thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--Trump and GOP struggle to define Kamala Harris as the radical running mate

Kamala Harris has proven a trickier-than-expected target for Republicans trying to define the Democratic ticket ahead of November ’ s election , even as she and Joe Biden have recently seemed confused about which of them is leading the ticket .
The Californian Biden tapped as his running mate was once rated the — “ She is even to the left of Socialist Bernie Sanders , ” a Republican National Committee statement said last month — and Democratic primary voters quickly soured on her presidential campaign earlier this year .
This would seem to be fertile ground for attack ads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 55 , remains above ground in her favorability ratings .
A Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier this month that showed 58 % having a favorable impression of her , compared to 43 % who did not , appears to be an outlier .
But most recent polls show a plurality of respondents viewing the Democratic vice presidential nominee favorably , with the RealClearPolitics polling average showing her net favorability at nearly plus-5 .
That ’ s not an overwhelming advantage , but it also shows Republicans have a long way to go in terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hillary Clinton or Nancy Pelosi .
Nearly 50 % view Vice President Mike Pence unfavorably in the RealClearPolitics average .
Biden recently mixed up their order on the ticket , referring to a “ Harris-Biden administration ” during a campaign stop in Florida on Tuesday .
A day earlier , Harris mentioned a “ Harris administration , together with Joe Biden as the president of the United States.
” The gaffes could be an opportunity to reinforce one of President Trump ’ s main arguments against his opponent : that Biden is merely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will soon give way to a younger liberal such as Harris .
“ From my experience , the VP nominee doesn ’ t translate to moving voters except for the typical bounce in polling from the announcement or to carry a key home state , ” said Republican strategist Jon Gilmore .
“ Any characterization of Harris must be tied to Biden , or it will be ineffective.
” Biden ’ s age — he is 77 now and has a birthday not long after the election — makes Harris ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typical vice presidential nominee .
But Democrats caution against going negative against her .
“ They tried to identify Joe Biden , and nothing stuck , ” said Moe Vela , a former senior adviser to Biden .
“ The challenge is , if you 're going to use that tactic with Kamala Harris , if you are not careful as a Republican strategist , it could just be viewed as more evidence of the misogynistic Trump tendencies .
They now not only have the challenge of how do you define her and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her , but you also have to worry about it being viewed as another misogynistic or racist tactic.
” The Trump campaign and its surrogates haven ’ t ignored Harris .
The RNC on Thursday highlighted reports that a Minnesota bail fund she has promoted had helped bail out a man accused of sexual assault of a minor .
“ Reminder : Biden and Harris would take this radicalism even further if elected .
They have said they want to completely eliminate cash bail , which could put criminals right back on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
“ Bottom Line : Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have to answer for why they supported a group that helped a man accused of sexually penetrating a child.
” “ There is no question about it , Sen. Kamala Harris is the weaker link of the Biden-Harris ticket , and the Biden campaign recognizes it too , ” said Republican strategist Ford O ’ Connell .
“ It is why Harris has been used sparingly on the campaign trail outside of Democrat strongholds .
She has not shown a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sing from the same hymnbook as Biden.
” O ’ Connell acknowledged Trump ’ s case against Harris got lost in the summer headlines and that there might not be enough time to define her for battleground state voters now .
“ Instead , the Trump campaign is going to drive home their primary strengths — the economy and law and order , and if they can weave Kamala into that equation they will , particularly her command and control economic views , her sympathy for rioters — including attempts to bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim that the lawlessness is ‘ not gon na stop after Election Day , '' he said .
“ When it comes to specifically defining Harris , the Trump campaign ’ s ace in the hole will be Mike Pence in the vice presidential debates , and his goal will be to highlight Biden ’ s incompetency for picking Harris in the first place.
” Harris ’ s fashion choices have broken through the news cycle .
Her footwear during a trip to California to survey wildfire damage went viral on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Kamala Harris may have made Timberland boots cool again .
”

Kamala Harris has proven a trickier-than-expected target for Republicans trying to define the Democratic ticket ahead of November’s election, even as she and Joe Biden have recently seemed confused about which of them is leading the ticket.
The Californian Biden tapped as his running mate was once rated the most liberal senator — “She is even to the left of Socialist Bernie Sanders,” a Republican National Committee statement said last month — and Democratic primary voters quickly soured on her presidential campaign earlier this year. This would seem to be fertile ground for attack ads or opposition researchers.
Yet Harris, 55, remains above ground in her favorability ratings. A Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier this month that showed 58% having a favorable impression of her, compared to 43% who did not, appears to be an outlier. But most recent polls show a plurality of respondents viewing the Democratic vice presidential nominee favorably, with the RealClearPolitics polling average showing her net favorability at nearly plus-5.
That’s not an overwhelming advantage, but it also shows Republicans have a long way to go in terms of making Harris a polarizing figure such as Hillary Clinton or Nancy Pelosi. Nearly 50% view Vice President Mike Pence unfavorably in the RealClearPolitics average.
Biden recently mixed up their order on the ticket, referring to a “Harris-Biden administration” during a campaign stop in Florida on Tuesday. A day earlier, Harris mentioned a “Harris administration, together with Joe Biden as the president of the United States.” The gaffes could be an opportunity to reinforce one of President Trump’s main arguments against his opponent: that Biden is merely a frontman for a radicalized Democratic Party and will soon give way to a younger liberal such as Harris.
“From my experience, the VP nominee doesn’t translate to moving voters except for the typical bounce in polling from the announcement or to carry a key home state,” said Republican strategist Jon Gilmore. “Any characterization of Harris must be tied to Biden, or it will be ineffective.”
Biden’s age — he is 77 now and has a birthday not long after the election — makes Harris’s politics more significant than those of a typical vice presidential nominee. But Democrats caution against going negative against her.
“They tried to identify Joe Biden, and nothing stuck,” said Moe Vela, a former senior adviser to Biden. “The challenge is, if you're going to use that tactic with Kamala Harris, if you are not careful as a Republican strategist, it could just be viewed as more evidence of the misogynistic Trump tendencies. They now not only have the challenge of how do you define her and what message are you putting out about her, but you also have to worry about it being viewed as another misogynistic or racist tactic.”
The Trump campaign and its surrogates haven’t ignored Harris. The RNC on Thursday highlighted reports that a Minnesota bail fund she has promoted had helped bail out a man accused of sexual assault of a minor. “Reminder: Biden and Harris would take this radicalism even further if elected. They have said they want to completely eliminate cash bail, which could put criminals right back on the streets,” said spokesman Steve Guest in a statement. “Bottom Line: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have to answer for why they supported a group that helped a man accused of sexually penetrating a child.”
“There is no question about it, Sen. Kamala Harris is the weaker link of the Biden-Harris ticket, and the Biden campaign recognizes it too,” said Republican strategist Ford O’Connell. “It is why Harris has been used sparingly on the campaign trail outside of Democrat strongholds. She has not shown a disciplined willingness to stick to the script and sing from the same hymnbook as Biden.”
O’Connell acknowledged Trump’s case against Harris got lost in the summer headlines and that there might not be enough time to define her for battleground state voters now.
“Instead, the Trump campaign is going to drive home their primary strengths — the economy and law and order, and if they can weave Kamala into that equation they will, particularly her command and control economic views, her sympathy for rioters — including attempts to bail them out of jail — and her claim that the lawlessness is ‘not gonna stop after Election Day," he said. “When it comes to specifically defining Harris, the Trump campaign’s ace in the hole will be Mike Pence in the vice presidential debates, and his goal will be to highlight Biden’s incompetency for picking Harris in the first place.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--While McSally chases Kelly in Arizona, Joe Biden scrambles for Hispanic support

Senate : Martha McSally is in even more trouble in Arizona than President Trump , and that ’ s saying something .
The Republican incumbent , appointed to the Senate in 2019 , has struggled all cycle to gain traction with voters and trails Democratic challenger Mark Kelly by an average of 6.4 percentage points with just under 50 days to go before Election Day .
McSally , a 54-year-old former Air Force fighter pilot , is no stranger to difficult campaigns and has always worked extremely hard , going back to her first race for Congress in 2012 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pragmatic Republican in a swing , southern Arizona House district , McSally has had to try to reinvent herself into a Trump Republican to run for Senate — to satisfy a statewide GOP base that is extremely supportive of the president .
McSally has managed to pull it off , at least enough to avoid facing a challenge from the Right in Arizona ’ s late summer primaries .
In doing so , however , McSally has alienated voters in the state ’ s politically dominant suburbs around Phoenix and Tucson , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of opposition to Trump .
That Catch 22 has left McSally worse off in the stretch run of the campaign than Trump , who is doing 2.2 points better against Democratic nominee Joe Biden than she is against Kelly .
Republicans hope to soften support for the former astronaut by highlighting past business ties to China and casting attention on an offensive joke he made two years ago while discussing his twin brother ’ s return from space ( his brother is an astronaut ) .
The quip , recently surfaced by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overtones , and Kelly has apologized .
Kelly ’ s credentials are bolstered by his wife , beloved former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords .
Once considered a future Senate candidate , Giffords resigned from the House in 2011 after surviving an assassination attempt while meeting with constituents and is now a nationally known gun control advocate .
Giffords ’ s top aide was her immediate successor but in 2014 lost to McSally in a rematch of their 2012 campaign .
Four years later , McSally retired to run for the Senate seat vacated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who dropped his reelection bid after concluding he would not win his primary .
But McSally was narrowly defeated by Democrat Kyrsten Sinema , then a Phoenix-area congresswoman , marking the first loss in a generation for a Republican running for Senate in Arizona .
A couple of months later , GOP Gov .
Doug Ducey appointed McSally to the Senate seat left vacant by the death of iconic Republican John McCain .
— by David M. Drucker Trump campaign : The president wants his indoor rallies back After a false start in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ Make America Great Again ” campaign rallies are finally back — whether local authorities want them or not .
Nevada Gov .
Steve Sisolak , a Democrat , said an indoor Trump event in Henderson violated the state ’ s emergency directives for slowing the spread of the coronavirus .
“ He knew what the rules were , ” Sisolak told CNN .
“ He chose to show callous disregard in a reckless , selfish , irresponsible way .
There ’ s no other way to put it.
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said from the stage , “ If the governor comes after you , which he shouldn ’ t be doing , I ’ ll be with you all the way.
” The city of Henderson subsequently fined the venue $ 3,000 .
To Democrats , the resumption of indoor campaign activities illustrates Trump ’ s obliviousness at best and impetuousness at worst in the face of the pandemic .
One of their main election season arguments against Trump is that he has mismanaged the coronavirus .
But the Democrats ’ more cautious approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its downsides .
“ They are not knocking on doors ; they are not really on the ground , ” said a Republican strategist in Minnesota , a state Trump narrowly lost in 2016 and is looking to flip this time around .
“ They are texting , I guess.
” After an unexpected election loss in which the Democrats ’ relative lack of ground game in the Rust Belt and upper Midwest loomed large , this is something that bears watching .
— by W. James Antle III Biden campaign : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hispanic vote Joe Biden ’ s trip to Florida was defined by a single viral clip of beginning a speech by playing the 2017 hit song `` Despacito '' into the microphone and bobbing his head .
He had been introduced by the singer who recorded the song , Luis Fonsi , at a Hispanic Heritage Month event in Kissimmee .
The moment was mocked on social media as being a desperate attempt by Biden to court Latino voters .
But the real risk for Biden is not that he is overtly pandering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outreach to the critical demographic did not come soon enough .
In December , Biden ’ s senior Latina adviser resigned out of frustration that the campaign was not doing enough to reach that community .
He finally released a plan on how to “ empower the Latino community ” last month .
Poll analysts say that while Biden is winning Latino voters overall , he has a slimmer lead than Hillary Clinton had in 2016 , and President Trump , who got 28 % Latino support in 2016 , is gaining ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College found Trump at 37 % support among Latinos nationwide .
David McCuan , professor and chairman of political science at Sonoma State University , said that a Republican getting 30 % of the Latino vote `` begins to threaten the Democratic candidate . ''
At 35 % , it 's `` darn difficult , '' and 40 % is the `` magic number '' to put a Republican on the path to victory .
Latinos are projected to be the largest group of eligible minority voters in 2020 , surpassing black eligible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Pew Research Center , and Biden ’ s path to victory is tied to increasing turnout among Latinos .
But they tend to be younger and less frequent voters than other ethnic groups , posing a challenge for Biden in a coronavirus-era election in which his campaign operatives are not going door-to-door or hosting in-person activities .
— by Emily Larsen House : A Navy officer and Navy SEAL will face off again in VA-02 A pair of decorated Navy veterans are , again , competing fiercely for a coastal Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swath of military installations .
Rep. Elaine Luria , who swept into office in the 2018 Democratic wave , faces former Rep. Scott Taylor , a Republican she ousted as his campaign reeled from petition scandal .
Capturing support from military voters is key in the 2nd Congressional District , which runs from Virginia Beach to Williamsburg and includes eight major military installations .
Luria is an Annapolis graduate who rose to the rank of commander and spent the majority of her career deployed on Navy ships .
In the House , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Veterans ' Affairs committees .
Taylor enlisted in the Navy after high school and made it to the SEALs .
During the Iraq War , Taylor was a SEAL sniper and spent two years as a SEAL instructor , teaching marksmanship and reconnaissance , among other roles in the elite unit .
He then turned toward politics , with a three-year stint in Virginia 's House of Delegates before winning the open 2nd Congressional District seat in 2016 .
But Taylor 's reelection bid against Luria got derailed when , in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports that members of his campaign staff had added fake names to ballot access petitions intended to help an independent candidate .
One campaign aide was charged , though Taylor has n't been .
Like much of Virginia , the 2nd District in recent years has become more competitive for Democrats .
President Trump beat Hillary Clinton there in 2016 , 48 % -45 % .
But Democratic Gov .
Ralph Northam won the district in 2017 , as did Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine in his 2018 reelection bid .
— by David @

Senate: Martha McSally is in even more trouble in Arizona than President Trump, and that’s saying something.
The Republican incumbent, appointed to the Senate in 2019, has struggled all cycle to gain traction with voters and trails Democratic challenger Mark Kelly by an average of 6.4 percentage points with just under 50 days to go before Election Day. McSally, a 54-year-old former Air Force fighter pilot, is no stranger to difficult campaigns and has always worked extremely hard, going back to her first race for Congress in 2012.
But after initially establishing herself as a pragmatic Republican in a swing, southern Arizona House district, McSally has had to try to reinvent herself into a Trump Republican to run for Senate — to satisfy a statewide GOP base that is extremely supportive of the president. McSally has managed to pull it off, at least enough to avoid facing a challenge from the Right in Arizona’s late summer primaries. In doing so, however, McSally has alienated voters in the state’s politically dominant suburbs around Phoenix and Tucson, especially women, who have drifted left because of opposition to Trump.
That Catch 22 has left McSally worse off in the stretch run of the campaign than Trump, who is doing 2.2 points better against Democratic nominee Joe Biden than she is against Kelly.
Republicans hope to soften support for the former astronaut by highlighting past business ties to China and casting attention on an offensive joke he made two years ago while discussing his twin brother’s return from space (his brother is an astronaut). The quip, recently surfaced by a Republican who opposes Kelly, has racial overtones, and Kelly has apologized. Kelly’s credentials are bolstered by his wife, beloved former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
Once considered a future Senate candidate, Giffords resigned from the House in 2011 after surviving an assassination attempt while meeting with constituents and is now a nationally known gun control advocate. Giffords’s top aide was her immediate successor but in 2014 lost to McSally in a rematch of their 2012 campaign. Four years later, McSally retired to run for the Senate seat vacated by virulent Republican Trump critic Jeff Flake, who dropped his reelection bid after concluding he would not win his primary.
But McSally was narrowly defeated by Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, then a Phoenix-area congresswoman, marking the first loss in a generation for a Republican running for Senate in Arizona. A couple of months later, GOP Gov. Doug Ducey appointed McSally to the Senate seat left vacant by the death of iconic Republican John McCain. — by David M. Drucker
Trump campaign: The president wants his indoor rallies back
After a false start in Tulsa earlier this year, President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign rallies are finally back — whether local authorities want them or not. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, said an indoor Trump event in Henderson violated the state’s emergency directives for slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
“He knew what the rules were,” Sisolak told CNN. “He chose to show callous disregard in a reckless, selfish, irresponsible way. There’s no other way to put it.” Trump called Sisolak a “hack” and said from the stage, “If the governor comes after you, which he shouldn’t be doing, I’ll be with you all the way.” The city of Henderson subsequently fined the venue $3,000.
To Democrats, the resumption of indoor campaign activities illustrates Trump’s obliviousness at best and impetuousness at worst in the face of the pandemic. One of their main election season arguments against Trump is that he has mismanaged the coronavirus. But the Democrats’ more cautious approach to campaigning during the virus may have its downsides.
“They are not knocking on doors; they are not really on the ground,” said a Republican strategist in Minnesota, a state Trump narrowly lost in 2016 and is looking to flip this time around. “They are texting, I guess.” After an unexpected election loss in which the Democrats’ relative lack of ground game in the Rust Belt and upper Midwest loomed large, this is something that bears watching. — by W. James Antle III
Biden campaign: The campaign looks to Florida to shore up Hispanic vote
Joe Biden’s trip to Florida was defined by a single viral clip of beginning a speech by playing the 2017 hit song "Despacito" into the microphone and bobbing his head. He had been introduced by the singer who recorded the song, Luis Fonsi, at a Hispanic Heritage Month event in Kissimmee.
The moment was mocked on social media as being a desperate attempt by Biden to court Latino voters. But the real risk for Biden is not that he is overtly pandering to Latino voters, but that his outreach to the critical demographic did not come soon enough.
In December, Biden’s senior Latina adviser resigned out of frustration that the campaign was not doing enough to reach that community. He finally released a plan on how to “empower the Latino community” last month.
Poll analysts say that while Biden is winning Latino voters overall, he has a slimmer lead than Hillary Clinton had in 2016, and President Trump, who got 28% Latino support in 2016, is gaining ground. One recent outlier poll from Emerson College found Trump at 37% support among Latinos nationwide.
David McCuan, professor and chairman of political science at Sonoma State University, said that a Republican getting 30% of the Latino vote "begins to threaten the Democratic candidate." At 35%, it's "darn difficult," and 40% is the "magic number" to put a Republican on the path to victory.
Latinos are projected to be the largest group of eligible minority voters in 2020, surpassing black eligible voters for the first time, according to the Pew Research Center, and Biden’s path to victory is tied to increasing turnout among Latinos. But they tend to be younger and less frequent voters than other ethnic groups, posing a challenge for Biden in a coronavirus-era election in which his campaign operatives are not going door-to-door or hosting in-person activities. — by Emily Larsen
House: A Navy officer and Navy SEAL will face off again in VA-02
A pair of decorated Navy veterans are, again, competing fiercely for a coastal Virginia House seat that's home to a swath of military installations.
Rep. Elaine Luria, who swept into office in the 2018 Democratic wave, faces former Rep. Scott Taylor, a Republican she ousted as his campaign reeled from petition scandal.
Capturing support from military voters is key in the 2nd Congressional District, which runs from Virginia Beach to Williamsburg and includes eight major military installations.
Luria is an Annapolis graduate who rose to the rank of commander and spent the majority of her career deployed on Navy ships. In the House, she's a member of the Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs committees.
Taylor enlisted in the Navy after high school and made it to the SEALs. During the Iraq War, Taylor was a SEAL sniper and spent two years as a SEAL instructor, teaching marksmanship and reconnaissance, among other roles in the elite unit.
He then turned toward politics, with a three-year stint in Virginia's House of Delegates before winning the open 2nd Congressional District seat in 2016.
But Taylor's reelection bid against Luria got derailed when, in August 2018, a special prosecutor started investigating reports that members of his campaign staff had added fake names to ballot access petitions intended to help an independent candidate. One campaign aide was charged, though Taylor hasn't been.
Like much of Virginia, the 2nd District in recent years has become more competitive for Democrats. President Trump beat Hillary Clinton there in 2016, 48%-45%. But Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam won the district in 2017, as did Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine in his 2018 reelection bid. — by David Mark


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--'Trying to have it both ways': Anderson Cooper challenges Biden on fracking position

Anderson Cooper challenged Joe Biden on his position on fracking , accusing the Democratic presidential nominee of trying to play to multiple sides of the fracking debate .
`` You said you wo n't ban fracking but that you wanted to gradually move away from it , ultimately .
It sounds like , to some , you are trying to have it both ways , '' the CNN anchor said during a town hall for Biden on Thursday .
`` Politically , it 's understandable why you might say that , but if fracking contributes to climate change and climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should it , fracking , continue at all ? ''
Biden had just told a Pennsylvania worker at the town hall that he supports the continuation of fracking within safe guidelines , adding that it is an important industry for the state .
`` Well , fracking has to continue because we need a transition , '' Biden said in response to Cooper .
`` We 're going to get to net-zero emissions by 2050 , and we 'll get to net-zero power emissions by 2035 .
But there is no rationale to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Despite Biden 's official position that he would not ban fracking if elected president , President Trump 's campaign has attacked Biden by claiming he does not support fracking by pointing to his previous statements during the Democratic primary that were hostile to the practice .

Anderson Cooper challenged Joe Biden on his position on fracking, accusing the Democratic presidential nominee of trying to play to multiple sides of the fracking debate.
"You said you won't ban fracking but that you wanted to gradually move away from it, ultimately. It sounds like, to some, you are trying to have it both ways," the CNN anchor said during a town hall for Biden on Thursday. "Politically, it's understandable why you might say that, but if fracking contributes to climate change and climate change is an existential threat, why should it, fracking, continue at all?"
Biden had just told a Pennsylvania worker at the town hall that he supports the continuation of fracking within safe guidelines, adding that it is an important industry for the state.
"Well, fracking has to continue because we need a transition," Biden said in response to Cooper. "We're going to get to net-zero emissions by 2050, and we'll get to net-zero power emissions by 2035. But there is no rationale to eliminate, right now, fracking."
Despite Biden's official position that he would not ban fracking if elected president, President Trump's campaign has attacked Biden by claiming he does not support fracking by pointing to his previous statements during the Democratic primary that were hostile to the practice.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-19--Biden mourns Ginsburg and calls for no replacement until after election

Joe Biden reacted to the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with sorrow and said a replacement should not be chosen until after the election .
She was `` not only a giant in the legal profession , but a beloved figure .
And my heart goes out to all those who cared for her and care about her .
She practiced the highest American ideals as a justice , '' the former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee said after landing in Delaware from a campaign stop in Minnesota earlier in the day .
`` There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that the voters should pick the president , and the president should pick the justice for the Senate to consider .
This was the position the Republican Senate took in 2016 when there were almost 10 months to go before the election .
That 's the position the United States Senate must take today , '' Biden said .
`` The election is only 46 days off , '' Biden added .
`` I think the fastest justice ever confirmed was 47 days , and the average is closer to 70 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this with full consideration .
And that is my hope and expectation of what will happen . ''
Ginsburg , 87 , died on Friday at her home in Washington after a long battle with cancer .
NPR reported that Ginsburg 's dying wish , dictated to granddaughter Clara Spera , was : `` My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed . ''
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed those wishes in a statement on Ginsburg 's passing on Friday .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice , ” Schumer said .
“ Therefore , this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.
” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell indicated that he will advance a Trump nominee despite the impending election .
`` President Trump ’ s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate , '' McConnell said in a Friday statement .
McConnell blocked former President Barack Obama 's nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , arguing that a replacement should not be named until after the election .
The Democratic vice presidential nominee , California Sen. Kamala Harris , sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee , which conducts hearings on Supreme Court nominees .
Harris gained national notoriety for her sharp exchanges with Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing in 2018 .
Biden campaign officials , advisers , and family members also mourned Ginsburg 's death and expressed a renewed commitment to elect Biden .
Senior Biden adviser Greg Schultz dubbed the 2020 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden campaign manager Rufus Gifford committed not to sleep in order to elect Biden .

Joe Biden reacted to the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with sorrow and said a replacement should not be chosen until after the election.
She was "not only a giant in the legal profession, but a beloved figure. And my heart goes out to all those who cared for her and care about her. She practiced the highest American ideals as a justice," the former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee said after landing in Delaware from a campaign stop in Minnesota earlier in the day.
"There is no doubt, let me be clear, that the voters should pick the president, and the president should pick the justice for the Senate to consider. This was the position the Republican Senate took in 2016 when there were almost 10 months to go before the election. That's the position the United States Senate must take today," Biden said.
"The election is only 46 days off," Biden added. "I think the fastest justice ever confirmed was 47 days, and the average is closer to 70 days. And so, we should do this with full consideration. And that is my hope and expectation of what will happen."
Ginsburg, 87, died on Friday at her home in Washington after a long battle with cancer.
NPR reported that Ginsburg's dying wish, dictated to granddaughter Clara Spera, was: "My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed."
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed those wishes in a statement on Ginsburg's passing on Friday.
“The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court justice,” Schumer said. “Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell indicated that he will advance a Trump nominee despite the impending election.
"President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate," McConnell said in a Friday statement.
McConnell blocked former President Barack Obama's nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court in 2016 following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, arguing that a replacement should not be named until after the election.
The Democratic vice presidential nominee, California Sen. Kamala Harris, sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which conducts hearings on Supreme Court nominees. Harris gained national notoriety for her sharp exchanges with Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing in 2018.
Biden campaign officials, advisers, and family members also mourned Ginsburg's death and expressed a renewed commitment to elect Biden.
Senior Biden adviser Greg Schultz dubbed the 2020 election the most important one ever.
THIS ELECTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION EVER. — Greg Schultz (@schultzohio) September 18, 2020
Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden thanked Ginsburg.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought harder than most of us know how.
If we muster 1/100 of her grit and absolute belief that one person can change the world, we will finish the job.
Thank you, RBG. From a young idealistic girl who went to law school wanting to be you when she grew up. — Naomi Biden (@NaomiBiden) September 19, 2020
Deputy Biden campaign manager Rufus Gifford committed not to sleep in order to elect Biden.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-19--Trump launches all-out attack on refugees as he courts base in rural Minnesota

BEMIDJI , Minnesota — President Trump warned voters in Minnesota their state would be turned into a `` refugee camp '' if his rival Joe Biden were elected in November , opening the `` floodgates '' to radical Islamic extremists as he launched a red-blooded appeal to his white base .
His campaign is targeting Minnesota as a possible pickup by appealing to voters ' economic concerns .
But on Friday evening , he turned his bitterest rhetoric on the state 's sizable population of Somali immigrants , describing himself as an American wall against chaos .
`` Every family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe 's plan to flood your state with an influx of refugees from Somalia , from other places , all over the planet , '' he said to boos .
`` Biden has promised a 700 % increase in the manifesto with Bernie ... on the importation of refugees from the most dangerous places in the world , including Yemen , Syria , and Somalia . ''
The state has backed Democratic presidential candidates for almost 50 years .
Yet on Friday , its status as a battleground was evident with both Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also been the epicenter of this summer 's street protests after George Floyd was killed in police custody in Minneapolis .
Trump wasted no time in name-checking Ilhan Omar , the Somali-American U.S. representative for Minneapolis , and wading into his law-and-order argument that American cities would be reduced to ashes if Biden won .
`` Your state will state will be overrun and destroyed if Biden and the radical Left win , '' he said .
He was speaking at an airport just outside Bemidji , to a packed outdoor crowd that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 100 miles from the Canadian border and is perhaps best known for its role in folklore as the birthplace of mythical lumberjack Paul Bunyan .
Its population of 15,000 and location in Minnesota ’ s Iron Range means it would have been passed over by Republican candidates of yesterday , but now , it sits amid the rural counties that the Trump campaign believes could help it retain the White House .
The trip is Trump ’ s sixth to the state since winning power .
Vice President Mike Pence will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest they still have a lot of work to do .
A rolling average maintained by tracking site FiveThirtyEight gives Biden an almost 9-point lead in a state that has not gone Republican since Richard Nixon ’ s 1972 landslide .
But still , the Trump campaign is all-in .
A close result in 2016 , decided by less than 2 percentage points , and shifting allegiances in blue-collar America mean strategists see it as one of their best chances to add a state to the red column .
They insist that their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their better-developed ground game will be enough to increase the turnout in Trump ’ s rural strongholds .
In 2016 , they had one staffer in the state who was sent to Colorado on Election Day .
This time around , the number is 80 .
It is a similar base-heavy strategy to the ones playing out in other key battlegrounds , such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
This week , the campaign also launched a $ 10 million ad buy , rolling out two spots contrasting Trump ’ s economic record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are running in Minnesota , along with other battlegrounds .
His supporters point to a string of policies that have helped Minnesota , including reversing an Obama-era prohibition on developing copper-nickel mining and cash help to farmers suffering because of the trade war with China .
Democrats believe their strength in urban centers such as Minneapolis will carry the day and that voters will see through the president ’ s claims that he is best placed to help working people .
Eric Ostermeier , research fellow at the Center for the Study of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minnesota and the author of the Smart Politics Blog , said the state was Trump ’ s second-narrowest loss in 2016 , making it an obvious place to go on offense .
“ Minnesota and New Hampshire are the logical places to start , ” he said .
“ But the notion that Michigan would turn blue or Wisconsin would turn blue and Minnesota would turn red as compensation , to take a couple of their Midwestern states as examples , it ’ s actually never happened.
” Yet Trump ’ s claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of six Democratic mayors .
They announced in August that they were backing Trump because of Biden ’ s history of supporting free trade deals , which they said cost the Iron Range thousands of jobs .
Former Democratic mayor of Duluth Gary Doty said their actions confirmed how Democrats had turned away from traditional supporters .
“ That 's absolutely unheard of , ” he said of the defections in what was once a loyal Democratic region .
“ And it 's something that since my time , when Eisenhower was president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

BEMIDJI, Minnesota — President Trump warned voters in Minnesota their state would be turned into a "refugee camp" if his rival Joe Biden were elected in November, opening the "floodgates" to radical Islamic extremists as he launched a red-blooded appeal to his white base.
His campaign is targeting Minnesota as a possible pickup by appealing to voters' economic concerns.
But on Friday evening, he turned his bitterest rhetoric on the state's sizable population of Somali immigrants, describing himself as an American wall against chaos.
"Every family in Minnesota needs to know about Sleepy Joe's plan to flood your state with an influx of refugees from Somalia, from other places, all over the planet," he said to boos.
"Biden has promised a 700% increase in the manifesto with Bernie ... on the importation of refugees from the most dangerous places in the world, including Yemen, Syria, and Somalia."
The state has backed Democratic presidential candidates for almost 50 years. Yet on Friday, its status as a battleground was evident with both Trump and Biden making appearances.
It has also been the epicenter of this summer's street protests after George Floyd was killed in police custody in Minneapolis.
Trump wasted no time in name-checking Ilhan Omar, the Somali-American U.S. representative for Minneapolis, and wading into his law-and-order argument that American cities would be reduced to ashes if Biden won.
"Your state will state will be overrun and destroyed if Biden and the radical Left win," he said.
He was speaking at an airport just outside Bemidji, to a packed outdoor crowd that numbered in the thousands.
Bemidji is about 100 miles from the Canadian border and is perhaps best known for its role in folklore as the birthplace of mythical lumberjack Paul Bunyan. Its population of 15,000 and location in Minnesota’s Iron Range means it would have been passed over by Republican candidates of yesterday, but now, it sits amid the rural counties that the Trump campaign believes could help it retain the White House.
The trip is Trump’s sixth to the state since winning power. Vice President Mike Pence will be in Minneapolis on Thursday.
Recent polls suggest they still have a lot of work to do. A rolling average maintained by tracking site FiveThirtyEight gives Biden an almost 9-point lead in a state that has not gone Republican since Richard Nixon’s 1972 landslide.
But still, the Trump campaign is all-in. A close result in 2016, decided by less than 2 percentage points, and shifting allegiances in blue-collar America mean strategists see it as one of their best chances to add a state to the red column.
They insist that their internal polling puts the contest closer and that their better-developed ground game will be enough to increase the turnout in Trump’s rural strongholds.
In 2016, they had one staffer in the state who was sent to Colorado on Election Day. This time around, the number is 80.
It is a similar base-heavy strategy to the ones playing out in other key battlegrounds, such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
This week, the campaign also launched a $10 million ad buy, rolling out two spots contrasting Trump’s economic record with that of Biden's. They are running in Minnesota, along with other battlegrounds.
His supporters point to a string of policies that have helped Minnesota, including reversing an Obama-era prohibition on developing copper-nickel mining and cash help to farmers suffering because of the trade war with China.
Democrats believe their strength in urban centers such as Minneapolis will carry the day and that voters will see through the president’s claims that he is best placed to help working people.
Eric Ostermeier, research fellow at the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota and the author of the Smart Politics Blog, said the state was Trump’s second-narrowest loss in 2016, making it an obvious place to go on offense.
“Minnesota and New Hampshire are the logical places to start,” he said. “But the notion that Michigan would turn blue or Wisconsin would turn blue and Minnesota would turn red as compensation, to take a couple of their Midwestern states as examples, it’s actually never happened.”
Yet Trump’s claims have been bolstered by the recent defection of six Democratic mayors. They announced in August that they were backing Trump because of Biden’s history of supporting free trade deals, which they said cost the Iron Range thousands of jobs.
Former Democratic mayor of Duluth Gary Doty said their actions confirmed how Democrats had turned away from traditional supporters.
“That's absolutely unheard of,” he said of the defections in what was once a loyal Democratic region. “And it's something that since my time, when Eisenhower was president, I never thought would happen.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-19--Ginsburg's death elevates the Supreme Court's future as an election battle

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg injects another layer of controversy into an already contentious presidential election , as the composition of the nation ’ s highest court hangs in the balance .
Ginsburg , nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1993 , was an anchor of the court ’ s liberal bloc .
Her passing while a Republican sits in the White House less than 50 days out from the election sets the stage for a brutal confirmation hearing .
President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have given every indication they would attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year , though they could face Republican defections .
John Malcolm , vice president for the Institute for Constitutional Government and director of the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at the conservative Heritage Foundation , that a post-Ginsburg confirmation battle would make Justice Brett Kavanaugh ’ s hearings look like a “ pillow fight.
” “ Going from Anthony Kennedy to Kavanaugh is akin to going from Sandra Day O ’ Connor to Sam Alito , ” he said .
“ Going from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to [ a Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thurgood Marshall to Clarence Thomas.
” “ My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed , ” Ginsburg , 87 , was quoted as saying in a final statement before her death .
A similar situation unfolded when Justice Antonin Scalia , a leading conservative , died during the 2016 campaign .
Ginsburg ’ s death also increases the importance of the Supreme Court to both liberal and conservative voters ahead of the November election .
An August Pew Research found that 64 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointments ” as a top issue for them , good for third place , behind the economy and healthcare , and 2 points ahead of the coronavirus outbreak .
White evangelicals , a crucial Republican voting bloc that Trump carried with 81 % of the vote in 2016 , care deeply about the composition of the court as it affects issues such as abortion and religious liberty even more than the partisan makeup of the Senate .
Abortion rights supporters and LGBTQ activists , who tend to support Democratic candidates , will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was viewed as a feminist icon .
Trump and McConnell have made reshaping the federal judiciary along conservative lines a key part of their shared legacy .
The filibuster for Supreme Court nominees was eliminated in 2017 to secure the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch , Trump ’ s first pick .
Trump had already announced a list of people from whom he would select his next high-court nominee .
Apparently unaware that Ginsburg had died , Trump joked that one person on the list , Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enjoy seeing him depart from the Senate .
When Scalia died in an election year , Senate Republicans blocked President Barack Obama ’ s nominee to replace him , Judge Merrick Garland , for the rest of the year .
The McConnell-led chamber did not even grant Garland a hearing .
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , a New York Democrat , has already called for a Trump nominee to Ginsburg ’ s seat to receive similar treatment .
McConnell vowed , `` President Trump ’ s nominee will receive a vote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Republicans still control the Senate 53-47 , and without the filibuster , Democrats have little recourse .
Several vulnerable GOP senators seeking reelection this year , including Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado and especially centrist Sen. Susan Collins of Maine , would be hard-pressed to vote for a Ginsburg replacement before the presidential race is decided .
Sen. Josh Hawley , a Missouri Republican , has said he will not vote for a nominee who has not explicitly said the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion was wrongly decided .
California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential nominee , sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee and would have a role in grilling any Trump pick .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden chaired the panel when the Senate rejected Ronald Reagan ’ s choice of Robert Bork to sit on the Supreme Court in 1987 but narrowly confirmed Clarence Thomas in 1991 .
Biden said in 1992 that a Supreme Court vacancy should not be filled in an election year .
`` Mr. President , where the nation should be treated to a consideration of constitutional philosophy , all it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partisan bickering and political posturing from both parties and from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue .
As a result , it is my view that if a Supreme Court Justice resigns tomorrow , or within the next several weeks , or resigns at the end of the summer , President Bush should consider following the practice of a majority of his predecessors and not , and not , name a nominee until after the November election is completed.
” Biden added that if the president nominated someone anyway , `` the Senate Judiciary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over.
” The president at the time was a Republican , and Biden was a Democratic senator from Delaware .
McConnell later called this the “ Biden rule ” while blocking Garland .
Biden has not provided a list of possible Supreme Court nominees should he be elected in November .
If another conservative justice is confirmed , some liberals advocate Biden and a Democratic-controlled Senate eliminating the legislative filibuster and then passing `` court-packing '' legislation to create additional liberal seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg injects another layer of controversy into an already contentious presidential election, as the composition of the nation’s highest court hangs in the balance.
Ginsburg, nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1993, was an anchor of the court’s liberal bloc. Her passing while a Republican sits in the White House less than 50 days out from the election sets the stage for a brutal confirmation hearing. President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have given every indication they would attempt to fill any Supreme Court vacancy that occurred this year, though they could face Republican defections.
John Malcolm, vice president for the Institute for Constitutional Government and director of the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at the conservative Heritage Foundation, predicted that a post-Ginsburg confirmation battle would make Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s hearings look like a “pillow fight.”
“Going from Anthony Kennedy to Kavanaugh is akin to going from Sandra Day O’Connor to Sam Alito,” he said. “Going from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to [a Trump nominee] is akin to going from Thurgood Marshall to Clarence Thomas.”
“My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,” Ginsburg, 87, was quoted as saying in a final statement before her death. A similar situation unfolded when Justice Antonin Scalia, a leading conservative, died during the 2016 campaign.
Ginsburg’s death also increases the importance of the Supreme Court to both liberal and conservative voters ahead of the November election. An August Pew Research poll found that 64% of registered voters listed “Supreme Court appointments” as a top issue for them, good for third place, behind the economy and healthcare, and 2 points ahead of the coronavirus outbreak.
White evangelicals, a crucial Republican voting bloc that Trump carried with 81% of the vote in 2016, care deeply about the composition of the court as it affects issues such as abortion and religious liberty even more than the partisan makeup of the Senate. Abortion rights supporters and LGBTQ activists, who tend to support Democratic candidates, will be equally mobilized by this vacancy. Ginsburg was viewed as a feminist icon.
Trump and McConnell have made reshaping the federal judiciary along conservative lines a key part of their shared legacy. The filibuster for Supreme Court nominees was eliminated in 2017 to secure the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s first pick. Trump had already announced a list of people from whom he would select his next high-court nominee. Apparently unaware that Ginsburg had died, Trump joked that one person on the list, Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, would be unanimously confirmed because his colleagues would enjoy seeing him depart from the Senate.
When Scalia died in an election year, Senate Republicans blocked President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace him, Judge Merrick Garland, for the rest of the year. The McConnell-led chamber did not even grant Garland a hearing. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, has already called for a Trump nominee to Ginsburg’s seat to receive similar treatment. McConnell vowed, "President Trump’s nominee will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate."
Republicans still control the Senate 53-47, and without the filibuster, Democrats have little recourse. Several vulnerable GOP senators seeking reelection this year, including Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado and especially centrist Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, would be hard-pressed to vote for a Ginsburg replacement before the presidential race is decided. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, has said he will not vote for a nominee who has not explicitly said the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion was wrongly decided.
California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee and would have a role in grilling any Trump pick. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden chaired the panel when the Senate rejected Ronald Reagan’s choice of Robert Bork to sit on the Supreme Court in 1987 but narrowly confirmed Clarence Thomas in 1991.
Biden said in 1992 that a Supreme Court vacancy should not be filled in an election year. "Mr. President, where the nation should be treated to a consideration of constitutional philosophy, all it will get in such circumstances is a partisan bickering and political posturing from both parties and from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. As a result, it is my view that if a Supreme Court Justice resigns tomorrow, or within the next several weeks, or resigns at the end of the summer, President Bush should consider following the practice of a majority of his predecessors and not, and not, name a nominee until after the November election is completed.”
Biden added that if the president nominated someone anyway, "the Senate Judiciary Committee should seriously consider not scheduling confirmation hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over.” The president at the time was a Republican, and Biden was a Democratic senator from Delaware. McConnell later called this the “Biden rule” while blocking Garland.
Biden has not provided a list of possible Supreme Court nominees should he be elected in November. If another conservative justice is confirmed, some liberals advocate Biden and a Democratic-controlled Senate eliminating the legislative filibuster and then passing "court-packing" legislation to create additional liberal seats on the nation's highest court.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--Biden says he won't announce Cabinet picks before election

Joe Biden said that he would not announce the names of any individuals who he would like to appoint to Cabinet positions , should voters choose him to be president , before the Nov. 3 election .
`` Well , no , '' Biden told reporters Friday , when asked if he would name potential picks before the election .
The former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee indicated , however , that the vetting process is underway for potential Cabinet members .
`` We 're going through that now with the transition committee of the people from whom I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of incredibly qualified people , '' Biden said , according to a pool report .
He added that he wants to make sure his Cabinet reflects the people of the United States .
But when it comes to announcing those individuals : `` Before the election , no , I do n't think so , '' Biden said .
Some commentators have urged Biden to take the unusual step of announcing who he would pick to be in his Cabinet before most people cast their votes .
Sean McElwee of the liberal polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Atlantic that it would be a `` very savvy move '' for Biden to announce his preferred picks ahead of time and `` indicate broadly across the party that a Joe Biden administration will have something for everyone . ''
Top Sanders adviser Jeff Weaver said that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 's campaign was seriously considering announcing a potential Cabinet before the election if he had won the Democratic presidential nomination .
Biden , who visited Minnesota on Friday , also predicted that `` there 's going to be the largest turnout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People are going to come out , '' Biden told reporters .
`` Mark my words . ''
`` The important part of this is to make sure that people have an opportunity to vote safely and that their votes are counted , '' Biden added .

Joe Biden said that he would not announce the names of any individuals who he would like to appoint to Cabinet positions, should voters choose him to be president, before the Nov. 3 election.
"Well, no," Biden told reporters Friday, when asked if he would name potential picks before the election.
The former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee indicated, however, that the vetting process is underway for potential Cabinet members.
"We're going through that now with the transition committee of the people from whom I choose. And there's a lot of incredibly qualified people," Biden said, according to a pool report. He added that he wants to make sure his Cabinet reflects the people of the United States.
But when it comes to announcing those individuals: "Before the election, no, I don't think so," Biden said.
Some commentators have urged Biden to take the unusual step of announcing who he would pick to be in his Cabinet before most people cast their votes.
Sean McElwee of the liberal polling and research firm Data for Progress told the Atlantic that it would be a "very savvy move" for Biden to announce his preferred picks ahead of time and "indicate broadly across the party that a Joe Biden administration will have something for everyone."
Top Sanders adviser Jeff Weaver said that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders's campaign was seriously considering announcing a potential Cabinet before the election if he had won the Democratic presidential nomination.
Biden, who visited Minnesota on Friday, also predicted that "there's going to be the largest turnout you've ever seen."
"People are going to come out," Biden told reporters. "Mark my words."
"The important part of this is to make sure that people have an opportunity to vote safely and that their votes are counted," Biden added.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--Biden keeps falsely suggesting Trump ignored coronavirus in State of the Union address

One of Joe Biden 's recent favorite campaign lines is to knock President Trump for not warning the public about the coronavirus pandemic earlier in his State of the Union speech this year .
Trump , however , did address the coronavirus pandemic in his State of the Union speech in early January of this year .
`` Imagine if he had , just maybe , on the State of the Union that year , spoke up and said , 'We got a problem , we can handle it .
Here ’ s what we got to do , ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech from Hermantown , Minnesota .
On Thursday night , Biden made a similar claim in a CNN town hall .
`` Imagine if he at the State of the Union stood up and said — when back in January , I wrote an article saying we 've got a pandemic , we 've got a real problem — imagine if he had said something , '' Biden said .
( Biden 's Jan. 27 USA Today op-ed referred only to the `` possibility of a pandemic '' but did call the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also deployed the line in a virtual fundraiser earlier in the week while the revelation of Trump 's comments to journalist Bob Woodward surfaced .
“ He knew and purposefully played it down , ” Biden said Monday , according to a pool report .
“ Imagine if he had spoken up in his State of the Union and warned the people what was coming so we could be prepared .
He lied to the American people .
Failed to do his job.
” The president 's State of the Union address on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a paragraph on the coronavirus pandemic .
`` Protecting Americans ’ health also means fighting infectious diseases .
We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China .
My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat , '' Trump said .
Trump did not specifically call on state or local governments or individuals to take action to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the congressional address .

One of Joe Biden's recent favorite campaign lines is to knock President Trump for not warning the public about the coronavirus pandemic earlier in his State of the Union speech this year.
Trump, however, did address the coronavirus pandemic in his State of the Union speech in early January of this year.
"Imagine if he had, just maybe, on the State of the Union that year, spoke up and said, 'We got a problem, we can handle it. Here’s what we got to do,'" the Democrat said Friday in a speech from Hermantown, Minnesota.
On Thursday night, Biden made a similar claim in a CNN town hall. "Imagine if he at the State of the Union stood up and said — when back in January, I wrote an article saying we've got a pandemic, we've got a real problem — imagine if he had said something," Biden said. (Biden's Jan. 27 USA Today op-ed referred only to the "possibility of a pandemic" but did call the coronavirus a "crisis.")
Biden also deployed the line in a virtual fundraiser earlier in the week while the revelation of Trump's comments to journalist Bob Woodward surfaced. “He knew and purposefully played it down,” Biden said Monday, according to a pool report. “Imagine if he had spoken up in his State of the Union and warned the people what was coming so we could be prepared. He lied to the American people. Failed to do his job.”
The president's State of the Union address on Feb. 4 of this year did include a paragraph on the coronavirus pandemic.
"Protecting Americans’ health also means fighting infectious diseases. We are coordinating with the Chinese government and working closely together on the coronavirus outbreak in China. My administration will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat," Trump said.
Trump did not specifically call on state or local governments or individuals to take action to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the congressional address.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--Biden makes working-class pitch to voters in north Minnesota

HERMANTOWN , Minnesota — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden targeted the wealthy after touring a union training center in northern Minnesota , leaning into his working-class roots during his second interstate campaign trip of the week .
`` Billionaires in America during this pandemic made another $ 300 billion .
Do you hear what I just said ? ''
Biden asked Friday during an address at the Jerry Alander Carpenter Training Center in Hermantown , outside Duluth , Minnesota .
The former two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator added , `` That 's been the entire story of Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the audience he had `` a chip '' on his shoulder regarding `` the guys who thought they were better than me , better than us because they had more money . ''
He criticized Trump for his preoccupation with the stock market , repeating a line he debuted Thursday night during a CNN town hall that he saw the Nov. 3 general election as a contest between Scranton , his hometown , and Park Avenue in Trump 's native New York City .
He also reiterated a complaint he made to CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that he did n't have an Ivy League degree .
`` Let me tell you something .
I know how to do the job of being president , '' he said .
`` It 's pretty clear .
No matter how wealthy Donald Trump is , no matter how much he doctors his — if he does — his tax returns , he does n't have a clue how to be president . ''
Biden described the Iron Range as a `` magnificent part of the world '' as his supporters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other from opposite sides of the road outside the venue .
The region has become increasingly conservative as he and Trump compete for Minnesota 's 10 electoral votes .
Trump lost the state to Hillary Clinton by 1.5 percentage points .
Biden was introduced by Democratic Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar , his former rival for the party 's presidential nomination .
Klobuchar weaved some of her family 's personal narrative into her opening remarks , including the part of her stump speech in which she reminded voters she is the granddaughter of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit comes after he flew to Florida on Tuesday amid growing scrutiny of his light campaign schedule with less than two months to go before Election Day .

HERMANTOWN, Minnesota — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden targeted the wealthy after touring a union training center in northern Minnesota, leaning into his working-class roots during his second interstate campaign trip of the week.
"Billionaires in America during this pandemic made another $300 billion. Do you hear what I just said?" Biden asked Friday during an address at the Jerry Alander Carpenter Training Center in Hermantown, outside Duluth, Minnesota.
The former two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator added, "That's been the entire story of Donald Trump's presidency."
Biden told the audience he had "a chip" on his shoulder regarding "the guys who thought they were better than me, better than us because they had more money." He criticized Trump for his preoccupation with the stock market, repeating a line he debuted Thursday night during a CNN town hall that he saw the Nov. 3 general election as a contest between Scranton, his hometown, and Park Avenue in Trump's native New York City.
He also reiterated a complaint he made to CNN that the media had fixated on the fact that he didn't have an Ivy League degree.
"Let me tell you something. I know how to do the job of being president," he said. "It's pretty clear. No matter how wealthy Donald Trump is, no matter how much he doctors his — if he does — his tax returns, he doesn't have a clue how to be president."
Biden described the Iron Range as a "magnificent part of the world" as his supporters and those backing Trump tried to outshout each other from opposite sides of the road outside the venue. The region has become increasingly conservative as he and Trump compete for Minnesota's 10 electoral votes. Trump lost the state to Hillary Clinton by 1.5 percentage points.
Biden was introduced by Democratic Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, his former rival for the party's presidential nomination. Klobuchar weaved some of her family's personal narrative into her opening remarks, including the part of her stump speech in which she reminded voters she is the granddaughter of an iron ore miner.
Biden's Minnesota visit comes after he flew to Florida on Tuesday amid growing scrutiny of his light campaign schedule with less than two months to go before Election Day.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--Frustrated nationally, far-left Democrats make inroads in state legislatures

Progressives may not have gotten the Democratic presidential nominee they wanted , but radical members of the party are making real gains in state legislatures throughout the country .
In Delaware , left-wing Democrats defeated four incumbent state legislators earlier this month .
Among those who lost their primaries include state Senate President Pro Tempore David McBride , one of the most powerful Democrats in the state .
He faced a challenge from social worker Marie Pinkney , who ran on a platform of gun control and healthcare reform .
Other unseated centrists include state Reps. John Viola and Earl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views .
Their challengers ran on platforms advocating police reform and gay and transgender rights .
Those results mean that Delaware could soon see marijuana legalized as well as a $ 15 minimum wage , two initiatives that the new slate of Democratic state lawmakers endorses .
The story is much the same in Rhode Island , which saw four progressive insurgents beating more centrist Democrats .
Those who lost there included state House Majority Leader John DeSimone , who lost his primary to Jamaican immigrant Marcia Ranglin-Vassell .
The margin in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Rhode Island enjoyed support from the left-wing Working Families Party , a progressive organization that often works to get the most liberal Democrats nominated in state races .
Local chapters of progressive groups such as the Sunrise Movement also helped recruit left-wing candidates , suggesting that national political organizations aligned with lawmakers such as Sen. Bernie Sanders may begin shifting their strategy to local , rather than national , races .
Pressure on Democrats in the state from progressives has led to a notable shift in the agenda of Rhode Island Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for a new tax bracket on those making $ 1 million and over a year .
Other members of the state House are calling for a dramatically larger state budget , paid for by new taxes on the wealthy .
The recent victories by progressives in state legislatures follow a strategy outlined after the historic loss of power for Democrats under President Barack Obama .
From 2008 to 2016 , Democrats lost over 940 state legislative seats .
In 2017 , Republicans controlled 32 state legislatures , with Democrats controlling just 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanks in part to millions of dollars of outside spending and support from the national Democratic Party , Democrats have recaptured nearly half of those seats .
In January , the party-backed Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee pledged $ 50 million to flip more state legislators .
The DLCC is working to pin general voter disapproval with President Trump 's coronavirus response to local Republicans , blaming them for the economic damage caused by the pandemic .
`` We now know that Donald Trump understood the deadly seriousness of the coronavirus since February and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' a DLCC press release read earlier this month .
`` Instead of focusing on saving lives , Republicans stood by the president and downplayed the severity of the virus , leading to 200,000 deaths . ''
Forward Majority , a Democratic super PAC , is pledging an additional $ 15 million to Democratic candidates running for state legislative seats .
Much of the energy behind these local races is due to scheduled redistricting in 2021 , which can help redraw congressional districts to benefit Democrats for the next decade .

Progressives may not have gotten the Democratic presidential nominee they wanted, but radical members of the party are making real gains in state legislatures throughout the country.
In Delaware, left-wing Democrats defeated four incumbent state legislators earlier this month. Among those who lost their primaries is state Senate President Pro Tempore David McBride, one of the most powerful Democrats in the state. He faced a challenge from social worker Marie Pinkney, who ran on a platform of gun control and healthcare reform.
Other unseated centrists include state Reps. John Viola and Earl Jaques, two Democrats with socially conservative views. Their challengers ran on platforms advocating police reform and gay and transgender rights.
Those results mean that Delaware could soon see marijuana legalized as well as a $15 minimum wage, two initiatives that the new slate of Democratic state lawmakers endorses.
The story is much the same in Rhode Island, which saw four progressive insurgents beating more centrist Democrats. Those who lost there included state House Majority Leader John DeSimone, who lost his primary to Jamaican immigrant Marcia Ranglin-Vassell. The margin in that race was just 21 votes.
Progressives in Rhode Island enjoyed support from the left-wing Working Families Party, a progressive organization that often works to get the most liberal Democrats nominated in state races. Local chapters of progressive groups such as the Sunrise Movement also helped recruit left-wing candidates, suggesting that national political organizations aligned with lawmakers such as Sen. Bernie Sanders may begin shifting their strategy to local, rather than national, races.
Pressure on Democrats in the state from progressives has led to a notable shift in the agenda of Rhode Island Democrats. State House Rep. Karen Alzate has called for a new tax bracket on those making $1 million and over a year. Other members of the state House are calling for a dramatically larger state budget, paid for by new taxes on the wealthy.
The recent victories by progressives in state legislatures follow a strategy outlined after the historic loss of power for Democrats under President Barack Obama. From 2008 to 2016, Democrats lost over 940 state legislative seats. In 2017, Republicans controlled 32 state legislatures, with Democrats controlling just 14. But in 2017 and 2018, thanks in part to millions of dollars of outside spending and support from the national Democratic Party, Democrats have recaptured nearly half of those seats.
In January, the party-backed Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee pledged $50 million to flip more state legislators. The DLCC is working to pin general voter disapproval with President Trump's coronavirus response to local Republicans, blaming them for the economic damage caused by the pandemic.
"We now know that Donald Trump understood the deadly seriousness of the coronavirus since February and GOP legislators were complicit in his lies," a DLCC press release read earlier this month. "Instead of focusing on saving lives, Republicans stood by the president and downplayed the severity of the virus, leading to 200,000 deaths."
Forward Majority, a Democratic super PAC, is pledging an additional $15 million to Democratic candidates running for state legislative seats. Much of the energy behind these local races is due to scheduled redistricting in 2021, which can help redraw congressional districts to benefit Democrats for the next decade.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--Democrat Gil Cisneros faces tough rematch in California congressional race

California ’ s 39th Congressional District will see a rematch this November from the 2018 midterm elections , pitting first-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros against former Republican California Assemblywoman Young Kim .
The race is expected to be just as tight as last time .
The district , previously represented by Republican Rep. Ed Royce , who retired last cycle , is located in the southern region of the state and includes part of Los Angeles , Orange , and San Bernardino counties .
Cisneros defeated Kim in their previous face-off with 51.6 % of the vote to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and parts of southeast Los Angeles County .
Kim led Cisneros on election night , and the race was not called for two weeks .
President Trump lost the 39th District by 9 points in 2016 , and the Cook Political Report rates the district as “ likely Democratic.
” Kim , who came to the U.S. as a preteen with her family from Seoul , South Korea , was the first Korean American Republican in the California State Assembly .
Following her work as a financial analyst and later her time as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked for Royce as the congressman 's community liaison and director of Asian affairs .
She also appeared on local TV and radio programs she developed related to issues affecting Korean Americans .
Cisneros , best known for winning a $ 266 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot in 2010 just weeks after he was laid off from his job as a shipping and manufacturing manager for Frito-Lay , launched scholarships and endowments for Latino students at George Washington University and the University of Southern California .
A Navy veteran , Cisneros currently serves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as the Committee on Veterans ' Affairs .
The race flared up when the Kim campaign dropped its first ad criticizing Cisneros over whether he was honest about his pledge related to taking corporate PAC donations .
The Kim camp also went after Cisneros when information regarding his financial disclosures showed he benefited from prescription drug hikes .
Cisneros hit back at Kim , tweeting that the California Republican “ accepted at least $ 32,000 from Big Pharma .
I voted against their interests and have championed bills to lower drug prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say the words ‘ Big Pharma.
’ We know where she stands , it 's with them .
”

California’s 39th Congressional District will see a rematch this November from the 2018 midterm elections, pitting first-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros against former Republican California Assemblywoman Young Kim. The race is expected to be just as tight as last time.
The district, previously represented by Republican Rep. Ed Royce, who retired last cycle, is located in the southern region of the state and includes part of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties.
Cisneros defeated Kim in their previous face-off with 51.6% of the vote to her 48.4%, winning northern Orange County and parts of southeast Los Angeles County. Kim led Cisneros on election night, and the race was not called for two weeks. President Trump lost the 39th District by 9 points in 2016, and the Cook Political Report rates the district as “likely Democratic.”
Kim, who came to the U.S. as a preteen with her family from Seoul, South Korea, was the first Korean American Republican in the California State Assembly. Following her work as a financial analyst and later her time as a business owner for womenswear, she worked for Royce as the congressman's community liaison and director of Asian affairs. She also appeared on local TV and radio programs she developed related to issues affecting Korean Americans.
Cisneros, best known for winning a $266 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot in 2010 just weeks after he was laid off from his job as a shipping and manufacturing manager for Frito-Lay, launched scholarships and endowments for Latino students at George Washington University and the University of Southern California.
A Navy veteran, Cisneros currently serves on the House Armed Services Committee as well as the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
The race flared up when the Kim campaign dropped its first ad criticizing Cisneros over whether he was honest about his pledge related to taking corporate PAC donations.
The Kim camp also went after Cisneros when information regarding his financial disclosures showed he benefited from prescription drug hikes.
Cisneros hit back at Kim, tweeting that the California Republican “accepted at least $32,000 from Big Pharma. I voted against their interests and have championed bills to lower drug prices. Young can't even bring herself to say the words ‘Big Pharma.’ We know where she stands, it's with them.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--Alphabet chief joins two dozen tech executives in Biden endorsement

The chairman of Google 's parent company is all-in on 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
Alphabet Executive Chairman @ @ @ @ @ Vinton Cerf joined two dozen winners of the Nobel Prize of computing to sign a @ @ @ @ @ and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris .
“ Joe Biden and Kamala Harris listen to @ @ @ @ @ , essential when science and technology may help with many problems facing our nation today @ @ @ @ @ .
Google engineer David Patterson , who signed on to the letter , told the @ @ @ @ @ was against the Trump administration 's focus on limiting the influx of high-skilled foreign labor @ @ @ @ @ “ The most brilliant people in the world want to come here and be grad @ @ @ @ @ they are being discouraged from coming here , and many are going elsewhere , ” @ @ @

The chairman of Google's parent company is all-in on 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Alphabet Executive Chairman John Hennessy and Google executive Vinton Cerf joined two dozen winners of the Nobel Prize of computing to sign a letter of endorsement backing Biden and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris listen to experts before setting public policy, essential when science and technology may help with many problems facing our nation today,” the letter reads.
Google engineer David Patterson, who signed on to the letter, told the New York Times that he was against the Trump administration's focus on limiting the influx of high-skilled foreign labor in the tech sector.
“The most brilliant people in the world want to come here and be grad students, but now, they are being discouraged from coming here, and many are going elsewhere,” Patterson said.
Election Day is in 46 days.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-18--Democrats laud Michigan court ruling that eases restrictions on mail balloting

A Michigan court ruled that voters there have until the day before Election Day to postmark their mail-in ballots and ordered that they be counted as long as they arrive within 14 days of the Nov. 3 general election , a decision that could delay the call of the presidential contest .
The Friday ruling from the Michigan Court of Claims was lauded by Democratic groups that have urged states to loosen restrictions on mail-in balloting and take extra steps to ensure that votes cast through the mail are counted .
More voters than usual plan to vote by mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in person might expose them to the coronavirus , a development that could delay the results of the election for days or even weeks .
“ We have won yet another important victory for voters in the state of Michigan , ” Guy Cecil , chairman of the liberal group Priorities USA , said in a statement .
Priorities USA , which funded the lawsuit that led to the ruling , is the designated outside group for Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign .
Under the decision , mail-in ballots postmarked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the final tally as long as they are received within 14 days of the Nov. 3 elections .
If the race between Biden and President Trump is too close to call on Election Day based on votes cast in person and through the mail , it could take days of counting late-arriving ballots to know who won Michigan ’ s 16 Electoral College votes — and potentially the White House .
In 2016 , Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Michigan by just 10,704 votes .
Trump has been critical of mail-in balloting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots to voters who have not requested them , arguing that it leads to massive fraud .
However , the president has lately expressed support for “ absentee voting ” — a process that requires voters to apply for a mail-in ballot by verifying that they have a government-approved excuse to avoid pulling the lever at a physical polling place .
“ Unsolicited Ballots are uncontrollable , totally open to ELECTION INTERFERENCE by foreign countries , and will lead to massive chaos and confusion !
” Trump said Thursday in a post on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president tweeted a link to request absentee ballots through his campaign .
Polls have shown that more than 50 % of voters could choose to vote by mail this fall , a significantly higher figure than normal , and some key battleground states are not equipped to process ballots submitted in this fashion quickly .
That has caused some political observers to speculate that in the event of a close race , the outcome of the presidential election might not be clear for days or weeks after Election Day .

A Michigan court ruled that voters there have until the day before Election Day to postmark their mail-in ballots and ordered that they be counted as long as they arrive within 14 days of the Nov. 3 general election, a decision that could delay the call of the presidential contest.
The Friday ruling from the Michigan Court of Claims was lauded by Democratic groups that have urged states to loosen restrictions on mail-in balloting and take extra steps to ensure that votes cast through the mail are counted. More voters than usual plan to vote by mail because of concerns that pulling the lever in person might expose them to the coronavirus, a development that could delay the results of the election for days or even weeks.
“We have won yet another important victory for voters in the state of Michigan,” Guy Cecil, chairman of the liberal group Priorities USA, said in a statement. Priorities USA, which funded the lawsuit that led to the ruling, is the designated outside group for Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.
Under the decision, mail-in ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 will be counted in the final tally as long as they are received within 14 days of the Nov. 3 elections. If the race between Biden and President Trump is too close to call on Election Day based on votes cast in person and through the mail, it could take days of counting late-arriving ballots to know who won Michigan’s 16 Electoral College votes — and potentially the White House.
In 2016, Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Michigan by just 10,704 votes.
Trump has been critical of mail-in balloting, especially in states that send mail-in ballots to voters who have not requested them, arguing that it leads to massive fraud. However, the president has lately expressed support for “absentee voting” — a process that requires voters to apply for a mail-in ballot by verifying that they have a government-approved excuse to avoid pulling the lever at a physical polling place.
“Unsolicited Ballots are uncontrollable, totally open to ELECTION INTERFERENCE by foreign countries, and will lead to massive chaos and confusion!” Trump said Thursday in a post on Twitter. The same day, the president tweeted a link to request absentee ballots through his campaign.
Polls have shown that more than 50% of voters could choose to vote by mail this fall, a significantly higher figure than normal, and some key battleground states are not equipped to process ballots submitted in this fashion quickly. That has caused some political observers to speculate that in the event of a close race, the outcome of the presidential election might not be clear for days or weeks after Election Day.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-09-19--Biden is murky on his national mask mandate plan — and so is the law

Joe Biden is sending mixed , if not contradictory , messages about what legal form his national mask mandate would take amid uncertainty about whether the president has any authority to mandate the wearing of face coverings .
President Barack Obama faced criticism while in office when he projected not having to wait for Congress to make sweeping changes across the country , saying , “ I ’ ve got a pen , and I ’ ve got a phone ” — the “ pen ” referencing his ability to sign executive actions and the “ phone , ” his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee has been clear that he would utilize the “ phone ” to ask state and local officials to implement mask policies , but he has not been clear with voters , and seems to lack clarity himself , about how he could use the “ pen ” in relation to masks .
In the last month , Biden has adjusted his promise on how he would implement a national mask mandate three times .
Biden pledged to institute a national mask mandate if elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic presidential nomination on Aug. 20 .
By Sept. 2 , following widespread skepticism about whether he would have the authority to implement a nationwide mandate , Biden acknowledged that there could be constitutional limitations to the president requiring mask-wearing .
“ I ’ m a constitutionalist , ” Biden said , adding that he would put pressure on state and local officials to institute mask mandates .
He criticized his former presidential primary opponents , who said that they would rely on executive orders to achieve their goals .
`` There 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be answered in the positive — a question whether I can mandate over state lines that every single state has to comply .
Our legal team thinks I can do that based upon the degree to which there is a crisis in those states and how bad things are for the country , '' Biden said , adding that he would issue an executive order on the topic if he found he could legally do so .
But the next day , Biden seemed to return to his previous position focusing on outreach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for on federal property .
“ I can not mandate people wearing masks , '' Biden said .
“ On federal land , I 'd have the authority .
If you 're on federal land , you must wear a mask .
In a federal building , you must wear a mask , and we could have a fine for them not doing it.
” Biden ’ s campaign did not return an inquiry seeking further clarification on what form any potential legal action from a Biden administration on mask-wearing would take .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ position could be related to a lack of legal consensus on the matter .
A released in August said that executive branch authority to mandate the wearing of face masks could come from broad interpretations of powers delegated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the wearing of masks in instances “ that would prevent the foreign or interstate transmission of COVID-19.
” But the report said that those laws have generally limited interpretations , ultimately saying that it is difficult to determine whether the executive branch has the authority to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ilya Somin , law professor at George Mason University , told the Washington Examiner that he does not think that the president has the constitutional authority to mandate mass mask-wearing without Congress taking action .
But Somin said that the Trump administration ’ s argument about its authority to put a moratorium on evictions , if upheld by the courts , would likely mean that Biden does have the authority to mandate mask-wearing .
The administration argues that the CDC can bar landlords from evicting tenants based on its to institute rules that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Somin doesn ’ t think that the Trump administration ’ s position is constitutional either , that the Supreme Court has said that there are limits to how much power Congress can delegate toward the executive branch .
The rule is being challenged in court .
But Biden ’ s authority to use the same CDC statute to mandate mask-wearing is less of a stretch of authority than Trump using it to bar evictions , Somin said .
“ If Biden were to follow this model with a mask mandate , he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to issue the directive rather than just sign an executive order himself .
But that probably wouldn ’ t be too much of an obstacle , ” Somin said .
There is also an argument to be made that the federal government could mandate mask-wearing due to Congress ’ s power to regulate interstate commerce , perhaps explaining why Biden mentioned “ over state lines , ” though Somin thinks that the Supreme Court precedent on that power is “ seriously problematic.
” While he wishes Biden were clearer in how he intends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercising restraint .
“ There 's certainly a long history of presidents overreaching in various ways .
That said , it is , to some extent , to Biden 's credit that over time , it seems like he 's come to realize that he ca n't do this on his own , ” Somin said .
“ Trump pretty much never admits that there 's something he would like to do , but ca n't do .
”

Joe Biden is sending mixed, if not contradictory, messages about what legal form his national mask mandate would take amid uncertainty about whether the president has any authority to mandate the wearing of face coverings.
President Barack Obama faced criticism while in office when he projected not having to wait for Congress to make sweeping changes across the country, saying, “I’ve got a pen, and I’ve got a phone” — the “pen” referencing his ability to sign executive actions and the “phone,” his power to court support for his agenda.
The former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee has been clear that he would utilize the “phone” to ask state and local officials to implement mask policies, but he has not been clear with voters, and seems to lack clarity himself, about how he could use the “pen” in relation to masks.
In the last month, Biden has adjusted his promise on how he would implement a national mask mandate three times.
Biden pledged to institute a national mask mandate if elected president in his convention speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination on Aug. 20.
By Sept. 2, following widespread skepticism about whether he would have the authority to implement a nationwide mandate, Biden acknowledged that there could be constitutional limitations to the president requiring mask-wearing .
“I’m a constitutionalist,” Biden said, adding that he would put pressure on state and local officials to institute mask mandates. He criticized his former presidential primary opponents, who said that they would rely on executive orders to achieve their goals.
Biden reasserted potential legal authority to mandate masks on Wednesday.
"There's a question — I think it can be answered in the positive — a question whether I can mandate over state lines that every single state has to comply. Our legal team thinks I can do that based upon the degree to which there is a crisis in those states and how bad things are for the country," Biden said, adding that he would issue an executive order on the topic if he found he could legally do so.
But the next day, Biden seemed to return to his previous position focusing on outreach to state and local officials, except for on federal property. “I cannot mandate people wearing masks," Biden said. “On federal land, I'd have the authority. If you're on federal land, you must wear a mask. In a federal building, you must wear a mask, and we could have a fine for them not doing it.”
Biden’s campaign did not return an inquiry seeking further clarification on what form any potential legal action from a Biden administration on mask-wearing would take.
His lack of clarity in articulating a position could be related to a lack of legal consensus on the matter.
A Congressional Research Service report released in August said that executive branch authority to mandate the wearing of face masks could come from broad interpretations of powers delegated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the wearing of masks in instances “that would prevent the foreign or interstate transmission of COVID-19.”
But the report said that those laws have generally limited interpretations, ultimately saying that it is difficult to determine whether the executive branch has the authority to mandate the wearing of face masks.
Ilya Somin, law professor at George Mason University, told the Washington Examiner that he does not think that the president has the constitutional authority to mandate mass mask-wearing without Congress taking action.
But Somin said that the Trump administration’s argument about its authority to put a moratorium on evictions, if upheld by the courts, would likely mean that Biden does have the authority to mandate mask-wearing. The administration argues that the CDC can bar landlords from evicting tenants based on its authority to institute rules that prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
Somin doesn’t think that the Trump administration’s position is constitutional either, arguing that the Supreme Court has said that there are limits to how much power Congress can delegate toward the executive branch. The rule is being challenged in court.
But Biden’s authority to use the same CDC statute to mandate mask-wearing is less of a stretch of authority than Trump using it to bar evictions, Somin said.
“If Biden were to follow this model with a mask mandate, he would probably have to get the CDC director to issue the directive rather than just sign an executive order himself. But that probably wouldn’t be too much of an obstacle,” Somin said.
There is also an argument to be made that the federal government could mandate mask-wearing due to Congress’s power to regulate interstate commerce, perhaps explaining why Biden mentioned “over state lines,” though Somin thinks that the Supreme Court precedent on that power is “seriously problematic.”
While he wishes Biden were clearer in how he intends to mandate masks, Somin appreciated Biden exercising restraint.
“There's certainly a long history of presidents overreaching in various ways. That said, it is, to some extent, to Biden's credit that over time, it seems like he's come to realize that he can't do this on his own,” Somin said. “Trump pretty much never admits that there's something he would like to do, but can't do.”