thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-21--Trump says Somali refugee Ilhan Omar wants to make US government 'like the country from where she ca

Trump says Somali refugee Ilhan Omar wants to make US government 'like the country from where she came'

President Trump accused Rep. Ilhan Omar , a U.S. citizen who was a childhood Somali refugee , of wanting to make the U.S. government like the country from where she fled .
Holding his first campaign rally in months , Trump on Saturday railed against Omar , a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota , and Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York during an aside in his stump speech .
“ Ilhan Omar is going to be very much involved in a Biden government .
They will put this hate-filled , America-bashing socialist front and center in deciding the fate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your country .
I don ’ t think so , ” Trump said .
“ She would like to make the government of our country just like the country from where she came .
Somalia . ''
“ No government , no safety , no police .
No nothing .
Just anarchy .
And now , she 's telling us how to run our country .
No , thank you , ” Trump said .
Trump ’ s comments met immediate backlash .
Some on social media pointed out that Omar ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago and that Omar has been a U.S. citizen for much of her life .

President Trump accused Rep. Ilhan Omar, a U.S. citizen who was a childhood Somali refugee, of wanting to make the U.S. government like the country from where she fled.
Holding his first campaign rally in months, Trump on Saturday railed against Omar, a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota, and Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York during an aside in his stump speech.
“Ilhan Omar is going to be very much involved in a Biden government. They will put this hate-filled, America-bashing socialist front and center in deciding the fate of your family and deciding the fate of your country. I don’t think so,” Trump said. “She would like to make the government of our country just like the country from where she came. Somalia."
“No government, no safety, no police. No nothing. Just anarchy. And now, she's telling us how to run our country. No, thank you,” Trump said.
Trump’s comments met immediate backlash. Some on social media pointed out that Omar’s father died from the coronavirus just days ago and that Omar has been a U.S. citizen for much of her life.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-21--'Better off if I fell and slid down the damn ramp': Trump recounts walk down ramp at West Point

Trump addressed media criticism he faced when he was filmed walking slowly and deliberately down a ramp after delivering a commencement speech at the U.S. Military Academy last week .
Some in politics and the media scrutinized Trump ’ s walk down the ramp .
During his first campaign rally in months on Saturday , Trump addressed the walk and said that it was very steep and slippery , comparing it to “ an ice-skating rink.
” “ I can ’ t fall with the fake news watching , ” Trump told the crowd .
He also compared his shoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ramp with him .
“ He ’ s got these shoes , but they ’ re loaded with rubber on the bottom .
Because I looked .
The first thing I did was I looked at his shoes .
Then , I looked at mine .
Very , very slippery , '' Trump said .
Trump said that although grabbing the general for balance would be “ not a good story , ” he said that “ falling would be a disaster . ''
“ It turned out to be worse than anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media coverage .
“ I would have been better off if I fell and slid down the damn ramp . ''
The president then pantomimed himself walking down the ramp with his back hunched as the crowd cheered him on .

Trump addressed media criticism he faced when he was filmed walking slowly and deliberately down a ramp after delivering a commencement speech at the U.S. Military Academy last week.
Some in politics and the media scrutinized Trump’s walk down the ramp. During his first campaign rally in months on Saturday, Trump addressed the walk and said that it was very steep and slippery, comparing it to “an ice-skating rink.”
“I can’t fall with the fake news watching,” Trump told the crowd. He also compared his shoes to the general who walked down the ramp with him.
“He’s got these shoes, but they’re loaded with rubber on the bottom. Because I looked. The first thing I did was I looked at his shoes. Then, I looked at mine. Very, very slippery," Trump said.
Trump said that although grabbing the general for balance would be “not a good story,” he said that “falling would be a disaster."
“It turned out to be worse than anything,” Trump said of the ensuing media coverage. “I would have been better off if I fell and slid down the damn ramp."
The president then pantomimed himself walking down the ramp with his back hunched as the crowd cheered him on.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-20--WATCH: Trump holds first campaign rally in months in Tulsa, Oklahoma

President Trump is holding his first campaign rally in months on Saturday in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
The event is @ @ @ @ @ of spreading the coronavirus remain .
The campaign will be providing masks , although there @ @ @ @ @ them and Trump has said he wants to leave that decision up to attendees .
@ @ @ @ @ tens of thousands of people in attendance .
Protesters are also expected to be at @ @ @ @ @ as protests continue across the country in the wake of George Floyd 's death .

President Trump is holding his first campaign rally in months on Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event is mired in controversy as fears of spreading the coronavirus remain. The campaign will be providing masks, although there is no requirement to wear them and Trump has said he wants to leave that decision up to attendees.
There are expected to be tens of thousands of people in attendance. Protesters are also expected to be at the event, which comes as protests continue across the country in the wake of George Floyd's death.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-21--Trump campaign: K-pop fans and TikTok didn't fool us in Tulsa

The Trump campaign refuted claims that K-pop fans and teenagers on TikTok tricked them with phony ticket sign-ups into believing a tremendous crowd would show up at the president 's first rally since the coronavirus shutdowns began .
“ Leftists and online trolls doing a victory lap , thinking they somehow impacted rally attendance , don ’ t know what they ’ re talking about or how our rallies work , '' Trump reelection campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement on Sunday .
`` Registering for a rally means you ’ ve RSVPed with a cell phone number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as we did with tens of thousands at the Tulsa rally , in calculating our possible attendee pool .
These phony ticket requests never factor into our thinking . ''
He added that admission for Trump rallies is always first-come , first-served , and prior registration is not required .
Trump 's rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , on Saturday evening had noticeably lower-than-expected turnout .
The president was scheduled to address a large overflow area outside , but that was canceled after the area failed to fill up .
A Tulsa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attendance was `` just shy of 6,200 '' guests .
The Bank of Oklahoma center can hold 19,199 at full capacity .
The president , his campaign , and the Republican National Committee had bragged in the days leading up to the rally that it had over 1 million ticket requests .
TikTok users and Korean pop music fans on social media quickly took credit for the lower-than-expected turnout .
They organized and shared the Trump website and told others to sign up for the rally in order to dupe the campaign into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but then leave the famously crowd-focused Trump with many empty seats .
Some users only left their posts up for 24 to 48 hours in hopes of preventing the Trump campaign from catching on .
Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , the New York Times , and CNN amplified the claims that the troll scheme tricked the campaign .
The Trump campaign , however , blamed the news media for scaring away those who would have otherwise attended because of its coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and anti-Trump protesters at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week ’ s worth of the fake news media warning people away from the rally because of COVID and protestors , coupled with recent images of American cities on fire , had a real impact on people bringing their families and children to the rally , '' Parscale said .
Earlier on Saturday before the Trump rally , the Trump campaign projected confidence that the ticket troll scheme would not affect actual attendance .
`` Leftists do this all the time .
They think if they sign up for tickets that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all .
Always way more ticket requests than seats available at a rally .
All they are doing is giving us access to their contact information , '' Erin Perrine , principal deputy communications director for the Trump campaign , told CNN .
Parscale noted in his statement on Sunday that the campaign regularly roots out fake phone numbers when determining expected rally size , but he did not specify whether the touting of 1 million ticket requests included the `` tens of thousands '' of fake sign-ups , or whether it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone numbers .
Pointing the finger at the news media for amplifying what it said are incorrect claims , the campaign floated the idea of blocking the press from attending future Trump rallies .
“ Reporters who wrote gleefully about TikTok and K-Pop fans — without contacting the campaign for comment - behaved unprofessionally and were willing dupes to the charade , '' Parscale said .
`` For the media to now celebrate the fear that they helped create is disgusting , but typical .
And it makes us wonder why we bother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t do their full jobs as professionals .
”

The Trump campaign rebutted claims that K-pop fans and teenagers on TikTok tricked them with phony ticket sign-ups into believing a tremendous crowd would show up at the president's first rally since the coronavirus shutdowns began.
“Leftists and online trolls doing a victory lap, thinking they somehow impacted rally attendance, don’t know what they’re talking about or how our rallies work," Trump reelection campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement on Sunday. "Registering for a rally means you’ve RSVPed with a cell phone number and we constantly weed out bogus numbers, as we did with tens of thousands at the Tulsa rally, in calculating our possible attendee pool. These phony ticket requests never factor into our thinking."
He added that admission for Trump rallies is always first-come, first-served, and prior registration is not required.
Trump's rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday evening had noticeably lower-than-expected turnout. The president was scheduled to address a large overflow area outside, but that was canceled after the area failed to fill up.
A Tulsa Fire Department official told ABC News that attendance was "just shy of 6,200" guests. The Bank of Oklahoma center can hold 19,199 at full capacity.
The president, his campaign, and the Republican National Committee had bragged in the days leading up to the rally that it had over 1 million ticket requests.
TikTok users and Korean pop music fans on social media quickly took credit for the lower-than-expected turnout. They organized and shared the Trump website and told others to sign up for the rally in order to dupe the campaign into thinking it would have a full crowd, but then leave the famously crowd-focused Trump with many empty seats. Some users only left their posts up for 24 to 48 hours in hopes of preventing the Trump campaign from catching on.
Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York Times, and CNN amplified the claims that the troll scheme tricked the campaign.
The Trump campaign, however, blamed the news media for scaring away those who would have otherwise attended because of its coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and anti-Trump protesters at the rally.
"The fact is that a week’s worth of the fake news media warning people away from the rally because of COVID and protestors, coupled with recent images of American cities on fire, had a real impact on people bringing their families and children to the rally," Parscale said.
Earlier on Saturday before the Trump rally, the Trump campaign projected confidence that the ticket troll scheme would not affect actual attendance.
"Leftists do this all the time. They think if they sign up for tickets that will leave empty seats. Not the case at all. Always way more ticket requests than seats available at a rally. All they are doing is giving us access to their contact information," Erin Perrine, principal deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, told CNN.
Parscale noted in his statement on Sunday that the campaign regularly roots out fake phone numbers when determining expected rally size, but he did not specify whether the touting of 1 million ticket requests included the "tens of thousands" of fake sign-ups, or whether it rooted out fake sign-ups who used real phone numbers.
Pointing the finger at the news media for amplifying what it said are incorrect claims, the campaign floated the idea of blocking the press from attending future Trump rallies.
“Reporters who wrote gleefully about TikTok and K-Pop fans — without contacting the campaign for comment - behaved unprofessionally and were willing dupes to the charade," Parscale said. "For the media to now celebrate the fear that they helped create is disgusting, but typical. And it makes us wonder why we bother credentialing media for events when they don’t do their full jobs as professionals.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-21--Fake news: No, TikTok didn't tank Trump's rally

Despite the campaign 's boasts that more than 1 million fans had requested tickets to President Trump 's Tulsa rally on Saturday , far fewer people than the 19,000-seat capacity actually materialized .
Realistically , not a single vote will be flipped in or against Trump 's favor because some reporters managed to snap a picture of an only moderately-filled arena with a snarky caption .
But it 's true that it 's a blow to the president 's ego , especially after a disastrous few months devoid of the sort of rallies and fan facing events Trump loves .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ slightly diminished popularity among the party was a minor factor in the turnout , but realistically , it was likely the fact that a factor out of his control , a global pandemic that 's already killed over 122,000 U.S. citizens , was compounded by the risk of holding a rally indoors , where coronavirus transmission occurs , and Trump 's terrible messaging on masks .
You could be Trump 's most emphatic supporter , but if an indoor rally with no social distancing , full of people refusing to wear masks is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's no wonder that turnout paled in comparison to his previous rallies .
One thing that absolutely did not influence Trump 's turnout was TikTok , the Chinese video-sharing app that acts as a functional backdoor for the Communist Party to acquire intelligence from American users .
Very serious journalists at the New York Times uncritically parroted the trolling of teens on TikTok and K-pop fans on Twitter who claimed that they `` sank '' Trump 's rally by registering for thousands of free tickets online .
In a piece nearly 1,300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seemed to validate the opinion that trolling , not a global pandemic or even sinking poll numbers , `` was the reason for the empty upper rafters at Mr. Trump ’ s rally . ''
Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also parroted the lie .
This is fake news for a number of reasons , the least of which can be explained by the simple fact of the coronavirus .
But it is also easily debunked by the sheer irrelevance of Trump 's ticket `` sales , '' which do n't actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign booked an arena that only held 19,000 people at the most despite allowing over a million downloads of tickets .
Why ?
Not because they 're banking on overflow space , but because data is power in a campaign .
They 'd rather get a million phone numbers added to their distribution lists with a few trolls included than actually modify their rally space to their audience .
The only practical winner here is Trump 's data operation , even if his ego is sorely bruised .
After all , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sign digital birthday cards and petitions ?
Enormous email lists can be sold for to other campaigns for hundreds of thousands of dollars , meaning you can make campaign cash on them both through directly contacting voters and then by selling them multiple times over .
With rally registration like his , it 's no wonder that Trump has the largest contact list of any other politician .
No , TikTok absolutely did not tank Trump 's rally .
But I 'm sure the Chinese government that backs the brand is happy @ @ @ @ @ @

Despite the campaign's boasts that more than 1 million fans had requested tickets to President Trump's Tulsa rally on Saturday, far fewer people than the 19,000-seat capacity actually materialized.
Realistically, not a single vote will be flipped in or against Trump's favor because some reporters managed to snap a picture of an only moderately-filled arena with a snarky caption. But it's true that it's a blow to the president's ego, especially after a disastrous few months devoid of the sort of rallies and fan facing events Trump loves.
It's possible that the Trump's slightly diminished popularity among the party was a minor factor in the turnout, but realistically, it was likely the fact that a factor out of his control, a global pandemic that's already killed over 122,000 U.S. citizens, was compounded by the risk of holding a rally indoors, where coronavirus transmission occurs, and Trump's terrible messaging on masks.
You could be Trump's most emphatic supporter, but if an indoor rally with no social distancing, full of people refusing to wear masks is a recipe for contracting the coronavirus. It's no wonder that turnout paled in comparison to his previous rallies.
One thing that absolutely did not influence Trump's turnout was TikTok, the Chinese video-sharing app that acts as a functional backdoor for the Communist Party to acquire intelligence from American users.
Very serious journalists at the New York Times uncritically parroted the trolling of teens on TikTok and K-pop fans on Twitter who claimed that they "sank" Trump's rally by registering for thousands of free tickets online. In a piece nearly 1,300 words long, the paper of record seemed to validate the opinion that trolling, not a global pandemic or even sinking poll numbers, "was the reason for the empty upper rafters at Mr. Trump’s rally." Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also parroted the lie.
Actually you just got ROCKED by teens on TikTok who flooded the Trump campaign w/ fake ticket reservations & tricked you into believing a million people wanted your white supremacist open mic enough to pack an arena during COVID
Shout out to Zoomers. Y’all make me so proud. ☺ https://t.co/jGrp5bSZ9T — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 21, 2020
This is fake news for a number of reasons, the least of which can be explained by the simple fact of the coronavirus. But it is also easily debunked by the sheer irrelevance of Trump's ticket "sales," which don't actually cost any money.
Just consider, the Trump campaign booked an arena that only held 19,000 people at the most despite allowing over a million downloads of tickets. Why? Not because they're banking on overflow space, but because data is power in a campaign. They'd rather get a million phone numbers added to their distribution lists with a few trolls included than actually modify their rally space to their audience. The only practical winner here is Trump's data operation, even if his ego is sorely bruised. After all, why do you think politicians want you to sign digital birthday cards and petitions? Enormous email lists can be sold for to other campaigns for hundreds of thousands of dollars, meaning you can make campaign cash on them both through directly contacting voters and then by selling them multiple times over. With rally registration like his, it's no wonder that Trump has the largest contact list of any other politician.
No, TikTok absolutely did not tank Trump's rally. But I'm sure the Chinese government that backs the brand is happy for you to believe so.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-22--Trump claims 2020 election will be 'rigged' by foreign countries

President Trump warned in all capital letters that foreign countries would try to taint the 2020 election by printing mail-in ballots .
Trump tweeted Monday that “ millions ” of mail-in ballots would be “ rigged.
” He offered no evidence to support the claim that a foreign country would be able to pull off the massive effort to spoil millions of mail-in ballots .
Trump has come out swinging against mail-in voting , as support for making voting easier grows in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump and Republicans have argued that mail-in voting would benefit Democrats and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Washington , Oregon , Colorado , Utah , and Hawaii , — already conduct universal vote-by-mail .
Another 29 states and the District of Columbia allow any voter to request a mailed ballot without giving an excuse .
Trump told Politico last week that mail-in voting could be a huge threat to his reelection .
He voted absentee in Florida this year , even though he was in the state when polls were open .
“ My biggest risk is that we don ’ t win lawsuits , ” Trump said of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have many lawsuits going all over .
And if we don ’ t win those lawsuits , I think — I think it puts the election at risk.
” For the first time last month , Twitter put a fact-check label on a pair of “ misleading ” tweets from the president , in which he claimed mail-in ballots would lead to voter fraud .

President Trump warned in all capital letters that foreign countries would try to taint the 2020 election by printing mail-in ballots.
Trump tweeted Monday that “millions” of mail-in ballots would be “rigged.” He offered no evidence to support the claim that a foreign country would be able to pull off the massive effort to spoil millions of mail-in ballots.
RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS. IT WILL BE THE SCANDAL OF OUR TIMES! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2020
Trump has come out swinging against mail-in voting, as support for voting from home grows in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Trump and Republicans have argued that mail-in voting would benefit Democrats and be rampant with fraud.
Five states, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, and Hawaii, already conduct universal vote-by-mail. Another 29 states and the District of Columbia allow any voter to request a mailed ballot without giving an excuse.
Trump told Politico last week that mail-in voting could be a huge threat to his reelection. He voted absentee in Florida this year, even though he was in the state when polls were open.
“My biggest risk is that we don’t win lawsuits,” Trump said of legal challenges against vote-by-mail. “We have many lawsuits going all over. And if we don’t win those lawsuits, I think — I think it puts the election at risk.”
For the first time last month, Twitter put a fact-check label on a pair of “misleading” tweets from the president in which he claimed mail-in ballots would lead to voter fraud.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-22--Pollster Nate Silver: 'A Biden landslide is possible'

Polling guru Nate Silver sees `` a lot of issues '' with President Trump 's quest for reelection in November .
So much so that a `` landslide '' for Joe Biden is possible .
Silver appeared on ABC over the weekend to share the `` big news '' that FiveThirtyEight released its presidential polling averages last week .
`` Joe Biden leads by around 9 points in our national polling average , and that lead has been growing .
Of course , national polls do n't really matter .
Otherwise , Hillary Clinton would have been president , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth noting that such a large lead is unusual in politics these days .
Clinton never led by more than 7 points , for example , and at this point in the 2008 race , Barack Obama led John McCain by around 6 points . ''
`` So , Trump needs to make a comeback and there is plenty time for that , and maybe also get some help from the Electoral College , '' he added .
Silver stressed in his post on Thursday that Biden 's lead in swing states is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win the Electoral College if the race tightens .
Silver wrote that the former vice president leads in states worth 368 electoral votes , while Trump leads in states totaling 170 electoral votes .
`` So while a Biden landslide is possible if he wins all these swing states , so is a Trump Electoral College victory , depending on which way the race moves between now and November , '' he wrote .
He explained further on Sunday that the contest is closer in the Midwest than it is nationally .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Midwest .
We have Biden up by a more modest 6 points in Wisconsin and 5 points in Pennsylvania .
Biden also ca n't necessarily take Minnesota for granted .
Trump nearly won it in 2016 , and there ’ s been no polling there since the protest began in the state , '' Silver said .
`` But there are a lot of issues for Trump .
He 's behind by 10 in Michigan and Biden is doing surprisingly well in Florida ahead by 7 points .
If Biden were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs one state from that Michigan and Pennsylvania and Wisconsin group .
Or Biden could lose all those Midwestern state but win Arizona where our average has him up by 4 , '' he continued .
`` So , for the time being , no , I do n't buy that we 're going to have exactly the same map as in 2016 .
Instead , Trump is kind of fighting a two-front war with problems in the Midwest on one hand , and then Arizona and Florida on the other hand .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be really clear — Trump could absolutely win re-election , but he definitely has his work cut out for him . ''

Polling guru Nate Silver sees "a lot of issues" with President Trump's quest for reelection in November.
So much so that a "landslide" for Joe Biden is possible.
Silver appeared on ABC over the weekend to share the "big news" that FiveThirtyEight released its presidential polling averages last week.
"Joe Biden leads by around 9 points in our national polling average, and that lead has been growing. Of course, national polls don't really matter. Otherwise, Hillary Clinton would have been president," he said. "But it's worth noting that such a large lead is unusual in politics these days. Clinton never led by more than about 7 points, for example, and at this point in the 2008 race, Barack Obama led John McCain by around 6 points."
"So, Trump needs to make a comeback, and there is plenty of time for that, and maybe also get some help from the Electoral College," he added.
Silver stressed in a post on Thursday that Biden's lead in swing states is much smaller, giving Trump an opening to win the Electoral College if the race tightens.
He wrote that the former vice president leads in states worth 368 electoral votes, while Trump leads in states totaling 170 electoral votes. "So while a Biden landslide is possible if he wins all these swing states, so is a Trump Electoral College victory, depending on which way the race moves between now and November," he said.
He explained further on Sunday that the contest is closer in the Midwest than it is nationally.
"The race is a bit tighter," Silver said. "We have Biden up by a more modest 6 points in Wisconsin and 5 points in Pennsylvania. Biden also can't necessarily take Minnesota for granted. Trump nearly won it in 2016, and there’s been no polling there since the protest began in the state."
"But there are a lot of issues for Trump. He's behind by 10 in Michigan, and Biden is doing surprisingly well in Florida, ahead by 7 points. If Biden were to win Florida, then he'd only need one state from that Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin group. Or Biden could lose all of those Midwestern states but win Arizona, where our average has him up by 4," he continued. "So, for the time being, no, I don't buy that we're going to have exactly the same map as in 2016. Instead, Trump is kind of fighting a two-front war, with problems in the Midwest on one hand and then Arizona and Florida on the other hand."
Silver concluded: "I want to be really clear — Trump could absolutely win reelection, but he definitely has his work cut out for him."
[Related: Democrats whisper 'Biden landslide']


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-22--Democrats whisper, ‘Biden landslide’

Democrats whisper, ‘Biden landslide’

Democrats , including Joe Biden , are trying not to jinx themselves as the political tide seems to turn against President Trump .
`` Ignore the polls .
We ca n't take anything for granted this November — the stakes are simply too high , '' Biden tweeted last week .
Biden 's plea was prompted by surveys reporting he 's got a double-digit berth nationally on Trump four or so months out from the general election .
Public opinion averages across the country and in critical swing states suggest it 's a tighter race .
But the presumptive 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in battlegrounds such as Arizona , Michigan , and Wisconsin .
And FiveThirtyEight data this week has Biden winning in states worth 368 electoral votes , compared to Trump 's 170 .
Trump 's ebbing political fortunes come as both candidates relaunch their bids following the COVID-19 lockdowns .
The White House incumbent , who hosted a massive rally Saturday , returns more battered than his opponent , who 's been holding smaller-scale events .
Critics have pummeled Trump for his coronavirus response and its effect on the economy since the start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been hit for his reaction to the civil unrest triggered after George Floyd , a black man , died last month as a white police officer knelt on his neck .
To add insult to injury , former Trump national security adviser John Bolton this week is conducting a media blitz pushing excerpts from his explosive new memoir .
In the book , Bolton , a past U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a Fox News pundit , claims Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to buy U.S. soybeans and wheat to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 's contest .
The Supreme Court last week ruled against Trump 's efforts to dismantle the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program as well , finding its attempts capricious and arbitrary .
Against the backdrop of these blows , Biden 's numbers auger well for the former two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator , according to David Axelrod , former President Barack Obama 's chief campaign strategist .
`` In new Fox News poll , @ realDonaldTrump is down 12 .
He trails among suburban voters by 22 points .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He trails among Indys by 22 .
He won them by 4 in ‘ 16 .
Yes , he leads among white , non-college women by 11 .
But he won them by 27 in ‘ 16 .
# redflashnglights , '' Axelrod tweeted .
That survey has 50 % backing Biden and 38 % backing Trump , provoking the president to call Fox News `` terrible '' for producing `` phony '' research .
In contrast , Biden only had a 3-point advantage when the pair were at 48 % to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden 's exponential rise was propelled by his popularity with black voters , women , younger voters , older voters , and those in suburban areas , Fox News found .
Meanwhile , Trump is underperforming with white , evangelical Christians and rural voters .
Catholic University of America politics professor Matthew Green told the Washington Examiner the polls were `` not good '' for Trump .
He listed enthusiasm indicators , including voter history and sentiment regarding the economy and the nation 's direction , as tell-tale , foreboding data points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's direction , '' he said .
`` If you 're seeing independents break toward Biden or those who previously supported Trump breaking toward Biden , that 's a stronger sign that Biden 's doing well . ''
Green described Trump as being `` in a pit , '' arguing Biden faced more potential pitfalls because of his front-runner status .
`` I am almost certain that Trump will be running a series of ads that portray Biden and Democrats as extremists , who want to abolish all police departments , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` So the Democrats have to be prepared and have to be able to respond .
And they also need to think about how they can frame themselves , and how Biden can frame his candidacy in a way that wins over independents and moderate voters . ''
Biden 's tendency to make gaffes and complaints he and his team were n't aggressive enough during the primary could cause problems , Green warned .
Their softer approach , in particular , left him vulnerable to a more antagonistic Trump , for instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his control , such as an improved economy , could present challenges too .
`` Everyone agrees from the experience of 2016 that the poll numbers are likely out of whack and from watching Trump 's penchant to lie , cheat , and steal his way through politics , that the best way to win this election will be fight as if we 're behind , '' said Signer , author of Cry Havoc : Charlottesville and American Democracy Under Siege .
`` If anything , most folks think there 's a danger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give Trump an underdog narrative and could give a dangerous and false sense of overconfidence , '' said Signer , a University of Virginia-trained lawyer , who earned a Ph.D. in political science at the University of California , Berkeley after his Princeton undergrad years .
`` Only 21-year-old Democrats and the older ones who never learn are talking about a Biden landslide , '' he said .
`` Most of us have old headlines on our walls — 'McGovern Loses 49 States ' and 'Mondale Loses 49 States . '
'' South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic Party through its disastrous run against then-Republican President Richard Nixon .
Former Democratic Vice President Walter Mondale in 1984 suffered a comparable whooping at the hands of GOP incumbent Ronald Reagan .
But Mulholland quipped , `` However , Trump appears to be losing it mentally . ''

Democrats, including Joe Biden, are trying not to jinx themselves as the political tide seems to turn against President Trump.
"Ignore the polls. We can't take anything for granted this November — the stakes are simply too high," Biden tweeted last week.
Biden's plea was prompted by surveys reporting he's got a double-digit berth nationally on Trump four or so months out from the general election. Public opinion averages across the country and in critical swing states suggest it's a tighter race. But the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee's still charging ahead in battlegrounds such as Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin. And FiveThirtyEight data this week has Biden winning in states worth 368 electoral votes, compared to Trump's 170.
Trump's ebbing political fortunes come as both candidates relaunch their bids following the COVID-19 lockdowns. The White House incumbent, who hosted a massive rally Saturday, returns more battered than his opponent, who's been holding smaller-scale events. Critics have pummeled Trump for his coronavirus response and its effect on the economy since the start of the year. The president's also been hit for his reaction to the civil unrest triggered after George Floyd, a black man, died last month as a white police officer knelt on his neck.
To add insult to injury, former Trump national security adviser John Bolton this week is conducting a media blitz pushing excerpts from his explosive new memoir. In the book, Bolton, a past U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a Fox News pundit, claims Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to buy U.S. soybeans and wheat to boost farmers in must-win states ahead of November's contest.
The Supreme Court last week ruled against Trump's efforts to dismantle the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program as well, finding its attempts capricious and arbitrary.
Against the backdrop of these blows, Biden's numbers auger well for the former two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator, according to David Axelrod, former President Barack Obama's chief campaign strategist.
"In new Fox News poll, @realDonaldTrump is down 12. He trails among suburban voters by 22 points. He won them by 5 in ‘16. He trails among Indys by 22. He won them by 4 in ‘16. Yes, he leads among white, non-college women by 11. But he won them by 27 in ‘16. #redflashnglights," Axelrod tweeted.
[New: Pollster Nate Silver: 'A Biden landslide is possible']
In new Fox News poll, @realDonaldTrump is down 12.
He trails among suburban voters by 22 points.He won them by 5 in ‘16.
He trails among Indys by 22. He won them by 4 in ‘16.
Yes, he leads among white, non-college women by 11. But he won them by 27 in ‘16.#redflashnglights. — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) June 19, 2020
That survey has 50% backing Biden and 38% backing Trump, provoking the president to call Fox News "terrible" for producing "phony" research. In contrast, Biden only had a 3-point advantage when the pair were at 48% to 40%, respectively, in May. Biden's exponential rise was propelled by his popularity with black voters, women, younger voters, older voters, and those in suburban areas, Fox News found. Meanwhile, Trump is underperforming with white, evangelical Christians and rural voters.
Catholic University of America politics professor Matthew Green told the Washington Examiner the polls were "not good" for Trump. He listed enthusiasm indicators, including voter history and sentiment regarding the economy and the nation's direction, as tell-tale, foreboding data points.
"The momentum is moving in Biden's direction," he said. "If you're seeing independents break toward Biden or those who previously supported Trump breaking toward Biden, that's a stronger sign that Biden's doing well."
Green described Trump as being "in a pit," arguing Biden faced more potential pitfalls because of his front-runner status.
"I am almost certain that Trump will be running a series of ads that portray Biden and Democrats as extremists, who want to abolish all police departments, those kinds of things," he said. "So the Democrats have to be prepared and have to be able to respond. And they also need to think about how they can frame themselves, and how Biden can frame his candidacy in a way that wins over independents and moderate voters."
Biden's tendency to make gaffes and complaints he and his team weren't aggressive enough during the primary could cause problems, Green warned. Their softer approach, in particular, left him vulnerable to a more antagonistic Trump, for instance, in the debates. Situations outside his control, such as an improved economy, could present challenges too.
Former Democratic Charlottesville, Virginia, Mayor Michael Signer similarly advised caution.
"Everyone agrees from the experience of 2016 that the poll numbers are likely out of whack and from watching Trump's penchant to lie, cheat, and steal his way through politics, that the best way to win this election will be fight as if we're behind," said Signer, author of Cry Havoc: Charlottesville and American Democracy Under Siege.
"If anything, most folks think there's a danger in the recent polls in that they give Trump an underdog narrative and could give a dangerous and false sense of overconfidence," said Signer, a University of Virginia-trained lawyer, who earned a Ph.D. in political science at the University of California, Berkeley after his Princeton undergrad years.
California-based Democratic National Committee member Bob Mulholland agreed.
"Only 21-year-old Democrats and the older ones who never learn are talking about a Biden landslide," he said. "Most of us have old headlines on our walls — 'McGovern Loses 49 States' and 'Mondale Loses 49 States.'"
South Dakota Sen. George McGovern in 1972 led the Democratic Party through its disastrous run against then-Republican President Richard Nixon. Former Democratic Vice President Walter Mondale in 1984 suffered a comparable whooping at the hands of GOP incumbent Ronald Reagan.
But Mulholland quipped, "However, Trump appears to be losing it mentally."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-22--Democratic group pounces on Trump 'slow down the testing' remark with new ad

The leading Democratic super PAC quickly transformed President Trump ’ s ad-libbed comments about ordering a reduction in coronavirus testing into a sharp attack and began airing the advertisement on television in four key battleground states .
Trump during a Saturday campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , suggested he asked government officials to reduce coronavirus testing in the United States because the increase in tests is giving the false impression that COVID-19 infections are on the rise , jeopardizing the economic recovery .
“ When you do testing to that extent , you ’ re going to find more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find more cases .
So I said to my people : ‘ Slow the testing down , please , ' ” Trump said .
By Monday , Priorities USA turned the president ’ s remarks into a 30-second spot accusing him of cutting back on tests to hide his failure to quell the pandemic and boost his political fortunes versus presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
“ Instead of working to slow the spread , Donald Trump said he ’ s slowed down the testing , ” said the voiceover in the ad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro insisted the president was joking .
`` Come on , now , Jake .
You know it was tongue-in-cheek , '' Navarro said in a Sunday morning interview on CNN 's State of the Union with Jake Tapper .
But in an interview with Scripps television Monday , the president did not exactly deny giving the order .
“ We do more testing than any country in the world by far .
Twenty-five million tests , '' Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million .
Every time you do a test , as you do more tests , it shows more and more cases .
If other countries aren ’ t doing , or if we did slow it down , we wouldn ’ t show nearly as many cases . ''
Priorities USA is running a second version of the advertisement on digital platforms .
“ Donald Trump made it clear that he ordered a slowdown of coronavirus testing to protect his own ego , ” said Guy Cecil , chairman of Priorities USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designated as the preferred outside group of the Biden campaign .
The group boasts that it is spending more than $ 2 million weekly on digital and television advertising targeting Trump , as part of a $ 200 million effort to elect Biden , the former vice president .
Trump trails Biden by substantial margins in most national polls , although survey data shows that he is more competitive in the battleground states that will decide the election .
Trump is touting his efforts to reduce the number of people afflicted by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In recent weeks , the president has shifted from COVID-19 containment to encouraging businesses to reopen as part of a broader push to rebuild an economy shocked into recession by mandated lockdown .

The leading Democratic super PAC quickly transformed President Trump’s ad-libbed comments about ordering a reduction in coronavirus testing into a sharp attack and began airing the advertisement on television in four key battleground states.
Trump during a Saturday campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, suggested he asked government officials to reduce coronavirus testing in the United States because the increase in tests is giving the false impression that COVID-19 infections are on the rise, jeopardizing the economic recovery. “When you do testing to that extent, you’re going to find more people, you’re going to find more cases. So I said to my people: ‘Slow the testing down, please,'” Trump said.
By Monday, Priorities USA turned the president’s remarks into a 30-second spot accusing him of cutting back on tests to hide his failure to quell the pandemic and boost his political fortunes versus presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. “Instead of working to slow the spread, Donald Trump said he’s slowed down the testing,” said the voiceover in the ad, which was scheduled to run in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro insisted the president was joking. "Come on, now, Jake. You know it was tongue-in-cheek," Navarro said in a Sunday morning interview on CNN's State of the Union with Jake Tapper. But in an interview with Scripps television Monday, the president did not exactly deny giving the order.
“We do more testing than any country in the world by far. Twenty-five million tests," Trump said Monday. "Other countries do 1 million. Every time you do a test, as you do more tests, it shows more and more cases. If other countries aren’t doing, or if we did slow it down, we wouldn’t show nearly as many cases."
Priorities USA is running a second version of the advertisement on digital platforms.
“Donald Trump made it clear that he ordered a slowdown of coronavirus testing to protect his own ego,” said Guy Cecil, chairman of Priorities USA, the super PAC that has been designated as the preferred outside group of the Biden campaign. The group boasts that it is spending more than $2 million weekly on digital and television advertising targeting Trump, as part of a $200 million effort to elect Biden, the former vice president.
Trump trails Biden by substantial margins in most national polls, although survey data shows that he is more competitive in the battleground states that will decide the election.
Trump is touting his efforts to reduce the number of people afflicted by the coronavirus and bring the pandemic under control.
In recent weeks, the president has shifted from COVID-19 containment to encouraging businesses to reopen as part of a broader push to rebuild an economy shocked into recession by mandated lockdown.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-22--Trump campaign sticks with Brad Parscale despite criticism over Tulsa rally

Trump insiders say there is no need to shake up a sputtering campaign , even as pressure mounts on campaign manager Brad Parscale for a poor turnout at Saturday ’ s rally in Tulsa and weeks of disappointing polls .
The president was said to be furious when he arrived in Oklahoma to discover that sparse attendance meant an outdoor event had to be canceled .
And as the evening went on , his first rally in three months was overshadowed by headlines about empty seats .
Campaign sources told the Washington Examiner that Parscale was under intense scrutiny but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Parscale surprised everyone in 2016 when digital turned out to be so important , ” said one campaign adviser .
“ But he ’ s something of a political novice , and the messaging and strategy are all over the place.
” The rally had been seen as a key moment for drawing a line under months of crisis , a time to deploy the campaign ’ s biggest asset and begin the business of defining Joe Biden as a hostage of the Left and a politician who had betrayed U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was dominated by rows of empty seats and questions about a sputtering campaign .
Officials blamed concerns about COVID-19 and the threat of violent protesters for keeping families away .
And they said an anti-Trump campaign led by teens on TikTok had inflated expectations of crowd size .
But they disputed figures given by a local fire marshal that only 6,200 people attended , saying that about 12,000 people passed through the magnetometers at the BOK arena .
“ There ’ s no need for a major shake-up , ” said a source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was an unfortunate situation , but in the grand scheme of things , it was irrelevant . ''
“ The record amount of online livestreams of the rally indicates that the attendance wasn ’ t due to lack of enthusiasm , and I think it ’ s more likely than not that the next rally will be sold out , ” the source added .
Texas businessman and Trump donor Doug Deason said he had been invited to the rally but stayed away out of caution over the coronavirus and concern about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV instead .
“ I thought he was awesome , maybe best ever , and the press is making a much bigger deal out of the size of the crowd than his supporters are , ” he said .
The president 's press secretary denied reports he was furious at the way the rally unfolded while campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said more than 11 million people had watched the rally online and that the president was “ eager ” to hold more rallies .
“ Brad has built an amazing team and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ He has a strong 10-year relationship with the president and the Trump family.
” The president is due in Phoenix , Arizona , on Tuesday for an event at a 3,000-seat arena .
The questions about the campaign come after weeks of questions about the president ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and explosive street protests .
Some national polls give Biden a double-digit lead .
Veteran operatives say the campaign is making basic errors , such as promising too much and delivering too little in Tulsa .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ ll do a smaller rally , but he still lacks the message of what it is that ’ s going to convince a plurality or majority of people in swing states that they should give him another chance , ” he said .
Sam Nunberg , a veteran of Trump ’ s 2016 campaign , said : “ The Trump campaign continues to commit political malpractice every day it is not making massive national and local TV buys.
” But changing strategy or personnel would make little difference at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author Matt Lewis .
“ If you brought in the next Karl Rove , some brilliant strategist , it would be a moot point , ” he said .
“ Trump is not going to listen for long .
He ’ s not going to change his style .
”

Trump insiders say there is no need to shake up a sputtering campaign, even as pressure mounts on campaign manager Brad Parscale for a poor turnout at Saturday’s rally in Tulsa and weeks of disappointing polls.
The president was said to be furious when he arrived in Oklahoma to discover that sparse attendance meant an outdoor event had to be canceled. And as the evening went on, his first rally in three months was overshadowed by headlines about empty seats.
Campaign sources told the Washington Examiner that Parscale was under intense scrutiny but that his job was safe for now.
“Parscale surprised everyone in 2016 when digital turned out to be so important,” said one campaign adviser. “But he’s something of a political novice, and the messaging and strategy are all over the place.”
The rally had been seen as a key moment for drawing a line under months of crisis, a time to deploy the campaign’s biggest asset and begin the business of defining Joe Biden as a hostage of the Left and a politician who had betrayed U.S. workers for decades.
Instead, coverage was dominated by rows of empty seats and questions about a sputtering campaign.
Officials blamed concerns about COVID-19 and the threat of violent protesters for keeping families away. And they said an anti-Trump campaign led by teens on TikTok had inflated expectations of crowd size.
But they disputed figures given by a local fire marshal that only 6,200 people attended, saying that about 12,000 people passed through the magnetometers at the BOK arena.
“There’s no need for a major shake-up,” said a source close to the first family. “It was an unfortunate situation, but in the grand scheme of things, it was irrelevant."
“The record amount of online livestreams of the rally indicates that the attendance wasn’t due to lack of enthusiasm, and I think it’s more likely than not that the next rally will be sold out,” the source added.
Texas businessman and Trump donor Doug Deason said he had been invited to the rally but stayed away out of caution over the coronavirus and concern about violent protests. He watched it on TV instead.
“I thought he was awesome, maybe best ever, and the press is making a much bigger deal out of the size of the crowd than his supporters are,” he said.
The president's press secretary denied reports he was furious at the way the rally unfolded while campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said more than 11 million people had watched the rally online and that the president was “eager” to hold more rallies.
“Brad has built an amazing team and is doing a great job,” he said. “He has a strong 10-year relationship with the president and the Trump family.”
The president is due in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday for an event at a 3,000-seat arena.
The questions about the campaign come after weeks of questions about the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and explosive street protests. Some national polls give Biden a double-digit lead.
Veteran operatives say the campaign is making basic errors, such as promising too much and delivering too little in Tulsa.
Republican communications strategist Rick Tyler said President Trump’s messaging was muddled.
“They’ll go to Phoenix, they’ll do a smaller rally, but he still lacks the message of what it is that’s going to convince a plurality or majority of people in swing states that they should give him another chance,” he said.
Sam Nunberg, a veteran of Trump’s 2016 campaign, said: “The Trump campaign continues to commit political malpractice every day it is not making massive national and local TV buys.”
But changing strategy or personnel would make little difference at this stage, according to conservative commentator and author Matt Lewis.
“If you brought in the next Karl Rove, some brilliant strategist, it would be a moot point,” he said. “Trump is not going to listen for long. He’s not going to change his style.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-22--Biden campaign commits to three debates as Trump pushes for a fourth

Joe Biden committed to participating in three planned debates against President Trump while criticizing the president for trying to add an additional debate .
“ Joe Biden looks forward to facing Donald Trump in a multi-debate series that the American people have come to expect from their leaders ; we hope that President Trump would not break that tradition or make excuses for a refusal to participate , ” Biden campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon wrote Monday in a letter to the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates , the Washington Post reported .
It was the Biden campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commission , as the former vice president earlier this month passed the Democratic National Convention delegate threshold to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee .
The communication comes days after Politico reported that the Trump campaign was trying to add a fourth debate with Biden to the schedule , hoping to hold a debate before early and absentee voting starts in some states and complaining that two of the debates are scheduled for Thursday evenings , conflicting with NFL games .
The thinking is that Biden will perform poorly in debates and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record in voters ' minds .
But the Biden campaign is not agreeing to more debates .
“ No one should be fooled : the Trump campaign ’ s new position is a debate distraction , ” O ’ Malley Dillon said in the letter .
“ The Trump position seems to be saying that he will debate if he can pick the moderators : clearly the President , who largely conducts interviews only with favorable news outlets , is afraid of facing questions from a neutral moderator .
The Trump campaign proposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dodge fair , even-handed debates.
” The three presidential debates are scheduled for Sept. 29 , Oct. 15 , and Oct. 22 .
One of the debate commission chairmen said last week if the two candidates agree on participating in a fourth debate , they will work to make it a reality .
O'Malley Dillon asked the commission to ensure measures were in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus .
“ Nothing should prevent the conduct of debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump on these dates ; again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump with any excuses for not debating , ” she wrote .
And she asked that the commission keep one debate in a town-hall format , a regular feature in past election cycles .
“ During his primary campaign , Vice President Biden welcomed direct questions from uncommitted voters on a frequent basis , and we think it is time that President Trump faced such questioning himself , ” she wrote .
“ We know that voters have many , many questions for the President .
”

Joe Biden committed to participating in three planned debates against President Trump while criticizing the president for trying to add an additional debate.
“Joe Biden looks forward to facing Donald Trump in a multi-debate series that the American people have come to expect from their leaders; we hope that President Trump would not break that tradition or make excuses for a refusal to participate,” Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon wrote Monday in a letter to the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, the Washington Post reported.
It was the Biden campaign’s first communication with the debate commission, as the former vice president earlier this month passed the Democratic National Convention delegate threshold to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
The communication comes days after Politico reported that the Trump campaign was trying to add a fourth debate with Biden to the schedule, hoping to hold a debate before early and absentee voting starts in some states and complaining that two of the debates are scheduled for Thursday evenings, conflicting with NFL games. The thinking is that Biden will perform poorly in debates and that Trump can better define him and his record in voters' minds.
But the Biden campaign is not agreeing to more debates.
“No one should be fooled: the Trump campaign’s new position is a debate distraction,” O’Malley Dillon said in the letter. “The Trump position seems to be saying that he will debate if he can pick the moderators: clearly the President, who largely conducts interviews only with favorable news outlets, is afraid of facing questions from a neutral moderator. The Trump campaign proposal for elaborate negotiations is merely an effort to dodge fair, even-handed debates.”
The three presidential debates are scheduled for Sept. 29, Oct. 15, and Oct. 22. One of the debate commission chairmen said last week if the two candidates agree on participating in a fourth debate, they will work to make it a reality.
O'Malley Dillon asked the commission to ensure measures were in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. “Nothing should prevent the conduct of debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump on these dates; again, we do not want to provide President Trump with any excuses for not debating,” she wrote.
And she asked that the commission keep one debate in a town-hall format, a regular feature in past election cycles.
“During his primary campaign, Vice President Biden welcomed direct questions from uncommitted voters on a frequent basis, and we think it is time that President Trump faced such questioning himself,” she wrote. “We know that voters have many, many questions for the President.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-22--Trump to attend Arizona border 'commemoration' of 200 miles of wall construction

President Trump will travel to the southern border Tuesday to attend a ceremony celebrating 200 miles of completed border wall construction under his administration , according to the White House .
Trump will visit Yuma , Arizona , for a roundtable briefing with U.S. border officials on trade and travel operations and the progress of the southern border barrier 's construction at the international boundary and then will participate in a wall `` commemoration '' ceremony .
The trip , less than five months ahead of the November election , gives Trump a chance to tout his progress on following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the border with a wall .
The 2,000-mile southern border stretches from the Gulf of Mexico in southern Texas to the Pacific Ocean in southwestern California .
Roughly 700 miles of the border had some type of fencing or barrier before Trump took office in January 2017 — half was tall , steel fencing , and half was 4-foot-tall vehicle barriers .
U.S. Customs and Border Protection , the federal agency overseeing where wall is installed , told the Washington Examiner last summer that most of the completed miles of barrier under Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
CBP and the Army Corps of Engineers , overseeing the actual construction , moved faster on replacement projects than the new ones because the approval process for environmental and zoning permits was less extensive than areas of the border with no barrier .
The Trump administration maintains that significant portions of new wall will be finished during the time remaining in Trump 's term .
Army Corps Commanding Gen. Todd T. Semonite said the Corps will put up 450 miles of wall , including some that replaces old barriers , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State of the Union address in February to build “ substantially more than 500 miles ” of wall by early 2021 .
Wall construction has continued through the coronavirus pandemic despite stay-at-home orders that affected more than 200 million nonessential workers nationwide .
Dozens of Democratic lawmakers in April asked acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to suspend construction during the pandemic , but construction did not stop .
The Trump administration has more than 500 miles of fencing funded , some of which is already under construction .
But even if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would only put 165 miles of new fence in previously unsecured areas of the 2,000-mile border .
The rest would replace older barriers .
On many occasions as a candidate in 2015 and 2016 , Trump said he would build 1,000 miles of “ wall ” at a total cost of $ 4 billion .
That campaign promise , which vastly understated what it would cost to build that many miles of barrier , will not be met by December .
As of the latest budget request earlier this year , the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18.4 billion for the wall .
Nevertheless , Trump has applauded the work to date .
Trump 's 2020 campaign debuted the slogan `` Finish the Wall '' at his first rally of 2019 in El Paso , Texas .
At one point during his speech , the crowd began cheering , `` Build that wall . ''
Trump responded , `` Now , you really mean , 'Finish that wall ' — because we 've built a lot of it . ''
The first completed wall project of two miles in Calexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 .
Then-DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen had workers install a plaque with Trump ’ s name onto the wall .
The wall system includes see-through steel bollard beams , lighting , cameras , other related technology , and all-weather roads .

President Trump will travel to the southern border Tuesday to attend a ceremony celebrating 200 miles of completed border wall construction under his administration, according to the White House.
Trump will visit Yuma, Arizona, for a roundtable briefing with U.S. border officials on trade and travel operations and the progress of the southern border barrier's construction at the international boundary and then will participate in a wall "commemoration" ceremony.
The trip, less than five months ahead of the November election, gives Trump a chance to tout his progress on following through on his campaign promise to secure the border with a wall. The 2,000-mile southern border stretches from the Gulf of Mexico in southern Texas to the Pacific Ocean in southwestern California. Roughly 700 miles of the border had some type of fencing or barrier before Trump took office in January 2017 — half was tall, steel fencing, and half was 4-foot-tall vehicle barriers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the federal agency overseeing where wall is installed, told the Washington Examiner last summer that most of the completed miles of barrier under Trump were “in place of dilapidated designs." CBP and the Army Corps of Engineers, overseeing the actual construction, moved faster on replacement projects than the new ones because the approval process for environmental and zoning permits was less extensive than areas of the border with no barrier.
The Trump administration maintains that significant portions of new wall will be finished during the time remaining in Trump's term. Army Corps Commanding Gen. Todd T. Semonite said the Corps will put up 450 miles of wall, including some that replaces old barriers, by November 2020. Trump vowed during the State of the Union address in February to build “substantially more than 500 miles” of wall by early 2021.
Wall construction has continued through the coronavirus pandemic despite stay-at-home orders that affected more than 200 million nonessential workers nationwide. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers in April asked acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to suspend construction during the pandemic, but construction did not stop.
The Trump administration has more than 500 miles of fencing funded, some of which is already under construction. But even if the administration achieved its 2020 goal, it would only put 165 miles of new fence in previously unsecured areas of the 2,000-mile border. The rest would replace older barriers.
On many occasions as a candidate in 2015 and 2016, Trump said he would build 1,000 miles of “wall” at a total cost of $4 billion. That campaign promise, which vastly understated what it would cost to build that many miles of barrier, will not be met by December. As of the latest budget request earlier this year, the Trump administration has been given or seized $18.4 billion for the wall.
Nevertheless, Trump has applauded the work to date. Trump's 2020 campaign debuted the slogan "Finish the Wall" at his first rally of 2019 in El Paso, Texas. At one point during his speech, the crowd began cheering, "Build that wall." Trump responded, "Now, you really mean, 'Finish that wall' — because we've built a lot of it."
The first completed wall project of two miles in Calexico, California, was unveiled in October 2018. Then-DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen had workers install a plaque with Trump’s name onto the wall. The wall system includes see-through steel bollard beams, lighting, cameras, other related technology, and all-weather roads.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-22--Democrats whisper ‘Biden landslide’

Democrats whisper ‘Biden landslide’

Democrats , including Joe Biden , are trying not to jinx themselves as the political tide seems to turn against President Trump .
`` Ignore the polls .
We ca n't take anything for granted this November — the stakes are simply too high , '' Biden tweeted last week .
Biden 's plea was prompted by surveys reporting he 's got a double-digit berth nationally on Trump four or so months out from the general election .
Public opinion averages across the country and in critical swing states suggest it 's a tighter race .
But the presumptive 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in battlegrounds such as Arizona , Michigan , and Wisconsin .
And FiveThirtyEight data this week has Biden winning in states worth 368 electoral votes , compared to Trump 's 170 .
Trump 's ebbing political fortunes come as both candidates relaunch their bids following the COVID-19 lockdowns .
The White House incumbent , who hosted a massive rally Saturday , returns more battered than his opponent , who 's been holding smaller-scale events .
Critics have pummeled Trump for his coronavirus response and its effect on the economy since the start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been hit for his reaction to the civil unrest triggered after George Floyd , a black man , died last month as a white police officer knelt on his neck .
To add insult to injury , former Trump national security adviser John Bolton this week is conducting a media blitz pushing excerpts from his explosive new memoir .
In the book , Bolton , a past U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a Fox News pundit , claims Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to buy U.S. soybeans and wheat to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 's contest .
The Supreme Court last week ruled against Trump 's efforts to dismantle the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program as well , finding its attempts capricious and arbitrary .
Against the backdrop of these blows , Biden 's numbers auger well for the former two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator , according to David Axelrod , former President Barack Obama 's chief campaign strategist .
`` In new Fox News poll , @ realDonaldTrump is down 12 .
He trails among suburban voters by 22 points .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He trails among Indys by 22 .
He won them by 4 in ‘ 16 .
Yes , he leads among white , non-college women by 11 .
But he won them by 27 in ‘ 16 .
# redflashnglights , '' Axelrod tweeted .
[ New : Pollster Nate Silver : ' A Biden landslide is possible ' ] That survey has 50 % backing Biden and 38 % backing Trump , provoking the president to call Fox News `` terrible '' for producing `` phony '' research .
In contrast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the pair were at 48 % to 40 % , respectively , in May .
Biden 's exponential rise was propelled by his popularity with black voters , women , younger voters , older voters , and those in suburban areas , Fox News found .
Meanwhile , Trump is underperforming with white , evangelical Christians and rural voters .
Catholic University of America politics professor Matthew Green told the Washington Examiner the polls were `` not good '' for Trump .
He listed enthusiasm indicators , including voter history and sentiment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direction , as tell-tale , foreboding data points .
`` The momentum is moving in Biden 's direction , '' he said .
`` If you 're seeing independents break toward Biden or those who previously supported Trump breaking toward Biden , that 's a stronger sign that Biden 's doing well . ''
Green described Trump as being `` in a pit , '' arguing Biden faced more potential pitfalls because of his front-runner status .
`` I am almost certain that Trump will be running a series of ads that portray @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to abolish all police departments , those kinds of things , '' he said .
`` So the Democrats have to be prepared and have to be able to respond .
And they also need to think about how they can frame themselves , and how Biden can frame his candidacy in a way that wins over independents and moderate voters . ''
Biden 's tendency to make gaffes and complaints he and his team were n't aggressive enough during the primary could cause problems , Green warned .
Their softer approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a more antagonistic Trump , for instance , in the debates .
Situations outside his control , such as an improved economy , could present challenges too .
`` Everyone agrees from the experience of 2016 that the poll numbers are likely out of whack and from watching Trump 's penchant to lie , cheat , and steal his way through politics , that the best way to win this election will be fight as if we 're behind , '' said Signer , author of Cry Havoc : Charlottesville and American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most folks think there 's a danger in the recent polls in that they give Trump an underdog narrative and could give a dangerous and false sense of overconfidence , '' said Signer , a University of Virginia-trained lawyer , who earned a Ph.D. in political science at the University of California , Berkeley after his Princeton undergrad years .
`` Only 21-year-old Democrats and the older ones who never learn are talking about a Biden landslide , '' he said .
`` Most of us have old headlines on our walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Mondale Loses 49 States . '
'' South Dakota Sen. George McGovern in 1972 led the Democratic Party through its disastrous run against then-Republican President Richard Nixon .
Former Democratic Vice President Walter Mondale in 1984 suffered a comparable whooping at the hands of GOP incumbent Ronald Reagan .
But Mulholland quipped , `` However , Trump appears to be losing it mentally . ''


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-23--Biden campaign to limit contact with foreign governments

The Biden campaign is implementing strict rules about its staff communicating with officials from foreign governments , looking to avoid even the appearance of outside interference in the November election .
“ Because of this poisonous environment created by the president , and so that there is no confusion as to whether or not we are inviting any assistance from foreign governments … our campaign has refrained from engaging in substantive conversations with foreign government officials , and would only do so under conditions that ensure transparency , ” senior Biden campaign adviser Anthony Blinken told Politico .
Although Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to President Trump 's behavior in the 2016 campaign against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , the strict limits on staff is surely to avoid any repeat of the controversies surrounding Hunter Biden 's work with the gas firm Burisma .
Republicans and President Trump have repeatedly questioned why the Ukrainian company gave Hunter a lucrative position on its board , sometimes paying him $ 50,000 a month , from 2014 to 2019 despite him having little experience in the energy sector and a well-documented problem with drug use .
Some of this time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Obama administration ’ s Ukraine policy .
Joe Biden 's critics contend the then-vice president 's pressure on the Ukrainian government to fire a prosecutor investigating Burisma is evidence of open corruption .
Biden has repeatedly denied this accusation , and there is no evidence that the two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator interfered to assist his son .
The former president of Ukraine said on Sunday that Biden `` never '' brought up Burisma in their conversations .
Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee , led by Wisconsin Sen. Ron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and just completed the first round of subpoenas for a public relations company linked to Burisma , named Blue Star Strategies .
`` The subpoena now has resulted in 2,600 pages of information , so we ’ ve learned that subpoenas work , '' Johnson said earlier this month .
The limits on Biden 's campaign in terms of who it can contact has frustrated many of the 1,000-plus foreign policy advisers who work with the former vice president .
Biden has long positioned himself on the campaign trail as someone who can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its position as a global leader , but many say that these limits make it harder to sell that message .
Foreign diplomats contacting presidential campaigns has been a commonplace practice for decades , with outside governments hoping to build productive relationships with potential administrations .
In 2016 , both Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with foreign leaders such as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi .
Trump also flew to Mexico to meet with then-President Enrique Pena Neito to discuss immigration policy .
Some of those meetings by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scandals ; notably , a meeting between former adviser George Papadopolous and the Australian ambassador to the United Kingdom was one incident that sparked an FBI investigation .
Former national security adviser Michael Flynn 's call with the Russian government before the inauguration had many Democrats accusing him of violating the Logan Act and colluding with a foreign government to undermine U.S. policy .

The Biden campaign is implementing strict rules about its staff communicating with officials from foreign governments, looking to avoid even the appearance of outside interference in the November election.
“Because of this poisonous environment created by the president, and so that there is no confusion as to whether or not we are inviting any assistance from foreign governments … our campaign has refrained from engaging in substantive conversations with foreign government officials, and would only do so under conditions that ensure transparency,” senior Biden campaign adviser Anthony Blinken told Politico.
Although Biden's team says the rule is due to President Trump's behavior in the 2016 campaign against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the strict limits on staff is surely to avoid any repeat of the controversies surrounding Hunter Biden's work with the gas firm Burisma.
Republicans and President Trump have repeatedly questioned why the Ukrainian company gave Hunter a lucrative position on its board, sometimes paying him $50,000 a month, from 2014 to 2019 despite him having little experience in the energy sector and a well-documented problem with drug use. Some of this time frame included when his father was leading the Obama administration’s Ukraine policy.
Joe Biden's critics contend the then-vice president's pressure on the Ukrainian government to fire a prosecutor investigating Burisma is evidence of open corruption. Biden has repeatedly denied this accusation, and there is no evidence that the two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator interfered to assist his son. The former president of Ukraine said on Sunday that Biden "never" brought up Burisma in their conversations.
Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee, led by Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, are currently investigating the firm and just completed the first round of subpoenas for a public relations company linked to Burisma, named Blue Star Strategies.
"The subpoena now has resulted in 2,600 pages of information, so we’ve learned that subpoenas work," Johnson said earlier this month.
The limits on Biden's campaign in terms of who it can contact has frustrated many of the 1,000-plus foreign policy advisers who work with the former vice president. Biden has long positioned himself on the campaign trail as someone who can restore dignity to the country and reassert its position as a global leader, but many say that these limits make it harder to sell that message.
Foreign diplomats contacting presidential campaigns has been a commonplace practice for decades, with outside governments hoping to build productive relationships with potential administrations. In 2016, both Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with foreign leaders such as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi. Trump also flew to Mexico to meet with then-President Enrique Pena Neito to discuss immigration policy.
Some of those meetings by the Trump campaign blew up into major scandals; notably, a meeting between former adviser George Papadopolous and the Australian ambassador to the United Kingdom was one incident that sparked an FBI investigation. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn's call with the Russian government before the inauguration had many Democrats accusing him of violating the Logan Act and colluding with a foreign government to undermine U.S. policy.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-23--BET founder pushes Black Lives Matter to form independent political party

Robert Johnson , the founder of BET , said black people should consider creating an independent political party .
The media magnate , who sent a letter to Black Lives Matter urging the movement to form an independent political party and has called on the U.S. government to provide reparations for slavery , told CNBC on Tuesday that black people should not be married to one of the two existing major parties .
`` I 've been convinced for a long time that the 40 million African Americans , who tend to vote as a bloc in one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting action from both parties , and I think it 's time that African Americans form an independent party , not be an appendage of one party or ignored by the other party , '' he said .
The billionaire and lifelong Democrat wrote a letter to Black Lives Matter on June 17 urging it to form a political party of its own to break the two-party system that dominates the United States .
`` I am writing to you with a suggestion that Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) consider establishing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be founded on the principle articulated by the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971 .
That formative principle stated , 'Black people have no permanent friends , no permanent enemies .
… just permanent interests , ' '' Johnson wrote .
`` They will argue that the American people seem to be satisfied with just two choices , '' he added .
`` To the contrary , I believe a politically astute and structured Black independent party , committed and engaged in the electoral process , can prove them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The purpose of this memo is to encourage you to harness these forces and think about what you have ignited and how it can and should , through the political process , cause America to truly live up to its belief in American exceptionalism and its promise of the American Dream for all . ''
The media mogul proposed the idea as protesters across the country have demonstrated against police brutality and racial inequality across the country following the death of George Floyd , a 46-year-old black man who died on Memorial Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
Black voters overwhelmingly support Democratic candidates , but black voter turnout fell in 2016 , when Hillary Clinton lost the presidential election .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , recently said that if someone was wondering whether they should vote for him or President Trump , `` You ai n't black . ''
Biden later apologized for the remark , but Johnson said that it highlighted the need for a new party even if it does n't happen this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donor , said in November of last year that the 2020 election is President Trump 's to lose .

Robert Johnson, the founder of BET, said black people should consider creating an independent political party.
The media magnate, who sent a letter to Black Lives Matter urging the movement to form an independent political party and has called on the U.S. government to provide reparations for slavery, told CNBC on Tuesday that black people should not be married to one of the two existing major parties.
"I've been convinced for a long time that the 40 million African Americans, who tend to vote as a bloc in one of the two parties, limit their leverage in getting action from both parties, and I think it's time that African Americans form an independent party, not be an appendage of one party or ignored by the other party," he said.
BET founder Robert Johnson is calling on the Black Lives Matter movement to form an independent political party. “I think it’s time that African Americans form an independent party, not be an appendage of one party or ignored by the other party.” pic.twitter.com/WBIyfbxAVx — CNBC (@CNBC) June 23, 2020
The billionaire and lifelong Democrat wrote a letter to Black Lives Matter on June 17 urging it to form a political party of its own to break the two-party system that dominates the United States.
"I am writing to you with a suggestion that Black Lives Matter (BLM) consider establishing a formal independent political party. The party could be founded on the principle articulated by the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971. That formative principle stated, 'Black people have no permanent friends, no permanent enemies. … just permanent interests,'" Johnson wrote.
"They will argue that the American people seem to be satisfied with just two choices," he added. "To the contrary, I believe a politically astute and structured Black independent party, committed and engaged in the electoral process, can prove them wrong." He concluded, "The purpose of this memo is to encourage you to harness these forces and think about what you have ignited and how it can and should, through the political process, cause America to truly live up to its belief in American exceptionalism and its promise of the American Dream for all."
The media mogul proposed the idea as protesters across the country have demonstrated against police brutality and racial inequality across the country following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died on Memorial Day after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Black voters overwhelmingly support Democratic candidates, but black voter turnout fell in 2016, when Hillary Clinton lost the presidential election.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, recently said that if someone was wondering whether they should vote for him or President Trump, "You ain't black." Biden later apologized for the remark, but Johnson said that it highlighted the need for a new party even if it doesn't happen this election cycle.
Johnson, a Democratic donor, said in November of last year that the 2020 election is President Trump's to lose.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-23--Deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley leaving White House to join Trump reelection campaign

White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley will be leaving his post to help keep President Trump in office for four more years .
Gidley , who joined the White House in October 2017 , will be joining the Trump reelection campaign team as the national press secretary .
He will be joining the campaign effective July 1 .
“ I am overwhelmingly humbled and deeply appreciative to President Trump for giving me a front row seat to witness history , ” Gidley said in a press release by the campaign .
“ My time at the White House has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting to speak directly to the American people on behalf of this President has been an incredible honor .
President Trump ’ s record-setting accomplishments have improved the lives of all Americans , and I can ’ t wait to get over to the campaign and fight for his re-election.
” Gidley , 44 , will be working under Trump 2020 communications director Tim Murtaugh in the role that was previously occupied by Kayleigh McEnany .
McEnany left her post with the campaign to assume the role of White House press secretary in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcement , Trump called Gidley `` strong , loyal and a trusted member of the team that I know will do an outstanding job !
We must WIN this election ! ''
“ Hogan Gidley has been at the President ’ s side for three years and now he joins the fight to re-elect him , ” said Trump reelection campaign manager Brad Parscale .
“ He is a talented advocate and defender of the President and his policies and is never afraid to go into battle with hostile reporters and television hosts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the team and makes us even stronger.
” Murtaugh said : “ Hogan is a professional communicator and he brings with him an impressive career and great experience in political campaigns .
He also has in-depth knowledge of President Trump ’ s accomplishments and a keen grasp of Administration policies .
Hogan has long been a valued member of Team Trump and we look forward to his putting his talents to work to re-elect President Trump.
” Before his time at the White House , Gidley was a contributor to CBS News , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 2016 Republican presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum .

White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley will be leaving his post to help keep President Trump in office for four more years.
Gidley, who joined the White House in October 2017, will be joining the Trump reelection campaign team as the national press secretary. He will be joining the campaign effective July 1.
“I am overwhelmingly humbled and deeply appreciative to President Trump for giving me a front row seat to witness history,” Gidley said in a press release by the campaign. “My time at the White House has truly been a blessing beyond measure and getting to speak directly to the American people on behalf of this President has been an incredible honor. President Trump’s record-setting accomplishments have improved the lives of all Americans, and I can’t wait to get over to the campaign and fight for his re-election.”
Gidley, 44, will be working under Trump 2020 communications director Tim Murtaugh in the role that was previously occupied by Kayleigh McEnany. McEnany left her post with the campaign to assume the role of White House press secretary in April.
In a tweet following the announcement, Trump called Gidley "strong, loyal and a trusted member of the team that I know will do an outstanding job! We must WIN this election!"
“Hogan Gidley has been at the President’s side for three years and now he joins the fight to re-elect him,” said Trump reelection campaign manager Brad Parscale. “He is a talented advocate and defender of the President and his policies and is never afraid to go into battle with hostile reporters and television hosts. Hogan is a great addition to the team and makes us even stronger.”
Murtaugh said: “Hogan is a professional communicator and he brings with him an impressive career and great experience in political campaigns. He also has in-depth knowledge of President Trump’s accomplishments and a keen grasp of Administration policies. Hogan has long been a valued member of Team Trump and we look forward to his putting his talents to work to re-elect President Trump.”
Before his time at the White House, Gidley was a contributor to CBS News, and he served in top communications roles for 2016 Republican presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-23--Republicans believe Trump podium beats Biden basement despite Tulsa fiasco

President Trump ’ s first post-lockdown campaign rally was seen as a disappointment , but Republicans are betting that being noticeably more active on the campaign trail than presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden will pay dividends in the long run .
It ’ s a test of two wildly different approaches to campaigning .
Dating back to his real estate developer days gracing the covers of New York City tabloids , Trump has long believed he is better off dominating the headlines , even if some of the resulting coverage is negative .
Biden is also gradually returning to in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content to cede the spotlight to Trump and has a 9.5-point lead in the RealClearPolitics national polling average to show for it .
`` The resumption of campaign rallies will fire up Trump 's base and keep his campaign churning , with massive amounts of new data which can translate into new small-dollar donors and new volunteers , ” said Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak .
“ The contrast of Trump on the campaign trail with Biden hiding in his basement in Delaware will be stark . ''
Democrats aren ’ t so sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America Great Again ” rally in Tulsa and see not the but a flurry of bad news : wall-to-wall coverage of uncharacteristically empty seats , a canceled overflow event at which Trump and Vice President Mike Pence had been scheduled to speak , negative ad-worthy comments about slowing down coronavirus testing , the use of the phrase “ kung-flu , ” six Trump advance team members contracting the virus , and numerous lengthy digressions from the planned attacks on Biden .
Other than after the first week of daily coronavirus briefings at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s numbers briefly spiked as the public rallied around the president in a time of crisis , Biden has been better off in the basement .
Democrats want the election to be a referendum on Trump , not a binary choice between the president and his challenger .
The Trump campaign has regularly attacked “ Hidin ’ Biden ” for his scarcity .
The point is to either draw out Biden , leading him to make more appearances carrying opportunities for gaffes and missteps that reinforce concerns about his age and mental acuity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president is indeed hiding something .
“ Biden hasn ’ t held a press conference in 81 days because his handlers are likely terrified of him attempting to answer questions about the economic pain his resistance to reopening is causing , , ” said a Monday statement from Trump ’ s rapid response team .
But Biden has thrived in obscurity throughout the campaign since the Democratic primaries .
“ For now , it 's tough to argue for anything else , ” said Democratic strategist Stefan Hankin .
“ Trump is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running a disciplined campaign right now .
Certainly , Biden will have to pivot at some point , but for now , I am guessing he is happy to let Trump keep putting the fires out with more gasoline.
” Another veteran Democratic operative put it this way : “ Every day that ’ s not about Joe Biden is a day that Joe Biden wins.
” The White House has denied Trump was upset by Saturday ’ s rally , with press secretary Kayleigh McEnany describing it as “ a huge success.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the eventful past four years , capped by a stressful summer of economic dislocation , potentially resurging coronavirus , and civil unrest , will lead to what one strategist called “ generalized Trump fatigue.
” But they are also skeptical Biden can keep his current low profile without political consequence .
For all the attention paid to the empty seats in Tulsa , sporadic Biden campaign events have attracted attendance more suitable for PTA meetings .
The New York Times described one as taking place in a “ nearly empty room.
” Whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears or an enthusiasm gap between the candidates remains to be seen .
Trump is expected to have further live campaign rallies as Biden proceeds more slowly .

President Trump’s first post-lockdown campaign rally was seen as a disappointment, but Republicans are betting that being noticeably more active on the campaign trail than presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden will pay dividends in the long run.
It’s a test of two wildly different approaches to campaigning. Dating back to his real estate developer days gracing the covers of New York City tabloids, Trump has long believed he is better off dominating the headlines, even if some of the resulting coverage is negative. Biden is also gradually returning to in-person events, but he has been largely content to cede the spotlight to Trump and has a 9.5-point lead in the RealClearPolitics national polling average to show for it.
"The resumption of campaign rallies will fire up Trump's base and keep his campaign churning, with massive amounts of new data which can translate into new small-dollar donors and new volunteers,” said Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak. “The contrast of Trump on the campaign trail with Biden hiding in his basement in Delaware will be stark."
Democrats aren’t so sure. They look at the “Make America Great Again” rally in Tulsa and see not the anticipated campaign relaunch but a flurry of bad news: wall-to-wall coverage of uncharacteristically empty seats, a canceled overflow event at which Trump and Vice President Mike Pence had been scheduled to speak, negative ad-worthy comments about slowing down coronavirus testing, the use of the phrase “kung-flu,” six Trump advance team members contracting the virus, and numerous lengthy digressions from the planned attacks on Biden.
Other than after the first week of daily coronavirus briefings at the White House, during which Trump’s numbers briefly spiked as the public rallied around the president in a time of crisis, Biden has been better off in the basement. Democrats want the election to be a referendum on Trump, not a binary choice between the president and his challenger.
The Trump campaign has regularly attacked “Hidin’ Biden” for his scarcity. The point is to either draw out Biden, leading him to make more appearances carrying opportunities for gaffes and missteps that reinforce concerns about his age and mental acuity or create the impression the former vice president is indeed hiding something.
“Biden hasn’t held a press conference in 81 days because his handlers are likely terrified of him attempting to answer questions about the economic pain his resistance to reopening is causing, particularly among Black Americans ,” said a Monday statement from Trump’s rapid response team.
But Biden has thrived in obscurity throughout the campaign since the Democratic primaries.
“For now, it's tough to argue for anything else,” said Democratic strategist Stefan Hankin. “Trump is the story, and he is not exactly running a disciplined campaign right now. Certainly, Biden will have to pivot at some point, but for now, I am guessing he is happy to let Trump keep putting the fires out with more gasoline.”
Another veteran Democratic operative put it this way : “Every day that’s not about Joe Biden is a day that Joe Biden wins.”
The White House has denied Trump was upset by Saturday’s rally, with press secretary Kayleigh McEnany describing it as “a huge success.”
Even some Republican insiders worry that the eventful past four years, capped by a stressful summer of economic dislocation, potentially resurging coronavirus, and civil unrest, will lead to what one strategist called “generalized Trump fatigue.” But they are also skeptical Biden can keep his current low profile without political consequence.
For all the attention paid to the empty seats in Tulsa, sporadic Biden campaign events have attracted attendance more suitable for PTA meetings. The New York Times described one as taking place in a “nearly empty room.” Whether that’s primarily due to virus fears or an enthusiasm gap between the candidates remains to be seen.
Trump is expected to have further live campaign rallies as Biden proceeds more slowly.