstein as the top Democrat on Judiciary Committee is a monument to our side's weakness on the fight for the courts. — Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) October 15, 2020
Democrats landed few blows against Barrett during her confirmation hearings, thanks in large part to her evasiveness on pretty much every topic of the law. Their only success was putting Republicans on the defensive over the future of the Affordable Care Act, which is being threatened by a GOP lawsuit seeking to strike down the law in its entirety. The Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for the case shortly after the November election.
Jen Bendery contributed reporting.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Trump Boasts About U.S. Marshals Killing ‘Antifa’ Suspect

President Donald Trump made comments on Thursday that appeared to suggest that members of the U.S .
Marshals Service executed an “ antifa ” supporter who was charged in the death of a right-wing protester in Portland , Oregon .
Michael Forest Reinoehl was shot and killed by members of a fugitive task force led by the U.S .
Marshals Service in Washington state last month .
Reinoehl ’ s killing is under investigation , and The New York Times recently reported on serious questions about whether law enforcement actually attempted to arrest Reinoehl before they killed him .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pocket .
“ I respect cops to the utmost , but things were definitely in no way , shape or form done properly , ” one witness said .
Trump bragged about Reinoehl ’ s killing at a rally in North Carolina on Thursday , getting cheers for a description that sounded like a summary execution by the state .
“ We sent in the U.S. marshals , took 15 minutes and it was over , ” Trump said .
“ They knew who he was , they didn ’ t want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ended.
” Who “ they ” referred to was up for some debate .
Some people thought Trump was referencing the U.S .
Marshals Service , which would suggest he was saying that members of law enforcement wanted to kill Reinoehl and had no plans to arrest him .
Others said it appeared that Trump was referencing the Portland Police Department , a comment that disparages members of law enforcement as cowardly .
( The U.S .
Marshals Service commonly helps track down criminals who flee to other states , where out-of-state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have in their own states . )
Trump previously described Reinoehl ’ s killing as “ retribution ” and falsely claimed that the marshals “ ended up in a gunfight ” with Reinoehl when there ’ s no evidence he ever fired his weapon .
“ This guy was a violent criminal , and the U.S. marshals killed him .
And I will tell you something , that ’ s the way it has to be .
There has to be retribution when you have crime like this , ” Trump said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a man who is reportedly Michael Forest Reinoehl is seen after he was shot and killed by law enforcement outside Tanglewilde Terrace in Lacey , Washington , on Sept. 3 .
A spokeswoman for the U.S .
Marshals Service declined to comment .
A spokeswoman for the Justice Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s requests for comment .
Attorney General William Barr said in an unusual statement after Reinoehl ’ s death that called the “ tracking down ” of the “ dangerous fugitive , admitted Antifa member , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accomplishment in the ongoing effort to restore law and order.
” The statement called him a “ violent agitator ” and claimed he “ produced a firearm ” before he was shot , a statement now disputed by witnesses .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump made comments on Thursday that appeared to suggest that members of the U.S. Marshals Service executed an “antifa” supporter who was charged in the death of a right-wing protester in Portland, Oregon.
Michael Forest Reinoehl was shot and killed by members of a fugitive task force led by the U.S. Marshals Service in Washington state last month. Reinoehl’s killing is under investigation, and The New York Times recently reported on serious questions about whether law enforcement actually attempted to arrest Reinoehl before they killed him. A gun was found in Reinoehl’s pocket. “I respect cops to the utmost, but things were definitely in no way, shape or form done properly,” one witness said.
Advertisement
Trump bragged about Reinoehl’s killing at a rally in North Carolina on Thursday, getting cheers for a description that sounded like a summary execution by the state.
“We sent in the U.S. marshals, took 15 minutes and it was over,” Trump said. “They knew who he was, they didn’t want to arrest him, and 15 minutes, that ended.”
Who “they” referred to was up for some debate. Some people thought Trump was referencing the U.S. Marshals Service, which would suggest he was saying that members of law enforcement wanted to kill Reinoehl and had no plans to arrest him. Others said it appeared that Trump was referencing the Portland Police Department, a comment that disparages members of law enforcement as cowardly. (The U.S. Marshals Service commonly helps track down criminals who flee to other states, where out-of-state law enforcement officials lack the jurisdiction they have in their own states.)
Trump previously described Reinoehl’s killing as “retribution” and falsely claimed that the marshals “ended up in a gunfight” with Reinoehl when there’s no evidence he ever fired his weapon.
Advertisement
“This guy was a violent criminal, and the U.S. marshals killed him. And I will tell you something, that’s the way it has to be. There has to be retribution when you have crime like this,” Trump said in September.
A tarpaulin covering the body of a man who is reportedly Michael Forest Reinoehl is seen after he was shot and killed by law enforcement outside Tanglewilde Terrace in Lacey, Washington, on Sept. 3. Caitlin Ochs / Reuters
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Marshals Service declined to comment. A spokeswoman for the Justice Department did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment.
Attorney General William Barr said in an unusual statement after Reinoehl’s death that called the “tracking down” of the “dangerous fugitive, admitted Antifa member, and suspected murderer” a “significant accomplishment in the ongoing effort to restore law and order.” The statement called him a “violent agitator” and claimed he “produced a firearm” before he was shot, a statement now disputed by witnesses.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Donald Trump Cites 'Pride' As Reason To Oppose Democratic Relief Bill

During an interview on Fox Business , Trump said he wanted to spend more than the $ 1.8 trillion his administration had offered , but that he couldn ’ t accept House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s proposal because she wants “ goodies.
” “ She wants to bail out badly run Democrat states and cities , ” Trump said .
“ She wants money for things that you would never ― just , your pride couldn ’ t let it happen.
” For the tens of millions of people who are unemployed , as well as the more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus check , “ pride ” and Pelosi ’ s desire for “ goodies ” — such as more money for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing — may seem like insufficient reasons to reject the offer .
But it perfectly explains Trump .
Trump on one hand wants a deal beyond the $ 1.8 trillion stimulus offer on the table , but he doesn ’ t want Pelosi to win .
He can ’ t let the California Democrat , who has refused to take the administration ’ s offers , just get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid for state and local governments , higher unemployment benefits and more money for coronavirus testing .
The president did say , however , that he wants the money beyond $ 1.8 trillion to go “ to the worker ” and “ to the people.
” ” So they can live nicely and their lives won ’ t be shattered because of China , ” Trump told Fox Business , once again blaming the East Asian country for the pandemic and for his own administration ’ s bungling of the public health crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more money directly to the people , because Democrats have wanted to bring back the extra $ 600 unemployment benefit that lapsed in July while the Trump administration has offered to set the extra benefit at $ 400 .
( Republicans in Congress are generally more hostile to providing the supplemental benefit at all ) .
Democrats have also insisted on bigger tax credits for workers with low incomes .
So less than three weeks before Election Day , with the window closing for Trump to goad the Republican Senate into action , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pride is stopping him from getting a deal done .
Meanwhile , Pelosi continues to insist on her own version of the deal , unwilling to take the $ 1.8 trillion offer and so far unwilling to meet in the middle at , say , $ 2 trillion .
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin , the administration ’ s lead negotiator , said Thursday that the White House wouldn ’ t get hung up on extra money for coronavirus testing , seemingly conceding to a key Democratic demand .
But Trump faulted him for @ @ @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON — When President Donald Trump was asked Thursday why he hadn’t just accepted Democrats’ coronavirus stimulus offer of $2.2 trillion, his answer was a bit surprising: pride.
During an interview on Fox Business, Trump said he wanted to spend more than the $1.8 trillion his administration had offered, but that he couldn’t accept House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s proposal because she wants “goodies.”
Advertisement
“She wants to bail out badly run Democrat states and cities,” Trump said. “She wants money for things that you would never ― just, your pride couldn’t let it happen.”
For the tens of millions of people who are unemployed, as well as the more than 200 million Americans who would receive a stimulus check, “pride” and Pelosi’s desire for “goodies” — such as more money for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing — may seem like insufficient reasons to reject the offer. But it perfectly explains Trump.
Trump on one hand wants a deal beyond the $1.8 trillion stimulus offer on the table, but he doesn’t want Pelosi to win. He can’t let the California Democrat, who has refused to take the administration’s offers, just get what she wants — namely, more aid for state and local governments, higher unemployment benefits and more money for coronavirus testing.
The president did say, however, that he wants the money beyond $1.8 trillion to go “to the worker” and “to the people.”
Advertisement
”So they can live nicely and their lives won’t be shattered because of China,” Trump told Fox Business, once again blaming the East Asian country for the pandemic and for his own administration’s bungling of the public health crisis.
The Democratic proposal would actually deliver more money directly to the people, because Democrats have wanted to bring back the extra $600 unemployment benefit that lapsed in July while the Trump administration has offered to set the extra benefit at $400. (Republicans in Congress are generally more hostile to providing the supplemental benefit at all). Democrats have also insisted on bigger tax credits for workers with low incomes.
So less than three weeks before Election Day, with the window closing for Trump to goad the Republican Senate into action, the president has acknowledged that his own pride is stopping him from getting a deal done.
Meanwhile, Pelosi continues to insist on her own version of the deal, unwilling to take the $1.8 trillion offer and so far unwilling to meet in the middle at, say, $2 trillion.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the administration’s lead negotiator, said Thursday that the White House wouldn’t get hung up on extra money for coronavirus testing, seemingly conceding to a key Democratic demand. But Trump faulted him for not getting the overall deal done.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Trump Rails Against NBC Ahead Of His Town Hall On The Network

This is not a partisan issue .
This is about the political health of our democracy .
President Trump refused @ @ @ @ @ debate scheduled for Thursday night by the Presidential Debate Commission .
By agreeing to air @ @ @ @ @ opposite Vice President Biden ’ s town hall on ABC , you are enabling the @ @ @ @ @ while undercutting the Presidential Debate Commission and doing a disservice to the American public .
@ @ @ @ @ indifference to the norms and rules of our democracy are what have brought our country @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump attacked NBC News at length during a campaign rally in North Carolina on Thursday, hours before he’s set to appear in a town hall hosted by the network.
Trump said he was being “set up” with the event and called the network “the worst” before moving on to attacking NBC’s on-air talent, including Savannah Guthrie, who is set to moderate.
Advertisement
“They asked me if I’d do it,” Trump told the crowd. “I figured, ‘What the hell — we’ll get a free hour of television.’”
“We have Savannah Guthrie — she’s always lovely, isn’t she?” he added sarcastically. “But I figure, why not?”
NBC announced the event Wednesday, a week after ABC News announced it would host a town hall with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
The televised events are taking place at the same time, and are in lieu of the previously scheduled presidential debate, which was supposed to be a town hall with voters in Miami. Trump refused to participate in the second debate after the Commission on Presidential Debates adopted an all-virtual format, a safety precaution put in place after Trump tested positive for COVID-19.
Advertisement
Trump shits on NBC at length and Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie in particular just ahead of his town hall on the network tonight pic.twitter.com/6Sjl3ttsX3 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 15, 2020
NBC and corporate parent Comcast have received withering criticism for scheduling the Trump town hall so it competes with Biden’s.
“The point of a news organization is to serve the public,” tweeted former NBC News executive Vivian Schiller. “This is the opposite. NBC News could literally run this any other day, or any other time. Shameful.”
More than 100 top-tier showrunners and producers also protested the decision in a petition sent to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, NBCUniversal Chairman Jeff Shell and NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde, urging the network to find a new time slot so Americans could watch both candidates.
A letter accompanying the petition argued, in part:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Kamala Harris Cancels Travel Plans After Top Aide Tests Positive For COVID-19

The campaign has canceled all of Harris ’ planned travel until Monday , Oct. 19 .
Harris was set to visit North Carolina on Thursday , and travel to Cleveland on Friday .
Harris communications director Liz Allen and a member of the flight crew for Harris ’ plane both tested positive .
Both had last traveled with Harris on Oct. 8 .
After that , they both attended personal events and , when they later returned to work , tested positive for the coronavirus .
In a statement , Jennifer O ’ Malley Dillon , the campaign manager for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cancellation of Harris ’ travel was a precaution not mandated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and said Harris would shift to a digital campaign schedule for the next several days .
“ Senator Harris was not in close contact , as defined by the CDC , with either of these individuals during the two days prior to their positive tests ; as such , there is no requirement for quarantine , ” O ’ Malley Dillon said .
“ Regardless , out of an abundance of caution and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the highest levels of precaution , we are canceling Senator Harris ’ s travel through Sunday , October 18th , but she will keep a robust and aggressive schedule of virtual campaign activities to reach voters all across the country during this time.
” Harris has taken two COVID-19 tests since Oct. 8 and both were negative .
The most recent test was on Wednesday .
The Biden campaign has adopted strict rules designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus : closing its main office in Philadelphia , requiring the overwhelming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mandating regular testing for staffers who work directly with Biden and Harris .
The way the campaign disclosed the test results — by holding a phone call with reporters and medical experts on Thursday morning to answer questions — contrasts sharply with how President Donald Trump ’ s White House and reelection campaign handled a COVID-19 outbreak in their own ranks earlier this month , when reporters and the public learned of positive tests in a piecemeal fashion .
Harris ’ husband , Doug Emhoff , was scheduled to travel to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden on Thursday .
His travel has been canceled , but he ’ ll return to the campaign trail on Friday and Saturday with trips to Iowa and Georgia .
The Biden campaign said Emhoff had not been in direct contact with either person who tested positive , and was safe to resume travel sooner than his wife .
The campaign also said that it has notified local officials of the positive tests and begun contact tracing to alert people who came into contact with either Allen or the flight crew member to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting — or suspicious !
— campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Two people who regularly travel with Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) have tested positive for COVID-19, the campaign announced Thursday morning.
The campaign has canceled all of Harris’ planned travel until Monday, Oct. 19. Harris was set to visit North Carolina on Thursday, and travel to Cleveland on Friday.
Advertisement
Harris communications director Liz Allen and a member of the flight crew for Harris’ plane both tested positive. Both had last traveled with Harris on Oct. 8. After that, they both attended personal events and, when they later returned to work, tested positive for the coronavirus.
In a statement, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, the campaign manager for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, said the cancellation of Harris’ travel was a precaution not mandated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and said Harris would shift to a digital campaign schedule for the next several days.
“Senator Harris was not in close contact, as defined by the CDC, with either of these individuals during the two days prior to their positive tests; as such, there is no requirement for quarantine,” O’Malley Dillon said. “Regardless, out of an abundance of caution and in line with our campaign’s commitment to the highest levels of precaution, we are canceling Senator Harris’s travel through Sunday, October 18th, but she will keep a robust and aggressive schedule of virtual campaign activities to reach voters all across the country during this time.”
Harris has taken two COVID-19 tests since Oct. 8 and both were negative. The most recent test was on Wednesday.
Advertisement
The Biden campaign has adopted strict rules designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus: closing its main office in Philadelphia, requiring the overwhelming majority of staffers to work remotely, and mandating regular testing for staffers who work directly with Biden and Harris.
The way the campaign disclosed the test results — by holding a phone call with reporters and medical experts on Thursday morning to answer questions — contrasts sharply with how President Donald Trump’s White House and reelection campaign handled a COVID-19 outbreak in their own ranks earlier this month, when reporters and the public learned of positive tests in a piecemeal fashion.
Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, was scheduled to travel to a number of cities in Minnesota alongside Jill Biden on Thursday. His travel has been canceled, but he’ll return to the campaign trail on Friday and Saturday with trips to Iowa and Georgia.
The Biden campaign said Emhoff had not been in direct contact with either person who tested positive, and was safe to resume travel sooner than his wife.
The campaign also said that it has notified local officials of the positive tests and begun contact tracing to alert people who came into contact with either Allen or the flight crew member to get tested.
Advertisement
We want to know what you’re hearing on the ground from the candidates. If you get any interesting — or suspicious! — campaign mailers, robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about, email us at scoops@huffpost.com.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--We Need To Talk About Sen. Mike Lee’s Far-Right Pocket Constitution

But Lee ’ s copy was no ordinary Constitution .
It was an annotated version that ’ s published by a fringe Mormon group founded by the late conspiracy theorist W. Cleon Skousen and which has become the favorite of anti-government extremists and right-wing figures , including the men who led an armed seizure of an Oregon wildlife refuge over the conviction of two arsonist ranchers .
The booklet is annotated in such a way as to make it seem like the founders envisioned a solely Christian nation and a severely limited federal government .
It includes both the Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― at times out-of-context ― quotes from the Founding Fathers .
Skousen , whom The New York Times once called “ the constitutional guru of the Tea Party movement , ” peddled a distorted , Mormon-centric version of American history .
He served as an FBI agent in the 1940s , and then briefly as Salt Lake City ’ s police chief before the mayor fired him , calling him a “ master of half truths.
” Skousen spent the later part of his life as a far-right , anti-communist activist preaching a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents .
He embraced a frenzy of conspiracy theories , contending that global bankers were working to create a totalitarian world government and that Russia stole its Sputnik satellite from the United States .
His 1982 book “ The Making of America ” describes African-American children as “ pickaninnies ” and slave owners as the “ worst victims ” of the slavery system , as Salon reported in its 2009 expose on Skousen and his influence on commentator Glenn Beck .
The Idaho-based National Center for Constitutional Studies , a right-wing think tank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prints and distributes the pocket Constitution that Lee displayed during Monday ’ s hearing .
There are more than 15 million NCCS Constitutions in circulation .
Tens of thousands of them have been distributed in public schools throughout Florida , the Tampa Bay Times reported , and sales of the booklet soared in 2016 after Gold Star father Khizr Khan held up a pocket-sized Constitution ― not the NCCS edition ― at the Democratic National Convention and challenged President Donald Trump to read it .
But Lee is certainly familiar with Skousen and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , Lee campaigned for the Senate in 2010 on a platform of ideas that The New York Times wrote at the time “ appear to be inspired ” by Skousen .
“ Mike Lee is a good friend of the family , and we support him 100 percent , ” Skousen ’ s son , Paul , told the Times in 2010 .
“ He ’ s read Dad ’ s books ; he had Dad in his home when he was growing up for visits and dinners , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before Dad passed away.
” The NCCS , formerly known as The Freemen Institute , opposes the separation of church and state and portrays the nation ’ s governing document as being divinely inspired , a belief shared by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints .
Lee is a member of the Mormon church .
In 2011 , the Southern Poverty Law Center identified NCCS as one more than 1,200 active anti-government “ Patriot ” groups .
NCCS ’ s far-right edition of the Constitution has been the go-to for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried the booklet during his 2014 armed standoff with federal agents over unpaid ranching fees , according to the Los Angeles Times .
And his sons , Ammon and Ryan , and their armed militant supporters carried them during their 41-day takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in 2016 .
“ It ’ s something I ’ ve always shared with everybody and I carry it with me all the time , ” Cliven Bundy told the LA Times in 2016 .
“ That ’ s where I get most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re trying to do is teach the true principles of the proper form of government.
” Ammon Bundy addresses the media at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns , Oregon in January 2016 , after a group of government militiamen took over the refuge headquarters .
A copy of the annotated U.S. constitution , published by the religious group National Center for Constitutional Studies , can be seen in his jacket pocket .
B.J .
Soper , the founder of the Central Oregon Constitutional Guard , another militia group , appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution in a 2016 interview with The Washington Post .
He told the publication he carries it with him at all times and believes it does not give the federal government the right to own land .
Lee , who was reportedly on Trump ’ s short list for the Supreme Court nomination , is an advocate of “ constitutionally limited government ” and a vocal supporter of transferring control of federal lands to states .
Lee drew backlash earlier this month when he tweeted that the U.S. is “ not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ objective is not democracy but rather “ liberty , peace , and prospefity.
” “ It is succinct enough that you can carry it around in your pocket , ” Coney Barrett said during a speech at Princeton in October 2019 .
“ In fact , many people do .
For a brief period during the summer of 2016 , the pocket constitution was the No .
2 seller on Amazon .
The brevity of our Constitution and the service of Amazon has made it accessible to millions .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
On Monday, 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19, a maskless Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) appeared at a Senate hearing on Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination, where he spent the majority of his allotted 10 minutes “pontificating on the nature of constitutional government,” as The Daily Beast aptly described it.
Toward the end of his lecture, Lee produced a pocket-size U.S. Constitution and shook it as he emphasized his words.
Advertisement
“This is a thing that works, and works best when every one of us reads it, understands it,” Lee declared, pointing at the booklet. “And takes and honors an oath to uphold it and protect it and defend it.”
But Lee’s copy was no ordinary Constitution. It was an annotated version that’s published by a fringe Mormon group founded by the late conspiracy theorist W. Cleon Skousen and which has become the favorite of anti-government extremists and right-wing figures, including the men who led an armed seizure of an Oregon wildlife refuge over the conviction of two arsonist ranchers.
The booklet is annotated in such a way as to make it seem like the founders envisioned a solely Christian nation and a severely limited federal government. It includes both the Constitution’s original text and several religious ― at times out-of-context ― quotes from the Founding Fathers.
Western Values Project, a Montana-based public lands advocacy and watchdog group, alerted HuffPost to Lee’s far-right Constitution.
Advertisement
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) holds up a copy of the U.S. Constitution during the Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Monday. Alex Edelman-Pool/Getty Images
Skousen, whom The New York Times once called “the constitutional guru of the Tea Party movement,” peddled a distorted, Mormon-centric version of American history. He served as an FBI agent in the 1940s, and then briefly as Salt Lake City’s police chief before the mayor fired him, calling him a “master of half truths.” Skousen spent the later part of his life as a far-right, anti-communist activist preaching a theocratic interpretation of America’s founding documents.
He embraced a frenzy of conspiracy theories, contending that global bankers were working to create a totalitarian world government and that Russia stole its Sputnik satellite from the United States. His 1982 book “The Making of America” describes African-American children as “pickaninnies” and slave owners as the “worst victims” of the slavery system, as Salon reported in its 2009 expose on Skousen and his influence on commentator Glenn Beck.
“Skousen was a case study of the extreme-extreme right from the 1950s, as well as a con man,” Sean Wilentz, a history professor at Princeton University, told HuffPost in an email Wednesday morning.
“His history is trash; his politics a concoction of fantasy and paranoia,” Wilentz added. “He made a comeback around 2010 thanks to the hard right bunko artist Glenn Beck. That a United States senator should be peddling this lunacy with a straight face would be laughable if it weren’t so dangerous.”
Advertisement
The Idaho-based National Center for Constitutional Studies, a right-wing think tank that Skousen founded in the 1960s, prints and distributes the pocket Constitution that Lee displayed during Monday’s hearing. There are more than 15 million NCCS Constitutions in circulation. Tens of thousands of them have been distributed in public schools throughout Florida, the Tampa Bay Times reported, and sales of the booklet soared in 2016 after Gold Star father Khizr Khan held up a pocket-sized Constitution ― not the NCCS edition ― at the Democratic National Convention and challenged President Donald Trump to read it.
Conn Carroll, a spokesman for Lee, told HuffPost that the senator carries many versions of the Constitution and “was not aware” that he’d brought the NCCS edition.
Sen. Mike Lee tested positive for COVID 10 days ago.
Today he's maskless, lecturing about his pocket Constitution.pic.twitter.com/r0bTZVjAXR — The Recount (@therecount) October 12, 2020
But Lee is certainly familiar with Skousen and his radical interpretation of the Constitution. In fact, Lee campaigned for the Senate in 2010 on a platform of ideas that The New York Times wrote at the time “appear to be inspired” by Skousen.
“Mike Lee is a good friend of the family, and we support him 100 percent,” Skousen’s son, Paul, told the Times in 2010. “He’s read Dad’s books; he had Dad in his home when he was growing up for visits and dinners, and he met Dad on a number of occasions before Dad passed away.”
Advertisement
The NCCS, formerly known as The Freemen Institute, opposes the separation of church and state and portrays the nation’s governing document as being divinely inspired, a belief shared by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Lee is a member of the Mormon church.
In 2011, the Southern Poverty Law Center identified NCCS as one more than 1,200 active anti-government “Patriot” groups. NCCS’s far-right edition of the Constitution has been the go-to for other extremists. Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy carried the booklet during his 2014 armed standoff with federal agents over unpaid ranching fees, according to the Los Angeles Times. And his sons, Ammon and Ryan, and their armed militant supporters carried them during their 41-day takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in 2016.
“It’s something I’ve always shared with everybody and I carry it with me all the time,” Cliven Bundy told the LA Times in 2016. “That’s where I get most of my information from. What we’re trying to do is teach the true principles of the proper form of government.”
Ammon Bundy addresses the media at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon in January 2016, after a group of anti-government militia members took over the refuge headquarters. A copy of the annotated U.S. constitution, published by the religious group National Center for Constitutional Studies, can be seen in his jacket pocket. Jim Urquhart / Reuters
B.J. Soper, the founder of the Central Oregon Constitutional Guard, another militia group, appeared to reference the same NCCS edition of the Constitution in a 2016 interview with The Washington Post. He told the publication he carries it with him at all times and believes it does not give the federal government the right to own land.
Advertisement
Lee, who was reportedly on Trump’s short list for the Supreme Court nomination, is an advocate of “constitutionally limited government” and a vocal supporter of transferring control of federal lands to states. Lee drew backlash earlier this month when he tweeted that the U.S. is “not a Democracy,” later adding that the objective is not democracy but rather “liberty, peace, and prospefity.”
Democracy isn’t the objective; liberty, peace, and prospefity are. We want the human condition to flourish. Rank democracy can thwart that. — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 8, 2020
Jayson O’Neill, project director at Western Values Project, said Lee sent “a clear signal to all the anti-American militia members across the country when he brandished their twisted version of our Constitution.”
Asked about accusations that Lee peddled false history and sent a dangerous message to extremists, Carroll said, “Sen. Lee is a strong supporter of the First Amendment precisely because so many people throughout America’s history have sought to persecute religious minorities because of their beliefs.”
That Lee flashed the NCCS Constitution during Barrett’s confirmation hearing is notable. Barrett once touted a pocket copy of the Constitution that reached No. 2 on Amazon’s bestseller list ― something only the NCCS version had done.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Rudy Giuliani's Daughter Suggests You Ignore Her Dad And Vote For Joe Biden

That ’ s because his daughter , Caroline Rose Giuliani , just endorsed Joe Biden , whom her Trump-loving dad has attempted to smear , possibly with some help from a Russian disinformation campaign .
It ’ s not exactly a shocker : The daughter of the former New York City mayor supported Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016 and tweeted a photo with Biden running mate Kamala Harris in August .
Still , the 31-year-old makes a better case for voting for Biden in a Vanity Fair article published Thursday than her father has for Trump over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by explaining that she grew up with “ the kind of cruel , selfish politics that Donald Trump has now inflicted on our country.
” Giuliani writes that she occasionally debated her dad starting when she was 12 , but admits it was “ probably before I was emotionally equipped to handle such carnage.
” “ Even though he was considered socially moderate for a Republican back in the day , we still often butted heads .
When I tried to explain my belief that you don ’ t get to be considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have gay friends but don ’ t support gay marriage , I distinctly remember him firing back with an intensity fit for an opposing politician rather than one ’ s child.
” Trump and supporters like her dad , she writes , have used the presidency “ to stoke the injustice that already permeated our society , taking it to dramatically new , Bond-villain heights.
” She also points out that the current administration has urged the Supreme Court to let businesses fire people for being LGBTQ , rolled back a rule barring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals and banned transgender people from the military .
“ If being the daughter of a polarizing mayor who became the president ’ s personal bulldog has taught me anything , it is that corruption starts with ‘ yes-men ’ and women , the cronies who create an echo chamber of lies and subservience to maintain their proximity to power , ” Giuliani writes .
“ We ’ ve seen this ad nauseam with Trump and his cadre of high-level sycophants ( the ones who weren ’ t convicted , anyway ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden is not afraid to surround himself with people who disagree with him , including Harris , who challenged him in the Democratic presidential primary .
That speaks volumes about what an inclusive president he will be , Giuliani says .
“ The very notion of ‘ bipartisanship ’ may seem painfully ludicrous right now , but we need a path out of impenetrable gridlock and vicious sniping , ” she writes .
“ In Joe Biden , we ’ ll have a leader who prioritizes common ground and civility over alienation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Thanksgiving should be awkward at Rudy Giuliani’s house this year.
It’s not exactly a shocker: The daughter of the former New York City mayor supported Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016 and tweeted a photo with Biden running mate Kamala Harris in August.
Advertisement
Still, the 31-year-old makes a better case for voting for Biden in a Vanity Fair article published Thursday than her father has for Trump over the last five years.
She does it by explaining that she grew up with “the kind of cruel, selfish politics that Donald Trump has now inflicted on our country.”
Giuliani writes that she occasionally debated her dad starting when she was 12, but admits it was “probably before I was emotionally equipped to handle such carnage.”
She recalls:
“Even though he was considered socially moderate for a Republican back in the day, we still often butted heads. When I tried to explain my belief that you don’t get to be considered benevolent on LGBTQ+ rights just because you have gay friends but don’t support gay marriage, I distinctly remember him firing back with an intensity fit for an opposing politician rather than one’s child.”
Trump and supporters like her dad, she writes, have used the presidency “to stoke the injustice that already permeated our society, taking it to dramatically new, Bond-villain heights.”
She also points out that the current administration has urged the Supreme Court to let businesses fire people for being LGBTQ, rolled back a rule barring health care providers from discriminating against LGBTQ individuals and banned transgender people from the military.
But she doesn’t put the blame just on Trump.
“If being the daughter of a polarizing mayor who became the president’s personal bulldog has taught me anything, it is that corruption starts with ‘yes-men’ and women, the cronies who create an echo chamber of lies and subservience to maintain their proximity to power,” Giuliani writes. “We’ve seen this ad nauseam with Trump and his cadre of high-level sycophants (the ones who weren’t convicted, anyway).”
By comparison, she contends that Biden is not afraid to surround himself with people who disagree with him, including Harris, who challenged him in the Democratic presidential primary. That speaks volumes about what an inclusive president he will be, Giuliani says.
Giuliani sounds confident that a Biden administration would seek to reduce political polarization.
“The very notion of ‘bipartisanship’ may seem painfully ludicrous right now, but we need a path out of impenetrable gridlock and vicious sniping,” she writes. “In Joe Biden, we’ll have a leader who prioritizes common ground and civility over alienation, bullying, and scorched-earth tactics.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Eric Trump Mocked For Claiming Boat Parades Are Proof The Polls Are Wrong

Current political polls suggest Donald Trump ’ s support is foundering , but Eric Trump remains unconvinced of their accuracy .
The president ’ s second-born son took to Twitter Thursday to gaslight American voters make the case that the opinions of a small group of well-to-do nautical types is a more accurate representation of what voters think than , you know , scientific polls and stuff .
Again for emphasis : While many boat owners support Trump ’ s reelection , they make up a small subset of mostly white , well-to-do Americans , and their opinions therefore may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
It ’ s a point many Twitter users tried to make to the younger Trump .
pay attention to how hard they are trying to undermine the polls and fake astroturf their way to something resembling close enough to cheat and steal from the people again https : //t.co/n4Vgo89GwD — Luke Zaleski ( @ ZaleskiLuke ) October 15 , 2020 all of Trump 's supporters should chain their gas-guzzling boats together in the middle of the Pacific , forming their own little tax-free island where they allow no immigrants or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up and overtaken by a tropical storm https : //t.co/P1uwKomZxA — Shane 😤 Barnes ( @ shanekealoha ) October 15 , 2020 Eric Trump also invoked his “ the polls are wrong ” meme on Tuesday when he shared two photographs : one depicting hundreds of people crowding a Trump campaign rally and the other of Joe Biden speaking to a socially distanced drive-in rally in Ohio Monday .
It didn ’ t go so well after Twitter users pointed out that the maskless folks at the Trump rally might come down with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socially distanced voters supporting Biden .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
How come? Two words: Boat parades.
Seriously.
The president’s second-born son took to Twitter Thursday to gaslight American voters make the case that the opinions of a small group of well-to-do nautical types is a more accurate representation of what voters think than, you know, scientific polls and stuff.
Advertisement
Again for emphasis: While many boat owners support Trump’s reelection, they make up a small subset of mostly white, well-to-do Americans, and their opinions therefore may not match those of the rest of the country.
It’s a point many Twitter users tried to make to the younger Trump.
If flags could vote https://t.co/L6XnYaGi8L — Juliet Lapidos (@julietlapidos) October 15, 2020
It is malpractice that pollsters don't go into international waters to ping marine CB radios at random. https://t.co/NDI9tdiYJj — Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) October 15, 2020
Advertisement
Wow... that's like 25 boats with maybe 120 people combined on them. — Pé (@4everNeverTrump) October 15, 2020
The truly economically anxious own six figure boats. https://t.co/2ObRaFusuZ — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) October 15, 2020
I didn't know flags, expensive boats and big plastic Trump effigies could vote. https://t.co/FEycs2xP1b — Joe Hagan (@joehagansays) October 15, 2020
pay attention to how hard they are trying to undermine the polls and fake astroturf their way to something resembling close enough to cheat and steal from the people again https://t.co/n4Vgo89GwD — Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) October 15, 2020
all of Trump's supporters should chain their gas-guzzling boats together in the middle of the Pacific, forming their own little tax-free island where they allow no immigrants or abortions and will definitely not get swept up and overtaken by a tropical storm https://t.co/P1uwKomZxA — Shane 😤 Barnes (@shanekealoha) October 15, 2020
Advertisement
Eric Trump also invoked his “the polls are wrong” meme on Tuesday when he shared two photographs: one depicting hundreds of people crowding a Trump campaign rally and the other of Joe Biden speaking to a socially distanced drive-in rally in Ohio Monday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Secret Service Signs For $180,000 More In Golf Cart Rentals For Trump Outings

WASHINGTON ― The Secret Service has signed a $ 174,195 contract to rent golf carts for use at President Donald Trump ’ s golf course near his Palm Beach , Florida , resort through May 2021 and has extended a separate contract to rent carts at his Northern Virginia course for $ 7,500 .
The new spending comes as Trump returns to his Doral course , next to the Miami airport , on Thursday evening ― a visit that drives his total golf costs to $ 148 million in taxpayer dollars during his nearly 45 months in office .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone to golf cart rental for the Secret Service agents who must protect him .
The vast majority , though , represents the cost of flying Air Force One and the assorted cargo planes that transport the vehicles in his motorcade .
Trump ’ s stay at Doral through Friday morning ― which will send at least several thousand taxpayer dollars into his own cash registers ― will raise to 279 the number of days he has spent at one of his own courses since becoming president , despite having promised during his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any time to golf if he won .
“ I just want to stay in the White House and work my ass off , ” he said at a February 2016 rally .
Trump is hosting a fundraiser for his campaign and the Republican National Committee on Thursday evening prior to participating in an NBC televised town hall event in downtown Miami .
The reception , with tickets costing as much as $ 100,000 per couple , will allow Trump to funnel tens of thousands of donor dollars into his own pocket through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement to rent carts from Sunshine Golf Cars in Delray Beach , Florida , was finalized on Sept. 22 and runs through May 31 , 2021 .
Capitol Golf Cars , meanwhile , received a contract extension to provide carts at Trump ’ s golf course in Sterling , Virginia , for $ 7,500 on Sept. 23 and also got a $ 1,000 payment on June 3 .
The Secret Service , citing its policy not to discuss measures to protect the president or others in its care , declined to comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracts said the South Florida one can be canceled at any time , in the event Trump loses and is no longer president come Jan. 20 , 2021 .
The $ 7,500 to Capitol Golf Cars was for one additional month of rentals , the official said , while the earlier $ 1,000 was to repair one cart that was damaged when agents using it to secure a position in some woods at the golf course hit a log or tree .
Although he frequently criticized predecessor Barack Obama for playing too much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times as many days as Obama did through the same point in his first term , and Trump ’ s golf outings have cost in total more than four times as much as Obama ’ s .
The significantly higher expenses are due to Trump ’ s insistence on playing at his own resorts , while Obama played most of his rounds at military bases within short motorcade rides of the White House .

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump takes a break at the Trump National Golf Course in Sterling, Virginia, on May 24, 2020. Tom Brenner/Reuters
WASHINGTON ― The Secret Service has signed a $174,195 contract to rent golf carts for use at President Donald Trump’s golf course near his Palm Beach, Florida, resort through May 2021 and has extended a separate contract to rent carts at his Northern Virginia course for $7,500.
The new spending comes as Trump returns to his Doral course, next to the Miami airport, on Thursday evening ― a visit that drives his total golf costs to $148 million in taxpayer dollars during his nearly 45 months in office. Of that, some $941,000 alone has gone to golf cart rental for the Secret Service agents who must protect him. The vast majority, though, represents the cost of flying Air Force One and the assorted cargo planes that transport the vehicles in his motorcade.
Advertisement
Trump’s stay at Doral through Friday morning ― which will send at least several thousand taxpayer dollars into his own cash registers ― will raise to 279 the number of days he has spent at one of his own courses since becoming president, despite having promised during his last campaign that he would not have any time to golf if he won.
“I just want to stay in the White House and work my ass off,” he said at a February 2016 rally.
Trump is hosting a fundraiser for his campaign and the Republican National Committee on Thursday evening prior to participating in an NBC televised town hall event in downtown Miami. The reception, with tickets costing as much as $100,000 per couple, will allow Trump to funnel tens of thousands of donor dollars into his own pocket through room rental and catering fees.
The agreement to rent carts from Sunshine Golf Cars in Delray Beach, Florida, was finalized on Sept. 22 and runs through May 31, 2021. Capitol Golf Cars, meanwhile, received a contract extension to provide carts at Trump’s golf course in Sterling, Virginia, for $7,500 on Sept. 23 and also got a $1,000 payment on June 3.
The Secret Service, citing its policy not to discuss measures to protect the president or others in its care, declined to comment.
Advertisement
However, an official familiar with the contracts said the South Florida one can be canceled at any time, in the event Trump loses and is no longer president come Jan. 20, 2021. The $7,500 to Capitol Golf Cars was for one additional month of rentals, the official said, while the earlier $1,000 was to repair one cart that was damaged when agents using it to secure a position in some woods at the golf course hit a log or tree.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Greta Thunberg Chides Amy Coney Barrett For Her Weak Stance On Climate Change

Teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg had strong words for the noncommittal stance on climate change that Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett expressed during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing earlier this week .
“ To be fair , I don ’ t have any ‘ views on climate change ’ either , ” Thunberg wrote on Twitter on Thursday , repeating Barrett ’ s words at the hearing .
“ Just like I don ’ t have any ‘ views ’ on gravity , the fact that the earth is round , photosynthesis nor evolution ...
But understanding and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 21st century so much easier.
” To be fair , I do n't have any `` views on climate change '' either .
Just like I do n't have any `` views '' on gravity , the fact that the earth is round , photosynthesis nor evolution ...
But understanding and knowing their existence really makes life in the 21st century so much easier .
https : //t.co/R7oOIyBsHC — Greta Thunberg ( @ GretaThunberg ) October 15 , 2020 During her hearing on Tuesday , Barrett said she did not have “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioned by Sen. John Kennedy ( R-La . )
and emphasized that she was “ not a scientist ” ― a phrase commonly used by climate-denying lawmakers that former president Barack Obama has criticized in the past .
The following day , Barrett added that she did not feel that her stance on global warming and climate change were relevant factors in her role as a potential high court justice .
“ You have asked me a series of questions that are completely uncontroversial , like whether COVID-19 is infectious , whether smoking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analogize that to elicit an opinion from me that is on a very contentious matter of public debate , ” Barrett said to Harris .
“ I will not do that ...
I will not express a view on a matter of public policy , especially one that is politically controversial , because that ’ s inconsistent with the judicial role .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg had strong words for the noncommittal stance on climate change that Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett expressed during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing earlier this week.
“To be fair, I don’t have any ‘views on climate change’ either,” Thunberg wrote on Twitter on Thursday, repeating Barrett’s words at the hearing. “Just like I don’t have any ‘views’ on gravity, the fact that the earth is round, photosynthesis nor evolution ... But understanding and knowing their existence really makes life in the 21st century so much easier.”
Advertisement
To be fair, I don't have any "views on climate change" either. Just like I don't have any "views" on gravity, the fact that the earth is round, photosynthesis nor evolution...
But understanding and knowing their existence really makes life in the 21st century so much easier. https://t.co/R7oOIyBsHC — Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) October 15, 2020
During her hearing on Tuesday, Barrett said she did not have “firm views” on climate change when questioned by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and emphasized that she was “not a scientist” ― a phrase commonly used by climate-denying lawmakers that former president Barack Obama has criticized in the past.
The following day, Barrett added that she did not feel that her stance on global warming and climate change were relevant factors in her role as a potential high court justice.
Confronted directly on climate change by Sen. Kamala Harris of California, the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Barrett balked.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Biden, Trump Duel In Town Halls On Separate Channels

The odd spectacle , which deprived most viewers of a simultaneous look at the candidates just 19 days before Election Day , seemed fitting for a race unlike any other , as yet another campaign ritual was changed by the pandemic that has killed 215,000 Americans and rewritten the norms of society .
The presidential rivals took questions in different cities on different networks : Trump on NBC from Miami , Biden on ABC from Philadelphia .
Trump backed out of plans for the presidential faceoff originally scheduled for the evening after debate organizers said it would be held virtually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Trump had no plans to change his tone .
On Fox Business , he said of the first debate that “ some people said I was rude , but you have to be rude .
The guy ’ s a liar.
” The president also repeatedly delivered pre-emptive attacks on NBC before the town hall , suggesting that he only agreed to the event because “ what the hell , we get a free hour of television ” and declaring that when the network hosted one for Biden , “ they asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The two men are still scheduled to occupy the same space for a debate for a second and final time next week in Nashville .
But the cancellation of Thursday ’ s debate still reverberated for both campaigns .
Trump and Biden battled on Sept. 29 in Cleveland in a debate defined both by the president ’ s constant hectoring of his opponent , which sent his support lower , and by its place on the calendar : just two days before Trump announced he had tested positive for coronavirus .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s reelection team : Instead of immediately suggesting a delay in the debates , Trump initially pulled out , only to later propose that it be rescheduled for late in October .
The Biden campaign balked , having already moved to schedule the town hall on ABC .
The debate was then canceled and the Trump campaign moved to schedule its town hall — which led to a fierce backlash for NBC News ’ decision to host it at the same time as Biden ’ s event .
NBC said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hall after Trump was administered a coronavirus test Tuesday by the National Institutes of Health .
Dr. Anthony Fauci and NIH clinical director Dr. Clifford Lane reviewed the test and Trump ’ s medical records , concluding with a “ high degree of confidence ” that the president was not shedding infectious virus .
Critics of NBC questioned why the network scheduled Trump for the same time , making viewers have to choose if they were interested in seeing both candidates react live in a similar format .
The network considered it important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , day of the week and length of time that Biden had on NBC last week — although he will have a different moderator .
Savannah Guthrie will be Trump ’ s host after Lester Holt moderated the Biden event .
And , as a postscript to the mess that the second debate had become on the day it would have been held , its would-be host , CSPAN ’ s Steve Scully , was suspended Thursday for lying when he claimed his Twitter account had been hacked earlier this month when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for advice over the president ’ s attacks .
As the pace of the campaign speeds up in its final weeks , the two candidates first took care of other electoral necessities Thursday : Trump appeared at his midday rally in battleground North Carolina , and Biden raised campaign cash at his virtual event .
Trump spent much of the rally again downplaying the severity of the pandemic that , despite his efforts to change the subject , has become the defining issue of the campaign .
“ It ’ s going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end , ” he said of the pandemic — just as he had last winter — even as cases have continued to increase nationwide in recent weeks .
The president ’ s appearance in North Carolina underscored the challenge confronting him in the final weeks as multiple polls have shown him trailing Biden nationally and in many swing states .
Trump has spent much of the week on defense , campaigning in states he won in 2016 , such as North Carolina and Iowa , where he campaigned Wednesday .

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden squared off, in a way, Thursday night, their scuttled second debate replaced by dueling televised town halls several channels apart.
Advertisement
The odd spectacle, which deprived most viewers of a simultaneous look at the candidates just 19 days before Election Day, seemed fitting for a race unlike any other, as yet another campaign ritual was changed by the pandemic that has killed 215,000 Americans and rewritten the norms of society.
The presidential rivals took questions in different cities on different networks: Trump on NBC from Miami, Biden on ABC from Philadelphia. Trump backed out of plans for the presidential faceoff originally scheduled for the evening after debate organizers said it would be held virtually following Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis.
The town halls offered a different format for the two candidates to present themselves to voters, after the pair held a chaotic and combative first debate late last month.
But Trump had no plans to change his tone. On Fox Business, he said of the first debate that “some people said I was rude, but you have to be rude. The guy’s a liar.”
Advertisement
In case anyone remained unaware of Trump’s tactics, Biden warned supporters at a virtual fundraiser that the president would go after him aggressively in the final weeks of the campaign.
“We’ve got 19 days left and you know he’s going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at me,” Biden said Thursday. “And it’s going to be an overwhelming torrent of lies and distortions.”
The president also repeatedly delivered pre-emptive attacks on NBC before the town hall, suggesting that he only agreed to the event because “what the hell, we get a free hour of television” and declaring that when the network hosted one for Biden ,“they asked him questions that a child could answer.”
Trump joked that he wished he could watch Biden’s appearance Thursday night because “I wanna see if he can made it through the program.”
The two men are still scheduled to occupy the same space for a debate for a second and final time next week in Nashville. But the cancellation of Thursday’s debate still reverberated for both campaigns.
Advertisement
Trump and Biden battled on Sept. 29 in Cleveland in a debate defined both by the president’s constant hectoring of his opponent, which sent his support lower, and by its place on the calendar: just two days before Trump announced he had tested positive for coronavirus.
Questions still remain as to when Trump last tested negative before that debate and whether he exposed Biden to the virus. The Democratic nominee has since tested negative multiple times.
Trump was hospitalized for three days, and while he later convalesced at the White House the debate commission moved to make their second debate remote — which the president immediately rejected.
What happened next set off infighting in the president’s reelection team: Instead of immediately suggesting a delay in the debates, Trump initially pulled out, only to later propose that it be rescheduled for late in October.
The Biden campaign balked, having already moved to schedule the town hall on ABC. The debate was then canceled and the Trump campaign moved to schedule its town hall — which led to a fierce backlash for NBC News’ decision to host it at the same time as Biden’s event.
Advertisement
NBC said it agreed to set up the dueling town hall after Trump was administered a coronavirus test Tuesday by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Anthony Fauci and NIH clinical director Dr. Clifford Lane reviewed the test and Trump’s medical records, concluding with a “high degree of confidence” that the president was not shedding infectious virus.
Critics of NBC questioned why the network scheduled Trump for the same time, making viewers have to choose if they were interested in seeing both candidates react live in a similar format. The network considered it important that Trump be given the same format, day of the week and length of time that Biden had on NBC last week — although he will have a different moderator. Savannah Guthrie will be Trump’s host after Lester Holt moderated the Biden event.
And, as a postscript to the mess that the second debate had become on the day it would have been held, its would-be host, CSPAN’s Steve Scully, was suspended Thursday for lying when he claimed his Twitter account had been hacked earlier this month when he reached out to a former Trump aide for advice over the president’s attacks.
As the pace of the campaign speeds up in its final weeks, the two candidates first took care of other electoral necessities Thursday: Trump appeared at his midday rally in battleground North Carolina, and Biden raised campaign cash at his virtual event.
Trump spent much of the rally again downplaying the severity of the pandemic that, despite his efforts to change the subject, has become the defining issue of the campaign.
Advertisement
“It’s going to peter out. It’s going to end,” he said of the pandemic — just as he had last winter — even as cases have continued to increase nationwide in recent weeks.
The president’s appearance in North Carolina underscored the challenge confronting him in the final weeks as multiple polls have shown him trailing Biden nationally and in many swing states. Trump has spent much of the week on defense, campaigning in states he won in 2016, such as North Carolina and Iowa, where he campaigned Wednesday.
But despite the polling, Trump predicted a “big, beautiful red wave” on Election Night, before referencing another one of his major challenges: A cash disadvantage to the Biden campaign, which just announced raising a record-breaking $383 million in September.
___
Lemire reported from New York. Additional reporting by Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Wilmington, Delaware, and Zeke Miller and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Trump Won’t Confirm If He Took A COVID-19 Test For His 1st Debate With Biden

President Donald Trump refused during a town hall Thursday to say when he last received a negative coronavirus test result before his positive diagnosis — despite being pressed repeatedly to clarify this point .
Asked by NBC moderator Savannah Guthrie whether he was tested for COVID-19 on the day of the first presidential debate , Sept. 29 , Trump said he “ probably ” did , though he wouldn ’ t commit to a response .
Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , based on an “ honor system , ” were supposed to have tested negative for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cleveland debate site in time to be tested there .
Fox News ’ Chris Wallace , the debate moderator , later said Trump arrived too late to get an on-site test .
Trump announced that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 two days after the debate .
He subsequently spent three nights at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda , Maryland .
The White House has been similarly evasive about the date of Trump ’ s last negative test prior to his positive result .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ director , told reporters last week that “ the doctors would like to keep ” that information “ private.
” As USA Today noted , Brian Morgenstern , the deputy communications director , sidestepped questions on the topic six times during an interview on MSNBC .
White House physician Sean Conley said Monday that Trump had tested negative for the virus on “ consecutive days ” and was “ not infectious to others.
” Other medical experts , however , have questioned the methods Conley used to determine Trump ’ s lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump refused during a town hall Thursday to say when he last received a negative coronavirus test result before his positive diagnosis — despite being pressed repeatedly to clarify this point.
Asked by NBC moderator Savannah Guthrie whether he was tested for COVID-19 on the day of the first presidential debate, Sept. 29, Trump said he “probably” did, though he wouldn’t commit to a response.
Advertisement
“Possibly I did; possibly I didn’t,” he said.
Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, based on an “honor system,” were supposed to have tested negative for the virus if they did not arrive at the Cleveland debate site in time to be tested there. Fox News’ Chris Wallace, the debate moderator, later said Trump arrived too late to get an on-site test.
Trump announced that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 two days after the debate. He subsequently spent three nights at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
The White House has been similarly evasive about the date of Trump’s last negative test prior to his positive result.
Advertisement
Alyssa Farah, the White House communications director, told reporters last week that “the doctors would like to keep” that information “private.”
As USA Today noted, Brian Morgenstern, the deputy communications director, sidestepped questions on the topic six times during an interview on MSNBC.
White House physician Sean Conley said Monday that Trump had tested negative for the virus on “consecutive days” and was “not infectious to others.” Other medical experts, however, have questioned the methods Conley used to determine Trump’s lack of infectiousness.
Trump has since returned to conducting in-person campaign events before large crowds.
We want to know what you’re hearing on the ground from the candidates. If you get any interesting ― or suspicious! ― campaign mailers, robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about, email us at scoops@huffpost.com.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler Touts Endorsement From Candidate Who Embraced QAnon

“ Instead of trafficking in division and proudly standing alongside those that spout dangerous rhetoric like Marjorie Taylor Greene , @ @ @ @ @ being a voice for all Georgians , ” Warnock told HuffPost .
We want to @ @ @ @ @ hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting — or @ @ @ @ @ , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us @ @ @ @ @

“Instead of trafficking in division and proudly standing alongside those that spout dangerous rhetoric like Marjorie Taylor Greene, we’re focused on being a voice for all Georgians,” Warnock told HuffPost.
We want to know what you’re hearing on the ground from the candidates. If you get any interesting — or suspicious! — campaign mailers, robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about, email us at scoops@huffpost.com.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Trump To Hold Wisconsin Rally 3 Days After State Opens COVID-19 Field Hospital

Wisconsin recorded its worst day yet of the pandemic on Thursday , with 3,747 new cases , 17 more deaths and a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients .
It has had more than 1,500 deaths from the virus this year .
The state opened a field hospital on Wednesday — a grim sight on the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in the suburbs of Milwaukee — that resembles a wartime medical unit .
Trump and his reelection campaign are expected to hold a rally on Saturday at a regional airport in Janesville , Wisconsin , only an hour ’ s drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be given temperature checks , masks and access to hand sanitizer , according to the campaign .
However , Trump ’ s campaign events have thus far explicitly broken the social distancing guidelines issued by his own administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The president previously canceled a campaign stop in Janesville after he and more than two dozen members of his staff and administration tested positive for COVID-19 in early October .
Trump has only further downplayed the severity of the virus since becoming sick himself .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnosis in Florida , where thousands of supporters stood side by side , many without masks .
The president has been telling his supporters he feels more “ powerful ” since recovering from the virus .
“ I ’ ll walk in there , I ’ ll kiss everyone in that audience , ” Trump said , purporting immunity .
“ I ’ ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women .
Just give you a big fat kiss.
” The country is far from fine , and Wisconsin is a prime example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the start of September than in the preceding eight months .
For weeks , Wisconsin officials have been warning the state could face a shortage of hospital beds and staff , particularly in the central and northeast areas , as cases continue to increase .
Opening the field hospital was seen as a last resort .
That happened this week , with beds ready for 50 patients who need limited care but are not healthy enough to be sent home .
The facility will be able to treat up to 530 patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his coronavirus diagnosis a “ blessing ” and told Americans not to fear the virus that has already killed more than 200,000 Americans and is on track to kill close to 300,000 by the end of the year .
The Republican-controlled state legislature won a lawsuit earlier this year striking down Evers ’ stay-at-home order , when the state had significantly fewer cases than it does now .
The governor is facing a legal fight over his statewide mask mandate .
Meanwhile , Sen. Ron Johnson ( R-Wis. ) , who tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus that has already killed more than 1,500 Wisconsinites “ is not a death sentence.
” This week , a state court upheld the mandate , but the conservative group Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty has vowed to appeal the decision .
State Republicans have the power to strike down the order legislatively but have yet to do so .
“ We know that that is asking for trouble when you do that , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , said of Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN this week .
“ We ’ ve seen that when you have situations of congregate settings where there are a lot of people without masks , the data speak for themselves .
It happens .
And now is even more so a worse time to do that , because when you look at what ’ s going on in the United States , it ’ s really very troublesome.
” We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump is holding a rally in Wisconsin just three days after the state opened an emergency field hospital to respond to surging numbers of COVID-19 cases.
Wisconsin recorded its worst day yet of the pandemic on Thursday, with 3,747 new cases, 17 more deaths and a record number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. It has had more than 1,500 deaths from the virus this year. The state opened a field hospital on Wednesday — a grim sight on the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in the suburbs of Milwaukee — that resembles a wartime medical unit.
Advertisement
Trump and his reelection campaign are expected to hold a rally on Saturday at a regional airport in Janesville, Wisconsin, only an hour’s drive away. Attendees at the rally will be given temperature checks, masks and access to hand sanitizer, according to the campaign. However, Trump’s campaign events have thus far explicitly broken the social distancing guidelines issued by his own administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The president previously canceled a campaign stop in Janesville after he and more than two dozen members of his staff and administration tested positive for COVID-19 in early October. Trump has only further downplayed the severity of the virus since becoming sick himself. The president held his first rally since his diagnosis in Florida, where thousands of supporters stood side by side, many without masks.
President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up as he walks to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland for a trip to Greenville, North Carolina, to attend a campaign rally on Oct. 15. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The president has been telling his supporters he feels more “powerful” since recovering from the virus. “I’ll walk in there, I’ll kiss everyone in that audience,” Trump said, purporting immunity. “I’ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women. Just give you a big fat kiss.”
Advertisement
On Thursday, Trump went on Fox Business and praised Republican governors who have allowed businesses to reopen and skirted mask mandates, despite rising case numbers nationwide.
“We’re not doing any more lockdowns and we’re doing fine,” Trump said.
The country is far from fine, and Wisconsin is a prime example. The state has seen more cases since the start of September than in the preceding eight months.
For weeks, Wisconsin officials have been warning the state could face a shortage of hospital beds and staff, particularly in the central and northeast areas, as cases continue to increase. Opening the field hospital was seen as a last resort. That happened this week, with beds ready for 50 patients who need limited care but are not healthy enough to be sent home. The facility will be able to treat up to 530 patients when at full capacity.
“On Wednesday, state data showed a record high of 1,017 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, with 246 of them in intensive care units.”
On Wednesday, state data showed a record high of 1,017 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, with 246 of them in intensive care units. Wisconsin broke another unfortunate record that day with its highest average of cases: 2,727 a day over the last seven days.
Advertisement
The state had 1,874 hospital beds immediately available as of Wednesday. It has 2,337 ventilators, 449 of which were currently being used that day.
Trump called his coronavirus diagnosis a “blessing” and told Americans not to fear the virus that has already killed more than 200,000 Americans and is on track to kill close to 300,000 by the end of the year.
Wisconsin Republicans have been following Trump’s lead throughout the pandemic, downplaying the virus’s risk and denying Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ calls to implement stricter lockdown orders.
The Republican-controlled state legislature won a lawsuit earlier this year striking down Evers’ stay-at-home order, when the state had significantly fewer cases than it does now. The governor is facing a legal fight over his statewide mask mandate. Meanwhile, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who tested positive for COVID-19 in early October, said the virus that has already killed more than 1,500 Wisconsinites “is not a death sentence.”
This week, a state court upheld the mandate, but the conservative group Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty has vowed to appeal the decision. State Republicans have the power to strike down the order legislatively but have yet to do so.
Advertisement
Large public events have been known to spread the virus, but that hasn’t stopped Trump from holding campaign rallies.
“We know that that is asking for trouble when you do that,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said of Trump’s rallies in an interview with CNN this week. “We’ve seen that when you have situations of congregate settings where there are a lot of people without masks, the data speak for themselves. It happens. And now is even more so a worse time to do that, because when you look at what’s going on in the United States, it’s really very troublesome.”
Trump clearly doesn’t think so.
We want to know what you’re hearing on the ground from the candidates. If you get any interesting ― or suspicious! ― campaign mailers, robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about, email us at scoops@huffpost.com.