thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-01--Republicans fear virus spikes in key states for Trump

Republicans are warily eyeing the resurgence of coronavirus cases in states critical to President Trump ’ s reelection in November , as much rides on the country ’ s ability to continue economic reopening without worsening the pandemic .
The recent spike in COVID-19 cases has led to some Republican governors aligned with Trump reinstating some , though not all , of the restrictions that were in place during the lockdowns and federal GOP officials expressing more support for wearing facial coverings in public .
Vice President Mike Pence has a busier public schedule for the coronavirus task force , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months on Friday to help allay growing concerns .
“ Our focus today is very much on the advent of a rising series of new cases across the American South , ” Pence said , addressing must-win states for the ticket this fall .
Pence donned a mask in Texas on Sunday .
Sen. Lamar Alexander , a Tennessee Republican , on Tuesday repeated his call for the president to start doing the same .
`` The president has plenty of admirers , ” he said .
`` They would follow his lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate .
The stakes are too high for this political debate ... to continue . ''
On Sunday , Alexander CNN , `` I ’ m just saying , if wearing masks is important , and all the health experts tell us that it is in containing the disease in 2020 , it would help if , from time to time , the president would wear one to help us get rid of this political debate that says if you ’ re for Trump , you don ’ t wear a mask , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you do.
” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed face masks on Monday , saying there should be “ no stigma ” attached to them .
“ Wearing simple face coverings is not about protecting ourselves , ” the Kentucky Republican said .
`` It is about protecting everyone we encounter.
” '' The president has said he has no problem with masks , that he encourages people to make whatever decision is best for their safety and to follow what their local jurisdictions say , '' said White House press secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` CDC guidelines are still recommended , but not required .
And the president is the most tested man in America .
It ’ s his decision whether to wear a mask . ''
Republican governors in Texas , Florida , and Arizona all followed Trump ’ s lead in reopening relatively early .
Now , all three have closed the bars again in their states .
National Democratic groups are on the air in these key battlegrounds with anti-Trump ads focusing on coronavirus management .
Trump is trailing in Florida , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held next month , while Arizona and even Texas , which hasn ’ t voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter in 1976 , are too close to call .
“ These governors are trying to balance saving their economies with public health , and there are no easy answers , ” said Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak .
“ Higher positivity rates are only part of the story , as hospitalizations have been overstated , and the death rate has dropped sharply .
Pausing the reopenings while they try to contain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point .
The question is , what will they do if a pause is not enough ?
” That ’ s also the dilemma for Trump , who has largely staked his reelection on an economic reopening that puts people back to work without devastating public health consequences .
The latest polling from the found that many of the voters who have shifted from approving to disapproving of his performance in office since March live in areas hardest hit by the coronavirus .
Nationally , respondents said they preferred Democratic challenger Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ margin , 52 % to 41 % for Trump .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis , a top Trump ally , has worked especially hard to defend his state ’ s coronavirus management , in contrast with Democratic governors of hot spots who have nevertheless been praised by the media , such as Andrew Cuomo .
Florida ’ s official coronavirus death toll was 3,419 on Sunday , compared to 24,835 in Cuomo ’ s New York .
The numbers are even lower for Texas and Arizona .
“ I give Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance during the entire pandemic , ” said local Republican strategist Jamie Miller .
“ He has taken measured , reasonable steps to close , open , and now closing bars only .
Even under the most conservative models in March , Florida is performing much better than anyone expected.
” But epidemiologists stress that deaths are a lagging indicator , so the increases in cases and hospitalizations in these 2020 battlegrounds bear watching .
Trump plans to forge ahead with campaign rallies and praise for reopening .

Republicans are warily eyeing the resurgence of coronavirus cases in states critical to President Trump’s reelection in November, as much rides on the country’s ability to continue economic reopening without worsening the pandemic.
The recent spike in COVID-19 cases has led to some Republican governors aligned with Trump reinstating some, though not all, of the restrictions that were in place during the lockdowns and federal GOP officials expressing more support for wearing facial coverings in public.
Vice President Mike Pence has resumed a busier public schedule for the coronavirus task force, which held its first briefing in two months on Friday to help allay growing concerns. “Our focus today is very much on the advent of a rising series of new cases across the American South,” Pence said, addressing must-win states for the ticket this fall. Pence donned a mask in Texas on Sunday.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, on Tuesday repeated his call for the president to start doing the same. "The president has plenty of admirers,” he said. "They would follow his lead. It would help end this political debate. The stakes are too high for this political debate ... to continue." On Sunday, Alexander told CNN, "I’m just saying, if wearing masks is important, and all the health experts tell us that it is in containing the disease in 2020, it would help if, from time to time, the president would wear one to help us get rid of this political debate that says if you’re for Trump, you don’t wear a mask, and if you’re against Trump, you do.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed face masks on Monday, saying there should be “no stigma” attached to them. “Wearing simple face coverings is not about protecting ourselves,” the Kentucky Republican said. "It is about protecting everyone we encounter.”
"The president has said he has no problem with masks, that he encourages people to make whatever decision is best for their safety and to follow what their local jurisdictions say," said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany at Tuesday's briefing. "CDC guidelines are still recommended, but not required. And the president is the most tested man in America. It’s his decision whether to wear a mask."
[Click here for complete coronavirus coverage]
Republican governors in Texas, Florida, and Arizona all followed Trump’s lead in reopening relatively early. Now, all three have closed the bars again in their states. National Democratic groups are on the air in these key battlegrounds with anti-Trump ads focusing on coronavirus management. Trump is trailing in Florida, where the Republican National Convention is to be held next month, while Arizona and even Texas, which hasn’t voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter in 1976, are too close to call.
“These governors are trying to balance saving their economies with public health, and there are no easy answers,” said Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak. “Higher positivity rates are only part of the story, as hospitalizations have been overstated, and the death rate has dropped sharply. Pausing the reopenings while they try to contain outbreaks is the wise choice at this point. The question is, what will they do if a pause is not enough?”
That’s also the dilemma for Trump, who has largely staked his reelection on an economic reopening that puts people back to work without devastating public health consequences. The latest polling from the Pew Research Center found that many of the voters who have shifted from approving to disapproving of his performance in office since March live in areas hardest hit by the coronavirus. Nationally, respondents said they preferred Democratic challenger Joe Biden to handle the outbreak by an 11-point margin, 52% to 41% for Trump.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a top Trump ally, has worked especially hard to defend his state’s coronavirus management, in contrast with Democratic governors of hot spots who have nevertheless been praised by the media, such as Andrew Cuomo. Florida’s official coronavirus death toll was 3,419 on Sunday, compared to 24,835 in Cuomo’s New York. The numbers are even lower for Texas and Arizona.
“I give Gov. DeSantis the highest marks possible for his performance during the entire pandemic,” said local Republican strategist Jamie Miller. “He has taken measured, reasonable steps to close, open, and now closing bars only. Even under the most conservative models in March, Florida is performing much better than anyone expected.”
But epidemiologists stress that deaths are a lagging indicator, so the increases in cases and hospitalizations in these 2020 battlegrounds bear watching. Trump plans to forge ahead with campaign rallies and praise for reopening.
[Read more: Governors pause reopening amid coronavirus surge]


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-01--Real or fake? How to interpret Trump's polling deficit

Every day seems to bring more bad polling news for President Trump .
From internal Democratic polls showing in places such as Missouri to major national media polls with in places such as Texas , even the president ’ s allies have about his need to change strategy in the face of overwhelmingly negative data .
Tough numbers for Trump are not entirely new , though they represent a sizable slide from his position pre-coronavirus .
Despite poll after poll showing Trump trailing by enormous margins in critical states , the public still seems reluctant to predict that Biden will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in particular , are likely to think their candidate will again beat the odds , shock the world , and rally an unpolled coalition to victory in November .
After the surprise of 2016 ’ s Trump victory , it is understandable to be skeptical of the growing consensus that Trump is cruising toward a massive defeat .
There are two key components to this skepticism : the belief that it is possible to recover in time for November and the belief that the polls may be continuing to underrepresent Trump voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and take a look at how the polling averages stack up over time .
How bad is it , really ?
To put these numbers in context , consider the margins held at this point in time in previous presidential races .
In 2008 , at the same point in time , by around 7 points in an election that was an absolute blowout for Democrats .
At the start of July 2016 , by an average of 4.5 points , according to the RealClearPolitics polling averages .
In today ’ s RealClearPolitics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those numbers held , it would be an absolute wipeout for Republicans at the federal level .
It is true that at one point in early 2016 , Trump trailed Hillary Clinton by nearly 11 points .
But once he was the presumptive nominee , he never trailed her by margins like what we are seeing versus Biden this year .
It is , of course , possible for Trump to close the gap , given that this is the year 2020 and fortune has taken nothing off the table .
But Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and COVID-19 shows no sign of abating .
All of which brings us to the belief that Trump is actually in better shape than advertised .
This is not just a view held by many Trump supporters ; it includes Democrats who felt burned in 2016 , assured that their candidate was going to win .
Setting aside for the moment that the national-level polls were largely correct in 2016 ( the final RealClearPolitics average had Clinton up by 3.2 points , her actual popular vote victory was 2.1 points ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls portrayed a wildly incorrect picture of how the “ blue wall ” states would break .
Trump outperformed his polls in by three points , by about four points , by about five , and most egregiously in by seven .
While many states had polling that was right on the money ( and come to mind ) , those Midwest states blew up the predictive models .
The American Association for Public Opinion Research investigated the causes of the polling error , and one key problem was polls in 2016 overrepresenting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strength with non-college-educated voters , polls that didn ’ t include enough of them overstated the Clinton lead .
As a result , polls in 2020 should adjust their samples for education level .
Many today do , such as the polls that showed Biden with double-digit leads in .
But not all polls have made that adjustment , or they are still grappling with how to do so .
In one notable recent example , polls conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed bad news for Trump in the state of Georgia ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ methods to weight for education that the poll moved toward Trump and their poll release acknowledged that fact , noting that “ the results of this poll may appear to be slightly more conservative than our previous polls.
” Additionally , pollsters who want to do the right thing and account for education level face a debate over what the makeup should look like .
As the industry report notes , “ Current Population Survey data and voter file analysis show a whiter , less-educated electorate than the exit polls .
Thus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have missed the mark in 2016.
” This can make it harder for a layperson to know if a poll that says it is weighted by education is truly hitting the mark .
It is possible some polls are not capturing enough non-college-educated voters , and it is also possible that Trump could stage a stunning comeback ( or Biden could have a dramatic collapse ) .
Being skeptical is never a bad idea , especially in the face of bold , confident prediction .
But healthy skepticism of polls can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swing states .

Every day seems to bring more bad polling news for President Trump. From internal Democratic polls showing Joe Biden in a strong position in places such as Missouri to major national media polls with eye-popping results in places such as Texas, even the president’s allies have become more vocal about his need to change strategy in the face of overwhelmingly negative data.
Tough numbers for Trump are not entirely new, though they represent a sizable slide from his position pre-coronavirus. Despite poll after poll showing Trump trailing by enormous margins in critical states, the public still seems reluctant to predict that Biden will be the winner. Trump voters, in particular, are likely to think their candidate will again beat the odds, shock the world, and rally an unpolled coalition to victory in November.
After the surprise of 2016’s Trump victory, it is understandable to be skeptical of the growing consensus that Trump is cruising toward a massive defeat. There are two key components to this skepticism: the belief that it is possible to recover in time for November and the belief that the polls may be continuing to underrepresent Trump voters.
Let’s tackle the first component and take a look at how the polling averages stack up over time. How bad is it, really? To put these numbers in context, consider the margins held at this point in time in previous presidential races. In 2008, at the same point in time, Barack Obama led John McCain by around 7 points in an election that was an absolute blowout for Democrats. At the start of July 2016, Hillary Clinton led Trump by an average of 4.5 points, according to the RealClearPolitics polling averages.
In today’s RealClearPolitics average, Trump trails Biden by around 9 points . If those numbers held, it would be an absolute wipeout for Republicans at the federal level. It is true that at one point in early 2016, Trump trailed Hillary Clinton by nearly 11 points. But once he was the presumptive nominee, he never trailed her by margins like what we are seeing versus Biden this year.
It is, of course, possible for Trump to close the gap, given that this is the year 2020 and fortune has taken nothing off the table. But Trump has shown no desire to change strategy, and COVID-19 shows no sign of abating.
All of which brings us to the belief that Trump is actually in better shape than advertised. This is not just a view held by many Trump supporters; it includes Democrats who felt burned in 2016, assured that their candidate was going to win.
Setting aside for the moment that the national-level polls were largely correct in 2016 (the final RealClearPolitics average had Clinton up by 3.2 points, her actual popular vote victory was 2.1 points), it is certainly true that some state-level polls portrayed a wildly incorrect picture of how the “blue wall” states would break. Trump outperformed his polls in Pennsylvania by three points, Michigan by about four points, Ohio by about five, and most egregiously in Wisconsin by seven. While many states had polling that was right on the money ( Virginia and Florida come to mind), those Midwest states blew up the predictive models.
The American Association for Public Opinion Research investigated the causes of the polling error , and one key problem was polls in 2016 overrepresenting college-educated voters. Given Trump’s strength with non-college-educated voters, polls that didn’t include enough of them overstated the Clinton lead.
As a result, polls in 2020 should adjust their samples for education level. Many today do, such as the New York Times Upshot/Siena College polls that showed Biden with double-digit leads in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania .
But not all polls have made that adjustment, or they are still grappling with how to do so. In one notable recent example, polls conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed bad news for Trump in the state of Georgia; it was only when they updated their methods to weight for education that the poll moved toward Trump and their poll release acknowledged that fact, noting that “the results of this poll may appear to be slightly more conservative than our previous polls.”
Additionally, pollsters who want to do the right thing and account for education level face a debate over what the makeup should look like. As the industry report notes, “Current Population Survey data and voter file analysis show a whiter, less-educated electorate than the exit polls. Thus, polls weighting to past exit poll parameters may have missed the mark in 2016.” This can make it harder for a layperson to know if a poll that says it is weighted by education is truly hitting the mark.
It is possible some polls are not capturing enough non-college-educated voters, and it is also possible that Trump could stage a stunning comeback (or Biden could have a dramatic collapse). Being skeptical is never a bad idea, especially in the face of bold, confident prediction. But healthy skepticism of polls can’t explain away double-digit deficits in critical swing states.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-30--Confederate statues 'belong in museums': Biden weighs in on statue debate

Joe Biden insisted there was a difference between historical figures who owned slaves and Confederate leaders who fought to maintain slavery .
`` The idea of comparing whether or not George Washington owned slaves or Thomas Jefferson owned slaves , and somebody who was in rebellion and committed treason trying to take down a union to keep slavery , I think there 's a distinction , '' Biden said Tuesday in Wilmington , Delaware , at his first press conference in almost 90 days .
The two-term vice president and 2020 presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said Confederate statues `` belong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belong in public places . ''
But he added there 's an `` obligation to protect '' monuments such as the Jefferson Memorial in Washington , D.C. As the United States grapples with racial injustice following the death of George Floyd , a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes , activists have toppled statues depicting figures deemed to have held offensive views on race .
Another former president , Woodrow Wilson , had his name stripped from Princeton University 's public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's colleges over his race relations opinions .
Wilson , who was the White House occupant from 1913 to 1921 , also served as Princeton 's president from 1902 to 1910 .
`` Any institution that chose a name and wants to now jettison that name , that 's a decision for them to make , for whatever reason they make it .
So I 'm assuming the Board of Trustees at Princeton University made a judgment about the Woodrow Wilson School , '' he said .
Biden , who committed to not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts believed it was safe , said he could `` hardly wait '' to debate Trump on Sept. 29 at the University of Notre Dame .
He also said he is yet to be tested for COVID-19 because he has n't exhibited any symptoms .
[ Also read : 'America needs a president ' : Biden rips Trump 's handling of coronavirus ]

Joe Biden insisted there was a difference between historical figures who owned slaves and Confederate leaders who fought to maintain slavery.
"The idea of comparing whether or not George Washington owned slaves or Thomas Jefferson owned slaves, and somebody who was in rebellion and committed treason trying to take down a union to keep slavery, I think there's a distinction," Biden said Tuesday in Wilmington, Delaware, at his first press conference in almost 90 days.
The two-term vice president and 2020 presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said Confederate statues "belong in museums, they don’t belong in public places." But he added there's an "obligation to protect" monuments such as the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.
As the United States grapples with racial injustice following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes, activists have toppled statues depicting figures deemed to have held offensive views on race.
Another former president, Woodrow Wilson, had his name stripped from Princeton University's public policy school and one of the institution's colleges over his race relations opinions. Wilson, who was the White House occupant from 1913 to 1921, also served as Princeton's president from 1902 to 1910.
"Any institution that chose a name and wants to now jettison that name, that's a decision for them to make, for whatever reason they make it. So I'm assuming the Board of Trustees at Princeton University made a judgment about the Woodrow Wilson School," he said.
Biden, who committed to not holding any campaign rallies until public health experts believed it was safe, said he could "hardly wait" to debate Trump on Sept. 29 at the University of Notre Dame. He also said he is yet to be tested for COVID-19 because he hasn't exhibited any symptoms.
[Also read: 'America needs a president': Biden rips Trump's handling of coronavirus]


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-30--Biden targets Trump's mental state: 'Doesn't seem cognitively aware'

Joe Biden flipped the script on the GOP 's constant attacks on his mental state , with the former vice president questioning President Trump 's own mental acuity .
In response to a question on what consequences the president should face if reports that he knew about a Russian government scheme to pay Taliban soldiers to kill American service members overseas were true , Biden said Trump `` does n't seem cognitively aware of what 's going on . ''
`` This president talks about cognitive capability .
He does n't seem to be cognitively aware of what 's going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon during a press briefing in Wilmington , Delaware .
`` The idea that he did n't know or was n't being briefed , that 's a dereliction of duty .
And if he was briefed and did n't do anything about it , that 's a dereliction of duty . ''
Biden then proceeded to accuse Trump of being `` unfit to be president , '' before adding that he 'd personally hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for the move .
The controversy over whether Trump was briefed on the alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington .
The president has denied that he was ever told about the intelligence , and senior intelligence officials have told the Washington Examiner that Trump was never told about the supposed plot , which some intelligence officials dispute .
Toward the end of his press conference , Biden was asked about whether he had suffered any diminished mental ability since he left the White House in January 2017 .
`` I can hardly wait to compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I 'm running against , '' @ @ @

Joe Biden flipped the script on the GOP's constant attacks on his mental state, with the former vice president questioning President Trump's own mental acuity.
In response to a question on what consequences the president should face if reports that he knew about a Russian government scheme to pay Taliban soldiers to kill American service members overseas were true, Biden said Trump "doesn't seem cognitively aware of what's going on."
"This president talks about cognitive capability. He doesn't seem to be cognitively aware of what's going on," Biden said on Tuesday afternoon during a press briefing in Wilmington, Delaware. "The idea that he didn't know or wasn't being briefed, that's a dereliction of duty. And if he was briefed and didn't do anything about it, that's a dereliction of duty."
Biden then proceeded to accuse Trump of being "unfit to be president," before adding that he'd personally hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for the move.
The controversy over whether Trump was briefed on the alleged Russian plot has caused a firestorm through Washington. The president has denied that he was ever told about the intelligence, and senior intelligence officials have told the Washington Examiner that Trump was never told about the supposed plot, which some intelligence officials dispute.
Toward the end of his press conference, Biden was asked about whether he had suffered any diminished mental ability since he left the White House in January 2017.
"I can hardly wait to compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I'm running against," he replied.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-30--'America needs a president': Biden rips Trump's handling of coronavirus

Joe Biden took to the screen to lambaste Trump 's handling of the coronavirus once again , saying the president has been distracted by `` late-night rantings and tweets '' instead of the health of the public .
`` Today , I am releasing a plan with the steps Donald Trump should undertake immediately , '' the former vice president said Tuesday in Wilmington , Delaware .
`` It builds on the roadmap I released back in March that would have saved lives if it had been adopted .
It is a plan to save lives in the months ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's campaign has been virtually limited to just two states : Delaware and Pennsylvania .
But that has not stopped him from occasionally venturing outside of his Wilmington home to meetings with voters , hold virtual fundraising events , and routinely attack the president 's response to the coronavirus pandemic .
In his remarks at a high school in Wilmington , Biden offered an alternative vision for the country as it faces a new uptick in infections just as states began easing lockdown measures .
`` It ’ s not about you , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health and well-being of the American public .
The American people didn ’ t make enormous sacrifices over the past four months so you could waste your time with late-night rantings and tweets , '' he said .
`` They did n't make these sacrifices so you could ignore the science and turn responsible steps like wearing a mask into a political statement . ''
Biden also took a victory lap of sorts , comparing his statements about China misleading the international community on how it was handling the coronavirus outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese President Xi Jinping and for championing the opening of businesses , even as states are dealing with thousands of new coronavirus cases per day .
`` Now , it 's almost July , and it seems our wartime president has surrendered , waved the white flag , and abandoned the battlefield , '' Biden said .
He also sounded the alarm about the rising cases , urging the administration to adopt his plan of expanding testing and healthcare access to avoid plunging into a crisis New York City faced just months ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their response should be a cause for celebration , despite President Trump 's request that we should slow down testing because he thinks that makes him look bad , the COVID-19 is still here , '' Biden said .
`` Fix the shortage of PPE before you tee off on another round of golf , '' he said , adding that `` what we 've been doing has not been working .
... You called yourself a cheerleader .
We do n't need a cheerleader , Mr. President .
We need a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's remarks come in the wake of warnings from federal health officials that the United States is on the brink of seeing hundreds of thousands of people sick in the upcoming weeks .
“ We 're going to continue to be in a lot of trouble .
And there 's going to be a lot of hurt if that does not stop and get our act together , ” top government infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said during a Senate committee hearing .
“ We are now having 40-plus thousand new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 [ cases ] a day.
” The U.S. has confirmed more than 2.6 million cases and at least 129,500 deaths , with the rate of increase in cases rising sharply in states such as Texas , Florida , California , and Texas .

Joe Biden took to the screen to lambaste Trump's handling of the coronavirus once again, saying the president has been distracted by "late-night rantings and tweets" instead of the health of the public.
"Today, I am releasing a plan with the steps Donald Trump should undertake immediately," the former vice president said Tuesday in Wilmington, Delaware. "It builds on the roadmap I released back in March that would have saved lives if it had been adopted. It is a plan to save lives in the months ahead."
The presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee's campaign has been virtually limited to just two states: Delaware and Pennsylvania. But that has not stopped him from occasionally venturing outside of his Wilmington home to meetings with voters, hold virtual fundraising events, and routinely attack the president's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In his remarks at a high school in Wilmington, Biden offered an alternative vision for the country as it faces a new uptick in infections just as states began easing lockdown measures.
"It’s not about you, Mr. President — it’s about the health and well-being of the American public. The American people didn’t make enormous sacrifices over the past four months so you could waste your time with late-night rantings and tweets," he said. "They didn't make these sacrifices so you could ignore the science and turn responsible steps like wearing a mask into a political statement."
Biden also took a victory lap of sorts, comparing his statements about China misleading the international community on how it was handling the coronavirus outbreak. He attacked Trump for his praise of Chinese President Xi Jinping and for championing the opening of businesses, even as states are dealing with thousands of new coronavirus cases per day.
[Read more: Biden targets Trump's mental state: 'Doesn't seem cognitively aware']
"Now, it's almost July, and it seems our wartime president has surrendered, waved the white flag, and abandoned the battlefield," Biden said.
He also sounded the alarm about the rising cases, urging the administration to adopt his plan of expanding testing and healthcare access to avoid plunging into a crisis New York City faced just months ago.
“Despite the administration's propaganda that their response should be a cause for celebration, despite President Trump's request that we should slow down testing because he thinks that makes him look bad, the COVID-19 is still here," Biden said.
"Fix the shortage of PPE before you tee off on another round of golf," he said, adding that "what we've been doing has not been working. ... You called yourself a cheerleader. We don't need a cheerleader, Mr. President. We need a president, Mr. President."
Biden's remarks come in the wake of warnings from federal health officials that the United States is on the brink of seeing hundreds of thousands of people sick in the upcoming weeks.
“We're going to continue to be in a lot of trouble. And there's going to be a lot of hurt if that does not stop and get our act together,” top government infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said during a Senate committee hearing. “We are now having 40-plus thousand new cases a day, and I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 [cases] a day.”
The U.S. has confirmed more than 2.6 million cases and at least 129,500 deaths, with the rate of increase in cases rising sharply in states such as Texas, Florida, California, and Texas.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-30--Jill Biden predicts 'a lot of Republicans' will vote for husband Joe

Jill Biden has a sneaky suspicion many Republicans will turn their backs on President Trump this November .
`` From what I 've seen , a lot of Republicans are going to vote for Joe , '' the former second lady told ABC 's The View Tuesday .
`` Maybe they 're not saying it publicly , but when I was out there on the trail , a lot of people came up to me and said , 'Jill , I 'm Republican , but I 'm going to vote for your husband because he 's a moderate , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we believe in Joe . '
'' Jill Biden had been asked about Trump 's relationship with his base .
Trump touts how there 's a segment of the electorate that wo n't desert him , but polling this month showed the White House incumbent struggling with key groups , such as white evangelicals and white , non-college-educated voters .
Biden pointed to Trump 's COVID-19 response as the most recent reason for the defections .
She also cited public health advice to defend her husband 's quieter campaign schedule .
Critics have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time he 's spent in his basement TV studio due to the pandemic .
Biden was also quizzed about speculation on California Sen. Kamala Harris as the front-runner to become the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee .
The community college professor , who 's had an influential role in the running mate selection process because of the lockdowns , once described Harris 's attacks against her husband during the opening primary debates as a `` punch to the gut . ''
`` I 've been in politics with Joe for 43 years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say a lot of things , '' she said .
`` But you know , it 's politics , and you get over it .
You just move on .
You have to , right ?
I mean , you ca n't just keep harboring ill will . ''
Jill Biden and Harris appeared together at a campaign event last week highlighting healthcare in Wisconsin as Republicans forge ahead with their Supreme Court Obamacare litigation .
During the virtual stop , Biden described Harris as a `` role model to women across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Jill Biden has a sneaking suspicion many Republicans will turn their backs on President Trump this November.
"From what I've seen, a lot of Republicans are going to vote for Joe," the former second lady told ABC's The View Tuesday. "Maybe they're not saying it publicly, but when I was out there on the trail, a lot of people came up to me and said, 'Jill, I'm Republican, but I'm going to vote for your husband because he's a moderate, and he's a steady leader, and we believe in Joe.'"
Jill Biden had been asked about Trump's relationship with his base. Trump touts how there's a segment of the electorate that won't desert him, but polling this month showed the White House incumbent struggling with key groups, such as white evangelicals and white, non-college-educated voters.
Biden pointed to Trump's COVID-19 response as the most recent reason for the defections. She also cited public health advice to defend her husband's quieter campaign schedule. Critics have mocked the two-term vice president for the time he's spent in his basement TV studio due to the pandemic.
Biden was also quizzed about speculation on California Sen. Kamala Harris as the front-runner to become the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee. The community college professor, who's had an influential role in the running mate selection process because of the lockdowns, once described Harris's attacks against her husband during the opening primary debates as a "punch to the gut."
"I've been in politics with Joe for 43 years, and so, a lot of people say a lot of things," she said. "But you know, it's politics, and you get over it. You just move on. You have to, right? I mean, you can't just keep harboring ill will."
Jill Biden and Harris appeared together at a campaign event last week highlighting healthcare in Wisconsin as Republicans forge ahead with their Supreme Court Obamacare litigation.
During the virtual stop, Biden described Harris as a "role model to women across the country, including my granddaughters."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-06-30--Centrist Amy McGrath keeps liberal challenger Charles Booker at bay in Democratic Kentucky Senate pr

Centrist Amy McGrath keeps liberal challenger Charles Booker at bay in Democratic Kentucky Senate primary

Democrat Amy McGrath will take on Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his Kentucky Senate seat in November after Charles Booker waged a closer-than-expected primary challenge from the Left .
Booker 's 39,407-vote lead on McGrath in Kentucky 's urban centers of Louisville and Lexington were not enough to overcome the centrist former Marine fighter pilot 's rural advantage .
The Associated Press called the race Tuesday nearly a week after polls closed in Kentucky .
McGrath , 45 , was the early favorite in the race to represent Kentucky in the Senate , earning establishment support from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arm and raising $ 41 million over the course of her bid .
McGrath 's confidence was imbued in her strategy .
She focused on McConnell rather than her Democratic rivals before Booker , Kentucky 's youngest black state legislator , surged in fundraising and the polls after civil unrest gripped the country after the death of George Floyd , a black man , at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer .
Booker 's response to the mass protests in his hometown of Louisville over the death of Breonna Taylor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her apartment during a botched narcotics raid , earned him accolades from liberal firebrands such as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren , and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
Booker , 35 , is a proponent of the `` Green New Deal '' and `` Medicare for All . ''
McGrath will now compete against McConnell for the Senate seat he 's held since 1989 .
President Trump won the ruby red state in 2016 by almost 30 percentage points .
McConnell won reelection in 2014 by more than @ @ @

Democrat Amy McGrath will take on Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for his Kentucky Senate seat in November after Charles Booker waged a closer-than-expected primary challenge from the Left.
Booker's 39,407-vote lead on McGrath in Kentucky's urban centers of Louisville and Lexington were not enough to overcome the centrist former Marine fighter pilot's rural advantage. The Associated Press called the race Tuesday nearly a week after polls closed in Kentucky.
McGrath, 45, was the early favorite in the race to represent Kentucky in the Senate, earning establishment support from the likes of the Senate Democrats' campaign arm and raising $41 million over the course of her bid.
McGrath's confidence was imbued in her strategy. She focused on McConnell rather than her Democratic rivals before Booker, Kentucky's youngest black state legislator, surged in fundraising and the polls after civil unrest gripped the country after the death of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer.
Booker's response to the mass protests in his hometown of Louisville over the death of Breonna Taylor, a black woman shot by police in her apartment during a botched narcotics raid, earned him accolades from liberal firebrands such as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Booker, 35, is a proponent of the "Green New Deal" and "Medicare for All."
McGrath will now compete against McConnell for the Senate seat he's held since 1989. President Trump won the ruby red state in 2016 by almost 30 percentage points. McConnell won reelection in 2014 by more than 15 points.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-01--We need leadership, not symbolism and political theater

One of the interesting side stories of 2020 has been the recent explosion ( no pun intended ) of illegal fireworks in cities .
The uptick in illicit incendiaries is a side effect of pandemic life drudgery , so it ’ s unsurprising that New York , hardest hit by the coronavirus and the resulting lockdown , has produced more than 24,000 complaints and some spectacular footage .
Although they pose obvious safety risks , illegal fireworks are a nuisance , not a serious issue .
Thus , the recently announced crackdown in New York is perfectly emblematic of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While contraband roman candles light up the city nights , angry mobs set about tearing down statues — of whom seems to matter less than the act itself .
Hans Christian Heg and Ulysses S. Grant are hardly the targets of a coherent movement , but a mob is brainless fury .
They are , to borrow a now-popular phrase , to be taken seriously , not literally .
Here , too , we see our politics reflected — performative , striking , and rife with emotion , yet largely inconsequential .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is incapable of effectively marshaling a response to a pandemic because the president , through sheer force of will , is failing to lead .
As infection hot spots flare up like prairie wildfires , President Trump blames increased testing .
On the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue , a debilitated Congress sits idled .
House Democrats are content to pass messaging bill fantasies such as the $ 3 trillion `` HEROES Act '' and D.C. statehood .
Senate Democrats , when not whining about being forced to work , are content to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , effectively killing the prospects for the legislation .
By comparison , it ’ s easy to see how some might confuse shooting off fireworks and tearing down statues as productive .
The summer of 2020 has shown our political leaders willing to settle for symbolism , headline-grabbing performances , and partisan advantage in a time of political , economic , and existential threat to our citizens .
Small wonder that every survey since June finds nearly 70 % of respondents thinks we ’ re on the wrong track .
There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that our political and media classes are missing the point , that our politics are driven by the worst impulses of incapable leaders in a moment when we need them to be and do better .
Survey after survey finds bipartisan majorities that favor and are .
Yet , the president still can ’ t subjugate his ego enough to stop joking about testing and wear a mask , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is so beholden to her internal caucus politics that she accused Sen. Tim Scott , one of the few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd ’ s death .
Meanwhile , all over the country , people are doing their best to figure out how to move their lives forward , to understand what their futures look like in a plague and economic collapse .
For some , it ’ s a question of going back to work next week .
For others , it ’ s a question of going back to school in the fall .
For millions , it ’ s a matter of finding a replacement for a job that has vanished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s coping with the void of a loved one gone abruptly and too soon .
In a moment like this , we don ’ t need a revolutionary or a reactionary .
We need steady , competent leadership that doesn ’ t filter every piece of information through ego or short-term electoral prospects .
In the context of the presidential election , this can only be seen as an opportunity for Joe Biden .
The country is well acquainted , to the point of fatigue , with Trump .
A majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but they ’ re also looking for a leader .
Hidin ’ Biden might be sound tactical advice for winning the campaign equivalent of trench warfare , but it is a terrible recipe for a country in desperate need of moral , adult leadership .
The president will offer his substitute for actual leadership , cheap imagery , on Friday at Mount Rushmore , where .
Mount Rushmore and the surrounding Black Hills in South Dakota have had a fireworks ban for a decade and are enduring a substantial dry season this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health of his supporters in Tulsa , Oklahoma , this is yet another setting of expendable props .
The risk of an actual wildfire , like the coronavirus or racial unrest , is no match for Trump 's shortsightedness .
President Trump intends to position himself in frame with some of the most remarkable leaders in American history , no doubt hoping to leach some of their greatness for himself , to project strength that we all know he doesn ’ t possess .
Surely , someone on the president ’ s team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter how carefully the shot is composed , it will render him looking smaller than he already does , a pretender among giants .
No quantity of fireworks can distract from that .
Steve Stampley ( @ stevestampley ) is a former congressional aide and campaign manager .
He contributes to the Washington Examiner and Arc Digital .

One of the interesting side stories of 2020 has been the recent explosion (no pun intended) of illegal fireworks in cities. The uptick in illicit incendiaries is a side effect of pandemic life drudgery, so it’s unsurprising that New York, hardest hit by the coronavirus and the resulting lockdown, has produced more than 24,000 complaints and some spectacular footage. Although they pose obvious safety risks, illegal fireworks are a nuisance, not a serious issue. Thus, the recently announced crackdown in New York is perfectly emblematic of our larger politics — eye-catching but inconsequential.
While contraband roman candles light up the city nights, angry mobs set about tearing down statues — of whom seems to matter less than the act itself. Hans Christian Heg and Ulysses S. Grant are hardly the targets of a coherent movement, but a mob is brainless fury. They are, to borrow a now-popular phrase, to be taken seriously, not literally. Here, too, we see our politics reflected — performative, striking, and rife with emotion, yet largely inconsequential.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the White House is incapable of effectively marshaling a response to a pandemic because the president, through sheer force of will, is failing to lead. As infection hot spots flare up like prairie wildfires, President Trump blames increased testing . On the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, a debilitated Congress sits idled. House Democrats are content to pass messaging bill fantasies such as the $3 trillion "HEROES Act" and D.C. statehood. Senate Democrats, when not whining about being forced to work , are content to wear kente clothes for photo ops and then block debate on police reform , effectively killing the prospects for the legislation.
By comparison, it’s easy to see how some might confuse shooting off fireworks and tearing down statues as productive. The summer of 2020 has shown our political leaders willing to settle for symbolism, headline-grabbing performances, and partisan advantage in a time of political, economic, and existential threat to our citizens. Small wonder that every survey since June finds nearly 70% of respondents thinks we’re on the wrong track .
There’s a widespread sense across the country that our political and media classes are missing the point, that our politics are driven by the worst impulses of incapable leaders in a moment when we need them to be and do better. Survey after survey finds bipartisan majorities that favor the federal government leading on testing and are in support of police reform measures . Yet, the president still can’t subjugate his ego enough to stop joking about testing and wear a mask, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is so beholden to her internal caucus politics that she accused Sen. Tim Scott, one of the few bright spots lately, of guilt in George Floyd’s death.
Meanwhile, all over the country, people are doing their best to figure out how to move their lives forward, to understand what their futures look like in a plague and economic collapse. For some, it’s a question of going back to work next week. For others, it’s a question of going back to school in the fall. For millions, it’s a matter of finding a replacement for a job that has vanished. For far too many, it’s coping with the void of a loved one gone abruptly and too soon.
In a moment like this, we don’t need a revolutionary or a reactionary. We need steady, competent leadership that doesn’t filter every piece of information through ego or short-term electoral prospects. In the context of the presidential election, this can only be seen as an opportunity for Joe Biden. The country is well acquainted, to the point of fatigue, with Trump. A majority of the electorate is open to an alternative, but they’re also looking for a leader. Hidin’ Biden might be sound tactical advice for winning the campaign equivalent of trench warfare, but it is a terrible recipe for a country in desperate need of moral, adult leadership.
The president will offer his substitute for actual leadership, cheap imagery, on Friday at Mount Rushmore, where he’s scheduled an event and a fireworks show . Mount Rushmore and the surrounding Black Hills in South Dakota have had a fireworks ban for a decade and are enduring a substantial dry season this summer. However, much like the health of his supporters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this is yet another setting of expendable props. The risk of an actual wildfire, like the coronavirus or racial unrest, is no match for Trump's shortsightedness.
President Trump intends to position himself in frame with some of the most remarkable leaders in American history, no doubt hoping to leach some of their greatness for himself, to project strength that we all know he doesn’t possess. Surely, someone on the president’s team realizes what overreach this is. No matter how carefully the shot is composed, it will render him looking smaller than he already does, a pretender among giants. No quantity of fireworks can distract from that.
Steve Stampley (@stevestampley) is a former congressional aide and campaign manager. He contributes to the Washington Examiner and Arc Digital.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-01--Trump should read what his former supporters had to say, even if it's in the New York Times

If President Trump is for some reason having a good day , here 's a quote to fix that problem published Wednesday in the New York Times : `` It was like , this dude is just in it for himself .
I thought he was supposed to be for the people.
” That 's from 34-year-old Kelvin Pittman , a black man in swing-state Florida , who voted for Trump in 2016 but who wo n't do it again in November .
The whole article is full of quotes just like that , from people who previously placed their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest in repeating what they view now as a mistake .
And no , these voters are n't outliers .
The president still enjoys 85 % support among Republicans as of Gallup 's latest numbers , but that 's down almost 10 points since January .
It 's a 5-point drop from the start of May .
Is there any doubt that the new numbers will be any better , after yet another month of thousands of more coronavirus deaths , widespread racial unrest , and dumb tweets about cable news ratings ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll be worse .
Trump looks ridiculous .
To use his most favored adjective for his opponents , he looks weak .
Why would n't many of his supporters decide this time around that they 've had enough ?
He 's repulsed them , and anyone can see why .
The president and his team have supposedly accepted that they 're in a terrible position heading into November , and while not all of it is Trump 's fault , a lot of it is .
And like what Pittman suggested above , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself a favor and read the full article .

If President Trump is for some reason having a good day, here's a quote to fix that problem published Wednesday in the New York Times: "It was like, this dude is just in it for himself. I thought he was supposed to be for the people.”
That's from 34-year-old Kelvin Pittman, a black man in swing-state Florida, who voted for Trump in 2016 but who won't do it again in November.
The whole article is full of quotes just like that, from people who previously placed their bets on Trump and now have no interest in repeating what they view now as a mistake.
And no, these voters aren't outliers. The president still enjoys 85% support among Republicans as of Gallup's latest numbers, but that's down almost 10 points since January. It's a 5-point drop from the start of May. Is there any doubt that the new numbers will be any better, after yet another month of thousands of more coronavirus deaths, widespread racial unrest, and dumb tweets about cable news ratings?
They won't be better. They'll be worse.
Trump looks ridiculous. To use his most favored adjective for his opponents, he looks weak.
Why wouldn't many of his supporters decide this time around that they've had enough? He's repulsed them, and anyone can see why.
The president and his team have supposedly accepted that they're in a terrible position heading into November, and while not all of it is Trump's fault, a lot of it is. And like what Pittman suggested above, it's inexcusable.
Trump should do himself a favor and read the full article.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-02--Joe Biden campaign's latest target: Mike Pence

Joe Biden spends most of his time picking apart President Trump 's response to the coronavirus pandemic , but his campaign has quietly launched a new offensive against an unsuspecting target : Mike Pence .
Since June 1 , the Biden campaign has issued 19 statements directed toward or including the vice president .
On Thursday alone , the Biden campaign sent two press releases attacking him , with one singling out his trip to Tampa , Florida , to meet with Gov .
Ron DeSantis .
The other highlighted a column from liberal journalist EJ Montini in an Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is hoping to flip to the Democratic column in November .
“ Here was Vice President Mike Pence in Arizona on Wednesday , a day when the state set new records for COVID-19 cases , 4,878 , as well as deaths , 88 , bringing Arizona ’ s totals to more than 84,000 cases and 1,720 known deaths , praising Gov .
Doug Ducey for his leadership , ” wrote Montini .
“ If , as Pence said , Arizona has seamlessly partnered with the Trump administration , then we are proof positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is totally incompetent .
If not criminally negligent.
” The continued swipes at Pence come as he kicks off his `` Faith in America '' rally tour throughout swing states , which began in late June .
The campaign stops come as the president has begun seeing his support from white evangelicals drop precipitously .
Trump 's support with those Christian voters sits at 72 % , down 6 points from a similar poll in April .
The share of evangelicals who say they `` strongly approve '' of the job he 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic and the protests following the death of George Floyd , is also beginning to tank , from 67 % to 59 % .
`` Most VPs find themselves in touchy situations on the campaign trail .
This goes doubly for Pence .
As head of the COVID-19 task force , Pence needs to deliver the unvarnished truth to the American people , but as the president 's surrogate on the campaign trail , he needs to follow Trump 's playbook and highlight the positive , '' said vice presidential scholar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate would take advantage of this contradiction .
Also , on the campaign trail , Pence has been at events which did not practice safe social distancing , making the vice president an even bigger target , '' said Mannes , whose Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Maryland was `` The Evolving National Security Role of the Vice President . ''
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic , the Biden campaign has consistently needled Pence for his role as head of the presidential coronavirus task force .
In April , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing `` damage contro l '' for Trump .
The focus on Pence from Team Biden remains peculiar when contrasted to the last several election cycles .
Hillary Clinton 's running mate , Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine , remained a wallflower for most of that race .
In 2012 , while Biden played attack dog against Mitt Romney , the GOP made that election a referendum on President Barack Obama personally and not particularly his No .
2 .
`` The vice president 's role is determined by the president , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to most traditional presidential roles , '' Mannes said .
`` Some of these VPs made important contributions in office to the success of their administration , and the best way to get reelected is for the president to be successful . ''

Joe Biden spends most of his time picking apart President Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic, but his campaign has quietly launched a new offensive against an unsuspecting target: Mike Pence.
Since June 1, the Biden campaign has issued 19 statements directed toward or including the vice president. On Thursday alone, the Biden campaign sent two press releases attacking him, with one singling out his trip to Tampa, Florida, to meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The other highlighted a column from liberal journalist EJ Montini in an Arizona newspaper, a state the Biden campaign is hoping to flip to the Democratic column in November.
“Here was Vice President Mike Pence in Arizona on Wednesday, a day when the state set new records for COVID-19 cases, 4,878, as well as deaths, 88, bringing Arizona’s totals to more than 84,000 cases and 1,720 known deaths, praising Gov. Doug Ducey for his leadership,” wrote Montini. “If, as Pence said, Arizona has seamlessly partnered with the Trump administration, then we are proof positive that the White House Coronavirus Task Force is totally incompetent. If not criminally negligent.”
The continued swipes at Pence come as he kicks off his "Faith in America" rally tour throughout swing states, which began in late June. The campaign stops come as the president has begun seeing his support from white evangelicals drop precipitously.
Trump's support with those Christian voters sits at 72%, down 6 points from a similar poll in April. The share of evangelicals who say they "strongly approve" of the job he's doing, specifically in the areas of the coronavirus pandemic and the protests following the death of George Floyd, is also beginning to tank, from 67% to 59%.
"Most VPs find themselves in touchy situations on the campaign trail. This goes doubly for Pence. As head of the COVID-19 task force, Pence needs to deliver the unvarnished truth to the American people, but as the president's surrogate on the campaign trail, he needs to follow Trump's playbook and highlight the positive," said vice presidential scholar Aaron Mannes.
"Any smart opposition candidate would take advantage of this contradiction. Also, on the campaign trail, Pence has been at events which did not practice safe social distancing, making the vice president an even bigger target," said Mannes, whose Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Maryland was "The Evolving National Security Role of the Vice President."
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the Biden campaign has consistently needled Pence for his role as head of the presidential coronavirus task force. In April, a Biden spokeswoman called Pence's job as doing "damage control" for Trump.
The focus on Pence from Team Biden remains peculiar when contrasted to the last several election cycles. Hillary Clinton's running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, remained a wallflower for most of that race. In 2012, while Biden played attack dog against Mitt Romney, the GOP made that election a referendum on President Barack Obama personally and not particularly his No. 2.
"The vice president's role is determined by the president, and the current president is idiosyncratic in his approach to most traditional presidential roles," Mannes said. "Some of these VPs made important contributions in office to the success of their administration, and the best way to get reelected is for the president to be successful."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-02--Herman Cain hospitalized with coronavirus after attending Trump rally

Herman Cain tested positive for the coronavirus and was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending President Trump 's campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
Cain , a 74-year-old former pizza business CEO and presidential candidate , was diagnosed with the virus on Monday , and his symptoms necessitated hospitalization by Wednesday , according to a statement he put out on social media .
He spent the night in an Atlanta-area hospital and on Thursday was `` resting comfortably '' while `` awake and alert . ''
The Newsmax television contributor did not need a respirator , the statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of knowing for sure how or where Mr. Cain contracted the coronavirus , but we do know he is a fighter who has beaten Stage 4 cancer .
With God ’ s help , we are confident he will make a quick and complete recovery , '' it read .
Cain was in attendance at Trump 's rally in Tulsa on June 20 .
He shared a photo of himself surrounded by other people , none of whom were social distancing or wearing masks .
In the days leading up to the rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility that the event could be a hotbed for coronavirus .
Six members of Trump 's campaign team tested positive for the virus just hours before the event was set to begin .
Additionally , dozens of Secret Service agents were asked to quarantine after being exposed to the coronavirus during the trip .
Oklahoma Watch reporter Paul Monies also tested positive for the coronavirus after attending the rally .
“ Contact tracing was conducted after the Tulsa rally but we do not comment regarding the medical information of individuals .
Regardless , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President , ” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told ABC News .
Cain was diagnosed with colon cancer more than a decade ago in 2006 , and despite it spreading to his liver , he was able to beat the disease and remain cancer-free , according to Newsmax .

Herman Cain tested positive for the coronavirus and was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending President Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Cain, a 74-year-old former pizza business CEO and presidential candidate, was diagnosed with the virus on Monday, and his symptoms necessitated hospitalization by Wednesday, according to a statement he put out on social media. He spent the night in an Atlanta-area hospital and on Thursday was "resting comfortably" while "awake and alert."
The Newsmax television contributor did not need a respirator, the statement noted.
“There is no way of knowing for sure how or where Mr. Cain contracted the coronavirus, but we do know he is a fighter who has beaten Stage 4 cancer. With God’s help, we are confident he will make a quick and complete recovery," it read.
Cain was in attendance at Trump's rally in Tulsa on June 20. He shared a photo of himself surrounded by other people, none of whom were social distancing or wearing masks.
In the days leading up to the rally, local health officials warned about the possibility that the event could be a hotbed for coronavirus.
Six members of Trump's campaign team tested positive for the virus just hours before the event was set to begin. Additionally, dozens of Secret Service agents were asked to quarantine after being exposed to the coronavirus during the trip. Oklahoma Watch reporter Paul Monies also tested positive for the coronavirus after attending the rally.
“Contact tracing was conducted after the Tulsa rally but we do not comment regarding the medical information of individuals. Regardless, Mr. Cain did not meet with the President,” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told ABC News.
Cain was diagnosed with colon cancer more than a decade ago in 2006, and despite it spreading to his liver, he was able to beat the disease and remain cancer-free, according to Newsmax.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-02--'No victory to be celebrated': Biden downplays strong jobs numbers

Joe Biden tried deflating President Trump 's excitement over the new job numbers , which greatly exceeded economists ' expectations .
On Thursday morning , the Department of Labor announced that the economy gained 4.8 million jobs in June , lowering the unemployment rate to 11.1 % .
Addressing the public from his Wilmington , Delaware , basement via a web stream , Biden called the latest employment numbers encouraging but placed the blame squarely on Trump for the current economic crisis .
`` Until this president faces what ’ s going on in our country , our economy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s report is positive news , and I ’ m thankful for it , '' the former vice president said Thursday morning .
`` Trump wants to declare this health crisis over and unemployment solved .
Now , unfortunately , he ’ s dead wrong on both fronts .
We ’ ve already had more than 128,000 dead , and the number keeps climbing .
That ’ s a direct consequence of Donald Trump ’ s bungled leadership . ''
He added , `` Make no mistake , we ’ re still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump has so badly bungled the response to the coronavirus and now has basically given up on responding at all . ''
Biden also reminded the public about the new surge in coronavirus cases , mostly concentrated in Southern states .
He said he feared that many of the gains in the job market could slide backward if states begin reimplementing lockdown measures .
`` There 's no victory to be celebrated .
We 're still down nearly 15 million jobs , and the pandemic is getting worse and not better , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not even trying to secure the public health anymore .
He 'd rather go back to the campaign rallies , '' Biden said .
`` He 's decided he has more to gain by dividing this country for his own political purposes . ''

Joe Biden tried deflating President Trump's excitement over the new job numbers, which greatly exceeded economists' expectations.
On Thursday morning, the Department of Labor announced that the economy gained 4.8 million jobs in June, lowering the unemployment rate to 11.1%.
Addressing the public from his Wilmington, Delaware, basement via a web stream, Biden called the latest employment numbers encouraging but placed the blame squarely on Trump for the current economic crisis.
"Until this president faces what’s going on in our country, our economy is going to remain at risk. Today’s report is positive news, and I’m thankful for it," the former vice president said Thursday morning. "Trump wants to declare this health crisis over and unemployment solved. Now, unfortunately, he’s dead wrong on both fronts. We’ve already had more than 128,000 dead, and the number keeps climbing. That’s a direct consequence of Donald Trump’s bungled leadership."
He added, "Make no mistake, we’re still in a deep, deep hole because Donald Trump has so badly bungled the response to the coronavirus and now has basically given up on responding at all."
Biden also reminded the public about the new surge in coronavirus cases, mostly concentrated in Southern states. He said he feared that many of the gains in the job market could slide backward if states begin reimplementing lockdown measures.
"There's no victory to be celebrated. We're still down nearly 15 million jobs, and the pandemic is getting worse and not better," he said.
Trump is "not even trying to secure the public health anymore. He'd rather go back to the campaign rallies," Biden said. "He's decided he has more to gain by dividing this country for his own political purposes."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-02--'Reset': Karl Rove sounds alarm for Trump campaign

Former President George W. Bush senior adviser Karl Rove encouraged President Trump 's reelection team to reboot his campaign .
Rove , who labeled June as `` catastrophic '' for Trump , urged the president 's campaign team to `` admit that a reset is needed '' in a Wall Street Journal opinion article published Wednesday .
However , he also argued that it is not too late for a mix-up to help the president win a second term because `` the campaign hasn ’ t really begun . ''
`` A reset is a presidential address on new policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that allows the White House to say credibly that the country is moving in a new direction , repositioning the president , '' he said .
`` Finding an issue that grabs public attention is only the start .
No president gets reelected saying only , ' I ’ ve done a good job . '
Last week , Sean Hannity asked Mr. Trump about his second-term agenda .
The president dodged , perhaps not wanting to lay it all out on cable TV .
But the moment is fast approaching when Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he continued .
Rove suggested that one of the policy initiatives the campaign could hone in on would be the Democrats ' decision to block Sen. Tim Scott ’ s police reform bill because it did not accomplish everything they wanted in the legislation .
He also noted that the moment for Trump to detail what he wants to accomplish in four more years in the Oval Office is on Aug. 27 , when he accepts his party 's nomination at the convention .
He pointed out that each of the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that stage to focus on what they hoped to do if reelected .

Former President George W. Bush senior adviser Karl Rove encouraged President Trump's reelection team to reboot his campaign.
Rove, who labeled June as "catastrophic" for Trump, urged the president's campaign team to "admit that a reset is needed" in a Wall Street Journal opinion article published Wednesday. However, he also argued that it is not too late for a mix-up to help the president win a second term because "the campaign hasn’t really begun."
"A reset is a presidential address on new policy initiatives or a significant change in tone that allows the White House to say credibly that the country is moving in a new direction, repositioning the president," he said.
"Finding an issue that grabs public attention is only the start. No president gets reelected saying only, 'I’ve done a good job.' Last week, Sean Hannity asked Mr. Trump about his second-term agenda. The president dodged, perhaps not wanting to lay it all out on cable TV. But the moment is fast approaching when Mr. Trump must describe what comes next," he continued.
Rove suggested that one of the policy initiatives the campaign could hone in on would be the Democrats' decision to block Sen. Tim Scott’s police reform bill because it did not accomplish everything they wanted in the legislation.
He also noted that the moment for Trump to detail what he wants to accomplish in four more years in the Oval Office is on Aug. 27, when he accepts his party's nomination at the convention. He pointed out that each of the last three presidents to run for reelection used that stage to focus on what they hoped to do if reelected.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-03--Could Trump follow LBJ and drop out?

Could Trump follow LBJ and drop out?

On March 31 , 1968 , President Lyndon Johnson shocked the world when , in the middle of a speech on a totally different topic , he said : “ I shall not seek and will not accept the nomination of my party for president in 1968.
” Johnson went on to suggest that he wanted to devote his full-time capacities to addressing the problems of our nation and not use his time for campaigning .
Could President Trump do the same ?
We are now in July of the election year , yet it remains distinctly possible .
Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and some of the challenges they face are similar too .
For example , both men possess strong egos and are self-confident .
Johnson confronted and escalated a hugely unpopular war with no end in sight .
Many people in the United States blamed him for it .
They shouted , “ LBJ , LBJ , how many kids have you killed today ?
” Trump confronts the understandably unpopular COVID-19 .
Every time there seems to be an end in sight , it proves to be a mirage .
Whether justified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump for the deaths that have occurred in this pandemic .
Johnson also faced surging racial unrest .
It was a challenge just to put the nation at ease .
Trump faces the same problem — perhaps an even more intense version of it .
Johnson faced a virulent , hostile press .
The same is true of Trump , although he fights back more than Johnson .
( Johnson did try to fight back , but he largely failed . )
Most importantly , by the time of their reelection , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost their mojo .
Some readers will recall what happened next .
Hubert Humphrey , Johnson 's vice president , was thought of as a “ nice guy.
” He ran for president and lost to Richard M. Nixon .
Could Vice President Mike Pence also follow that path ?
Johnson abandoned his reelection bid because he was finished .
Unfortunately , he died not long after he left office .
Trump could not easily fold at this point .
But the path of the possible is clear .
If he wishes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious bid for reelection , he must begin by turning the focus away from himself and toward what he would do in the next four years .
Trump needs to demonstrate , with specifics , how he will restore and improve the economy .
He must , in a believable way , confront racial inequality and go to his strength , promoting economic equality , clearly spelling out how opportunity zones can provide a path toward that goal .
Without self-aggrandizement , he must show how he will provide decisive leadership in world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After stating his positive goals , Trump can then go to what he enjoys .
He can discuss how his opponent , former Vice President Joe Biden , has accomplished virtually nothing in public life and has been persistently wrong on foreign policy issues , arguing that if he himself had such a record , he would hide in the same way Biden is hiding .
What path will Trump follow ?
Only one person can provide the answer to that question .
Victor Schwartz , a former law professor and law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , D.C .
He served in both a Republican and Democratic presidential administration .

On March 31, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson shocked the world when, in the middle of a speech on a totally different topic, he said: “I shall not seek and will not accept the nomination of my party for president in 1968.”
Johnson went on to suggest that he wanted to devote his full-time capacities to addressing the problems of our nation and not use his time for campaigning.
Could President Trump do the same? We are now in July of the election year, yet it remains distinctly possible.
Johnson and Trump have a lot in common, and some of the challenges they face are similar too. For example, both men possess strong egos and are self-confident.
Johnson confronted and escalated a hugely unpopular war with no end in sight. Many people in the United States blamed him for it. They shouted, “LBJ, LBJ, how many kids have you killed today?” Trump confronts the understandably unpopular COVID-19. Every time there seems to be an end in sight, it proves to be a mirage. Whether justified or not, many potential voters blame Trump for the deaths that have occurred in this pandemic.
Johnson also faced surging racial unrest. It was a challenge just to put the nation at ease. Trump faces the same problem — perhaps an even more intense version of it. Johnson faced a virulent, hostile press. The same is true of Trump, although he fights back more than Johnson. (Johnson did try to fight back, but he largely failed.)
Most importantly, by the time of their reelection, both men seemed tired and exhausted and had lost their mojo. Some readers will recall what happened next.
Hubert Humphrey, Johnson's vice president, was thought of as a “nice guy.” He ran for president and lost to Richard M. Nixon. Could Vice President Mike Pence also follow that path?
Johnson abandoned his reelection bid because he was finished. Unfortunately, he died not long after he left office.
Trump could not easily fold at this point. But the path of the possible is clear. If he wishes to remain in the race and make a serious bid for reelection, he must begin by turning the focus away from himself and toward what he would do in the next four years.
Trump needs to demonstrate, with specifics, how he will restore and improve the economy. He must, in a believable way, confront racial inequality and go to his strength, promoting economic equality, clearly spelling out how opportunity zones can provide a path toward that goal. Without self-aggrandizement, he must show how he will provide decisive leadership in world affairs and how it will help voters.
After stating his positive goals, Trump can then go to what he enjoys. He can discuss how his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, has accomplished virtually nothing in public life and has been persistently wrong on foreign policy issues, arguing that if he himself had such a record, he would hide in the same way Biden is hiding.
What path will Trump follow? Only one person can provide the answer to that question.
Victor Schwartz, a former law professor and law school dean, practices law in Washington, D.C. He served in both a Republican and Democratic presidential administration.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-04--Brett Kavanaugh declines request from Illinois Republicans to permit large political rallies amid co

Brett Kavanaugh declines request from Illinois Republicans to permit large political rallies amid coronavirus

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh rejected an application from Illinois Republicans challenging the governor 's ban on political activity during the coronavirus pandemic .
Kavanaugh , a conservative member of the high court , declined the emergency request ( which was placed to him by geography alone ) that complained that Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker , a Democrat , allowed religious gatherings and protests but not political rallies or gatherings beyond 50 people .
The news was first reported by Fox News 's Bill Mears and Shannon Bream on Saturday .
`` For now , the Northwest Side GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denial of an emergency injunction , '' Matt Podgorski , the chairman of the Northwest Side GOP Club , one of the plaintiffs in the case , told the Washington Examiner .
`` Our case and our plea are very straightforward .
The governor of Illinois is arbitrarily picking and choosing which parts of the First Amendment he wants to protect and which he wants to violate , '' Podgorski added .
`` His executive order denies the Northwest Side GOP Club of both our 1st Amendment rights of freedom of assembly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the form of political activity and our 14th Amendment rights of equal protection under the law . ''
The Washington Examiner also reached out to the other plaintiffs and Pritzker 's office for comment .
`` We are obviously disappointed that we did not receive the temporary injunction we were seeking .
Nonetheless , our attorneys are proceeding with the lawsuit and will be filing a motion next week for an expedited briefing schedule in the 7th Circuit on the preliminary injunction , '' Schaumburg Township Republican Committeeman Joseph Folisi told the Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor 's orders are a significant infringement of our first amendment rights and that we will prevail in our lawsuit , '' he added .
Republicans argued Pritzker ’ s stay-at-home orders as governor , issuing multiple challenges on the federal and county court levels on First Amendment grounds .
GOP officials won on the county level , but Pritzker has succeeded on the federal level .
Clay County Judge Michael McHaney sided with a GOP legislature on the matter earlier this week , stating that Pritzker ’ s orders became void on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office said circuit court decisions were equally as valid and .
In May , Pritzker ’ s orders twice survived challenges on the grounds of religious liberty violations after extending social distancing protocols past the month of April due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Earlier on , it categorized but did not advise gatherings beyond 10 people .

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh rejected an application from Illinois Republicans challenging the governor's ban on political activity during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kavanaugh, a conservative member of the high court, declined the emergency request (which was placed to him by geography alone) that complained that Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, allowed religious gatherings and protests but not political rallies or gatherings beyond 50 people.
The news was first reported by Fox News's Bill Mears and Shannon Bream on Saturday.
Kavanaugh declined the request without comment.
"For now, the Northwest Side GOP Club will respect Justice Kavanaugh‘s denial of an emergency injunction," Matt Podgorski, the chairman of the Northwest Side GOP Club, one of the plaintiffs in the case, told the Washington Examiner.
"Our case and our plea are very straightforward. The governor of Illinois is arbitrarily picking and choosing which parts of the First Amendment he wants to protect and which he wants to violate," Podgorski added. "His executive order denies the Northwest Side GOP Club of both our 1st Amendment rights of freedom of assembly and freedom of (political) speech in the form of political activity and our 14th Amendment rights of equal protection under the law."
The Washington Examiner also reached out to the other plaintiffs and Pritzker's office for comment.
"We are obviously disappointed that we did not receive the temporary injunction we were seeking. Nonetheless, our attorneys are proceeding with the lawsuit and will be filing a motion next week for an expedited briefing schedule in the 7th Circuit on the preliminary injunction," Schaumburg Township Republican Committeeman Joseph Folisi told the Washington Examiner.
"We believe that the governor's orders are a significant infringement of our first amendment rights and that we will prevail in our lawsuit," he added.
Republicans argued Pritzker’s stay-at-home orders exceeded his lawful authority as governor, issuing multiple challenges on the federal and county court levels on First Amendment grounds. GOP officials won on the county level, but Pritzker has succeeded on the federal level.
Clay County Judge Michael McHaney sided with a GOP legislature on the matter earlier this week, stating that Pritzker’s orders became void on April 8. However, the governor’s office said circuit court decisions were equally as valid and ruled the opposite .


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-04--Biden says election is 'chance to rip the roots of systemic racism' in Fourth of July post

Joe Biden emphasized racial issues in the United States in a Fourth of July post .
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee released an Independence Day message video on social media focused on racial issues , lauding the creed written in the Declaration of Independence , though asserting the U.S. has never lived up to its ideals .
`` Our nation was founded on a simple idea : We 're all created equal .
We 've never lived up to it — but we 've never stopped trying .
This Independence Day , let 's not just celebrate those words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Happy # FourthOfJuly , '' Biden said in a caption of the video on Saturday .
In the message , the former vice president made the case that his election to the presidency would give the country the opportunity `` rip the roots of systemic racism out of this country . ''
Separately , in an opinion article published by NBC News on Saturday , Biden blamed President Trump for division in the country , accusing him of going after the `` guardrails of our democracy : the free press , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one in America — not even the president — is above the law . ''
`` As president , I will take immediate action to reverse the damage Donald Trump has done to our core democratic rights and institutions , '' he wrote .
`` That starts by protecting our most sacred right : the right to vote . ''
Biden , who once forgot the Declaration of Independence on the campaign trail , has a history of gaffes and insensitive statements on racial issues .
In May , Biden said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black voters `` ai n't black '' if they choose to support President Trump over him in the 2020 general election .
Last year , Biden told his supporters in Iowa that `` poor kids '' were just as clever and talented as `` white kids , '' creating an unnecessary racial distinction that brought him scrutiny .
In 2012 , Biden told a largely black audience in Virginia during President Barack Obama 's reelection campaign that Republican candidate Mitt Romney was `` going to put you all back in chains '' should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Obama 's election to the White House , Biden called Obama the `` first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy . ''
`` I mean , that ’ s a storybook , man , ” Biden said at the time .

Joe Biden emphasized racial issues in the United States in a Fourth of July post.
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee released an Independence Day message video on social media focused on racial issues, lauding the creed written in the Declaration of Independence, though asserting the U.S. has never lived up to its ideals.
"Our nation was founded on a simple idea: We're all created equal. We've never lived up to it — but we've never stopped trying. This Independence Day, let's not just celebrate those words, let's commit to finally fulfill them. Happy #FourthOfJuly," Biden said in a caption of the video on Saturday.
In the message, the former vice president made the case that his election to the presidency would give the country the opportunity "rip the roots of systemic racism out of this country."
Our nation was founded on a simple idea: We're all created equal. We've never lived up to it — but we've never stopped trying. This Independence Day, let's not just celebrate those words, let's commit to finally fulfill them. Happy #FourthOfJuly! pic.twitter.com/1WrATlx8Xl — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 4, 2020
Separately, in an opinion article published by NBC News on Saturday, Biden blamed President Trump for division in the country, accusing him of going after the "guardrails of our democracy: the free press, the courts, and our fundamental belief that no one in America — not even the president — is above the law."
"As president, I will take immediate action to reverse the damage Donald Trump has done to our core democratic rights and institutions," he wrote. "That starts by protecting our most sacred right: the right to vote."
Biden, who once forgot the Declaration of Independence on the campaign trail, has a history of gaffes and insensitive statements on racial issues. In May, Biden said on the radio show The Breakfast Club that black voters "ain't black" if they choose to support President Trump over him in the 2020 general election.
Last year, Biden told his supporters in Iowa that "poor kids" were just as clever and talented as "white kids," creating an unnecessary racial distinction that brought him scrutiny.
In 2012, Biden told a largely black audience in Virginia during President Barack Obama's reelection campaign that Republican candidate Mitt Romney was "going to put you all back in chains" should he win the election. And prior to Obama's election to the White House, Biden called Obama the "first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."
"I mean, that’s a storybook, man,” Biden said at the time.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-07-05--Trump campaign wielding new NAFTA deal to spur populist support

President Trump ’ s reelection campaign is taking a victory lap with the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal this week and using it against his prospective opponent .
The pact , which supersedes the North American Free Trade Agreement that Trump has long opposed , is seen as a fulfillment of the president ’ s campaign promise to renegotiate “ bad trade deals.
” The Trump team is highlighting presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s 1993 vote for NAFTA as a senator from Delaware and tucking the new deal into its pitch for the president as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump promised to put America First and get rid of Biden ’ s job-killing NAFTA .
He kept his promise , ” said the Trump campaign ’ s Abigail Marone .
“ When Biden voted for NAFTA , he said Americans ’ concerns about losing their jobs were ‘ vastly overblown , ’ but just like with everything else in his life , he was wrong.
” Team Trump has cited a that found NAFTA “ displaced ” 850,000 jobs in the United States .
“ Thanks to the bold leadership of President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic growth , more jobs for American workers , and fairer trade for our country , ” said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany in a statement .
“ President Trump has delivered for American manufacturers , farmers , businesses , and workers.
” The trade deal is a rare bipartisan victory during has been shaping up to be a tough summer for Trump .
The general manager of FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative hailed its implementation as a “ cause for celebration.
” The head of the Retail Industry Leaders Association said that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important trading relationships and creates certainty for retailers to invest , plan for the future , create jobs , and provide consumers with the widest possible selection of affordable and quality products.
” Critics have called the USMCA a mild , protectionist revision of NAFTA .
“ For the first time in American history , we 're enacting a trade agreement that restricts free trade and reduces economic growth , ” Sen. Pat Toomey , a Pennsylvania Republican .
“ Unlike its predecessor NAFTA , USMCA contains many protectionist provisions that are designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States and Mexico.
” Toomey called it an “ antitrade agreement ” in a late 2019 Wall Street Journal op-ed , lambasting its tariff increases .
Yet the USMCA easily passed in the Senate 89 to 10 , with Toomey the only Republican who voted against it and the only senator who opposed the agreement on free trade grounds .
Sen. Bernie Sanders , with whom Trump has cited common ground on trade , also voted against it , as did three other Democrats who unsuccessfully sought the party ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late last year 385 to 41 .
NAFTA was originally negotiated by George H.W .
Bush , but Bill Clinton led the charge for its congressional approval .
While it passed with bipartisan support , a left-right coalition sprang up in opposition the agreement that included populists Ross Perot , who warned of a “ giant sucking sound ” of jobs leaving the country if it were passed , and Pat Buchanan — both of whom are considered Trump 's ideological forerunners .
Trump made NAFTA a major part of his case against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling it the worst trade deal ever negotiated .
He also opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership and promised tariffs on China until Beijing opened its markets to more U.S. goods .
Trade negotiations with China are have not been finalized .
These populist economic nationalist stances were a departure from recent Republican orthodoxy on trade that helped him break through in the Rust Belt , winning states that hadn ’ t voted Republican at the presidential level since Ronald Reagan was in the White House .
The Trump campaign hopes for a reprise against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking effect , it debuted “ Killing Jobs — the Biden Record on Trade.
” The document highlights Biden ’ s support for expanded trade with China as well as NAFTA .
The Trump rapid response team sent around a clip of the former vice president saying he was not an “ expert on international trade matters , ” adding that “ Biden ’ s track record for supporting terrible trade policy is extensive.
” The Republican National Committee unveiled a new digital ad promoting Trump and the USMCA , which the administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 600,000 new jobs .
As Trump has celebrated the USMCA , he has also pointed to figures showing that the economy added 4.8 million jobs in June .
Most polls continue to show that pluralities prefer Trump , a longtime businessman , to deal with the economy , even as he falls behind Biden nationally and in key battleground states .

President Trump’s reelection campaign is taking a victory lap with the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal this week and using it against his prospective opponent.
The pact, which supersedes the North American Free Trade Agreement that Trump has long opposed, is seen as a fulfillment of the president’s campaign promise to renegotiate “bad trade deals.” The Trump team is highlighting presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s 1993 vote for NAFTA as a senator from Delaware and tucking the new deal into its pitch for the president as a U.S. job creator.
“President Trump promised to put America First and get rid of Biden’s job-killing NAFTA. He kept his promise,” said the Trump campaign’s Abigail Marone. “When Biden voted for NAFTA, he said Americans’ concerns about losing their jobs were ‘vastly overblown,’ but just like with everything else in his life, he was wrong.” Team Trump has cited a study that found NAFTA “displaced” 850,000 jobs in the United States.
“Thanks to the bold leadership of President Trump, the agreement will mean stronger economic growth, more jobs for American workers, and fairer trade for our country,” said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany in a statement. “President Trump has delivered for American manufacturers, farmers, businesses, and workers.”
The trade deal is a rare bipartisan victory during what has been shaping up to be a tough summer for Trump. The general manager of FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative hailed its implementation as a “cause for celebration.” The head of the Retail Industry Leaders Association said that the USMCA “strengthens two of our most important trading relationships and creates certainty for retailers to invest, plan for the future, create jobs, and provide consumers with the widest possible selection of affordable and quality products.”
Critics have called the USMCA a mild, protectionist revision of NAFTA. “For the first time in American history, we're enacting a trade agreement that restricts free trade and reduces economic growth,” protested Sen. Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican. “Unlike its predecessor NAFTA, USMCA contains many protectionist provisions that are designed to reduce the exchange of goods between the United States and Mexico.” Toomey called it an “antitrade agreement” in a late 2019 Wall Street Journal op-ed, lambasting its tariff increases.
Yet the USMCA easily passed in the Senate 89 to 10, with Toomey the only Republican who voted against it and the only senator who opposed the agreement on free trade grounds. Sen. Bernie Sanders, with whom Trump has cited common ground on trade, also voted against it, as did three other Democrats who unsuccessfully sought the party’s presidential nomination. It passed the House late last year 385 to 41.
NAFTA was originally negotiated by George H.W. Bush, but Bill Clinton led the charge for its congressional approval. While it passed with bipartisan support, a left-right coalition sprang up in opposition the agreement that included populists Ross Perot, who warned of a “giant sucking sound” of jobs leaving the country if it were passed, and Pat Buchanan — both of whom are considered Trump's ideological forerunners.
Trump made NAFTA a major part of his case against Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign, calling it the worst trade deal ever negotiated. He also opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership and promised tariffs on China until Beijing opened its markets to more U.S. goods. Trade negotiations with China are have not been finalized.
These populist economic nationalist stances were a departure from recent Republican orthodoxy on trade that helped him break through in the Rust Belt, winning states that hadn’t voted Republican at the presidential level since Ronald Reagan was in the White House.
The Trump campaign hopes for a reprise against Biden. To coincide with the USMCA taking effect, it debuted “Killing Jobs — the Biden Record on Trade.” The document highlights Biden’s support for expanded trade with China as well as NAFTA. The Trump rapid response team sent around a clip of the former vice president saying he was not an “expert on international trade matters,” adding that “Biden’s track record for supporting terrible trade policy is extensive.” The Republican National Committee unveiled a new digital ad promoting Trump and the USMCA, which the administration is claiming could create anywhere from 176,000 to 600,000 new jobs.
As Trump has celebrated the USMCA, he has also pointed to figures showing that the economy added 4.8 million jobs in June. Most polls continue to show that pluralities prefer Trump, a longtime businessman, to deal with the economy, even as he falls behind Biden nationally and in key battleground states.