thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-07--Biden slammed for vetting 'only one' Hispanic VP prospect in pro-Trump super PAC ad

A pro-Trump super PAC will launch a new television advertisement claiming that President Trump 's presumptive Democratic opponent Joe Biden has failed to vet a representative number of Hispanic candidates to be his running mate .
`` We came from all over , '' says a Spanish-speaking narrator in a new televised commercial from the Committee to Defend the President , a controversial political fundraising group .
`` We built skyscrapers and successful businesses .
We risked everything , even our lives , to make America home .
Latino Americans love our country .
But that 's not good enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thirteen candidates for vice president , but only one is Hispanic . ''
The spot features black and white images of Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Julian Castro of Texas , and Sen. Kamala Harris of California , a rumored contender to run alongside Biden , and prominent Biden supporter and Republican strategist Ana Navarro , before Latino voters are pictured in color .
The ad continues , `` Although Latinos make up more than one-sixth of the United States population and Latinos contribute more than two trillion dollars to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't Latinos good enough for Joe ? ''
The commercial will air nationally beginning Saturday on Spanish-language network Telemundo and in Arizona for one week .
In remarks to the Washington Examiner , executive director Chad Banghart explained that the committee sought to inform all voters that Trump could be a viable choice for them on Election Day .
On Friday , the committee said they had quadrupled their intended spending for spot , up to $ 600,000 , and upped the total amount allocated to `` non-Facebook platforms , '' including Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giant banned them from running ads on Facebook for 90 days on Thursday .
Facebook leveled the charge after third-party fact-checkers said the pro-Trump group engaged in `` repeated sharing '' of false claims .
`` This is in retaliation for Facebook 's outright censorship of the Committee 's message , '' a spokesperson for the committee said in a statement .
Twitter limits political advertising from political action committees , super PACs , and 501 ( c ) ( 4 ) nonprofit groups .
Asked to clarify their statement , the committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct non-advertising outreach .
Most of the group 's digital budget has been allocated to internet-connected streaming services , Banghart said .
Biden 's campaign has kept his running mate picks closely guarded , but he is expected to announce his choice next week .
The Washington Examiner has reached out to the Biden campaign for comment .
The committee 's ad , which is narrated in Spanish , follows a back-and-forth between the Trump and Biden campaigns as each seeks to capture a winning share of the country 's sizable Hispanic vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubled in 2018 to 11.7 million from 6.8 million in 2014 .
Trump won 28 % of the Latino vote in 2016 , according to an analysis of exit poll surveys conducted by Pew Research Center .
While Biden has polled better than Trump overall with Hispanic voters , a memo leaked last month from more than 90 field organizers for the Florida Democratic Party asserting their belief that Biden 's team was `` suppressing the Hispanic vote . ''
And one of Biden 's vice presidential contenders has been all but written @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her as sympathetic to Cuba 's Fidel Castro .
In states with large Latino populations , such as Arizona or Florida , where elections are typically decided by slim margins , appeals by Trump and Biden to Hispanic voters have each sought to portray their counterpart as sympathetic to far-left , anti-democratic governments .
At a campaign event on Thursday , Biden for President adviser Julie Chavez Rodriguez said the former vice president 's success would require carrying Arizona .
Trump 's polling among Latino voters has remained steady , and in Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters are expected to support him according to a recent poll by the New York Times and Siena College .
According to data firm Advertising Analytics , the Phoenix ad market saw the most political spending this week at $ 4.2 million .
In July , the Trump campaign seized on the Goya Foods controversy to cast Biden as an `` extreme '' socialist in the mold of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro , targeting a Spanish-language ad to the Miami area .
Florida is home to more than 400,000 Hispanics of Venezuelan origin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Biden team in June after Trump said he would be open to meeting with Maduro and held reservations about recognizing Juan Guaido as Venezuela 's legitimate leader .
A RealClearPolitics average of polls in Florida has Biden leading Trump by 4 points and by 3.7 points in Arizona .
Trump won both states over Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
Biden leads nationally by 6.4 points , according to RealClearPolitics 's average .

A pro-Trump super PAC will launch a new television advertisement claiming that President Trump's presumptive Democratic opponent Joe Biden has failed to vet a representative number of Hispanic candidates to be his running mate.
"We came from all over," says a Spanish-speaking narrator in a new televised commercial from the Committee to Defend the President, a controversial political fundraising group. "We built skyscrapers and successful businesses. We risked everything, even our lives, to make America home. Latino Americans love our country. But that's not good enough for Joe Biden. He's interviewed thirteen candidates for vice president, but only one is Hispanic."
The spot features black and white images of Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Julian Castro of Texas, and Sen. Kamala Harris of California, a rumored contender to run alongside Biden, and prominent Biden supporter and Republican strategist Ana Navarro, before Latino voters are pictured in color.
The ad continues, "Although Latinos make up more than one-sixth of the United States population and Latinos contribute more than two trillion dollars to our economy. So … why aren't Latinos good enough for Joe?"
The commercial will air nationally beginning Saturday on Spanish-language network Telemundo and in Arizona for one week.
In remarks to the Washington Examiner, executive director Chad Banghart explained that the committee sought to inform all voters that Trump could be a viable choice for them on Election Day.
On Friday, the committee said they had quadrupled their intended spending for spot, up to $600,000, and upped the total amount allocated to "non-Facebook platforms," including Twitter and YouTube, after the social media giant banned them from running ads on Facebook for 90 days on Thursday. Facebook leveled the charge after third-party fact-checkers said the pro-Trump group engaged in "repeated sharing" of false claims.
"This is in retaliation for Facebook's outright censorship of the Committee's message," a spokesperson for the committee said in a statement.
Twitter limits political advertising from political action committees, super PACs, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups. Asked to clarify their statement, the committee said they would instead use Twitter to conduct non-advertising outreach. Most of the group's digital budget has been allocated to internet-connected streaming services, Banghart said.
Biden's campaign has kept his running mate picks closely guarded, but he is expected to announce his choice next week. The Washington Examiner has reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.
The committee's ad, which is narrated in Spanish, follows a back-and-forth between the Trump and Biden campaigns as each seeks to capture a winning share of the country's sizable Hispanic vote. The number of Latino voters nearly doubled in 2018 to 11.7 million from 6.8 million in 2014.
Trump won 28% of the Latino vote in 2016, according to an analysis of exit poll surveys conducted by Pew Research Center.
While Biden has polled better than Trump overall with Hispanic voters, a memo leaked last month from more than 90 field organizers for the Florida Democratic Party asserting their belief that Biden's team was "suppressing the Hispanic vote."
And one of Biden's vice presidential contenders has been all but written off in recent weeks after reports cast her as sympathetic to Cuba's Fidel Castro.
In states with large Latino populations, such as Arizona or Florida, where elections are typically decided by slim margins, appeals by Trump and Biden to Hispanic voters have each sought to portray their counterpart as sympathetic to far-left, anti-democratic governments.
At a campaign event on Thursday, Biden for President adviser Julie Chavez Rodriguez said the former vice president's success would require carrying Arizona.
Trump's polling among Latino voters has remained steady, and in Arizona, an estimated 1 in 4 Latino voters are expected to support him according to a recent poll by the New York Times and Siena College.
According to data firm Advertising Analytics, the Phoenix ad market saw the most political spending this week at $4.2 million.
In July, the Trump campaign seized on the Goya Foods controversy to cast Biden as an "extreme" socialist in the mold of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, targeting a Spanish-language ad to the Miami area. Florida is home to more than 400,000 Hispanics of Venezuelan origin.
This followed a South Florida attack by the Biden team in June after Trump said he would be open to meeting with Maduro and held reservations about recognizing Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate leader.
A RealClearPolitics average of polls in Florida has Biden leading Trump by 4 points and by 3.7 points in Arizona. Trump won both states over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Biden leads nationally by 6.4 points, according to RealClearPolitics's average.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-07--Susan Rice's aversion to US intervention against 1994 Rwandan genocide draws fresh scrutiny

Bill Clinton has called Rwanda one of the greatest regrets of his presidency .
Had the United States and the world intervened earlier , experts contend , some 300,000 people might have been saved from the 1994 genocide in the small central African country .
For more than 25 years , members of the Clinton administration 's foreign policy team have been asked about whether they harbor similar remorse over inaction during the Rwandan civil war , including the president 's then-special assistant and senior director for African affairs , Susan Rice , who is now under consideration by presumptive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running mate .
The episode was among the bloodiest of the post-World War II era .
From April to July 1994 , an estimated 800,000 people lost their lives in a deliberate killing campaign overseen by the Hutu-led government and several paramilitary organizations against the Tutsi minority .
Journalist Samantha Power , later an Obama administration diplomat , described the events as `` the fastest , most efficient killing spree of the 20th century '' in a September 2001 article in the Atlantic , `` Bystanders to Genocide . ''
In 1994 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued many of the deaths were preventable had the U.S. , the United Nations , and others taken military action .
Years after the conflict permanently scarred Rwanda , Rice received stinging criticism over her role from Power , later her successor as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during President Barack Obama 's second term , when Rice joined the White House as national security adviser .
`` If we use the word 'genocide ' and are seen as doing nothing , what will be the effect on the November [ congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her colleagues on the National Security Council , leaving many of them `` stunned , '' Power wrote .
The Clinton administration was reticent to describe what was happening in Rwanda at the time as a `` genocide , '' which would have compelled a Western response .
The events in Rwanda came months after America 's withdrawal of troops from another African nation and in the broader context of the early post-Cold War years , in which the Clinton administration pledged to focus on domestic affairs rather than a more precarious `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` In Somalia , where violence among clans led to mass starvation , an initially successful effort to provide relief ended in tragedy when two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down in 1993 , '' the PBS program , The American Experience , said about the Clinton presidency .
`` The memory of this tragedy was influential in persuading U.S. policymakers not to intervene in the genocide that occurred in Rwanda the following spring . ''
Military and intelligence officials said they were prepared and willing to intervene .
`` Having the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time , had I known about what the White House was thinking , I would have been incensed .
What I remember very vividly was listening to policy people at the time saying , 'We don ’ t know what ’ s going on .
We don ’ t know if it ’ s a genocide . '
And I was like , 'Are you blind ?
Have you seen the bodies on the news ? '
'' retired U.S. Army Col. Chris Wyatt , who served eight tours in Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war , told the Washington Examiner .
`` I ’ m very disappointed , and it seems clear from my perspective that because of the Somali situation , the Clinton administration was reluctant to get involved in Africa again , '' Wyatt said .
Rice has since denied questioning about whether to label the Hutu-led bloodshed in Rwanda as a `` genocide . ''
She has given contradictory statements on whether she harbors guilt over the indiscriminate slaying of the Rwandan Tutsis .
In 2010 , Rice said the experience made her take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the side of dramatic action , going down in flames if that was required '' should she ever work in government again and was faced with another instance of ethnic cleansing .
But two years later , Rice brushed aside the notion that she feels responsible .
In an interview with the New Republic , she said , “ To suggest that I ’ m repenting for [ Rwanda ] or that I ’ m haunted by that or that I don ’ t sleep at night because of that or that every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driven by that is garbage . ''
Rice did not respond to an interview request by the Washington Examiner .
One former intelligence officer , who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the nature of the content in the interview , told the Washington Examiner that the military had prepared a plan to jam radios in Rwanda using a single aircraft .
Much of the genocide carried out by the Hutus was coordinated via FM channels , and officials believed that jamming the channels could at least temporarily halt the killings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The government said it was too expensive .
It ’ s absolutely shameful they didn ’ t do that , '' the former intelligence officer said , adding that he did n't buy the government 's rationale for not going forward with the mission .
`` It would have made a big difference .
The way that the genocide happened was it was broadcast on the radio every day . ''
As the civil war in Rwanda ended and Paul Kagame took power in 2000 , the conflict had expanded into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military forces to invade and back rebel groups looking to overthrow the government .
At the end of the Second Congo War , millions had died either through conflict or starvation and disease .
Meanwhile , Rice and Kagame developed a close relationship that would continue when she joined the Obama administration in 2009 as ambassador to the U.N. During the early years of President George W. Bush 's administration , Rice worked as a private consultant for the Rwandan government , despite strong evidence that Kagame and his underlings had committed numerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Kagame is still in power , still supported by the United States , and some of the other Western nations , and obviously , there are lots of questions about his commitment to human rights .
It ’ s clear , at this point in time , that there are people concerned within Rwanda with how he is ruling , ” said Mark McPhail , an Indiana University researcher and a witness for the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda .
`` We ’ ve dissociated ourselves from historical responsibility about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
By 2012 , Rice 's deference to Kagame had garnered the attention of U.N. officials who began speaking out against her support .
Rice has repeatedly denied any inappropriate relationship between her and Kagame .
For some involved in the Rwanda situation at the time , it will always be an opportunity lost .
`` We couldn ’ t have saved all those people , but a lot of those people didn ’ t have to die .
And look what happened .
Those Kagame 's killers went into the Congo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Millions of people have died due to our policy , and the geopolitical ramifications are still felt to this day . ''

Bill Clinton has called Rwanda one of the greatest regrets of his presidency. Had the United States and the world intervened earlier, experts contend, some 300,000 people might have been saved from the 1994 genocide in the small central African country.
For more than 25 years, members of the Clinton administration's foreign policy team have been asked about whether they harbor similar remorse over inaction during the Rwandan civil war, including the president's then-special assistant and senior director for African affairs, Susan Rice, who is now under consideration by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as his running mate.
The episode was among the bloodiest of the post-World War II era. From April to July 1994, an estimated 800,000 people lost their lives in a deliberate killing campaign overseen by the Hutu-led government and several paramilitary organizations against the Tutsi minority. Journalist Samantha Power, later an Obama administration diplomat, described the events as "the fastest, most efficient killing spree of the 20th century" in a September 2001 article in the Atlantic, "Bystanders to Genocide."
In 1994 and in the years after, Western analysts argued many of the deaths were preventable had the U.S., the United Nations, and others taken military action.
Years after the conflict permanently scarred Rwanda, Rice received stinging criticism over her role from Power, later her successor as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during President Barack Obama's second term, when Rice joined the White House as national security adviser.
In 2001, Power suggested Rice let political considerations overshadow humanitarian concerns.
"If we use the word 'genocide' and are seen as doing nothing, what will be the effect on the November [congressional] election?" Rice reportedly asked her colleagues on the National Security Council, leaving many of them "stunned," Power wrote.
The Clinton administration was reticent to describe what was happening in Rwanda at the time as a "genocide," which would have compelled a Western response. The events in Rwanda came months after America's withdrawal of troops from another African nation and in the broader context of the early post-Cold War years, in which the Clinton administration pledged to focus on domestic affairs rather than a more precarious "policeman of the world" role abroad.
"In Somalia, where violence among clans led to mass starvation, an initially successful effort to provide relief ended in tragedy when two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down in 1993," the PBS program, The American Experience, said about the Clinton presidency. "The memory of this tragedy was influential in persuading U.S. policymakers not to intervene in the genocide that occurred in Rwanda the following spring."
Military and intelligence officials said they were prepared and willing to intervene.
"Having the vantage of hindsight and what I knew at the time, had I known about what the White House was thinking, I would have been incensed. What I remember very vividly was listening to policy people at the time saying, 'We don’t know what’s going on. We don’t know if it’s a genocide.' And I was like, 'Are you blind? Have you seen the bodies on the news?'" retired U.S. Army Col. Chris Wyatt, who served eight tours in Africa and was deployed during the Rwandan civil war, told the Washington Examiner.
"I’m very disappointed, and it seems clear from my perspective that because of the Somali situation, the Clinton administration was reluctant to get involved in Africa again," Wyatt said.
Rice has since denied questioning about whether to label the Hutu-led bloodshed in Rwanda as a "genocide." She has given contradictory statements on whether she harbors guilt over the indiscriminate slaying of the Rwandan Tutsis.
In 2010, Rice said the experience made her take a vow to "come down on the side of dramatic action, going down in flames if that was required" should she ever work in government again and was faced with another instance of ethnic cleansing.
But two years later, Rice brushed aside the notion that she feels responsible. In an interview with the New Republic, she said, “To suggest that I’m repenting for [Rwanda] or that I’m haunted by that or that I don’t sleep at night because of that or that every policy I’ve implemented subsequently is driven by that is garbage."
Rice did not respond to an interview request by the Washington Examiner.
One former intelligence officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the nature of the content in the interview, told the Washington Examiner that the military had prepared a plan to jam radios in Rwanda using a single aircraft. Much of the genocide carried out by the Hutus was coordinated via FM channels, and officials believed that jamming the channels could at least temporarily halt the killings with virtually no risk to service members.
"The government said it was too expensive. It’s absolutely shameful they didn’t do that," the former intelligence officer said, adding that he didn't buy the government's rationale for not going forward with the mission. "It would have made a big difference. The way that the genocide happened was it was broadcast on the radio every day."
As the civil war in Rwanda ended and Paul Kagame took power in 2000, the conflict had expanded into Congo. There, Kagame ordered Rwandan military forces to invade and back rebel groups looking to overthrow the government. At the end of the Second Congo War, millions had died either through conflict or starvation and disease.
Meanwhile, Rice and Kagame developed a close relationship that would continue when she joined the Obama administration in 2009 as ambassador to the U.N. During the early years of President George W. Bush's administration, Rice worked as a private consultant for the Rwandan government, despite strong evidence that Kagame and his underlings had committed numerous human rights violations.
“Today, Paul Kagame is still in power, still supported by the United States, and some of the other Western nations, and obviously, there are lots of questions about his commitment to human rights. It’s clear, at this point in time, that there are people concerned within Rwanda with how he is ruling,” said Mark McPhail, an Indiana University researcher and a witness for the U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda . "We’ve dissociated ourselves from historical responsibility about what happened in Rwanda [and Congo]."
By 2012, Rice's deference to Kagame had garnered the attention of U.N. officials who began speaking out against her support. Rice has repeatedly denied any inappropriate relationship between her and Kagame.
For some involved in the Rwanda situation at the time, it will always be an opportunity lost.
"We couldn’t have saved all those people, but a lot of those people didn’t have to die. And look what happened. Those Kagame's killers went into the Congo and repeated their behavior," Wyatt said. "Millions of people have died due to our policy, and the geopolitical ramifications are still felt to this day."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-07--Joe Rogan keeps raising doubts about Joe Biden's mental acuity

It is one thing for the Trump campaign to claim that Joe Biden ’ s mental abilities are slipping .
It is another thing entirely for an extremely popular , mostly apolitical celebrity to say it too .
Joe Rogan , the pot-smoking , socially liberal podcast host who supported Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the 2020 Democratic primary , again voiced concerns this week about the presumptive Democratic nominee 's mental awareness .
“ I believe there is also a large group of people that are very uncomfortable with a man who seems to be mentally compromised winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Rogan said .
“ I mean , the guy 's never — [ Biden ] was just at a thing the other day , and he forgot where he was . ''
He added that Biden 's running mate is “ going have a bucket of lube and she 's going to dunk it in there and stuff her hand up his ass .
She 's going to be working him like Weekend at Bernie's.
” Questions about Biden ’ s mental acuity appear to be getting under the former vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week at CBS News 's Errol Barnett after the journalist pressed him to say whether he should take a cognitive test to become president .
`` No , I have n't taken a test .
Why the hell would I take a test ? ''
Biden responded to his interviewer , who is black .
`` Come on , man .
That 's like saying you , before you got on this program , you take a test where you 're taking cocaine or not .
What do you think ?
Huh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rogan , meanwhile , maintains that the 2020 election is going to be an absolute mess , considering both the uncertainty of mail-in voting and the fact that so many people seem to be uncomfortable with both presidential candidates .
And forget about the polling , the host added .
`` The dumbest people in the world are the ones who answer polls .
So , out of the dumbest people in the world with nothing to do , most of them are picking Biden , ” he said .
“ Or more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says who ?
Says all of the media outlets that want Trump to lose ? ''
`` How do we know ?
How do we know if they ’ re being accurate ? ''
Rogan asked , adding , `` This is going be such a contested election , no matter what.
” This narrative , that Biden is losing it mentally , could be a real problem for the Democratic nominee , but not because of the Trump campaign .
Those who are not obsessively plugged into politics do not know or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says about the Democratic candidate .
Also , people in the all-important middle expect mudslinging and name-calling from major , and even minor , political campaigns .
Politicians lie , especially about their opponents .
Stop the presses .
However , having the same criticisms echoed in nonpolitical , well-trafficked corners could do actual , real , and lasting damage to the presumptive Democratic nominee .
There is no surer way for the “ Biden is losing it ” narrative to go mainstream , making its way to even the least interested voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rogan , who is both exceptionally popular and not particularly interested in politics , repeat the assertion to his massive , trusting , and largely Everyman audience .
As of this writing , more than 2.1 million social media users have viewed the YouTube clip of Rogan questioning Biden ’ s mental health .
If the former vice president and his 2020 campaign team were not already worried about this mental-health-related narrative going mainstream , they should be now .

It is one thing for the Trump campaign to claim that Joe Biden’s mental abilities are slipping. It is another thing entirely for an extremely popular, mostly apolitical celebrity to say it too.
Joe Rogan, the pot-smoking, socially liberal podcast host who supported Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the 2020 Democratic primary, again voiced concerns this week about the presumptive Democratic nominee's mental awareness.
“I believe there is also a large group of people that are very uncomfortable with a man who seems to be mentally compromised winning the election and doing so by hiding," Rogan said. “I mean, the guy's never — [Biden] was just at a thing the other day, and he forgot where he was."
He added that Biden's running mate is “going have a bucket of lube and she's going to dunk it in there and stuff her hand up his ass. She's going to be working him like Weekend at Bernie's.”
Questions about Biden’s mental acuity appear to be getting under the former vice president’s skin. He snapped this week at CBS News's Errol Barnett after the journalist pressed him to say whether he should take a cognitive test to become president.
"No, I haven't taken a test. Why the hell would I take a test?" Biden responded to his interviewer, who is black. "Come on, man. That's like saying you, before you got on this program, you take a test where you're taking cocaine or not. What do you think? Huh? Are you a junkie?"
Rogan, meanwhile, maintains that the 2020 election is going to be an absolute mess, considering both the uncertainty of mail-in voting and the fact that so many people seem to be uncomfortable with both presidential candidates. And forget about the polling, the host added.
"The dumbest people in the world are the ones who answer polls. So, out of the dumbest people in the world with nothing to do, most of them are picking Biden,” he said. “Or more of them are picking Biden, but says who? Says all of the media outlets that want Trump to lose?"
"How do we know? How do we know if they’re being accurate?" Rogan asked, adding, "This is going be such a contested election, no matter what.”
This narrative, that Biden is losing it mentally, could be a real problem for the Democratic nominee, but not because of the Trump campaign. Those who are not obsessively plugged into politics do not know or care about what the president's team says about the Democratic candidate. Also, people in the all-important middle expect mudslinging and name-calling from major, and even minor, political campaigns. Politicians lie, especially about their opponents. Stop the presses.
However, having the same criticisms echoed in nonpolitical, well-trafficked corners could do actual, real, and lasting damage to the presumptive Democratic nominee. There is no surer way for the “Biden is losing it” narrative to go mainstream, making its way to even the least interested voter, than to have someone such as Rogan, who is both exceptionally popular and not particularly interested in politics, repeat the assertion to his massive, trusting, and largely Everyman audience.
As of this writing, more than 2.1 million social media users have viewed the YouTube clip of Rogan questioning Biden’s mental health. If the former vice president and his 2020 campaign team were not already worried about this mental-health-related narrative going mainstream, they should be now.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-07--Liberal group sends masses of mail-in ballot applications to voters — many with errors, peeving elec

Liberal group sends masses of mail-in ballot applications to voters — many with errors, peeving election officials

A liberal political organization is sending hundreds of thousands of mail-in and absentee ballot applications to voters across the country in an apparent attempt to promote the voting method in states not automatically mailing the ballot applications themselves .
The “ potentially misleading ” mailings , which contain legitimate ballot applications but at first glance appear to many recipients to be from an official government source , have confused voters and peeved election officials .
Contrary to the organization ’ s own goal , it has repeatedly sent voters incorrect information .
This week , hundreds of thousands of mailers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on prepaid return envelopes .
Earlier in the summer , it sent thousands of North Carolina voters forms that were invalid because the group had partially filled them out .
And in previous years , dead people and pets received voter registration forms from the group .
The Center for Voter Information , a 501 ( c ) 4 nonprofit advocacy organization , is responsible for the mail-in ballot applications , along with an affiliate 501 ( c ) 3 charitable nonprofit organization called the Voter Participation Center that is also sending mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say they have sent 800,000 mail-in ballot applications to voters across the country , aiming to “ empower ” eligible voters with a focus on the “ Rising American Electorate ” of unmarried women , people of color , and young voters .
Page Gardner , who is a veteran of Democratic campaigns , is the founder of the group .
When the Center for Voter Information has spent on specific election activities reportable to the Federal Elections Commission , it did so in favor of Democratic candidates and in opposition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Responsive Politics .
NextGen Climate , an advocacy group founded and funded by Democratic billionaire donor and ex-presidential candidate Tom Steyer , gave more than $ 422,000 to the Center for Voter Information in June .
The partially pre-filled out Virginia applications came along with a letter that touted the benefits of the voting method — “ the best way to protect yourself , your family , and your whole community during this time is to vote by mail ” — and included a bar graph comparing the voter ’ s electoral participation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But due to a `` programming error , '' voters in several cities that share a name with a county and vice versa were sent ballots with incorrect return addresses on the prepaid envelope : Fairfax City , Fairfax County , and the cities and counties of Franklin , Richmond , and Roanoke .
“ Approximately half a million applications sent to eligible voters in Virginia included incorrect information , and we are working diligently to address the issues , ” a spokesperson for Center for Voter Information told the Washington Examiner .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ high alert as the November election approaches , and we regret adding to any confusion.
” It plans to work with local officials to direct the applications to their proper locations and “ rectify any errors at our own expense.
” Masses of inaccurate Virginia return addresses were not the first hurdle for the Center for Voter Information ’ s attempts to send mail-in ballot applications directly to voters .
In June , the group announced that it would resend 80,000 blank absentee forms to North Carolina voters who had received partially completed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made illegal due to a new state law .
The mailings prompted a flurry of confusion from voters and a bit of frustration from election officials .
“ Any time a third party group sends out a mass mailing to voters , we Directors of Elections get inundated with calls from concerned voters , ” David Bjerke , who directs elections operations for the city of Falls Church , Virginia , told the Washington Examiner .
His tone was sharper in a Thursday tweet : “ It 's not helpful to mail absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election offices who process them.
” '' The State and County Boards of Elections encourage third-party groups to consider the overwhelming toll that misleading or confusing mailings and other outreach efforts take on elections resources and the damage they cause to voters ' confidence in elections , '' Karen Brinson Bell , executive director of North Carolina 's elections board , said in a statement Thursday .
Fairfax County 's official elections account sent a tweet Thursday warning about the `` inaccurate , potentially misleading mailing , '' adding that the most secure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is through its website .
The government elections administrator in Minneapolis , Minnesota , made a seven-part Facebook post explaining the mailing to voters in June .
In New Mexico , Bernalillo County Clerk Linda Stover said Thursday that she received personal calls about mailings from the group , in addition to several calls to the county office .
The group and its sister organization irritated election officials and caused confusion even before it started sending mass numbers of mail-in ballot applications .
Meagan Wolfe , the administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she received a letter from the group that falsely identified her as not being registered to vote .
In previous years , the group sent voter registration applications to deceased people and pets .
Because of the coronavirus pandemic , several states ( including electoral swing states Wisconsin and Michigan ) have changed policies in order to automatically send mail-in voting applications to all voters .
Some , such as Nevada , plan to send ballots themselves to voters automatically .
Virginia , North Carolina , and Minnesota allow voters to request mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absentee voting in light of the coronavirus pandemic , but they are not currently planning to send masses of automatic mail-in applications or automatic , universal mail-in ballots .
That could be why the Center for Voter Information distributed ballot applications in those states , though New Mexico , where it also sent mailings , is planning to send mail-in ballot applications to voters automatically .
Despite the flurry of confusion sparked by the mailings , Bjerke , the head of elections in Falls Church , identified a `` silver lining '' : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sooner , potentially easing the processing burden for elections administrators who are expecting a mass buildup of applications closer to Election Day .
`` We are adopting the pandemic rhetoric of 'flatten the curve for vote by mail , ' '' he said .

A liberal political organization is sending hundreds of thousands of mail-in and absentee ballot applications to voters across the country in an apparent attempt to promote the voting method in states not automatically mailing the ballot applications themselves.
The “potentially misleading” mailings, which contain legitimate ballot applications but at first glance appear to many recipients to be from an official government source, have confused voters and peeved election officials.
Contrary to the organization’s own goal, it has repeatedly sent voters incorrect information. This week, hundreds of thousands of mailers in Virginia had incorrect election office addresses on prepaid return envelopes. Earlier in the summer, it sent thousands of North Carolina voters forms that were invalid because the group had partially filled them out. And in previous years, dead people and pets received voter registration forms from the group.
The Center for Voter Information, a non-partisan 501(c)4 nonprofit advocacy organization, is responsible for the mail-in ballot applications, along with an affiliate 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organization called the Voter Participation Center that is also sending mass numbers of ballot applications. Together, they say they have sent 800,000 mail-in ballot applications to voters across the country, aiming to “empower” eligible voters with a focus on the “Rising American Electorate” of unmarried women, people of color, and young voters.
Page Gardner, who is a veteran of Democratic campaigns, is the founder of the group. When the Center for Voter Information has spent on specific election activities reportable to the Federal Elections Commission, it did so in favor of Democratic candidates and in opposition to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. NextGen Climate, an advocacy group founded and funded by Democratic billionaire donor and ex-presidential candidate Tom Steyer, gave more than $422,000 to the Center for Voter Information in June.
(Emily Larsen / Washington Examiner)
The partially pre-filled out Virginia applications came along with a letter that touted the benefits of the voting method — “the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your whole community during this time is to vote by mail” — and included a bar graph comparing the voter’s electoral participation rate to that of all voters.
But due to a "programming error," voters in several cities that share a name with a county and vice versa were sent ballots with incorrect return addresses on the prepaid envelope: Fairfax City, Fairfax County, and the cities and counties of Franklin, Richmond, and Roanoke.
“Approximately half a million applications sent to eligible voters in Virginia included incorrect information, and we are working diligently to address the issues,” a spokesperson for Center for Voter Information told the Washington Examiner. “We know that voters are on high alert as the November election approaches, and we regret adding to any confusion.” It plans to work with local officials to direct the applications to their proper locations and “rectify any errors at our own expense.”
Masses of inaccurate Virginia return addresses were not the first hurdle for the Center for Voter Information’s attempts to send mail-in ballot applications directly to voters. In June, the group announced that it would resend 80,000 blank absentee forms to North Carolina voters who had received partially completed forms from the group, a practice made illegal due to a new state law.
The mailings prompted a flurry of confusion from voters and a bit of frustration from election officials.
“Any time a third party group sends out a mass mailing to voters, we Directors of Elections get inundated with calls from concerned voters,” David Bjerke, who directs elections operations for the city of Falls Church, Virginia, told the Washington Examiner. His tone was sharper in a Thursday tweet: “It's not helpful to mail absentee by-mail apps en mass without checking w/ election offices who process them.”
"The State and County Boards of Elections encourage third-party groups to consider the overwhelming toll that misleading or confusing mailings and other outreach efforts take on elections resources and the damage they cause to voters' confidence in elections," Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of North Carolina's elections board, said in a statement Thursday.
Fairfax County's official elections account sent a tweet Thursday warning about the "inaccurate, potentially misleading mailing," adding that the most secure way to apply to vote by mail is through its website.
We are alerting voters about this inaccurate, potentially misleading mailing from the Center for Voter Information. Fairfax County did NOT send it. Learn more, including the most secure way to apply to #votebymail: https://t.co/NsA2oN35B2 pic.twitter.com/XPZSBT7zWj — Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) August 6, 2020
The government elections administrator in Minneapolis, Minnesota, made a seven-part Facebook post explaining the mailing to voters in June. In New Mexico, Bernalillo County Clerk Linda Stover said Thursday that she received personal calls about mailings from the group, in addition to several calls to the county office.
The group and its sister organization irritated election officials and caused confusion even before it started sending mass numbers of mail-in ballot applications.
Meagan Wolfe, the administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, told NPR earlier this year that she received a letter from the group that falsely identified her as not being registered to vote. In previous years, the group sent voter registration applications to deceased people and pets.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, several states (including electoral swing states Wisconsin and Michigan) have changed policies in order to automatically send mail-in voting applications to all voters. Some, such as Nevada, plan to send ballots themselves to voters automatically.
Virginia, North Carolina, and Minnesota allow voters to request mail-in ballots and become more flexible about mail-in absentee voting in light of the coronavirus pandemic, but they are not currently planning to send masses of automatic mail-in applications or automatic, universal mail-in ballots. That could be why the Center for Voter Information distributed ballot applications in those states, though New Mexico, where it also sent mailings, is planning to send mail-in ballot applications to voters automatically.
Despite the flurry of confusion sparked by the mailings, Bjerke, the head of elections in Falls Church, identified a "silver lining": Voters will get information about mail-in voting sooner, potentially easing the processing burden for elections administrators who are expecting a mass buildup of applications closer to Election Day.
"We are adopting the pandemic rhetoric of 'flatten the curve for vote by mail,'" he said.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-08--2020 Libertarian presidential candidate skips campaign event after getting bitten by bat

The Libertarian Party 's presidential nominee , Jo Jorgensen , did n't attend a campaign event after getting bitten by @ @ @ @ @ 63 , said she missed a campaign event on Saturday morning because a doctor advised @ @ @ @ @ vaccine after the bat attack .
`` We are sorry to report that Dr. Jo @ @ @ @ @ to attend the campaign rally tomorrow morning , '' she wrote on social media .
@ @ @ @ @ her doctor , she will be getting a rabies vaccine as a precaution after having @ @ @ @ @ near the start of this campaign tour .
Dr. Jorgensen still has every intention of @ @ @ @ @ , and she will deliver remarks at the # LetHerSpeak rally in Hattiesburg later in @ @ @ @ @ , who has been a member of the Libertarian Party since 1983 , noted that @ @ @ @ @ events later in the day after receiving the precautionary vaccine .
It is unclear if @ @ @ @ @ biting the long-shot presidential candidate .

The Libertarian Party's presidential nominee, Jo Jorgensen, didn't attend a campaign event after getting bitten by a bat.
Jorgensen, 63, said she missed a campaign event on Saturday morning because a doctor advised her to get a rabies vaccine after the bat attack.
"We are sorry to report that Dr. Jo Jorgensen will not be able to attend the campaign rally tomorrow morning," she wrote on social media. "On the advice of her doctor, she will be getting a rabies vaccine as a precaution after having been bitten by a bat near the start of this campaign tour. Dr. Jorgensen still has every intention of participating in the FLAME rally, and she will deliver remarks at the #LetHerSpeak rally in Hattiesburg later in the afternoon."
Jorgensen, who has been a member of the Libertarian Party since 1983, noted that she would be at other events later in the day after receiving the precautionary vaccine.
It is unclear if the bat was harmed after biting the long-shot presidential candidate.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-08--Democratic candidate faces calls to drop out of Georgia Senate race over 'racist' tropes in self-pub

Democratic candidate faces calls to drop out of Georgia Senate race over 'racist' tropes in self-published book

Top Democrats in Georgia said one of their candidates for Senate should drop out of the race for using `` racist and discriminatory tropes '' in a self-published novel from 2018 .
Georgia Democratic Party Chairwoman , the son of former Sen. Joe Lieberman , to drop out of the Democratic primary runoff for Senate because characters in his novel Lucius were sympathetic to the Ku Klux Klan and used racist slurs .
`` Let me be clear : Racist and discriminatory tropes have no place in our politics and no place in the Democratic Party , ” Williams told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of offensive writings are antithetical to our party ’ s values and will not be tolerated.
” Lieberman defended his book by highlighting reviews that praised his `` artistic and philosophic depth . ''
He said his book was inspired by the white supremacist rally that took place in Charlottesville , Virginia , in 2017 and that the book provides a `` clear-eyed and honest look at racism in America . ''
James Woodall , the president of Georgia 's NAACP chapter , said Lieberman 's intentions do not matter .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writing this book , but it doesn ’ t undo the real damage these kinds of narratives create , ” Woodall said .
“ Get out of the race .
We don ’ t need that kind of division or distraction in a time where our democracy is literally on the line.
” Lieberman is one of the top candidates in a pool of more than 20 Democrats looking to compete in the general election for the Senate seat held by Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler .
He is in a tight race with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the endorsement of former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams .
“ The fact that I published this book has been known since I began this campaign last year , so an attack surfacing only now is testament to the strength of my candidacy today , '' Lieberman said , later adding , `` I ’ m not going to be distracted from seeking the support of Georgians nor deterred from fighting against racism and for a more just society . ''
The runoff election will take place on Tuesday .
Georgia Republicans also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race between .

Top Democrats in Georgia said one of their candidates for Senate should drop out of the race for using "racist and discriminatory tropes" in a self-published novel from 2018.
Georgia Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikema Williams called for Matt Lieberman , the son of former Sen. Joe Lieberman, to drop out of the Democratic primary runoff for Senate because characters in his novel Lucius were sympathetic to the Ku Klux Klan and used racist slurs.
"Let me be clear: Racist and discriminatory tropes have no place in our politics and no place in the Democratic Party,” Williams told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “These kinds of offensive writings are antithetical to our party’s values and will not be tolerated.”
Lieberman defended his book by highlighting reviews that praised his "artistic and philosophic depth." He said his book was inspired by the white supremacist rally that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 and that the book provides a "clear-eyed and honest look at racism in America."
James Woodall, the president of Georgia's NAACP chapter, said Lieberman's intentions do not matter.
"I know there were good intentions in writing this book, but it doesn’t undo the real damage these kinds of narratives create,” Woodall said. “Get out of the race. We don’t need that kind of division or distraction in a time where our democracy is literally on the line.”
Lieberman is one of the top candidates in a pool of more than 20 Democrats looking to compete in the general election for the Senate seat held by Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler. He is in a tight race with Raphael Warnock, an establishment favorite who has the endorsement of former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
“The fact that I published this book has been known since I began this campaign last year, so an attack surfacing only now is testament to the strength of my candidacy today," Lieberman said, later adding, "I’m not going to be distracted from seeking the support of Georgians nor deterred from fighting against racism and for a more just society."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-08--New York Times column panned for claiming Biden ticket will be first with a woman in decades

The New York Times was panned for a columnist 's opinion article that made it appear as though Hillary Clinton 's campaign did n't happen .
Maureen Dowd , in her weekly column , wrote about how the country is about to see a woman picked to join a major presidential campaign — Joe Biden has promised to pick a female running mate — and what happened when Walter Mondale picked Geraldine Ferraro for the 1984 election .
However , the piece , and its framing on social media , caused a stir because it neglected to mention the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman to head a major party 's presidential ticket only four years ago .
“ It ’ s hard to fathom , but it has been 36 years since a man and a woman ran together on a Democratic Party ticket , writes [ Dowd ] , '' the New York Times opinion Twitter account shared , promoting the story in a tweet , which has since been deleted .
`` To use Geraldine Ferraro ’ s favorite expression , ' Gim me a break ! '
” But that neglects that Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running mate .
The social media account issued a correction , however , that also erased a female politician who sought one of the most powerful offices in the world .
“ Correction : An earlier version of this column incorrectly said it had been 36 years since a man and a woman ran together on a Democratic Party ticket .
It has been that long since a man chose a woman to run as his Vice President , '' the update read .
`` We ’ ve deleted a tweet that repeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neglects that 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain named Alaska Gov .
Sarah Palin as his running mate .
Palin was the second woman to run as the vice-presidential candidate for either major party and was the first female vice-presidential candidate in the GOP .
The New York Times opinion account deleted the correction and added a new one to specify that Biden 's selection will be the first time since Ferraro that a woman would join a man on the Democratic presidential ticket as the understudy .
`` Either [ Tim Kaine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared hallucination four years ago or Maureen had too much pot brownie before writing her column again , '' she said , while her spokesperson , Nick Merrill , added on social media , `` 4 years .
It ’ s been 4 years .
Only the dynamic duo of Maureen Dowd and the NYT could erase the last election , where a woman got more votes than not only the other guy , but more votes than nearly anyone in the history of American elections .
Gim me a break is right @ @

The New York Times was panned for a columnist's opinion article that made it appear as though Hillary Clinton's campaign didn't happen.
Maureen Dowd, in her weekly column, wrote about how the country is about to see a woman picked to join a major presidential campaign — Joe Biden has promised to pick a female running mate — and what happened when Walter Mondale picked Geraldine Ferraro for the 1984 election. However, the piece, and its framing on social media, caused a stir because it neglected to mention the former secretary of state who became the first woman to head a major party's presidential ticket only four years ago.
“It’s hard to fathom, but it has been 36 years since a man and a woman ran together on a Democratic Party ticket, writes [Dowd]," the New York Times opinion Twitter account shared, promoting the story in a tweet, which has since been deleted. "To use Geraldine Ferraro’s favorite expression, 'Gimme a break!'”
But that neglects that Clinton picked Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as a running mate.
The social media account issued a correction, however, that also erased a female politician who sought one of the most powerful offices in the world.
“Correction: An earlier version of this column incorrectly said it had been 36 years since a man and a woman ran together on a Democratic Party ticket. It has been that long since a man chose a woman to run as his Vice President," the update read. "We’ve deleted a tweet that repeated the error.”
However, the correction neglects that 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain named Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. Palin was the second woman to run as the vice-presidential candidate for either major party and was the first female vice-presidential candidate in the GOP.
The New York Times opinion account deleted the correction and added a new one to specify that Biden's selection will be the first time since Ferraro that a woman would join a man on the Democratic presidential ticket as the understudy.
Clinton responded to the original tweet promoting Dowd's column.
"Either [Tim Kaine] and I had a very vivid shared hallucination four years ago or Maureen had too much pot brownie before writing her column again," she said, while her spokesperson, Nick Merrill, added on social media, "4 years. It’s been 4 years. Only the dynamic duo of Maureen Dowd and the NYT could erase the last election, where a woman got more votes than not only the other guy, but more votes than nearly anyone in the history of American elections. Gimme a break is right."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-08--AOC may not be given speaking slot at Democratic convention

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might not be given a time slot to speak at the Democratic National Convention later in August .
“ I don ’ t think so , ” Democratic strategist and former Pennsylvania Gov .
Ed Rendell Politico when asked if Ocasio-Cortez will speak at the convention .
“ I think Bernie and Warren will speak , and they ’ ll represent the progressive wing of the party very ably . ''
`` If you picked AOC , why wouldn ’ t you pick Katie Porter , or why wouldn ’ t you pick Madeleine Dean or Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speakers is expected to be announced during the second week of August , according to the New York Post .
The progressive wing of the Democratic Party that Ocasio-Cortez represents is expected to receive attention at the convention in the form of Sen. Bernie Sanders , who ran for president against Joe Biden but dropped out of the race in early April .
“ I ’ m confident he will get his due , ” Rep. Ro Khanna , a chairman in Sanders ’ s 2020 campaign , said about Sanders speaking at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m confident that the Biden campaign has treated both Sen. Sanders and his supporters with respect and given us a seat at the table.
” Rendell agreed and said that Sen. Elizabeth Warren , another former presidential candidate , will be given time to speak as well .
“ I think Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will speak , and they ’ ll represent the progressive wing of the party very ably , ” Rendell said .
2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is also expected to speak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 17 , but the party has announced that Biden will accept the nomination from his home in Delaware due to coronavirus restrictions , and the convention is expected to be 100 % virtual .
`` The mayor has put in place a 225-person limit on people assembling in any one place .
I think it 's the right thing to do , ” Biden said .
“ I 've wanted to set an example as to how we should respond individually to this crisis.
” “ I think it 's going to @ @ @ @ @ @

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might not be given a time slot to speak at the Democratic National Convention later in August.
“I don’t think so,” Democratic strategist and former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told Politico when asked if Ocasio-Cortez will speak at the convention . “I think Bernie and Warren will speak, and they’ll represent the progressive wing of the party very ably."
"If you picked AOC, why wouldn’t you pick Katie Porter, or why wouldn’t you pick Madeleine Dean or Mary Gay Scanlon?”
The list of speakers is expected to be announced during the second week of August, according to the New York Post.
The progressive wing of the Democratic Party that Ocasio-Cortez represents is expected to receive attention at the convention in the form of Sen. Bernie Sanders, who ran for president against Joe Biden but dropped out of the race in early April.
“I’m confident he will get his due,” Rep. Ro Khanna, a chairman in Sanders’s 2020 campaign, said about Sanders speaking at the convention. “And I’m confident that the Biden campaign has treated both Sen. Sanders and his supporters with respect and given us a seat at the table.”
Rendell agreed and said that Sen. Elizabeth Warren, another former presidential candidate, will be given time to speak as well.
“I think Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will speak, and they’ll represent the progressive wing of the party very ably,” Rendell said.
2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is also expected to speak.
The Democratic convention will take place on Aug. 17, but the party has announced that Biden will accept the nomination from his home in Delaware due to coronavirus restrictions, and the convention is expected to be 100% virtual.
"The mayor has put in place a 225-person limit on people assembling in any one place. I think it's the right thing to do,” Biden said. “I've wanted to set an example as to how we should respond individually to this crisis.”
“I think it's going to be an exciting convention.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-08--Progressive congressional candidate accused of having sexual relations with college students

A progressive Democratic congressional candidate is being accused of having sexual relationships with college students .
Mayor Alex Morse of Holyoke , Massachusetts , who is running against House Ways and Means Chairman Richie Neal to represent Massachusetts 's 1st Congressional District , was barred from speaking at three universities after they accused him of the inappropriate relationships , according to the .
He acknowledged the relations , said they were the result of `` poor judgment , ” and said every encounter was consensual .
College Democrats of Massachusetts , U-Mass.-Amherst Democrats , and Amherst College Democrats alleged in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mayor , who was the first openly gay man to serve as the city 's top leader , has been repeatedly using “ his platform and taking advantage of his position of power for romantic or sexual gain , specifically toward young students.
” It specifically accused him of having “ sexual contact ” with students at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst , where he is a lecturer on political science .
“ Numerous incidents over the course of several years have shown that it is no longer appropriate to encourage interaction between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they wrote .
Morse defended himself in a letter to the College Democrats .
“ I want to be clear that every relationship I ’ ve had has been consensual .
However , I also recognize that I have to be cognizant of my position of power , ” he wrote , according to Politico .
“ Navigating life as both a young gay man and an elected official can be difficult , but that doesn ’ t excuse poor judgment . ''
In a follow-up statement , Morse issued a warning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to twist this into something it 's not to score political points , '' possibly through `` negative stereotypes about gay men , '' and added , “ I will not apologize for living life out of the closet , for going on dates and having consensual conversations.
” Morse is backed by Justice Democrats , a prominent progressive organization dedicated to electing Democrats , even if it means challenging Democratic incumbents .
The group helped Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Jamaal Bowman of New York , and Cori Bush in St. Louis defeat @ @ @ @ @

A progressive Democratic congressional candidate is being accused of having sexual relationships with college students.
Mayor Alex Morse of Holyoke, Massachusetts, who is running against House Ways and Means Chairman Richie Neal to represent Massachusetts's 1st Congressional District, was barred from speaking at three universities after they accused him of the inappropriate relationships, according to the Massachusetts Daily Collegian . He acknowledged the relations, said they were the result of "poor judgment,” and said every encounter was consensual.
College Democrats of Massachusetts, U-Mass.-Amherst Democrats, and Amherst College Democrats alleged in an email sent earlier this week that the mayor, who was the first openly gay man to serve as the city's top leader, has been repeatedly using “his platform and taking advantage of his position of power for romantic or sexual gain, specifically toward young students.” It specifically accused him of having “sexual contact” with students at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he is a lecturer on political science.
“Numerous incidents over the course of several years have shown that it is no longer appropriate to encourage interaction between College Democrats and Alex Morse,” they wrote.
Morse defended himself in a letter to the College Democrats.
“I want to be clear that every relationship I’ve had has been consensual. However, I also recognize that I have to be cognizant of my position of power,” he wrote, according to Politico. “Navigating life as both a young gay man and an elected official can be difficult, but that doesn’t excuse poor judgment."
In a follow-up statement, Morse issued a warning to his opponents who "will be eager to twist this into something it's not to score political points," possibly through "negative stereotypes about gay men," and added, “I will not apologize for living life out of the closet, for going on dates and having consensual conversations.”
Morse is backed by Justice Democrats, a prominent progressive organization dedicated to electing Democrats, even if it means challenging Democratic incumbents. The group helped Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman of New York, and Cori Bush in St. Louis defeat Democratic incumbents in primaries.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-09--So much the same, but so much different, in this Pennsylvania election year

ERIE , Pennsylvania — The signs of normalcy at first glance are everywhere when you breeze past the entrance to Presque Isle State Park along the shores of the great lake from which this town draws its name .
Two dinettes that have been serving locals and travelers for generations , Sara ’ s and Sally 's , are bustling , as cars and pedestrians line up for milkshakes , foot-long hot dogs , and a heaping basket of fried perch .
Across the street at Waldameer Park , one of the oldest amusement parks in the country , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s voices carry through the air while they wait in line to descend from one of the 15 different water slides .
Yet , if you look closer , you can see the changes .
Everyone going to Sara ’ s in a car must drive up to place orders .
Pedestrians and cyclists use the walk-up ordering service .
Everyone eats outside instead of enjoying the iconic diner ’ s multiple displays of Americana inside .
At Waldameer , the traditional part of the old trolley park has parkgoers wearing masks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but they are spaced far apart .
Head due south from the park along state route 832 , and the road goes from commercial to more residential , then suburban , then wooded , and eventually , farmland rolls along both sides of the two-lane road .
It is difficult to find a house that doesn ’ t have an American flag somewhere in the yard , and the Trump 2020 signs start almost immediately past the shopping district .
They are frequent ( often more than two in a yard ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It seems a lot like 2016 at first glance .
Even as you turn onto state route 98 heading towards Meadville , the signs in the yards only increase .
Yes , there is one Biden sign , then two , then more , but still far less by the hundreds than Trump , but far more than Hillary Clinton ever had .
The trend stays that way onto U.S. 19 as it continues due south through the rural valleys , middle-class suburbs , and wealthy enclaves and cities , all the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mount Morris , West Virginia .
Look closer , though , and you can see the changes .
Truth be told , there are far more Trump signs than there were in 2016 , even though there were a lot of Trump signs in 2016 .
Nonetheless , there is a deeper change that leaves you perplexed as to where this election is heading for the next 80-plus days .
First , a continuation of the visuals : There are a lot of small businesses closed out here , some with signs thanking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are closing for good , some with signs that are hopeful about coming back , and some boarded up .
Then , there are those that look as if they turned the lights out on March 20 fully expecting to be there the next day and just gave up hope along the way , never coming back .
Summer camps that would ordinarily be filled with children learning independence and new skill sets , coming of age in the process , have shuttered signs on them .
High school students , who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soccer in fields along the highway , by Thursday had found out that Gov .
Tom Wolf recommended the cancellation of all school sports statewide .
The closure will deprive the children the lessons from being part of a team , from learning to earn their way off of the bench , to the glory of winning , to the importance of working together for a common goal .
Never mind those endorphins that interact with the receptors in their brains when children are running or swimming or swinging a bat , triggering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depression , stress , and anxiety .
All of this change is coming because of a deadly pandemic that has robbed people of their lives , separated family members from each other , isolated our elderly , and spread fear , distrust , and instability alongside the virus .
The very masks we wear to keep us safe have become symbolic of our challenges to connect emotionally with each other .
Worse , the riots and cultural shifts have only spread our trust in each other and institutions further apart .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect the election this year .
Most polls and data show presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden with a commanding lead .
The former vice president is benefiting from several things : a rival whose win-at-all-costs comportment often leaves him at odds with the very voters he needs to earn , a press seemingly unwilling to press him on critical issues , his handlers ' insistence on him rarely interacting from his basement , and the curators of our culture in multiple industries wanting nothing to do with four more years of Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for certain : While at first glance things might look the same way they did four years ago , the reality is that we are anything but the same .

ERIE, Pennsylvania — The signs of normalcy at first glance are everywhere when you breeze past the entrance to Presque Isle State Park along the shores of the great lake from which this town draws its name.
Two dinettes that have been serving locals and travelers for generations, Sara’s and Sally's, are bustling, as cars and pedestrians line up for milkshakes, foot-long hot dogs, and a heaping basket of fried perch.
Across the street at Waldameer Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, the roller coaster whizzes past as children’s voices carry through the air while they wait in line to descend from one of the 15 different water slides.
Yet, if you look closer, you can see the changes. Everyone going to Sara’s in a car must drive up to place orders. Pedestrians and cyclists use the walk-up ordering service. Everyone eats outside instead of enjoying the iconic diner’s multiple displays of Americana inside.
At Waldameer, the traditional part of the old trolley park has parkgoers wearing masks. Those on the water slides do not, but they are spaced far apart.
Head due south from the park along state route 832, and the road goes from commercial to more residential, then suburban, then wooded, and eventually, farmland rolls along both sides of the two-lane road.
It is difficult to find a house that doesn’t have an American flag somewhere in the yard, and the Trump 2020 signs start almost immediately past the shopping district. They are frequent (often more than two in a yard) and are often homemade or oversized.
It seems a lot like 2016 at first glance.
Even as you turn onto state route 98 heading towards Meadville, the signs in the yards only increase. Yes, there is one Biden sign, then two, then more, but still far less by the hundreds than Trump, but far more than Hillary Clinton ever had. The trend stays that way onto U.S. 19 as it continues due south through the rural valleys, middle-class suburbs, and wealthy enclaves and cities, all the way to where the state line passes into Mount Morris, West Virginia.
Look closer, though, and you can see the changes. Truth be told, there are far more Trump signs than there were in 2016, even though there were a lot of Trump signs in 2016. Nonetheless, there is a deeper change that leaves you perplexed as to where this election is heading for the next 80-plus days.
First, a continuation of the visuals: There are a lot of small businesses closed out here, some with signs thanking people for their business while saying they are closing for good, some with signs that are hopeful about coming back, and some boarded up. Then, there are those that look as if they turned the lights out on March 20 fully expecting to be there the next day and just gave up hope along the way, never coming back.
Summer camps that would ordinarily be filled with children learning independence and new skill sets, coming of age in the process, have shuttered signs on them. High school students, who were out running track or practicing lacrosse or soccer in fields along the highway, by Thursday had found out that Gov. Tom Wolf recommended the cancellation of all school sports statewide.
The closure will deprive the children the lessons from being part of a team, from learning to earn their way off of the bench, to the glory of winning, to the importance of working together for a common goal. Never mind those endorphins that interact with the receptors in their brains when children are running or swimming or swinging a bat, triggering positive feelings in the body that reduce depression, stress, and anxiety.
All of this change is coming because of a deadly pandemic that has robbed people of their lives, separated family members from each other, isolated our elderly, and spread fear, distrust, and instability alongside the virus. The very masks we wear to keep us safe have become symbolic of our challenges to connect emotionally with each other. Worse, the riots and cultural shifts have only spread our trust in each other and institutions further apart.
It is hard to say how these changes will affect the election this year. Most polls and data show presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden with a commanding lead.
The former vice president is benefiting from several things: a rival whose win-at-all-costs comportment often leaves him at odds with the very voters he needs to earn, a press seemingly unwilling to press him on critical issues, his handlers' insistence on him rarely interacting from his basement, and the curators of our culture in multiple industries wanting nothing to do with four more years of Trump.
There is one thing that is for certain: While at first glance things might look the same way they did four years ago, the reality is that we are anything but the same.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-09--Roadblock to Biden climate plans: Centrist Democrats

While Joe Biden is known for his bipartisan deal-making , he must overcome a potentially more significant roadblock to fulfill his pledge of passing aggressive climate change legislation : winning over centrists from fossil-fuel states in his own party .
“ If the Democrats gain control of the Senate , it ’ s going to be because a lot of purple states turned from red to blue , which suggests there will be less of a mandate to pass something wildly outside a moderate climate objective , ” said Sasha Mackler , director of the Energy Project at the Bipartisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed from 2009 , when opposition from centrist Senate Democrats helped sink a cap-and-trade bill that passed the House and was supported by the Obama administration .
Democratic voters have since identified climate change as a top priority , youth activists are demanding quicker action , and clean energy sources are cheaper and competitive , even in Republican-leaning fossil-fuel states .
But centrist Democrats , including former lawmakers involved in the cap-and-trade fight , told the Washington Examiner that Biden , assuming Democrats win the Senate , can ’ t afford to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans still reluctant to support major climate-related legislation .
They say Biden 's preference for using mandates , regulations , and federal spending to reduce fossil fuel use will be a tough sell for members such as Joe Manchin , the coal-state senator from West Virginia who is poised to lead the Senate Energy Committee .
“ There is a difference between aspirations and platforms and actual making of laws , ” said former Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana , who opposed cap-and-trade .
“ When you are making laws , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties and different regional views that have nothing to do with party .
There is no doubt clean energy technologies produce exciting new jobs , but we 've got a lot of traditional jobs too.
” Landrieu , who supports Biden , credits her party ’ s nominee for taking climate change seriously and says he has effectively contrasted himself with President Trump without committing to politically risky policies such as a ban on fracking .
“ Vice President Biden is very astute and wise to realize the U.S. view and the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Landrieu said .
“ Biden is in the right position as opposed to Trump , who has continued to deny and put his head in the sand.
” But Landrieu and other centrist Democrats oppose Biden proposing a mandate as the centerpiece of his revamped climate agenda he released last month .
“ Reaching net-zero emissions is a great goal , and one we should strive to reach , but we must be realistic in setting measurable and achievable benchmarks to get there , ” said former Sen. Mark Pryor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is not as easy to achieve as some make it sound.
” Biden has pledged to pass a clean electricity standard , or mandate , for eliminating carbon emissions from power plants by 2035 .
“ We are not going to be off fossil fuels in 15 or 20 years , ” said former Democratic Sen. John Breaux of Louisiana , who rose to chief deputy whip and was a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee before retiring in 2005 .
“ We ’ ve tried regulations .
The better approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ achieve better results.
” A clean electricity standard requires utilities to use increasing amounts of power from zero-carbon sources , including wind and solar but also nuclear , hydropower , and biomass .
Democrats leading a special House climate change committee created by Speaker Nancy Pelosi have also endorsed a clean electricity mandate to eliminate emissions from the power sector by 2040 , a slightly longer timeline .
“ That sounds very bold and aggressive , but the truth is the utilities are moving that way right now without a federal mandate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Democrat plans .
Breaux and Landrieu prefer Congress to pass a carbon tax , an approach favored by businesses and economists , who say it ’ s the simplest and most efficient way to curb emissions by applying a per-ton fee for large emitters such as power plants and refineries .
Supporters , including some oil and gas companies , contend the tax would encourage energy producers to switch to cleaner , non-fossil-fuel alternatives .
“ You can regulate yourself down a sinkhole or can put in place a price on carbon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can be to reach these goals , ” Landrieu said .
Liberal Democrats and environmentalists have gravitated toward mandates , arguing a carbon tax won ’ t push the market to act fast enough to phase out natural gas .
Gas is a cleaner fossil fuel that has replaced coal as the country ’ s most used power source .
Supporters of clean electricity standards note more than 30 states , some of them Republican-led , have adopted some form of the policy , giving policymakers a level of familiarity .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as in Ohio , where lawmakers recently weakened its standard to target 8.5 % clean energy by 2026 .
Polling from liberal group Data for Progress shows that clean standards are viewed favorably among battleground state voters compared to carbon pricing .
`` There is no reason Democrats should shy away from clean energy standards , '' said Jamal Raad , a former Senate staffer who co-founded Evergreen , a new climate policy group of aides from Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee 's presidential campaign .
`` It 's happening in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Rep. Henry Cuellar , a Democrat from Texas , a top producer of wind and solar , said climate regulations and mandates should be left to states .
`` Instead of top-down federal mandate , we must encourage states to innovate and establish a diverse energy market , '' Cuellar said .
Biden ’ s proposed 100 % carbon-free mandate for 2035 would allow for the use of coal or gas if power plants are equipped with carbon capture , a technology that stops emissions from reaching the atmosphere that is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flexibility has encouraged Sen. Chris Coons , a centrist from Delaware and Biden backer who has introduced carbon tax legislation but is open to other ideas .
“ Combating the climate crisis will require a combination of approaches , and Vice President Biden and Democrats have put forward bold policies that will cut carbon pollution , harness American innovation , and create good jobs , ” said Coons , the co-chairman of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus .
Other centrist Democrats from fossil-fuel states see Biden ’ s 2035 target for entirely zero-carbon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean electricity standard legislation introduced in Congress have slower timelines or weaker targets .
“ Our energy policies should be based on facts and take a balanced approach to sustainability , job creation , conservation , and affordable energy for all Americans , ” said Rep. Kendra Horn of Oklahoma , adding she has not endorsed plans to eliminate carbon emissions from the power sector within 15 or 20 years .
Paul Bledsoe , a former Senate Finance Committee staffer and climate change adviser in the Clinton administration , said the politics of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support jobs in traditional fossil-fuel states .
Last year , Oklahoma ranked second after Texas in electricity generated from wind , supplying 35 % of the state ’ s power .
“ Clean energy is now big energy , ” said Bledsoe , now an energy adviser at the Progressive Policy Institute .
“ The economics of fossil vs. clean energy have changed radically in favor of clean energy.
” He credited Biden for positioning a response to climate change as an economic opportunity , and he said that mandates and federal spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or tax legislation to help recover from the pandemic .
“ Biden will sell the infrastructure package as economic primarily and climate-related secondary , and therefore , he may generate significant bipartisan support in the Senate , ” Bledsoe said .
Landrieu and Breaux worry about temptations for Biden to go his own way .
There is increasing momentum among Democrats for ending the filibuster , which opponents see as the biggest barrier to climate change legislation .
Killing the filibuster would allow the Senate to pass legislation with a simple majority , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has recently expressed openness to the idea after previously rejecting it .
“ If you want to do something lasting , you want to try with 60 votes and have some buy-in from the other party , ” Landrieu said .
“ You do n't want to pass something that can be reversed in three years . ''

While Joe Biden is known for his bipartisan deal-making, he must overcome a potentially more significant roadblock to fulfill his pledge of passing aggressive climate change legislation: winning over centrists from fossil-fuel states in his own party.
“If the Democrats gain control of the Senate, it’s going to be because a lot of purple states turned from red to blue, which suggests there will be less of a mandate to pass something wildly outside a moderate climate objective,” said Sasha Mackler, director of the Energy Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center.
The political landscape has changed from 2009, when opposition from centrist Senate Democrats helped sink a cap-and-trade bill that passed the House and was supported by the Obama administration. Democratic voters have since identified climate change as a top priority, youth activists are demanding quicker action, and clean energy sources are cheaper and competitive, even in Republican-leaning fossil-fuel states.
But centrist Democrats, including former lawmakers involved in the cap-and-trade fight, told the Washington Examiner that Biden, assuming Democrats win the Senate, can’t afford to lose many votes in their party, with Republicans still reluctant to support major climate-related legislation.
They say Biden's preference for using mandates, regulations, and federal spending to reduce fossil fuel use will be a tough sell for members such as Joe Manchin, the coal-state senator from West Virginia who is poised to lead the Senate Energy Committee.
“There is a difference between aspirations and platforms and actual making of laws,” said former Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, who opposed cap-and-trade. “When you are making laws, you have to consider different views between the parties and different regional views that have nothing to do with party. There is no doubt clean energy technologies produce exciting new jobs, but we've got a lot of traditional jobs too.”
Landrieu, who supports Biden, credits her party’s nominee for taking climate change seriously and says he has effectively contrasted himself with President Trump without committing to politically risky policies such as a ban on fracking.
“Vice President Biden is very astute and wise to realize the U.S. view and the world view is changing rapidly on this subject,” Landrieu said. “Biden is in the right position as opposed to Trump, who has continued to deny and put his head in the sand.”
But Landrieu and other centrist Democrats oppose Biden proposing a mandate as the centerpiece of his revamped climate agenda he released last month.
“Reaching net-zero emissions is a great goal, and one we should strive to reach, but we must be realistic in setting measurable and achievable benchmarks to get there,” said former Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, who opposed cap-and-trade. “It is not as easy to achieve as some make it sound.”
Biden has pledged to pass a clean electricity standard, or mandate, for eliminating carbon emissions from power plants by 2035.
“We are not going to be off fossil fuels in 15 or 20 years,” said former Democratic Sen. John Breaux of Louisiana, who rose to chief deputy whip and was a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee before retiring in 2005. “We’ve tried regulations. The better approach would be to use the marketplace to achieve better results.”
A clean electricity standard requires utilities to use increasing amounts of power from zero-carbon sources, including wind and solar but also nuclear, hydropower, and biomass. Democrats leading a special House climate change committee created by Speaker Nancy Pelosi have also endorsed a clean electricity mandate to eliminate emissions from the power sector by 2040, a slightly longer timeline.
“That sounds very bold and aggressive, but the truth is the utilities are moving that way right now without a federal mandate,” Landrieu said of the Biden and House Democrat plans.
Breaux and Landrieu prefer Congress to pass a carbon tax, an approach favored by businesses and economists, who say it’s the simplest and most efficient way to curb emissions by applying a per-ton fee for large emitters such as power plants and refineries.
Supporters, including some oil and gas companies, contend the tax would encourage energy producers to switch to cleaner, non-fossil-fuel alternatives.
“You can regulate yourself down a sinkhole or can put in place a price on carbon and let the market be as efficient it can be to reach these goals,” Landrieu said.
Liberal Democrats and environmentalists have gravitated toward mandates, arguing a carbon tax won’t push the market to act fast enough to phase out natural gas. Gas is a cleaner fossil fuel that has replaced coal as the country’s most used power source.
Supporters of clean electricity standards note more than 30 states, some of them Republican-led, have adopted some form of the policy, giving policymakers a level of familiarity. Some of these laws are not strict though, such as in Ohio, where lawmakers recently weakened its standard to target 8.5% clean energy by 2026.
Polling from liberal group Data for Progress shows that clean standards are viewed favorably among battleground state voters compared to carbon pricing.
"There is no reason Democrats should shy away from clean energy standards," said Jamal Raad, a former Senate staffer who co-founded Evergreen, a new climate policy group of aides from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's presidential campaign. "It's happening in states, and it's popular."
Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Texas, a top producer of wind and solar, said climate regulations and mandates should be left to states.
"Instead of top-down federal mandate, we must encourage states to innovate and establish a diverse energy market," Cuellar said.
Biden’s proposed 100% carbon-free mandate for 2035 would allow for the use of coal or gas if power plants are equipped with carbon capture, a technology that stops emissions from reaching the atmosphere that is not yet widely deployed.
This level of flexibility has encouraged Sen. Chris Coons, a centrist from Delaware and Biden backer who has introduced carbon tax legislation but is open to other ideas.
“Combating the climate crisis will require a combination of approaches, and Vice President Biden and Democrats have put forward bold policies that will cut carbon pollution, harness American innovation, and create good jobs,” said Coons, the co-chairman of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus.
Other centrist Democrats from fossil-fuel states see Biden’s 2035 target for entirely zero-carbon electricity as unachievable and expensive. Previous clean electricity standard legislation introduced in Congress have slower timelines or weaker targets.
“Our energy policies should be based on facts and take a balanced approach to sustainability, job creation, conservation, and affordable energy for all Americans,” said Rep. Kendra Horn of Oklahoma, adding she has not endorsed plans to eliminate carbon emissions from the power sector within 15 or 20 years.
Paul Bledsoe, a former Senate Finance Committee staffer and climate change adviser in the Clinton administration, said the politics of clean energy have changed now that renewables support jobs in traditional fossil-fuel states. Last year, Oklahoma ranked second after Texas in electricity generated from wind, supplying 35% of the state’s power.
“Clean energy is now big energy,” said Bledsoe, now an energy adviser at the Progressive Policy Institute. “The economics of fossil vs. clean energy have changed radically in favor of clean energy.”
He credited Biden for positioning a response to climate change as an economic opportunity, and he said that mandates and federal spending could be an easier sell alongside infrastructure or tax legislation to help recover from the pandemic.
“Biden will sell the infrastructure package as economic primarily and climate-related secondary, and therefore, he may generate significant bipartisan support in the Senate,” Bledsoe said.
Landrieu and Breaux worry about temptations for Biden to go his own way.
There is increasing momentum among Democrats for ending the filibuster, which opponents see as the biggest barrier to climate change legislation. Killing the filibuster would allow the Senate to pass legislation with a simple majority, rather than a 60-vote minimum. Biden has recently expressed openness to the idea after previously rejecting it.
“If you want to do something lasting, you want to try with 60 votes and have some buy-in from the other party,” Landrieu said. “You don't want to pass something that can be reversed in three years."