thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-03--Ex-spy Valerie Plame loses Democratic primary bid for New Mexico House seat

She was one of seven candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for New Mexico 's 3rd Congressional District , a safe Democratic seat .
The current occupant in the House , Democratic Rep. Ben Ray Lujan , is running for Senate rather than seeking reelection .
With about 70 % of precincts counted , Plame received 23 % of the vote , while her chief Democratic primary rival , Teresa Leger Fernandez , won 43 % .
The ex-spy leaned on her CIA credentials and the `` Plame affair '' in her campaign launch , with one campaign ad showing her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` You name a hot spot , I lived it .
Then , Dick Cheney 's chief of staff took revenge against my husband and leaked my identity , '' she said in the ad .
`` You 've probably heard my name . ''
Plame became famous after conservative columnist Robert Novak revealed her covert identity in a 2003 column .
Plame maintains that the leak of her name was “ payback ” from the Bush administration for her then-husband , former Ambassador Joseph Wilson , writing an op-ed about the Bush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq War .
Commonly called the “ Plame affair , ” the scandal rocked President George W. Bush 's White House and resulted in the 2007 conviction of Lewis “ Scooter ” Libby , former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney , for perjury and obstruction of justice in connection to the leak of Plame ’ s identity .
It emerged that then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage was the primary source for Novak ’ s story , but he was never charged .
President Trump pardoned Libby in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , though , was largely defined and haunted by anti-Semitic tweets that she posted in 2017 .
Plame shared anti-Semitic articles from the Unz Review , including one entitled `` America 's Jews Are Driving America 's Wars . ''
After initially defending herself , Plame apologized and resigned from the board of a grant-making fund focused on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons .
An attack ad from a `` dark money '' 501 ( c ) 4 nonprofit group , the that ran in the weeks before the primary centered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from white supremacists .
“ Disgraced , racist millionaire Valarie Plame : Is she running for Congress to represent New Mexicans or white supremacists ?
” the ad said , and showed a photo of Plame edited to make her pupils the shape of Nazi swastikas .
Fernandez , a lawyer and political newcomer who leaned on her deep roots in the state , received endorsements from high-profile Democrats such as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , and New Mexico Rep. Debra Haaland .
A poll sponsored by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fernandez with a 9-point lead over Plame and suggested that the ex-spy struggled to gain support from Hispanic and Native American voters .


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-04--MAGA proponents fear Jared Kushner not letting Trump be Trump

Jared Kushner has emerged as a top target of criticism from members of the “ MAGA ” base , who blame President Trump ’ s son-in-law and senior adviser for what they see as the administration ’ s failure to live up to the populist vision of the 2016 campaign .
These activist Trump supporters worry that Kushner ’ s advice so dilutes the president ’ s message on immigration , foreign policy , crime , and controlling the riots that have broken out since George Floyd ’ s death that it could endanger his reelection in November .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not build your resume , ” said an activist close to the White House , who requested anonymity to speak candidly .
“ But you can ’ t criticize the boy king.
” Tensions that have simmered beneath the service for much of Trump ’ s presidency burst into the open when Fox News host Tucker Carlson excoriated Kushner in a monologue on his prime-time show , saying the 39-year-old husband of Ivanka Trump was among the advisers who failed to appreciate “ the gravity of the moment.
” '' 'No matter what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Our voters are n't going anywhere .
The trailer parks are rock-solid .
What choice do they have ?
They 've got to vote for us , ' '' Carlson said .
`` Jared Kushner , for one , has made that point out loud .
No one has more contempt for Donald Trump 's voters than Jared Kushner does , and no one expresses it more frequently.
” Carlson blamed Kushner for some of the discrepancies between candidate Trump ’ s campaign rhetoric and his record as president .
“ In 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and order ’ candidate because he meant it , and his views remain fundamentally unchanged today , ” he said .
“ But the president ’ s famously sharp instincts , the ones that won him the presidency almost four years ago , have been since subverted at every level by Jared Kushner.
” Kushner played a role in the Trump administration ’ s criminal justice reform push , which led to the president signing the First Step Act .
The campaign frequently contrasts this record with that of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime bill , which critics say promoted the mass incarceration of minorities , and hopes to make inroads with black men in November .
“ In stark contrast to Biden , President Trump has an inclusive agenda that puts every American first , ” said Steve Guest , the Republican National Committee ’ s rapid response director , in a statement on Wednesday .
But Carlson has been critical of this approach .
“ At times , [ Trump ] seems aware that he ’ s being led in the wrong direction and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And that ’ s correct , Kushner is , but he ’ s convinced the president that throwing open the prisons is the key to winning African American votes in the fall , and that those votes are essential to his reelection.
” Immigration hawks were dismayed when Trump added the issue to Kushner ’ s portfolio , alongside Middle East peace .
The Kushner plan does pursue their objective of shifting from family-based to employment-based immigration but does not seek to reduce overall numbers , like a similar piece of legislation by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and David Perdue of Georgia that Trump .
Kushner is said to view immigration restrictionists warily , though he is close to Stephen Miller , one of the president ’ s top advisers on the issue .
When Trump took office , he didn ’ t have deep connections in Washington or with the Republican Party ’ s governing class .
The party establishment had mostly opposed him during the primaries and remained cool toward him until his surprise November victory .
Trump staffed his administration with a combination of populists in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some conventional Republican ideology in favor of a more nationalist version of conservatism was key to their victory , and GOP regulars with experience on the Hill or George W. Bush ’ s administration .
Ivanka Trump and Kushner were added as people personally loyal to the president .
But unlike Donald Trump Jr. , Kushner and his wife were originally not even Republicans , much less conservatives .
Populists called them and allies such as former National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn the “ New York Democrats.
” “ Ivanka was there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said a Republican strategist who requested anonymity to speak about them .
“ Jared has become a player.
” “ Trump won his presidency by appealing to socially conservative and economically moderate voters that cast their ballot for Obama or hadn ’ t voted in years , ” said Ryan Girdusky , co-author with Trump campaign advisory board member Harlan Hill of They ’ re Not Listening : How the Elites Created the Nationalist Populist Revolution .
“ Kushner despises those kinds of voters .
Kushner has filled the administration with people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn.
” When politicians disappoint their true believers , advisers often get the blame .
Jeff Weaver played this role for Bernie Sanders , Michael Deaver for Ronald Reagan , Bay Buchanan for Pat Buchanan , Jesse Benton for Ron Paul — and Kushner for Trump .
`` If Trump loses his reelection , ” Girdusky said , “ it [ will be ] because he relied too much on Jared Kushner .
”

Jared Kushner has emerged as a top target of criticism for members of the “MAGA” base who blame President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser for what they see as the administration’s failure to live up to the populist vision of the 2016 campaign.
These activist Trump supporters worry that Kushner’s advice so dilutes the president’s message on immigration, foreign policy, crime, and controlling the riots that have broken out since George Floyd’s death that it could endanger his reelection in November.
“It’s build the wall, not build your resume,” said an activist close to the White House, who requested anonymity to speak candidly. “But you can’t criticize the boy king.”
Tensions that have simmered beneath the surface for much of Trump’s presidency burst into the open when Fox News host Tucker Carlson excoriated Kushner in a monologue on his prime-time show, saying the 39-year-old husband of Ivanka Trump was among the advisers who failed to appreciate “the gravity of the moment.”
"'No matter what,' they'll tell you: 'Our voters aren't going anywhere. The trailer parks are rock-solid. What choice do they have? They've got to vote for us,'" Carlson said. "Jared Kushner, for one, has made that point out loud. No one has more contempt for Donald Trump's voters than Jared Kushner does, and no one expresses it more frequently.”
Carlson blamed Kushner for some of the discrepancies between candidate Trump’s campaign rhetoric and his record as president. “In 2016, Trump ran as a ‘law and order’ candidate because he meant it, and his views remain fundamentally unchanged today,” he said. “But the president’s famously sharp instincts, the ones that won him the presidency almost four years ago, have been since subverted at every level by Jared Kushner.”
Kushner played a role in the Trump administration’s criminal justice reform push, which led to the president signing the First Step Act. The campaign frequently contrasts this record with that of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s support for the 1994 crime bill, which critics say promoted the mass incarceration of minorities, and hopes to make inroads with black men in November.
“In stark contrast to Biden, President Trump has an inclusive agenda that puts every American first,” said Steve Guest, the Republican National Committee’s rapid response director, in a statement on Wednesday.
But Carlson has been critical of this approach. “At times, [Trump] seems aware that he’s being led in the wrong direction and often derides Kushner as a liberal. And that’s correct, Kushner is, but he’s convinced the president that throwing open the prisons is the key to winning African American votes in the fall, and that those votes are essential to his reelection.”
Immigration hawks were dismayed when Trump added the issue to Kushner’s portfolio, alongside Middle East peace. The Kushner plan does pursue their objective of shifting from family-based to employment-based immigration but does not seek to reduce overall numbers, like a similar piece of legislation by Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia that Trump once endorsed . Kushner is said to view immigration restrictionists warily, though he is close to Stephen Miller, one of the president’s top advisers on the issue.
When Trump took office, he didn’t have deep connections in Washington or with the Republican Party’s governing class. The party establishment had mostly opposed him during the primaries and remained cool toward him until his surprise November victory. Trump staffed his administration with a combination of populists in the Steve Bannon mold, who thought discarding some conventional Republican ideology in favor of a more nationalist version of conservatism was key to their victory, and GOP regulars with experience on the Hill or George W. Bush’s administration. Ivanka Trump and Kushner were added as people personally loyal to the president.
But unlike Donald Trump Jr., Kushner and his wife were originally not even Republicans, much less conservatives. Populists called them and allies such as former National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn the “New York Democrats.”
“Ivanka was there to protect the family brand,” said a Republican strategist who requested anonymity to speak about them. “Jared has become a player.”
“Trump won his presidency by appealing to socially conservative and economically moderate voters that cast their ballot for Obama or hadn’t voted in years,” said Ryan Girdusky, co-author with Trump campaign advisory board member Harlan Hill of They’re Not Listening: How the Elites Created the Nationalist Populist Revolution. “Kushner despises those kinds of voters. Kushner has filled the administration with people who undercut Trump and his voters at every turn.”
When politicians disappoint their true believers, advisers often get the blame. Jeff Weaver played this role for Bernie Sanders, Michael Deaver for Ronald Reagan, Bay Buchanan for Pat Buchanan, Jesse Benton for Ron Paul — and Kushner for Trump.
"If Trump loses his reelection,” Girdusky said, “it [will be] because he relied too much on Jared Kushner.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-04--Biden plans clean energy ‘stimulus’ to address ‘environmental injustices’ for people of color

Joe Biden tied policies to address climate change to those that address `` systemic racism '' and promised to create a stimulus of clean energy jobs .
In a virtual fundraiser on Thursday afternoon hosted by Climate Leaders for Biden , the former vice president and Democratic presidential candidate said addressing climate change is urgent “ not just to stop the earth from warming , but to address the environmental injustices that have left so many low-income people and people of color more vulnerable to the coronavirus , to asthma and other respiratory problems , the effects of pollution , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His comments aligned with the view of many on the Left that low-income people and minorities disproportionately feel the effects of climate change .
The fundraiser came amid nationwide unrest and protests over police brutality and racism sparked by last week 's death of George Floyd , a black man in Minneapolis who died after a white officer held a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes .
Biden also touched on mass unemployment due to coronavirus pandemic lockdowns , saying that “ creating millions , over 10 million good-paying jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ an enormous opportunity to rebuild the backbone of this country.
” Addressing `` a stimulus to create clean energy jobs that will spur the economic recovery , '' Biden said that , `` I think that we ’ re on our way , and we can be on our way to a significant economic recovery , not just to build back but to build back better .
Building back what we had before this crisis is not enough.
” “ Invest in jobs and the technology of the future , '' Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is at the very top of the list . ''
He mentioned that he oversaw stimulus grants as vice president in 2009 during the Great Recession .
The Obama administration later faced criticism for giving stimulus money to now-failed solar company Solyndra .
`` I ’ m confident we can do good and have economic growth while we do it , ” Biden said .

Joe Biden tied policies to address climate change to those that address "systemic racism" and promised to create a stimulus of clean energy jobs.
In a virtual fundraiser on Thursday afternoon hosted by Climate Leaders for Biden, the former vice president and Democratic presidential candidate said addressing climate change is urgent “not just to stop the earth from warming, but to address the environmental injustices that have left so many low-income people and people of color more vulnerable to the coronavirus, to asthma and other respiratory problems, the effects of pollution," according to a pool report.
His comments aligned with the view of many on the Left that low-income people and minorities disproportionately feel the effects of climate change.
The fundraiser came amid nationwide unrest and protests over police brutality and racism sparked by last week's death of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis who died after a white officer held a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes.
Biden also touched on mass unemployment due to coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, saying that “creating millions, over 10 million good-paying jobs” while investing in clean energy is “an enormous opportunity to rebuild the backbone of this country.”
Addressing "a stimulus to create clean energy jobs that will spur the economic recovery," Biden said that, "I think that we’re on our way, and we can be on our way to a significant economic recovery, not just to build back but to build back better. Building back what we had before this crisis is not enough.”
“Invest in jobs and the technology of the future," Biden said. "The clean energy infrastructure is at the very top of the list."
He mentioned that he oversaw stimulus grants as vice president in 2009 during the Great Recession. The Obama administration later faced criticism for giving stimulus money to now-failed solar company Solyndra.
"I’m confident we can do good and have economic growth while we do it,” Biden said.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-04--Republicans far more likely to say black people have equal opportunity: Poll

A new poll reveals deep partisan divisions over opportunity available to African Americans as civil unrest roils cities in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd , a black man killed at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer .
In the CBS News survey , 68 % of Republicans said that white people and black people “ have about an equal chance of getting ahead ” in the United States .
Only 15 % of Democrats agreed .
Independents were roughly split , with 46 % agreeing that people of both racial backgrounds have an equal opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scales are tilted toward white people .
Meanwhile , an overwhelming majority of Democrats , 81 % , believe white people have a better chance than African Americans to get ahead in the U.S. Nearly a quarter of Republicans , 21 % , agree , but 7 % of Republicans said that they believe American society gives more opportunity to black people .
Overall , 52 % said white people have more opportunity than black people to improve their station , with 42 % saying both races have an equal chance to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , released Wednesday , was conducted May 29–June 2 .
It had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points .
Protests over Floyd ’ s death , some of which have turned violent and led to looting and destruction of property , have been underway since last week .
The CBS News poll also found a partisan disparity in opinion of race relations .
Among Republicans , 57 % believe race relations in the U.S. are “ generally good , ” while 38 % believe they are “ generally bad.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations are bad , with only 13 % believing they are good .
A majority of independents , 58 % , also believe race relations are bad , with 38 % of this cohort saying relations between people of different races are good .

A new poll reveals deep partisan divisions over opportunity available to African Americans as civil unrest roils cities in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, a black man killed at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer.
In the CBS News survey, 68% of Republicans said that white people and black people “have about an equal chance of getting ahead” in the United States. Only 15% of Democrats agreed. Independents were roughly split, with 46% agreeing that people of both racial backgrounds have an equal opportunity to advance and 49% saying the scales are tilted toward white people.
Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of Democrats, 81%, believe white people have a better chance than African Americans to get ahead in the U.S. Nearly a quarter of Republicans, 21%, agree, but 7% of Republicans said that they believe American society gives more opportunity to black people.
Overall, 52% said white people have more opportunity than black people to improve their station, with 42% saying both races have an equal chance to get ahead.
The poll of American adults, released Wednesday, was conducted May 29–June 2. It had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. Protests over Floyd’s death, some of which have turned violent and led to looting and destruction of property, have been underway since last week.
The CBS News poll also found a partisan disparity in opinion of race relations.
Among Republicans, 57% believe race relations in the U.S. are “generally good,” while 38% believe they are “generally bad.” But among Democrats, 83% believe race relations are bad, with only 13% believing they are good. A majority of independents, 58%, also believe race relations are bad, with 38% of this cohort saying relations between people of different races are good.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-04--Trump and Biden campaigns targeted by suspected Chinese and Iranian hackers

The campaigns of President Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden have been targeted by Iranian and Chinese hackers , according to Google .
An Iranian group , known as APT 35 , attacked Trump campaign staff through phishing attacks , according to Shane Huntley , director for Google ’ s Threat Analysis Group .
He said a China-based group , known as APT 31 , similarly attacked the Biden campaign .
There has been no sign that either campaign was compromised , Huntley stressed .
Both campaigns have been alerted to the hacking attempts .
Federal authorities were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our Threat Analysis Group recently saw phishing attempts from a Chinese group targeting the personal email accounts of Biden campaign staff and an Iranian group targeting the personal email accounts of Trump campaign staff .
We didn ’ t see evidence that these attempts were successful , '' a Google spokesperson told the Washington Examiner .
Biden 's campaign said it has been preparing for cyberattacks from foreign actors .
“ We are aware of reports from Google that a foreign actor has made unsuccessful attempts to access the personal email accounts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning of our campaign that we would be subject to such attacks , and we are prepared for them .
Biden for President takes cybersecurity seriously .
We will remain vigilant against these threats and will ensure that the campaign 's assets are secured , ” Biden ’ s campaign said in a statement to the Washington Examiner .
A Trump campaign official told the Washington Examiner that the campaign has been `` briefed that foreign actors unsuccessfully attempted to breach the technology of our staff . ''
`` We are vigilant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our precautions , '' the official added .
Iranian hackers have previously targeted Trump ’ s reelection campaign .
Microsoft warned of the cyberattacks last year , around the same time the Trump administration announced additional sanctions against Iran .
Microsoft did not disclose which campaign had been targeted , but news reports said it was Trump ’ s campaign .

The campaigns of President Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden have been targeted by Iranian and Chinese hackers, according to Google.
An Iranian group, known as APT 35, attacked Trump campaign staff through phishing attacks, according to Shane Huntley, director for Google’s Threat Analysis Group. He said a China-based group, known as APT 31, similarly attacked the Biden campaign.
There has been no sign that either campaign was compromised, Huntley stressed. Both campaigns have been alerted to the hacking attempts. Federal authorities were also notified.
"We can confirm that our Threat Analysis Group recently saw phishing attempts from a Chinese group targeting the personal email accounts of Biden campaign staff and an Iranian group targeting the personal email accounts of Trump campaign staff. We didn’t see evidence that these attempts were successful," a Google spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.
Biden's campaign said it has been preparing for cyberattacks from foreign actors.
“We are aware of reports from Google that a foreign actor has made unsuccessful attempts to access the personal email accounts of campaign staff. We have known from the beginning of our campaign that we would be subject to such attacks, and we are prepared for them. Biden for President takes cybersecurity seriously. We will remain vigilant against these threats and will ensure that the campaign's assets are secured,” Biden’s campaign said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
A Trump campaign official told the Washington Examiner that the campaign has been "briefed that foreign actors unsuccessfully attempted to breach the technology of our staff."
"We are vigilant about cybersecurity and do not discuss any of our precautions," the official added.
Iranian hackers have previously targeted Trump’s reelection campaign. Microsoft warned of the cyberattacks last year, around the same time the Trump administration announced additional sanctions against Iran. Microsoft did not disclose which campaign had been targeted, but news reports said it was Trump’s campaign.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-04--Joe Biden’s long, complicated civil rights history

In the midst of nationwide unrest and international demonstrations about race relations and police use of force sparked by the death of a black man , George Floyd , in Minneapolis , Joe Biden recalled the start of his career being shaped by similar racial tensions .
Martin Luther King , Jr. was assassinated in 1968 during Biden ’ s last year of law school at Syracuse University , sparking riots in Wilmington , Delaware .
“ Our city was in flames , ” Biden said while recalling the period in remarks to a predominantly black church in Wilmington on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Charles Terry , kept the National Guard activated in the state for nine months , even after riots had stopped .
That environment , Biden said , prompted him to quit his job at a private law firm and become a public defender .
“ I had a job with a good law firm , ” Biden said .
“ And after about five months , watching people on the National Guard — I quit [ and ] became a public defender.
” The mention of being a public defender is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president points to his civil rights bona fides on the campaign trail .
And with the current unrest across the United States , he is in a prime position to take the role of being a listener , a healer , and a civil rights leader as a large amount of outrage goes toward President Trump .
“ I came out of the civil rights movement , ” Biden said in February and frequently on the campaign trail .
But as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee says that he hopes to end `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hate , and the “ soul ” of the nation , policies he supported during his near-half-century in public life continue to haunt him .
Trump ’ s campaign published a on Tuesday calling Biden a “ race baiter who seeks to sow division.
” The Philadelphia Tribune on Tuesday whether the policies he pushed for negatively affected black people .
“ There ’ s no evidence of that , ” Biden said .
From one perspective , it is a strange position for Biden to be in .
After all , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president to the first black president , Barack Obama .
Support for Biden among black voters in South Carolina delivered him a decisive win in the state ’ s February primary race , cementing his path to the nomination after badly losing the Iowa and New Hampshire contests .
The 77-year-old kicked off his presidential bid slamming Trump for his “ very fine people on both sides ” reaction to the 2017 “ Unite the Right ” rally in Charlottesville , Virginia , that drew white supremacists .
One of the first experiences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the only white lifeguard at a pool in a black neighborhood in Wilmington in the summer of 1962 , when Biden was 19 .
“ Most of the people I got to know there had literally never talked to a white person , ” Biden wrote in his 2007 book , Promises to Keep .
The pool is now .
He got involved in the Democratic Party , Biden wrote in his memoir , through a boss who in 1969 had him join the Democratic Forum , a group trying to reshape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At times , Biden has exaggerated at best and falsified at worst claims about his civil rights activism .
He has often said that he in civil rights demonstrations , but aides would remind him that he did not personally participate .
Earlier this year , he claimed that he was in the 1970s while trying to see Nelson Mandela , but his campaign later clarified that he was just separated from them at the airport .
Two claims have been corroborated : In 1961 , Biden was part of a group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused to serve a black classmate , and in 1962 , he picketed outside a segregated movie theater .
Biden now points to his in 1969 as a major point in his civil rights record ( exact dates are unknown , but he appears to have held the job at least six months ) , but he gave a different reason for taking the job in his memoir than what he said at the church on Monday .
Biden said that he was sitting in a courtroom feeling sympathetic toward a defendant .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the basement of a three-story building and applied for work in the public defender ’ s office , ” he wrote .
But it is what happened when Biden got to the Senate that comes under scrutiny from activists working against racism today .
Though Biden had a 100 % rating from the NAACP from 2005 to 2006 , the policies he pushed , the friends he made , and some of his statements do not fit in with the goals of most of those marching and organizing in the wake of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1970s , Biden worked with segregationist senators to oppose federally mandated integration busing , And he was such as Jesse Helms , James O. Eastland , and Herman Talmadge .
`` All these men became my friends , ” Biden said in his 2008 farewell address to the Senate .
He called South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond one of his “ closest friends.
” Biden helped lead the charge for a landmark 1994 crime bill , the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act , which created `` three strikes '' mandatory life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding by about $ 10 billion , among other provisions .
He warned of `` predators on our streets '' who were `` beyond the pale '' while speaking in support of the bill .
Some activists argue it contributed to mass incarceration , .
He points out that the Violence Against Women Act and the federal assault weapons ban was part of the legislation .
Last year , he said that the sentencing disparity for crack and powder cocaine in the bill was wrong and said he opposed the “ three strikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentence after two violent felonies .
, such as calling Obama `` articulate and bright and clean , ” telling a largely black audience that Republican 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney would “ put you all back in chains , '' and saying that he can ’ t go into a 7-Eleven without hearing “ a slight Indian accent , '' don ’ t help .
Not only are those stumbles and positions lines of attack for the Trump campaign now , but they have also haunted him through the Democratic presidential primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jersey Sen. Cory Booker called Biden an “ ” after Biden released his criminal justice reform plan .
Most memorably , California Sen. Kamala Harris during the first Democratic presidential primary debate for opposing federally mandated integration busing and working with segregationists in the 1970s .
“ It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country , '' said Harris , who is now up for consideration to be Biden ’ s running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl in California who was bused to school every day .
And that little girl was me . ''
Biden often grows visibly agitated when challenged on his civil rights record .
In a May radio interview days before Floyd ’ s death that ended with Biden suggesting that black people having trouble deciding whether to vote for him or Trump “ , ” the when host Charlamagne tha God questioned Biden on the 1994 crime bill .
“ Other things increased mass incarceration , '' Biden said .
When Charlamagne tha God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her husband President Bill Clinton ’ s role in pushing the bill , Biden said , `` She was wrong.
” He added : “ That was n't the crime bill .
It was the drug legislation .
It was their institution of mandatory minimums , which I opposed.
” Biden now claims to be a leader in the quest to end racism .
But the question for Biden is whether he can lead that movement amid questions about his record and his reluctance to atone for it or whether voters driven to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the resulting protests loathe Trump enough that the messy portions of Biden ’ s background will not discourage them from voting for him .

In the midst of nationwide unrest and international demonstrations about race relations and police use of force sparked by the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Joe Biden recalled the start of his career being shaped by similar racial tensions.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968 during Biden’s last year of law school at Syracuse University, sparking riots in Wilmington, Delaware.
“Our city was in flames,” Biden said while recalling the period in remarks to a predominantly black church in Wilmington on Monday.
The governor at the time, Charles Terry, kept the National Guard activated in the state for nine months, even after riots had stopped. That environment, Biden said, prompted him to quit his job at a private law firm and become a public defender. “I had a job with a good law firm,” Biden said. “And after about five months, watching people on the National Guard — I quit [and] became a public defender.”
The mention of being a public defender is one of the ways that the former vice president points to his civil rights bona fides on the campaign trail. And with the current unrest across the United States, he is in a prime position to take the role of being a listener, a healer, and a civil rights leader as a large amount of outrage goes toward President Trump.
“I came out of the civil rights movement,” Biden said in February and frequently on the campaign trail.
But as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee says that he hopes to end "systemic racism" and focus on character, hate, and the “soul” of the nation, policies he supported during his near-half-century in public life continue to haunt him.
Trump’s campaign published a blog post on Tuesday calling Biden a “race baiter who seeks to sow division.” The Philadelphia Tribune on Tuesday asked whether the policies he pushed for negatively affected black people. “There’s no evidence of that,” Biden said.
From one perspective, it is a strange position for Biden to be in.
After all, for eight years, he was vice president to the first black president, Barack Obama. Support for Biden among black voters in South Carolina delivered him a decisive win in the state’s February primary race, cementing his path to the nomination after badly losing the Iowa and New Hampshire contests. The 77-year-old kicked off his presidential bid slamming Trump for his “very fine people on both sides” reaction to the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that drew white supremacists.
One of the first experiences that shaped his views was a job as the only white lifeguard at a pool in a black neighborhood in Wilmington in the summer of 1962, when Biden was 19.
“Most of the people I got to know there had literally never talked to a white person,” Biden wrote in his 2007 book, Promises to Keep. The pool is now named after Biden .
He got involved in the Democratic Party, Biden wrote in his memoir, through a boss who in 1969 had him join the Democratic Forum, a group trying to reshape the party to reflect civil rights policies.
At times, Biden has exaggerated at best and falsified at worst claims about his civil rights activism.
He has often said that he marched in civil rights demonstrations, but aides would remind him that he did not personally participate. Earlier this year, he claimed that he was arrested in South Africa in the 1970s while trying to see Nelson Mandela, but his campaign later clarified that he was just separated from them at the airport.
Two claims have been corroborated: In 1961, Biden was part of a group that walked out of a restaurant that refused to serve a black classmate, and in 1962, he picketed outside a segregated movie theater.
Biden now points to his brief time as a public defender in 1969 as a major point in his civil rights record (exact dates are unknown, but he appears to have held the job at least six months), but he gave a different reason for taking the job in his memoir than what he said at the church on Monday. Biden said that he was sitting in a courtroom feeling sympathetic toward a defendant. “I walked across Rodney Square and into the basement of a three-story building and applied for work in the public defender’s office,” he wrote.
But it is what happened when Biden got to the Senate that comes under scrutiny from activists working against racism today. Though Biden had a 100% rating from the NAACP from 2005 to 2006, the policies he pushed, the friends he made, and some of his statements do not fit in with the goals of most of those marching and organizing in the wake of Floyd’s death.
In the 1970s, Biden worked with segregationist senators to oppose federally mandated integration busing, calling it a matter of “black pride.”
And he was friendly with segregationist senators such as Jesse Helms, James O. Eastland, and Herman Talmadge. "All these men became my friends,” Biden said in his 2008 farewell address to the Senate. He called South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond one of his “closest friends.”
Biden helped lead the charge for a landmark 1994 crime bill, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which created "three strikes" mandatory life sentences for repeat offenders and increased prison funding by about $10 billion, among other provisions. He warned of "predators on our streets" who were "beyond the pale" while speaking in support of the bill.
Some activists argue it contributed to mass incarceration, which Biden denies . He points out that the Violence Against Women Act and the federal assault weapons ban was part of the legislation. Last year, he said that the sentencing disparity for crack and powder cocaine in the bill was wrong and said he opposed the “three strikes” provision that created a mandatory life sentence after two violent felonies.
Biden’s history of racial blunders , such as calling Obama "articulate and bright and clean,” telling a largely black audience that Republican 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney would “put you all back in chains," and saying that he can’t go into a 7-Eleven without hearing “a slight Indian accent," don’t help.
Not only are those stumbles and positions lines of attack for the Trump campaign now, but they have also haunted him through the Democratic presidential primary.
Last summer, ex-presidential hopeful New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker called Biden an “ architect of mass incarceration ” after Biden released his criminal justice reform plan.
Most memorably, California Sen. Kamala Harris put Biden on blast during the first Democratic presidential primary debate for opposing federally mandated integration busing and working with segregationists in the 1970s.
“It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country," said Harris, who is now up for consideration to be Biden’s running mate. "There was a little girl in California who was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me."
Biden often grows visibly agitated when challenged on his civil rights record.
In a May radio interview days before Floyd’s death that ended with Biden suggesting that black people having trouble deciding whether to vote for him or Trump “ ain’t black ,” the candidate grew visibly agitated when host Charlamagne tha God questioned Biden on the 1994 crime bill.
“Other things increased mass incarceration," Biden said. When Charlamagne tha God brought up that Hillary Clinton apologized for her husband President Bill Clinton’s role in pushing the bill, Biden said, "She was wrong.” He added: “That wasn't the crime bill. It was the drug legislation. It was their institution of mandatory minimums, which I opposed.”
Biden now claims to be a leader in the quest to end racism. But the question for Biden is whether he can lead that movement amid questions about his record and his reluctance to atone for it or whether voters driven to action by Floyd’s death and the resulting protests loathe Trump enough that the messy portions of Biden’s background will not discourage them from voting for him.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-05--Tom Cotton evolves from neocon hero to MAGA icon

President Trump may be the political figure who has attracted the most controversy for his reaction to the sometimes violent protests that have broken out since George Floyd died in police custody , but Sen. Tom Cotton is a close second .
The Arkansas Republican has been the highest-profile public defender of Trump ’ s proposal to use the military to suppress rioting in cities where state and local authorities can ’ t or won ’ t do so themselves .
Cotton ’ s New York Times calling for invoking the Insurrection Act against the “ orgy of violence ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newspaper ’ s staff into open revolt .
“ These rioters , if not subdued , not only will destroy the livelihoods of law-abiding citizens but will also take more innocent lives .
Many poor communities that from past upheavals will be set back still further , ” Cotton wrote .
“ One thing above all else will restore order to our streets : an overwhelming show of force to disperse , detain and ultimately deter lawbreakers.
” Many New York Times staffers took to Twitter to argue that the paper ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees .
The NewsGuild of New York , a union to which many area reporters belong , Cotton ’ s piece “ undermines the journalistic work of our members , puts our Black staff members in danger , promotes hate , and is likely to encourage further violence .
Invariably , invoking state violence disproportionately hurts Black and brown people .
It also jeopardizes our journalists ability to work in the field safely and effectively.
” The editorial page editor the decision , though the publication later backtracked .
Cotton ’ s emergence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not always to be expected .
The Harvard-educated Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan arrived in Washington in his 30s as the great hope of many neoconservatives , some of whom have since gone Never Trump , at a time when libertarian forces in the Republican Party were ascendant .
His letter challenging President Barack Obama ’ s nuclear deal with Iran and pointing out that it was not a ratified treaty , signed by all Republican senators , helped launch his national profile .
One prominent neocon who later turned Never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rand Paul ’ s presidential ambitions : “ I think Christie-Cotton is much more likely in 2016 than Paul-Amash.
” Now , Cotton is talked about as someone who might grab the top spot of the Republican ticket in 2024 , running as a higher-brow Trump imitator .
“ I think he would make a fantastic presidential candidate , ” said a source familiar with the senator ’ s thinking , “ but he would be very open to serving in the Trump administration in a second term if the president is reelected.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently focused on his Arkansas constituents .
Cotton is up for reelection this year but did not draw a Democratic challenger .
Cotton , 43 , served only a single term in the House before knocking off Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor in the 2014 midterm elections .
He wasn ’ t initially considered a Trump enthusiast , mentioning the future president by name only once in his 2016 Republican convention speech .
But in 2017 , he introduced legislation that would reduce legal immigration levels overall and shift admissions criteria away from family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill .
Cotton replaced Jeff Sessions as the leading immigration restrictionist in the Senate when the latter became Trump ’ s first attorney general .
Since then , Cotton has led the charge on cracking down on China in response to the coronavirus .
He has been a strong Trump supporter .
He and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley are widely seen as the top GOP populists in Congress .
“ I have worked for the senator and have a lot of respect for his opinions due to his background as a U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his simple upbringing in rural Arkansas , ” said Little Rock-based Republican strategist Noelle Nikpour .
“ He was originally brought onto the scene and was a product of the Club For Growth .
He has the backbone to stand out but does so in a well-thought-out way .
I feel he will definitely have a place on the national scene either in a military leadership role/appointment or if he decided to seek a national office.
” Polling suggests that Cotton ’ s position on a military role in quelling the riots is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times newsroom .
Morning Consult shows the idea with 58 % support .
“ Americans want order , ” the source close to Cotton said .
“ They want peace .
They don ’ t want anarchy.
” The Cotton ally likened it to the 101st Airborne helping to desegregate Little Rock public schools but noted , “ No one wants the American military attacking our citizens.
” But Cotton did not flinch from Trumpian tough talk , writing , “ Nihilist criminals are simply out for loot and the thrill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radicals like infiltrating protest marches to exploit Floyd ’ s death for their own anarchic purposes .
”

President Trump may be the political figure who has attracted the most controversy for his reaction to the sometimes violent protests that have broken out since George Floyd died in police custody, but Sen. Tom Cotton is a close second.
The Arkansas Republican has been the highest-profile public defender of Trump’s proposal to use the military to suppress rioting in cities where state and local authorities can’t or won’t do so themselves. Cotton’s New York Times op-ed calling for invoking the Insurrection Act against the “orgy of violence” seen in multiple major cities sent the newspaper’s staff into open revolt.
“These rioters, if not subdued, not only will destroy the livelihoods of law-abiding citizens but will also take more innocent lives. Many poor communities that still bear scars from past upheavals will be set back still further,” Cotton wrote. “One thing above all else will restore order to our streets: an overwhelming show of force to disperse, detain and ultimately deter lawbreakers.”
Many New York Times staffers took to Twitter to argue that the paper’s publication of the op-ed endangered its black employees. The NewsGuild of New York, a union to which many area reporters belong, argued Cotton’s piece “undermines the journalistic work of our members, puts our Black staff members in danger, promotes hate, and is likely to encourage further violence. Invariably, invoking state violence disproportionately hurts Black and brown people. It also jeopardizes our journalists' ability to work in the field safely and effectively.” The editorial page editor defended the decision, though the publication later backtracked.
Cotton’s emergence as a populist ally of the president was not always to be expected. The Harvard-educated Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan arrived in Washington in his 30s as the great hope of many neoconservatives, some of whom have since gone Never Trump, at a time when libertarian forces in the Republican Party were ascendant. His letter challenging President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran and pointing out that it was not a ratified treaty, signed by all Republican senators, helped launch his national profile. One prominent neocon who later turned Never Trumper cited Cotton as a possible foil to Rand Paul’s presidential ambitions: “I think Christie-Cotton is much more likely in 2016 than Paul-Amash.”
Now, Cotton is talked about as someone who might grab the top spot of the Republican ticket in 2024, running as a higher-brow Trump imitator. “I think he would make a fantastic presidential candidate,” said a source familiar with the senator’s thinking, “but he would be very open to serving in the Trump administration in a second term if the president is reelected.” The source emphasized that Cotton is currently focused on his Arkansas constituents. Cotton is up for reelection this year but did not draw a Democratic challenger.
Cotton, 43, served only a single term in the House before knocking off Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor in the 2014 midterm elections. He wasn’t initially considered a Trump enthusiast, mentioning the future president by name only once in his 2016 Republican convention speech. But in 2017, he introduced legislation that would reduce legal immigration levels overall and shift admissions criteria away from family reunification toward job skills. Trump backed the bill. Cotton replaced Jeff Sessions as the leading immigration restrictionist in the Senate when the latter became Trump’s first attorney general.
Since then, Cotton has led the charge on cracking down on China in response to the coronavirus. He has been a strong Trump supporter. He and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley are widely seen as the top GOP populists in Congress.
“I have worked for the senator and have a lot of respect for his opinions due to his background as a U.S. Army Ranger, Harvard education, and his simple upbringing in rural Arkansas,” said Little Rock-based Republican strategist Noelle Nikpour. “He was originally brought on to the scene and was a product of the Club For Growth. He has the backbone to stand out but does so in a well-thought-out way. I feel he will definitely have a place on the national scene either in a military leadership role/appointment or if he decided to seek a national office.”
Polling suggests that Cotton’s position on a military role in quelling the riots is not unpopular with voters as it is in the New York Times newsroom. Morning Consult shows the idea with 58% support. “Americans want order,” the source close to Cotton said. “They want peace. They don’t want anarchy.” The Cotton ally likened it to the 101st Airborne helping to desegregate Little Rock public schools but noted, “No one wants the American military attacking our citizens.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-05--Democrats in political jam with surprising jobs uptick

Democrats were ready to pounce on the Friday ’ s Labor Department report on the May job numbers .
Thursday afternoon , the Democratic National Committee announced a 9 a.m. Friday press call to respond to what were expected to be disastrous new figures .
Late that evening , the campaign for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced that he would give a speech on Friday about the economic crisis and the report .
Economists and newspapers agreed : The report would show massive job losses and unemployment close to or exceeding 20 % .
But at 8:30 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May and the unemployment rate fell to 13.3 % .
The expected cudgel for bashing President Trump failed to materialize .
The disparity between expectations and reality about the jobs numbers could be the beginning of a larger problem for Democrats : A strong , swift recovery before the presidential election could hurt the party 's core arguments and electoral chances .
DNC chair Tom Perez downplayed the report .
“ What we have in this report is a flicker of good news , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are nearly 20 million fewer jobs than in February .
“ We 've gone from a Category 5 hurricane to a Category 4.9 hurricane.
” Biden in his remarks initially ignored the report , starting by condemning Trump ’ s Friday press conference mention of George Floyd , the black Minneapolis man whose death after being held under a white police officer ’ s knee sparked nationwide protests and violence .
When Biden recognized the positive employment figures , he criticized Trump for celebrating too early .
“ I ’ m truly glad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their jobs back , ” Biden said .
“ I was disturbed , however , to see the president crowing this morning , basically hanging a ‘ mission accomplished ’ banner out there.
” Biden noted that not every group saw an uptick .
The black unemployment rate increased by 0.1 % .
But he fumbled , incorrectly saying that Hispanic unemployment also increased — a line that was not present in the prepared remarks later distributed to the press .
The Hispanic unemployment dropped from 18.9 % to 17.6 % .
Jason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama , warned Democrats in early April that economic data could give Trump good reason to brag about economic statistics just before November .
“ We are about to see the best economic data we ’ ve seen in the history of this country , ” Furman said during the April digital presentation , referring then to the months just before Election Day .
He declined to make political predictions on the impact of Friday ’ s job numbers .
“ Two things are true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May relative to April , and the economy was terrible in May , ” Furman told the Washington Examiner in an email on Friday .
“ The right question for voters to ask is , 'Who would do a better job going forward ' ?
” Austan Goolsbee , an economics professor at the University of Chicago and former economic adviser to Obama , disputed a suggestion that Republican states beginning reopenings explained the favorable numbers .
“ The shutdown orders had a very small , incremental effect on the unemployment rate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DNC press call .
`` The shutdowns of the economy began many days before those shutdown orders were in place.
” Meanwhile , Republicans are taking a victory lap and mocking Democrats for preparing to highlight a doom-and-gloom jobs report .
“ This is not the jobs report Joe Biden wanted to wake up to this morning , ” quipped Steve Guest , rapid response director at the Republican National Committee .
The former vice president was not the only liberal who fumbled analysis of the report .
Economist and New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Trump directed the Bureau of Labor Statistics to skew the figures in his favor .
“ This being the Trump era , you ca n't completely discount the possibility that they 've gotten to the BLS , ” Krugman said in a tweet .
He later apologized , explaining that he was trying to cover every possible reason for the surprising figures in his wider analysis .

Democrats were ready to pounce on the Friday’s Labor Department report on the May job numbers.
Thursday afternoon, the Democratic National Committee announced a 9 a.m. Friday press call to respond to what were expected to be disastrous new figures. Late that evening, the campaign for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced that he would give a speech on Friday about the economic crisis and the report.
Economists and newspapers agreed: The report would show massive job losses and unemployment close to or exceeding 20%. But at 8:30 a.m. Friday, the Department of Labor revealed that the economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May and the unemployment rate fell to 13.3%.
The expected cudgel for bashing President Trump failed to materialize.
The disparity between expectations and reality about the jobs numbers could be the beginning of a larger problem for Democrats: A strong, swift recovery before the presidential election could hurt the party's core arguments and electoral chances.
DNC chair Tom Perez downplayed the report. “What we have in this report is a flicker of good news,” he said, pointing out that there are nearly 20 million fewer jobs than in February. “We've gone from a Category 5 hurricane to a Category 4.9 hurricane.”
Biden in his remarks initially ignored the report, starting by condemning Trump’s Friday press conference mention of George Floyd, the black Minneapolis man whose death after being held under a white police officer’s knee sparked nationwide protests and violence.
When Biden recognized the positive employment figures, he criticized Trump for celebrating too early.
“I’m truly glad to see that two-and-a-half million Americans got their jobs back,” Biden said. “I was disturbed, however, to see the president crowing this morning, basically hanging a ‘mission accomplished’ banner out there.”
Biden noted that not every group saw an uptick. The black unemployment rate increased by 0.1%. But he fumbled, incorrectly saying that Hispanic unemployment also increased — a line that was not present in the prepared remarks later distributed to the press. The Hispanic unemployment dropped from 18.9% to 17.6%.
Jason Furman, former chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, warned Democrats in early April that economic data could give Trump good reason to brag about economic statistics just before November.
“We are about to see the best economic data we’ve seen in the history of this country,” Furman said during the April digital presentation, referring then to the months just before Election Day.
He declined to make political predictions on the impact of Friday’s job numbers.
“Two things are true: the economy improved a lot in May relative to April, and the economy was terrible in May,” Furman told the Washington Examiner in an email on Friday. “The right question for voters to ask is, 'Who would do a better job going forward'?”
Austan Goolsbee, an economics professor at the University of Chicago and former economic adviser to Obama, disputed a suggestion that Republican states beginning reopenings explained the favorable numbers.
“The shutdown orders had a very small, incremental effect on the unemployment rate for the economies," he said on the DNC press call. "The shutdowns of the economy began many days before those shutdown orders were in place.”
Meanwhile, Republicans are taking a victory lap and mocking Democrats for preparing to highlight a doom-and-gloom jobs report.
“This is not the jobs report Joe Biden wanted to wake up to this morning,” quipped Steve Guest, rapid response director at the Republican National Committee.
The DNC was fully prepared this morning to run a victory lap if the unemployment rate was at 19.1% which was expected.
But this morning 2.5 million jobs were added and the unemployment rate dropped by 1.4%.
I'm sorry economic recovery under @realDonaldTrump has ruined your day. https://t.co/6uQTe4wJmQ — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) June 5, 2020
The former vice president was not the only liberal who fumbled analysis of the report.
Economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman floated the idea that Trump directed the Bureau of Labor Statistics to skew the figures in his favor.
“This being the Trump era, you can't completely discount the possibility that they've gotten to the BLS,” Krugman said in a tweet. He later apologized, explaining that he was trying to cover every possible reason for the surprising figures in his wider analysis.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-05--Voters approve of Trump's handling of protests and back using National Guard: Poll

Voters gave President Trump higher marks than urban mayors for his management of civil unrest and approved of the deployment of National Guard troops to quell riots that have occurred alongside peaceful protests , according to a new poll .
The survey from Remington Research Group , a Republican pollster , revealed 52 % of likely voters approve of Trump 's handling of `` the protests and riots across the country '' that erupted in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd , a black man who died in police custody .
Forty-eight percent said the mayors are doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters , 46 % , said the protests are justified .
But 71 % said they support the use of National Guard troops to subdue rioting and looting that has hit cities such as Los Angeles , New York City , and Washington , with 26 % opposing .
The use of troops has been a source of controversy , with some Democratic mayors and liberal activists accusing Trump of turning urban centers into a police state .
The poll surveyed 1,322 likely voters on Wednesday and Thursday and had a margin of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional findings included : • By a margin of 50 % to 39 % , voters trust Republicans more than Democrats to address the recent protests and rioting .
• By a margin of 80 % to 17 % , voters find police officers trustworthy .
• Opinion over who is to blame for the violence is mixed , with 13 % blaming the police , 24 % blaming the protesters , 31 % blaming antifa , 24 % blaming some other group or individual , and 8 % saying they were unsure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from most recent public polls that have found voters dissatisfied with Trump on the issue of civil unrest as it relates to Floyd 's death .

Voters gave President Trump higher marks than urban mayors for his management of civil unrest and approved of the deployment of National Guard troops to quell riots that have occurred alongside peaceful protests, according to a new poll.
The survey from Remington Research Group, a Republican pollster, revealed 52% of likely voters approve of Trump's handling of "the protests and riots across the country" that erupted in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody. Forty-eight percent said the mayors are doing a better job.
A plurality of voters, 46%, said the protests are justified. But 71% said they support the use of National Guard troops to subdue rioting and looting that has hit cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, with 26% opposing. The use of troops has been a source of controversy, with some Democratic mayors and liberal activists accusing Trump of turning urban centers into a police state.
The poll surveyed 1,322 likely voters on Wednesday and Thursday and had a margin of error of 2.7 percentage points. The additional findings included:
By a margin of 50% to 39%, voters trust Republicans more than Democrats to address the recent protests and rioting.
By a margin of 80% to 17%, voters find police officers trustworthy.
Opinion over who is to blame for the violence is mixed, with 13% blaming the police, 24% blaming the protesters, 31% blaming antifa, 24% blaming some other group or individual, and 8% saying they were unsure who is responsible.
The poll differed from most recent public polls that have found voters dissatisfied with Trump on the issue of civil unrest as it relates to Floyd's death.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-05--CNN 'Poll of Polls' finds Biden lead over Trump is growing

A review of nationwide polling found former Vice President Joe Biden has a growing lead over President Trump heading into @ @ @ @ @ published what it called a `` Poll of Polls '' analysis on Friday , which @ @ @ @ @ national telephone polls measuring the likelihood that registered voters will select a candidate in November @ @ @ @ @ that Biden holds a 9-point advantage over Trump in terms of voter support , 51 @ @ @ @ @ The aggregation , which factored in ABC/Washington Post , CNN , Fox News , Quinnipiac @ @ @ @ @ found a slight uptick in support for Biden compared to an April analysis that showed @ @ @ @ @ % to 43 % .
Only the ABC/Washington Post and Monmouth polls were performed after @ @ @ @ @ , a black man who died while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department @ @ @ @ @ no margin of sampling error for its `` Poll of Polls . ''

A review of nationwide polling found former Vice President Joe Biden has a growing lead over President Trump heading into the general election.
CNN published what it called a "Poll of Polls" analysis on Friday, which aggregates the five most recent national telephone polls measuring the likelihood that registered voters will select a candidate in November. The combined sources show that Biden holds a 9-point advantage over Trump in terms of voter support, 51% to 42%.
The aggregation, which factored in ABC/Washington Post, CNN, Fox News, Quinnipiac, and Monmouth polls, found a slight uptick in support for Biden compared to an April analysis that showed him ahead of Trump 48% to 43%.
Only the ABC/Washington Post and Monmouth polls were performed after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department.
CNN said there is no margin of sampling error for its "Poll of Polls."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-05--Mark Cuban's pollster predicts strong independent run but not enough to justify a campaign

Mark Cuban revealed Thursday he would not be running for president during the 2020 cycle .
The billionaire Shark Tank investor told former Obama adviser David Axelrod on his podcast , The Axe Files , that he hired a pollster to assess his prospects and the findings were n't promising .
`` In a three-way between me , [ Joe ] Biden , and [ President ] Trump , I dominated the independent vote — I got like 77 % percent of it and was able to take some votes away from Donald and some votes away from Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aggregate , I was only able to get up to 25 % .
From every which way , crosstab , you name it , I had it analyzed and scrutinized every which way , projected , and they could only see me getting up to 25 % .
That ’ s why I didn ’ t pursue it further . ''
In late April , Cuban told Yahoo Finance that `` behind the scenes , '' he was `` keeping the doors open '' to a potential run .
In September of last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fox News that he had decided not to run due to his family 's opposition .
He told Cavuto , `` If you can change their mind , I ’ m all in . ''
Cuban aired the possibility of a run in 2016 and told TNT 's Steam Room last month , `` 2024 is never out of the question . ''

Mark Cuban revealed Thursday he would not be running for president during the 2020 cycle.
The billionaire Shark Tank investor told former Obama adviser David Axelrod on his podcast, The Axe Files, that he hired a pollster to assess his prospects and the findings weren't promising.
"In a three-way between me, [Joe] Biden, and [President] Trump, I dominated the independent vote — I got like 77% percent of it and was able to take some votes away from Donald and some votes away from Biden," Cuban said. "But in aggregate, I was only able to get up to 25%. From every which way, crosstab, you name it, I had it analyzed and scrutinized every which way, projected, and they could only see me getting up to 25%. That’s why I didn’t pursue it further."
In late April, Cuban told Yahoo Finance that "behind the scenes," he was "keeping the doors open" to a potential run. In September of last year, Cuban told Neil Cavuto on Fox News that he had decided not to run due to his family's opposition. He told Cavuto, "If you can change their mind, I’m all in."
Cuban aired the possibility of a run in 2016 and told TNT's Steam Room last month, "2024 is never out of the question."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-05--‘Not a triumph’ and ‘not joyous’: Democrats downplay May job gains and ignore impact of reopening

The Democratic National Committee downplayed surprising May job gains and brushed off the notion that easing coronavirus lockdowns in Republican-controlled states contributed to the uptick .
“ What we have in this report is a flicker of good news , ” DNC Chairman Tom Perez said during a Friday press call .
“ We 've gone from a Category 5 hurricane to a Category 4.9 hurricane.
” Perez compared the job losses over the last three months , 19.6 million , to the worst three-month stretch of job losses under the Obama administration , 2.3 million , in the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Perez said , is “ continuing to compete with Herbert Hoover to have the worst record of job loss in at least the last hundred years in the United States , ” blaming the “ preventable ” losses on Trump failing to act to contain the coronavirus pandemic earlier .
The Labor Department said Friday that the economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May and that the unemployment rate fell to 13.3 % .
Due to lockdowns , the economy lost 1.4 million jobs in March and 20.7 million jobs in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They 're not joyous , ” Austan Goolsbee , a professor of economics at the University of Chicago and the former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama , said of the job numbers .
“ We can not say that we are succeeding until we have at least gotten ourselves back to where we were before the crisis , ” Goolsbee added .
States mainly governed by Republican leaders began allowing businesses to reopen toward the end of April .
States governed by mostly Democrats have had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the epicenter of New York state 's and the country 's COVID-19 crisis , will begin its phase one reopening on Monday .
Perez and Goolsbee , however , suggested that the difference between when states began their reopenings did not explain the current unemployment rate .
“ The shutdown orders had a very small , incremental effect on the unemployment rate for the economies , '' Goolsbee told the Washington Examiner .
`` The shutdowns of the economy began many days before those shutdown orders were in place , and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders , you 're only seeing a modest comeback of economic activity , far smaller than what the drop was .
The main driver of economic decline is fear and is people pulling themselves out of the economy because we did not manage the spread of the virus . ''
“ Minneapolis and St. Paul , they had diametrically different responses to the Spanish flu pandemic .
Minneapolis shut down .
They were very cautious , '' Perez said .
`` When you fix the public health , you fix the economy faster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live .
They did not do that .
And the researchers studied which economy fared better , and the answer decisively was Minneapolis . ''

The Democratic National Committee downplayed surprising May job gains and brushed off the notion that easing coronavirus lockdowns in Republican-controlled states contributed to the uptick.
“What we have in this report is a flicker of good news,” DNC Chairman Tom Perez said during a Friday press call. “We've gone from a Category 5 hurricane to a Category 4.9 hurricane.”
Perez compared the job losses over the last three months, 19.6 million, to the worst three-month stretch of job losses under the Obama administration, 2.3 million, in the middle of the Great Recession.
President Trump, Perez said, is “continuing to compete with Herbert Hoover to have the worst record of job loss in at least the last hundred years in the United States,” blaming the “preventable” losses on Trump failing to act to contain the coronavirus pandemic earlier.
The Labor Department said Friday that the economy gained 2.5 million jobs in May and that the unemployment rate fell to 13.3%. Due to lockdowns, the economy lost 1.4 million jobs in March and 20.7 million jobs in April.
“They're not a triumph. They're not joyous,” Austan Goolsbee, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago and the former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, said of the job numbers.
“We cannot say that we are succeeding until we have at least gotten ourselves back to where we were before the crisis,” Goolsbee added.
States mainly governed by Republican leaders began allowing businesses to reopen toward the end of April. States governed by mostly Democrats have had slower reopening phases. New York City, the epicenter of New York state's and the country's COVID-19 crisis, will begin its phase one reopening on Monday.
Perez and Goolsbee, however, suggested that the difference between when states began their reopenings did not explain the current unemployment rate.
“The shutdown orders had a very small, incremental effect on the unemployment rate for the economies," Goolsbee told the Washington Examiner. "The shutdowns of the economy began many days before those shutdown orders were in place, and in places where they're doing the shutdown orders, you're only seeing a modest comeback of economic activity, far smaller than what the drop was. The main driver of economic decline is fear and is people pulling themselves out of the economy because we did not manage the spread of the virus."
Perez mentioned a study of the 1918 flu pandemic.
“Minneapolis and St. Paul, they had diametrically different responses to the Spanish flu pandemic. Minneapolis shut down. They were very cautious," Perez said. "When you fix the public health, you fix the economy faster. St. Paul said live and let live. They did not do that. And the researchers studied which economy fared better, and the answer decisively was Minneapolis."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-05--RNC field staff to begin knocking on doors for Trump after three-month coronavirus hiatus

The Republican National Committee is resuming in-person voter turnout activities for President Trump as states reopen their economies and fears of the coronavirus recede .
The RNC pulled people from the field in early March and shifted its massive get-out-the-vote operation to a virtual footing that relied on text messaging , phone calls , and livestreams to reach voters and to train volunteers .
Beginning next week , the party is redeploying back into the field to knock on doors and to perform other in-person political activities to promote Trump ’ s reelection , with plans to honor local distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump Victory field teams will resume in-person volunteer activities and campaigning where legally allowed , ” RNC spokeswoman Mandi Merritt said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner on Friday .
“ Just as Trump Victory was able to transition to virtual campaigning in less than 24 hours , our teams across the country will seamlessly adapt again just as efficiently.
” The move comes as Trump prepares to resume normal politicking , including in-person fundraising and possibly campaign rallies .
The president recently ordered the RNC to pull the party ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , North Carolina , and to find a new host because Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper would not guarantee the GOP that it could hold a traditional gathering unencumbered by social distancing .
Many states are in various phases of reopening their economies after coronavirus business closures that lasted more than two months .
Although lingering health risks remain , the rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths has been flattening or declining in many states .

The Republican National Committee is resuming in-person voter turnout activities for President Trump as states reopen their economies and fears of the coronavirus recede.
The RNC pulled people from the field in early March and shifted its massive get-out-the-vote operation to a virtual footing that relied on text messaging, phone calls, and livestreams to reach voters and to train volunteers. Beginning next week, the party is redeploying back into the field to knock on doors and to perform other in-person political activities to promote Trump’s reelection, with plans to honor local distancing protocols.
“Starting next week, Trump Victory field teams will resume in-person volunteer activities and campaigning where legally allowed,” RNC spokeswoman Mandi Merritt said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner on Friday. “Just as Trump Victory was able to transition to virtual campaigning in less than 24 hours, our teams across the country will seamlessly adapt again just as efficiently.”
The move comes as Trump prepares to resume normal politicking, including in-person fundraising and possibly campaign rallies. The president recently ordered the RNC to pull the party’s quadrennial nominating convention out of Charlotte, North Carolina, and to find a new host because Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper would not guarantee the GOP that it could hold a traditional gathering unencumbered by social distancing.
Many states are in various phases of reopening their economies after coronavirus business closures that lasted more than two months. Although lingering health risks remain, the rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths has been flattening or declining in many states.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-06--Shockingly bright jobs report lifts Trump strategy to woo black voters with economy

President Trump is stumping for black votes with a promise to deliver racial equality through economic prosperity , linking an unexpectedly bright jobs report Friday to George Floyd , a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes .
Trump said Friday that the 2.5 million jobs gained in May , vastly beating economists ’ predictions of job losses , marked a “ great day in terms of equality ” in America , adding that `` hopefully , George is looking down right now and saying : 'This is a great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country . '
'' The comments fit neatly with a 2020 message to woo black voters that relies on the economy .
“ We ’ re not going to traffic in racism , ” said Katrina Pierson , a Trump campaign senior adviser focused on outreach to black voters .
“ The message is going to remain the same.
” Prior to a coronavirus recession that cost 40 million people their jobs , Trump aimed to double his support with black voters over 2016 with a focus on a booming economy that led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To drive the message , the Trump campaign was on the verge of opening 15 urban field offices in high-traffic retail shopping districts typically frequented by black voters until the pandemic put businesses on lockdown .
The change in economic conditions — unemployment was 13.3 % in May despite strong jobs growth — has not caused the Trump campaign to reconsider ; neither has the anger over Floyd ’ s death nor the protests demanding racial equality roiling black communities , often directed toward Republicans .
Pierson said the Trump campaign would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month and send prominent black Trump supporters into communities to hold listening sessions .
“ We ’ re actually looking for some June openings , ” Pierson said .
“ We ’ re just waiting for the go-ahead from local governments .
I can ’ t tell you when because these centers are in Democrat-run communities.
” Described by the Trump campaign as sleek community centers , 15 were due to open before the pandemic , including in Miami , Charlotte , Atlanta , Detroit , Cleveland , Philadelphia , and Milwaukee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its initiative to grow support among black voters from 8 % , where it finished in 2016 , to anywhere from 15 % to 19 % , Democratic operatives warned their party not to assume the president would fall short .
Democrats are still cautioning that the party can not take black votes for granted .
But Democrats now appear to believe Floyd ’ s death and Trump ’ s handling of the resulting civil unrest have made attracting more black votes more difficult .
In response to the rioting that accompanied peaceful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments to activate National Guard troops , a move some Democrats have criticized as heavy-handed and insensitive to the anguish caused by “ systemic racism ” in American society .
Democrats , led by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden , are also quick to cite Trump ’ s management of the coronavirus outbreak as another obstacle in the president ’ s bid to increase his share of the black vote significantly .
Black people have suffered more COVID-19 infections per capita than other ethnic groups , according to statistics compiled by the Centers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Americans are sick and tired of this administration not taking their concerns seriously , ” said Jamal Brown , spokesman for the former vice president ’ s campaign .
“ Now , as our country faces hard truths about the ongoing effects of systemic racism and injustice in our society , Trump pours salt in our centuries-old wounds.
” Even as the president encourages local officials to “ dominate ” the streets and threatens to send in the military to restore order if they do not , he is touting his support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative critics argue will lead to more criminality .
But that has not stopped the Trump campaign from using the 1994 crime bill to undermine Biden ’ s relationship with black voters .
The legislation , co-authored by Biden when he was a Delaware senator , was supported by most of the public at the time because it addressed fear of urban lawlessness .
But it has since been blamed , by Democrats and Republicans , for unfairly targeting black people and leading to unjust incarceration .
The Trump campaign insists there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like critics say Biden did with the crime bill , and `` engaging '' criminality , the way Trump does by responding aggressively to subdue illegal activity .
`` The Left has always tried to use racism as a way to tank this administration , but President Trump 's record of accomplishment for the black community speaks for itself , '' said Herschel Walker , a former professional football player , during a Trump campaign livestream program with Donald Trump Jr. `` The Trump administration has done what they said they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will remember that when it 's time to vote in November . ''

President Trump is stumping for black votes with a promise to deliver racial equality through economic prosperity, linking an unexpectedly bright jobs report Friday to George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.
Trump said Friday that the 2.5 million jobs gained in May, vastly beating economists’ predictions of job losses, marked a “great day in terms of equality” in America, adding that "hopefully, George is looking down right now and saying: 'This is a great thing that’s happening for our country.'" The comments fit neatly with a 2020 message to woo black voters that relies on the economy.
“We’re not going to traffic in racism,” said Katrina Pierson, a Trump campaign senior adviser focused on outreach to black voters. “The message is going to remain the same.”
Prior to a coronavirus recession that cost 40 million people their jobs, Trump aimed to double his support with black voters over 2016 with a focus on a booming economy that led to record-low unemployment within the black community. To drive the message, the Trump campaign was on the verge of opening 15 urban field offices in high-traffic retail shopping districts typically frequented by black voters until the pandemic put businesses on lockdown.
The change in economic conditions — unemployment was 13.3% in May despite strong jobs growth — has not caused the Trump campaign to reconsider; neither has the anger over Floyd’s death nor the protests demanding racial equality roiling black communities, often directed toward Republicans. Pierson said the Trump campaign would begin opening field offices in black neighborhoods this month and send prominent black Trump supporters into communities to hold listening sessions.
“We’re actually looking for some June openings,” Pierson said. “We’re just waiting for the go-ahead from local governments. I can’t tell you when because these centers are in Democrat-run communities.” Described by the Trump campaign as sleek community centers, 15 were due to open before the pandemic, including in Miami, Charlotte, Atlanta, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee.
When the Trump campaign first unveiled its initiative to grow support among black voters from 8%, where it finished in 2016, to anywhere from 15% to 19%, Democratic operatives warned their party not to assume the president would fall short. Democrats are still cautioning that the party cannot take black votes for granted.
But Democrats now appear to believe Floyd’s death and Trump’s handling of the resulting civil unrest have made attracting more black votes more difficult. In response to the rioting that accompanied peaceful protests, Trump urged state and local governments to activate National Guard troops, a move some Democrats have criticized as heavy-handed and insensitive to the anguish caused by “systemic racism” in American society.
Democrats, led by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, are also quick to cite Trump’s management of the coronavirus outbreak as another obstacle in the president’s bid to increase his share of the black vote significantly. Black people have suffered more COVID-19 infections per capita than other ethnic groups, according to statistics compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Black Americans are sick and tired of this administration not taking their concerns seriously,” said Jamal Brown, spokesman for the former vice president’s campaign. “Now, as our country faces hard truths about the ongoing effects of systemic racism and injustice in our society, Trump pours salt in our centuries-old wounds.”
Even as the president encourages local officials to “dominate” the streets and threatens to send in the military to restore order if they do not, he is touting his support for criminal justice reform, which some conservative critics argue will lead to more criminality.
But that has not stopped the Trump campaign from using the 1994 crime bill to undermine Biden’s relationship with black voters. The legislation, co-authored by Biden when he was a Delaware senator, was supported by most of the public at the time because it addressed fear of urban lawlessness. But it has since been blamed, by Democrats and Republicans, for unfairly targeting black people and leading to unjust incarceration.
The Trump campaign insists there is a difference between "creating" criminals, like critics say Biden did with the crime bill, and "engaging" criminality, the way Trump does by responding aggressively to subdue illegal activity.
"The Left has always tried to use racism as a way to tank this administration, but President Trump's record of accomplishment for the black community speaks for itself," said Herschel Walker, a former professional football player, during a Trump campaign livestream program with Donald Trump Jr. "The Trump administration has done what they said they would do for the black community, and we will remember that when it's time to vote in November."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-06--'Defund the police' a new land mine for Biden as Democrats warm to the idea

The campaign of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is being forced to grapple with a new political landscape that includes creeping support within the party for defunding the police , a notion that is anathema to moderate swing-state voters Biden desperately needs .
The `` defund the police '' movement has its roots in the kind of political radicalism accompanying the Weatherman bombings of the 1970s .
But the idea is now seeing support among mainstream Democrats , including a senior adviser to 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton .
Many Democrats and left-wing activists have dropped calls for reforming law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to demand the police lose their funding altogether .
`` Defund the police , '' Brian Fallon , who also served as a spokesman for Attorney General Eric Holder , tweeted on Wednesday .
That sentiment was extended to sitting Democratic politicians , including members of the Minneapolis City Council , where some of the worst rioting and looting occurred .
Biden 's campaign remains worried supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are still suspicious of his candidacy .
Many of Sanders 's most vocal supporters , including the Democratic Socialists of America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police . ''
In particular , black voters under the age of 35 , have failed to unite behind Biden .
In many primaries , even in the South , those voters broke for Sanders .
On Thursday , the Vermont senator reiterated his call that all police departments found `` violating people 's civil rights ... be stripped of federal funding . ''
That position was in his 2020 presidential platform , but it gained new relevance in the wake of the riots sweeping American cities due to the death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who died in police custody .
Biden 's campaign platform calls for increased funding to the Department of Justice COPS program , which issues grants to police departments to hire officers focused on `` community policing . ''
The campaign did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner on whether it supports the `` defund the police '' movement .
Several high-profile Democrats who have pledged they will vote for Biden in November , such as Ilhan Omar , have supported disbanding the police in Minneapolis .
The Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts himself an ally , recently circulated a petition calling for a `` national defunding of police .
We demand investment in our communities and the resources to ensure Black people not only survive , but thrive . ''
Despite Biden 's silence on the issue , the Trump campaign is preparing to use the demands by the Democratic Party 's far-left base to discredit the former vice president 's leadership .
“ Joe Biden ’ s allies want to remove the necessary resources of the men and women who are called to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of communications Tim Murtaugh told the Washington Examiner .
`` Whether it be officials at the National Association of Police Organizations or the Fraternal Order of Police , it should come as no surprise that the thousands of brave men and women dressed in blue know that Joe Biden and his party are no ally of law and order.
” Public polling on the issue shows only a small minority supports cutting funding to law enforcement , with most voters preferring incremental reforms such as banning chokeholds or restrictions on lethal use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department .
And when we 're done , we 're not simply gon na glue it back together , '' tweeted Minneapolis Ward 5 representative Jeremiah Ellison .
`` We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response .
It 's really past due . ''
Ellison , who is the son of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison , received support from Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender .
Although not the first time she has called for the abolition of law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you are a comfortable white person asking to dismantle the police , I invite you to reflect : are you willing to stick with it ?
White ppl need to show up for this . ''
Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez introduced a motion on Wednesday to cut back funding for the Los Angeles Police Department , calling it `` just one small step , '' as part of a `` reset '' of the city government 's `` priorities . ''
The city 's mayor , Eric Garcetti , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was looking into cuts to the Los Angeles Police Department 's $ 150 million budget .
Garcetti also serves as a co-chair for Joe Biden 's presidential campaign .
One Democratic House member , Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib , has said she 's considering the merits of defunding the police , writing on Twitter , `` I just want us to dig deeper so that the # DefundPolice movement is n't brushed aside . ''

The campaign of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is being forced to grapple with a new political landscape that includes creeping support within the party for defunding the police, a notion that is anathema to the moderate swing-state voters Biden desperately needs.
The "defund the police" movement has its roots in the kind of political radicalism accompanying the Weatherman bombings of the 1970s. But the idea is now seeing support among mainstream Democrats, including a senior adviser to 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Many Democrats and left-wing activists have dropped calls for reforming law enforcement in the country and instead opted to demand the police lose their funding altogether.
"Defund the police," Brian Fallon, who also served as a spokesman for Attorney General Eric Holder, tweeted on Wednesday. That sentiment was extended to sitting Democratic politicians, including members of the Minneapolis City Council, where some of the worst rioting and looting occurred.
Biden's campaign remains worried supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are still suspicious of his candidacy. Many of Sanders's most vocal supporters, including the Democratic Socialists of America, have joined calls to "defund the police."
In particular, black voters under the age of 35, have failed to unite behind Biden. In many primaries, even in the South, those voters broke for Sanders.
On Thursday, the Vermont senator reiterated his call that all police departments found "violating people's civil rights ... be stripped of federal funding." That position was in his 2020 presidential platform, but it gained new relevance in the wake of the riots sweeping American cities due to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody.
Biden's campaign platform calls for increased funding to the Department of Justice COPS program, which issues grants to police departments to hire officers focused on "community policing." The campaign did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner on whether it supports the "defund the police" movement. Several high-profile Democrats who have pledged they will vote for Biden in November, such as Ilhan Omar, have supported disbanding the police in Minneapolis.
The Black Lives Matter movement, of which Biden counts himself an ally, recently circulated a petition calling for a "national defunding of police. We demand investment in our communities and the resources to ensure Black people not only survive, but thrive."
Despite Biden's silence on the issue, the Trump campaign is preparing to use the demands by the Democratic Party's far-left base to discredit the former vice president's leadership.
“Joe Biden’s allies want to remove the necessary resources of the men and women who are called to protect our communities," Trump campaign director of communications Tim Murtaugh told the Washington Examiner. "Whether it be officials at the National Association of Police Organizations or the Fraternal Order of Police, it should come as no surprise that the thousands of brave men and women dressed in blue know that Joe Biden and his party are no ally of law and order.”
Public polling on the issue shows only a small minority supports cutting funding to law enforcement, with most voters preferring incremental reforms such as banning chokeholds or restrictions on lethal use of force.
"We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department. And when we're done, we're not simply gonna glue it back together," tweeted Minneapolis Ward 5 representative Jeremiah Ellison. "We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response. It's really past due."
Ellison, who is the son of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, received support from Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender. Although not the first time she has called for the abolition of law enforcement, Bender wrote on Twitter, "If you are a comfortable white person asking to dismantle the police, I invite you to reflect: are you willing to stick with it? White ppl need to show up for this."
Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez introduced a motion on Wednesday to cut back funding for the Los Angeles Police Department, calling it "just one small step," as part of a "reset" of the city government's "priorities." The city's mayor, Eric Garcetti, tried calming riots on Wednesday by saying he was looking into cuts to the Los Angeles Police Department's $150 million budget. Garcetti also serves as a co-chairman for Joe Biden's presidential campaign.
One Democratic House member, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, has said she's considering the merits of defunding the police, writing on Twitter, "I just want us to dig deeper so that the #DefundPolice movement isn't brushed aside."