theguardian--2020-07-29--US coronavirus deaths near 150,000 as 21 states declared 'red zones'

US deaths from the coronavirus were approaching 150,000 on Wednesday , the highest level in the world and rising by about 10,000 in just 11 days , as 21 states enter what the federal government considers the “ red zone ” of rising infection rates .
The nation recorded the deadliest day of the summer in the last 24 hours , with more than 1,200 confirmed coronavirus deaths , the highest daily toll reported by the country since May , according to a tally by Reuters .
Covid-19 deaths have risen in the US for three weeks in a row @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently fell for the first time since June .
The White House coronavirus taskforce coordinator , Deborah Birx , on Tuesday said hotspots threaten regions where cases are controlled .
Birx warned : “ We can see the virus moving north .
What we ’ re seeing across the south right now is both rural infections , as well as small metros and major metros , simultaneously.
” A surge in infections in Arizona , California , Florida and Texas this month has overwhelmed hospitals .
Texas has recorded nearly 4,000 deaths so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 2,690 and California , the most populous state , with 2,500 .
The Texas figure includes a backlog of hundreds of deaths after the state changed the way it counted Covid-19 deaths .
Donald Trump plans to travel to Odessa in west Texas on Wednesday , but not to visit hospitals , bolster health workers or discuss the virus with local leaders , but rather to meet donors and tour an oil production facility .
The trip comes a day after he walked out of his White House coronavirus briefing on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenged about describing as “ very impressive ” a doctor who claims face masks do not combat the spread of Covid-19 and that the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine is a cure , when federal public health experts have repeatedly said it is proven ineffective for the virus .
The same doctor , Stella Immanuel , also publicizes her religious preachings that DNA from aliens is being used in medical treatments and sex dreams about demons cause some gynaecological problems .
It became clear as the event descended into the president touting medical misinformation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the pandemic , on display at briefings last week , had not lasted .
Earlier in the week , social media companies took down an online video featuring the doctor and other supposed experts recommending hydroxychloroquine , but not before the clip was shared millions of times , by the president on Twitter and touted as a “ must-watch ” by his son , Donald Trump Jr .
The Texas governor , Greg Abbott , announced on Tuesday that the McAllen convention center on the south-eastern border with Mexico would be converted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients .
Abbott visited the Rio Grande Valley , a virus hotspot , to see damage caused by Hurricane Hanna at the weekend .
Local officials are grappling with hurricane damage and the further threat of more tropical storms and hurricanes that the season might bring , while simultaneously dealing with the coronavirus pandemic .
“ If there ’ s one thing that I want to emphasize to everyone in the Rio Grande Valley it is this : this hurricane has not eliminated Covid-19 , ” Abbott said .
New York and New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deaths per capita , according to Reuters .
In Illinois , 73 people are among a Covid-19 outbreak in Lake Zurich which has been traced back to several Fourth of July gatherings .
“ We have identified multiple smaller gatherings where Covid-19 infections occurred , ” said Hannah Goering , of the Lake county health department .
Of the 20 countries with the biggest outbreak , the United States ranks sixth for deaths per capita , at 4.5 deaths per 10,000 people .
It is exceeded by the United Kingdom , Spain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An internal Federal Emergency Management Agency ( Fema ) memo obtained by ABC News reports that nationwide new cases are going down but deaths are increasing .
In the seven days ending Monday , new cases nationwide have decreased 0.6 % from the previous week , but that time period also saw a 30 % increase in deaths from the disease , and deaths have been increasing steadily in recent days , the TV network reported on Wednesday .
The states in the “ red zone ” – Alabama , Arizona , Arkansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Idaho , Iowa , Kansas , Louisiana , Mississippi , Missouri , Nevada , North Carolina , North Dakota , Oklahoma , South Carolina , Tennessee , Texas , Utah and Wisconsin – each had more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the past week , the New York Times reported , according to internal federal figures .
Meanwhile , Republicans in the White House and Congress were in disarray over their own plan for providing $ 1tn in new coronavirus aid on Tuesday , as negotiations aimed at reaching a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Democratic party House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , said she would meet the Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , on Wednesday for an “ airing of our differences ” , after Democrats called the latest GOP rescue plan now caught up in fraught negotiations and infighting among conservatives “ totally inadequate ” on Monday .

Joanna Walters in New York, David Smith in Washington and agencies

US deaths from the coronavirus were approaching 150,000 on Wednesday, the highest level in the world and rising by about 10,000 in just 11 days, as 21 states enter what the federal government considers the “red zone” of rising infection rates.
The nation recorded the deadliest day of the summer in the last 24 hours, with more than 1,200 confirmed coronavirus deaths, the highest daily toll reported by the country since May, according to a tally by Reuters.
Covid-19 deaths have risen in the US for three weeks in a row while the number of new cases week-over-week recently fell for the first time since June.
The White House coronavirus taskforce coordinator, Deborah Birx, on Tuesday said hotspots threaten regions where cases are controlled.
Birx warned: “We can see the virus moving north. What we’re seeing across the south right now is both rural infections, as well as small metros and major metros, simultaneously.”
A surge in infections in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas this month has overwhelmed hospitals.
Texas has recorded nearly 4,000 deaths so far this month, followed by Florida with 2,690 and California, the most populous state, with 2,500. The Texas figure includes a backlog of hundreds of deaths after the state changed the way it counted Covid-19 deaths.
Emily Cayer and Brad Hardy walk their dogs across a quiet Main Street in Bisbee, Arizona. Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images
Donald Trump plans to travel to Odessa in west Texas on Wednesday, but not to visit hospitals, bolster health workers or discuss the virus with local leaders, but rather to meet donors and tour an oil production facility.
The trip comes a day after he walked out of his White House coronavirus briefing on Tuesday night while in the middle of being challenged about describing as “very impressive” a doctor who claims face masks do not combat the spread of Covid-19 and that the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine is a cure, when federal public health experts have repeatedly said it is proven ineffective for the virus. The same doctor, Stella Immanuel, also publicizes her religious preachings that DNA from aliens is being used in medical treatments and sex dreams about demons cause some gynaecological problems.
It became clear as the event descended into the president touting medical misinformation that Trump’s somewhat more serious approach to the pandemic, on display at briefings last week, had not lasted.
Earlier in the week, social media companies took down an online video featuring the doctor and other supposed experts recommending hydroxychloroquine, but not before the clip was shared millions of times, by the president on Twitter and touted as a “must-watch” by his son, Donald Trump Jr.
The Texas governor, Greg Abbott, announced on Tuesday that the McAllen convention center on the south-eastern border with Mexico would be converted into a temporary medical facility for coronavirus patients.
Abbott visited the Rio Grande Valley, a virus hotspot, to see damage caused by Hurricane Hanna at the weekend. Local officials are grappling with hurricane damage and the further threat of more tropical storms and hurricanes that the season might bring, while simultaneously dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
“If there’s one thing that I want to emphasize to everyone in the Rio Grande Valley it is this: this hurricane has not eliminated Covid-19,” Abbott said.
New York and New Jersey lead the US in total deaths and deaths per capita, according to Reuters.
Seaside Heights beach boardwalk is packed despite the novel coronavirus pandemic in New Jersey. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
In Illinois, 73 people are among a Covid-19 outbreak in Lake Zurich which has been traced back to several Fourth of July gatherings.
“We have identified multiple smaller gatherings where Covid-19 infections occurred,” said Hannah Goering, of the Lake county health department.
Of the 20 countries with the biggest outbreak, the United States ranks sixth for deaths per capita, at 4.5 deaths per 10,000 people. It is exceeded by the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Peru and Chile.
An internal Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) memo obtained by ABC News reports that nationwide new cases are going down but deaths are increasing.
In the seven days ending Monday, new cases nationwide have decreased 0.6% from the previous week, but that time period also saw a 30% increase in deaths from the disease, and deaths have been increasing steadily in recent days, the TV network reported on Wednesday.
The states in the “red zone” – Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin – each had more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the past week, the New York Times reported, according to internal federal figures.
A crowded Miami Beach in Florida on Tuesday. Photograph: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images
Meanwhile, Republicans in the White House and Congress were in disarray over their own plan for providing $1tn in new coronavirus aid on Tuesday, as negotiations aimed at reaching a compromise bill with Democrats also sputtered.
The Democratic party House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said she would meet the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, on Wednesday for an “airing of our differences”, after Democrats called the latest GOP rescue plan now caught up in fraught negotiations and infighting among conservatives “totally inadequate” on Monday.


theguardian--2020-07-31--Obama compares segregationist Jim Crow America to Trump's America – live

Trump ’ s election & voting claims : ‘ He ’ s just trying to intimidate people ’ At a White House press briefing on Thursday , Trump denied that he wants the election to be postponed but again questioned mail-in voting , insisting that he he does not “ want to have to wait for three months and then find out that the ballots are all missing and the election doesn ’ t mean anything ” .
He added : “ Do I want to see a date change ?
No .
But I don ’ t want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be the most rigged election in history , if that happens.
” Election experts say that all forms of voter fraud are rare .
In 2017 the Brennan Center for Justice ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004 % to 0.0009 % , based on studies of past elections .
But analysts said the president ’ s chief objective is to sow doubt about the legitimacy of the outcome .
Richard Painter , a former White House chief ethics lawyer , said : “ He ’ s just trying to intimidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote as much as he can and so he wants to discourage mail-in and , of course , he wants to complain about the election being rigged if he loses .
“ He pulled this in 2016 , he thought he was going to lose that and he said it was a rigged election .
So this is just the same old Trump playbook but he can not change the date of the election because it ’ s set by statute .
Congress is not going to change the statute.
” Jon Meacham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the MSNBC network : “ The delay thing may just be an entry point to an argument , largely emotional but nevertheless immensely disruptive , to setting up a November where he is crying foul and crooked election and fake news and fake president about Joe Biden if Biden wins .
“ The other thing to watch is yes , those senators were saying the right thing today , but what if Trump begins to make the case to the Senate Republican caucus that if the Senate were to flip on November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their interest to join him in questioning the legitimacy of an election that puts them out of work ?
”

Lois Beckett, Amanda Holpuch and Martin Belam

31 Jul 2020 01.06 BST No ban on military recruiting on Twitch An update from tech reporter Kari Paul, who has been following Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s attempt to block military recruiting on gaming platforms: it has failed. AOC's amendment to block the military from recruiting on Twitch has failed in the house vote — Rod Breslau (@Slasher) July 30, 2020 Background on AOC’s effort from earlier today: Rep @AOC speaking on House floor today about her proposal to end funding for military recruitment on Twitch and other gaming platforms: pic.twitter.com/R995mkHf9e — Micah Loewinger (@MicahLoewinger) July 30, 2020
30 Jul 2020 00.51 BST Report: DHS compiled "intelligence reports" on journalists covering Portland protest The Department of Homeland Security compiled “intelligence reports” on two journalists who shared leaked internal documents about the department’s response to protests in Portland, Oregon, the Washington Post reported. The move was troubling, current and former officials said, an abuse of a government system “meant to share information about suspected terrorists and violent actors,” the Post reported. The creation of intelligence report on journalists is part of a broader pattern of aggressive tactics by the Department of Homeland Security in Portland. Some current government officials told The Post they worried that the department’s Intelligence and Analysis office, in particular, “is exceeding the boundaries of its authority in an effort to crackdown on ‘antifa’ protesters to please President Trump.” “It’s not the sharing of my tweet that’s disturbing. It’s the construction of it as an intelligence report on a U.S. person that’s disturbing,” Benjamin Wittes, the editor of the Lawfare blog, and one of the two journalists reportedly targeted, told the Post. Wittes tweeted that he was considering his legal options: I will have more to say about this story after considering my legal options. For now, a few points...https://t.co/kgl81lU75t — Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) July 30, 2020
30 Jul 2020 00.05 BST David Smith At a White House press briefing on Thursday, Trump denied that he wants the election to be postponed but again questioned mail-in voting, insisting that he he does not “want to have to wait for three months and then find out that the ballots are all missing and the election doesn’t mean anything”.
He added: “Do I want to see a date change? No. But I don’t want to see a crooked election. This election will be the most rigged election in history, if that happens.”
Election experts say that all forms of voter fraud are rare. In 2017 the Brennan Center for Justice ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004% to 0.0009%, based on studies of past elections.
But analysts said the president’s chief objective is to sow doubt about the legitimacy of the outcome. Richard Painter, a former White House chief ethics lawyer, said: “He’s just trying to intimidate people. He wants to suppress the vote as much as he can and so he wants to discourage mail-in and, of course, he wants to complain about the election being rigged if he loses.
“He pulled this in 2016, he thought he was going to lose that and he said it was a rigged election. So this is just the same old Trump playbook but he cannot change the date of the election because it’s set by statute. Congress is not going to change the statute.”
Jon Meacham, a presidential biographer and historian, told the MSNBC network: “The delay thing may just be an entry point to an argument, largely emotional but nevertheless immensely disruptive, to setting up a November where he is crying foul and crooked election and fake news and fake president about Joe Biden if Biden wins.
“The other thing to watch is yes, those senators were saying the right thing today, but what if Trump begins to make the case to the Senate Republican caucus that if the Senate were to flip on November 3rd and subsequent days, it becomes in their interest to join him in questioning the legitimacy of an election that puts them out of work?”
30 Jul 2020 23.58 BST No action from Republicans as unemployment benefits expire For millions of Americans who have lost work during the pandemic, one source of basic security has been an additional $600 a week unemployment benefit from the federal government, on top of typical state unemployment benefits. Experts say the extra money has been crucial to helping Americans stay afloat economically during the intense uncertainty of coronavirus-related shutdowns. But that additional benefit program, passed in Congress in late March, expires on Friday and the senate has adjourned for the weekend without any deal to extend unemployment benefits at any level. The White House chief of staff also said today that he was “not optimistic” about getting a comprehensive new relief bill completed even next week. NEWS: The Senate has adjourned until Monday afternoon with no action on coronavirus relief.
Federal unemployment benefits will expire tomorrow. — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) July 30, 2020 House Democrats passed a bill that would extend the $600 payments through January, but Republicans countered with a plan this week that would offer a much lower payment of $200 extra a week. Trump said in his press conference today that he supported a plan to temporarily extend unemployment benefits while Congress continued to negotiate over the bigger picture bill, arguing that workers deserved support. State lawmakers in California said they might be able to step in to keep the $600 additional payments going out to state residents if Congress does not act, but they’re waiting to hear what federal lawmakers actually decide to do. Meanwhile, the last checks with $600 payments have already gone out, meaning Americans who are out of work are already facing a steep drop in the money they have coming in this week. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters he is “not very optimistic that we will have any kind of an agreement on a comprehensive bill in the near future."
“I’m not even optimistic about next week.” — Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 30, 2020
30 Jul 2020 23.34 BST Trump on schools reopening: ‘Can you assure anybody of anything?’ After taking a few questions about his coronavirus response, Trump abruptly ended his press conference. He had few answers to offer. Q: "How can you assure people that schools will be safely reopened?"
TRUMP: "So, can you assure anybody of anything?" — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 30, 2020 REPORTER: A week ago you said you're in the process of developing a coronavirus strategy that's very powerful. Where is it?
TRUMP: "Well, I think you're seeing it. And I think you still see it." pic.twitter.com/MBW2nY0YlP — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 30, 2020
Updated at 23.38 BST
30 Jul 2020 23.17 BST Trump on mail-in ballots vs. the facts Trump answer to question on whether he wants to delay the election is veering into not wanting to wait for the race to be called. Different point than what he said. — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 30, 2020 Asked about his tweet about delaying the election, Trump pivoted again into talking about a range of concerns about mail-in ballots, and about his frustration that the results of the 2020 election might not be available immediately. My colleague Sam Levine has a comprehensive explainer about Trump’s comments today versus the facts, including what logistical hurdles Americans might anticipate when it comes to a larger number of mail-in ballots during the pandemic.
Updated at 23.18 BST
30 Jul 2020 23.09 BST Federalist Society co-founder calls for Trump's impeachment “Until recently, I had taken as political hyperbole the Democrats’ assertion that President Trump is a fascist,” Steven Calabresi, a law professor and co-founder of the Federalist Society, an influential conservative organization, writes in a new op-ed in the New York Times.
But President Trump’s tweet this morning seeking a postponement of the 2020 election “is fascistic and is itself grounds for the president’s immediate impeachment again by the House of Representatives and his removal from office by the Senate,” Calabresi wrote. “President Trump needs to be told by every Republican in Congress that he cannot postpone the federal election. Doing so would be illegal, unconstitutional and without precedent in American history. Anyone who says otherwise should never be elected to Congress again,” he added. BREAKING: ultra-conservative founder of the Federalist Society Steven Calabresi calls for Trump’s immediate re-impeachment in response to Trump’s tweets about delaying the election.
Full article: https://t.co/JBYLqUT4vq pic.twitter.com/JpcDJmsbaU — Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) July 30, 2020
30 Jul 2020 23.02 BST Trump supports ‘temporary extension’ of unemployment benefits The president appeared to endorse a last-minute plan by some Republican senators to temporarily extend a $600 a week addition to unemployment benefits funded by the federal government, to give Congress more time to negotiate on a longer-term plan. The $600 a week, on top of state unemployment benefits, has been a crucial lifeline to millions of Americans who have been laid off during the pandemic. Republicans senators including Mitt Romney and Susan Collins are pitching the temporary extension plan, Yahoo News reported. The additional benefits program expires tomorrow, and the final checks under the program hav already gone out. Trump did not discuss specifics but said he did want a temporary extension to the benefits to help American workers. “This wasn’t anybody’s fault,” he said, adding later, “It wasn’t our workers fault.” Trump says he supports a "temporary extension of expanded unemployment benefits," without offering a precise dollar amount. — Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) July 30, 2020
30 Jul 2020 22.50 BST Trump presser: condolences and an argument things aren’t so bad Trump opened the press conference with a note of condolence for Herman Cain, a former presidential candidate and “dear friend”, as well as for the 150,000 other Americans who have now died from coronavirus. Trump then shifted to talking about a rise in coronavirus cases in other countries he suggested had done well on coronavirus, and then saw increases in case numbers, including Israel, Japan and Australia, and suggested that coronavirus cases in Latin America are being undercounted. The context for these comments appears to be arguing that the United States, which has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus deaths in the world, is not an outlier in its current struggle to contain the virus after Trump encouraged states to reopen their economies earlier in the spring.
Updated at 23.04 BST
30 Jul 2020 22.20 BST This is Lois Beckett in our California office taking over tonight’s live politics coverage. Donald Trump is expected to speak shortly at a news conference at 5.30 EST. The president’s comments will come after a day in politics that has focused on voting rights, and threats to voting rights. In his eulogy for civil rights hero John Lewis at his funeral today in Atlanta, Barack Obama argued that the best way to honor Lewis’ memory would be to take action to safeguard the voting rights of all Americans, including formerly incarcerated people. Trump, meanwhile, floated the idea of delaying November’s presidential election (which he cannot do) and then claimed he wasn’t serious. My colleagues offered more context on Trump’s ongoing assault on mail-in voting.
Obama calls for making election day a federal holiday, restoring voting rights to the formerly incarcerated, automatic voter registration, and the full enfranchisement of citizens of DC and Puerto Rico -- and says all must be done even if it means ditching the filibuster — Wesley (@WesleyLowery) July 30, 2020
Updated at 22.29 BST


theguardian--2020-07-30--Trump suggests delaying presidential election as dire economic data released

Donald Trump has floated the idea of delaying November ’ s presidential election , repeating his false claim that widespread voting by mail from home would result in a “ fraudulent ” result .
Trump made the incendiary proposal , which is not within his power to order , in a Thursday morning tweet that came as the country reeled from disastrous economic news and a coronavirus death toll that now exceeds 150,000 people .
The suggestion prompted swift and fervent rejections from experts and critics , as well as high-profile members of his own party .
Trump claimed without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would lead to “ the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT election in history ” .
The president also claimed the result would be a “ great embarrassment to the USA ” , and raised the prospect of a postponement .
“ Delay the Election until people can properly , securely and safely vote ?
?
?
” he tweeted .
But the US constitution grants the power to set an election date to Congress , not the president .
“ No , Mr. President .
No .
You don ’ t have the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it be moved , ” Ellen Weintraub , a commissioner with the US Federal Election Commission , tweeted .
“ States and localities are asking you and Congress for funds so they can properly run the safe and secure elections all Americans want .
Why don ’ t you work on that ?
” Michael Beschloss , a historian of the US presidency tweeted : “ Never in American history – not even during the Civil War and World War II – has there been a successful move to “ Delay the Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House press briefing later on Thursday , Trump denied that he wanted the election to be postponed but again questioned mail-in voting , insisting that he he did not “ want to have to wait for three months and then find out that the ballots are all missing and the election doesn ’ t mean anything ” .
He added : “ Do I want to see a date change ?
No .
But I don ’ t want to see a crooked election .
This election will be the most rigged election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election experts say that all forms of voter fraud are rare .
In 2017 , the Brennan Center for Justice ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004 % to 0.0009 % , based on studies of past elections .
Analysts said the president ’ s chief objective was to sow doubt about the legitimacy of the outcome .
Richard Painter , a former White House chief ethics lawyer , said : “ He ’ s just trying to intimidate people .
He wants to suppress the vote as much as he can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , of course , he wants to complain about the election being rigged if he loses .
“ He pulled this in 2016 – he thought he was going to lose that and he said it was a rigged election .
So this is just the same old Trump playbook but he can not change the date of the election because it ’ s set by statute .
Congress is not going to change the statute.
” Jon Meacham , a presidential biographer and historian , told the MSNBC network : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entry point to an argument , largely emotional but nevertheless immensely disruptive , to setting up a November where he is crying foul and crooked election and fake news and fake president about Joe Biden if Biden wins.
” Critics denounced the timing of Trump ’ s election comments as a distraction that came amid the disastrous economic report and hours ahead of the funeral of the revered civil rights and voting rights leader congressman John Lewis .
It also coincided with the preparations for a retreat by federal law enforcement agents from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been called an “ occupying force ” and “ Trump ’ s troops ” after being sent in to tackle protests sustained daily since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May , which triggered nationwide demonstrations and a fresh surge of support for the Black Lives Matter movement .
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer of New York , a Democrat , told Politico : “ He ’ s always trying to divert attention from his overwhelming failure on Covid… And it ’ s not going to happen.
” The Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted quoting the US constitution stating : “ The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors , and the Day on which they shall give their Votes ; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
” Congressional Republicans also quickly sought to distance themselves from the president ’ s suggestion .
The Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , told a Kentucky television station that the election date was “ set in stone ” .
Senator Marco Rubio , a loyalist on most issues , said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , but it ’ s not going to change : We are going to have an election in November.
” Lindsey Graham , normally a cheerleader for the president , told CNN he did not think Trump ’ s tweet about the election was “ a particularly good idea ” .
The Democratic representative Zoe Lofgren , who chairs the House committee overseeing election security , rejected the idea of a delay .
“ Only Congress can change the date of our elections , ” Lofgren said in an email to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under no circumstances will we consider doing so to accommodate the President ’ s inept and haphazard response to the coronavirus pandemic , or give credence to the lies and misinformation he spreads regarding the manner in which Americans can safely and securely cast their ballots.
” The Washington state attorney general , Bob Ferguson , issued a statement saying there was no evidence that mail-in ballots increase voter fraud .
He said : “ President Trump ’ s statement that he may unlawfully delay the November election is undemocratic , un-American , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” And added : “ For months , my legal team has been preparing for the possibility that the president might attempt to unlawfully delay the election .
If that happens , we will see President Trump in court – and we will win.
” The secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , who was appearing before the Senate foreign relations committee at the time Trump ’ s tweet went out , sought to dodge questions on whether the president had the authority to delay the election .
“ I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that on the fly , ” Pompeo , a Harvard Law School graduate , said .
“ The department of justice and others will make that legal determination.
” The justice department does not have the power to change the date of the election .
The idea that the US president should suggest a delay in a ballot that will decide whether or not he stays in the White House for another four years is certain to inflame fears that he is preparing for a fierce battle that could threaten the integrity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falling significantly behind his Democratic rival Joe Biden .
Trump has already indicated that he might not accept a Biden victory on election day , 3 November .
In a recent interview with Fox News Sunday he declined to commit to abiding by the results .
The idea that voting from home in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic would lead to an explosion of fraud has become a growing theme for Trump .
Most states have a long history of administering mail-in voting , without any significant incidence of fraud .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Vice-President Mike Pence , have voted by mail .
Trump was , however , “ just raising a question ” a spokesman for his election campaign told CNN .
“ The president is just raising a question about the chaos Democrats have created with their insistence on all mail-in voting , ” his campaign spokesman , Hogan Gidley , said in a statement , according to the TV cable network .

Ed Pilkington and Joanna Walters in New York, Julian Borger and David Smith Washington

Donald Trump has floated the idea of delaying November’s presidential election, repeating his false claim that widespread voting by mail from home would result in a “fraudulent” result.
Trump made the incendiary proposal, which is not within his power to order, in a Thursday morning tweet that came as the country reeled from disastrous economic news and a coronavirus death toll that now exceeds 150,000 people.
The suggestion prompted swift and fervent rejections from experts and critics, as well as high-profile members of his own party.
Trump claimed without evidence that “universal mail-in voting” would lead to “the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT election in history”. The president also claimed the result would be a “great embarrassment to the USA”, and raised the prospect of a postponement. “Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???” he tweeted.
But the US constitution grants the power to set an election date to Congress, not the president.
“No, Mr. President. No. You don’t have the power to move the election. Nor should it be moved,” Ellen Weintraub, a commissioner with the US Federal Election Commission, tweeted. “States and localities are asking you and Congress for funds so they can properly run the safe and secure elections all Americans want. Why don’t you work on that?”
Michael Beschloss, a historian of the US presidency, tweeted: “Never in American history – not even during the Civil War and World War II – has there been a successful move to ‘Delay the Election’ for President.”
At a White House press briefing later on Thursday, Trump denied that he wanted the election to be postponed but again questioned mail-in voting, insisting that he he did not “want to have to wait for three months and then find out that the ballots are all missing and the election doesn’t mean anything”.
He added: “Do I want to see a date change? No. But I don’t want to see a crooked election. This election will be the most rigged election in history, if that happens.”
Election experts say that all forms of voter fraud are rare. In 2017, the Brennan Center for Justice ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004% to 0.0009%, based on studies of past elections.
Analysts said the president’s chief objective was to sow doubt about the legitimacy of the outcome. Richard Painter, a former White House chief ethics lawyer, said: “He’s just trying to intimidate people. He wants to suppress the vote as much as he can and so he wants to discourage mail-in and, of course, he wants to complain about the election being rigged if he loses.
“He pulled this in 2016 – he thought he was going to lose that and he said it was a rigged election. So this is just the same old Trump playbook but he cannot change the date of the election because it’s set by statute. Congress is not going to change the statute.”
Jon Meacham, a presidential biographer and historian, told the MSNBC network: “The delay thing may just be an entry point to an argument, largely emotional but nevertheless immensely disruptive, to setting up a November where he is crying foul and crooked election and fake news and fake president about Joe Biden if Biden wins.”
Critics denounced the timing of Trump’s election comments as a distraction that came amid the disastrous economic report and hours ahead of the funeral of the revered civil rights and voting rights leader Congressman John Lewis. It also coincided with the preparations for a retreat by federal law enforcement agents from Portland, Oregon.
The agents had been called an “occupying force” and “Trump’s troops” after being sent in to tackle protests sustained daily since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May, which triggered nationwide demonstrations and a fresh surge of support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, a Democrat, told Politico: “He’s always trying to divert attention from his overwhelming failure on Covid … And it’s not going to happen.”
The Democratic House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, tweeted quoting the US constitution, stating: “The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.”
Congressional Republicans also quickly sought to distance themselves from the president’s suggestion. The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, told a Kentucky television station that the election date was “set in stone”.
Senator Marco Rubio, a loyalist on most issues, said: “I wish he hadn’t said that, but it’s not going to change: We are going to have an election in November.”
No, Mr. President. No. You don't have the power to move the election. Nor should it be moved. States and localities are asking you and Congress for funds so they can properly run the safe and secure elections all Americans want. Why don't you work on that? https://t.co/mCLeS3yjbw — Ellen L 😷 Weintraub (@EllenLWeintraub) July 30, 2020
Lindsey Graham, normally a cheerleader for the president, told CNN he did not think Trump’s tweet about the election was “a particularly good idea”.
The Democratic representative Zoe Lofgren, who chairs the House committee overseeing election security, rejected the idea of a delay.
“Only Congress can change the date of our elections,” Lofgren said in an email to the Reuters new agency, adding: “Under no circumstances will we consider doing so to accommodate the President’s inept and haphazard response to the coronavirus pandemic, or give credence to the lies and misinformation he spreads regarding the manner in which Americans can safely and securely cast their ballots.”
Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution states:
“The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.” https://t.co/NIaa7mQVnn — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 30, 2020
The Washington state attorney general, Bob Ferguson, issued a statement saying there was no evidence that mail-in ballots increased voter fraud.
He said: “President Trump’s statement that he may unlawfully delay the November election is undemocratic, un-American, and, sadly, entirely predictable.’”
And added: “For months, my legal team has been preparing for the possibility that the president might attempt to unlawfully delay the election. If that happens, we will see President Trump in court – and we will win.”
The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, who was appearing before the Senate foreign relations committee at the time Trump’s tweet went out, sought to dodge questions on whether the president had the authority to delay the election.
“I’m not going to enter a legal judgment on that on the fly,” Pompeo, a Harvard Law School graduate, said. “The Department of Justice and others will make that legal determination.”
The justice department does not have the power to change the date of the election.
The idea that the US president should suggest a delay in a ballot that will decide whether he stays in the White House for another four years is certain to inflame fears that he is preparing for a fierce battle that could threaten the integrity of US democracy. Recent polls have him falling significantly behind his Democratic rival Joe Biden.
Trump has already indicated that he might not accept a Biden victory on election day, 3 November. In a recent interview with Fox News Sunday he declined to commit to abiding by the results.
The idea that voting from home in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic would lead to an explosion of fraud has become a growing theme for Trump. Most states have a long history of administering mail-in voting, without any significant incidence of fraud.
Trump himself and numerous members of his administration, including Vice-President Mike Pence, have voted by mail.
16 top Trump officials have voted by mail or requested absentee ballots:
Trump
Pence
Barr
McEnany
Conway
Ivanka
Melania
Azar
Ross
DeVos
McDaniel
Kushner
Glassner
Stepien
Ayers
Parscale
GOP only opposes mail voting when Dems use itpic.twitter.com/rBOKnJUoNe — Ari Berman (@AriBerman) July 30, 2020
Trump was, however, “just raising a question”, a spokesman for his election campaign told CNN.
“The president is just raising a question about the chaos Democrats have created with their insistence on all mail-in voting,” his campaign spokesman, Hogan Gidley, said in a statement, according to the TV cable network.


theguardian--2020-07-30--Obama hails John Lewis as founding father of ‘fuller, better’ US in eulogy

Barack Obama hailed John Lewis as a founding father of “ a fuller , better ” United States in a soaring eulogy on Thursday , while forcefully calling on Americans to stand up to the forces threatening a cause the late congressman was willing to die for : the right to vote .
From the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist church in Atlanta , where Martin Luther King Jr once preached , Obama traced the arch of Lewis ’ s life – a child born into the Jim Crow south , the youngest speaker at the March on Washington in 1963 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marches in Selma , and a US congressman from Georgia – tying his legacy to the present-day civil rights protests ignited by the death of George Floyd , a black man under the knee of a white police officer .
He then drew a line from the racist leaders who opposed civil rights in the 1960s to the policies and ideologies embraced by Donald Trump .
“ Bull Connor may be gone , but today we witness with our own eyes , police officers kneeling on the necks of black Americans , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by name .
“ George Wallace may be gone , but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators .
We may no longer have to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar in order to cast a ballot , but even as we sit here there are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting.
” In perhaps his most explicitly political speech since leaving office , Obama assailed Trump ’ s false attacks on voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed to expand in light of the coronavirus pandemic .
He called the filibuster , a Senate rule requiring a supermajority of the chamber to pass legislation , which Republicans used to block his agenda , “ another Jim Crow relic ” .
Singling out members of Congress who issued statements calling Lewis a “ hero ” but oppose legislation that would restore the protections afforded under the Voting Rights Act Lewis struggled for in the 1960s , a law then granted under Lyndon Johnson but since weakened by a supreme court ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You want to honor John ?
Let ’ s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for.
” “ Preach , ” a voice rang out from the pews , where mourners sat apart in observation of safety protocols during the coronavirus pandemic .
All those attending the service wore masks .
Lewis was drawn to activism after discovering King ’ s sermons on the radio as a young man .
Calling him perhaps King ’ s “ finest disciple ” , Obama remembered Lewis as the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a “ man of pure joy and unbreakable perseverance ” .
He said he considered Lewis a “ mentor ” and has said that helped pave the way for his rise to the presidency , the first black man to ever hold the office .
As president , Obama awarded Lewis the medal of freedom , the highest civilian honor .
More than half a century after Lewis was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma , Alabama , a day remembered as Bloody Sunday , at the vanguard of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the nation is again facing a reckoning over the persistence of racial inequality .
“ We ’ re summoned here because in a moment when there are some in high office who are much better at division than vision , who can not lead us so they speak to divide us , ” said the Rev Raphael Warnock , a senior pastor at the church who presided over the funeral .
“ In a moment when there is so much political cynicism and narcissism that masquerades as patriotism here lies a true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limb for the hope and the promise of democracy.
” Obama was one of three former presidents , along with George Bush and Bill Clinton , to deliver remarks .
Jimmy Carter , the former president and a Georgia native , who is now too frail to travel , sent a written tribute that was read from the pulpit .
Notably absent was Trump , who refused to attend the services or pay respects to Lewis ’ s casket as it lay in state in the US Capitol Rotunda earlier in the week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once accusing the civil rights leader of being “ all talk , talk , talk – no action ” .
Hours before the funeral began in Atlanta , Trump suggested delaying November ’ s presidential election , justifying the extraordinary idea by repeating the false allegations that widespread mail-in balloting will result in a “ fraudulent ” result .
Trump can not legally change the date , but the suggestion is part of an unprecedented effort by the president to undermine faith in the results of the election .
The service was celebratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prayers and several humorous anecdotes .
But speaker after speaker commanded the nation to look to the future and continue the work he left unfinished .
“ We do not need bipartisan politics to celebrate the life of John Lewis , ” said the Rev James Lawson , an activist who taught Lewis the philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance .
“ We need the constitution to come alive.
” Winning and protecting the right to vote was Lewis ’ s life ’ s work , a cause for which he was beaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Voting Rights Act , the landmark civil rights legislation introduced and signed into law in the months after Bloody Sunday in March 1965 .
But it was weakened by the supreme court in 2013 and a bill that would restore key protections of the law languishes in Congress .
Dr Bernice King , the CEO of the King Center and youngest child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King , implored Congress to pass that legislation , which was renamed in honor of Lewis this week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ school-to-prison pipeline ” and combat wealth inequality .
Her voice reverberated through the church , as she echoed Lewis ’ s famous call for those struggling , using non-violent resistance against injustice to get into “ good trouble ” .
Bernice King said : “ Grant us God , a double portion for anointing , to get into good trouble until black bodies are no longer a threat in this world and black lives have equitable representation , power and influence.
” The House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , who served @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three decades , recalled a double rainbow , arching over the Capitol on Tuesday night as thousands of mourners wept and bowed their heads before Lewis ’ s casket .
“ We always knew he worked on the side of the angels , and now he is with them , ” she said , pausing occasionally to fight back tears .
Lewis , who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December , died on 17 July , aged 80 .
Earlier on Thursday , the New York Times published an essay , written @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , that expressed optimism about the future led by a new generation of civil rights activists that he witnessed in the final days of his life .
“ Emmett Till was my George Floyd , ” he wrote .
“ He was my Rayshard Brooks , Sandra Bland and Breonna Taylor.
” He urged Americans to get in “ good trouble , necessary trouble ” – a personal credo encouraging people to “ stand up , speak up and speak out ” against discrimination and injustice .
“ The vote is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a democratic society , ” he wrote .
“ You must use it because it is not guaranteed .
You can lose it.
” “ He ’ s gone up yonder and left us with marching orders , ” Clinton said .
“ I suggest – since he ’ s close enough to God to keep his eye on the sparrow and us – we salute , suit up and march on .
”

Barack Obama hailed John Lewis as a founding father of “a fuller, better” United States in a soaring eulogy on Thursday, while forcefully calling on Americans to stand up to the forces threatening a cause the late congressman was willing to die for: the right to vote.
From the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist church in Atlanta, where Martin Luther King Jr once preached, Obama traced the arch of Lewis’s life – a child born into the Jim Crow south, the youngest speaker at the March on Washington in 1963, a leader of the civil rights marches in Selma, and a US congressman from Georgia – tying his legacy to the present-day civil rights protests ignited by the death of George Floyd, a black man under the knee of a white police officer. He then drew a line from the racist leaders who opposed civil rights in the 1960s to the policies and ideologies embraced by Donald Trump.
“Bull Connor may be gone, but today we witness with our own eyes, police officers kneeling on the necks of black Americans,” Obama said, never mentioning his successor by name. “George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators. We may no longer have to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar in order to cast a ballot, but even as we sit here there are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting.”
In perhaps his most explicitly political speech since leaving office, Obama assailed Trump’s false attacks on voting by mail, which Democratic officials have pushed to expand in light of the coronavirus pandemic. He called the filibuster, a Senate rule requiring a supermajority of the chamber to pass legislation, which Republicans used to block his agenda, “another Jim Crow relic”.
Barack Obama gestures after speaking during the funeral of the late congressman John Lewis in Atlanta, Georgia, on 30 July. Photograph: Getty Images
Singling out members of Congress who issued statements calling Lewis a “hero” but oppose legislation that would restore the protections afforded under the Voting Rights Act Lewis struggled for in the 1960s, a law then granted under Lyndon Johnson but since weakened by a supreme court ruling in 2013, Obama said: “You want to honor John? Let’s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for.”
“Preach,” a voice rang out from the pews, where mourners sat apart in observation of safety protocols during the coronavirus pandemic. All those attending the service wore masks.
Lewis was drawn to activism after discovering King’s sermons on the radio as a young man. Calling him perhaps King’s “finest disciple”, Obama remembered Lewis as the “boy from Troy” who grew to become a “man of pure joy and unbreakable perseverance”. He said he considered Lewis a “mentor” and has said that helped pave the way for his rise to the presidency, the first black man to ever hold the office.
As president, Obama awarded Lewis the medal of freedom, the highest civilian honor.
04:13 'John Lewis was exceptional': Obama, Clinton and Bush pay tribute at funeral in Atlanta – video
More than half a century after Lewis was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, a day remembered as Bloody Sunday, at the vanguard of the pivotal Selma to Montgomery civil rights march, the nation is again facing a reckoning over the persistence of racial inequality.
“We’re summoned here because in a moment when there are some in high office who are much better at division than vision, who cannot lead us so they speak to divide us,” said the Rev Raphael Warnock, a senior pastor at the church who presided over the funeral. “In a moment when there is so much political cynicism and narcissism that masquerades as patriotism here lies a true American patriot who risked his life and limb for the hope and the promise of democracy.”
Obama was one of three former presidents, along with George Bush and Bill Clinton, to deliver remarks. Jimmy Carter, the former president and a Georgia native, who is now too frail to travel, sent a written tribute that was read from the pulpit.
Notably absent was Trump, who refused to attend the services or pay respects to Lewis’s casket as it lay in state in the US Capitol Rotunda earlier in the week. He had clashed with Lewis, once accusing the civil rights leader of being “all talk, talk, talk – no action”.
The Rev Raphael Warnock at the funeral service. Photograph: Getty Images
Hours before the funeral began in Atlanta, Trump suggested delaying November’s presidential election, justifying the extraordinary idea by repeating the false allegations that widespread mail-in balloting will result in a “fraudulent” result. Trump cannot legally change the date, but the suggestion is part of an unprecedented effort by the president to undermine faith in the results of the election.
The service was celebratory, marked by songs, poems, prayers and several humorous anecdotes. But speaker after speaker commanded the nation to look to the future and continue the work he left unfinished.
“We do not need bipartisan politics to celebrate the life of John Lewis,” said the Rev James Lawson, an activist who taught Lewis the philosophy and practice of nonviolent resistance. “We need the constitution to come alive.”
Winning and protecting the right to vote was Lewis’s life’s work, a cause for which he was beaten and bloodied. He lived to see the Voting Rights Act, the landmark civil rights legislation introduced and signed into law in the months after Bloody Sunday in March 1965. But it was weakened by the supreme court in 2013 and a bill that would restore key protections of the law languishes in Congress.
The casket is prepared for movement at the end of a funeral service. Photograph: Alyssa Pointer/EPA
Dr Bernice King, the CEO of the King Center and youngest child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King, implored Congress to pass that legislation, which was renamed in honor of Lewis this week. She also called for leaders to end the “school-to-prison pipeline” and combat wealth inequality.
Her voice reverberated through the church, as she echoed Lewis’s famous call for those struggling, using non-violent resistance against injustice to get into “good trouble”.
Bernice King said: “Grant us God, a double portion for anointing, to get into good trouble until black bodies are no longer a threat in this world and black lives have equitable representation, power and influence.”
The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, who served alongside Lewis in Congress for more than three decades, recalled a double rainbow, arching over the Capitol on Tuesday night as thousands of mourners wept and bowed their heads before Lewis’s casket.
“We always knew he worked on the side of the angels, and now he is with them,” she said, pausing occasionally to fight back tears.
04:06 'John Lewis worked on the side of the angels', says Nancy Pelosi – video
Lewis, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December, died on 17 July, aged 80.
Earlier on Thursday, the New York Times published an essay, written by Lewis in the days before his death, that expressed optimism about the future led by a new generation of civil rights activists that he witnessed in the final days of his life.
“Emmett Till was my George Floyd,” he wrote. “He was my Rayshard Brooks, Sandra Bland and Breonna Taylor.”
He urged Americans to get in “good trouble, necessary trouble” – a personal credo encouraging people to “stand up, speak up and speak out” against discrimination and injustice.
“The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society,” he wrote. “You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.”
In a deeply personal tribute, Clinton invoked Lewis’s words.
“He’s gone up yonder and left us with marching orders,” Clinton said. “I suggest – since he’s close enough to God to keep his eye on the sparrow and us – we salute, suit up and march on.”


theguardian--2020-07-30--Why Trump cannot delay the election – plus the truth about mail-in voting

Donald Trump suggested on Thursday that the November election should be delayed .
Can he do that ?
No .
The president can not act on his own to move the date of the election .
The constitution gives state legislatures and Congress the ability to set the dates of elections .
It does not give the president any power to do so .
Article 2 of the US constitution , which outlines the powers of the executive branch , specifically gives Congress the power to set the “ time ” when states choose their presidential electors .
In 1845 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential electors as Tuesday following the first Monday in November in a presidential election year .
Congress could move the date of the election by changing the law , but the president could not unilaterally do so .
The 20th amendment also says that the four-year term of the president and vice-president ends on 20 January .
It also calls for the terms of members of Congress to begin on 3 January .
“ If there is no new president-elect ( or V-P-elect ) , then the Twentieth Amendment calls for an Acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Congress having written a statute that would put the Speaker next in line , ” Ned Foley , a professor at the Ohio State University , wrote in an email .
The speaker is currently Nancy Pelosi .
If Trump can ’ t move the election , why is he tweeting about it ?
For months , Trump has been laying the groundwork to contest the legitimacy of the 2020 election .
He has falsely claimed that mail-in ballots , expected in record numbers this year because of Covid-19 , will lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being “ rigged ” .
There ’ s no evidence to support Trump ’ s claims .
But it ’ s likely the president is creating a narrative that there could be something fishy about the election in November to argue the election isn ’ t legitimate if he loses .
There is deep concern about how Trump will deploy this rhetoric in November , especially because there ’ s likely to be a long wait to get election results .
Many experts are worried Trump could use the delay to claim victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tweets have also long been considered a distraction tactic from other national news cycles – most recently , the economic downturn .
Does Trump have a point that vote by mail will lead to fraud ?
Trump and other Republicans argue that voting by mail is dangerous because , unlike in-person , a person other than the voter takes custody of the ballot .
But several studies have shown that mail-in voting does not lead to more fraud .
A Washington Post analysis of 14.6m votes cast in three states that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found just 372 cases of double voting or voting on behalf of a dead person .
A different study of voter fraud cases maintained by the conservative Heritage Foundation found just 143 cases of criminal convictions involving absentee ballots over the last 20 years .
That amounts to 0.00006 % of total votes cast during that period .
States have a number of measures in place to prevent fraud .
Many states allow voters to track their mail-in ballots , giving them confidence that it was received in the mail .
Many states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one on file with election officials , a practice , if done carefully , that can prevent fraud .
Some states restrict who can collect a mail-in ballot or even require ballots to be signed by a witness or notary ( Democrats and voting rights groups are challenging these kinds of restrictions in many states , saying they are needlessly restrictive during Covid-19 ) .
Trump and conservative groups argue that even a small number of fraudulent votes can tip an election and have pointed to a recent case of suspected fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jersey , to support that idea .
But local officials there told the Washington Post that they don ’ t believe the problem there is symptomatic of widespread fraud and that it was uncovered by election officials .
Will mail-in voting hurt Trump and other Republicans ?
There ’ s no evidence that mail-in voting will hurt Trump .
A study from Stanford researchers earlier this year showed that mail-in voting on the whole does not benefit Democrats or Republicans .
In some states , such as Florida , Republicans have long relied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get out the vote among supporters .
There is some concern that Trump ’ s rhetoric around mail-in voting could actually put Republicans at a disadvantage this fall .
Even as Trump has railed against mail-in voting Republicans have urged their supporters to request mail-in ballots .
In Florida and North Carolina , local Republican parties have sent mailers to their supporters with images of selectively edited Trump tweets urging them to request mail-in ballots , according to the Associated Press .
Trump keeps highlighting problems with vote by mail , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected for various issues .
Is he right ?
There are legitimate worries about the capacity of states and the United States Postal Service ( USPS ) to manage elections this fall .
Many states are not used to seeing a large volume of mail-in votes and local election officials have been overwhelmed by the flood of absentee ballot requests and the ballots themselves .
There is also concern that USPS , which is reportedly considering slowing down mail delivery because of a budget shortfall , will be unable to deliver ballots in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reject absentee ballots for a number of reasons – they might arrive late , the signature on the ballot might not match the one on file , or they might not be properly sealed .
There ’ s concern that as more people vote by mail this year , more people are going to have their ballots rejected .
These are all valid concerns – but neither Trump nor Republicans in Congress have done much to fix them .
States need an estimated $ 4bn to adequately prepare for vote by mail , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far .
The most recent Republican Covid-19 relief proposal in the Senate contained no additional funding to states to help them run elections .
Advocates also say USPS desperately needs an injection of federal funding , but that also has stalled in Congress .
States can reduce the number of ballot rejections by requiring election officials to notify voters before they reject their ballot , a requirement in place in fewer than 20 states .
Many states also require election officials to reject ballots that arrive after election day , regardless of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Democrats have filed a slew of lawsuits across the country seeking to require states to count ballots as long as they are postmarked by election day and arrive in the days after .
The Trump campaign has not supported those efforts .

Donald Trump suggested on Thursday that the November election should be delayed. Can he do that?
No. The president cannot act on his own to move the date of the election. The constitution gives state legislatures and Congress the ability to set the dates of elections. It does not give the president any power to do so.
Article 2 of the US constitution, which outlines the powers of the executive branch, specifically gives Congress the power to set the “time” when states choose their presidential electors. In 1845, Congress set the day for choosing presidential electors as Tuesday following the first Monday in November in a presidential election year. Congress could move the date of the election by changing the law, but the president could not unilaterally do so.
There will be no delay in the #2020Election. Congress sets the election date, and it should not be changed. It will be held on November 3rd, as planned and required by law. — US Rep Rodney Davis (@RodneyDavis) July 30, 2020
The 20th amendment also says that the four-year term of the president and vice-president ends on 20 January. It also calls for the terms of members of Congress to begin on 3 January.
“If there is no new president-elect (or V-P-elect), then the Twentieth Amendment calls for an Acting President on noon on January 20, with Congress having written a statute that would put the Speaker next in line,” Ned Foley, a professor at the Ohio State University, wrote in an email. The speaker is currently Nancy Pelosi.
If Trump can’t move the election, why is he tweeting about it?
For months, Trump has been laying the groundwork to contest the legitimacy of the 2020 election. He has falsely claimed that mail-in ballots, expected in record numbers this year because of Covid-19, will lead to votes being stolen and the election being “rigged”.
There’s no evidence to support Trump’s claims. But it’s likely the president is creating a narrative that there could be something fishy about the election in November to argue the election isn’t legitimate if he loses. There is deep concern about how Trump will deploy this rhetoric in November, especially because there’s likely to be a long wait to get election results. Many experts are worried Trump could use the delay to claim victory before ballots are being counted.
Trump’s tweets have also long been considered a distraction tactic from other national news cycles – most recently, the economic downturn.
Does Trump have a point that vote by mail will lead to fraud?
Trump and other Republicans argue that voting by mail is dangerous because, unlike in-person, a person other than the voter takes custody of the ballot. But several studies have shown that mail-in voting does not lead to more fraud. A Washington Post analysis of 14.6m votes cast in three states that automatically mail a ballot to all voters found just 372 cases of double voting or voting on behalf of a dead person. A different study of voter fraud cases maintained by the conservative Heritage Foundation found just 143 cases of criminal convictions involving absentee ballots over the last 20 years. That amounts to 0.00006% of total votes cast during that period.
States have a number of measures in place to prevent fraud. Many states allow voters to track their mail-in ballots, giving them confidence that it was received in the mail. Many states compare the signature on the ballot to the one on file with election officials, a practice, if done carefully, that can prevent fraud. Some states restrict who can collect a mail-in ballot or even require ballots to be signed by a witness or notary (Democrats and voting rights groups are challenging these kinds of restrictions in many states, saying they are needlessly restrictive during Covid-19).
Trump and conservative groups argue that even a small number of fraudulent votes can tip an election and have pointed to a recent case of suspected fraud involving mail-in ballots in Paterson, New Jersey, to support that idea. But local officials there told the Washington Post that they don’t believe the problem there is symptomatic of widespread fraud and that it was uncovered by election officials.
Will mail-in voting hurt Trump and other Republicans?
There’s no evidence that mail-in voting will hurt Trump. A study from Stanford researchers earlier this year showed that mail-in voting on the whole does not benefit Democrats or Republicans. In some states, such as Florida, Republicans have long relied on mail-in voting as a reliable way to get out the vote among supporters.
There is some concern that Trump’s rhetoric around mail-in voting could actually put Republicans at a disadvantage this fall. Even as Trump has railed against mail-in voting Republicans have urged their supporters to request mail-in ballots. In Florida and North Carolina, local Republican parties have sent mailers to their supporters with images of selectively edited Trump tweets urging them to request mail-in ballots, according to the Associated Press.
Trump keeps highlighting problems with vote by mail, like ballots getting delayed in the mail and rejected for various issues. Is he right?
There are legitimate worries about the capacity of states and the United States Postal Service (USPS) to manage elections this fall. Many states are not used to seeing a large volume of mail-in votes and local election officials have been overwhelmed by the flood of absentee ballot requests and the ballots themselves. There is also concern that USPS, which is reportedly considering slowing down mail delivery because of a budget shortfall, will be unable to deliver ballots in a timely manner.
States also can reject absentee ballots for a number of reasons – they might arrive late, the signature on the ballot might not match the one on file, or they might not be properly sealed. There’s concern that as more people vote by mail this year, more people are going to have their ballots rejected.
These are all valid concerns – but neither Trump nor Republicans in Congress have done much to fix them. States need an estimated $4bn to adequately prepare for vote by mail, but Congress has allocated just $400m so far. The most recent Republican Covid-19 relief proposal in the Senate contained no additional funding to states to help them run elections. Advocates also say USPS desperately needs an injection of federal funding, but that also has stalled in Congress.
States can reduce the number of ballot rejections by requiring election officials to notify voters before they reject their ballot, a requirement in place in fewer than 20 states. Many states also require election officials to reject ballots that arrive after election day, regardless of when they were placed in the mail. Democrats have filed a slew of lawsuits across the country seeking to require states to count ballots as long as they are postmarked by election day and arrive in the days after. The Trump campaign has not supported those efforts.


theguardian--2020-07-30--Herman Cain, former Republican presidential candidate, dies aged 74

Herman Cain , a 2012 Republican presidential candidate and ardent supporter of Donald Trump , has died of coronavirus , his team announced on his website on Thursday .
Cain , 74 , had been ill with the virus for several weeks and was in a high-risk group due to his history with cancer .
It is unclear when or where he was infected , but he was hospitalised less than two weeks after attending the US president ’ s campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , on 20 June .
Cain , who co-chaired Black Voices for Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face mask and not physically distancing from other supporters .
Public health officials had warned that the rally could put lives at risk and eight Trump campaign staffers tested positive for Covid-19 .
“ You ’ re never ready for the kind of news we are grappling with this morning , ” wrote Dan Calabrese , the editor of Cain ’ s website .
“ But we have no choice but to seek and find God ’ s strength and comfort to deal with it .
Herman Cain – our boss , our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of us – has passed away.
” Calabrese added : “ We knew when he was first hospitalized with Covid-19 that this was going to be a rough fight .
He had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital by ambulance .
We all prayed that the initial meds they gave him would get his breathing back to normal , but it became clear pretty quickly that he was in for a battle.
” At a White House briefing on Thursday , Trump described Cain as “ a wonderful man ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He added : “ He was a very special person .
I got to know him very well and , unfortunately , he passed away from a thing called the China virus .
“ We send our prayers to Herman ’ s great wife , Gloria , wonderful family , and I have to say America grieves for all of the 150,000 Americans who had their lives taken by this horrible , invisible enemy.
” Cain was born in Memphis , Tennessee , the son of a janitor and a cleaner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ segregated south .
After college he worked as a Baptist minister and radio talkshow host and enjoyed a successful business career , serving as the chief executive of the Godfather ’ s pizza chain , the chief executive of the National Restaurant Association and the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City .
He surged to public attention with a long-shot presidential campaign .
He hoped to become the first person of colour to win the Republican nomination and challenge Barack Obama , raising the prospect of a 2012 election between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected that label , once saying : “ I don ’ t use African American , because I ’ m American , I ’ m black and I ’ m conservative .
I feel more of an affinity for America than I do for Africa.
” In some ways he was a forerunner of Trump : a maverick , gaffe-prone businessman who had never held elected office and who energised grassroots conservatives , many of whom found Mitt Romney , the former governor of Massachusetts , too moderate .
Cain ’ s campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledge to simplify the tax rate to 9 % for income , corporate and sales tax .
But unlike Trump , he was upended by accusations that he had sexually harassed several women and by a poor grasp of foreign policy .
He rambled when asked whether he supported or opposed Obama ’ s policies in Libya and , complaining to reporters about “ gotcha questions ” , he said : “ And when they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan , I ’ m going to say you know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know ?
” Last year Trump spoke to Cain about sitting on the Federal Reserve board but he withdrew the nomination after objections from several Republican senators .
Cain continued to give the president firm backing and got involved in his re-election campaign , sometimes in incendiary fashion .
In May , tweeting a link to an article on his website about the billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros , Cain posted : “ This piece of trash survived the Nazi occupation of Europe , genocide , countless horrific atrocities , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of lives .
...
But COVID-19 is the ‘ greatest crisis of his lifetime ?
’ That ’ s telling.
” Even as he lay in hospital , Cain tweeted about Trump ’ s Fourth of July celebration at Mount Rushmore : “ Masks will not be mandatory for the event , which will be attended by President Trump .
PEOPLE ARE FED UP !
” Never lacking in self-confidence , Cain often referred to himself in the third person .
His motivational speaking company was named THE New Voice Inc – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But he also showing willingness to laugh at himself , appearing with comedians such as John Oliver with whom he sat in a mock-up of the Oval Office .
Acknowledging Cain ’ s death in a tweet , Romney , who eventually won the 2012 nomination but lost to Obama , wrote : “ Saddened that Herman Cain—a formidable champion of business , politics and policy—has lost his battle with Covid .
St. Peter will soon hear ‘ 999 !
’ Keep up the fight , my friend.
” Cain is survived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their children and grandchildren .

David Smith in Washington and Joanna Walters in New York

Herman Cain, a 2012 Republican presidential candidate and ardent supporter of Donald Trump, has died of coronavirus, his team announced on his website on Thursday.
Cain, 74, had been ill with the virus for several weeks and was in a high-risk group due to his history with cancer. It is unclear when or where he was infected, but he was hospitalised less than two weeks after attending the US president’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on 20 June.
Cain, who co-chaired Black Voices for Trump, was photographed at the event without a face mask and not physically distancing from other supporters. Public health officials had warned that the rally could put lives at risk and eight Trump campaign staffers tested positive for Covid-19.
Herman Cain, who is 74, attended Trump's Tulsa rally as a surrogate for the Trump campaign
Here's a photo he posted inside with no mask https://t.co/ZOrvWU4m0X pic.twitter.com/rjcbd4zqga — Will Steakin (@wsteaks) July 2, 2020
“You’re never ready for the kind of news we are grappling with this morning,” wrote Dan Calabrese, the editor of Cain’s website. “But we have no choice but to seek and find God’s strength and comfort to deal with it. Herman Cain – our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us – has passed away.”
Calabrese added: “We knew when he was first hospitalized with Covid-19 that this was going to be a rough fight. He had trouble breathing and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. We all prayed that the initial meds they gave him would get his breathing back to normal, but it became clear pretty quickly that he was in for a battle.”
At a White House briefing on Thursday, Trump described Cain as “a wonderful man” and “dear friend of mine”. He added: “He was a very special person. I got to know him very well and, unfortunately, he passed away from a thing called the China virus.
“We send our prayers to Herman’s great wife, Gloria, wonderful family, and I have to say America grieves for all of the 150,000 Americans who had their lives taken by this horrible, invisible enemy.”
Cain was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of a janitor and a cleaner, and grew up in Georgia in the segregated south. After college he worked as a Baptist minister and radio talkshow host and enjoyed a successful business career, serving as the chief executive of the Godfather’s pizza chain, the chief executive of the National Restaurant Association and the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
He surged to public attention with a long-shot presidential campaign. He hoped to become the first person of colour to win the Republican nomination and challenge Barack Obama, raising the prospect of a 2012 election between two African American men. But Cain rejected that label, once saying: “I don’t use African American, because I’m American, I’m black and I’m conservative. I feel more of an affinity for America than I do for Africa.”
In some ways he was a forerunner of Trump: a maverick, gaffe-prone businessman who had never held elected office and who energised grassroots conservatives, many of whom found Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, too moderate. Cain’s campaign slogan was “9-9-9”, a pledge to simplify the tax rate to 9% for income, corporate and sales tax.
But unlike Trump, he was upended by accusations that he had sexually harassed several women and by a poor grasp of foreign policy. He rambled when asked whether he supported or opposed Obama’s policies in Libya and, complaining to reporters about “gotcha questions”, he said: “And when they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan, I’m going to say you know, I don’t know. Do you know?”
Last year Trump spoke to Cain about sitting on the Federal Reserve board but he withdrew the nomination after objections from several Republican senators. Cain continued to give the president firm backing and got involved in his re-election campaign, sometimes in incendiary fashion.
In May, tweeting a link to an article on his website about the billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros, Cain posted: “This piece of trash survived the Nazi occupation of Europe, genocide, countless horrific atrocities, and a global conflagration that took millions upon millions of lives. ...But COVID-19 is the ‘greatest crisis of his lifetime?’ That’s telling.”
Even as he lay in hospital, Cain tweeted about Trump’s Fourth of July celebration at Mount Rushmore: “Masks will not be mandatory for the event, which will be attended by President Trump. PEOPLE ARE FED UP!”
Never lacking in self-confidence, Cain often referred to himself in the third person. His motivational speaking company was named THE New Voice Inc – the acronym stood for The Hermanator Experience. But he also showing willingness to laugh at himself, appearing with comedians such as John Oliver with whom he sat in a mock-up of the Oval Office.
Acknowledging Cain’s death in a tweet, Romney, who eventually won the 2012 nomination but lost to Obama, wrote: “Saddened that Herman Cain—a formidable champion of business, politics and policy—has lost his battle with Covid. St. Peter will soon hear ‘999!’ Keep up the fight, my friend.”
Cain is survived by his wife, Gloria Etchison, their children and grandchildren.


theguardian--2020-07-30--‘Emmett Till was my George Floyd’: John Lewis makes final rousing call for progress in essay

John Lewis , the civil rights leader who was bloodied in protests against southern segregation , who spoke at the March on Washington and went on to become the “ conscience of Congress ” , has left a powerful call to action to the American people that is being heard on the day of his funeral .
Lewis , who will be mourned , revered and celebrated on Thursday at Ebenezer Baptist church in Atlanta , sent his final rousing clarion call for peace and progress to the opinion editor of the New York Times two days before he died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80 .
He requested that it be published on the day of his funeral .
The essay rehearses several of the key moments that for Lewis shaped his life in non-violent protest and what he called “ good trouble ” .
He said he was inspired into the movement against America ’ s brutal history of race discrimination by the lynching in Mississippi of Emmett Till , aged 15 , in 1955 – when Lewis was himself just 14 .
“ Emmett Till was my George Floyd .
He was my Rayshard Brooks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he writes .
He recalls how in his childhood in Alabama , the white supremacist threat was a fact of everyday life .
“ Unchecked , unrestrained violence and government-sanctioned terror had the power to turn a simple stroll to the store for some Skittles or an innocent morning jog down a lonesome country road into a nightmare.
” Lewis goes on to recall the seminal moment that changed his life – hearing Martin Luther King Jr on the radio .
“ He was talking about the philosophy and discipline of nonviolence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when we tolerate injustice … He said each of us has a moral obligation to stand up , speak up and speak out.
” That connection with King will be made explicit for a second time on Thursday at his funeral at Ebenezer where King was a former pastor .
The elder civil rights leader continued to inspire Lewis for the next 65 years as he fought segregation during sometimes bloody marches , Greyhound bus “ Freedom Rides “ across the south and later during his long tenure in the US Congress .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ attending the funeral and is expected to address mourners , according to a person familiar with the arrangements who was not authorized to speak publicly .
President George W Bush ’ s office said the former president and first lady Laura Bush also will attend .
Fellow former president Jimmy Carter will not attend as he has indicated he is no longer travelling , but has sent his condolences in his absence .
Ebenezer ’ s senior pastor , the Rev Raphael Warnock , who will officiate at the funeral , said of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ He was my hero .
He laid it all on the line , at the risk of life and limb.
“ He added : “ He read the Gospel , and he actually believed it – love your enemies.
” When Lewis was 15 , he heard King ’ s sermons on WRMA , a radio station in Montgomery , in Lewis ’ s native Alabama , he recalled in an interview for the Southern Oral History Program .
“ Later I saw him on many occasions in Nashville while I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 61 , ” Lewis said .
“ In a sense , he was my leader.
” King was “ the person who , more than any other , continued to influence my life , who made me who I was , “ Lewis wrote in his 1998 autobiography , Walking with the Wind .
By the summer of 1963 , Lewis was addressing thousands of people during the March on Washington , as the youngest speaker at the pivotal historic event and speaking shortly before King gave his I Have a Dream speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beaten by police and jailed – themes that resonate vividly in today ’ s times .
“ My friends , let us not forget that we are involved in a serious social revolution , “ Lewis told the enormous crowd stretching into the distance from the Lincoln Memorial on the Washington National Mall .
“ To those who have said , ‘ Be patient and wait , ’ we have long said that we can not be patient , ” he added .
“ We do not want our freedom gradually , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are tired .
We are tired of being beaten by policemen .
We are tired of seeing our people locked up in jail over and over again.
” In 1965 , Lewis was beaten and his skull broken by Alabama state troopers in the city of Selma as he was in the vanguard of civil rights protesters crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in what became known as Bloody Sunday .
Last Sunday , his casket was carried across that bridge .
The horse-drawn wagon rolled over a carpet of rose petals on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On the south side of the bridge , where Lewis was attacked by the law officers , family members placed red roses , marking the spot where Lewis spilled his blood , along with others .
His casket was taken to Washington to lie in state in the Capitol rotunda , and then flown to Georgia on Wednesday .
He spent more than three decades in Congress , and his district included most of Atlanta .
Lewis was a member of Ebenezer , and “ it was my honor to serve as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of faith and a true American patriot who selflessly risked life and limb in the sacred cause of truth-telling and justice-making in the world , ” Warnock said in a statement before the funeral .
“ He was wounded for America ’ s transgressions , crushed for our iniquities and by his bruises we are healed , ” Warnock added .
“ Today we weep .
Tomorrow we continue the work of healing that was his life ’ s work.
” After the funeral , Lewis will be buried at the South-View cemetery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laid to rest before his body was moved to the Martin Luther King Center .
South-View cemetery was founded in 1886 as a final resting place for formerly enslaved black people .

John Lewis, the civil rights leader who was bloodied in protests against southern segregation, who spoke at the March on Washington and went on to become the “conscience of Congress”, has left a powerful call to action to the American people that is being heard on the day of his funeral.
Lewis, who will be mourned, revered and celebrated on Thursday at Ebenezer Baptist church in Atlanta, sent his final rousing clarion call for peace and progress to the opinion editor of the New York Times two days before he died from pancreatic cancer on 17 July aged 80. He requested that it be published on the day of his funeral.
The essay rehearses several of the key moments that for Lewis shaped his life in non-violent protest and what he called “good trouble”. He said he was inspired into the movement against America’s brutal history of race discrimination by the lynching in Mississippi of Emmett Till, aged 15, in 1955 – when Lewis was himself just 14.
“Emmett Till was my George Floyd. He was my Rayshard Brooks, Sandra Bland and Breonna Taylor,” he writes.
He recalls how in his childhood in Alabama, the white supremacist threat was a fact of everyday life. “Unchecked, unrestrained violence and government-sanctioned terror had the power to turn a simple stroll to the store for some Skittles or an innocent morning jog down a lonesome country road into a nightmare.”
Lewis goes on to recall the seminal moment that changed his life – hearing Martin Luther King Jr on the radio. “He was talking about the philosophy and discipline of nonviolence. He said we are all complicit when we tolerate injustice … He said each of us has a moral obligation to stand up, speak up and speak out.”
That connection with King will be made explicit for a second time on Thursday at his funeral at Ebenezer where King was a former pastor. The elder civil rights leader continued to inspire Lewis for the next 65 years as he fought segregation during sometimes bloody marches, Greyhound bus “Freedom Rides“ across the south and later during his long tenure in the US Congress.
Former US president Barack Obama will be attending the funeral and is expected to address mourners, according to a person familiar with the arrangements who was not authorized to speak publicly. President George W Bush’s office said the former president and first lady Laura Bush also will attend.
Fellow former president Jimmy Carter will not attend as he has indicated he is no longer travelling, but has sent his condolences in his absence.
Ebenezer’s senior pastor, the Rev Raphael Warnock, who will officiate at the funeral, said of Lewis in an interview late on Wednesday: “He was my hero. He laid it all on the line, at the risk of life and limb.“
He added: “He read the Gospel, and he actually believed it – love your enemies.”
When Lewis was 15, he heard King’s sermons on WRMA, a radio station in Montgomery, in Lewis’s native Alabama, he recalled in an interview for the Southern Oral History Program.
“Later I saw him on many occasions in Nashville while I was in school between 1958 and ’61,” Lewis said. “In a sense, he was my leader.” King was “the person who, more than any other, continued to influence my life, who made me who I was,“ Lewis wrote in his 1998 autobiography, Walking with the Wind.
By the summer of 1963, Lewis was addressing thousands of people during the March on Washington, as the youngest speaker at the pivotal historic event and speaking shortly before King gave his I Have a Dream speech. He spoke then about Black people beaten by police and jailed – themes that resonate vividly in today’s times.
“My friends, let us not forget that we are involved in a serious social revolution,“ Lewis told the enormous crowd stretching into the distance from the Lincoln Memorial on the Washington National Mall.
“To those who have said, ‘Be patient and wait,’ we have long said that we cannot be patient,” he added. “We do not want our freedom gradually, but we want to be free now. We are tired. We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We are tired of seeing our people locked up in jail over and over again.”
In 1965, Lewis was beaten and his skull broken by Alabama state troopers in the city of Selma as he was in the vanguard of civil rights protesters crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in what became known as Bloody Sunday.
Last Sunday, his casket was carried across that bridge. The horse-drawn wagon rolled over a carpet of rose petals on the bridge that spans the Alabama River.
On the south side of the bridge, where Lewis was attacked by the law officers, family members placed red roses, marking the spot where Lewis spilled his blood, along with others.
His casket was taken to Washington to lie in state in the Capitol rotunda, and then flown to Georgia on Wednesday.
He spent more than three decades in Congress, and his district included most of Atlanta.
Lewis was a member of Ebenezer, and “it was my honor to serve as pastor to John Lewis, a man of faith and a true American patriot who selflessly risked life and limb in the sacred cause of truth-telling and justice-making in the world,” Warnock said in a statement before the funeral.
“He was wounded for America’s transgressions, crushed for our iniquities and by his bruises we are healed,” Warnock added. “Today we weep. Tomorrow we continue the work of healing that was his life’s work.”
After the funeral, Lewis will be buried at the South-View cemetery outside Atlanta, where King was initially laid to rest before his body was moved to the Martin Luther King Center. South-View cemetery was founded in 1886 as a final resting place for formerly enslaved black people.