theguardian--2020-09-30--Trump v Biden in the first 2020 presidential debate: our panelists' verdict

As this annus horribilus grinds toward its close , the first ( and final ? )
presidential debate provided further evidence that 2020 is a bad scriptwriter .
What might possibly have been an interesting and even educational exchange turned out to be a distressing and largely unwatchable pissing contest .
For long stretches of the so-called debate , Donald Trump refused to let Joe Biden ( or even the moderator , Chris Wallace ) so much as complete a sentence without an interruption or insult .
Trump undoubtedly did show himself as the more domineering candidate , for whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainly in reducing the debate to chaos rather than making a coherent case for his presidency .
Biden mostly kept his cool but struggled to make sustained arguments in the face of Trump ’ s bullying barrage .
At times he fell prey to his traditional verbal infelicities .
To the extent he was able to break through the noise , he missed golden opportunities to make what , according to traditional debating standards , would have been effective arguments on a host of issues .
But unlike Trump , Biden did come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is opposed to white supremacy and committed to our basic national institutions and the continuation of American democracy .
And he was at his most effective in the final third of the debate , particularly on law enforcement and the election , at a point when , according to conservative media , he should have run out of energy and brainpower .
This was the worst presidential debate in our history and a grievous national embarrassment .
I can think of no reason to hold another such event so long as Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lacks a mute button .
Both sides predictably will claim victory .
In truth , both candidates lost , although I suspect the outcome will be worse for Trump because he seemed so unhinged and unfit for the presidency .
But if the “ debate ” showed anything it is that we are a nation in decline , united only by our contempt for each other .
The real winners were those who wish us ill. • None Geoffrey Kabaservice is the director of political studies at the Niskanen Center in Washington DC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Ruin : The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party The presidential debate did not demonstrate a decline of America ’ s government , but a manifestation of America ’ s government .
Trump yelled and cheated his way through , even attacking the moderator in addition to his opponent .
He lied often and loudly .
Biden ’ s truths were quiet and damaging .
He wants to give more money to police .
He is against socialism .
He is against the Green New Deal .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
The former vice-president told him to shut up and called him a clown and a racist .
This volley may have ironically saved Biden ’ s performance , as he regularly fumbled through his “ uninterrupted ” time and rebuttals .
By far the scariest moment happened when Trump refused to agree that he would accept the results of the election .
Hopefully , the rest of us will be more prepared for this reality than Biden let on .
Trump and Biden may have argued who would better protect America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this country must eventually be saved from them both .
• None Derecka Purnell is a Guardian US columnist .
She is also a social movement lawyer and writer based in Washington DC Lloyd Green : ‘ This debate was a poor advertisement for our democracy ’ Donald Trump dominated the debate stage from the opening moment .
He continuously hectored Joe Biden .
Beyond that , Trump did nothing to hide his disdain for his opponent .
This is what “ modern presidential ” looks like .
Inexplicably , Biden took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Trump ’ s taxes , one of the president ’ s greatest vulnerabilities , and then failed to return to the topic .
Rather , the former vice-president appeared timorous .
It was painful to watch .
Still , Biden ’ s admonition of “ Will you shut up , man ?
” was the debate ’ s most memorable quote .
His words were an expression of disgust with the president , but also of exasperation with Chris Wallace , the moderator who failed to police a president who refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a traffic cop who was flattened by a convoy of runaway trucks .
Getting beyond atmospherics , Trump ’ s exhortation to white supremacists to “ stand back and stand by ” may have been the evening ’ s most significant pronouncement .
Charlottesville continues to echo .
Biden entered the debate with a steady but surmountable lead in the polls .
He is ahead of where Hillary Clinton stood at the same point in her campaign .
The president also trails his opponent in states he won four years earlier .
Whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dynamic is the open question .
Regardless , it is unlikely that Trump successfully wooed suburban moms with his performance .
The debate was a poor advertisement for our democracy .
Sadly , it may portend what comes after election day : a four-alarm dumpster fire .
• None An attorney in New York , Lloyd Green was opposition research counsel to George HW Bush ’ s 1988 campaign and served in the Department of Justice from 1990 to 1992 President Donald Trump needed to knock Joe Biden down a few pegs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ done .
Biden has the lead and did nothing to let it slip .
Trump was belligerent , absolutely horrible , upbraided repeatedly by Fox News moderator Chris Wallace for shouting over Biden .
Trump embraced white supremacists .
Those few yet undecided could not have been favorably impressed .
To maintain his position , Biden needed to appear competent and honest , appealing for unity .
He did just that .
Trump needed to land blows .
He couldn ’ t .
Biden laughed him off as a “ clown ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s mismanagement of the pandemic , called him out as a liar and cheat , and appealed for national unity .
He checked off every debate box .
Biden smiled while Trump scowled at the close .
That sort of said it all .
• None Art Cullen is editor of the Storm Lake Times in Iowa , where he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing .
He is a Guardian US columnist and author of the book , Storm Lake : Change , Resilience , and Hope in America ’ s @

Lloyd Green, Derecka Purnell, Geoffrey Kabaservice and Art Cullen

Geoffrey Kabaservice: ‘There were no winners’
As this annus horribilis grinds toward its close, the first (and final?) presidential debate provided further evidence that 2020 is a bad scriptwriter. What might possibly have been an interesting and even educational exchange turned out to be a distressing and largely unwatchable pissing contest.
For long stretches of the so-called debate, Donald Trump refused to let Joe Biden (or even the moderator, Chris Wallace) so much as complete a sentence without an interruption or insult. Trump undoubtedly did show himself as the more domineering candidate, for whatever that was worth, though he succeeded mainly in reducing the debate to chaos rather than making a coherent case for his presidency.
Biden mostly kept his cool but struggled to make sustained arguments in the face of Trump’s bullying barrage. At times he fell prey to his traditional verbal infelicities. To the extent he was able to break through the noise, he missed golden opportunities to make what, according to traditional debating standards, would have been effective arguments on a host of issues.
But unlike Trump, Biden did come across as a reality-based, non-conspiratorially minded politician who is opposed to white supremacy and committed to our basic national institutions and the continuation of American democracy. And he was at his most effective in the final third of the debate, particularly on law enforcement and the election, at a point when, according to conservative media, he should have run out of energy and brainpower.
This was the worst presidential debate in our history and a grievous national embarrassment. I can think of no reason to hold another such event so long as Trump is on the stage and the moderator lacks a mute button. Both sides predictably will claim victory. In truth, both candidates lost, although I suspect the outcome will be worse for Trump because he seemed so unhinged and unfit for the presidency. But if the “debate” showed anything it is that we are a nation in decline, united only by our contempt for each other. The real winners were those who wish us ill.
Geoffrey Kabaservice is the director of political studies at the Niskanen Center in Washington DC as well as the author of Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party
Derecka Purnell: ‘A manifestation of our government’
The presidential debate did not demonstrate a decline of America’s government, but a manifestation of America’s government. Trump yelled and cheated his way through, even attacking the moderator in addition to his opponent. He lied often and loudly. Biden’s truths were quiet and damaging. He wants to give more money to police. He is against socialism. He is against the Green New Deal.
Biden was audibly frustrated and visibly annoyed with Trump. The former vice-president told him to shut up and called him a clown and a racist. This volley may have ironically saved Biden’s performance, as he regularly fumbled through his “uninterrupted” time and rebuttals.
By far the scariest moment happened when Trump refused to agree that he would accept the results of the election. Hopefully, the rest of us will be more prepared for this reality than Biden let on.
Trump and Biden may have argued who would better protect America and her values, but the people in this country must eventually be saved from them both.
Derecka Purnell is a Guardian US columnist. She is also a social movement lawyer and writer based in Washington DC
Lloyd Green: ‘This debate was a poor advertisement for our democracy’
Donald Trump dominated the debate stage from the opening moment. He continually hectored Joe Biden. Beyond that, Trump did nothing to hide his disdain for his opponent. This is what “modern presidential” looks like.
Inexplicably, Biden took nearly 40 minutes to raise the issue of Trump’s taxes, one of the president’s greatest vulnerabilities, and then failed to return to the topic. Rather, the former vice-president appeared timorous. It was painful to watch.
Still, Biden’s admonition of “Will you shut up, man?” was the debate’s most memorable quote. His words were an expression of disgust with the president, but also of exasperation with Chris Wallace, the moderator who failed to police a president who refused to yield the floor. Wallace looked like a traffic cop who was flattened by a convoy of runaway trucks.
Getting beyond atmospherics, Trump’s exhortation to white supremacists to “stand back and stand by” may have been the evening’s most significant pronouncement. Charlottesville continues to echo.
Biden entered the debate with a steady but surmountable lead in the polls. He is ahead of where Hillary Clinton stood at the same point in her campaign. The president also trails his opponent in states he won four years earlier.
Whether the brawl in Cleveland alters the campaign dynamic is the open question. Regardless, it is unlikely that Trump successfully wooed suburban moms with his performance.
The debate was a poor advertisement for our democracy. Sadly, it may portend what comes after election day: a four-alarm dumpster fire.
An attorney in New York, Lloyd Green was opposition research counsel to George HW Bush’s 1988 campaign and served in the Department of Justice from 1990 to 1992
Art Cullen: ‘Undecideds were hardly impressed’
President Donald Trump needed to knock Joe Biden down a few pegs. He didn’t get the job done. Biden has the lead and did nothing to let it slip. Trump was belligerent, absolutely horrible, upbraided repeatedly by the Fox News moderator Chris Wallace for shouting over Biden. Trump embraced white supremacists. Those few yet undecided could not have been favorably impressed.
To maintain his position, Biden needed to appear competent and honest, appealing for unity. He did just that. Trump needed to land blows. He couldn’t. Biden laughed him off as a “clown”. He scored his points on Trump’s mismanagement of the pandemic, called him out as a liar and cheat, and appealed for national unity. He checked off every debate box. Biden smiled while Trump scowled at the close. That sort of said it all.


theguardian--2020-09-30--America is in pain. The presidential debate offered no help | Moira Donegan

With more than 200,000 Americans dead from Covid-19 , the economy in tatters , the west on fire , schools shuttered , police brutality against Black people still rampant , and millions of Americans grieving , scared and unable to recognize their lives , the first of three presidential debates on Tuesday night came at a time of pain , desperation , and anxiety for the American people .
The debate itself reflected absolutely none of this anxiety .
It was a display of vulgarity and egotism that insulted the Americans it was purportedly meant to persuade .
For more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussion of the multiple ongoing national emergencies that have warped their lives , viewers were shown three old white men – Donald Trump , Joe Biden and Fox News ’ Chris Wallace , nominally the moderator – interrupting , shouting at and insulting one another .
The coarseness , dishonesty , and grandstanding on display was a mockery of the dignity of the electoral process and a slap in the face to the Americans whose lives will be shaped by the actions of the next president .
Nearly all of the evening ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , on President Donald Trump , who spent the evening lying and misrepresenting his own record , his opponent ’ s record , President Obama ’ s record , Hillary Clinton ’ s record , the records of several Senate and congressional Democrats , and the state of fires , crime , economic activity , coronavirus infection rates , and ballot distribution in various states and regions .
He claimed , wrongly , that Joe Biden supports “ socialist medicine ” .
He claimed , wrongly , that Joe Biden supports a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrongly , that Joe Biden opposes the police .
And he claimed , wrongly , that Joe Biden had the power to limit the coronavirus outbreak during his time as a senator , vice-president and presidential candidate .
Trump made several allusions to conspiracy theories that are popular on the rightwing internet but are largely incomprehensible to anyone not already immersed in that world , a rhetorical choice which signaled that Trump has either made a strategic decision to appeal to his base rather than to court undecided voters , or that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his base , spends much of his time online , Googling his name .
In an exchange that was ugly even by the standards of the evening , Biden brought up the military service of his deceased son , Beau , and Trump interrupted to counter that Biden ’ s other son , Hunter , had had problems with drug addiction .
When he wasn ’ t lying , Trump was speaking over his time , whining at the moderator , and undermining the election .
At one point , asked to disavow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the racist group known as the Proud Boys , telling them to “ stand by ” .
At another point , he requested that his supporters deploy themselves to “ watch ” the voting in progress .
It was hard not to interpret these comments as threats to incite his supporters to racist violence if the election does not go his way .
And Trump seems convinced that it won ’ t .
His closing remarks were dedicated to insisting that the election would be illegitimate if he lost .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ve never seen , ” he said .
“ This is a rigged election.
” Meanwhile Joe Biden challenged Trump , at times successfully , on the state of the country .
He brought up the staggering number of coronavirus dead and emphasized the grief of those left behind who loved them .
He brought up the Trump administration ’ s attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act , the Obama-era healthcare expansion that has extended insurance to millions during the pandemic .
He brought up the failing economy , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the wealthiest while the majority of Americans face tightened belts and narrowing prospects .
At times , too , he brought up the corruption and cruelty of Trump himself , calling out the president on his alleged tax dodges , as recently outlined in the New York Times , Trump ’ s racist dogwhistles and embrace of white supremacists , and his refusal to agree to a peaceful transfer of power should he lose .
Biden , who is leading in national polls by an uncommonly large margin and has an edge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was incentivized to make little news on the debate stage , and so had only one task for the night : to preserve his dignity while speaking to Donald Trump .
It was a herculean task , and Biden met it with mixed success .
Debating Donald Trump is like debating a chimpanzee : he is less likely to deliver a thoughtful and substantive answer than he is to throw his own feces at you .
It was difficult for the former vice-president to make clear and complete statements to the audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onslaughts , a reality he tried to confront head-on .
“ It ’ s hard to get anything in with this clown , ” he said .
Biden called Trump a clown several times and was frank in his exasperation and contempt , often looking directly at the camera and addressing his frustrations not to Trump or the moderator , but to the viewers at home .
“ Folks , do you have any idea what this clown is doing ?
” he asked the audience .
At other times , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut up , man ?
” he asked .
The approach was refreshing in that it did not concede to Trump any authority , decency , or respect – courtesies he has not earned and tends to use against those who demonstrate them .
But watching Joe Biden address Trump with such deserved unseriousness , while a relief , also reminded me a bit too much of Hillary Clinton ’ s attempts to exude politeness and patience in her own debates against Trump during the 2016 contest .
Biden treated Trump with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But he was only able to be so forthrightly dismissive because he is a man .
What was the point of tonight ’ s debate ?
The circus of vanity , lies and hostility certainly didn ’ t reveal anything new about the candidates , and it would be laughable to suggest that the exchange was productive to the democratic process .
Though Tuesday ’ s debate was a new nadir of national embarrassment , televised presidential debates have been unhelpful for some time , always light on substance and heavy on spectacle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledge these events for what they are : not real exchanges meant to inform the electorate , but reality television shows meant to drive up ratings for the major networks .
Maybe this is why Donald Trump loves them so much .
He doesn ’ t seem interested in fulfilling the duties of his office or in meeting the challenges of the nation , but he is very , very interested in being on TV .

With more than 200,000 Americans dead from Covid-19, the economy in tatters, the west on fire, schools shuttered, police brutality against Black people still rampant, and millions of Americans grieving, scared and unable to recognize their lives, the first of three presidential debates on Tuesday night came at a time of pain, desperation, and anxiety for the American people. The debate itself reflected absolutely none of this anxiety. It was a display of vulgarity and egotism that insulted the Americans it was purportedly meant to persuade.
It was a slap in the face to the Americans whose lives will be shaped by the actions of the next president
For more than 90 minutes, instead of substantive discussion of the multiple ongoing national emergencies that have warped their lives, viewers were shown three old white men – Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Fox News’ Chris Wallace, nominally the moderator – interrupting, shouting at and insulting one another. The coarseness, dishonesty, and grandstanding on display was a mockery of the dignity of the electoral process and a slap in the face to the Americans whose lives will be shaped by the actions of the next president.
Nearly all of the evening’s chaos can be blamed, of course, on President Donald Trump, who spent the evening lying and misrepresenting his own record, his opponent’s record, President Obama’s record, Hillary Clinton’s record, the records of several Senate and congressional Democrats, and the state of fires, crime, economic activity, coronavirus infection rates, and ballot distribution in various states and regions. He claimed, wrongly, that Joe Biden supports “socialist medicine”. He claimed, wrongly, that Joe Biden supports a Green New Deal. He claimed, wrongly, that Joe Biden opposes the police. And he claimed, wrongly, that Joe Biden had the power to limit the coronavirus outbreak during his time as a senator, vice-president and presidential candidate.
Trump made several allusions to conspiracy theories that are popular on the rightwing internet but are largely incomprehensible to anyone not already immersed in that world, a rhetorical choice which signaled that Trump has either made a strategic decision to appeal to his base rather than to court undecided voters, or that he, like the most enthusiastic members of his base, spends much of his time online, Googling his name. In an exchange that was ugly even by the standards of the evening, Biden brought up the military service of his deceased son, Beau, and Trump interrupted to counter that Biden’s other son, Hunter, had had problems with drug addiction.
When he wasn’t lying, Trump was speaking over his time, whining at the moderator, and undermining the election. At one point, asked to disavow white supremacists, he instead spoke directly to the racist group known as the Proud Boys, telling them to “stand by”. At another point, he requested that his supporters deploy themselves to “watch” the voting in progress. It was hard not to interpret these comments as threats to incite his supporters to racist violence if the election does not go his way. And Trump seems convinced that it won’t. His closing remarks were dedicated to insisting that the election would be illegitimate if he lost. “This is going to be a fraud like you’ve never seen,” he said. “This is a rigged election.”
Joe Biden had one task: to preserve his dignity while speaking to Donald Trump. Photograph: Morry Gash/AP
Meanwhile Joe Biden challenged Trump, at times successfully, on the state of the country. He brought up the staggering number of coronavirus dead and emphasized the grief of those left behind who loved them. He brought up the Trump administration’s attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Obama-era healthcare expansion that has extended insurance to millions during the pandemic. He brought up the failing economy, the dwindling jobs, and the tax cuts for the wealthiest while the majority of Americans face tightened belts and narrowing prospects. At times, too, he brought up the corruption and cruelty of Trump himself, calling out the president on his alleged tax dodges, as recently outlined in the New York Times, Trump’s racist dogwhistles and embrace of white supremacists, and his refusal to agree to a peaceful transfer of power should he lose.
Biden, who is leading in national polls by an uncommonly large margin and has an edge over Trump in many crucial swing states, was incentivized to make little news on the debate stage, and so had only one task for the night: to preserve his dignity while speaking to Donald Trump. It was a herculean task, and Biden met it with mixed success. Debating Donald Trump is like debating a chimpanzee: he is less likely to deliver a thoughtful and substantive answer than he is to throw his own feces at you.
It was difficult for the former vice-president to make clear and complete statements to the audience in the midst of Trump’s onslaughts, a reality he tried to confront head-on. “It’s hard to get anything in with this clown,” he said. Biden called Trump a clown several times and was frank in his exasperation and contempt, often looking directly at the camera and addressing his frustrations not to Trump or the moderator, but to the viewers at home. “Folks, do you have any idea what this clown is doing?” he asked the audience. At other times, he was dismissive of Trump. “Will you shut up, man?” he asked.
The approach was refreshing in that it did not concede to Trump any authority, decency, or respect – courtesies he has not earned and tends to use against those who demonstrate them. But watching Joe Biden address Trump with such deserved unseriousness, while a relief, also reminded me a bit too much of Hillary Clinton’s attempts to exude politeness and patience in her own debates against Trump during the 2016 contest. Biden treated Trump with the disdain and impatience that Trump deserves. But he was only able to be so forthrightly dismissive because he is a man.
What was the point of tonight’s debate? The circus of vanity, lies and hostility certainly didn’t reveal anything new about the candidates, and it would be laughable to suggest that the exchange was productive to the democratic process. Though Tuesday’s debate was a new nadir of national embarrassment, televised presidential debates have been unhelpful for some time, always light on substance and heavy on spectacle. Perhaps it would be better to acknowledge these events for what they are: not real exchanges meant to inform the electorate, but reality television shows meant to drive up ratings for the major networks. Maybe this is why Donald Trump loves them so much. He doesn’t seem interested in fulfilling the duties of his office or in meeting the challenges of the nation, but he is very, very interested in being on TV.


theguardian--2020-09-30--Trump heckled, bullied and lied through the debate. It won't help him beat Biden | Richard Wolffe

In a bar-room brawl , who wins the fight ?
The guy swinging his fists or the guy clutching his drink ?
From the very first minute of the first presidential debate , the 45th president behaved as he has for the last four years : as unpresidential as possible .
He heckled .
He bullied .
He blustered and he lied .
He came out swinging and didn ’ t mind where his fists landed : his opponent , the moderator , the Biden family , the microphones .
It didn ’ t much matter .
“ Will you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so unpresidential , ” gasped Joe Biden at the end of a chaotic discussion about the supreme court .
“ That was a really productive session .
Keep yappin ’ , man.
” Biden sounded unsettled by the first round of the Trump onslaught .
He lost his train of thought as Trump never ceased to talk over him .
If Democrats were hoping that Biden would box Trump in , they were surely disappointed .
Biden ’ s most effective response was to laugh at the brawling around him .
But something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s next swing of the fists : a pandemic .
Covid-19 stopped the presidential yapping , briefly .
Then Biden made a statement of the obvious , by questioning whether Trump was smart enough to handle the coronavirus .
“ Did you use the word smart , ” the un-president barked .
“ Don ’ t ever use the word smart with me.
” So easily offended , yet so quick to offend .
Donald Trump is a heavyweight slugger with a fondant center .
Soon it was Biden ’ s turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst president America ’ s ever had , ” Biden heckled .
“ Come on.
” As a debating tactic , Trump ’ s choice of endless chatter succeeded in dominating the conversation .
As a pitch for the sliver of undecided voters left in America , it was a charmless barrage of hostility and hubris .
“ Mr President , please stop , ” said Chris Wallace of Fox News , the moderator who often resembled an armadillo in the middle of a Texas highway .
It is traditional , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that sitting presidents whiff in their first debate .
Barack Obama stank in his first head-to-head with Mitt Romney .
One of Obama ’ s closest friends emailed this columnist in 2012 with a simple question : “ Is this as much of a disaster as it looks ?
” Eight years earlier , George W Bush tanked in his first debate against John Kerry , struggling to defend – of all the unexpected topics – his own war in Iraq .
That was how memes got made back in 2004 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reason for this serial debate failure of sitting presidents : they really don ’ t want to be on stage with some stupid upstart of a challenger .
After almost four years of being the world ’ s biggest boss , they are entirely comfortable with their comfort zone .
Prepping for a nationally televised venture outside the zone is impossibly tricky for presidential aides .
This is not , in fact , Donald Trump ’ s challenge .
Since he never preps for anything , his aides can hardly complain about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate .
He won ’ t prep for the second or third ones either .
And no , Mr President : watching even more Fox News does not count as debate prep .
Instead , Trump ’ s prep for the debate was to shout down the middle of a microphone every time he talks to reporters .
Trump didn ’ t disdain his challenger ; he just drowned him out .
Because for Donald Trump , the first presidential debate was not a debate ; it was a descent into din .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump ’ s debate coaches took to – where else ?
– Fox News to turn up the volume on the expectations game .
Rudy Giuliani , a Trump lawyer known to Russian agents peddling disinformation across the world , decided against the traditional pre-game tactics of raising the bar for the other side .
Normally you would argue that your own candidate is a hapless amateur who can barely string a coherent sentence together , facing a battle-hardened Demosthenes who could slay with a single word .
In Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the truth to be said out loud .
So Giuliani took to Fox & Friends to lower the bar for Joe Biden .
In Rudy ’ s retelling , Joe Biden can barely get dressed .
“ The man has dementia .
There ’ s no doubt about it , ” he said chuckling .
“ I ’ ve talked to doctors .
I ’ ve had them look at a hundred , a hundred different tapes of his .
Five years ago and today.
” Even the Fox News hosts interjected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Oh .
Wuhuhuhah , ” said Rudy , sounding remarkably like a man with dementia .
“ He can ’ t , he can ’ t recite the pledge of allegiance and he ’ s fine ?
He ’ s been , er .
He ’ s been .
He was in the Senate for 160 years .
I mean , he can ’ t do the prologue to the , to the , to the , er , constitution of the United States or the declaration of independence .
Any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do numbers .
Wow.
” This wasn ’ t some random Wuhuhuhah moment for Trump ’ s kooky inner circle .
Our fearless commander-in-chief has been laying the foundations of this dementia and drugs “ attack ” on Biden for weeks .
Most recently , in a chess move worthy of Mr Potato Head , Trump challenged Biden by insisting he take a drug test .
Quite brilliant from the president who can ’ t produce enough Covid tests .
For the last four years , Democrats have mostly followed Michelle Obama ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go low .
But quite frankly , my dear , after a year like 2020 , the Biden campaign doesn ’ t give a damn .
“ If the president thinks his best case is made in urine , he can have at it , ” said Kate Bedingfield , Biden ’ s deputy campaign manager .
“ We ’ d expect nothing less from Donald Trump , who pissed away the chance to protect the lives of 200,000 Americans when he didn ’ t make a plan to stop Covid-19.
” A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If Donald Trump loses his re-election in little more than a month , it won ’ t be because of his donnybrook of a first debate .
Four years ago , Trump squeaked a victory through the electoral college despite losing every single debate to Hillary Clinton , and despite losing the national vote by a larger margin than John Kerry .
He won Pennsylvania by 44,000 votes , but is now losing there by nine points among likely voters .
He won Wisconsin by 22,000 votes , but is losing there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 10,000 votes , but is losing there by eight points .
He truly , badly , deeply needed something to turn those states around in his first debate against Joe Biden .
He didn ’ t get it by fighting on TV on Tuesday night .
He has five more weeks to sow chaos and disinformation through the land as he brawls his way across the country .
Hold on to your beer .

In a bar-room brawl, who wins the fight? The guy swinging his fists or the guy clutching his drink?
From the very first minute of the first presidential debate, the 45th president behaved as he has for the last four years: as unpresidential as possible.
He heckled. He bullied. He blustered and he lied. He came out swinging and didn’t mind where his fists landed: his opponent, the moderator, the Biden family, the microphones. It didn’t much matter.
“Will you shut up, man? This is so unpresidential,” gasped Joe Biden at the end of a chaotic discussion about the supreme court. “That was a really productive session. Keep yappin’, man.”
Biden sounded unsettled by the first round of the Trump onslaught. He lost his train of thought as Trump never ceased to talk over him.
If Democrats were hoping that Biden would box Trump in, they were surely disappointed. Biden’s most effective response was to laugh at the brawling around him.
But something funny happened on the way to Trump’s next swing of the fists: a pandemic. Covid-19 stopped the presidential yapping, briefly. Then Biden made a statement of the obvious, by questioning whether Trump was smart enough to handle the coronavirus.
“Did you use the word smart,” the un-president barked. “Don’t ever use the word smart with me.”
06:22 Biden and Trump trade insults in frenzied presidential debate – video highlights
So easily offended, yet so quick to offend. Donald Trump is a heavyweight slugger with a fondant center.
Soon it was Biden’s turn to interrupt. “You’re the worst president America’s ever had,” Biden heckled. “Come on.”
As a debating tactic, Trump’s choice of endless chatter succeeded in dominating the conversation. As a pitch for the sliver of undecided voters left in America, it was a charmless barrage of hostility and hubris.
“Mr President, please stop,” said Chris Wallace of Fox News, the moderator who often resembled an armadillo in the middle of a Texas highway.
It is traditional, and yet almost entirely forgotten every four years, that sitting presidents whiff in their first debate.
Barack Obama stank in his first head-to-head with Mitt Romney. One of Obama’s closest friends emailed this columnist in 2012 with a simple question: “Is this as much of a disaster as it looks?”
So easily offended, yet so quick to offend. Donald Trump is a heavyweight slugger with a fondant center
Eight years earlier, George W Bush tanked in his first debate against John Kerry, struggling to defend – of all the unexpected topics – his own war in Iraq. That was how memes got made back in 2004, forgetting Poland and all.
There is a reason for this serial debate failure of sitting presidents: they really don’t want to be on stage with some stupid upstart of a challenger.
After almost four years of being the world’s biggest boss, they are entirely comfortable with their comfort zone. Prepping for a nationally televised venture outside the zone is impossibly tricky for presidential aides.
This is not, in fact, Donald Trump’s challenge. Since he never preps for anything, his aides can hardly complain about his reluctance to prep for the first debate. He won’t prep for the second or third ones either.
And no, Mr President: watching even more Fox News does not count as debate prep.
Instead, Trump’s prep for the debate was to shout down the middle of a microphone every time he talks to reporters. Trump didn’t disdain his challenger; he just drowned him out. Because for Donald Trump, the first presidential debate was not a debate; it was a descent into din.
Knowing they would fail at presidential prep, Trump’s debate coaches took to – where else? – Fox News to turn up the volume on the expectations game.
Rudy Giuliani, a Trump lawyer known to Russian agents peddling disinformation across the world, decided against the traditional pre-game tactics of raising the bar for the other side.
Normally you would argue that your own candidate is a hapless amateur who can barely string a coherent sentence together, facing a battle-hardened Demosthenes who could slay with a single word.
In Trump’s case, this may be too close to the truth to be said out loud. So Giuliani took to Fox & Friends to lower the bar for Joe Biden. In Rudy’s retelling, Joe Biden can barely get dressed.
“The man has dementia. There’s no doubt about it,” he said chuckling. “I’ve talked to doctors. I’ve had them look at a hundred, a hundred different tapes of his. Five years ago and today.”
Donald Trump, Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace during the first presidential debate at the Case Western Reserve University. Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
Even the Fox News hosts interjected to challenge Dr Giuliani’s diagnosis.
“Oh. Wuhuhuhah,” said Rudy, sounding remarkably like a man with dementia. “He can’t, he can’t recite the pledge of allegiance and he’s fine? He’s been, er. He’s been. He was in the Senate for 160 years. I mean, he can’t do the prologue to the, to the, to the, er, constitution of the United States or the declaration of independence. Any of them. He can’t do numbers. Wow.”
This wasn’t some random Wuhuhuhah moment for Trump’s kooky inner circle. Our fearless commander-in-chief has been laying the foundations of this dementia and drugs “attack” on Biden for weeks.
Most recently, in a chess move worthy of Mr Potato Head, Trump challenged Biden by insisting he take a drug test. Quite brilliant from the president who can’t produce enough Covid tests.
For the last four years, Democrats have mostly followed Michelle Obama’s advice to go high when they go low. But quite frankly, my dear, after a year like 2020, the Biden campaign doesn’t give a damn.
If Trump loses his re-election in little more than a month, it won’t be because of his donnybrook of a first debate
“If the president thinks his best case is made in urine, he can have at it,” said Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s deputy campaign manager. “We’d expect nothing less from Donald Trump, who pissed away the chance to protect the lives of 200,000 Americans when he didn’t make a plan to stop Covid-19.”
A little harsh, perhaps. But fair.
If Donald Trump loses his re-election in little more than a month, it won’t be because of his donnybrook of a first debate.
Four years ago, Trump squeaked a victory through the electoral college despite losing every single debate to Hillary Clinton, and despite losing the national vote by a larger margin than John Kerry.
He won Pennsylvania by 44,000 votes, but is now losing there by nine points among likely voters. He won Wisconsin by 22,000 votes, but is losing there by 10 points. He won Michigan by 10,000 votes, but is losing there by eight points.
He truly, badly, deeply needed something to turn those states around in his first debate against Joe Biden. He didn’t get it by fighting on TV on Tuesday night.
He has five more weeks to sow chaos and disinformation through the land as he brawls his way across the country. Hold on to your beer.


theguardian--2020-09-30--TV tonight: Trump, Comey and how not to sack your FBI director

Brendan Gleeson dons the orange fake tan and does his best impression of Donald Trump in the first of this four-part series .
It is based on the US president ’ s explosive history with the former FBI director James Comey , taken from the pages of his 2018 memoir and from the testimony of White House insiders .
Jeff Daniels takes on the role of the po-faced Comey as we open by exploring Trump ’ s rise to power during the 2016 election and his subsequent attempts to shore up his legitimacy by derailing the investigations into him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for home-cooked comfort food , this week exploring how different recipes allow families to create a sense of home in the kitchen .
She experiences a slice of Sicily in north London , enjoys an Indian Diwali feast and makes her own paneer and roast vegetable curry .
AK Dev Patel narrates this two-part documentary – an aerial exploration filmed across one year – that was made to mark 73 years of independence on 15 August .
All manner of scientific , spiritual and natural wonders are highlighted , from the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power plant and a meteorite crater lake .
Ali Catterall This documentary about the luxurious London hotel starts in early 2020 , when staff were looking forward to a busy year ahead .
It is rich in characters , including formidable butler Sean and restaurant manager Thierry , who is overseeing a visit from Gordon Ramsay , in which Ramsay swears about haddock and chipped plates .
Hannah Verdier Theatre Royal Stratford East and Moonshine Features present this dramatic work based on the stories of key workers during the coronavirus pandemic .
Starring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anya Chalotra and The Crown ’ s Lorraine Ashbourne , it follows stories taken from an April online callout to key workers .
AK Grayson Perry continues his motorbike trip through the US , this week travelling along the east coast and analysing how primarily Democractic-voting states are gearing up for the November elections .
We begin in the “ wealthy liberal playground ” of Martha ’ s Vineyard , Massachusetts .
AK The Thin Red Line ( Terrence Malick , 1998 ) , 9pm , Paramount Network Most of Hollywood flocked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-imposed exile to make this adaptation of James Jones ’ s second world war novel : a semi-mystical meditation on men in battle , inhabited by the likes of Sean Penn and John Cusack .
Paul Howlett German Super Cup football : Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund 7.15pm , BT Sport 1 .
Last season ’ s league and cup winners face off against the league runners-up at the Allianz Arena in Munich .

Ammar Kalia, Ali Catterall, Hannah Verdier and Paul Howlett

The Comey Rule
9pm, Sky Atlantic
Brendan Gleeson dons the orange fake tan and does his best impression of Donald Trump in the first of this four-part series. It is based on the US president’s explosive history with the former FBI director James Comey, taken from the pages of his 2018 memoir and from the testimony of White House insiders. Jeff Daniels takes on the role of the po-faced Comey as we open by exploring Trump’s rise to power during the 2016 election and his subsequent attempts to shore up his legitimacy by derailing the investigations into him. Ammar Kalia
Mary Berry’s Simple Comforts
8pm, BBC Two
Mary Berry continues her quest for home-cooked comfort food, this week exploring how different recipes allow families to create a sense of home in the kitchen. She experiences a slice of Sicily in north London, enjoys an Indian Diwali feast and makes her own paneer and roast vegetable curry. AK
India From Above
8pm, National Geographic
Dev Patel narrates this two-part documentary – an aerial exploration filmed across one year – that was made to mark 73 years of independence on 15 August. All manner of scientific, spiritual and natural wonders are highlighted, from the world’s largest religious gathering to a solar power plant and a meteorite crater lake. Ali Catterall
The Savoy
9pm, ITV
This documentary about the luxurious London hotel starts in early 2020, when staff were looking forward to a busy year ahead. It is rich in characters, including formidable butler Sean and restaurant manager Thierry, who is overseeing a visit from Gordon Ramsay, in which Ramsay swears about haddock and chipped plates. Hannah Verdier
No Masks
9pm, Sky Arts
Theatre Royal Stratford East and Moonshine Features present this dramatic work based on the stories of key workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Starring Russell Tovey, The Witcher’s Anya Chalotra and The Crown’s Lorraine Ashbourne, it follows stories taken from an April online callout to key workers. AK
Grayson Perry’s Big American Road Trip
10m, Channel 4
Grayson Perry on his bike. Photograph: Channel 4
Grayson Perry continues his motorbike trip through the US, this week travelling along the east coast and analysing how primarily Democractic-voting states are gearing up for the November elections. We begin in the “wealthy liberal playground” of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. AK
Film choice
John Cusack in The Thin Red Line. Photograph: Allstar/20th Century Fox
The Thin Red Line (Terrence Malick, 1998), 9pm, Paramount Network
Most of Hollywood flocked to enlist when Malick returned from a 20-year self-imposed exile to make this adaptation of James Jones’s second world war novel: a semi-mystical meditation on men in battle, inhabited by the likes of Sean Penn and John Cusack. Paul Howlett
Live sport
Indian Premier League cricket: Rajasthan Royals v Kolkata Knight Riders 2.50pm, Sky Sports Main Event. A T20 head-to-head.
FA Cup: women’s semi-final 7pm, BBC Four. Birmingham City v Everton.
German Super Cup football: Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund 7.15pm, BT Sport 1. Last season’s league and cup winners face off against the league runners-up at the Allianz Arena in Munich.


theguardian--2020-09-29--Tensions and insults in the battle for Florida lay bare America's divisions

If you wanted a symbol for Donald Trump ’ s complete takeover of the Republican party , you could do little better than a nondescript shopping mall on the outskirts of Largo in west Florida .
This is a usually quiet intersection in Florida ’ s quintessential bellwether county , Pinellas , which has voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1980 ( bar the disputed 2000 race won by George W Bush ) .
But eight months ago Cliff Gephart , an enthusiastic Trump supporter and local entrepreneur , transformed a vacant lot – formerly a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shop devoted to the president .
Business at Conservative Grounds is roaring , despite the pandemic , with hundreds and , they claim , occasionally over a thousand customers , dropping by each day for a cup of coffee , a chat about politics and to purchase from a plethora of Trump themed merchandise .
No-one is social distancing or wearing a facemask .
In 2016 , the narrative of the so-called “ secretive Trump voter ” went part of the way to explaining the billionaire property magnate ’ s unexpected pathway to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Pinellas as in many parts of the country , Trump supporters are out in force , unafraid , empowered and organised .
Every section inside this place is designed for social media posting – there ’ s a second amendment wall filled with decommissioned firearms , a gumball machine stocked with spent ammunition ( it doesn ’ t vend ) , and a coffee machine decorated with slurs against Democrats .
At the back is a scaled reproduction of the Oval Office itself , complete with a replica Resolute Desk , cardboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a Martin Luther King bust , wearing a red Trump 2020 cap .
I ask Gephart , a heavily built , stubbled 50-year-old , whether he thinks people might be offended by the latter .
( Martin Luther King ’ s children are staunch critics of the president , and Trump declined to celebrate the life of civil rights icon John Lewis after his death in July . )
“ Everything offends everybody these days , ” he says .
This coffee house is not just a business proposition , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now held by grassroots Trump activists around the country .
The business threw its weight behind an outsider candidate in this congressional district ’ s Republican primary who went on to win the race against an establishment conservative .
It was the driving force behind a Trump flotilla that saw over 1,000 people take to the waters last month , drawing praise from the president himself .
But Gephart is coy about his newfound political power and organising capacity .
“ We didn ’ t intend for it to be that , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place where people could come and socialise and have a cup of coffee , we often call it a camaraderie shop .
And that camaraderie is bleeding into campaigns now too.
” There is little camaraderie when a customer labels me “ fake news ” and , despite his outwardly friendly demeanor , Gephart ’ s public Facebook page is littered with vitriolic memes , sometimes laced with Islamophobia and misogyny , which are mainstream in conservative online culture these days .
Conservative Grounds felt like a poignant place to start a road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an election that both sides agree is the most important in a generation .
This is the opening chapter of the Guardian ’ s Anywhere But Washington 2020 series , in which I travel to various swing states with filmmaker Tom Silverstone .
Donald Trump won Pinellas County by a tiny 1 % margin in 2016 , and if Joe Biden wants to win back this vital swing state , he ’ ll need this county to turn Democrat again as it did twice for Barack Obama .
There are few pathways back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without winning Florida , a perennial swing state holding a critical 29 electoral college votes .
A month ago Joe Biden held a commanding lead in the polls here , but that has tightened to an average of just 1.9 % in recent days .
At this stage it seems likely that Florida will once again go down to the wire , a daunting prospect as Trump last week declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the election .
The pandemic has curtailed official campaigning on both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , particularly on the Republican side where toxic politics can often bubble over into overt racism on the turn of a dime .
The day after our visit to the coffee shop we head to a Trump flag-waving event at the recommendation of Gephart .
It ’ s being held next to a drawbridge that connects the city to the white sands of Madeira Beach , and it takes only a few minutes for things to turn dark .
As the drawbridge lifts , the flag wavers , numbering around 50 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a car of four young Latina women who tell me they are all Biden supporters .
“ How do you like trying to find things in the grocery store ?
” shouts one flag waver at the women .
“ Because that is socialism my dear.
” The women have their windows down and blare out the radio in an attempt to drown the flag wavers out .
“ You ungrateful pieces of crap , ” the flag waver , who is white , continues .
“ Get out of our country.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re met with chants of “ shame on you ” from others in the group who accuse us of being “ agitators ” .
We decide to leave , and we ’ re followed back to our car by a man carrying a sign that says : “ Democrats support mobs ” .
.
Biden made his first trip to the state as the Democratic nominee earlier in the month , seeking to bolster support among Latino voters by slamming Trump ’ s botched handling of the response to Hurricane Maria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory of Puerto Rico in 2017 leading thousands to leave the island for refuge here .
Trump visited the state again last Thursday , shortly before announcing Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee to fill the seat on the Supreme Court after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg .
Despite both candidates outwardly chasing diverse voting constituents amid Florida ’ s rapidly changing racial demographics , this state is still 54 % white and Trump ’ s core voter here in 2016 was overwhelmingly white and older .
Biden ’ s campaign is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who went for Trump last time around .
Pinellas County ’ s incumbent congressman , Democrat Charlie Crist , has a rich history in Florida politics and knows from experience about the difficulty of swinging Republican voters the other way .
Crist , a slick operator with a head of perfectly trimmed silver hair , served as the Republican governor of Florida between 2007 and 2011 .
But the party abandoned him , so the story goes , after he hugged president Obama during a public event in 2009 , an image @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became a Democrat in 2012 , after a failed run for the US senate as an independent and was one of the first Democrats in Congress to endorse Biden ’ s campaign .
The former vice president is a personal friend whom he describes as “ medicine for America ” .
“ There is more of a coarseness to politics in America today , ” says Crist as he canvases among Black voters in a neighbourhood , south St Petersburg , hit hard by the pandemic .
“ It ’ s no different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think people are tired of it .
I know they are .
They are thirsting for change.
” The congressman claims to have spoken to many people who voted for Trump in 2016 who now regret it .
“ They voted for Trump because they wanted change and radical change .
And then they would say to me : ‘ but not this radical , this is out of control.
’ ” But despite his optimism , neither Crist ’ s campaign staff nor the Pinellas County Democrat party can point me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a change of heart .
It underlines the reality : only a small percentage of Florida ’ s electorate , around 4-5 % are really up for grabs according analysts , with the rest deeply loyal to their respective party , and it ’ s that critical mass that is likely to swing the vote in a tight race .
We head 100 miles inland to the solid Republican heartlands in Florida ’ s centre for a visit to a sprawling retirement community called The Villages .
It is home to 120,000 retirees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the elderly ” .
It ’ s a labyrinth of gated communities , golf courses and public squares .
98 % of residents here are white , and Trump won by a huge margin in 2016 .
A sign at the entrance describes this place as “ Florida ’ s friendliest hometown ” but it ’ s clear right away that things have changed over the past four years .
In July , a pro-Trump golfcart rally became an infamous symbol of the deep division and racism , not just here but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporter was captured on video during a confrontation shouting “ white power ” .
The president himself retweeted the video , before deleting it after an online backlash .
It was shocking but not surprising , says Chris Stanley , president of the Villages Democratic Club .
Outwardly supporting Joe Biden has become transgression here , she says .
Her members have had their property damaged , their golf carts blocked and many have lost friendship groups when declaring their political affiliation .
We ’ re talking as she drives her golf cart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lane .
Another driver gives her the middle finger as she whizzes by .
“ I think it ’ s the way that they view Trump because he ’ s a bully , because he is full of really violent rhetoric , ” she says .
“ It frees up his supporters to use the same kind of violent language.
” I tell her we ’ re looking for people who have switched their allegiances from Trump to Biden and she laughs .
“ Every journalist that comes here is looking for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ but no-one will talk to you.
” She has a long list of names , but no-one is willing to talk on the record .
“ Even if you grant them anonymity they won ’ t speak.
” It ’ s a sobering reminder of the times we ’ re in , but after two days of trying we finally find one former Trump voter willing to speak his mind .
Dan Goerdt , a 70 year-old retiree who has lived here for five years regretted his 2016 ballot as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought that [ by ] voting for him , he ’ d come in and make some changes that needed to be made , but there ’ s no rule of law now , it ’ s just rule of Trump , ” he says , “ He ’ s accomplished very little in office , he ’ s lied , he ’ s cheated .
I just can ’ t vote for him.
” Our interview is once again interrupted by a resident who drives by chanting “ Go Trump !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Goerdt retorts , sarcastically .
If this new 2020 adage of the “ secret Joe Biden voter ” is to be believed , Trump may well be in trouble in Florida .
Polling continues to indicate Biden out performing Trump with voters over 65 nationally , a recent Florida specific poll had him ahead by double digits .
But Democratic organizing efforts in the Villages , just as elsewhere in the country , continue to be hampered by the pandemic .
The party here is rarely holding in-person events and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for fear of spreading the virus .
There are concerns that the message is simply not getting out enough .
It ’ s in marked contrast to Republican outreach here , which often flies in the face of public health guidance .
I headed a few miles down the road to a local country club to watch an organizing event held by Villagers For Trump , another grassroots group deeply loyal to the president but not affiliated with the Republican party itself .
It ’ s the same people that organized the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally .
But today ’ s occasion is a little more low key , a Hawaiian night featuring a keynote speech by the conservative radio host Malcolm Out Loud .
There are two sittings of around 150 guests , most of whom appear to be well over the age of 65 .
There is no social distancing and no-one is wearing masks .
Out Loud ( he has legally changed his surname ) begins his speech after a group of women dressed in grass skirts perform a Hula dance to the theme of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USA ” .
Almost immediately it turns to dangerous misinformation and conspiracy theories about the virus .
“ This was never any more dangerous than any other virus , ” he says , as he disputes the official death toll using discredited arguments that are now mainstream in Republican talking points .
“ This thing has been politicised for obvious reasons so that they can retake their power and reclaim the White House .
What has their goal been since the escalator [ a reference to Trump ’ s 2016 presidential campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of office.
” Everyone in the crowd nods along and applauds , as thunder clouds amass and lightning cracks over a nearby golf course .
I pull him aside after the speech to ask him if he feels comfortable delivering such a message in front of a group of at-risk people .
Over 14,000 people have died from Covid-19 in this state alone , one of the worst rates in the country .
82 % of those are over 65 .
“ Yeah , absolutely , ” he says .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m a commentary guy .
But then again , all your news today is opinion and commentary .
There is no more news .
That ’ s gone.
” Out Loud perhaps has a point here .
Throughout my time in Florida it felt like I was witnessing two different realities , one adherent to facts and science , the other rooted in conspiracies and political dogma .
It ’ s increasingly difficult to see which will triumph in November .

If you wanted a symbol for Donald Trump’s complete takeover of the Republican party, you could do little better than a nondescript shopping mall on the outskirts of Largo in west Florida.
This is a usually quiet intersection in Florida’s quintessential bellwether county, Pinellas, which has voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1980 (bar the disputed 2000 race won by George W Bush).
But eight months ago Cliff Gephart, an enthusiastic Trump supporter and local entrepreneur, transformed a vacant lot – formerly a strip club – into a thriving coffee shop devoted to the president. Business at Conservative Grounds is roaring, despite the pandemic, with hundreds and, they claim, occasionally over a thousand customers, dropping by each day for a cup of coffee, a chat about politics and to purchase from a plethora of Trump themed merchandise. No-one is social distancing or wearing a facemask.
13:55 Troubled Florida, divided America: will Donald Trump hold this vital swing state? - video
In 2016, the narrative of the so-called “secretive Trump voter” went part of the way to explaining the billionaire property magnate’s unexpected pathway to the White House. But now, in Pinellas as in many parts of the country, Trump supporters are out in force, unafraid, empowered and organised.
Every section inside this place is designed for social media posting – there’s a second amendment wall filled with decommissioned firearms, a gumball machine stocked with spent ammunition (it doesn’t vend), and a coffee machine decorated with slurs against Democrats. At the back is a scaled reproduction of the Oval Office itself, complete with a replica Resolute Desk, cardboard cutouts of the President and first lady, and a Martin Luther King bust, wearing a red Trump 2020 cap.
I ask Gephart, a heavily built, stubbled 50-year-old, whether he thinks people might be offended by the latter. (Martin Luther King’s children are staunch critics of the president, and Trump declined to celebrate the life of civil rights icon John Lewis after his death in July.)
“Everything offends everybody these days,” he says.
The scaled reproduction of the Oval Office at Conservative Grounds. Photograph: Tom Silverstone/The Guardian
This coffee house is not just a business proposition, it is a marker of the political capital now held by grassroots Trump activists around the country. The business threw its weight behind an outsider candidate in this congressional district’s Republican primary who went on to win the race against an establishment conservative. It was the driving force behind a Trump flotilla that saw over 1,000 people take to the waters last month, drawing praise from the president himself.
But Gephart is coy about his newfound political power and organising capacity.
“We didn’t intend for it to be that, we just intended for it to become a place where people could come and socialise and have a cup of coffee, we often call it a camaraderie shop. And that camaraderie is bleeding into campaigns now too.”
There is little camaraderie when a customer labels me “fake news” and, despite his outwardly friendly demeanor, Gephart’s public Facebook page is littered with vitriolic memes, sometimes laced with Islamophobia and misogyny, which are mainstream in conservative online culture these days.
Conservative Grounds felt like a poignant place to start a road trip around America, six weeks before an election that both sides agree is the most important in a generation. This is the opening chapter of the Guardian’s Anywhere But Washington 2020 series, in which I travel to various swing states with filmmaker Tom Silverstone. Donald Trump won Pinellas County by a tiny 1% margin in 2016, and if Joe Biden wants to win back this vital swing state, he’ll need this county to turn Democrat again as it did twice for Barack Obama.
There are few pathways back to the White House for Donald Trump without winning Florida, a perennial swing state holding a critical 29 electoral college votes. A month ago Joe Biden held a commanding lead in the polls here, but that has tightened to an average of just 1.9% in recent days. At this stage it seems likely that Florida will once again go down to the wire, a daunting prospect as Trump last week declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the election.
The pandemic has curtailed official campaigning on both sides, but the election feels very alive here, particularly on the Republican side where toxic politics can often bubble over into overt racism on the turn of a dime.
The day after our visit to the coffee shop we head to a Trump flag-waving event at the recommendation of Gephart. It’s being held next to a drawbridge that connects the city to the white sands of Madeira Beach, and it takes only a few minutes for things to turn dark.
As the drawbridge lifts, the flag wavers, numbering around 50, flood out onto the road and confront a car of four young Latina women who tell me they are all Biden supporters.
“How do you like trying to find things in the grocery store?” shouts one flag waver at the women. “Because that is socialism my dear.” The women have their windows down and blare out the radio in an attempt to drown the flag wavers out.
“You ungrateful pieces of crap,” the flag waver, who is white, continues. “Get out of our country.”
As we move to question her, we’re met with chants of “shame on you” from others in the group who accuse us of being “agitators”. We decide to leave, and we’re followed back to our car by a man carrying a sign that says: “Democrats support mobs”. .
A supporter waves the flag for Trump in Florida. Photograph: Tom Silverstone/The Guardian
Biden made his first trip to the state as the Democratic nominee earlier in the month, seeking to bolster support among Latino voters by slamming Trump’s botched handling of the response to Hurricane Maria, the storm that decimated the US territory of Puerto Rico in 2017 leading thousands to leave the island for refuge here.
Trump visited the state again last Thursday, shortly before announcing Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee to fill the seat on the Supreme Court after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg.
Despite both candidates outwardly chasing diverse voting constituents amid Florida’s rapidly changing racial demographics, this state is still 54% white and Trump’s core voter here in 2016 was overwhelmingly white and older. Biden’s campaign is looking to draw away a portion of those who went for Trump last time around.
Pinellas County’s incumbent congressman, Democrat Charlie Crist, has a rich history in Florida politics and knows from experience about the difficulty of swinging Republican voters the other way. Crist, a slick operator with a head of perfectly trimmed silver hair, served as the Republican governor of Florida between 2007 and 2011. But the party abandoned him, so the story goes, after he hugged president Obama during a public event in 2009, an image which infuriated the conservative base. He became a Democrat in 2012, after a failed run for the US senate as an independent and was one of the first Democrats in Congress to endorse Biden’s campaign. The former vice president is a personal friend whom he describes as “medicine for America”.
“There is more of a coarseness to politics in America today,” says Crist as he canvases among Black voters in a neighbourhood, south St Petersburg, hit hard by the pandemic. “It’s no different here than anywhere else. And I think people are tired of it. I know they are. They are thirsting for change.”
The congressman claims to have spoken to many people who voted for Trump in 2016 who now regret it.
“They voted for Trump because they wanted change and radical change. And then they would say to me: ‘but not this radical, this is out of control.’”
But despite his optimism, neither Crist’s campaign staff nor the Pinellas County Democrat party can point me to a single person willing to talk about a change of heart. It underlines the reality: only a small percentage of Florida’s electorate, around 4-5% are really up for grabs according analysts, with the rest deeply loyal to their respective party, and it’s that critical mass that is likely to swing the vote in a tight race.
Outwardly supporting Joe Biden has become transgression at The Villages (‘Florida’s friendliest hometown’), where members of the Democratic Club have had their property damaged. Photograph: Tom Silverstone/The Guardian
We head 100 miles inland to the solid Republican heartlands in Florida’s centre for a visit to a sprawling retirement community called The Villages. It is home to 120,000 retirees who refer to it as “Disneyland for the elderly”. It’s a labyrinth of gated communities, golf courses and public squares. 98% of residents here are white, and Trump won by a huge margin in 2016.
A sign at the entrance describes this place as “Florida’s friendliest hometown” but it’s clear right away that things have changed over the past four years.
In July, a pro-Trump golfcart rally became an infamous symbol of the deep division and racism, not just here but around the country, when a Trump supporter was captured on video during a confrontation shouting “white power”. The president himself retweeted the video, before deleting it after an online backlash.
It was shocking but not surprising, says Chris Stanley, president of the Villages Democratic Club. Outwardly supporting Joe Biden has become transgression here, she says. Her members have had their property damaged, their golf carts blocked and many have lost friendship groups when declaring their political affiliation. We’re talking as she drives her golf cart, daubed in Biden signs, down a lane. Another driver gives her the middle finger as she whizzes by.
“I think it’s the way that they view Trump because he’s a bully, because he is full of really violent rhetoric,” she says. “It frees up his supporters to use the same kind of violent language.”
I tell her we’re looking for people who have switched their allegiances from Trump to Biden and she laughs. “Every journalist that comes here is looking for the same thing,” she says, “but no-one will talk to you.” She has a long list of names, but no-one is willing to talk on the record. “Even if you grant them anonymity they won’t speak.”
It’s a sobering reminder of the times we’re in, but after two days of trying we finally find one former Trump voter willing to speak his mind.
Dan Goerdt, a 70 year-old retiree who has lived here for five years regretted his 2016 ballot as he watched community relations unravel.
“I thought that [by] voting for him, he’d come in and make some changes that needed to be made, but there’s no rule of law now, it’s just rule of Trump,” he says, “He’s accomplished very little in office, he’s lied, he’s cheated. I just can’t vote for him.” Our interview is once again interrupted by a resident who drives by chanting “Go Trump!”.
“Go get in an accident,” Goerdt retorts, sarcastically.
If this new 2020 adage of the “secret Joe Biden voter” is to be believed, Trump may well be in trouble in Florida. Polling continues to indicate Biden out performing Trump with voters over 65 nationally, a recent Florida specific poll had him ahead by double digits.
But Democratic organizing efforts in the Villages, just as elsewhere in the country, continue to be hampered by the pandemic. The party here is rarely holding in-person events and is not knocking on doors to drum up support for fear of spreading the virus. There are concerns that the message is simply not getting out enough.
It’s in marked contrast to Republican outreach here, which often flies in the face of public health guidance.
Hawaiian night held by Villagers For Trump. Photograph: Tom Silverstone/The Guardian
I headed a few miles down the road to a local country club to watch an organizing event held by Villagers For Trump, another grassroots group deeply loyal to the president but not affiliated with the Republican party itself. It’s the same people that organized the infamous “white power” golf cart rally. But today’s occasion is a little more low key, a Hawaiian night featuring a keynote speech by the conservative radio host Malcolm Out Loud.
There are two sittings of around 150 guests, most of whom appear to be well over the age of 65. There is no social distancing and no-one is wearing masks. Out Loud (he has legally changed his surname) begins his speech after a group of women dressed in grass skirts perform a Hula dance to the theme of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA”.
Almost immediately it turns to dangerous misinformation and conspiracy theories about the virus. “This was never any more dangerous than any other virus,” he says, as he disputes the official death toll using discredited arguments that are now mainstream in Republican talking points. “This thing has been politicised for obvious reasons so that they can retake their power and reclaim the White House. What has their goal been since the escalator [a reference to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign announcement]? To get Donald Trump out of office.”
Everyone in the crowd nods along and applauds, as thunder clouds amass and lightning cracks over a nearby golf course.
I pull him aside after the speech to ask him if he feels comfortable delivering such a message in front of a group of at-risk people. Over 14,000 people have died from Covid-19 in this state alone, one of the worst rates in the country. 82% of those are over 65.
“Yeah, absolutely,” he says. “I’m an opinion guy, I’m a commentary guy. But then again, all your news today is opinion and commentary. There is no more news. That’s gone.”
Out Loud perhaps has a point here. Throughout my time in Florida it felt like I was witnessing two different realities, one adherent to facts and science, the other rooted in conspiracies and political dogma. It’s increasingly difficult to see which will triumph in November.


theguardian--2020-09-29--I visited Donald Trump's state park and it's not a park

We ’ ve just learned Donald Trump paid virtually no income tax in 10 of the last 15 years .
While the fragments of Trump ’ s finances are still being investigated , there ’ s one unusually large relic of his dealings just an hour ’ s drive north of New York City .
Last week , I went to Donald J Trump state park , which few people know exists , because it ’ s not really a park .
In fact , it ’ s two tracts of muddy , overgrown land between New York ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1998 for $ 2.75m , hoping to build a golf course .
Neighborhood officials halted the plan , citing environmental concerns , and the land was abandoned .
In an alternate timeline , the story would just end here .
But we ’ re living in Trump ’ s universe .
In 2006 , the reality TV mogul donated the undeveloped land to New York state , claiming it was worth $ 100m – an amount that , if claimed as a qualified conservation contribution , could have saved him a fortune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years .
( Confusingly , Trump ’ s 2016 campaign valued the land at $ 26.1m in his public list of charitable contributions . )
The lucrative donation deal was approved by Bernadette Castro , a friend of Trump ’ s and former CEO of Castro Convertibles , a pullout sofa company , who was appointed New York parks commissioner by the then Republican governor , George Pataki .
At an elaborate ceremony that year – reportedly complete with a catering tent , bottles of Trump-branded ice water , and TV crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ magnificent donation ” , and Pataki boasted the park would “ provide recreational opportunities for families and visitors ” .
Trump declared : “ I hope that these 436 acres of property will turn into one of the most beautiful parks anywhere in the world.
” Having visited the park , it all feels like a big joke .
The site is surprisingly hard to find – beyond a garish sign on the nearby Taconic State Parkway , there are no clear markers to guide potential visitors – as if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go .
It ’ s not listed on New York parks ’ website , either , although it is labelled a “ passive park ” , which means it is not maintained and has no amenities .
Upon arrival , you are greeted with nothing .
The “ parking lot ” is an empty gravel patch with a noticeboard that warns visitors to beware of ticks .
There are no restrooms , trash cans , or places to sit .
The remainder is basically bramble bushes and an empty field with bits of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is what $ 100m looks like under late capitalism .
To be fair , Donald J Trump state park has gone through its own trials and tribulations .
The “ park ” was officially closed in 2010 after budget cuts , saving the state just $ 2,500 in annual expenses .
A subsequent attempt by local residents to turn part of the land into a dog park was scrapped when it was found that some of the site ’ s decaying structures contained asbestos .
Since Trump ’ s presidency , lawmakers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last year , the New York state senator Brad Hoylman introduced two bills – one to name the state park after Heather Heyer , the 31-year-old woman who was killed by a white supremacist during the 2017 Charlottesville protests , and another that would hand the renaming process to local residents .
But both efforts have stalled , in part due to Trump ’ s sole demand in the donation contract : that the parklands would “ bear a name which includes Mr. Trump ’ s name … prominently displayed at least at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perhaps that is why New York doesn ’ t seem so keen to show the place off .
It also makes Donald J Trump state park strangely peaceful : a good place to go for a walk and ponder the president ’ s remarkable grift .

We’ve just learned Donald Trump paid virtually no income tax in 10 of the last 15 years. While the fragments of Trump’s finances are still being investigated, there’s one unusually large relic of his dealings just an hour’s drive north of New York City.
Last week, I went to Donald J Trump state park, which few people know exists, because it’s not really a park. In fact, it’s two tracts of muddy, overgrown land between New York’s Putnam and Westchester counties that Trump purchased in 1998 for $2.75m, hoping to build a golf course. Neighborhood officials halted the plan, citing environmental concerns, and the land was abandoned. In an alternate timeline, the story would just end here.
But we’re living in Trump’s universe. In 2006, the reality TV mogul donated the undeveloped land to New York state, claiming it was worth $100m – an amount that, if claimed as a qualified conservation contribution, could have saved him a fortune in income tax, potentially carried forward for years. (Confusingly, Trump’s 2016 campaign valued the land at $26.1m in his public list of charitable contributions.)
Wilfred Chan on his visit to Donald Trump state park. Photograph: Wilfred Chan
The lucrative donation deal was approved by Bernadette Castro, a friend of Trump’s and former CEO of Castro Convertibles, a pullout sofa company, who was appointed New York parks commissioner by the then Republican governor, George Pataki. At an elaborate ceremony that year – reportedly complete with a catering tent, bottles of Trump-branded ice water, and TV crew – Castro lavished praise on Trump’s “magnificent donation”, and Pataki boasted the park would “provide recreational opportunities for families and visitors”. Trump declared: “I hope that these 436 acres of property will turn into one of the most beautiful parks anywhere in the world.”
Having visited the park, it all feels like a big joke. The site is surprisingly hard to find – beyond a garish sign on the nearby Taconic State Parkway, there are no clear markers to guide potential visitors – as if the state hopes you won’t actually go. It’s not listed on New York parks’ website, either, although it is labelled a “passive park”, which means it is not maintained and has no amenities.
Upon arrival, you are greeted with nothing. The “parking lot” is an empty gravel patch with a noticeboard that warns visitors to beware of ticks. There are no restrooms, trash cans, or places to sit. The remainder is basically bramble bushes and an empty field with bits of trash. This, I guess, is what $100m looks like under late capitalism.
The parking lot at Donald Trump state park. Photograph: Wilfred Chan
To be fair, Donald J Trump state park has gone through its own trials and tribulations. The “park” was officially closed in 2010 after budget cuts, saving the state just $2,500 in annual expenses. A subsequent attempt by local residents to turn part of the land into a dog park was scrapped when it was found that some of the site’s decaying structures contained asbestos.
Since Trump’s presidency, lawmakers have tried to rename the abandoned property. Last year, the New York state senator Brad Hoylman introduced two bills – one to name the state park after Heather Heyer, the 31-year-old woman who was killed by a white supremacist during the 2017 Charlottesville protests, and another that would hand the renaming process to local residents. But both efforts have stalled, in part due to Trump’s sole demand in the donation contract: that the parklands would “bear a name which includes Mr. Trump’s name … prominently displayed at least at each entrance to each property”.
Perhaps that is why New York doesn’t seem so keen to show the place off. It also makes Donald J Trump state park strangely peaceful: a good place to go for a walk and ponder the president’s remarkable grift.


theguardian--2020-09-29--Pennsylvania politicians go topless to warn voters: don't mail in 'naked ballots'

Bethany Hallam thought the best way to dress up her message that votes are in danger of not being counted in the vital swing state of Pennsylvania was to strip it down to the basics , so she did – literally .
“ Do you want to get naked to save democracy ?
” fellow Allegheny county council member Olivia Bennett said Hallam asked her a few days ago .
The two councilwomen recruited a third “ badass ” , state representative-elect Emily Kinkead , and posed for the camera , shedding their clothes and then posting the results on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images of the “ secrecy envelope ” being sent out to Pennsylvanians along with their ballots for postal voting .
If voters mail in their ballot without putting it first in the secrecy envelope and then putting that inside the outer , addressed envelope , the authorities will not count the vote and it will be discarded as a “ naked ballot ” .
So Hallam and her allies wanted to warn voters of the threat .
With Pennsylvania not normally allowing mass mail-in voting , and with the arcane rule about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 100,000 votes mailed in the state during this coronavirus pandemic could end up being invalidated as naked ballots .
As every ballot matters in a vital swing state with super-thin voting margins Hallam hit on the drastic idea of getting nude herself to highlight the issue .
“ Immediately when I heard the term naked ballots , and being a woman in the male-dominated environment of politics , where they are always trying to control our bodies , I thought , ‘ Why not take some control back ?
And also get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Guardian .
Hallam is the Democratic councilwoman at large for Allegheny county , which includes Pittsburgh .
Obviously she wants Joe Biden to beat Donald Trump to the White House in November – and Trump won Pennsylvania by only around 44,000 votes in 2016 – but she said she ’ s keen to remind all voters that their vote should count , for the presidency and in a sheaf of down-ballot contests , too .
“ Races are sometimes decided by a handful of votes , ” she said .
Hallam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her campaign to make every vote count .
“ It was empowering .
And to stand alongside two other badass elected officials that I enjoy working with … we were having a blast and also helping voters , ” she said .
Hallam said some other Democrats have pledged to join in , some more elected women have planned to pose for similar pictures on Monday and , later in the week , some men .
She ’ s extended the invitation to Republicans , but none has taken her up on it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public to join in .
Since she , Bennett and Kinkead posted on a variety of social media platforms on Saturday more than a million people have viewed the posts .
There have been many supportive comments but of course some backlash .
Hallam said some guy called her parents ’ home at 2am saying , “ Your daughter ’ s tits are all over the internet ” , which , technically , they aren ’ t .
“ And someone posted , ‘ I hope you socialist sluts get raped ’ , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neither surprised nor shaken .
Some have commented on Bennett ’ s visible tattoo of Tinkerbell flying over the logo of the Pittsburgh Steelers .
Bennett explained that she has always loved Disney and is a lifelong super fan of the Steelers , but added she ’ s been boycotting the NFL for four years since the league froze out Colin Kaepernick for his campaign to take a knee during the national anthem before games in order to highlight racism and police brutality .
Meanwhile , she said she didn ’ t hesitate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her no-naked-ballots drive .
The two councilwomen often work together on their shared priority policies around criminal justice reform and police accountability , protecting the environment , promoting LGBTQ equality and protecting workers ’ rights .
Hallam beat out a 20-year council incumbent last year , running on a progressive platform , and also her experience as a millennial in recovery from drug dependency , which stemmed from being prescribed opioids for back-to-back sports injuries as a high schooler , and later spending time behind bars , including six months in county jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their naked ballots campaign is especially important right now because Pennsylvania primary races earlier this year allowed naked ballots to be counted , but then the state supreme court ruled that in November ’ s election , ballots not mailed in the additional secrecy envelope would not be counted .
Hallam said : “ It ’ s confusing unless you read the small print , and no-one does that .
So I had an idea … ”

Bethany Hallam thought the best way to dress up her message that votes are in danger of not being counted in the vital swing state of Pennsylvania was to strip it down to the basics, so she did – literally.
“Do you want to get naked to save democracy?” fellow Allegheny county council member Olivia Bennett said Hallam asked her a few days ago.
“I said: OK!” Bennett recalled, laughing.
The two councilwomen recruited a third “badass”, state representative-elect Emily Kinkead, and posed for the camera, shedding their clothes and then posting the results on social media with their breasts hidden behind images of the “secrecy envelope” being sent out to Pennsylvanians along with their ballots for postal voting.
If voters mail in their ballot without putting it first in the secrecy envelope and then putting that inside the outer, addressed envelope, the authorities will not count the vote and it will be discarded as a “naked ballot”. So Hallam and her allies wanted to warn voters of the threat.
Desperate times call for desperate measures! So your favorite elected officials got naked so that you remember to make sure that your mail-in ballot is NOT submitted without its secrecy envelope!! #nonakedballots #dressyourballot pic.twitter.com/bQXaQRHj0j — Bethany Hallam (@bethanyhallam) September 26, 2020
With Pennsylvania not normally allowing mass mail-in voting, and with the arcane rule about the extra envelope, officials warn that up to 100,000 votes mailed in the state during this coronavirus pandemic could end up being invalidated as naked ballots.
As every ballot matters in a vital swing state with super-thin voting margins Hallam hit on the drastic idea of getting nude herself to highlight the issue.
“Immediately when I heard the term naked ballots, and being a woman in the male-dominated environment of politics, where they are always trying to control our bodies, I thought, ‘Why not take some control back? And also get the voters’ attention,” Hallam told the Guardian.
Hallam is the Democratic councilwoman at large for Allegheny county, which includes Pittsburgh. Obviously she wants Joe Biden to beat Donald Trump to the White House in November – and Trump won Pennsylvania by only around 44,000 votes in 2016 – but she said she’s keen to remind all voters that their vote should count, for the presidency and in a sheaf of down-ballot contests, too.
“Races are sometimes decided by a handful of votes,” she said.
Hallam said she had fun posing joyfully for her campaign to make every vote count.
“It was empowering. And to stand alongside two other badass elected officials that I enjoy working with … we were having a blast and also helping voters,” she said.
Hallam said some other Democrats have pledged to join in, some more elected women have planned to pose for similar pictures on Monday and, later in the week, some men. She’s extended the invitation to Republicans, but none has taken her up on it yet. And she wants the general public to join in.
Since she, Bennett and Kinkead posted on a variety of social media platforms on Saturday more than a million people have viewed the posts.
There have been many supportive comments but of course some backlash.
Hallam said some guy called her parents’ home at 2am saying, “Your daughter’s tits are all over the internet”, which, technically, they aren’t.
“And someone posted, ‘I hope you socialist sluts get raped’,” Hallam said.
The women were neither surprised nor shaken.
Some have commented on Bennett’s visible tattoo of Tinkerbell flying over the logo of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bennett explained that she has always loved Disney and is a lifelong super fan of the Steelers, but added she’s been boycotting the NFL for four years since the league froze out Colin Kaepernick for his campaign to take a knee during the national anthem before games in order to highlight racism and police brutality.
Meanwhile, she said she didn’t hesitate when Hallam asked her to disrobe for her no-naked-ballots drive.
The two councilwomen often work together on their shared priority policies around criminal justice reform and police accountability, protecting the environment, promoting LGBTQ equality and protecting workers’ rights.
Hallam beat out a 20-year council incumbent last year, running on a progressive platform, and also her experience as a millennial in recovery from drug dependency, which stemmed from being prescribed opioids for back-to-back sports injuries as a high schooler, and later spending time behind bars, including six months in county jail, for related offenses.
Hallam said their naked ballots campaign is especially important right now because Pennsylvania primary races earlier this year allowed naked ballots to be counted, but then the state supreme court ruled that in November’s election, ballots not mailed in the additional secrecy envelope would not be counted.
Hallam said: “It’s confusing unless you read the small print, and no-one does that. So I had an idea … ”


theguardian--2020-09-30--Biden and Trump trade insults in frenzied presidential debate – video highlights

The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden deteriorated into an ugly display of contempt on Tuesday night @ @ @ @ @ interrupted and attacked his Democratic rival during clashes over the coronavirus pandemic , racism , @ @ @ @ @ and the future of the supreme court • A mess of Trump 's making : @ @ @ @ @ presidential debate

The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden deteriorated into an ugly display of contempt on Tuesday night, as the president relentlessly interrupted and attacked his Democratic rival during clashes over the coronavirus pandemic, racism, the economy, mail-in voting and the future of the supreme court


theguardian--2020-09-30--Biden tells Trump 'you are the worst president America has ever had' in battle over taxes – video

During the first presidential debate , Donald Trump was pressed on the New York Times story over his tax returns @ @ @ @ @ only $ 750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017 .
The president claimed @ @ @ @ @ ” in income taxes and said he would release his tax returns soon , which @ @ @ @ @ 2015 .
Joe Biden said Trump 'does take advantage of the tax code ' and @ @ @ @ @ schoolteacher ' .
Trump shrugged off the criticism , saying all business leaders do the @ @ @ @ @ ' .
The exchange escalated with Biden telling his rival : 'You are the worst @ @ @ @ @ '

During the first presidential debate, Donald Trump was pressed on the New York Times story over his tax returns, which showed he paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017. The president claimed he had paid “millions” in income taxes and said he would release his tax returns soon, which he has been saying since 2015.
Joe Biden said Trump 'does take advantage of the tax code' and 'pays less tax than a schoolteacher'. Trump shrugged off the criticism, saying all business leaders do the same 'unless they are stupid'. The exchange escalated with Biden telling his rival: 'You are the worst president America has ever had'