theguardian--2020-07-09--Biden unveils $700bn 'buy American' proposal to revive US industry

In an election year shaped by overlapping national crises , Joe Biden on Thursday laid out an optimistic economic vision , presenting a moment of turmoil as a “ tremendous opportunity ” to revive American industry , address systemic inequality , and prepare the US for threats posed by future pandemics and climate change .
At a metalworks near his home town of Scranton in Pennsylvania , Biden delivered the first in a series of speeches detailing his economic agenda and framed around a new slogan : “ Build Back Better ” .
In a speech full of populist appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the engine of American prosperity – now ” and accused Donald Trump of protecting wealthy “ cronies and pals ” instead of working-class families .
“ Throughout this crisis , Donald Trump has been almost singularly focused on the stock market , the Dow , the Nasdaq – not you , not your families , ” the former vice-president said .
“ If I am fortunate enough to be elected president , I ’ ll be laser-focused on working families.
” Biden directly challenged Trump over his stewardship of the economy , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his greatest – perhaps only – advantage .
Though Biden dominates national and battleground state polling , voters consistently say they have more confidence in Trump ’ s handling of economic concerns .
Before his remarks , Biden ’ s campaign unveiled a proposal to invest $ 300bn in research and development of technologies such as electric vehicles , 5G cellular networks and artificial intelligence , and an additional $ 400bn for federal procurement of products made in the US .
The plan would create “ at least 5m new jobs in manufacturing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outline provided by the campaign , which touted the “ largest mobilization of public investments in procurement , infrastructure and [ research and development ] since the second world war ” .
Other policies include making it easier for workers to unionize and bargain collectively , and tightening enforcement of “ buy American ” laws designed to protect American industry .
The push to “ buy American ” and create jobs is part of a broader economic platform to “ mobilize the American people ” , which includes , according to the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy future ” ; support for caregivers and domestic workers ; and racial equality .
Biden will roll out policy blueprints on those subjects in the coming weeks before the convention in August , his campaign said .
During the primary , Biden was criticized from the left for failing to call for “ big structural change ” like his rivals Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren .
But under historic unemployment and widespread financial uncertainty , Biden has started outlining an economic vision that compares in ambition and scale to Franklin Roosevelt ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden said the pandemic , compounded by protests against police brutality , had shifted public opinion by exposing stark racial and economic disparities .
“ The blinders have been taken off the bulk of the American people , ” he said .
Biden ’ s economic recovery plan draws from his primary opponents , most of whom embraced sweeping plans such as Medicare for All and the Green New Deal .
It includes a version of a plan first proposed by Warren , a contender to be Biden ’ s running mate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy US-made products and create jobs .
Warren and other former rivals including Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar , and potential vice-presidential picks including Tammy Duckworth and Gretchen Whitmer , are expected to tout the plan this week , demonstrating a united Democratic front .
The economic agenda contains some echoes to Trump ’ s “ America first ” approach .
But the Biden campaign says Trump ’ s promise to “ buy American ” is mostly empty rhetoric , pointing to a rise in foreign procurement and the continued offshoring of jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to talk , and talk and talk , ” Biden said .
“ But after three and a half years of big promises , what do the American people have to show for it ?
” Biden argued that Trump ’ s handling of the world ’ s largest economy – from the imposition of tariffs to trade negotiations with China and the 2017 tax cuts – have hurt ordinary American workers and benefited multinationals and Wall Street .
To pay for his spending plans , Biden has proposed reversing tax cuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections rise , Biden continues to enjoy a steady lead in national and battleground polling .
According to a recent Pew Research analysis , the economy is perhaps Trump ’ s lone advantage .
Voters consistently say Biden is better suited to handle the pandemic , race relations and foreign policy .
Biden accused Trump of bungling the response to the coronavirus , emphatically stating : “ His failures come with a terrible human cost and a deep economic toll .
“ Time and time again , working families are paying the price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has continued to push states to reopen businesses and schools .
Several Republican governors who heeded calls to open are now facing serious outbreaks .
On Thursday , the Trump campaign issued a new TV ad attacking Biden ’ s “ dangerous and foolish ” economic record .
The 30-second spot highlights the then Delaware senator ’ s 1993 vote for the Nafta trade deal that critics say harmed US workers , his support for growing trade relations with China , and his advocacy on behalf of the Trans Pacific Partnership as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Pennsylvania on Thursday , to attend a business roundtable focused on reopening the economy and to address Philadelphia police .
The dueling visits underscore the electoral importance of a state that went narrowly for Trump in 2016 .
Recent polling has Biden leading Trump in Pennsylvania , though the margin has narrowed .
As Biden neared the end of his speech , he invoked state history , addressing debate surrounding the removal of Confederate flags and monuments , which Trump has resisted in an attempt to cast himself as a protector of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think Trump has any idea that 360,000 Pennsylvanians fought on the side of the Union to defeat that flag – including more black soldiers than any other state ?
” Biden said .
“ Do you think he has any clue that 33,000 Pennsylvanians died in the civil war fighting against everything that flag stood for .
“ I see a different America than Trump .
”

In an election year shaped by overlapping national crises, Joe Biden on Thursday laid out an optimistic economic vision, presenting a moment of turmoil as a “tremendous opportunity” to revive American industry, address systemic inequality, and prepare the US for threats posed by future pandemics and climate change.
At a metalworks near his home town of Scranton in Pennsylvania, Biden delivered the first in a series of speeches detailing his economic agenda and framed around a new slogan: “Build Back Better”. In a speech full of populist appeal, Biden declared manufacturing “part of the engine of American prosperity – now” and accused Donald Trump of protecting wealthy “cronies and pals” instead of working-class families.
“Throughout this crisis, Donald Trump has been almost singularly focused on the stock market, the Dow, the Nasdaq – not you, not your families,” the former vice-president said. “If I am fortunate enough to be elected president, I’ll be laser-focused on working families.”
Biden directly challenged Trump over his stewardship of the economy, which the president’s campaign see as his greatest – perhaps only – advantage. Though Biden dominates national and battleground state polling, voters consistently say they have more confidence in Trump’s handling of economic concerns.
Before his remarks, Biden’s campaign unveiled a proposal to invest $300bn in research and development of technologies such as electric vehicles, 5G cellular networks and artificial intelligence, and an additional $400bn for federal procurement of products made in the US. The plan would create “at least 5m new jobs in manufacturing and innovation”, according to an outline provided by the campaign, which touted the “largest mobilization of public investments in procurement, infrastructure and [research and development] since the second world war”.
Other policies include making it easier for workers to unionize and bargain collectively, and tightening enforcement of “buy American” laws designed to protect American industry.
The push to “buy American” and create jobs is part of a broader economic platform to “mobilize the American people”, which includes, according to the campaign, an investment in a “clean energy future”; support for caregivers and domestic workers; and racial equality. Biden will roll out policy blueprints on those subjects in the coming weeks before the convention in August, his campaign said.
During the primary, Biden was criticized from the left for failing to call for “big structural change” like his rivals Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. But under historic unemployment and widespread financial uncertainty, Biden has started outlining an economic vision that compares in ambition and scale to Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.
On Thursday, Biden said the pandemic, compounded by protests against police brutality, had shifted public opinion by exposing stark racial and economic disparities.
“The blinders have been taken off the bulk of the American people,” he said.
Biden’s economic recovery plan draws from his primary opponents, most of whom embraced sweeping plans such as Medicare for All and the Green New Deal. It includes a version of a plan first proposed by Warren, a contender to be Biden’s running mate, to leverage the federal procurement process to buy US-made products and create jobs.
Biden at the metalworks on Thursday. Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images
Warren and other former rivals including Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar, and potential vice-presidential picks including Tammy Duckworth and Gretchen Whitmer, are expected to tout the plan this week, demonstrating a united Democratic front.
The economic agenda contains some echoes to Trump’s “America first” approach. But the Biden campaign says Trump’s promise to “buy American” is mostly empty rhetoric, pointing to a rise in foreign procurement and the continued offshoring of jobs by US companies.
“Donald Trump wants to talk, and talk and talk,” Biden said. “But after three and a half years of big promises, what do the American people have to show for it?”
Biden argued that Trump’s handling of the world’s largest economy – from the imposition of tariffs to trade negotiations with China and the 2017 tax cuts – have hurt ordinary American workers and benefited multinationals and Wall Street. To pay for his spending plans, Biden has proposed reversing tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
As coronavirus infections rise, Biden continues to enjoy a steady lead in national and battleground polling. According to a recent Pew Research analysis, the economy is perhaps Trump’s lone advantage. Voters consistently say Biden is better suited to handle the pandemic, race relations and foreign policy.
Biden accused Trump of bungling the response to the coronavirus, emphatically stating: “His failures come with a terrible human cost and a deep economic toll.
“Time and time again, working families are paying the price for Donald Trump’s incompetence.”
Trump has continued to push states to reopen businesses and schools. Several Republican governors who heeded calls to open are now facing serious outbreaks.
On Thursday, the Trump campaign issued a new TV ad attacking Biden’s “dangerous and foolish” economic record. The 30-second spot highlights the then Delaware senator’s 1993 vote for the Nafta trade deal that critics say harmed US workers, his support for growing trade relations with China, and his advocacy on behalf of the Trans Pacific Partnership as vice-president.
Vice-President Mike Pence was also in Pennsylvania on Thursday, to attend a business roundtable focused on reopening the economy and to address Philadelphia police.
The dueling visits underscore the electoral importance of a state that went narrowly for Trump in 2016. Recent polling has Biden leading Trump in Pennsylvania, though the margin has narrowed.
As Biden neared the end of his speech, he invoked state history, addressing debate surrounding the removal of Confederate flags and monuments, which Trump has resisted in an attempt to cast himself as a protector of “our heritage”.
“Do you think Trump has any idea that 360,000 Pennsylvanians fought on the side of the Union to defeat that flag – including more black soldiers than any other state?” Biden said. “Do you think he has any clue that 33,000 Pennsylvanians died in the civil war fighting against everything that flag stood for.
“I see a different America than Trump.”


theguardian--2020-07-09--Fauci says states with surging Covid-19 cases should pause reopening efforts

As the US set a world record for most Covid-19 cases in one day , with 60,000 reported on Wednesday , Dr Anthony Fauci , a senior member of the White House coronavirus taskforce , said states needed to pause reopening efforts .
“ Rather than think in terms of reverting back down to a complete shutdown , I would think we need to get the states pausing in their opening process , ” the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told the Hill .
Fauci ’ s comment represented a retreat from a remark made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , when he said “ any state that is having a serious problem , that state should seriously look at shutting down ” again .
Fauci has been attacked by Donald Trump and reportedly barred from major media appearances but he has found other ways to reach the American public , speaking to webcasts and in testimony before a Senate committee .
In remarks published by the Journal on Thursday and likely to anger the president , Fauci said the government needed to do better in making the case for personal responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get people like myself , like my colleagues , out there more.
” Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland reported the record daily figure .
According to the same source , the US has more than 3m confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 132,000 deaths .
States that sought to reopen from late May , Texas and Florida among them , are experiencing precipitous rises in cases and pressure on hospital resources .
Arizona , another state experiencing a surge , has seen long queues for tests and claims minorities have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , city authorities have appealed for federal help .
In his remarks on Wednesday , Fauci also said it “ wasn ’ t for me to say ” which states should shut down and when , “ because each state is different ” .
But a pattern is emerging .
Texas , Florida and Arizona are run by Republican governors allied to the president .
So is Oklahoma , where the Tulsa public health chief said on Wednesday a Trump rally there in June “ likely contributed ” to a dramatic surge in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days , we ’ ve seen almost 500 new cases , and we had several large events just over two weeks ago , so I guess we just connect the dots , ” said Dr Bruce Dart , also referring to protests over the police killing of George Floyd , though those were outdoors where risk of transmission is lower .
On Thursday , the White House press secretary , Kayleigh McEnany , told reporters : “ We have not seen data to reflect [ Dart ’ s claims ] , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many observers charge that Trump has placed his re-election above the health and safety of millions .
The president has also insisted Covid-19 will “ disappear ” and that 99 % of cases are harmless .
It has been reported that the White House wants to switch to telling the public the virus just has to be lived with .
The Republican party still intends to hold large events in Jacksonville , Florida , at the end of August , having switched most of its convention from Charlotte , North Carolina , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Covid-19 .
On Wednesday , Trump indicated the party might be “ flexible ” about going to Florida .
On Thursday morning , he complained on Twitter : “ For the 1/100th [ sic ] time , the reason we show so many Cases , compared to other countries that haven ’ t done nearly as well as we have , is that our TESTING is much bigger and better .
We have tested 40,000,000 people .
If we did 20,000,000 instead , Cases would be half , etc .
NOT REPORTED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact repeatedly pointed out that such claims on testing are nonsensical and merely an attempt to deflect from rising case numbers .
“ Increased testing isn ’ t the reason for the surge in coronavirus cases , ” said Joe Biden , Trump ’ s challenger for the presidency .
“ Donald Trump ’ s failed leadership is.
” Case numbers are also rising in states , New York and New Jersey prominent among them , which were hotspots but have introduced measures to reopen .
Some such measures are now being paused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering reinstating its stay-at-home order , Eric Garcetti , the mayor , said on Wednesday .
On Thursday , Andrew Cuomo , the governor of New York , retweeted a message lamenting a previous daily record .
It said : “ Yesterday the US hit a record high for new Covid cases .
WEAR A MASK.
” Trump refuses to wear a mask in public and though Republicans from Vice-President Mike Pence down do and generally encourage the public to follow suit , the administration has refused to contemplate a national mandate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have flowered between governors and mayors who implement mask mandates or seek to do so .
Trump has also threatened to withdraw funding from public schools that do not reopen fully in September .
New York City , the biggest such system in the US , will not do so .
On Wednesday , the education secretary , Betsy DeVos , said Trump ’ s extraordinary threat , which would hit many of the neediest families in the country , could yet be carried out .
Trump has also pushed for federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so , in the words of Pence , they will not be “ too tough ” .
At the White House on Thursday , Trump insisted that in children “ the immune system is so powerful , so strong ” , and said : “ We have to open our schools.
” Randi Weingarten , president of the American Federation of Teachers , told NBC : “ Those of us who have spent our lives teaching kids are not going to take a risk with kids or with our members ’ lives [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proper safeguards , they want to be in classrooms.
” If schools reopen without necessary safeguards , Weingarten said , “ we ’ re going to have a lot of [ teachers ] retire early , quit , take a leave .
So , at the very same time that kids need these experienced teachers … we ’ re going to see a huge brain drain in the next few weeks .
”

As the US set a world record for most Covid-19 cases in one day, with 60,000 reported on Wednesday, Dr Anthony Fauci, a senior member of the White House coronavirus taskforce, said states needed to pause reopening efforts.
“Rather than think in terms of reverting back down to a complete shutdown, I would think we need to get the states pausing in their opening process,” the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told the Hill.
Fauci’s comment represented a retreat from a remark made on a Wall Street Journal podcast on Wednesday, when he said “any state that is having a serious problem, that state should seriously look at shutting down” again.
Fauci has been attacked by Donald Trump and reportedly barred from major media appearances but he has found other ways to reach the American public, speaking to webcasts and in testimony before a Senate committee.
In remarks published by the Journal on Thursday and likely to anger the president, Fauci said the government needed to do better in making the case for personal responsibility and added: “We need to get people like myself, like my colleagues, out there more.”
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland reported the record daily figure. According to the same source, the US has more than 3m confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 132,000 deaths.
States that sought to reopen from late May, Texas and Florida among them, are experiencing precipitous rises in cases and pressure on hospital resources. Arizona, another state experiencing a surge, has seen long queues for tests and claims minorities have been abandoned by state government. In Phoenix, city authorities have appealed for federal help.
In his remarks on Wednesday, Fauci also said it “wasn’t for me to say” which states should shut down and when, “because each state is different”. But a pattern is emerging. Texas, Florida and Arizona are run by Republican governors allied to the president. So is Oklahoma, where the Tulsa public health chief said on Wednesday a Trump rally there in June “likely contributed” to a dramatic surge in cases.
“In the past few days, we’ve seen almost 500 new cases, and we had several large events just over two weeks ago, so I guess we just connect the dots,” said Dr Bruce Dart, also referring to protests over the police killing of George Floyd, though those were outdoors where risk of transmission is lower.
On Thursday, the White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, told reporters: “We have not seen data to reflect [Dart’s claims], and we do not regret holding the rally.”
Many observers charge that Trump has placed his re-election above the health and safety of millions. The president has also insisted Covid-19 will “disappear” and that 99% of cases are harmless. It has been reported that the White House wants to switch to telling the public the virus just has to be lived with.
The Republican party still intends to hold large events in Jacksonville, Florida, at the end of August, having switched most of its convention from Charlotte, North Carolina, where a Democratic governor insisted on tight measures against Covid-19. On Wednesday, Trump indicated the party might be “flexible” about going to Florida.
On Thursday morning, he complained on Twitter: “For the 1/100th [sic] time, the reason we show so many Cases, compared to other countries that haven’t done nearly as well as we have, is that our TESTING is much bigger and better. We have tested 40,000,000 people. If we did 20,000,000 instead, Cases would be half, etc. NOT REPORTED!”
Reporters and factcheckers have in fact repeatedly pointed out that such claims on testing are nonsensical and merely an attempt to deflect from rising case numbers.
“Increased testing isn’t the reason for the surge in coronavirus cases,” said Joe Biden, Trump’s challenger for the presidency. “Donald Trump’s failed leadership is.”
Case numbers are also rising in states, New York and New Jersey prominent among them, which were hotspots but have introduced measures to reopen. Some such measures are now being paused. In California, Los Angeles is considering reinstating its stay-at-home order, Eric Garcetti, the mayor, said on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, retweeted a message lamenting a previous daily record. It said: “Yesterday the US hit a record high for new Covid cases. WEAR A MASK.”
Trump refuses to wear a mask in public and though Republicans from Vice-President Mike Pence down do and generally encourage the public to follow suit, the administration has refused to contemplate a national mandate. Tensions, often exacerbated by partisan politics, have flowered between governors and mayors who implement mask mandates or seek to do so.
Trump has also threatened to withdraw funding from public schools that do not reopen fully in September. New York City, the biggest such system in the US, will not do so. On Wednesday, the education secretary, Betsy DeVos, said Trump’s extraordinary threat, which would hit many of the neediest families in the country, could yet be carried out.
Trump has also pushed for federal guidelines on school reopening to be rewritten so, in the words of Pence, they will not be “too tough”. At the White House on Thursday, Trump insisted that in children “the immune system is so powerful, so strong”, and said: “We have to open our schools.”
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, told NBC: “Those of us who have spent our lives teaching kids are not going to take a risk with kids or with our members’ lives [but] if [teachers] had the proper safeguards, they want to be in classrooms.”
If schools reopen without necessary safeguards, Weingarten said, “we’re going to have a lot of [teachers] retire early, quit, take a leave. So, at the very same time that kids need these experienced teachers … we’re going to see a huge brain drain in the next few weeks.”


theguardian--2020-07-09--Some Republican senators to skip national convention due to pandemic

A handful of Republican senators have said they are not planning to attend the Republican national convention in Jacksonville , Florida , later this summer .
That group includes the Republican party ’ s oldest senator , Chuck Grassley of Iowa .
Grassley , 86 , told the Des Moines Register that he did not plan to attend “ because of the virus situation ” .
It will be the first time in 40 years that Grassley will not attend the convention , where delegates are due to officially renominate Donald Trump as the Republican party ’ s candidate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Thursday the Kansas senator Pat Roberts , a Republican who is retiring , told reporters he is unlikely to attend as well .
Roberts ’ office did not respond to a request for comment by the Guardian .
The Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , the highest-ranking Republican in his chamber , was also asked about some of his colleagues not planning to go .
“ Well , it ’ s a challenging situation , ” McConnell said .
“ A number of my colleagues have announced that they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll have to wait and see how things look in late August to determine whether or not we can safely convene.
” Trump himself has expressed eagerness to host a convention even amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
He wants to replicate the large roaring crowds he ’ s enjoyed at past rallies , despite warnings from health officials .
Other senators who often clash with the president are not planning to attend .
The Utah senator Mitt Romney and the Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski , both of whom have split with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going either , according to the Washington Post .
The Post also reported that the Maine senator Susan Collins was not going to go to the event either .
An aide noted to the paper that Collins does not go to conventions in years when she is running for re-election .
The Tennessee senator Lamar Alexander also will not be attending .
“ Senator Alexander is an honorary chair of the Tennessee Trump campaign , but he will not be attending the convention because he believes the delegate spots should be reserved for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before as he has had , ” Alexander ’ s spokesperson Ashton Davies said .
Iowa ’ s other senator , Joni Ernst , said she was planning to attend but that could change .
It is unclear if more senators will opt to skip the convention .
Some of the senators who are passing on the convention have been the source of ire from Trump and worked to maintain a more moderate position within the GOP .
But others who are not going , like Collins , also have to factor in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not vote reliably Republican .
Ernst also is facing a serious re-election fight .
Democrats have taken a more cautious approach in organizing their convention in August , where the former vice-president Joe Biden will be formally nominated as the party ’ s general election presidential candidate .
Some of the convention will be held virtually and some of it will still be in person in Milwaukee .
That move is meant to prevent the coronavirus from spreading .
On Thursday the Washington Post reported that Republican party officials are considering hosting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported , has been presented with the possibility of hosting the convention outside and will probably make a decision in the coming days .

A handful of Republican senators have said they are not planning to attend the Republican national convention in Jacksonville, Florida, later this summer.
That group includes the Republican party’s oldest senator, Chuck Grassley of Iowa. Grassley, 86, told the Des Moines Register that he did not plan to attend “because of the virus situation”.
It will be the first time in 40 years that Grassley will not attend the convention, where delegates are due to officially renominate Donald Trump as the Republican party’s candidate for president ahead of the November election.
On Thursday the Kansas senator Pat Roberts, a Republican who is retiring, told reporters he is unlikely to attend as well. Roberts’ office did not respond to a request for comment by the Guardian.
The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, the highest-ranking Republican in his chamber, was also asked about some of his colleagues not planning to go.
“Well, it’s a challenging situation,” McConnell said. “A number of my colleagues have announced that they’re not going to attend and we’ll have to wait and see how things look in late August to determine whether or not we can safely convene.”
Trump himself has expressed eagerness to host a convention even amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He wants to replicate the large roaring crowds he’s enjoyed at past rallies, despite warnings from health officials.
Other senators who often clash with the president are not planning to attend. The Utah senator Mitt Romney and the Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski, both of whom have split with the president on multiple occasions, are not going either, according to the Washington Post. The Post also reported that the Maine senator Susan Collins was not going to go to the event either. An aide noted to the paper that Collins does not go to conventions in years when she is running for re-election.
The Tennessee senator Lamar Alexander also will not be attending.
“Senator Alexander is an honorary chair of the Tennessee Trump campaign, but he will not be attending the convention because he believes the delegate spots should be reserved for those who have not had that privilege before as he has had,” Alexander’s spokesperson Ashton Davies said.
Iowa’s other senator, Joni Ernst, said she was planning to attend but that could change.
It is unclear if more senators will opt to skip the convention. Some of the senators who are passing on the convention have been the source of ire from Trump and worked to maintain a more moderate position within the GOP.
But others who are not going, like Collins, also have to factor in tough re-election fights in states that do not vote reliably Republican. Ernst also is facing a serious re-election fight.
Democrats have taken a more cautious approach in organizing their convention in August, where the former vice-president Joe Biden will be formally nominated as the party’s general election presidential candidate. Some of the convention will be held virtually and some of it will still be in person in Milwaukee. That move is meant to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.
On Thursday the Washington Post reported that Republican party officials are considering hosting the convention outdoors. Trump, the Post reported, has been presented with the possibility of hosting the convention outside and will probably make a decision in the coming days.


theguardian--2020-07-09--The supreme court just delivered a huge blow to Trump's belief that he's above the law | Lloyd Green

Donald Trump ’ s future may rest with the nation ’ s voters and a New York grand jury , although not necessarily in that order .
On Thursday , the US supreme court upheld a subpoena issued by Manhattan ’ s district attorney , Cyrus Vance , which demands eight years of Trump ’ s tax returns .
Once again , Trump ’ s secrets are no longer his own .
Voting 7-2 , the high court rejected the president ’ s contention that he was immune from investigation simply because he lives in the White House .
Writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chief Justice John Roberts argued : “ We can not conclude that absolute immunity is necessary or appropriate under article II or the supremacy clause.
” Trump learned the hard way that the US constitution is neither invisibility cloak nor rag .
It is also not whatever the president says it is .
As Roberts framed things , “ No citizen , not even the president , is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding.
” Significantly , under the court ’ s ruling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oversight of the proceedings .
In a separate ruling , issued minutes later and by a 7-2 margin , the court rejected the president ’ s contention that Congress had no right whatsoever to review his tax returns and financials .
Roberts observed : “ When Congress seeks information ‘ needed for intelligent legislative action ’ , it ‘ unquestionably ’ remains ‘ the duty of all citizens to cooperate ’ .
” The House of Representatives had cast a particular eye on Trump ’ s relationship with Deutsche Bank , his de @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On the other hand , the court denied Congress instant access to the records .
The majority held that the lower courts had paid insufficient attention to the issue of separation of powers and the potential for encroachment upon the executive branch .
In other words , this battle will continue beyond Trump ’ s tenure unless a Biden administration weighs in .
And even then .
The decisions came on the final day of the court ’ s 2019-20 term , but they could not have arrived at a worse moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four months to the election and once again the president is ensnared in a snare of his own making .
A porn star , a Playboy model and alleged hush money are again on stage .
Even before the supreme court announced its rulings , Trump had used Twitter to complain of harassment .
After the court went on summer vacation , the president kvetched about its lack of deference .
Practically speaking , it is unlikely that Trump ’ s returns will be shared with the public any time soon .
Separately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form is on a 45-day extension .
It is the sole legally mandated window into the president ’ s holdings and income .
As for New York ’ s prosecutors , the operative issues appear to be whether the Trump Organization deducted the payments from reported income , the legality of such a move under state law , and who in Trump ’ s orbit greenlighted the deduction if taken .
Lurking in the foreground is the implicit question : what did Trump know and when did he know it ?
The record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an officer of the Trump Organization and Trump ’ s personal lawyer , orchestrated payments to the former adult film star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal at the behest of his client , Trump .
Cohen pleaded guilty to related federal crimes in 2018 .
At the time , the justice department essentially tagged the chief executive as an unindicted co-conspirator .
Government filings expressly tie Trump , AKA “ Individual-1 ” , to Cohen .
( As a coda , within hours of the court ’ s rulings , Cohen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violating the terms of his Covid-19 release from prison . )
From here onward , Kayleigh McEnany , the president ’ s spokeswoman , will be forced to refer questions about Trump ’ s taxes to his personal lawyers for answers that will never come .
McEnany wants us to believe that her boss is “ the most informed person on planet Earth when it comes to the threats that we face ” .
Then there is political reality .
Despite Trump ’ s assurances , the US is not “ in great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot like the Grim Reaper ’ s scythe .
Support for Trump is withering where Covid-19 ’ s march goes uninterrupted .
The president ’ s base is not blind .
Even the tech baron Peter Thiel , who donated more than $ 1m to Trump ’ s 2016 run , likens his re-election effort to a marooned boat skippered by a hapless crew .
Loyalty can survive only so much abuse and incompetence .
Vance , the Manhattan district attorney , and the Trumps have some history .
Less than a decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Donald Jr over their role in the Trump Soho project , an undersold condominium-hotel in lower Manhattan .
The optics were messy , to say the least .
Vance received a $ 25,000 contribution – which he returned – from Marc Kasowitz , another Trump lawyer .
This time around , however , the Trumps may not be so lucky .
Four decades ago , Vance ’ s father served as Jimmy Carter ’ s secretary of state .
But in 1980 , the elder Vance resigned over a botched effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Vance père had opposed the operation from its outset and quit over principle .
Ultimately , his nexus to the president did not mean all that much .
Against that backdrop , don ’ t bet on Vance fils being played by Trump a second time .
The current president is a wounded politician facing electoral elimination – just like President Carter .
There ’ s no upside to Vance balking at an indictment if he has the goods .
The Vances know what roadkill looks like .
• None An attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition research counsel to George HW Bush ’ s 1988 campaign and served in the Department of Justice from 1990 to 1992

Donald Trump’s future may rest with the nation’s voters and a New York grand jury, although not necessarily in that order. On Thursday, the US supreme court upheld a subpoena issued by Manhattan’s district attorney, Cyrus Vance, which demands eight years of Trump’s tax returns. Once again, Trump’s secrets are no longer his own.
Voting 7-2, the high court rejected the president’s contention that he was immune from investigation simply because he lives in the White House. Writing for the court’s majority, Chief Justice John Roberts argued: “We cannot conclude that absolute immunity is necessary or appropriate under article II or the supremacy clause.”
Trump learned the hard way that the US constitution is neither invisibility cloak nor rag. It is also not whatever the president says it is.
As Roberts framed things, “No citizen, not even the president, is categorically above the common duty to produce evidence when called upon in a criminal proceeding.” Significantly, under the court’s ruling, the lower court will continue to exercise oversight of the proceedings.
In a separate ruling, issued minutes later and by a 7-2 margin, the court rejected the president’s contention that Congress had no right whatsoever to review his tax returns and financials. Roberts observed: “When Congress seeks information ‘needed for intelligent legislative action’, it ‘unquestionably’ remains ‘the duty of all citizens to cooperate’.”
The House of Representatives had cast a particular eye on Trump’s relationship with Deutsche Bank, his de facto lender of choice and last resort. On the other hand, the court denied Congress instant access to the records.
The majority held that the lower courts had paid insufficient attention to the issue of separation of powers and the potential for encroachment upon the executive branch. In other words, this battle will continue beyond Trump’s tenure unless a Biden administration weighs in. And even then.
The decisions came on the final day of the court’s 2019-20 term, but they could not have arrived at a worse moment for Trump. There are less than four months to the election and once again the president is ensnared in a snare of his own making. A porn star, a Playboy model and alleged hush money are again on stage.
Even before the supreme court announced its rulings, Trump had used Twitter to complain of harassment. After the court went on summer vacation, the president kvetched about its lack of deference. Practically speaking, it is unlikely that Trump’s returns will be shared with the public any time soon.
Even the tech baron Peter Thiel likens Trump's re-election effort to a marooned boat skippered by a hapless crew
Separately, Trump’s annual financial disclosure form is on a 45-day extension. It is the sole legally mandated window into the president’s holdings and income.
As for New York’s prosecutors, the operative issues appear to be whether the Trump Organization deducted the payments from reported income, the legality of such a move under state law, and who in Trump’s orbit greenlighted the deduction if taken. Lurking in the foreground is the implicit question: what did Trump know and when did he know it?
The record currently reflects that Michael Cohen, then an officer of the Trump Organization and Trump’s personal lawyer, orchestrated payments to the former adult film star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal at the behest of his client, Trump. Cohen pleaded guilty to related federal crimes in 2018. At the time, the justice department essentially tagged the chief executive as an unindicted co-conspirator. Government filings expressly tie Trump, AKA “Individual-1”, to Cohen. (As a coda, within hours of the court’s rulings, Cohen was taken back into federal custody for violating the terms of his Covid-19 release from prison.)
From here onward, Kayleigh McEnany, the president’s spokeswoman, will be forced to refer questions about Trump’s taxes to his personal lawyers for answers that will never come. McEnany wants us to believe that her boss is “the most informed person on planet Earth when it comes to the threats that we face”.
Then there is political reality. Despite Trump’s assurances, the US is not “in great shape”. Trump-Pence 2020 looks a lot like the Grim Reaper’s scythe. Support for Trump is withering where Covid-19’s march goes uninterrupted. The president’s base is not blind.
Even the tech baron Peter Thiel, who donated more than $1m to Trump’s 2016 run, likens his re-election effort to a marooned boat skippered by a hapless crew. Loyalty can survive only so much abuse and incompetence.
Vance, the Manhattan district attorney, and the Trumps have some history. Less than a decade ago, Vance declined to indict Ivanka and Donald Jr over their role in the Trump Soho project, an undersold condominium-hotel in lower Manhattan. The optics were messy, to say the least. Vance received a $25,000 contribution – which he returned – from Marc Kasowitz, another Trump lawyer.
This time around, however, the Trumps may not be so lucky. Four decades ago, Vance’s father served as Jimmy Carter’s secretary of state. But in 1980, the elder Vance resigned over a botched effort to rescue 52 Americans held hostage by Iran. Vance père had opposed the operation from its outset and quit over principle. Ultimately, his nexus to the president did not mean all that much.
Against that backdrop, don’t bet on Vance fils being played by Trump a second time. The current president is a wounded politician facing electoral elimination – just like President Carter. There’s no upside to Vance balking at an indictment if he has the goods. The Vances know what roadkill looks like.


theguardian--2020-07-10--US politics: Trump rages after supreme court verdict over tax records – live updates

Protesters who have clashed with authorities in the Pacific Northwest are not just confronting local police , report the Associated Press .
Some are also facing off against federal officers whose presence reflects Donald Trump ’ s decision to make cracking down on “ violent mayhem ” a federal priority .
And it means a significant change in role for some officers .
The Department of Homeland Security has deployed officers in tactical gear from around the country , and from more than a half-dozen federal law enforcement agencies and departments , to Portland , Oregon , as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official said were people taking advantage of demonstrations to commit violence and vandalism .
“ Once we surged federal law enforcement officers to Portland , the agitators quickly got the message , ” said the official , speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing operation .
The deployment represents somewhat of a departure for DHS , which was created after the September 11 attacks and is primarily focused on threats from abroad and border security .
Now it is in the role of supporting Trump ’ s law-and-order campaign , raising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement .
Portland Deputy Police Chief Chris Davis said his department did not request the assistance and did not coordinate efforts with the federal government amid often chaotic clashes that have ranged across several downtown blocks after midnight for weeks .
“ I don ’ t have authority to order federal officers to do things , ” Davis told AP .
“ It does complicate things for us.
” Civil liberties advocates and activists have accused federal authorities of overstepping their jurisdiction and an excessive use of crowd-control measures , including using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of federal property .
Portland police are prohibited from using tear gas under a recent temporary court order unless they declare a riot .
“ DHS should go back to investigating the rise of white supremacist activity and actors who are seeking to cause violence against these peaceful protests , that is under the purview of the agency ’ s mission , ” said Andrea Flores , the deputy director of immigration policy at the American Civil Liberties Union who was a DHS official during the Obama administration .
Following Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , DHS created the Protecting American Communities Task Force and sent officers from Customs and Border Protection and other agencies to Washington , D.C. , Seattle and Portland .
As local governments in Washington , D.C. , and Portland have stepped back to allow space for peaceful demonstrations , the Trump administration has stepped up its effort .
Among the federal forces deployed in Portland are members of an elite Border Patrol tactical team , a special operations unit that is based on the US-Mexico border and has been deployed overseas , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , identifiable by patches on their camouflage sleeves , were mixed in with the FBS outside the courthouse .
Others in the unit , which includes snipers , have been stationed in “ overlook ” positions on the courthouse ’ s ninth floor .
A former DHS official said Bortac agents were viewed as “ highly trained , valuable , scarce resources ” and would typically be used for domestic law enforcement in extraordinary circumstances .
“ These units don ’ t normally sit around idle , ” said the official , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did they get pulled off of in order to watch over statues ?
”

11 Jul 2020 02.28 BST That’s all from me today. You can keep following our global coronavirus coverage here.
Here are the biggest US stories of the day: Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence of his former associate Roger Stone. Stone was convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction. He was set to begin a 40-month prison sentence on Tuesday.
Stone was convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction. He was set to begin a 40-month prison sentence on Tuesday. Covid-19 cases continued to surge, with hospitalizations in Texas surpassing 10,000 for the first time. In California, officials announced a plan to release up to 8,000 people from the state’s prisons in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, which has infected thousands of incarcerated people.
In California, officials announced a plan to release up to 8,000 people from the state’s prisons in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, which has infected thousands of incarcerated people. A federal judge halted an execution scheduled for Monday, which would have been the first federal execution in 17 years. The DOJ said it would appeal the injunction. Two other federal executions are scheduled for later next week.
The DOJ said it would appeal the injunction. Two other federal executions are scheduled for later next week. A court refused to lift a temporary restraining order against Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump. A judge this afternoon extended the order until a further decision on Monday. That means she won’t be free to do any interviews about her damning new book about the president and the family. The book is due out on Tuesday and is not subject to restraint after a TRO against the publisher was recently lifted.
A judge this afternoon extended the order until a further decision on Monday. That means she won’t be free to do any interviews about her damning new and the family. The book is due out on Tuesday and is not subject to restraint after a TRO against the publisher was recently lifted. Trump postponed his rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which was planned for tomorrow night. The president said he was “forced” to postpone the event because of weather, but the decision comes as campaign officials have reportedly voiced concerns about low turnout at the event because of coronavirus.
The president said he was “forced” to postpone the event because of weather, but the decision comes as campaign officials have reportedly voiced concerns about low turnout at the event because of coronavirus. Trump traveled to Florida for a roundtable event, but he avoided discussing the state’s coronavirus crisis. Florida has been reporting record levels of new cases, but the president has downplayed recent surges in several states by falsely blaming the increases on expanded testing.
Florida has been reporting record levels of new cases, but the president has downplayed recent surges in several states by falsely blaming the increases on expanded testing. The president threatened the tax-exempt status of universities and schools as he pushes schools to reopen. Trump has repeatedly said schools must open their doors this fall, even though his administration has sent mixed signals on how schools can safely reopen. School officials have expressed concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus in the classroom.
Trump has repeatedly said schools must open their doors this fall, even though his administration has sent mixed signals on how schools can safely reopen. School officials have expressed concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus in the classroom. A federal judge has set a hearing for next week in the case involving the president’s financial records. Judge Victor Marrero, who previously ruled that Trump’s business records and tax returns had to be turned over to the grand jury, has set a filing deadline for Wednesday and a hearing for Thursday in the case. The announcement comes one day after the supreme court ruled the president is not categorically immune from grand jury subpoenas.
11 Jul 2020 02.22 BST The Democratic Chairman of the House Committee on Intelligence Adam Schiff condemned the president’s decision. “President Trump has engaged in countless acts that are both self-serving and destructive to our democracy while in office, but commuting the sentence of Roger Stone, a crony who lied and obstructed our investigation to protect Trump himself, is among the most offensive to the rule of law and principles of justice,” Schiff said in a statement.
11 Jul 2020 02.19 BST Maanvi Singh While not unexpected, Trump’s move to spare Stone from prison will only increase alarm among critics concerned that the Trump administration has interfered with the justice system in order to shield the president and his friends. In February, Trump commuted the 14-year sentence of Rod Blagojevich, a former Democratic Illinois governor accused of trying to sell the senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. He also offered clemency for allies including Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio who disobeyed a judge’s order to stop racial profiling immigrants and conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza, who was convicted for campaign finance violations. Last month, Trump fired Geoffrey Berman, the US attorney who had prosecuted the president’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and was investigating Rudy Giuliani – another Trump lawyer. And in May, the Justice Department dismissed its case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn after Trump complained that prosecutors acting unfairly.
11 Jul 2020 01.48 BST Bill Russo, a spokesperson for vice president Joe Biden, said Trump “once again abused his power.” He will not be shamed.
He will only be stopped when Americans make their voice heard at the ballot box this fall.
Enough. — Bill Russo (@BillR) July 11, 2020
11 Jul 2020 01.32 BST Here’s a statement from Roger Stone’s attorney: In a statement to CBS News, Stone’s attorney says he is “incredibly honored President Trump used his awesome and unique power under the Constitution of the United States for this act of mercy. Mr. and Mrs. Stone appreciate all the consideration the President gave to this matter” — Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) July 11, 2020
11 Jul 2020 01.24 BST Denunciations of Trump’s decision to commute the prison sentence of his longtime friend and supporter are starting to come in. The United States was founded on the rule of law.
It seems our president has nothing but contempt for it. https://t.co/QlNNTgFoRQ — Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) July 11, 2020 .@RepAdamSchiff: Trump "has engaged in countless acts that are both self-serving and destructive ... commuting the sentence of Roger Stone, a crony who lied and obstructed our investigation to protect Trump himself, is among the most offensive to the rule of law." — Ben Siegel (@benyc) July 11, 2020
11 Jul 2020 01.15 BST Trump called Roger Stone to inform him of the commutation on Friday, the AP reported. “The president told me he thought my trial has been unfair,” Stone told the AP from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Stone said he was celebrating with champagne.
11 Jul 2020 01.13 BST The White House issued a lengthy statement about the commutation that declared Stone “a victim of the Russia Hoax” and excoriated the Mueller investigation. Stone had been convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction. He was due to begin a three years and four month prison sentence next week. By giving Stone a commutation rather than a full pardon, Trump has spared his old friend a prison sentence without erasing the felony convictions.
Updated at 01.16 BST


theguardian--2020-07-10--Nikki Haley positions herself to lead the post-Trump Republican party

Nikki Haley has kept busy since leaving her post in the Trump administration as United States ambassador to the United Nations .
A former governor of South Carolina , Haley is often mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate for either 2024 or 2028 – depending on whether Donald Trump wins re-election in November .
There has even been speculation that Trump might switch out Vice-President Mike Pence for Haley as his running mate in the hopes of boosting his lagging approval numbers among the broader electorate , though there has been no strong evidence that that will happen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a national leader within the Republican party .
A rare woman of color in the party ’ s senior ranks , she has been fundraising for Republican congressional candidates as well as in the Senate and gubernatorial arena .
She has set up a non-profit organization to boost her policy priorities .
She has continued to pen editorials on foreign policy .
And she has retained a small , tightly knit orbit of advisers .
Haley is one of the few high-ranking Republicans to leave the Trump administration on good terms .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and has echoed some of the same arguments Trump has made on national topics such as cancel culture , defunding police forces and statue removal , although the tone and frequency between Trump and Haley vary dramatically .
At other times she has kept her distance .
After serving in the Trump administration , some top-level officials have receded from public life , taking jobs at thinktanks and other academic institutions or retiring outright .
But former and current aides to Haley see her recent moves as a carefully executed plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the national discourse .
“ When she left the administration she told the president that she wanted to stay engaged and promote good public policy , ” said Tim Chapman , the executive director of Haley ’ s Stand for America non-profit group , the primary vehicle for Haley ’ s policy-related initiatives .
“ SFA is partly a platform for her to do that type of voice , to be engaged in public policy.
” Stand for America is composed of a small team of about six people , including Chapman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call with Haley and Chapman spends much of his time coalition-building and working with outside groups and policymakers .
Haley often weighs in on foreign policy or “ Democrats ’ embrace of socialism ” as she did in a February op-ed for the Wall Street Journal ’ s editorial section .
Warning about advancing socialism is a favorite topic for Haley and her organization .
A recent mailer sent out to supporters asked them to participate in a “ REFERENDUM ON SOCIALISM ” .
The mailer went on to tick off some liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Green New Deal proposed by the Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
“ We ’ re going to stay focused on that because even though [ presumptive Democratic presidential nominee ] Joe Biden got the nomination we still think the energy in the party is with the Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren wing , ” Chapman said .
Haley has fundraised for almost a dozen Republican Senate candidates , many of them in tough re-election races , and has been a special guest at Republican Governors Association ( RGA ) events .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With All Due Respect , billed as “ a first-hand perspective on major national and international matters ” .
The book covers the end of her governorship as well as her time as ambassador .
All this activity has generated speculation that Haley is taking a textbook approach to running for president .
She has foreign policy experience through her time at the United Nations .
She has executive and domestic policy experience through almost two terms as governor .
“ Nikki Haley ’ s background as a governor and UN ambassador will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run in 2024 , ” said Jon Thompson , a top Republican strategist and a former longtime communications director of the RGA .
“ She has a strong résumé of actual governance and international experience , would likely appeal to female suburban voters who Republicans desperately need to attract to win future elections , and has a solid conservative record from her time as governor .
Twenty-twenty-four is still a long way off , but she ’ s making all the right moves now to be in a good position later.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been too calculating in her recent jobs .
Democratic foreign policy officials said Haley delegated too much of the job of UN ambassador to her deputies and that all her speeches were political .
In his recent book , Trump ’ s former national security adviser John Bolton framed Haley as out of her depth and more focused on using her ambassadorship to raise her profile .
Haley has surrounded herself with operatives who could lead a presidential campaign .
The most commonly mentioned Republican strategist is Jon Lerner , who served as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Chapman previously ran the advocacy arm of the Heritage Foundation giving him strong ties to influential experts and groups within the Republican party .
The option of running for president partially depends on whether Trump wins re-election .
“ If the president ’ s re-elected I think she ’ ll keep doing what she ’ s doing for two years and then start running in earnest , ” a former Haley aide said .
“ If Biden wins it ’ ll actually make it a bit easier because then she can kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment he ’ s inaugurated and then turn that momentum into a presidential campaign.
” Haley has had to stamp out persistent speculation that she could rejoin the Trump administration as vice-president .
The rumor is not out of the realms of possibility .
In 2012 Barack Obama ’ s re-election team looked at switching Biden with Hillary Clinton as the then president ’ s running mate but that idea was ultimately nixed .
For Trump , the hope with putting Haley on the ticket is that she could win over key constituencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign ’ s orbit wondered if that was happening when the campaign team serving Pence was gutted .
But Haley has repeatedly denied any cooperation or rivalry between her and Pence .
In August she tweeted “ enough of the false rumors .
Vice President Pence has been a dear friend of mine for years .
He has been a loyal and trustworthy VP to the President .
He has my complete support.
” If Trump loses , the Republican primary field for 2024 might get crowded .
The secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cruz , Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida and Pence have all been mentioned as potential presidential candidates .
When Haley and Pence were both governors their names were floating around as potential RGA vice-chair , recalled former Wisconsin governor Scott Walker , who was then the sitting vice-chair and poised to take the chairmanship .
Walker has strong ties to both Pence and Haley .
Walker remembers that in 2016 Haley called him to ask about the vice-chairmanship .
This was before it was clear Pence would be vice-president .
Walker noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice-chairmanship .
A day later Haley called Walker again saying , “ I talked to Mike , he ’ s fine.
” Haley ended up becoming vice-chair for a short time before leaving the governorship to become UN ambassador .

Nikki Haley has kept busy since leaving her post in the Trump administration as United States ambassador to the United Nations.
A former governor of South Carolina, Haley is often mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate for either 2024 or 2028 – depending on whether Donald Trump wins re-election in November.
There has even been speculation that Trump might switch out Vice-President Mike Pence for Haley as his running mate in the hopes of boosting his lagging approval numbers among the broader electorate, though there has been no strong evidence that that will happen.
Either way she has positioned herself as a national leader within the Republican party.
A rare woman of color in the party’s senior ranks, she has been fundraising for Republican congressional candidates as well as in the Senate and gubernatorial arena. She has set up a non-profit organization to boost her policy priorities. She has continued to pen editorials on foreign policy. And she has retained a small, tightly knit orbit of advisers.
Haley is one of the few high-ranking Republicans to leave the Trump administration on good terms. She has pledged to campaign aggressively for the president and has echoed some of the same arguments Trump has made on national topics such as cancel culture, defunding police forces and statue removal, although the tone and frequency between Trump and Haley vary dramatically. At other times she has kept her distance.
After serving in the Trump administration, some top-level officials have receded from public life, taking jobs at thinktanks and other academic institutions or retiring outright. But former and current aides to Haley see her recent moves as a carefully executed plan to stay involved in key Republican policy circles and the national discourse.
“When she left the administration she told the president that she wanted to stay engaged and promote good public policy,” said Tim Chapman, the executive director of Haley’s Stand for America non-profit group, the primary vehicle for Haley’s policy-related initiatives. “SFA is partly a platform for her to do that type of voice, to be engaged in public policy.”
Stand for America is composed of a small team of about six people, including Chapman. The team has a weekly Zoom call with Haley and Chapman spends much of his time coalition-building and working with outside groups and policymakers.
Haley often weighs in on foreign policy or “Democrats’ embrace of socialism” as she did in a February op-ed for the Wall Street Journal’s editorial section. Warning about advancing socialism is a favorite topic for Haley and her organization. A recent mailer sent out to supporters asked them to participate in a “REFERENDUM ON SOCIALISM”. The mailer went on to tick off some liberal policy proposals like free college tuition or the Green New Deal proposed by the Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Haley was that rare senior Trump administration official to get a White House send-off from the president. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP
“We’re going to stay focused on that because even though [presumptive Democratic presidential nominee] Joe Biden got the nomination we still think the energy in the party is with the Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren wing,” Chapman said.
Haley has fundraised for almost a dozen Republican Senate candidates, many of them in tough re-election races, and has been a special guest at Republican Governors Association (RGA) events. Last November, Haley authored a book, With All Due Respect, billed as “a first-hand perspective on major national and international matters”. The book covers the end of her governorship as well as her time as ambassador.
All this activity has generated speculation that Haley is taking a textbook approach to running for president. She has foreign policy experience through her time at the United Nations. She has executive and domestic policy experience through almost two terms as governor.
“Nikki Haley’s background as a governor and UN ambassador will make her formidable if she chooses to run in 2024,” said Jon Thompson, a top Republican strategist and a former longtime communications director of the RGA.
“She has a strong résumé of actual governance and international experience, would likely appeal to female suburban voters who Republicans desperately need to attract to win future elections, and has a solid conservative record from her time as governor. Twenty-twenty-four is still a long way off, but she’s making all the right moves now to be in a good position later.”
Haley walks out as the permanent observer of Palestine to the UN, Riyad Mansour, begins to speak at a UN security council meeting on 15 May 2018. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
The knock on Haley is that she has been too calculating in her recent jobs. Democratic foreign policy officials said Haley delegated too much of the job of UN ambassador to her deputies and that all her speeches were political. In his recent book, Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton framed Haley as out of her depth and more focused on using her ambassadorship to raise her profile.
Haley has surrounded herself with operatives who could lead a presidential campaign. The most commonly mentioned Republican strategist is Jon Lerner, who served as a deputy to Haley at the UN. Chapman previously ran the advocacy arm of the Heritage Foundation giving him strong ties to influential experts and groups within the Republican party.
The option of running for president partially depends on whether Trump wins re-election.
“If the president’s re-elected I think she’ll keep doing what she’s doing for two years and then start running in earnest,” a former Haley aide said. “If Biden wins it’ll actually make it a bit easier because then she can kind of pound away at Biden from the moment he’s inaugurated and then turn that momentum into a presidential campaign.”
Haley has had to stamp out persistent speculation that she could rejoin the Trump administration as vice-president. The rumor is not out of the realms of possibility. In 2012 Barack Obama’s re-election team looked at switching Biden with Hillary Clinton as the then president’s running mate but that idea was ultimately nixed. For Trump, the hope with putting Haley on the ticket is that she could win over key constituencies Trump is losing.
Haley campaigns with senator Kelly Loeffler at a re-election campaign rally on 9 March 2020, in Marietta, Georgia. Photograph: John Bazemore/AP
Some Republicans in the Trump campaign’s orbit wondered if that was happening when the campaign team serving Pence was gutted. But Haley has repeatedly denied any cooperation or rivalry between her and Pence. In August she tweeted “enough of the false rumors. Vice President Pence has been a dear friend of mine for years. He has been a loyal and trustworthy VP to the President. He has my complete support.”
If Trump loses, the Republican primary field for 2024 might get crowded. The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, Senator Ted Cruz, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida and Pence have all been mentioned as potential presidential candidates.
When Haley and Pence were both governors their names were floating around as potential RGA vice-chair, recalled former Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, who was then the sitting vice-chair and poised to take the chairmanship. Walker has strong ties to both Pence and Haley.
Walker remembers that in 2016 Haley called him to ask about the vice-chairmanship. This was before it was clear Pence would be vice-president. Walker noted that Pence might also be interested in the vice-chairmanship. A day later Haley called Walker again saying, “I talked to Mike, he’s fine.” Haley ended up becoming vice-chair for a short time before leaving the governorship to become UN ambassador.


theguardian--2020-07-11--Trump commutes prison sentence of longtime adviser Roger Stone – as it happened

While not unexpected , Trump ’ s move to spare Stone from prison will only increase alarm among critics concerned @ @ @ @ @ interfered with the justice system in order to shield the president and his friends .
@ @ @ @ @ the 14-year sentence of Rod Blagojevich , a former Democratic Illinois governor accused of trying @ @ @ @ @ vacated by Barack Obama .
He also offered clemency for allies including Maricopa County Sheriff @ @ @ @ @ judge ’ s order to stop racial profiling immigrants and conservative commentator Dinesh D ’ @ @ @ @ @ for campaign finance violations .
Last month , Trump fired Geoffrey Berman , the US @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and was investigating Rudy Giuliani – another @ @ @ @ @ May , the Justice Department dismissed its case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn @ @ @ @ @ acting unfairly .

Julia Carrie Wong in San Francisco (now), Joan E Greve in Washington and Martin Belam (earlier)


theguardian--2020-07-11--Trump commutes sentence of Roger Stone, longtime friend and adviser

Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of Roger Stone , a longtime friend and former campaign adviser who was to spend three years and four months in jail for crimes related to the Russia investigation .
In a statement released on Friday evening , the White House denounced the prosecution of Stone on charges stemming from “ the Russia Hoax ” investigation .
“ Roger Stone has already suffered greatly , ” the statement reads .
“ He was treated very unfairly , as were many others in this case .
Roger Stone is now a free man !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 2019 of obstructing a congressional investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election .
He was sentenced in February to 40 months and was due to report to prison on Tuesday .
The commutation does not erase Stone ’ s felony convictions the way a pardon would , but it allows Stone to avoid setting foot in prison for his crimes .
Echoing the language that Trump has used in tweets and speeches , the official White House statement attacked the “ witch hunts ” led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 elections .
Stone had been openly lobbying Trump for clemency for months .
“ The president told me he thought my trial has been unfair , ” Stone told the Associated Press on Friday .
While not unexpected , Trump ’ s move to spare Stone from prison will only increase alarm among critics concerned that the Trump administration has interfered with the justice system in order to shield the president and his friends .
In February , Trump commuted the 14-year sentence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor accused of trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama .
He also offered clemency for allies including the Maricopa county , Arizona , sheriff Joe Arpaio , who disobeyed a judge ’ s order to stop racial profiling immigrants , and the conservative commentator Dinesh D ’ Souza , who was convicted of campaign finance violations .
Last month , Trump fired Geoffrey Berman , the US attorney who had prosecuted the president ’ s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and was investigating Rudy Giuliani – another Trump lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department dismissed its case against the former national security adviser Michael Flynn after Trump complained that prosecutors were acting unfairly .
“ With Trump , there are now two systems of justice in America : one for Trump ’ s criminal friends and one for everyone else , ” said Adam Schiff , a Democratic US representative of California and the lead prosecutor in the president ’ s impeachment trial , in reaction to the news .
“ Regardless of our political parties or differences , we all know this is disgraceful , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US representative of Florida .
“ Pray that our republic will endure.
” The commuting of Stone ’ s sentence comes after the US attorney general , William Barr , revised prosecutors ’ original recommendation that Stone serve seven to nine years in federal prison .
Trump had railed that the conviction “ should be thrown out ” and called the justice department ’ s initial sentencing recommendation “ horrible and very unfair ” .
Following the reversal , the entire prosecution team working on the case resigned .
Although the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crimes for which he was convicted , its statement argued that Stone would not have been charged “ if the special counsel had not been pursuing an absolutely baseless investigation ” .
Stone was celebrating in Florida with conservative friends , according to the AP .
He told reporters there were “ too many people opening bottles of champagne here ” .
The Associated Press contributed to this report

Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of Roger Stone, a longtime friend and former campaign adviser who was to spend three years and four months in jail for crimes related to the Russia investigation.
In a statement released on Friday evening, the White House denounced the prosecution of Stone on charges stemming from “the Russia Hoax” investigation. “Roger Stone has already suffered greatly,” the statement reads. “He was treated very unfairly, as were many others in this case. Roger Stone is now a free man!”
Stone, 67, was convicted in November 2019 of obstructing a congressional investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. He was sentenced in February to 40 months and was due to report to prison on Tuesday.
The commutation does not erase Stone’s felony convictions the way a pardon would, but it allows Stone to avoid setting foot in prison for his crimes.
Echoing the language that Trump has used in tweets and speeches, the official White House statement attacked the “witch-hunts” led by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, who was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
Roger Stone has 'very good chance of exoneration', says Trump in February – video
Stone had been openly lobbying Trump for clemency for months.
“The president told me he thought my trial has been unfair,” Stone told the Associated Press on Friday.
While not unexpected, Trump’s move to spare Stone from prison will only increase alarm among critics concerned that the Trump administration has interfered with the justice system in order to shield the president and his friends.
In February, Trump commuted the 14-year sentence of Rod Blagojevich, a former Democratic Illinois governor accused of trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama. He also offered clemency for allies including the Maricopa county, Arizona, sheriff Joe Arpaio, who disobeyed a judge’s order to stop racial profiling immigrants, and the conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza, who was convicted of campaign finance violations.
Last month, Trump fired Geoffrey Berman, the US attorney who had prosecuted the president’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and was investigating Rudy Giuliani – another Trump lawyer. And in May, the justice department dismissed its case against the former national security adviser Michael Flynn after Trump complained that prosecutors were acting unfairly.
“With Trump, there are now two systems of justice in America: one for Trump’s criminal friends and one for everyone else,” said Adam Schiff, a Democratic US representative of California and the lead prosecutor in the president’s impeachment trial, in reaction to the news.
“Regardless of our political parties or differences, we all know this is disgraceful,” said Val Demings, a Democratic US representative of Florida. “Pray that our republic will endure.”
The commuting of Stone’s sentence comes after the US attorney general, William Barr, revised prosecutors’ original recommendation that Stone serve seven to nine years in federal prison. Trump had railed that the conviction “should be thrown out” and called the justice department’s initial sentencing recommendation “horrible and very unfair”. Following the reversal, the entire prosecution team working on the case resigned.
Although the White House did not dispute that Stone had committed the crimes for which he was convicted, its statement argued that Stone would not have been charged “if the special counsel had not been pursuing an absolutely baseless investigation”.
Stone was celebrating in Florida with conservative friends, according to the AP. He told reporters there were “too many people opening bottles of champagne here”.
The Associated Press contributed to this report


theguardian--2020-07-11--Roger Stone: five things to know about Trump's controversial ally

A master of the dark arts of politics who cut his teeth on a Richard Nixon election campaign , Roger Stone regularly gives Nixon ’ s trademark salute and has a tattoo of the disgraced 37th president on his back .
A self-described “ dirty trickster ” , Stone , 67 , is also a longtime friend of Donald Trump .
When was Stone convicted and what charges did he face ?
Stone was convicted in November 2019 of seven crimes , including obstruction of justice , lying to Congress and witness tampering .
Stone had boasted during the campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WikiLeaks founder , Julian Assange , through a trusted intermediary and hinted at inside knowledge of WikiLeaks ’ plans to release more than 19,000 emails hacked from the servers of the Democratic National Committee .
Stone has always denied any wrongdoing and consistently criticized the case against him as politically motivated .
He did not take the stand during his trial , he did not speak at his sentencing , and his lawyers did not call any witnesses in his defense .
What was his sentence ?
Stone was sentenced in February by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and four months in prison .
He was scheduled to report to prison by Tuesday .
What did Trump do on Friday ?
The president commuted Stone ’ s sentence , with the White House saying Stone was a victim of the Russia “ hoax ” .
The commutation does not erase Stone ‘ s felony convictions in the same way a pardon would , but it protects him from serving prison time as a result .
Is this the first time Trump has interfered in Stone ’ s case ?
No .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was being treated unfairly .
“ I ’ d love to see Roger exonerated , and I ’ d love to see it happen because I personally think he was treated very unfairly , ” Trump said after Stone ’ s sentencing .
Just before the sentencing , Trump had suggested in a tweet that Stone was being subjected to a different standard than several prominent Democrats .
He railed that the conviction “ should be thrown out ” and called the justice department ’ s initial sentencing recommendation “ horrible and very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William Barr , caused the recommendation to be changed , prompting a call for his resignation from more than 2,600 former justice department officials .

Who is Roger Stone?
A master of the dark arts of politics who cut his teeth on a Richard Nixon election campaign, Roger Stone regularly gives Nixon’s trademark salute and has a tattoo of the disgraced 37th president on his back. A self-described “dirty trickster”, Stone, 67, is also a longtime friend of Donald Trump.
What was he found guilty of?
Stone was convicted in November 2019 of seven crimes, including obstruction of justice, lying to Congress and witness tampering in the congressional investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Stone had boasted during the 2016 campaign that he was in contact with the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, through a trusted intermediary and hinted at inside knowledge of WikiLeaks’ plans to release more than 19,000 emails hacked from the servers of the Democratic National Committee.
Stone did not take the stand during his trial, did not speak at his sentencing, and his lawyers did not call any witnesses in his defense.
Did he face time in prison?
Stone was sentenced in February by Judge Amy Berman Jackson to three years and four months in prison.
In April, Berman Jackson denied Stone’s request for a new trial. (Stone had argued the jury forewoman in his case had been tainted by anti-Trump bias.) He was scheduled to report to a prison in Jesup, Georgia, by Tuesday.
How did Trump intervene?
The president on Friday commuted Stone’s sentence. The commutation does not erase Stone‘s felony convictions in the same way a pardon would, but it protects him from serving prison time as a result.
In a statement, the White House denounced Stone’s prosecution. “Roger Stone has already suffered greatly. He was treated very unfairly, as were many others in this case. Roger Stone is now a free man!”
Is this the first time Trump has weighed in on Stone’s case?
No. Trump has long said he thought Stone was being treated unfairly and Stone had publicly been campaigning for a commutation.
Just before the sentencing, Trump had suggested in a tweet that Stone was being subjected to a different standard than several prominent Democrats. He railed that the conviction “should be thrown out” and called the justice department’s initial sentencing recommendation “horrible and very unfair”.
The attorney general, William Barr, caused the recommendation to be changed, prompting a call for his resignation from more than 2,600 former justice department officials.
After Stone’s sentencing, Trump said: “I’d love to see Roger exonerated, and I’d love to see it happen because I personally think he was treated very unfairly.”


theguardian--2020-07-10--Trump's New Hampshire rally delayed by weather, White House claims

Donald Trump has postponed a planned campaign rally in New Hampshire , the White House said , citing bad weather .
The president was set to appear at a campaign event in Portsmouth on Saturday night , as the number of new coronavirus cases in the US continued to hit record daily highs this week and polls continued to show his popularity faltering .
The White House said the event had been “ postponed for safety reasons because of Tropical Storm Fay ” and would be rescheduled , despite local weather forecasts showing the area was not expected to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring 2-4in ( 5-10cm ) of rain , with the possibility of flash flooding in parts of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England , The US National Hurricane Center said in its 5am advisory on Friday , revising the severity of the storm down from earlier forecasts .
The event had also already been the subject of controversy and criticism , and it was unclear how many people would attend .
Eager to avoid the optics of his last rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , in June , when thousands of seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in an open-air tarmac hangar , to alleviate fears over attending a mass gathering during the pandemic .
The state ’ s Republican governor , Chris Sununu , had said he would not attend out of an abundance of caution , and it was not clear how many other officials would show up .
The campaign event would have come days after a top health official in Tulsa said Trump ’ s rally there last month “ likely contributed ” to the city ’ s recent rise in new cases .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We can ’ t have a repeat of Tulsa.
” A spokesman for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden mocked Trump for rescheduling the rally .
“ The storm is coming , and his name is @ JoeBiden , ” said TJ Ducklo , the former vice-president ’ s national press secretary .
Nearly 3.2 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus and almost 133,000 have died .
More than 60,000 new cases were confirmed on Thursday , the latest in a succession of unwelcome record highs , fueled in particular by increases in Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The national death toll has also begun to edge upwards , with Texas , Arizona , Mississippi , Florida and Tennessee all setting single-day death records this week .
New Hampshire , which Trump narrowly lost in the 2016 election , is in a small minority of states that has continued to see a slow , steady decline in the number of new cases .
Trump , who has consistently downplayed the threat of the virus and pressured governors to reopen their economies as quickly as possibly , is now facing mounting disapproval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as the ongoing mass anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
According to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll released on Friday , 67 % of respondents disapprove of Trump ’ s efforts on the pandemic , which included a significant drop in approval among Republican respondents .
Meanwhile Biden ’ s lead in the polls has hovered at around nine percentage points since mid-June , according to FiveThirtyEight ’ s national polling average , with less than four months to go until election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to invest in American industry on Thursday , laying out an optimistic economic vision and presenting the moment of turmoil as a “ tremendous opportunity ” to address systemic inequality .
“ Throughout this crisis , Donald Trump has been almost singularly focused on the stock market , the Dow , the Nasdaq – not you , not your families , ” the former vice-president said .
“ If I am fortunate enough to be elected president , I ’ ll be laser-focused on working families.
” According to the Washington Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies were frustrated that Biden released his proposal before Trump unveiled his similar “ buy American ” plan , which has been held up for months due to internal White House objections .
On Friday , ahead of a trip to Florida for roundtable events with supporters , Trump accused Biden of plagiarizing the plan , even though it had not yet been released .
“ It ’ s a plan that is very radical left but he says the right things because he ’ s copying what I ’ ve done .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t do it , and he knows he ’ s not doing that , ” Trump said .
Trump has adopted a “ woe is me ” attitude as the country suffers the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and experiences a reckoning over racism , according to those who have spoken to the president in recent weeks .
The Washington Post reported that the president “ rants about the deadly coronavirus destroying ‘ the greatest economy ’ , one he claims to have personally built ” , and “ laments the unfair ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vents never gives him any credit ” .
“ Instead , Trump often launches into a monologue placing himself at the center of the nation ’ s turmoil .
The president has cast himself in the starring role of the blameless victim – of a deadly pandemic , of a stalled economy , of deep-seated racial unrest , all of which happened to him rather than the country , ” the Post reported .

Donald Trump has postponed a planned campaign rally in New Hampshire, the White House said, citing bad weather.
The president was set to appear at a campaign event in Portsmouth on Saturday night, as the number of new coronavirus cases in the US continued to hit record daily highs this week and polls continued to show his popularity faltering.
The White House said the event had been “postponed for safety reasons because of Tropical Storm Fay” and would be rescheduled, despite local weather forecasts showing the area was not expected to be affected.
Tropical Storm Fay was expected to bring 2-4in (5-10cm) of rain, with the possibility of flash flooding in parts of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England, The US National Hurricane Center said in its 5am advisory on Friday, revising the severity of the storm down from earlier forecasts.
The event had also already been the subject of controversy and criticism, and it was unclear how many people would attend. Eager to avoid the optics of his last rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June, when thousands of seats went unfilled, it was to take place in an open-air tarmac hangar, to alleviate fears over attending a mass gathering during the pandemic.
The state’s Republican governor, Chris Sununu, had said he would not attend out of an abundance of caution, and it was not clear how many other officials would show up.
The campaign event would have come days after a top health official in Tulsa said Trump’s rally there last month “likely contributed” to the city’s recent rise in new cases. A campaign official told NBC News: “We can’t have a repeat of Tulsa.”
A spokesman for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden mocked Trump for rescheduling the rally. “The storm is coming, and his name is @JoeBiden,” said TJ Ducklo, the former vice-president’s national press secretary.
Nearly 3.2 million Americans have contracted the coronavirus and almost 133,000 have died. More than 60,000 new cases were confirmed on Thursday, the latest in a succession of unwelcome record highs, fueled in particular by increases in Texas, California, Arizona and Florida.
The national death toll has also begun to edge upwards, with Texas, Arizona, Mississippi, Florida and Tennessee all setting single-day death records this week. New Hampshire, which Trump narrowly lost in the 2016 election, is in a small minority of states that has continued to see a slow, steady decline in the number of new cases.
Trump, who has consistently downplayed the threat of the virus and pressured governors to reopen their economies as quickly as possibly, is now facing mounting disapproval over his handling of the pandemic, as well as the ongoing mass anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. According to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll released on Friday, 67% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s efforts on the pandemic, which included a significant drop in approval among Republican respondents.
Meanwhile Biden’s lead in the polls has hovered at around nine percentage points since mid-June, according to FiveThirtyEight’s national polling average, with less than four months to go until election day. Biden unveiled a $700bn plan to invest in American industry on Thursday, laying out an optimistic economic vision and presenting the moment of turmoil as a “tremendous opportunity” to address systemic inequality.
“Throughout this crisis, Donald Trump has been almost singularly focused on the stock market, the Dow, the Nasdaq – not you, not your families,” the former vice-president said. “If I am fortunate enough to be elected president, I’ll be laser-focused on working families.”
According to the Washington Post, some of the president’s allies were frustrated that Biden released his proposal before Trump unveiled his similar “buy American” plan, which has been held up for months due to internal White House objections. On Friday, ahead of a trip to Florida for roundtable events with supporters, Trump accused Biden of plagiarizing the plan, even though it had not yet been released.
“It’s a plan that is very radical left but he says the right things because he’s copying what I’ve done. But the difference is he can’t do it, and he knows he’s not doing that,” Trump said.
Trump has adopted a “woe is me” attitude as the country suffers the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and experiences a reckoning over racism, according to those who have spoken to the president in recent weeks. The Washington Post reported that the president “rants about the deadly coronavirus destroying ‘the greatest economy’, one he claims to have personally built”, and “laments the unfair ‘fake news’ media, which he vents never gives him any credit”.
“Instead, Trump often launches into a monologue placing himself at the center of the nation’s turmoil. The president has cast himself in the starring role of the blameless victim – of a deadly pandemic, of a stalled economy, of deep-seated racial unrest, all of which happened to him rather than the country,” the Post reported.
Lauren Gambino contributed to this report