thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-10--Biden to stay in hiding as long as possible

Joe Biden is n't leaving his Delaware home for the campaign trail anytime soon .
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is gearing up to step into the spotlight when he announces his vice presidential pick and accepts the party ’ s nomination at the Democratic National Convention this month .
But don ’ t expect a dramatic shift from Biden away from what Republicans tease is his “ basement bunker ” strategy to that of a news-cycle warrior in the months before Election Day .
When the coronavirus pandemic first shut down normal life in March , political observers immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign effectively while cooped up in his basement .
A few months later , after he secured a new in-home studio , started a steady stream of digital events , and rose in the polls , Democrats warmed to his low-key campaign while letting President Trump deal with negative press .
Former Virginia Gov .
Terry McAuliffe in June that Biden is “ fine in the basement.
” There was a sense , though , that eventually , in the heat of the fall campaign season , Biden would assume a higher profile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are indications that the low-key style could be here to stay .
“ I don ’ t think that we need to be counterprogramming , ” Kate Bedingfield , one of Biden ’ s deputy campaign managers , this week about the campaign 's plans on how to handle Trump responding to and driving news cycles .
The former vice president will certainly have key moments when the attention is on him , such as in the debates and the convention .
But there is little incentive to put Biden on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats believe , regularly makes the case against himself and Biden leads in the polls .
“ They 're doing the right thing by just sticking to their plan , rolling out their positions , and ignoring a lot of the noise that 's going on out there right now , ” Democratic strategist Jim Manley told the Washington Examiner .
“ I do n't think they should be listening to the nervous Nellies out there and start chasing Trump all around.
” His style is so understated lately that journalists have started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in tough national interviews .
Fox News Sunday host said on-air last month that Biden is due for more press exposure .
Following a tense interview Trump did with Axios ’ s Jonathan Swan , questioned whether the campaign would allow Swan to interview Biden .
But for Biden , who is prone to long-winded answers and heated responses when challenged by reporters or voters , being unable to hold frequent in-person campaign events has helped him because his campaign is able to control the setting and participants in his “ events ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moments .
Two instances of clumsiness from Biden this week prompted news cycles and demonstrated the risks of ridicule when Biden says the wrong thing .
In an hourlong news interview with black and Latino journalists , Biden responded to a question about taking a mental acuity test by mock-asking the reporter if he was a “ junkie , ” and at another point , he stated that the He later clarified on Twitter that he did not mean to suggest that black people are “ a monolith.
” “ Biden wants voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referendum on Trump , not a choice between the two of them .
That 's why gaffes can be really damaging — not just because they raise questions about his own candidacy , but because they really distract from the campaign 's strategy , ” said Alex Conant , a Republican strategist for Firehouse Strategies .
An exception to the plan to lay low is that as Trump 's attacks increase , Biden will have to address them more .
This week , Biden issued a to Trump ’ s attacks on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give swing voters reasons to vote for him and ca n't let Trump 's attacks go ignored .
But beyond that , his strategy seems to be working pretty well for him so far .
As the attacks increase and swing voters focus on the election , I expect that we 'll be seeing a lot more of him , ” Conant said .

Joe Biden isn't leaving his Delaware home for the campaign trail anytime soon.
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is gearing up to step into the spotlight when he announces his vice presidential pick and accepts the party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention this month. But don’t expect a dramatic shift from Biden away from what Republicans tease is his “basement bunker” strategy to that of a news-cycle warrior in the months before Election Day.
When the coronavirus pandemic first shut down normal life in March, political observers immediately wondered how Biden would be able to campaign effectively while cooped up in his basement. A few months later, after he secured a new in-home studio, started a steady stream of digital events, and rose in the polls, Democrats warmed to his low-key campaign while letting President Trump deal with negative press. Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said in June that Biden is “fine in the basement.”
There was a sense, though, that eventually, in the heat of the fall campaign season, Biden would assume a higher profile in the daily news cycle.
But there are indications that the low-key style could be here to stay.
“I don’t think that we need to be counterprogramming,” Kate Bedingfield, one of Biden’s deputy campaign managers, told reporters this week about the campaign's plans on how to handle Trump responding to and driving news cycles.
The former vice president will certainly have key moments when the attention is on him, such as in the debates and the convention. But there is little incentive to put Biden on the forefront of daily news when Trump, Democrats believe, regularly makes the case against himself and Biden leads in the polls.
“They're doing the right thing by just sticking to their plan, rolling out their positions, and ignoring a lot of the noise that's going on out there right now,” Democratic strategist Jim Manley told the Washington Examiner. “I don't think they should be listening to the nervous Nellies out there and start chasing Trump all around.”
His style is so understated lately that journalists have started hinting annoyance that Biden is not participating in tough national interviews. Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace said on-air last month that Biden is due for more press exposure. Following a tense interview Trump did with Axios’s Jonathan Swan, several journalists questioned whether the campaign would allow Swan to interview Biden.
But for Biden, who is prone to long-winded answers and heated responses when challenged by reporters or voters, being unable to hold frequent in-person campaign events has helped him because his campaign is able to control the setting and participants in his “events” with little room for unplanned, unflattering moments.
Two instances of clumsiness from Biden this week prompted news cycles and demonstrated the risks of ridicule when Biden says the wrong thing. In an hourlong news interview with black and Latino journalists, Biden responded to a question about taking a mental acuity test by mock-asking the reporter if he was a “junkie ,” and at another point, he stated that the Latino community has diverse attitudes, “unlike the African American community.” He later clarified on Twitter that he did not mean to suggest that black people are “a monolith.”
“Biden wants voters to think about this election as a referendum on Trump, not a choice between the two of them. That's why gaffes can be really damaging — not just because they raise questions about his own candidacy, but because they really distract from the campaign's strategy,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist for Firehouse Strategies.
An exception to the plan to lay low is that as Trump's attacks increase, Biden will have to address them more. This week, Biden issued a strong rebuke to Trump’s attacks on his Catholic faith.
“He needs to give swing voters reasons to vote for him and can't let Trump's attacks go ignored. But beyond that, his strategy seems to be working pretty well for him so far. As the attacks increase and swing voters focus on the election, I expect that we'll be seeing a lot more of him,” Conant said.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-10--John Roberts emerges as a 2020 campaign issue

Chief Justice John Roberts has become an issue in the 2020 presidential campaign as conservatives question whether they can rely on Republicans to appoint and confirm judges who will not frustrate and rule against them .
In each of the handful of decisions from the last Supreme Court term that disappointed conservatives , Roberts , who was nominated by President George W. Bush , sided with the liberal bloc .
Roberts has now been increasingly disavowed by the party that put him on the nation ’ s highest court .
Vice President Mike Pence called Roberts a “ disappointment to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Christian Broadcasting Network .
Sen. Ted Cruz , a Texas Republican , went even further , saying in a tweet , “ John Roberts has abandoned his oath.
” Sen. Tom Cotton , an Arkansas Republican , asked , “ What happened to that judge ?
” Pence specifically mentioned “ the Obamacare decision ” and a “ spate of recent decisions all the way through Calvary Chapel.
” In several recent rulings on LGBT rights , abortion , immigration , and religious liberty , Roberts cast the pivotal vote that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevail .
President Trump has cited his judicial nominations as a primary reason evangelicals and other social conservatives should support his reelection bid .
He won 81 % of white evangelical voters four years ago .
Neil Gorsuch , Trump ’ s first Supreme Court nominee , authored one of the opinions that rankled conservatives , but he and Brett Kavanaugh have usually voted against the liberal bloc .
“ We remember the issue back in 2016 , which I believe loomed large in voters ’ decisions between Hillary Clinton and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , ” Pence said .
“ And some people thought that it wouldn ’ t be as big an issue these days .
But I think that ’ s all changed.
” Trump actually criticized Cruz for supporting Roberts ’ s confirmation during the 2016 primaries , citing his vote to uphold the constitutionality of Obamacare .
Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices have a long history of letting conservatives down .
Earl Warren and William Brennan , two of the main architects of modern liberal jurisprudence , were nominated by Dwight Eisenhower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roe v. Wade , was put on the court by Richard Nixon .
John Paul Stevens , a Gerald Ford nominee , and David Souter , a George H.W .
Bush pick , went on to vote with the liberal bloc most of the time .
Even Ronald Reagan had two Supreme Court appointees , Sandra Day O ’ Connor and Anthony Kennedy , who frequently broke with conservatives , though neither were as liberal as the above justices .
The two voted to uphold Roe in 1992 , when many conservatives thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Kennedy writing the opinion .
The last Democratic-appointed justice to vote regularly with the conservative bloc was Byron White , who was nominated by John F. Kennedy in 1962 .
But Roberts was the first justice picked from an established network of legal conservatives as part of a process explicitly designed to avoid Warrens and Souters .
The other Bush nominee , Samuel Alito , was chosen after Republicans balked at first choice Harriet Miers as insufficiently conservative .
Now , it is Roberts conservatives want to avoid .
Carrie Severino , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and co-author of a well-received book on the Kavanaugh nomination fight , told the Washington Examiner that Trump valued toughness and political courage in his nominees more highly than Bush did .
“ If you look at the trajectory , it ’ s stunning , ” she said .
“ There ’ s incredible progress being made.
” In 2016 , Trump did not have much history with social conservatives .
In fact , he had briefly run for the Reform Party ’ s 2000 presidential nomination as a social liberal .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of potential Supreme Court nominees approved by top legal conservatives such as the Federalist Society and promised to select from it .
Senate Republicans had kept Antonin Scalia ’ s seat vacant throughout the campaign in hopes a Republican president would name his successor .
Trump kept that promise and has had success working with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to staff the federal judiciary with proven conservatives .
But Roberts ’ s recent defections have revived conservative suspicions of the court .
Roberts was opposed by half the Democrats in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hillary Clinton and future President Barack Obama .
But in recent years , he has become more of a Kennedy-like swing vote on certain polarizing cases .
It is widely believed that Roberts wants to protect the court ’ s reputation for independence from partisan politics by being strategic about when it issues controversial decisions that constitute major change .
Democrats have talked about increasing the size of the court if they win the presidency and Congress in November , a move Roberts may wish to forestall .

Chief Justice John Roberts has become an issue in the 2020 presidential campaign as conservatives question whether they can rely on Republicans to appoint and confirm judges who will not frustrate and rule against them.
In each of the handful of decisions from the last Supreme Court term that disappointed conservatives, Roberts, who was nominated by President George W. Bush, sided with the liberal bloc. Roberts has now been increasingly disavowed by the party that put him on the nation’s highest court.
Vice President Mike Pence called Roberts a “disappointment to conservatives” last week in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, went even further, saying in a tweet, “John Roberts has abandoned his oath.” Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, asked, “What happened to that judge?”
Pence specifically mentioned “the Obamacare decision” and a “spate of recent decisions all the way through Calvary Chapel.” In several recent rulings on LGBT rights, abortion, immigration, and religious liberty, Roberts cast the pivotal vote that allowed the Democratic appointees on the court to prevail.
President Trump has cited his judicial nominations as a primary reason evangelicals and other social conservatives should support his reelection bid. He won 81% of white evangelical voters four years ago. Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s first Supreme Court nominee, authored one of the opinions that rankled conservatives, but he and Brett Kavanaugh have usually voted against the liberal bloc.
[Previous coverage: John Roberts is voting with liberal justices, but he's not one of them]
“We remember the issue back in 2016, which I believe loomed large in voters’ decisions between Hillary Clinton and the man who would become president of the United States,” Pence said. “And some people thought that it wouldn’t be as big an issue these days. But I think that’s all changed.”
Trump actually criticized Cruz for supporting Roberts’s confirmation during the 2016 primaries, citing his vote to uphold the constitutionality of Obamacare.
Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices have a long history of letting conservatives down. Earl Warren and William Brennan, two of the main architects of modern liberal jurisprudence, were nominated by Dwight Eisenhower. Harry Blackmun, the author of Roe v. Wade, was put on the court by Richard Nixon. John Paul Stevens, a Gerald Ford nominee, and David Souter, a George H.W. Bush pick, went on to vote with the liberal bloc most of the time.
Even Ronald Reagan had two Supreme Court appointees, Sandra Day O’Connor and Anthony Kennedy, who frequently broke with conservatives, though neither were as liberal as the above justices. The two voted to uphold Roe in 1992, when many conservatives thought the abortion decision would be overturned, with Kennedy writing the opinion. The last Democratic-appointed justice to vote regularly with the conservative bloc was Byron White, who was nominated by John F. Kennedy in 1962.
But Roberts was the first justice picked from an established network of legal conservatives as part of a process explicitly designed to avoid Warrens and Souters. The other Bush nominee, Samuel Alito, was chosen after Republicans balked at first choice Harriet Miers as insufficiently conservative. Now, it is Roberts conservatives want to avoid.
Carrie Severino, president of the conservative Judicial Crisis Network and co-author of a well-received book on the Kavanaugh nomination fight, told the Washington Examiner that Trump valued toughness and political courage in his nominees more highly than Bush did. “If you look at the trajectory, it’s stunning,” she said. “There’s incredible progress being made.”
In 2016, Trump did not have much history with social conservatives. In fact, he had briefly run for the Reform Party’s 2000 presidential nomination as a social liberal. To bridge that gap, he compiled a list of potential Supreme Court nominees approved by top legal conservatives such as the Federalist Society and promised to select from it. Senate Republicans had kept Antonin Scalia’s seat vacant throughout the campaign in hopes a Republican president would name his successor.
Trump kept that promise and has had success working with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to staff the federal judiciary with proven conservatives. But Roberts’s recent defections have revived conservative suspicions of the court.
Roberts was opposed by half the Democrats in the Senate when he was nominated, including Hillary Clinton and future President Barack Obama. But in recent years, he has become more of a Kennedy-like swing vote on certain polarizing cases. It is widely believed that Roberts wants to protect the court’s reputation for independence from partisan politics by being strategic about when it issues controversial decisions that constitute major change. Democrats have talked about increasing the size of the court if they win the presidency and Congress in November, a move Roberts may wish to forestall.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-10--Trump payroll tax push fuels classic Democratic Social Security scare campaign

President Trump ’ s floating of permanent cuts to the payroll tax , the program that funds Social Security and Medicare , sparked strong classic rebukes from Democrats that they have consistently used in the past as electoral politics tools .
On Friday , Trump said that he was considering taking executive actions because negotiations remain at a standstill between Republicans and Democrats in Congress on the terms of a new coronavirus relief bill .
One of those was a deferral of the payroll tax until the end of the year , or a “ tax holiday.
” “ At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be extended , ” Trump said Friday at a press conference .
While the tax deferment would still have to be paid at a later date , some Democrats and liberals nevertheless responded with claims that Trump is endangering the Social Security Trust Fund .
The next day , Trump gave Democrats ’ attacks teeth in comments after he signed four major coronavirus-relief executive orders — a move that is not clear the president has the legal authority to do since the Constitution assigns Congress power over taxing and spending .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 , I plan to forgive these taxes and make permanent cuts to the payroll tax .
So I ’ m going to make them all permanent , ” Trump said Saturday .
That prompted a flurry of statements from Democrats that Trump will “ endanger seniors ’ Social Security and Medicare , ” as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer put it .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden warned , “ Make no mistake : Donald Trump said today that if he is reelected , he will defund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back Trump ’ s comment the next morning .
“ I think what he was saying is that the deferral of the payroll tax to the end of the year will be made permanent .
It will be forgiven .
The tax is not going away .
We 're still going to have the Social Security tax , ” top White House economic adviser Larry Kulow said on CNN .
But that is not stopping Democrats from decrying Trump ’ s “ permanent cuts to the payroll tax ” comment and using it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target older voters who polls show have already drifted away from supporting Trump in favor of Biden .
The Democratic National Committee released a digital video on Monday that contrasted Trump ’ s many pledges that he would always protect social security with headlines resulting from Trump ’ s comment , asserting that the president lied about his position .
In a DNC press call on Monday , party Chairman Tom Perez and former Vermont Gov .
Howard Dean explicitly took aim at Trump 's comments on the payroll tax .
“ After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed coronavirus response , he signed an executive order , apparently at a golf course , that threatens Social Security and Medicare further by slashing the taxes that fund them , and he has said he will make those tax cuts permanent if he 's reelected , ” Perez said .
Dean said he doesn ’ t think making the tax cuts permanent will happen “ because seniors are an important voting bloc here.
” Accusations of defunding Social Security are a common attack from Democrats directed at Republicans .
During Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused Trump of defunding Social Security when his administration put forward budget recommendations that proposed limiting Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income , two programs that are separate from the main Social Security retirement program but are also funded by the payroll tax .
Congress , however , declined to make those budget and tax changes .
But the trend of Democrats stoking fear about possible lost social security benefits goes back decades .
In the 1980s , Democrats campaigned with the slogan , “ Save Social Security , Vote Democratic.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Former President George W. Bush tried to overhaul Social Security in 2005 and allow young people to invest funds they would have paid to the program in a personal account .
Democrats harshly criticized it , with Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden calling it a plot to sacrifice the financial security of retirees `` so that more equity traders can buy summer homes in the Hamptons . ''
Disapproval of his Social Security plan rose by 16 points from 48 % at his State of the Union address to 64 % that June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2012 , left-wing group The Agenda Project ran an iconic ad aimed at Wisconsin congressman and 2012 Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan , who previously supported privatizing Social Security and long aimed to reform entitlement programs .
“ Remember what Paul Ryan did to granny ?
” it said , before showing a man with a similar appearance to Ryan rolling a wheelchair-bound grandmother off a cliff .
“ Is America beautiful without Medicare ?
” it asked .
Trump ’ s campaign is working to trying to turn the attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to cut Social Security and Medicare for decades , ” said a Sunday tweet from the campaign .
“ In January 2011 , Biden wrote that a ‘ Payroll tax cut will create jobs ’ and ‘ have no financial impact on Social Security , ’ ” a Monday tweet said .

President Trump’s floating of permanent cuts to the payroll tax, the program that funds Social Security and Medicare, sparked strong classic rebukes from Democrats that they have consistently used in the past as electoral politics tools.
On Friday, Trump said that he was considering taking executive actions because negotiations remain at a standstill between Republicans and Democrats in Congress on the terms of a new coronavirus relief bill. One of those was a deferral of the payroll tax until the end of the year, or a “tax holiday.”
“At the end of the year, it may be extended,” Trump said Friday at a press conference.
While the tax deferment would still have to be paid at a later date, some Democrats and liberals nevertheless responded with claims that Trump is endangering the Social Security Trust Fund.
The next day, Trump gave Democrats’ attacks teeth in comments after he signed four major coronavirus-relief executive orders — a move that is not clear the president has the legal authority to do since the Constitution assigns Congress power over taxing and spending.
“If I’m victorious on Nov. 3, I plan to forgive these taxes and make permanent cuts to the payroll tax. So I’m going to make them all permanent,” Trump said Saturday.
That prompted a flurry of statements from Democrats that Trump will “endanger seniors’ Social Security and Medicare,” as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer put it. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden warned, “Make no mistake: Donald Trump said today that if he is reelected, he will defund Social Security.”
The White House walked back Trump’s comment the next morning.
“I think what he was saying is that the deferral of the payroll tax to the end of the year will be made permanent. It will be forgiven. The tax is not going away. We're still going to have the Social Security tax,” top White House economic adviser Larry Kulow said on CNN.
But that is not stopping Democrats from decrying Trump’s “permanent cuts to the payroll tax” comment and using it as an electoral tool, particularly to target older voters who polls show have already drifted away from supporting Trump in favor of Biden.
The Democratic National Committee released a digital video on Monday that contrasted Trump’s many pledges that he would always protect social security with headlines resulting from Trump’s comment, asserting that the president lied about his position.
Trump promised again and again that he would protect Social Security and Medicare.
He lied. pic.twitter.com/saP06iGqJC — DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) August 10, 2020
In a DNC press call on Monday, party Chairman Tom Perez and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean explicitly took aim at Trump's comments on the payroll tax.
“After losing ground with seniors because of his failed coronavirus response, he signed an executive order, apparently at a golf course, that threatens Social Security and Medicare further by slashing the taxes that fund them, and he has said he will make those tax cuts permanent if he's reelected,” Perez said.
Dean said he doesn’t think making the tax cuts permanent will happen “because seniors are an important voting bloc here.”
Accusations of defunding Social Security are a common attack from Democrats directed at Republicans.
During Trump’s time in office, Democrats have accused Trump of defunding Social Security when his administration put forward budget recommendations that proposed limiting Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income, two programs that are separate from the main Social Security retirement program but are also funded by the payroll tax. Congress, however, declined to make those budget and tax changes.
But the trend of Democrats stoking fear about possible lost social security benefits goes back decades. In the 1980s, Democrats campaigned with the slogan, “Save Social Security, Vote Democratic.”
And often, the attacks work.
Former President George W. Bush tried to overhaul Social Security in 2005 and allow young people to invest funds they would have paid to the program in a personal account. Democrats harshly criticized it, with Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden calling it a plot to sacrifice the financial security of retirees "so that more equity traders can buy summer homes in the Hamptons." Disapproval of his Social Security plan rose by 16 points from 48% at his State of the Union address to 64% that June, according to Gallup.
In 2011 and 2012, left-wing group The Agenda Project ran an iconic ad aimed at Wisconsin congressman and 2012 Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, who previously supported privatizing Social Security and long aimed to reform entitlement programs.
“Remember what Paul Ryan did to granny?” it said, before showing a man with a similar appearance to Ryan rolling a wheelchair-bound grandmother off a cliff. “Is America beautiful without Medicare?” it asked.
Trump’s campaign is working to trying to turn the attack back on Biden.
“Joe Biden tried to cut Social Security and Medicare for decades,” said a Sunday tweet from the campaign. “In January 2011, Biden wrote that a ‘Payroll tax cut will create jobs’ and ‘have no financial impact on Social Security,’” a Monday tweet said.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-10--'Champion for climate justice': Biden picks up Sierra Club endorsement

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden picked up a major endorsement from the top environmental organization in the United States .
The Sierra Club announced its intent to back Biden in the general election on Monday , and Executive Director Michael Brune said the group was `` confident '' the former vice president is the person most qualified to `` champion '' climate issues .
“ We are confident that Joe Biden will be the champion for climate justice that America needs in the White House , '' Brune said in a statement .
`` As Americans head to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be facing crises on multiple fronts , including a climate emergency that disproportionately harms communities of color . ''
The endorsement is not surprising given the tense relationship between the organization and President Trump , whom Brune admonished in the statement endorsing Biden .
“ No president has been worse for our environment or our nation 's public health than Donald Trump , '' he said .
`` He has sold off our public lands to corporate polluters , waged unprecedented attacks on environmental protections , and prioritized the desires of fossil fuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people at every turn . ''
Biden has signaled his intention to roll out a series of high-dollar infrastructure projects aimed at reducing the U.S. footprint on climate change , including a $ 2 trillion plan focused on making the generation of electricity carbon-free by 2035 .

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden picked up a major endorsement from the top environmental organization in the United States.
The Sierra Club announced its intent to back Biden in the general election on Monday, and Executive Director Michael Brune said the group was "confident" the former vice president is the person most qualified to "champion" climate issues.
“We are confident that Joe Biden will be the champion for climate justice that America needs in the White House," Brune said in a statement. "As Americans head to the polls in November, our country will be facing crises on multiple fronts, including a climate emergency that disproportionately harms communities of color."
The endorsement is not surprising given the tense relationship between the organization and President Trump, whom Brune admonished in the statement endorsing Biden.
“No president has been worse for our environment or our nation's public health than Donald Trump," he said. "He has sold off our public lands to corporate polluters, waged unprecedented attacks on environmental protections, and prioritized the desires of fossil fuel company executives over the best interests of the American people at every turn."
Biden has signaled his intention to roll out a series of high-dollar infrastructure projects aimed at reducing the U.S. footprint on climate change, including a $2 trillion plan focused on making the generation of electricity carbon-free by 2035.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-10--Democrats increasingly fretting over mail-in voting

Democrats are increasingly voicing concerns over vote-by-mail plans that many states have adopted amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
Much of the concern stems from the recent changes made to the U.S .
Postal Service , where President Trump appointed longtime GOP donor and businessman Louis DeJoy as the new postmaster general .
In his short time as head of the federal agency , DeJoy has implemented numerous centralization changes and has sidelined a number of Postal Service veterans .
Democrats have been quick to attack the changes , which Republicans have long called for .
The Postal Service faces billions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annual basis .
`` Postmaster General DeJoy is calling this a 'modified organizational structure . '
It 's really a Trojan Horse , '' wrote Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia .
`` Deliberate sabotage to disrupt mail service on the eve of the election — an election that hinges on mail-in ballots . ''
The organizational restructuring by DeJoy has been dramatic and includes restrictions on overtime pay and processing deliveries .
One change in particular , which requires carriers to hold mail until the following day if it is not delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has made many Democrats believe the changes — and their timing — are part of a deliberate strategy by the Trump administration .
“ The new organization will align functions based on core business operations and will provide more clarity and focus on what the Postal Service does best ; collect , process , move and deliver mail and packages , ” the Postal Service said in a statement after announcing the changes .
But some Democrats say the timing , as Trump and GOP allies attack states for dramatically expanding mail-in ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially part of a plan by the president to hinder absentee voting , which generally favors Democrats .
Dan Pfeiffer , a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama , wrote in his newsletter , titled `` Time to Sound the Alarm , '' that he was `` officially very concerned about Trump using mail delays to steal a close election . ''
On Friday , seven Democrats , including Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts , wrote a letter to Inspector General Tammy Whitcomb asking for an investigation into the postal changes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the November election , particularly during the coronavirus pandemic , when millions of Americans are expected to choose to vote by mail rather than wait in long lines on Election Day , ” the lawmakers wrote .
Postal workers themselves have speculated that the changes are meant to drive customers away from the Postal Service and say customers can expect delayed deliveries .
“ As they risk their health each day along with other front-line essential workers , letter carriers have become angry , frustrated , and embarrassed by various USPS management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail and undelivered routes in many areas of the country , ’ ’ said Fredric Rolando , president of the National Association of Letter Carriers , which represents nearly half of all postal workers .
The criticism has extended all the way to Obama , who , during his eulogy in July for Rep. John Lewis , said Trump was suppressing the vote `` with surgical precision , even undermining the Postal Service in the runup to an election that is going to be dependent on mailed-in ballots so people don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes that result in late mail could have a devastating impact on their election prospects in November .
Thirty-four states currently have laws that invalidate mailed ballots that do not arrive before Election Day .
A handful of states , like New York , do not even allow the counting of ballots until polls close on Nov. 3 .
Millions of mail-in ballot applications have already been sent out to voters across the country , and most election analysts anticipate that the upcoming election will have the highest amount of proxy voting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of states , like Nevada , plan to send ballots to all registered voters automatically .
In response to these concerns , a burgeoning effort to expand drop-off mail locations rapidly has been circulating on social media .
Noted liberal legal scholar Laurence Tribe wrote on Twitter that `` EVERYBODY should get behind the # Dropbox movement right now ! ''

Democrats are increasingly voicing concerns over vote-by-mail plans that many states have adopted amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Much of the concern stems from the recent changes made to the U.S. Postal Service, where President Trump appointed longtime GOP donor and businessman Louis DeJoy as the new postmaster general. In his short time as head of the federal agency, DeJoy has implemented numerous centralization changes and has sidelined a number of Postal Service veterans.
Democrats have been quick to attack the changes, which Republicans have long called for. The Postal Service faces billions of dollars in losses on a nearly annual basis.
"Postmaster General DeJoy is calling this a 'modified organizational structure.' It's really a Trojan Horse," wrote Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia. "Deliberate sabotage to disrupt mail service on the eve of the election — an election that hinges on mail-in ballots."
The organizational restructuring by DeJoy has been dramatic and includes restrictions on overtime pay and processing deliveries. One change in particular, which requires carriers to hold mail until the following day if it is not delivered by the end of a shift, has made many Democrats believe the changes — and their timing — are part of a deliberate strategy by the Trump administration.
“The new organization will align functions based on core business operations and will provide more clarity and focus on what the Postal Service does best; collect, process, move and deliver mail and packages,” the Postal Service said in a statement after announcing the changes.
But some Democrats say the timing, as Trump and GOP allies attack states for dramatically expanding mail-in ballot access before the November election, is potentially part of a plan by the president to hinder absentee voting, which generally favors Democrats.
Dan Pfeiffer, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, wrote in his newsletter, titled "Time to Sound the Alarm," that he was "officially very concerned about Trump using mail delays to steal a close election."
On Friday, seven Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, wrote a letter to Inspector General Tammy Whitcomb asking for an investigation into the postal changes.
“These delays also pose a threat to the November election, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic, when millions of Americans are expected to choose to vote by mail rather than wait in long lines on Election Day,” the lawmakers wrote.
Postal workers themselves have speculated that the changes are meant to drive customers away from the Postal Service and say customers can expect delayed deliveries.
“As they risk their health each day along with other front-line essential workers, letter carriers have become angry, frustrated, and embarrassed by various USPS management initiatives that are now resulting in delayed mail and undelivered routes in many areas of the country,’’ said Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, which represents nearly half of all postal workers.
The criticism has extended all the way to Obama, who, during his eulogy in July for Rep. John Lewis, said Trump was suppressing the vote "with surgical precision, even undermining the Postal Service in the runup to an election that is going to be dependent on mailed-in ballots so people don’t get sick.”
Democrats believe that any changes that result in late mail could have a devastating impact on their election prospects in November. Thirty-four states currently have laws that invalidate mailed ballots that do not arrive before Election Day. A handful of states, like New York, do not even allow the counting of ballots until polls close on Nov. 3.
Millions of mail-in ballot applications have already been sent out to voters across the country, and most election analysts anticipate that the upcoming election will have the highest amount of proxy voting in the country's history. A number of states, like Nevada, plan to send ballots to all registered voters automatically.
In response to these concerns, a burgeoning effort to expand drop-off mail locations rapidly has been circulating on social media. Noted liberal legal scholar Laurence Tribe wrote on Twitter that "EVERYBODY should get behind the #Dropbox movement right now!"


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-10--Susan Rice, under VP consideration, donated heavily to Biden-allied group

Former national security adviser Susan Rice and her husband have funneled thousands of dollars into groups affiliated with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden 's campaign .
Rice , a top contender to be Biden 's vice presidential running mate , gave the full contribution cap of $ 5,800 to the campaign throughout the course of the cycle .
Rice and her husband , Ian Cameron , a former ABC News executive producer , also gave $ 24,000 to the Biden Victory Fund , a joint fundraising committee that comprises the Biden campaign , the Democratic National Committee , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Washington Free Beacon , Cameron gave the Biden Victory Fund $ 5,600 two days before reports confirmed that Rice was among several women the former vice president was considering as his running mate .
Three weeks later , Cameron donated another $ 5,600 to the fund .
Biden , who expressed early on in his campaign that he would choose a woman as his running mate , is set to announce his pick this week .
Rice and Sen. Kamala Harris have risen as top contenders .
Whoever Biden chooses could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are on the fence or increase voter intrigue among minority communities .
A reckoning over race in America that 's escalated over the past few months following the May 25 police killing of George Floyd has further driven advisers and strategists to push Biden to choose a black woman as his running mate .
Biden and Harris have shared personal ties in the past , particularly through Biden 's late son , Beau Biden , who was Delaware 's attorney general when Harris held the same position in California .
Rice 's ties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a candidate Biden would be more familiar with than others .
If Rice or Harris is chosen , either one would make history by becoming the first black woman to be a presidential running mate .
Among others under Biden 's consideration include Sens .
Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth , Reps. Karen Bass and Val Demings , and Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer .
As the vetting process draws to a close , most of the contenders have also tried to boost Biden financially as a way to add to the value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren has raised the most money for Biden out of all the possible choices , raising more than $ 7.7 million from a combination of a high-dollar function and grassroots efforts that brought in thousands of participants .
In an invitation seen by Politico , Warren is also set to host another event on Tuesday with tickets ranging from $ 250 to $ 25,000 .
Harris has raised more than $ 5 million for Biden .
In June , a virtual fundraiser she threw raised over $ 2 million for the Biden Victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and his wife , Jill Biden , as well as engaging in other events to raise money , bringing in more than $ 3 million total for the campaign .

Former national security adviser Susan Rice and her husband have funneled thousands of dollars into groups affiliated with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's campaign.
Rice, a top contender to be Biden's vice presidential running mate, gave the full contribution cap of $5,800 to the campaign throughout the course of the cycle. Rice and her husband, Ian Cameron, a former ABC News executive producer, also gave $24,000 to the Biden Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee that comprises the Biden campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and a few state Democratic parties.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, Cameron gave the Biden Victory Fund $5,600 two days before reports confirmed that Rice was among several women the former vice president was considering as his running mate. Three weeks later, Cameron donated another $5,600 to the fund.
Biden, who expressed early on in his campaign that he would choose a woman as his running mate, is set to announce his pick this week. Rice and Sen. Kamala Harris have risen as top contenders.
Whoever Biden chooses could have an ability to reach voters who are on the fence or increase voter intrigue among minority communities.
A reckoning over race in America that's escalated over the past few months following the May 25 police killing of George Floyd has further driven advisers and strategists to push Biden to choose a black woman as his running mate.
Biden and Harris have shared personal ties in the past, particularly through Biden's late son, Beau Biden, who was Delaware's attorney general when Harris held the same position in California.
Rice's ties to the Obama administration also makes her a candidate Biden would be more familiar with than others.
If Rice or Harris is chosen, either one would make history by becoming the first black woman to be a presidential running mate.
Among others under Biden's consideration include Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth, Reps. Karen Bass and Val Demings, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
As the vetting process draws to a close, most of the contenders have also tried to boost Biden financially as a way to add to the value they could bring to the campaign.
Warren has raised the most money for Biden out of all the possible choices, raising more than $7.7 million from a combination of a high-dollar function and grassroots efforts that brought in thousands of participants. In an invitation seen by Politico, Warren is also set to host another event on Tuesday with tickets ranging from $250 to $25,000.
Harris has raised more than $5 million for Biden. In June, a virtual fundraiser she threw raised over $2 million for the Biden Victory Fund.
Duckworth co-headlined three fundraisers with Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, as well as engaging in other events to raise money, bringing in more than $3 million total for the campaign.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-10--Susan Collins losing to Democratic challenger Sara Gideon: Poll

Maine voters are ready to vote Republican Sen. Susan Collins out of office , according to a new poll .
Research firm RMG Research , Inc. found that 48 % of registered voters in Maine currently back Democratic challenger Sara Gideon over incumbent Collins , who has 41 % support .
There is some wiggle room for Collins to mount a comeback against the state House speaker , however , with 11 % of registered voters remaining undecided .
The firm asked 500 registered voters in Maine from July 27 through Aug. 2 .
Much of the GOP 's hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections rests on Collins fighting off Gideon , who Democratic groups from around the country have pledged millions toward .
Polls over the last several months have consistently shown Collins trailing Gideon .
A Colby College survey from July found 44 % of respondents backing Gideon , with 39 % supporting Collins .
Democrats need to flip three to four GOP-held seats to win a Senate majority and have locked onto the states of Colorado , Arizona , Georgia , North Carolina , and Maine as their best chances .
Collins , first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most difficult race since entering politics .
Last month , she called for 16 debates against her opponent .

Maine voters are ready to vote Republican Sen. Susan Collins out of office, according to a new poll.
Research firm RMG Research, Inc. found that 48% of registered voters in Maine currently back Democratic challenger Sara Gideon over incumbent Collins, who has 41% support. There is some wiggle room for Collins to mount a comeback against the state House speaker, however, with 11% of registered voters remaining undecided.
The firm asked 500 registered voters in Maine from July 27 through Aug. 2.
Much of the GOP's hopes of holding the Senate after the November elections rests on Collins fighting off Gideon, who Democratic groups from around the country have pledged millions toward.
Polls over the last several months have consistently shown Collins trailing Gideon. A Colby College survey from July found 44% of respondents backing Gideon, with 39% supporting Collins.
Democrats need to flip three to four GOP-held seats to win a Senate majority and have locked onto the states of Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Maine as their best chances.
Collins, first elected in 1996, is seeing her most difficult race since entering politics. Last month, she called for 16 debates against her opponent.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-10--Trump: White House or Gettysburg will be location of GOP convention acceptance

President Trump declared that he 'll accept the Republican presidential nomination at one of two locations .
The president said his options are Gettysburg , Pennsylvania , the location of a bloody Civil War battle and President Abraham Lincoln 's famous address that followed , or the White House .
`` We have narrowed the Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech , to be delivered on the final night of the Convention ( Thursday ) , to two locations — The Great Battlefield of Gettysburg , Pennsylvania , and the White House , Washington , D.C. We will announce the decision soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media Monday .
Hundreds of Republican delegates are planning to gather for meetings on Aug. 24 in Charlotte , North Carolina , to nominate Trump for president .
The event will be followed by three days of speeches and programming at sites not yet determined .
Trump 's acceptance speech is set to take place on Thursday , Aug 27 .
Following multiple disruptions to convention plans due to the coronavirus , Trump floated the Rose Garden as a venue , which critics said would not only be improper , but they also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at risk of violating the Hatch Act , which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee , will likely deliver his acceptance speech in his home state of Delaware as he is not expected to attend his party 's convention in Milwaukee , Wisconsin .

President Trump declared that he'll accept the Republican presidential nomination at one of two locations.
The president said his options are Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the location of a bloody Civil War battle and President Abraham Lincoln's famous address that followed, or the White House.
"We have narrowed the Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech, to be delivered on the final night of the Convention (Thursday), to two locations — The Great Battlefield of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and the White House, Washington, D.C. We will announce the decision soon!" the president shared on social media Monday.
Hundreds of Republican delegates are planning to gather for meetings on Aug. 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina, to nominate Trump for president. The event will be followed by three days of speeches and programming at sites not yet determined. Trump's acceptance speech is set to take place on Thursday, Aug 27.
Following multiple disruptions to convention plans due to the coronavirus, Trump floated the Rose Garden as a venue, which critics said would not only be improper, but they also warned it would put White House officials at risk of violating the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, will likely deliver his acceptance speech in his home state of Delaware as he is not expected to attend his party's convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-10--Trump should campaign for a colorblind America

President Trump is trailing Joe Biden because of the revolt of the country ’ s largest voter bloc : whites without college degrees .
In the most recent Fox News poll , which has Biden up 8 points , Trump ’ s advantage over Biden with this subset is only 49 % -40 % — a 14-point decline from the network ’ s April survey , which found Trump leading with this group by 23 points .
This swing exceeds the overall shift from Trump to Biden among suburbanites , independents , and moderates combined .
It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s his base .
Why have voters who in 2016 made up 44 % of the electorate and broke 2-1 for Trump over Hillary Clinton been swayed in the other direction the last 100 days ?
Less-educated whites are pessimistic about race relations and do not have confidence in Trump ’ s ability to improve them .
It ’ s the only non-coronavirus issue where he consistently polls below overall voter preference .
By suddenly racializing much of American life , the Black Lives Matter movement has achieved what nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and failed to do : separate Trump from his base .
These voters are facing BLM ’ s imprimatur at every turn and will do just about anything to make it go away , even if that means electing Biden .
Consider what a day in this life is like .
It begins with a Zoom meeting about white privilege led by the overeducated human resources director .
It progresses to a midday errand where the checkout clerk asks for a donation to the NAACP .
That evening , Uber Eats sends an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a black-owned business in exchange for free delivery .
The NBA game on television , with no fans in attendance , shows the players kneeling during the national anthem .
Switching on Netflix queues up a Black Lives Matter film collection .
What ’ s routine has become racialized , and the temptation to believe that this will stop when Trump leaves office is powerful .
For working-class voters , hyper-racialization makes race relations worse , not better .
It introduces a social code they will never be able to crack because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than substantive deeds or beliefs .
Four more years of this revolution seems at best exhausting and , at worst , dangerous .
Trump must go beyond criticizing it and offer a credible alternative .
Trump should promote a colorblind society as the antidote to racialization .
That does not suggest downplaying ethnic subcultures .
It just means that skin color is something we all overlook and view as meaningless in everyday life .
Government and society would aim to help those in need because of their concerns — unemployment , poverty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than their race .
For all races , a rising tide lifts all boats .
Reversing racialization also requires helping those hurt by it .
Trump should ask Congress to investigate the trend of employers firing workers for innocuous actions .
Emmanuel Cafferty , a Hispanic man , was fired by San Diego Gas & Electric for allegedly flashing a `` white power gesture '' on a cellphone camera after the people recording him in the car next to his demanded he make the “ OK ” hand signal .
Justin Kucera was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Michigan after tweeting , “ @ realdonaldtrump is our president.
” How on Earth is this statement of fact worth firing someone over ?
The trend of terminating workers for contrived racism rather than underlying conduct threatens job security .
The benefit of the doubt , previously afforded to the employee , has been given over to unaccountable social media critics .
Most people have little taste for such vengeance .
Even Christian Cooper , genuinely wronged by the overt racism of dog walker Amy Cooper in Central Park , nonetheless rued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the incident that made them both famous .
A colorblind society is something a president who rose from the pre-BLM worlds of business , sports , and entertainment can appreciate .
Part of the reason Trump in 2016 reversed years of Republican decline in black and Hispanic support was the nature of his longtime , high-profile association with nonwhite celebrities .
These were relationships that for him seemed to hinge on talent and personality rather than racial identity .
Trump should celebrate himself as someone who , flaws and all , judges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A post-racial society may seem far-fetched right now , but it is an aspiration from the early civil rights leaders up to President Barack Obama .
It is also one that a majority of white voters have consistently shared and still do .
The candidate that has the most satisfying response to the racialization epidemic will probably win the election .
Biden can offer gestures .
Trump can seek a colorblind society .
Rich Danker served in the Trump administration at the Department of Treasury .

President Trump is trailing Joe Biden because of the revolt of the country’s largest voter bloc: whites without college degrees.
In the most recent Fox News poll, which has Biden up 8 points, Trump’s advantage over Biden with this subset is only 49%-40% — a 14-point decline from the network’s April survey, which found Trump leading with this group by 23 points. This swing exceeds the overall shift from Trump to Biden among suburbanites, independents, and moderates combined. It’s not middle management that is souring on Trump, it’s his base.
Why have voters who in 2016 made up 44% of the electorate and broke 2-1 for Trump over Hillary Clinton been swayed in the other direction the last 100 days? Less-educated whites are pessimistic about race relations and do not have confidence in Trump’s ability to improve them. It’s the only non-coronavirus issue where he consistently polls below overall voter preference. By suddenly racializing much of American life, the Black Lives Matter movement has achieved what nearly all corners of the political establishment tried and failed to do: separate Trump from his base. These voters are facing BLM’s imprimatur at every turn and will do just about anything to make it go away, even if that means electing Biden.
Consider what a day in this life is like. It begins with a Zoom meeting about white privilege led by the overeducated human resources director. It progresses to a midday errand where the checkout clerk asks for a donation to the NAACP. That evening, Uber Eats sends an app notification to steer the order to a black-owned business in exchange for free delivery. The NBA game on television, with no fans in attendance, shows the players kneeling during the national anthem. Switching on Netflix queues up a Black Lives Matter film collection.
What’s routine has become racialized, and the temptation to believe that this will stop when Trump leaves office is powerful. For working-class voters, hyper-racialization makes race relations worse, not better. It introduces a social code they will never be able to crack because it relies on gestures and other performative work rather than substantive deeds or beliefs. Four more years of this revolution seems at best exhausting and, at worst, dangerous. Trump must go beyond criticizing it and offer a credible alternative.
Trump should promote a colorblind society as the antidote to racialization. That does not suggest downplaying ethnic subcultures. It just means that skin color is something we all overlook and view as meaningless in everyday life. Government and society would aim to help those in need because of their concerns — unemployment, poverty, crime, police brutality — rather than their race. For all races, a rising tide lifts all boats.
Reversing racialization also requires helping those hurt by it. Trump should ask Congress to investigate the trend of employers firing workers for innocuous actions. Emmanuel Cafferty, a Hispanic man, was fired by San Diego Gas & Electric for allegedly flashing a "white power gesture" on a cellphone camera after the people recording him in the car next to his demanded he make the “OK” hand signal. Justin Kucera was axed from his job teaching social studies in Michigan after tweeting, “@realdonaldtrump is our president.” How on Earth is this statement of fact worth firing someone over?
The trend of terminating workers for contrived racism rather than underlying conduct threatens job security. The benefit of the doubt, previously afforded to the employee, has been given over to unaccountable social media critics. Most people have little taste for such vengeance. Even Christian Cooper, genuinely wronged by the overt racism of dog walker Amy Cooper in Central Park, nonetheless rued the fact that she lost her job over the incident that made them both famous.
A colorblind society is something a president who rose from the pre-BLM worlds of business, sports, and entertainment can appreciate. Part of the reason Trump in 2016 reversed years of Republican decline in black and Hispanic support was the nature of his longtime, high-profile association with nonwhite celebrities. These were relationships that for him seemed to hinge on talent and personality rather than racial identity. Trump should celebrate himself as someone who, flaws and all, judges people on anything but their skin color.
A post-racial society may seem far-fetched right now, but it is an aspiration from the early civil rights leaders up to President Barack Obama. It is also one that a majority of white voters have consistently shared and still do. The candidate that has the most satisfying response to the racialization epidemic will probably win the election. Biden can offer gestures. Trump can seek a colorblind society.
Rich Danker served in the Trump administration at the Department of Treasury.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-11--Republicans learn to love, and the media learn to hate, executive orders

President Trump has Republicans rethinking the `` pen and phone , '' a phrase his predecessor Barack Obama used to described executive power , while the media greet his latest orders with skepticism .
Over the weekend , Trump issued executive orders designed to break the stalemate in Congress over the latest coronavirus economic rescue package .
He seeks to use executive power to lower the payroll tax , extend unemployment benefits , and maintain a moratorium on evictions .
Trump said several times last week that he would take such action if lawmakers could n't cut a deal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to impose these policies legally .
Sen. Chuck Grassley , a senior Republican from Iowa , took to Twitter to say he `` applauds '' the moves .
`` I support President Trump exploring his options to get unemployment benefits and other relief to the people who need them most , '' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement .
`` I am glad that President Trump is proving that while Democrats use laid-off works as political pawns , Republicans will actually look out for them . ''
`` The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers , students and renters , but Congress is the one who should be acting , '' Sen. Lamar Alexander , a Tennessee Republican , wrote on Twitter .
`` Democrats should stop blocking common sense proposals to help students going back to school & college & parents going back to work who need child care . ''
`` I hope the President ’ s actions will prompt Democratic leaders to negotiate seriously to reach a much-needed agreement to help struggling families , seniors , schools , businesses , municipalities & the USPS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Susan Collins , a centrist Republican from Maine who is facing a tough reelection race this fall .
`` Three times , Senate Democratic leaders blocked extending extra unemployment benefits to prevent their expiration during the negotiations . ''
Collins allowed , `` Congress must act quickly .
There are constitutional limits on what the President can do to help through executive orders . ''
`` It was a brilliant way for Trump to go on offense , and I assume that the Democrats will now have to respond through negotiation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategist .
`` The fact that most Republicans are supportive of this makes me believe it is more of a negotiating tactic than a new , long-lasting policy position . ''
Many media reports have contrasted Republicans ' statements about the latest Trump executive orders with their opposition to various executive actions undertaken by Obama , especially the creation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals .
Trump himself has described DACA as an `` illegal executive amnesty '' and tried to end the program in favor of a legislative solution .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these same outlets covered DACA and other Obama executive actions after Republicans took control of Congress .
The Washington Post ran a story headlined `` Trump attempts to wrest tax and spending powers from Congress with new executive actions . ''
A Google search did not turn up a similar headline about immigration policy after DACA was introduced .
Another Washington Post story described the recent orders as `` legally dubious executive actions '' in a headline .
A third Washington Post story about Republican inconsistency on this issue also described them as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders '' in the opening paragraph .
`` It 's striking enough to see so many GOP lawmakers abandon any interest in institutional limits and the traditional push-and-pull dynamic between branches of government , but it 's all the more extraordinary given how the party felt in the not-too-distant past , '' wrote MSNBC 's Steve Benen .
Not all Republicans defended the executive orders .
Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska called the legal rationale behind them `` unconstitutional slop , '' drawing a rebuke from Trump on Twitter .
Even many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their response expressed a clear preference for legislation .
`` I appreciate the President taking this decisive action but would much prefer a congressional agreement , '' tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham , a South Carolina Republican who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee .
`` I believe President Trump would prefer the same . ''
Democrats have framed Trump 's orders as unworkable half-measures that wo n't solve the problems and provide political cover for Republican intransigence , making hay over their being issued at one of the president 's country clubs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would happen to Social Security and Medicare funding in the wake of delayed payroll tax collections , in an election cycle where the GOP was sure to ask Democrats how they planned to pay for programs such as Medicare for All .
`` Democrats in Congress failed to act in the best interests of Americans hardest hit by this pandemic .
Amid inaction , President Trump stood up for every American who , through no fault of their own , needed relief , '' said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany at Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual , should find no place during this pandemic , but Democrats rejected multiple clean bills to provide relief .
The American people are tired of games .
They seek leadership , and President Trump delivered . ''

President Trump has Republicans rethinking the "pen and phone," a phrase his predecessor Barack Obama used to describe executive power, while the media greet his latest orders with skepticism.
Over the weekend, Trump issued executive orders designed to break the stalemate in Congress over the latest coronavirus economic rescue package. He seeks to use executive power to lower the payroll tax, extend unemployment benefits, and maintain a moratorium on evictions. Trump said several times last week that he would take such action if lawmakers couldn't cut a deal, adding that the White House was studying to impose these policies legally.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, a senior Republican from Iowa, took to Twitter to say he "applauds" the moves. "I support President Trump exploring his options to get unemployment benefits and other relief to the people who need them most," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement. "I am glad that President Trump is proving that while Democrats use laid-off workers as political pawns, Republicans will actually look out for them."
"The president is doing all he can to help workers, students and renters, but Congress is the one who should be acting," Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, wrote on Twitter. "Democrats should stop blocking common sense proposals to help students going back to school & college & parents going back to work who need child care."
"I hope the President’s actions will prompt Democratic leaders to negotiate seriously to reach a much-needed agreement to help struggling families, seniors, schools, businesses, municipalities & the USPS with this persistent pandemic," said Sen. Susan Collins, a centrist Republican from Maine who is facing a tough reelection race this fall. "Three times, Senate Democratic leaders blocked extending extra unemployment benefits to prevent their expiration during the negotiations." Collins allowed, "Congress must act quickly. There are constitutional limits on what the President can do to help through executive orders."
"It was a brilliant way for Trump to go on offense, and I assume that the Democrats will now have to respond through negotiation," said John Feehery, a Republican strategist. "The fact that most Republicans are supportive of this makes me believe it is more of a negotiating tactic than a new, long-lasting policy position."
Many media reports have contrasted Republicans' statements about the latest Trump executive orders with their opposition to various executive actions undertaken by Obama, especially the creation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Trump himself has described DACA as an "illegal executive amnesty" and tried to end the program in favor of a legislative solution. But the reports also highlight the difference in how these same outlets covered DACA and other Obama executive actions after Republicans took control of Congress.
The Washington Post ran a story headlined "Trump attempts to wrest tax and spending powers from Congress with new executive actions." A Google search did not turn up a similar headline about immigration policy after DACA was introduced. Another Washington Post story described the recent orders as "legally dubious executive actions" in a headline. A third Washington Post story about Republican inconsistency on this issue also described them as a "spree of legally dubious executive orders" in the opening paragraph.
"It's striking enough to see so many GOP lawmakers abandon any interest in institutional limits and the traditional push-and-pull dynamic between branches of government, but it's all the more extraordinary given how the party felt in the not-too-distant past," wrote MSNBC's Steve Benen.
[OPINION: Trump's executive orders: Two wrongs don't make a right]
Not all Republicans defended the executive orders. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska called the legal rationale behind them "unconstitutional slop," drawing a rebuke from Trump on Twitter. Even many of the GOP lawmakers who were more measured in their response expressed a clear preference for legislation. "I appreciate the President taking this decisive action but would much prefer a congressional agreement," tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I believe President Trump would prefer the same."
Democrats have framed Trump's orders as unworkable half-measures that won't solve the problems and provide political cover for Republican intransigence, making hay over their being issued at one of the president's country clubs. They have also raised concerns about what would happen to Social Security and Medicare funding in the wake of delayed payroll tax collections, in an election cycle where the GOP was sure to ask Democrats how they planned to pay for programs such as Medicare for All.
"Democrats in Congress failed to act in the best interests of Americans hardest hit by this pandemic. Amid inaction, President Trump stood up for every American who, through no fault of their own, needed relief," said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany at Monday's briefing. "Politics, as usual, should find no place during this pandemic, but Democrats rejected multiple clean bills to provide relief. The American people are tired of games. They seek leadership, and President Trump delivered."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-11--Kamala Harris will turn off 'security moms,' say Trump campaign women

The Trump campaign ignited a fresh battle for female votes in the hours after Joe Biden unveiled Kamala Harris as his running mate , saying `` security moms '' and suburban women would not want a vice president who had marched with Black Lives Matter protesters .
Trump allies fear that his support is already seeping away among a core group that helped propel him to power in 2016 .
But on Tuesday evening , they saw an opportunity to begin winning back women by attacking Harris and her recent record on law and order .
On a conference call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : “ This has completed the leftist takeover of the party and of their radical agenda.
” She cited Harris ’ s calls to overhaul ICE , give healthcare to illegal aliens , and her support for sanctuary cities as issues that would alienate voters who care about law and order .
“ With this move to the left , what you are going to see [ is ] a lot of ‘ security moms ’ that are all across this nation , who are going to say , 'You know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , and I don ’ t want a vice president who is out there marching in the streets with the BLM organization , ' '' Blackburn said .
“ And they will say , 'You know , law and order is important to me , and I do not think felons should be voting while they are in prison . '
” During a candidates ’ town hall last year , she said there should be “ conversation ” about allowing felons to vote from prison .
Positions like those will turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Biden presidency could give way to a Harris presidency , added Blackburn .
“ The question that people , women are going to ask is : Will I be safer with Kamala Harris as president ?
Or am I going to be safer with a Donald Trump presidency ?
They know that they are going to be safer in a Trump administration.
” Katrina Pierson , Trump 2020 senior adviser , also drew attention to Harris ’ s record on healthcare .
“ The No .
1 issue is truly healthcare , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris wants to eliminate private health insurance . ''
“ So I believe that is going to hurt the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ticket because suburban women want to keep their private health insurance.
” Harris came under intense fire for saying she wanted to eliminate private health insurance .
During a Democratic debate , she raised her hand when asked whether she was in favor of abolishing it .
She later said she misunderstood the question and brought out her own plan , less radical than other candidates ’ proposals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The Trump campaign ignited a fresh battle for female votes in the hours after Joe Biden unveiled Kamala Harris as his running mate, saying "security moms" and suburban women would not want a vice president who had marched with Black Lives Matter protesters.
Trump allies fear that his support is already seeping away among a core group that helped propel him to power in 2016.
But on Tuesday evening, they saw an opportunity to begin winning back women by attacking Harris and her recent record on law and order.
On a conference call with reporters, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn said: “This has completed the leftist takeover of the party and of their radical agenda.”
She cited Harris’s calls to overhaul ICE, give healthcare to illegal aliens, and her support for sanctuary cities as issues that would alienate voters who care about law and order.
“With this move to the left, what you are going to see [is] a lot of ‘security moms’ that are all across this nation, who are going to say, 'You know what, law and order is important to me, and I don’t want a vice president who is out there marching in the streets with the BLM organization,'" Blackburn said.
“And they will say, 'You know, law and order is important to me, and I do not think felons should be voting while they are in prison.'”
During a candidates’ town hall last year, she said there should be “conversation” about allowing felons to vote from prison.
Positions like those will turn off voters when they think about whether a Biden presidency could give way to a Harris presidency, added Blackburn.
“The question that people, women are going to ask is: Will I be safer with Kamala Harris as president? Or am I going to be safer with a Donald Trump presidency? They know that they are going to be safer in a Trump administration.”
Katrina Pierson, Trump 2020 senior adviser, also drew attention to Harris’s record on healthcare.
“The No. 1 issue is truly healthcare,” she said. “And Kamala Harris wants to eliminate private health insurance."
“So I believe that is going to hurt the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ticket because suburban women want to keep their private health insurance.”
Harris came under intense fire for saying she wanted to eliminate private health insurance. During a Democratic debate, she raised her hand when asked whether she was in favor of abolishing it.
She later said she misunderstood the question and brought out her own plan, less radical than other candidates’ proposals, that retained the option of private insurance.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-11--Photo appears to show Biden notes from informing Harris of running mate selection

A photo of Joe Biden speaking to Kamala Harris appears to show his notes from when he informed her that he had selected her to be his running mate .
`` VP TIME with @ KamalaHarris and @ JoeBiden , '' the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee 's campaign photographer tweeted Tuesday alongside the photo , following the announcement of the California senator as his running mate .
At the base of Biden 's computer with Harris on a video call , he is holding a cellphone over typed notes .
A zoomed-in look at the notes appears to show a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picking her as the nominee .
“ I ’ ve talked to ... through this process … I ’ m calling you today … I ’ ve made the first presidential decision … I ’ ve decided I would like you to … this effort to win back the soul … country , and be our nation ’ s next Vice President , ” the notes appear to say .
`` I think you are entitled to know why I chose you .
There are three reasons .
1 .
I have no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the view of the notes get cut off .
A few weeks ago , Biden was photographed holding handwritten talking points in case he was asked about Harris that said `` campaigned with me & Jill , '' `` talented , '' `` great help to campaign , '' `` great respect for her , '' and `` do not hold grudges , '' an apparent reference to Harris 's sharp 2019 debate attack on Biden for working with segregationist senators in the '70s .

A photo of Joe Biden speaking to Kamala Harris appears to show his notes from when he informed her that he had selected her to be his running mate.
"VP TIME with @KamalaHarris and @JoeBiden," the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's campaign photographer tweeted Tuesday alongside the photo, following the announcement of the California senator as his running mate.
At the base of Biden's computer with Harris on a video call, he is holding a cellphone over typed notes.
A zoomed-in look at the notes appears to show a script for what he told her when picking her as the nominee.
“I’ve talked to ... through this process … I’m calling you today … I’ve made the first presidential decision … I’ve decided I would like you to … this effort to win back the soul … country, and be our nation’s next Vice President,” the notes appear to say. "I think you are entitled to know why I chose you. There are three reasons. 1. I have no doubt," it continues, before the view of the notes get cut off.
A few weeks ago, Biden was photographed holding handwritten talking points in case he was asked about Harris that said "campaigned with me & Jill," "talented," "great help to campaign," "great respect for her," and "do not hold grudges," an apparent reference to Harris's sharp 2019 debate attack on Biden for working with segregationist senators in the '70s.
Biden's script as he appointed Harris: pic.twitter.com/s9n1eFRXRj — Zach Purser Brown (@zachjourno) August 11, 2020


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-11--'Key positive' given Biden's age: David Axelrod cites internal data gauging Kamala Harris as ready t

'Key positive' given Biden's age: David Axelrod cites internal data gauging Kamala Harris as ready to be president

Former Obama adviser David Axelrod said Kamala Harris met an `` important test '' for Joe Biden , given his age .
Moments after Biden announced Harris , a senator from California who was a fierce rival in the primary contest , would be his running mate , CNN published an op-ed by Axelrod in which he discussed internal campaign research that informed the former vice president 's decision .
`` People familiar with research the campaign undertook to inform its decision told me voters viewed her as among the most qualified to be president on Day One — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as potentially the oldest politician to ever serve as president , '' Axelrod wrote .
The age and mental health of the candidates have increasingly come into play less than 100 days out from Election Day .
Trump , 74 , is the oldest president ; Biden is 77 and would be the oldest candidate to win a first-term in the White House .
Harris is 55 , while Trump 's vice president , Mike Pence , is 61 .
Among the other women leading Biden 's VP shortlist were Sen. Elizabeth Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security adviser Susan Rice , who is 55 ; and Rep. Karen Bass , who is 66 .
Axelrod , who was chief strategist for President Barack Obama ’ s presidential campaigns , argued in his op-ed that Biden picking Harris was not only historic but `` also the most conventional.
” “ In choosing Kamala Harris , Biden selected the candidate who had been the frontrunner among political handicappers and betting markets for months .
The senator from California fulfills Biden 's pledge to name a woman and responds to the expectation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of color ever to serve on a national ticket , ” Axelrod said .
“ In the end , '' he said , `` Biden seriously considered others but returned to Harris as the ‘ do no harm ’ candidate , unlikely to thrill or outrage many .
She may not seem the most comfortable fit as a governing partner , a quality Biden said he was seeking , but Harris was viewed as the safest pick to win in November . ''
Axelrod also noted that Harris , who has served as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already underwent intense media scrutiny during the Democratic primary contest , something which Rice and Bass did not go through .
“ And while Biden may have questions about how she would operate as vice president , he also knows that it will be a moot point if he is n't elected , ” Axelrod said .
“ In making his choice , Biden signaled that he is focused like a laser on November , and he views Harris as the best bet to win .
”

Former Obama adviser David Axelrod said Kamala Harris met an "important test" for Joe Biden, given his age.
Moments after Biden announced Harris, a senator from California who was a fierce rival in the primary contest, would be his running mate, CNN published an op-ed by Axelrod in which he discussed internal campaign research that informed the former vice president's decision.
"People familiar with research the campaign undertook to inform its decision told me voters viewed her as among the most qualified to be president on Day One — a key positive, given Biden's status as potentially the oldest politician to ever serve as president," Axelrod wrote.
The age and mental health of the candidates have increasingly come into play less than 100 days out from Election Day. Trump, 74, is the oldest president; Biden is 77 and would be the oldest candidate to win a first-term in the White House.
Harris is 55, while Trump's vice president, Mike Pence, is 61.
Among the other women leading Biden's VP shortlist were Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is 71; former national security adviser Susan Rice, who is 55; and Rep. Karen Bass, who is 66.
Axelrod, who was chief strategist for President Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, argued in his op-ed that Biden picking Harris was not only historic but "also the most conventional.”
“In choosing Kamala Harris, Biden selected the candidate who had been the frontrunner among political handicappers and betting markets for months. The senator from California fulfills Biden's pledge to name a woman and responds to the expectation that he would pick the first woman of color ever to serve on a national ticket,” Axelrod said.
“In the end," he said, "Biden seriously considered others but returned to Harris as the ‘do no harm’ candidate, unlikely to thrill or outrage many. She may not seem the most comfortable fit as a governing partner, a quality Biden said he was seeking, but Harris was viewed as the safest pick to win in November."
Axelrod also noted that Harris, who has served as a senator from California since 2017, already underwent intense media scrutiny during the Democratic primary contest, something which Rice and Bass did not go through.
“And while Biden may have questions about how she would operate as vice president, he also knows that it will be a moot point if he isn't elected,” Axelrod said. “In making his choice, Biden signaled that he is focused like a laser on November, and he views Harris as the best bet to win.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-11--'Joe Biden nailed this decision': Obama reacts to Kamala Harris VP pick

Former President Barack Obama said he and former first lady Michelle Obama are `` thrilled '' that Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris to be his running mate .
`` Joe Biden nailed this decision .
By choosing Senator Kamala Harris as America ’ s next vice president , he ’ s underscored his own judgment and character , '' Obama said in a statement , adding that Harris is `` an ideal partner to help him tackle the very real challenges America faces right now and in the years ahead . ''
Obama , who chose Biden to be his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , emphasized that `` choosing a vice president is the first important decision a president makes . ''
He said that he has known Harris for a long time and that she is `` more than prepared '' for the role .
Obama also said that Harris ’ s life story is one to which he and many others can relate .
`` A story that says that no matter where you come from , what you look like , how you worship , or who you love , there ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Michelle and I couldn ’ t be more thrilled for Kamala , Doug , Cole , and Ella .
This is a good day for our country .
Now let ’ s go win this thing . ''

Former President Barack Obama said he and former first lady Michelle Obama are "thrilled" that Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris to be his running mate.
"Joe Biden nailed this decision. By choosing Senator Kamala Harris as America’s next vice president, he’s underscored his own judgment and character," Obama said in a statement, adding that Harris is "an ideal partner to help him tackle the very real challenges America faces right now and in the years ahead."
Obama, who chose Biden to be his running mate during both of his campaigns, emphasized that "choosing a vice president is the first important decision a president makes." He said that he has known Harris for a long time and that she is "more than prepared" for the role. Obama also said that Harris’s life story is one to which he and many others can relate.
"A story that says that no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you worship, or who you love, there’s a place for you here," he said. "Michelle and I couldn’t be more thrilled for Kamala, Doug, Cole, and Ella. This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-08-11--Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris as his running mate

Joe Biden has chosen Kamala Harris to become the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee .
Biden , himself a former vice president , picked the California senator , elected in 2016 , after an extensive vetting process , one that he was surprisingly candid about compared to previous nominees-in-waiting .
`` I have the great honor to announce that I ’ ve picked @ KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy , and one of the country ’ s finest public servants — as my running mate , '' Biden tweeted Tuesday .
`` Back when Kamala was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beau , '' he added , referring to his late son who was Delaware 's chief law enforcement officer while Harris held the same post in California .
`` I watched as they took on the big banks , lifted up working people , and protected women and kids from abuse .
I was proud then , and I 'm proud now to have her as my partner in this campaign . ''
The pair will speak in Wilmington , Delaware on Wednesday before attending a virtual grassroots fundraiser .
Tuesday 's long-awaited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as former President Bill Clinton .
`` This is a terrific choice !
@ KamalaHarris will be a great partner and she and @ JoeBiden make a strong team , '' Clinton tweeted .
Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice and California Rep. Karen Bass , who themselves were in contention for the job , offered their hearty congratulations .
Joe Biden 's wife , the former second lady Jill Biden , welcomed Harris ' husband Douglas Emhoff to the fall fight .
`` Hey @ DouglasEmhoff .
Are you ready ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was a former California attorney general , San Francisco district attorney , and Alameda County line prosecutor before she launched her own White House campaign in January 2019 to comparisons with former President Barack Obama .
Born to a Jamaican father and Indian mother , Harris surged in polling and fundraising following the opening primary debates in June after she confronted Joe Biden for touting his work with segregationists during his 36-year Senate career representing Delaware and for opposing federally mandated busing in the 1960s and 1970s .
But she failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their fiery debate exchange led to doubts that she would become his running mate , but the pair repaired their frayed relationship .
`` I 'm so lucky to have you as part of this , this partnership going forward , '' Biden told Harris at an April fundraiser .
`` We can make a great deal of difference , and the biggest thing we can do is make Donald Trump a one-term president . ''
He continued , `` So , I 'm coming for you , kid . ''
Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the civil unrest provoked by George Floyd 's death on May 25 under the knee of a white police officer .
The treatment of Floyd , a black man , amplified calls for a minority woman to be on November 's ticket .
Harris will likely encounter the same challenges ahead of the general election as she did during the primary before she dropped out in December .
While the member of the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees rose to national prominence for her incisive questioning of then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performances on the campaign trail .
She also struggled to counter criticism regarding contradictions in her prosecutorial record and her positions on policies such as `` Medicare for all . ''
President Trump 's campaign has already launched attacks their way , claiming Harris is proof Biden `` is an empty shell being filled with the extreme agenda of the radicals on the left . ''
“ Not long ago , Kamala Harris called Joe Biden a racist and asked for an apology she never received , '' Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phony Kamala will abandon her own morals , as well as try to bury her record as a prosecutor , in order to appease the anti-police extremists controlling the Democrat Party .
In her failed attempt at running for president , Kamala Harris gleefully embraced the left ’ s radical manifesto , calling for trillions of dollars in new taxes and backing Bernie Sanders ’ government takeover of healthcare . ''
Biden , 77 , was repeatedly pressed by the media and voters alike on the qualities that he was looking for in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He reportedly told allies he 'd only be a one-term president as well .
In response , he said that he was searching for someone who was `` simpatico '' with him on issues and ready to lead at a moment 's notice .

Joe Biden has chosen Kamala Harris to become the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee.
Biden, himself a former vice president, picked the California senator, elected in 2016, after an extensive vetting process, one that he was surprisingly candid about compared to previous nominees-in-waiting.
"I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate," Biden tweeted Tuesday.
"Back when Kamala was Attorney General, she worked closely with Beau," he added, referring to his late son who was Delaware's chief law enforcement officer while Harris held the same post in California. "I watched as they took on the big banks, lifted up working people, and protected women and kids from abuse. I was proud then, and I'm proud now to have her as my partner in this campaign."
I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 11, 2020
The pair will speak in Wilmington, Delaware on Wednesday before attending a virtual grassroots fundraiser.
Tuesday's long-awaited announcement was lauded by supporters, such as former President Bill Clinton.
"This is a terrific choice! @KamalaHarris will be a great partner and she and @JoeBiden make a strong team," Clinton tweeted.
This is a terrific choice! @KamalaHarris will be a great partner and she and @JoeBiden make a strong team. — Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) August 11, 2020
Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice and California Rep. Karen Bass, who themselves were in contention for the job, offered their hearty congratulations.
Joe Biden's wife, the former second lady Jill Biden, welcomed Harris' husband Douglas Emhoff to the fall fight.
"Hey @DouglasEmhoff. Are you ready?" she tweeted.
Emhoff replied: "Ready to work! Let’s go @DrBiden!"
Harris, 55, was a former California attorney general, San Francisco district attorney, and Alameda County line prosecutor before she launched her own White House campaign in January 2019 to comparisons with former President Barack Obama.
Born to a Jamaican father and Indian mother, Harris surged in polling and fundraising following the opening primary debates in June after she confronted Joe Biden for touting his work with segregationists during his 36-year Senate career representing Delaware and for opposing federally mandated busing in the 1960s and 1970s. But she failed to capitalize on that momentum last summer.
Their fiery debate exchange led to doubts that she would become his running mate, but the pair repaired their frayed relationship.
"I'm so lucky to have you as part of this, this partnership going forward," Biden told Harris at an April fundraiser. "We can make a great deal of difference, and the biggest thing we can do is make Donald Trump a one-term president."
He continued, "So, I'm coming for you, kid."
Biden's selection of Harris as his understudy comes after the civil unrest provoked by George Floyd's death on May 25 under the knee of a white police officer. The treatment of Floyd, a black man, amplified calls for a minority woman to be on November's ticket.
Harris will likely encounter the same challenges ahead of the general election as she did during the primary before she dropped out in December. While the member of the Senate Judiciary and Intelligence committees rose to national prominence for her incisive questioning of then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, her bid was hindered by inconsistent performances on the campaign trail. She also struggled to counter criticism regarding contradictions in her prosecutorial record and her positions on policies such as "Medicare for all."
President Trump's campaign has already launched attacks their way, claiming Harris is proof Biden "is an empty shell being filled with the extreme agenda of the radicals on the left."
“Not long ago, Kamala Harris called Joe Biden a racist and asked for an apology she never received," Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson said in a statement. "Clearly, Phony Kamala will abandon her own morals, as well as try to bury her record as a prosecutor, in order to appease the anti-police extremists controlling the Democrat Party. In her failed attempt at running for president, Kamala Harris gleefully embraced the left’s radical manifesto, calling for trillions of dollars in new taxes and backing Bernie Sanders’ government takeover of healthcare."
Biden, 77, was repeatedly pressed by the media and voters alike on the qualities that he was looking for in a second-in-command, given his age. He reportedly told allies he'd only be a one-term president as well. In response, he said that he was searching for someone who was "simpatico" with him on issues and ready to lead at a moment's notice.