theguardian--2020-08-12--What to make of the Kamala Harris VP pick? Our panel's verdict

Joe Biden ’ s choice of Kamala Harris to be his running mate signals one thing : he believes that Black voters are the key to his chances of winning the White House .
While he is certain to win upwards of 90 % of the Black vote , just as Democratic nominees have done for decades , the more pressing issue is Black voter participation .
Having Harris on the ticket is a bet that she is best suited from among the vice-presidential field to increase the number of Black voters who will turn out for the election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Harris can help rebound Black turnout , which dropped seven points from 2012 to 2016 , then he can carry the states that Hillary Clinton lost by extremely narrow margins – Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania .
And the hope is that choosing Harris may also make Biden more competitive in purple and red states like Florida , North Carolina , and perhaps even Georgia .
Naming Harris to the ticket , however , is the easy part .
In order for Black turnout to increase , she will need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central to the Biden electoral strategy .
And she will need to fight hard to ensure grassroots organizations are properly funded and resourced to help mobilize Black voters .
But make no mistake : the Biden-Harris ticket is an explicit declaration that the campaign has cast its lot in with Black voters .
• None Theodore R Johnson is a senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice Malaika Jabali : I find it hard to be excited about Harris Over the past few months , the Biden campaign has promised Black Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the US supreme court , and , also , the potential for a Black woman vice-president .
Now that it ’ s official , and Senator Kamala Harris has been announced as Biden ’ s running mate , one can ’ t help but feel that this moment feels … hollow .
Today , hundreds of thousands of Black men and women on the frontlines of a deadly pandemic face death , evictions , and massive unemployment .
I wish I could believe that Vice-President Kamala Harris would make a material difference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it hard to .
During her time as California ’ s attorney general , Harris failed to prosecute Steven Mnuchin , then the CEO of OneWest Bank , for mortgage fraud .
At the time , a foreclosure crisis was sweeping through the country after the 2007-2008 financial crisis , which was leaving countless people who had been preyed on by banks homeless .
Today , millions face evictions in a new crisis that is disproportionately affecting Black and Brown Americans .
Forgive me for not being sure that Harris will fight for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black political strategy to transactions instead of vision and possibility .
It ’ s limited Black power to the backbreaking labor we can provide – whether in the booths or as VP – to uplift a meager candidate with meager vision .
To top it off , we are given a Black woman benefiting from the Black activist energy of the same criminal justice movements she has denigrated for years when she was San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general .
I would appreciate the irony if it weren ’ t so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Guardian US columnist , public policy attorney and activist Kamala Harris is not a universally unifying vice-presidential pick – but in today ’ s Democratic party , there isn ’ t anyone who is going to draw our cleaved , factionalized party together .
Progressives are disappointed that Harris is relatively moderate ( although certainly more progressive than Joe Biden ) , and specifically that , as a former prosecutor , she holds some responsibility for the exact ills that a multiracial coalition of young people have spent all summer out in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fair concern – Harris is not a leftist , and she has a troubling record on policing and prisons .
But Harris has a few things going for her .
The first is the fact that her candidacy is groundbreaking , and a win would make her the first woman , the first African American , and the first South Asian vice-president .
African Americans , and African-American women in particular , are not just the Democratic party ’ s most loyal voters , but its moral center .
Virtually no Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black women have long been the people who work the hardest to get Democrats elected .
It is far past time the Democratic party stopped taking this constituency for granted , and instead extended real power .
The second factor – and perhaps the most important to disappointed progressives – is that Harris , like Biden , is a remarkably malleable candidate .
She is not an ideologue ; she ’ s a political animal , someone who will move with the changing tides – a representative , one might say .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a true believer in office .
But it also means that the most dynamic movements , such as Black Lives Matter , and the laudable efforts of disappointed Bernie Sanders fans to get more progressives into office , create an environment into which Harris will fit herself .
As the Democratic base goes , so go both Harris and Biden .
This is good news for the progressives who are winning the hearts and minds of Democratic voters .
And here ’ s the truth : Harris is the pick , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump/Pence and Biden/Harris .
You can wish the VP were someone else , but she ’ s not .
A vote for anyone other than Biden/Harris is a vote to keep Trump in office .
That might not feel good , but it ’ s the reality we ’ re in .
And there is absolutely no question that any progressive who takes issue with Harris ’ s record should be terrified of another four years of Trump – there is no comparison .
Vote accordingly .
• None Jill Filipovic is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Let ’ s Talk : How My Generation Got Left Behind Wesley Yang : ‘ Harris and Biden ’ s weaknesses could be their strengths ’ In this election , it ’ s clear that Donald Trump is going to run as a bulwark of law and order who stands between Americans and roving anarchists and antifa .
He regularly paints Democrat-run cities as “ totally out of control ” on crime .
And , in a sit-down interview with Fox anchor Chris Wallace last month , claimed , “ Biden wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wallace pointed out was inaccurate on-air .
That line of attack is going to be difficult when your opponents are the author of the 1994 crime bill and a hard-nosed prosecutor who laughed about cracking down on truancy .
In much the same way that partisan discipline put the kibosh on the Tara Reade accusations against Joe Biden , Democrats and the liberal media that support them will put daylight between Democrats and the disorder in the street .
Turns out all the opposition research that progressive activists used against Biden and Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the race against Trump .
• None Wesley Yang is an American essayist .
He is currently a columnist for Tablet magazine and a contributor editor for Esquire Geoffrey Kabaservice : Sometimes conventional wisdom is right I should have put money on my bet last summer that the 2020 Democratic ticket would be Biden-Harris .
It seemed a long shot at the time , when all the energy in the party seemed to be with progressives like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren .
But the 2018 midterm election confirmed that the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older , more socially conservative African Americans and college-educated suburbanites , particularly women .
Once those groups made Joe Biden the nominee , and once Biden declared that his running mate would be a woman , it was a foregone conclusion that Kamala Harris would be the VP pick .
She was the only contender at the intersection of key Democratic preferences .
For pragmatists who wanted Biden to choose a plausibly presidential running mate and potential successor , Harris ’ s status as a senator from America ’ s largest state was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 1944 , with the exception of Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 , has been a senator .
Biden , based on his own experiences , no doubt considers service in the upper chamber to be the best preparation for the presidency .
And Biden ’ s selection of Harris , despite her debate attack on his long-ago support for busing , will be put to great effect on the virtual campaign trail as a demonstration of mutual reconciliation and Biden ’ s openness to Harris educating him on racial matters .
Many Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selection as VP is an important symbol of recognition and equality .
The most woke progressives will resent her law-enforcement and incarceration record as the former California attorney general .
But few of them live in the important swing states – and others may note that on an ideological scale , Harris ranks as the second-most progressive senator , behind Warren but ahead of Sanders .
Overall , Harris satisfied the critical Democratic factions without being unacceptable to any of them .
Sometimes the conventional wisdom gets it right .
• None Geoffrey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Niskanen Center

Theodore R Johnson, Malaika Jabali, Jill Filipovic, Wesley Yang  and Geoffrey Kabaservice

Theodore Johnson: Biden is betting on Black voters
Joe Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris to be his running mate signals one thing: he believes that Black voters are the key to his chances of winning the White House. While he is certain to win upwards of 90% of the Black vote, just as Democratic nominees have done for decades, the more pressing issue is Black voter participation.
Having Harris on the ticket is a bet that she is best suited from among the vice-presidential field to increase the number of Black voters who will turn out for the election. The Biden gamble seems to be that if Harris can help rebound Black turnout, which dropped seven points from 2012 to 2016, then he can carry the states that Hillary Clinton lost by extremely narrow margins – Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. And the hope is that choosing Harris may also make Biden more competitive in purple and red states like Florida, North Carolina and perhaps even Georgia.
Naming Harris to the ticket, however, is the easy part. In order for Black turnout to increase, she will need to maintain a consistent presence in the areas central to the Biden electoral strategy. And she will need to fight hard to ensure grassroots organizations are properly funded and resourced to help mobilize Black voters.
But make no mistake: the Biden-Harris ticket is an explicit declaration that the campaign has cast its lot in with Black voters.
Theodore R Johnson is a senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice
Malaika Jabali: I find it hard to be excited about Harris
Over the past few months, the Biden campaign has promised Black Americans many things, including a Black woman on the US supreme court, and, also, the potential for a Black woman vice-president. Now that it’s official, and Senator Kamala Harris has been announced as Biden’s running mate, one can’t help but feel that this moment feels … hollow.
Today, hundreds of thousands of Black men and women on the frontlines of a deadly pandemic face death, evictions and massive unemployment. I wish I could believe that Vice-President Kamala Harris would make a material difference in our lives, but I find it hard to.
During her time as California’s attorney general, Harris failed to prosecute Steven Mnuchin, then the CEO of OneWest Bank, for mortgage fraud. At the time, a foreclosure crisis was sweeping through the country after the 2007-2008 financial crisis, which was leaving countless people who had been preyed on by banks homeless. Today, millions face evictions in a new crisis that is disproportionately affecting Black and Brown Americans. Forgive me for not being sure that Harris will fight for us.
The frenetic veepstakes have reduced Black political strategy to transactions instead of vision and possibility. It’s limited Black power to the backbreaking labor we can provide – whether in the booths or as VP – to uplift a meager candidate with meager vision. To top it off, we are given a Black woman benefiting from the Black activist energy of the same criminal justice movements she has denigrated for years when she was San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general. I would appreciate the irony if it weren’t so tragic.
Malaika Jabali is a Guardian US columnist, public policy attorney and activist
Jill Filipovic: Kamala Harris is no ideologue. That’s a good thing
Kamala Harris is not a universally unifying vice-presidential pick – but in today’s Democratic party, there isn’t anyone who is going to draw our cleaved, factionalized party together. Progressives are disappointed that Harris is relatively moderate (although certainly more progressive than Joe Biden), and specifically that, as a former prosecutor, she holds some responsibility for the exact ills that a multiracial coalition of young people have spent all summer out in the street protesting.
This is certainly a fair concern – Harris is not a leftist, and she has a troubling record on policing and prisons. But Harris has a few things going for her. The first is the fact that her candidacy is groundbreaking, and a win would make her the first woman, the first African American, and the first south Asian vice-president. African Americans, and African American women in particular, are not just the Democratic party’s most loyal voters, but its moral center. Virtually no Black women voted for Donald Trump, and Black women have long been the people who work the hardest to get Democrats elected. It is far past time the Democratic party stopped taking this constituency for granted, and instead extended real power.
The second factor – and perhaps the most important to disappointed progressives – is that Harris, like Biden, is a remarkably malleable candidate. She is not an ideologue; she’s a political animal, someone who will move with the changing tides – a representative, one might say. That makes her untrustworthy to people who want a true believer in office. But it also means that the most dynamic movements, such as Black Lives Matter, and the laudable efforts of disappointed Bernie Sanders fans to get more progressives into office, create an environment into which Harris will fit herself. As the Democratic base goes, so go both Harris and Biden. This is good news for the progressives who are winning the hearts and minds of Democratic voters.
And here’s the truth: Harris is the pick, and it’s now a two-way race between Trump/Pence and Biden/Harris. You can wish the VP were someone else, but she’s not. A vote for anyone other than Biden/Harris is a vote to keep Trump in office. That might not feel good, but it’s the reality we’re in. And there is absolutely no question that any progressive who takes issue with Harris’s record should be terrified of another four years of Trump – there is no comparison. Vote accordingly.
Jill Filipovic is the author of the forthcoming book OK Boomer, Let’s Talk: How My Generation Got Left Behind
Wesley Yang: ‘Harris and Biden’s weaknesses could be their strengths’
In this election, it’s clear that Donald Trump is going to run as a bulwark of law and order who stands between Americans and roving anarchists and antifa. He regularly paints Democrat-run cities as “totally out of control” on crime. In a sit-down interview with Fox anchor Chris Wallace last month, Trump claimed that Biden wants to “defund the police,” which Wallace pointed out was inaccurate on-air.
That line of attack is going to be difficult when your opponents are the author of the 1994 crime bill and a hard-nosed prosecutor who laughed about cracking down on truancy.
In much the same way that partisan discipline put the kibosh on the Tara Reade accusations against Joe Biden, Democrats and the liberal media that support them will put daylight between Democrats and the disorder in the street.
Turns out all the opposition research that progressive activists used against Biden and Harris in the primary is suddenly a strength in the race against Trump.
Wesley Yang is an American essayist. He is currently a columnist for Tablet magazine and a contributor editor for Esquire
Geoffrey Kabaservice: Sometimes conventional wisdom is right
I should have put money on my bet last summer that the 2020 Democratic ticket would be Biden-Harris.
It seemed a long shot at the time, when all the energy in the party seemed to be with progressives like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. But the 2018 midterm election confirmed that the party’s progressives are still outnumbered by older, more socially conservative African Americans and college-educated suburbanites, particularly women.
Once those groups made Joe Biden the nominee, and once Biden declared that his running mate would be a woman, it was a foregone conclusion that Kamala Harris would be the VP pick. She was the only contender at the intersection of key Democratic preferences.
For pragmatists who wanted Biden to choose a plausibly presidential running mate and potential successor, Harris’s status as a senator from America’s largest state was critical. Every announced Democratic vice-presidential selection since 1944, with the exception of Geraldine Ferraro in 1984, has been a senator. Biden, based on his own experiences, no doubt considers service in the upper chamber to be the best preparation for the presidency. And Biden’s selection of Harris, despite her debate attack on his long-ago support for bussing, will be put to great effect on the virtual campaign trail as a demonstration of mutual reconciliation and Biden’s openness to Harris educating him on racial matters.
Many Democratic women and minorities see Harris’s selection as VP is an important symbol of recognition and equality. The most woke progressives will resent her law-enforcement and incarceration record as the former California attorney general. But few of them live in the important swing states – and others may note that on an ideological scale, Harris ranks as the second-most progressive senator, behind Warren but ahead of Sanders.
Overall, Harris satisfied the critical Democratic factions without being unacceptable to any of them. Sometimes the conventional wisdom gets it right.


theguardian--2020-08-12--Why Black progressive women feel torn about Kamala Harris | Derecka Purnell

Vice President Joe Biden has announced that Senator Kamala Harris will join his political pursuit of the White House .
Women of color , particularly progressives , might feel torn .
Perhaps even closeted excitement .
Senator Harris is sharp , strategic , and witty , undoubtedly qualified to be vice president of the United States .
She graduated from a historically Black college and belongs to a prestigious Black sorority .
A biracial woman with Jamaican and Indian heritage , we have seen her break color barriers and shatter glass ceilings , even though poor , Black women have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thousands celebrated her Senate seat win and even more were captivated when she picked apart presidential candidates at debates - especially Biden .
Her one-liners were unforgettable .
Until we remembered that she honed those argumentative skills in court as a prosecutor , including during fights to uphold wrongful convictions .
Then , there ’ s the fatigue .
Progressives will have to defend the California senator ’ s personal identity , while maneuvering against her political identity .
Political accession and racism go together like stars and stripes .
First Lady Michelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Donald Trump called Congresswoman Maxine Waters a “ low IQ individual.
” Just weeks ago , a congressman called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez “ disgusting ” and a “ fucking bitch.
” Squad members Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Talib regularly experience xenophobic , Islamophobic , and racist attacks , intensified whenever they offer statements around social justice .
Like the rest of these women , Senator Harris deserves safety and protection from harm .
Black women , especially her sorors , will likely be her first line of defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexist attacks must not interfere with the necessary offense required to push the Biden-Harris political ticket , for people who choose to play the electoral politics game .
When activists criticized President Barack Obama , we were scathingly reminded how hard it was for him to be a Black man in the White House .
He had significant executive power and influence to shift resources , call for legislation , and even free people from prison ( which his own administration seemingly neglected ) .
We were told to wait .
Then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that too much was at stake to organize for free college , universal healthcare , the end to police and prison violence , and a clean planet .
Nina Simone ’ s “ Mississippi Goddam ” calls this “ do it slow : ” But that ’ s just the trouble , ‘ Do it slow ’ Do things gradually , Do it slow ’ But bring more tragedy , ‘ Do it slow ’ Since the song ’ s release , the time seems to never be right to push politicians towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more imaginary ancestral , postmortem pleas on who died so that we can vote today .
People fought and died for lots of reasons alongside voting , but most importantly , for the right of self-determination , which moderates defend for the right and dismiss for the left .
No more .
This generational fatigue , from Nina Simone to Nina Turner , from Fannie Lou Hamer to Cori Bush , compounds with the political fatigue of doing progressive work around a party that undermines progressive values .
Vice President Biden and Senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their party has not been hijacked by “ the radical left , ” as Vice President Mike Pence described today .
He continued , “ So given their promises of higher taxes , open borders , socialized medicine , and abortion on demand , it ’ s no surprise that he chose Senator Harris.
” This inaccurate characterization is an unfortunate tactic that will push the Biden-Harris ticket further to the right .
Together , Biden and Harris might still reject universal healthcare during the deadliest pandemic in recent memory - a death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will promise expensive “ common sense ” police reform to a movement against senseless police spending .
And together , they will affirm the power of the Black vote , while daring , do you really think you have any other choice ?
I am reluctant to say that Biden and Harris can be pushed .
My hope of being wrong is greater than my fear of being right .
That hope comes from countless activists who organize across the state and local level , who are vigorously defending democracy on their blocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities .
That hope comes from studying Fannie Lou Hamer and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party , who , facing impossible odds and considerable violence and no resources , decided to forge an alternative to the political establishment .
Hamer asks , “ Is this America , the land of the free and home of the brave , where we have to sleep with our telephones off the hooks because our lives be threatened daily , because we want to live as decent human beings , in America ?
” If we must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let ’ s especially protect the ones in Hamer ’ s tradition , who risk their lives resisting white supremacy , Republicans , and moderate Democrats .
And if we want to truly honor Black women ’ s labor and fatigue to change this country , the cost will be significantly higher than the price of the ticket to run it .
• Derecka Purnell is a Guardian US columnist .
She is also a social movement lawyer and writer based in Washington DC

Vice President Joe Biden has announced that Senator Kamala Harris will join his political pursuit of the White House.
Women of color, particularly progressives, might feel torn. Perhaps even closeted excitement. Senator Harris is sharp, strategic, and witty, undoubtedly qualified to be vice president of the United States. She graduated from a historically Black college and belongs to a prestigious Black sorority. A biracial woman with Jamaican and Indian heritage, we have seen her break color barriers and shatter glass ceilings, even though poor, Black women have felt and swept the falling shards. Thousands celebrated her Senate seat win and even more were captivated when she picked apart presidential candidates at debates - especially Biden. Her one-liners were unforgettable. Until we remembered that she honed those argumentative skills in court as a prosecutor, including during fights to uphold wrongful convictions.
Then, there’s the fatigue. Progressives will have to defend the California senator’s personal identity, while maneuvering against her political identity. Political accession and racism go together like stars and stripes. First Lady Michelle Obama was horribly depicted as an ape. President Donald Trump called Congresswoman Maxine Waters a “low IQ individual.” Just weeks ago, a congressman called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez “disgusting” and a “fucking bitch.” Squad members Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Talib regularly experience xenophobic, Islamophobic, and racist attacks, intensified whenever they offer statements around social justice. Like the rest of these women, Senator Harris deserves safety and protection from harm. Black women, especially her sorors, will likely be her first line of defense.
Yet the defense against racist, sexist attacks must not interfere with the necessary offense required to push the Biden-Harris political ticket, for people who choose to play the electoral politics game. When activists criticized President Barack Obama, we were scathingly reminded how hard it was for him to be a Black man in the White House. He had significant executive power and influence to shift resources, call for legislation, and even free people from prison (which his own administration seemingly neglected). We were told to wait. Then, after eight years, we were told that too much was at stake to organize for free college, universal healthcare, the end to police and prison violence, and a clean planet. Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam” calls this “do it slow:”
But that’s just the trouble, ‘Do it slow’
Desegregation, ‘Do it slow’
Mass participation, ‘Do it slow’
Reunification, ‘Do it slow’
Do things gradually, ‘Do it slow’
But bring more tragedy, ‘Do it slow’
Since the song’s release, the time seems to never be right to push politicians towards progress.
No more slow. No more imaginary ancestral, postmortem pleas on who died so that we can vote today. People fought and died for lots of reasons alongside voting, but most importantly, for the right of self-determination, which moderates defend for the right and dismiss for the left. No more.
04:50 Why Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate – video explainer
This generational fatigue, from Nina Simone to Nina Turner, from Fannie Lou Hamer to Cori Bush, compounds with the political fatigue of doing progressive work around a party that undermines progressive values. Vice President Biden and Senator Harris will be determined to prove that their party has not been hijacked by “the radical left,” as Vice President Mike Pence described today. He continued, “So given their promises of higher taxes, open borders, socialized medicine, and abortion on demand, it’s no surprise that he chose Senator Harris.” This inaccurate characterization is an unfortunate tactic that will push the Biden-Harris ticket further to the right. Together, Biden and Harris might still reject universal healthcare during the deadliest pandemic in recent memory - a death every 80 seconds. Together, they will promise expensive “common sense” police reform to a movement against senseless police spending. And together, they will affirm the power of the Black vote, while daring, do you really think you have any other choice?
I am reluctant to say that Biden and Harris can be pushed. My hope of being wrong is greater than my fear of being right. That hope comes from countless activists who organize across the state and local level, who are vigorously defending democracy on their blocks and creating care in their families and communities. That hope comes from studying Fannie Lou Hamer and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, who, facing impossible odds and considerable violence and no resources, decided to forge an alternative to the political establishment. Hamer asks, “Is this America, the land of the free and home of the brave, where we have to sleep with our telephones off the hooks because our lives be threatened daily, because we want to live as decent human beings, in America?”
If we must support politicians of color seeking office, let’s especially protect the ones in Hamer’s tradition, who risk their lives resisting white supremacy, Republicans, and moderate Democrats. And if we want to truly honor Black women’s labor and fatigue to change this country, the cost will be significantly higher than the price of the ticket to run it.


theguardian--2020-08-12--What the weakening dollar means for the global economy

A near 10 % drop in the value of the US dollar since its March high has given rise to two distinct narratives .
The first takes a short-term perspective , focusing on how a depreciation could benefit the US economy and markets ; the second takes the long view , fretting over the dollar ’ s fragile status as the world ’ s reserve currency .
Both narratives contain some truth , but not enough to justify the emerging consensus around them .
Several factors have combined to put downward pressure on the greenback ( as measured by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent weeks , resulting in a depreciation that has reversed almost half of the appreciation of the last 10 years within the space of months .
As the US Federal Reserve has loosened monetary policy ( actually and prospectively ) in response to a worsening economic outlook , the income accruing to dollar-denominated safe havens , such as US government bonds , has declined .
And with US-based investments having lost some of their attractiveness , there has been a shift in holdings in favour of emerging markets and Europe ( where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeper fiscal integration ) .
There also are indicators of lower capital inflows into the United States .
House purchases by foreigners appear to have decreased again , owing in part to the US government ’ s embrace of inward-looking policies and the weaponisation of trade and sanction measures .
With the exception of Lebanon , Turkey and a few other countries that have experienced even sharper exchange-rate depreciations than the US , most currencies have strengthened against the dollar .
But among those with appreciating currencies , the reactions to this generalised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some countries , particularly in the developing world , have welcomed the reversal , because their previous currency weakness had been contributing to higher import prices , including for foodstuffs .
Moreover , a weaker dollar provides them with greater scope to support domestic economic activities through more stimulative fiscal and monetary measures .
But the reaction has been less welcoming in the other advanced economies .
Japan and eurozone member states , in particular , fear that currency appreciation could threaten their own economic recovery from the Covid-19 shock .
Also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Central Bank now have to worry that they are not only reaching the limits of their policy effectiveness , but could also be putting their economies at greater risk of collateral damage and unintended consequences .
In the US , meanwhile , the dollar ’ s depreciation has been welcomed as an overwhelmingly positive development for the economy , at least in the short term .
After all , economic textbooks tell us that a weakening dollar boosts US producers ’ international and domestic competitiveness relative to foreign competitors , makes the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( in price terms ) , and increases the dollar value of revenue earned overseas by home-based companies .
That is also all good for US stock and corporate bond markets , which benefit further from the greater attractiveness of dollar-denominated securities when they are priced in a foreign currency .
The longer-term consensus view is less positive for the US .
The worry is that dollar depreciation will further erode the currency ’ s global status , which has already been weakened by the US policies of the past three years – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global standards and the rule of law .
The more the dollar ’ s credibility is eroded , the more the US risks losing the “ exorbitant privilege ” that comes with issuing the world ’ s main reserve currency .
A country in this position can exchange bits of printed paper or digital entries – currency creation – for the goods and services that other countries produce .
It enjoys disproportionate influence over important multilateral decisions and appointments .
And it benefits from others ’ willingness to outsource to its own institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both of these ( partly true ) consensus narratives imply further significant dollar depreciation .
While the immediate effects are theoretically positive , the practical situation is likely to be different , because so much economic activity is currently impaired by government restrictions and the reluctance of individuals and companies to return to previous consumption and production patterns .
Around half of US states have now reversed or halted the process of economic reopening .
Moreover , today ’ s positive market effects demand further qualification beyond the health crisis .
Owing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly by central banks , most valuations have already decoupled from economic and corporate fundamentals .
Under these financial conditions , it is hard to imagine that a dollar depreciation will have any more than a marginal effect on real economic performance .
As for the dollar ’ s role as a reserve currency , I am reminded of a simple principle I learned at university : it is hard to replace something with nothing .
At this time , there simply is no other currency that can or will fill the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will continue to see small pipes being built around the dollar .
And , because none of these will be large enough to replace it , the eventual result will be a more fragmented international monetary system .
As has happened before , the current consensus views on the dollar will probably end up overstating the long-term implications of short-term movements .
Today ’ s dollar weakness is neither a boon to markets and the US economy nor an augury of the currency ’ s global downfall .
But it is part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the international economic order .
The main factor in that process is the shocking lack of international policy coordination at a time of rising global challenges .
• Mohamed El-Erian is chief economic adviser at Allianz .
He served as chair of President Barack Obama ’ s Global Development Council and is a former deputy director at the IMF

A near 10% drop in the value of the US dollar since its March high has given rise to two distinct narratives. The first takes a short-term perspective, focusing on how a depreciation could benefit the US economy and markets; the second takes the long view, fretting over the dollar’s fragile status as the world’s reserve currency. Both narratives contain some truth, but not enough to justify the emerging consensus around them.
Several factors have combined to put downward pressure on the greenback (as measured by the DXY index of trade-weighted currencies) in recent weeks, resulting in a depreciation that has reversed almost half of the appreciation of the last 10 years within the space of months.
As the US Federal Reserve has loosened monetary policy (actually and prospectively) in response to a worsening economic outlook, the income accruing to dollar-denominated safe havens, such as US government bonds, has declined. And with US-based investments having lost some of their attractiveness, there has been a shift in holdings in favour of emerging markets and Europe (where the European Union last month agreed to pursue deeper fiscal integration).
There also are indicators of lower capital inflows into the United States. House purchases by foreigners appear to have decreased again, owing in part to the US government’s embrace of inward-looking policies and the weaponisation of trade and sanction measures.
With the exception of Lebanon, Turkey and a few other countries that have experienced even sharper exchange-rate depreciations than the US, most currencies have strengthened against the dollar. But among those with appreciating currencies, the reactions to this generalised phenomenon have been far from uniform.
Some countries, particularly in the developing world, have welcomed the reversal, because their previous currency weakness had been contributing to higher import prices, including for foodstuffs. Moreover, a weaker dollar provides them with greater scope to support domestic economic activities through more stimulative fiscal and monetary measures.
But the reaction has been less welcoming in the other advanced economies. Japan and eurozone member states, in particular, fear that currency appreciation could threaten their own economic recovery from the Covid-19 shock. Also, the Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank now have to worry that they are not only reaching the limits of their policy effectiveness, but could also be putting their economies at greater risk of collateral damage and unintended consequences.
In the US, meanwhile, the dollar’s depreciation has been welcomed as an overwhelmingly positive development for the economy, at least in the short term. After all, economic textbooks tell us that a weakening dollar boosts US producers’ international and domestic competitiveness relative to foreign competitors, makes the country more attractive for foreign investors and tourism (in price terms), and increases the dollar value of revenue earned overseas by home-based companies. That is also all good for US stock and corporate bond markets, which benefit further from the greater attractiveness of dollar-denominated securities when they are priced in a foreign currency.
The longer-term consensus view is less positive for the US. The worry is that dollar depreciation will further erode the currency’s global status, which has already been weakened by the US policies of the past three years – from protectionism and weaponised sanctions to bypassing global standards and the rule of law.
The more the dollar’s credibility is eroded, the more the US risks losing the “exorbitant privilege” that comes with issuing the world’s main reserve currency. A country in this position can exchange bits of printed paper or digital entries – currency creation – for the goods and services that other countries produce. It enjoys disproportionate influence over important multilateral decisions and appointments. And it benefits from others’ willingness to outsource to its own institutions the management of their financial wealth.
Both of these (partly true) consensus narratives imply further significant dollar depreciation. While the immediate effects are theoretically positive, the practical situation is likely to be different, because so much economic activity is currently impaired by government restrictions and the reluctance of individuals and companies to return to previous consumption and production patterns. Around half of US states have now reversed or halted the process of economic reopening.
Moreover, today’s positive market effects demand further qualification beyond the health crisis. Owing to the reliable and ample provision of liquidity, particularly by central banks, most valuations have already decoupled from economic and corporate fundamentals. Under these financial conditions, it is hard to imagine that a dollar depreciation will have any more than a marginal effect on real economic performance.
As for the dollar’s role as a reserve currency, I am reminded of a simple principle I learned at university: it is hard to replace something with nothing. At this time, there simply is no other currency that can or will fill the dollar’s shoes. Instead, we will continue to see small pipes being built around the dollar. And, because none of these will be large enough to replace it, the eventual result will be a more fragmented international monetary system.
As has happened before, the current consensus views on the dollar will probably end up overstating the long-term implications of short-term movements. Today’s dollar weakness is neither a boon to markets and the US economy nor an augury of the currency’s global downfall. But it is part of a larger, gradual fragmentation of the international economic order. The main factor in that process is the shocking lack of international policy coordination at a time of rising global challenges.
Mohamed El-Erian is chief economic adviser at Allianz. He served as chair of President Barack Obama’s Global Development Council and is a former deputy director at the IMF
© Project Syndicate


theguardian--2020-08-13--Bob Woodward obtains letters between Trump and Kim Jong-un for new book Rage

Bob Woodward ’ s second book on the Trump White House has a title , Rage , and promises to reveal the secrets of “ 25 personal letters exchanged between [ Donald ] Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that have not been public before ” .
In the letters , according to details from Simon & Schuster published on the book ’ s Amazon page on Wednesday night , “ Kim describes the bond between the two leaders as out of a ‘ fantasy film ’ , as the two leaders engage in an extraordinary diplomatic minuet ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is due out on 15 September , its cover showing Trump ’ s face in extreme close-up .
Simon & Schuster promised “ an unprecedented and intimate tour de force of original reporting on the Trump presidency … with stunning new details about early national security decisions and operations and Trump ’ s moves as he faces a global pandemic , economic disaster and racial unrest ” .
Woodward , 77 and a veteran Washington Post reporter , made his name with Carl Bernstein in the early 1970s by exposing the Watergate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fear came out in September 2018 and topped bestseller lists .
Based on hundreds of interviews with administration insiders , it contained memorable scenes including senior aides removing papers from the 45th president ’ s desk , lest he pursue extreme policies outlined therein .
Woodward did not interview Trump for Fear , which the president called “ a piece of fiction ” by a “ liar ” with “ phony sources ” .
But in January this year , the president told Fox News the two men had spoken .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very good writer , reporter , ” Trump said .
“ I can say Bob Woodward .
He said he ’ s doing something and this time I said , ‘ Maybe I ’ ll sit down.
’ ” Trump reportedly spoke to Woodward more than once and told senior aides to cooperate .
According to the publisher , “ what is not known is that Trump provided Woodward a window into his mind through a series of exclusive interviews .
“ At key decision points , Rage shows how Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rooted in the instincts , habits and style he developed during his first three years as president .
“ Rage draws from hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand witnesses , as well as participants ’ notes , emails , diaries , calendars and confidential documents.
” Speaking to the Guardian about Fear , Woodward said said he was dedicated to reporting “ what really happened ” and said : “ Too many people have lost their perspective and become emotionally unhinged about Trump . '
” “ I look at my job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : let ’ s present the rock-solid evidence of what happens .
There ’ s documents , there ’ s notes , there ’ s not just the phrase but there ’ s where they sat and they met and this is what happened .
Let the political system respond.
” One subsequent political response to Trump put him in the situation Nixon resigned to avoid : an impeachment trial in the Senate , after House Democrats seized on Trump ’ s attempts to have Ukraine provide dirt on political rivals .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the senator from Utah and 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney , voted to remove him from office .
Ever since the publication of Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff , details of which were first revealed by the Guardian in January 2018 , books about Trump and his presidency have been big business .
Most recently , the former national security adviser John Bolton and Mary L Trump , Trump ’ s niece , have published instant bestsellers .
As Trump ’ s re-election battle against Joe Biden approaches – and as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that election , which will occur under a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 165,000 in America – Woodward ’ s new book is eagerly awaited .
Its title may have derived from a conversation Woodward had with Trump – and Bob Costa of the Washington Post – at Trump ’ s hotel in Washington on 31 March 2016 .
Responding to Woodward ’ s contention that the Republican party had become home to “ a lot of angst and rage and distress ” , the then candidate for the party ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring rage out .
I do bring rage out .
I always have .
I think it was ...
I don ’ t know if that ’ s an asset or a liability , but whatever it is , I do .
“ I also bring great unity out , ultimately .
I ’ ve had many occasions like this , where people have hated me more than any human being they ’ ve ever met .
And after it ’ s all over , they end up being my friends .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years on , with America divided as never before , that seems unlikely .
The final lines of his last book may linger in the minds of many readers .
John Dowd , a lawyer who worked for the president during the Mueller investigation into Russian election interference and links between the Trump campaign and Moscow , was one of Woodward ’ s sources .
“ In the man and his presidency Dowd had seen the tragic flaw , ” Woodward wrote .
“ In the political back-and-forth , the evasions , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , crying ‘ Fake News ’ , the indignation , Trump had one overriding problem that Dowd knew but could not bring himself to say to the president : ‘ You ’ re a fucking liar .
’ ”

Bob Woodward’s second book on the Trump White House has a title, Rage, and promises to reveal the secrets of “25 personal letters exchanged between [Donald] Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that have not been public before”.
In the letters, according to details from Simon & Schuster published on the book’s Amazon page on Wednesday night, “Kim describes the bond between the two leaders as out of a ‘fantasy film’, as the two leaders engage in an extraordinary diplomatic minuet”.
Rage, the sequel to Fear, is due out on 15 September, its cover showing Trump’s face in extreme close-up.
Simon & Schuster promised “an unprecedented and intimate tour de force of original reporting on the Trump presidency … with stunning new details about early national security decisions and operations and Trump’s moves as he faces a global pandemic, economic disaster and racial unrest”.
The cover of Rage, by Bob Woodward. Photograph: Simon & Schuster
Woodward, 77 and a veteran Washington Post reporter, made his name with Carl Bernstein in the early 1970s by exposing the Watergate scandal, which brought down Richard Nixon.
Fear came out in September 2018 and topped bestseller lists. Based on hundreds of interviews with administration insiders, it contained memorable scenes including senior aides removing papers from the 45th president’s desk, lest he pursue extreme policies outlined therein.
One such incident involved economic adviser Gary Cohn removing a proposal to withdraw from a trade agreement with South Korea, a US ally. Trump’s engagement with the totalitarian state to the north has produced three meetings with Kim and exchanges of kind words, but no deal on denuclearisation and other concerns.
Woodward did not interview Trump for Fear, which the president called “a piece of fiction” by a “liar” with “phony sources”. But in January this year, the president told Fox News the two men had spoken.
“I was interviewed by a very, very good writer, reporter,” Trump said. “I can say Bob Woodward. He said he’s doing something and this time I said, ‘Maybe I’ll sit down.’”
Trump reportedly told senior aides to cooperate too. According to the publisher, “what is not known is that Trump provided Woodward a window into his mind through a series of exclusive interviews.
“At key decision points, Rage shows how Trump’s responses to the crises of 2020 were rooted in the instincts, habits and style he developed during his first three years as president.
“Rage draws from hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand witnesses, as well as participants’ notes, emails, diaries, calendars and confidential documents.”
Speaking to the Guardian about Fear, Woodward said he was dedicated to reporting “what really happened” and said: “Too many people have lost their perspective and become emotionally unhinged about Trump.’”
“I look at my job,” he said, “as: let’s present the rock-solid evidence of what happens. There’s documents, there’s notes, there’s not just the phrase but there’s where they sat and they met and this is what happened. Let the political system respond.”
One subsequent political response to Trump put him in the situation Nixon resigned to avoid: an impeachment trial in the Senate, after House Democrats seized on Trump’s attempts to have Ukraine provide dirt on political rivals.
Trump was acquitted after only one Republican, the senator from Utah and 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney, voted to remove him from office.
Ever since the publication of Fire and Fury by Michael Wolff, details of which were first revealed by the Guardian in January 2018, books about Trump and his presidency have been big business. Most recently, the former national security adviser John Bolton and Mary L Trump, Trump’s niece, have published instant bestsellers.
As Trump’s re-election battle against Joe Biden approaches – and as the president seeks to undermine the integrity of that election, which will occur under a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 165,000 in America – Woodward’s new book is eagerly awaited.
Its title is derived from a conversation Woodward had with Trump at Trump’s hotel in Washington on 31 March 2016, the same discussion which produced the title for Fear.
Responding to Woodward’s contention that the Republican party had become home to “a lot of angst and rage and distress”, the then candidate for the party’s presidential nomination said: “I bring rage out. I do bring rage out. I always have. I think it was ... I don’t know if that’s an asset or a liability, but whatever it is, I do.
“I also bring great unity out, ultimately. I’ve had many occasions like this, where people have hated me more than any human being they’ve ever met. And after it’s all over, they end up being my friends. And I see that happening here.”
Four years on, with America divided as never before, that seems unlikely. The final lines of Woodward’s last book may linger in the minds of many readers.
John Dowd, a lawyer who worked for the president during the Mueller investigation into Russian election interference and links between the Trump campaign and Moscow, was one of Woodward’s sources.
“In the man and his presidency Dowd had seen the tragic flaw,” Woodward wrote.
“In the political back-and-forth, the evasions, the denials, the tweeting, the obscuring, crying ‘Fake News’, the indignation, Trump had one overriding problem that Dowd knew but could not bring himself to say to the president: ‘You’re a fucking liar.’”


theguardian--2020-08-13--Harris and Biden make first appearance as running mates and excoriate 'failure' Trump

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris accused Donald Trump of leaving the US “ in tatters ” by failing to lead the country through the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout , as they debuted the Democratic presidential ticket the party hopes will defeat him in November ’ s election .
In their first joint campaign event at a high school in Biden ’ s home town of Wilmington , Delaware , on Wednesday , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and his running mate vowed to lead the nation through three major national crises : the pandemic , the struggling economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ My fellow Americans , let me introduce to you for the first time your next vice-president of the United States – Kamala Harris , ” Biden said , in front of just a small gathering of reporters .
The usual cheers from supporters were missing due to coronavirus precautions , which meant members of the public could not attend .
Biden highlighted her career as a California senator and former prosecutor , and hailed her – the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants – as the first Black woman and first person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party presidential ticket .
“ This morning , all across the nation , little girls woke up , especially little Black and brown girls , who so often feel overlooked and undervalued .
Today , just maybe , they ’ re seeing themselves for the first time in a new way , ” Biden said .
“ Her story is America ’ s story .
Different from mine in many particulars , but also not so different in the essentials.
” The pair soon began to excoriate the Trump administration .
Taking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of myriad “ failures in leadership ” on coronavirus and running a previously successful economy “ straight into the ground ” .
“ I am incredibly honored by this responsibility – and I am ready to get to work , ” she said , adding that Biden ’ s “ empathy , his compassion , his sense of duty to care for others … is why I ’ m so glad to be on this ticket.
” She said : “ America is crying out for leadership .
Yet we have a president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who elected him .
A president who is making every challenge we face more difficult to solve.
” Pointing to the crises that have gripped the country , Harris said : “ This is what happens when we elect a guy who just isn ’ t up for the job .
Our country ends in tatters and so does our reputation around the world.
” Biden grew emotional , fighting back tears , as Harris recalled her friendship with his eldest son , Beau , who died of brain cancer in 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his son held Harris in high esteem , an opinion he said influenced his final decision .
In another election year , Biden and Harris might have appeared before a roaring crowd in a diverse battleground state like Arizona or Georgia , raising their clasped hands skyward in a projection of victory .
But the event on Wednesday , like nearly every aspect of the 2020 race , has been upended by the pandemic .
Biden and Harris joined their respective partners , Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff , after finishing their speeches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of the podium , smiling and waving .
Emhoff stretched his hand out toward Jill Biden in a show of affection that was also a sign of the times , as he remained several feet away .
Despite a thunderstorm , dozens of supporters arrived at the high school hoping to glimpse the new presidential ticket .
Most lived in Delaware and were longtime supporters of the Bidens .
Two women sat in lawn chairs holding a sign that said “ Delaware loves Biden-Harris ” .
Some wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pink of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority , which Harris joined as a college student at Howard University in Washington DC .
Dina Griffin , who wore a pink dress with a matching blazer and a pin that said “ VOTE ” , said she had hoped Biden would choose Harris but seeing an image of them together for the first time after the announcement brought “ tears of joy ” .
“ A lot of people have lost hope and are feeling upset and depressed about the way this country has gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Griffin .
“ So this moment is just a renewed spark and hope that we can come together to heal our divisions.
” Like Clark Benjamin , a retired educator and Delaware resident , most who turned out on Wednesday had already voted for Biden many times over as senator and then as the vice-president – and planned to do so again in 2020 .
Though Biden already had her vote , Benjamin said choosing Harris added energy and dynamism to the Democratic ticket .
“ It ’ s historic , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spend her afternoon outside in the summer humidity .
“ That ’ s why I had to be here.
” But the choice , some said , also revealed something new about the candidate .
“ It showed that he was listening to the people who are speaking up around the world and asking for equity , justice and fairness , ” said Debbie Harrington , another member of the AKA sorority , referring to the nationwide anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
And not only did I hear you , I understand you and I ’ m going to do something about it.
” In response to the wave of protests this spring against racism and police brutality , Harris emerged as a prominent voice on issues of racial justice .
Her advocacy in favor of criminal justice legislation has eased some concerns among progressives over her record .
They delivered the speech on the third anniversary of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville , Virginia , an event that Biden said was , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action ” .
If they prevail in November , Biden and Harris are likely to inherit a country still reeling from the pandemic that the Trump administration has failed to contain .
Young protesters are demanding sweeping change to political and economic power as well as a governing agenda that addresses systemic racism , the climate crisis and economic inequality .
The president ’ s campaign has launched a scattershot assault on Harris , attacking her as “ radical ” and leftwing , even though progressives in her party view her as more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his press briefing to attack Harris with language that nodded to America ’ s pejorative “ angry Black woman ” stereotype .
The US president told reporters he had not watched the pair ’ s campaign event in Delaware , except for “ just a moment ” of each speech .
But recalling the Democratic primary , he said : “ I watched her poll numbers go boom , boom , boom down to almost nothing and she left angry , she left mad .
“ There was nobody more insulting to Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things about him , including accusations made about him by a woman where she I guess believed the woman .
Now all of a sudden she ’ s running to be vice-president , saying how wonderful he is.
” Trump also continued to hammer away at the integrity of the election , in what many see as a tactic to sow distrust in the democratic process .
He criticised Democrats for seeking $ 3.5bn for universal mail-in voting , describing it without evidence as “ a system riddled with fraud and corruption ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by mail and studies have shown the level of fraud is close to 0 % .
Trump described Democrats as a bigger threat to the election than China , Russia or Iran , adding : “ They also want $ 25bn additional for the post office , so the post office can handle this vast amount of ballots that are being sent at random all over the place .
They have no idea where they ’ re going .
”

Lauren Gambino in Wilmington and agencies

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris accused Donald Trump of leaving the US “in tatters” by failing to lead the country through the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout, as they debuted the Democratic presidential ticket the party hopes will defeat him in November’s election.
In their first joint campaign event at a high school in Biden’s home town of Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and his running mate vowed to lead the nation through three major national crises: the pandemic, the struggling economy and a reckoning with systemic racism.
“My fellow Americans, let me introduce to you for the first time your next vice-president of the United States – Kamala Harris,” Biden said, in front of just a small gathering of reporters. The usual cheers from supporters were missing due to coronavirus precautions, which meant members of the public could not attend.
Biden highlighted her career as a California senator and former prosecutor, and hailed her – the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants – as the first Black woman and first person of Asian descent to join a major party presidential ticket.
“This morning, all across the nation, little girls woke up, especially little Black and brown girls, who so often feel overlooked and undervalued. Today, just maybe, they’re seeing themselves for the first time in a new way,” Biden said.
“Her story is America’s story. Different from mine in many particulars, but also not so different in the essentials.”
The pair soon began to excoriate the Trump administration. Taking the stage after Biden, Harris accused Trump of myriad “failures in leadership” on coronavirus and running a previously successful economy “straight into the ground”.
I am incredibly honored by this responsibility – and I am ready to get to work Kamala Harris
“I am incredibly honored by this responsibility – and I am ready to get to work,” she said, adding that Biden’s “empathy, his compassion, his sense of duty to care for others … is why I’m so glad to be on this ticket.”
She said: “America is crying out for leadership. Yet we have a president who cares more about himself than the people who elected him. A president who is making every challenge we face more difficult to solve.”
Pointing to the crises that have gripped the country, Harris said: “This is what happens when we elect a guy who just isn’t up for the job. Our country ends in tatters and so does our reputation around the world.”
Biden grew emotional, fighting back tears, as Harris recalled her friendship with his eldest son, Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015. In his remarks, Biden said his son held Harris in high esteem, an opinion he said influenced his final decision.
In another election year, Biden and Harris might have appeared before a roaring crowd in a diverse battleground state like Arizona or Georgia, raising their clasped hands skyward in a projection of victory. But the event on Wednesday, like nearly every aspect of the 2020 race, has been upended by the pandemic.
04:50 Why Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate – video explainer
Biden and Harris joined their respective partners, Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff, after finishing their speeches. The couples stood apart on either side of the podium, smiling and waving. Emhoff stretched his hand out toward Jill Biden in a show of affection that was also a sign of the times, as he remained several feet away.
Despite a thunderstorm, dozens of supporters arrived at the high school hoping to glimpse the new presidential ticket. Most lived in Delaware and were longtime supporters of the Bidens. Two women sat in lawn chairs holding a sign that said “Delaware loves Biden-Harris”. Some wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts while others wore the signature green and pink of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, which Harris joined as a college student at Howard University in Washington DC.
Dina Griffin, who wore a pink dress with a matching blazer and a pin that said “VOTE”, said she had hoped Biden would choose Harris but seeing an image of them together for the first time after the announcement brought “tears of joy”.
“A lot of people have lost hope and are feeling upset and depressed about the way this country has gone in the last few years,” said Griffin. “So this moment is just a renewed spark and hope that we can come together to heal our divisions.”
Like Clark Benjamin, a retired educator and Delaware resident, most who turned out on Wednesday had already voted for Biden many times over as senator and then as the vice-president – and planned to do so again in 2020. Though Biden already had her vote, Benjamin said choosing Harris added energy and dynamism to the Democratic ticket.
“It’s historic,” she said, explaining why she chose to spend her afternoon outside in the summer humidity. “That’s why I had to be here.”
But the choice, some said, also revealed something new about the candidate.
“It showed that he was listening to the people who are speaking up around the world and asking for equity, justice and fairness,” said Debbie Harrington, another member of the AKA sorority, referring to the nationwide anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.
People wait for the candidates’ arrival at Alexis Dupont high school in Wilmington. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters
“His pick said: I hear you. And not only did I hear you, I understand you and I’m going to do something about it.”
In response to the wave of protests this spring against racism and police brutality, Harris emerged as a prominent voice on issues of racial justice. Her advocacy in favor of criminal justice legislation has eased some concerns among progressives over her record.
They delivered the speech on the third anniversary of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, an event that Biden said was, for him, a “call to action”.
If they prevail in November, Biden and Harris are likely to inherit a country still reeling from the pandemic that the Trump administration has failed to contain. Young protesters are demanding sweeping change to political and economic power as well as a governing agenda that addresses systemic racism, the climate crisis and economic inequality.
The president’s campaign has launched a scattershot assault on Harris, attacking her as “radical” and leftwing, even though progressives in her party view her as more moderate. On Wednesday, Trump used his press briefing to attack Harris with language that nodded to America’s pejorative “angry Black woman” stereotype.
01:53 Donald Trump continues attack on Kamala Harris, calling Biden's running mate 'a big failure' – video
The US president told reporters he had not watched the pair’s campaign event in Delaware, except for “just a moment” of each speech. But recalling the Democratic primary, he said: “I watched her poll numbers go boom, boom, boom down to almost nothing and she left angry, she left mad.
“There was nobody more insulting to Biden than she was. She said horrible things about him, including accusations made about him by a woman where she I guess believed the woman. Now all of a sudden she’s running to be vice-president, saying how wonderful he is.”
Trump also continued to hammer away at the integrity of the election, in what many see as a tactic to sow distrust in the democratic process. He criticised Democrats for seeking $3.5bn for universal mail-in voting, describing it without evidence as “a system riddled with fraud and corruption”. Five states conduct elections almost entirely by mail and studies have shown the level of fraud is close to 0%.
Trump described Democrats as a bigger threat to the election than China, Russia or Iran, adding: “They also want $25bn additional for the post office, so the post office can handle this vast amount of ballots that are being sent at random all over the place. They have no idea where they’re going.”
David Smith contributed reporting


theguardian--2020-08-12--Biden and Harris say Trump has left America's reputation 'in tatters' at first event as running mate

Biden and Harris say Trump has left America's reputation 'in tatters' at first event as running mates – as it happened

Despite a thunderstorm , dozens of supporters arrived at the high school hoping to glimpse the new presidential ticket .
Most lived in Delaware and were longtime supporters of the Bidens .
Two women sat in lawn chairs holding a sign that said “ Delaware loves Biden-Harris ” .
Some wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts while others wore the signature green and pink of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority , which Harris joined as a college student at Howard University in Washington DC .
Dina Griffin , who wore a pink dress with a matching blazer and a pin that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had hoped Biden would choose Harris but seeing an image of them together for the first time after the announcement brought “ tears of joy ” .
“ A lot of people have lost hope and are feeling upset and depressed about the way this country has gone in the last few years , ” said Griffin .
“ So this moment is just a renewed spark and hope that we can come together to heal our divisions.
” Like Clark Benjamin , a retired educator and Delaware resident , most who turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden many times over as senator and then as the vice-president – and planned to do so again in 2020 .
Though Biden already had her vote , Benjamin said choosing Harris added energy and dynamism to the Democratic ticket .
“ It ’ s historic , ” she said , explaining why she chose to spend her afternoon outside in the summer humidity .
“ That ’ s why I had to be here.
” But the choice , some said , also revealed something new about the candidate .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who are speaking up around the world and asking for equity , justice and fairness , ” said Debbie Harrington , another member of the AKA sorority , referring to the nationwide anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
“ His pick said : I hear you .
And not only did I hear you , I understand you and I ’ m going to do something about it.
” In response to the wave of protests this spring against racism and police brutality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on issues of racial justice .
Her advocacy in favor of criminal justice legislation has eased some concerns among progressives over her record .
They delivered the speech on the third anniversary of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville , Virginia , an event that Biden said was , for him , a “ call to action ” .

Maanvi Singh, Kenya Evelyn and Martin Belam

12 Aug 2020 00.56 BST Summary Kamala Harris and Joe Biden made their first campaign appearance as running mates. Each noted that they had first connected through Biden’s late son Beau — who was a close friend of Harris. After commemorating the historic moment — Harris is the first woman of color to be nominated vice president by a major party — the Democrats vying for the White House tore down Donald Trump ’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. “This is what happens when we elect a guy who just isn’t up for the job,” Harris said. “Our country ends in tatters and so does our reputation around the world.”
Each noted that they had first connected through Biden’s late son Beau — who was a close friend of Harris. After commemorating the historic moment — Harris is the first woman of color to be nominated vice president by a major party — the Democrats vying for the White House tore down ’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. “This is what happens when we elect a guy who just isn’t up for the job,” Harris said. “Our country ends in tatters and so does our reputation around the world.” Trump, at his daily coronavirus update, took to baselessly attacking mail-in voting and stoking racist fears about desegregating the suburbs. The president also repeated false and misleading assertions about the coronavirus pandemic and introduced adviser Dr Scott Atlas , who has promoted unscientific views on the pandemic and the US response that align with those held by Trump.
The president also repeated false and misleading assertions about the coronavirus pandemic and introduced adviser , who has promoted unscientific views on the pandemic and the US response that align with those held by Trump. Trump campaign said that Harris “completes the radical, leftist takeover of Joe Biden and the entire Democrat party”. But the attack doesn’t quite land on Harris — a policy moderate whose background as prosector has drawn criticism from progressives. Harris and Biden appear together for first time and excoriate 'failure' Trump Read more
12 Aug 2020 00.27 BST Asked what he meant when he said that a Biden victory in November would lead “invasion” in the suburbs, Trump pitched implicitly racist housing policies in explicitly racist terms. Biden and Harris are “going to destroy suburbia”, Trump said. “And 30% plus of the people in suburbia are minorities. African American, Asian American, Hispanic American – they’re minorities – 30%. The number is even higher, they say 35% but I like to cut it a little bit lower.” “You want something where people can aspire to be there, not something where it gets hurt badly” with low-income housing, the president said. Trump has been playing up racist fears that more people of color in the suburbs will lead to increases in crime and lower housing values that gave rise to the redlining that persists today. Last month, he tweeted that as a result of his administration’s decision to roll back an Obama-era program to address racial segregation in suburban housing, “people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream” would “no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low-income housing built in your neighborhood”.
Updated at 00.37 BST
12 Aug 2020 00.00 BST Donald Trump’s latest attack on Kamala Harris: “She is very bad on fact. She is very weak on facts.” The president has made 20,000 false or misleading claims while in office, the Washington Post’s fact checkers said last month.
12 Aug 2020 23.47 BST At this news conference, Trump introduced Dr Scott Atlas, and invited him to speak. Atlas, a healthcare policy expert at the conservative Hoover Institution at Stanford University has promoted unscientific views about coronavirus. My colleague Oliver Milman reported earlier: Atlas appears to be more in tune with Trump’s thinking on the virus after the president publicly criticized both of his top pandemic officials, Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci, over concerns they raised about the disastrous spread of Covid-19 in the US and the danger of allowing students to return to school. In June, Atlas said the idea that schools could not reopen after the summer break was “hysteria” and “ludicrous”. The new White House adviser has also called for college football to resume – a favored move by conservatives – despite a surge in virus cases in many states. “The environment of college sports is very sophisticated, it is controlled, there is accountability. The athletes couldn’t get a better and safer environment,” Atlas told Fox News earlier this week. “Young people that age, without a co-morbidity, have virtually a zero risk from this. The risk is less than seasonal influenza. There is such fear in the community, and unfortunately it’s been propagated by people doing sloppy thinking and sensationalistic media reporting.” Atlas, who has an MD degree from the University of Chicago School of Medicine, has previously provided healthcare policy advice to various businesses and presidential candidates, including Trump ally Rudy Giuliani. He has taken his services abroad, too, advising the World Bank and academics in China. Dr Deborah Birx and Dr Anthony Fauci — nominally the public health experts in charge of the country’s coronavirus response — have been absent from the president’s briefings. Trump unveils new Covid adviser who backs reopening schools Read more
12 Aug 2020 23.39 BST The supporters who came to catch a glimpse of Biden and Harris today Lauren Gambino Despite a thunderstorm, dozens of supporters arrived at the high school hoping to glimpse the new presidential ticket. Most lived in Delaware and were longtime supporters of the Bidens. Two women sat in lawn chairs holding a sign that said “Delaware loves Biden-Harris”. Some wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts while others wore the signature green and pink of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, which Harris joined as a college student at Howard University in Washington DC. Dina Griffin, who wore a pink dress with a matching blazer and a pin that said “VOTE”, said she had hoped Biden would choose Harris but seeing an image of them together for the first time after the announcement brought “tears of joy”. “A lot of people have lost hope and are feeling upset and depressed about the way this country has gone in the last few years,” said Griffin. “So this moment is just a renewed spark and hope that we can come together to heal our divisions.” Like Clark Benjamin, a retired educator and Delaware resident, most who turned out on Wednesday had already voted for Biden many times over as senator and then as the vice-president – and planned to do so again in 2020. Though Biden already had her vote, Benjamin said choosing Harris added energy and dynamism to the Democratic ticket. “It’s historic,” she said, explaining why she chose to spend her afternoon outside in the summer humidity. “That’s why I had to be here.” But the choice, some said, also revealed something new about the candidate. “It showed that he was listening to the people who are speaking up around the world and asking for equity, justice and fairness,” said Debbie Harrington, another member of the AKA sorority, referring to the nationwide anti-racism protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. “His pick said: I hear you. And not only did I hear you, I understand you and I’m going to do something about it.” In response to the wave of protests this spring against racism and police brutality, Harris emerged as a prominent voice on issues of racial justice. Her advocacy in favor of criminal justice legislation has eased some concerns among progressives over her record. They delivered the speech on the third anniversary of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, an event that Biden said was, for him, a “call to action”. Agencies contributed to this reporting. Harris and Biden appear together for first time and excoriate 'failure' Trump Read more
12 Aug 2020 23.24 BST “On the assumption I win, we’re going to be terminating the payroll tax,” Trump said. Both Democrats and Republicans have opposed cuts to payroll tax – which finances social security. His executive order proposing a payroll tax suspension delays the collection of tax, but only Congress can eliminate taxes altogether. The US Chamber of Commerce, which has usually backed White House efforts to cut federal regulations and taxes in favor of businesses, said in a letter to the treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, that the payroll tax suspension is “surrounded by uncertainty as to its application and implementation” and “ exacerbates the challenges” for companies.
Updated at 23.39 BST
12 Aug 2020 23.16 BST “I want to make it unmistakably clear that I am protecting people from evictions,” Trump said. He is not. Fact check: Trump’s executive order does not reinstate eviction moratoriums, or provide financial aid to Americans struggling to make rent amid the economic crisis.
12 Aug 2020 23.14 BST “They should do that race over,” Trump said of the election that delivered Democratic representative Carolyn Maloney victory in New York, baselessly alleging “ballot frauds”. The president’s misinformation about mail-in voting and his questioning of election results that favor Democrats could be a preview of what’s to come in November. “It will be the greatest rigged election in history,” Trump said. “This will be one of the greatest frauds in history.”
Updated at 23.18 BST
12 Aug 2020 23.10 BST Trump is saying that Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are “holding the American people hostage” over “their radical leftwing agenda”.
In fact, Pelosi and Schumer compromised in their ask for a coronavirus relief package, but the Trump administration abandoned negotiations and instead sought to legislate through executive orders. Taking issue with Democrats’ ask for more funding to bolster voting systems ahead of the elections, the president also launched into his usual lies about mail-in voting, falsely claiming that the system is marred by “fraud and corruption”.
Updated at 23.18 BST
12 Aug 2020 23.01 BST Donald Trump delivers news conference The president has begun by discussing the economy and indicating that the US is poised to help Europe. Most European countries have been much better than the US at suppressing the virus. At the White House. Donald Trump: “Our economy is doing significantly better than Europe.” pic.twitter.com/toDWJA2QdS — David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) August 12, 2020
Updated at 23.05 BST
12 Aug 2020 22.54 BST Yesterday, I wrote a bit more about Harris’ friendship Beau Biden, which both Harris and Joe Biden discussed moments ago. In her memoir, Harris called Beau an “incredible friend and colleague” who became a close collaborator. “There were periods, when I was taking heat, that Beau and I talked every day, sometimes multiple times a day,” she wrote. “We had each other’s backs.” After Beau’s death, Harris said at the 2016 California Democratic convention that the Biden family “truly represents our nation’s highest ideals, a powerful belief in the nobility of public service”. Joe Biden, she said, “has given so much to our country and on top of everything he has accomplished, he gave to us my dear friend Beau.” The elder Biden endorsed Harris’s Senate campaign that year, and she endorsed him for president this year after dropping out of the race. In both cases, they mentioned Beau Biden as a reason they trusted and respected each other. How Kamala Harris's friendship with Beau Biden united her with Joe Read more
Updated at 22.54 BST
12 Aug 2020 22.46 BST On public health, Harris drew a distinction between the Obama/Biden administration’s response to Ebola and the Trump administration’s response to coronavirus. “Remember Ebola? Barack Obama and Joe Biden did their job. Only two people in the US died – two,” Harris said. That may not be an entirely fair comparison – Ebola nowhere near as easily transmittable as coronavirus – but it is true that Trump gutted pandemic-preparedness systems that Obama built up in response to Ebola.
Updated at 22.48 BST
12 Aug 2020 22.38 BST Biden, as I noted earlier, highlighted the significance of Harris’ nomination as vice-president. “This morning, all across the nation, little girls woke up, especially little Black and brown girls, who so often feel overlooked and undervalued,” he said. “Today, just maybe, they’re seeing themselves for the first time in a new way.”
Later, Harris said she also respects Biden as the only man to have served under a black president and the only man to choose a black VP running mate.
Updated at 22.48 BST
12 Aug 2020 22.33 BST Notably missing at this historic campaign event: applause. Both Biden and Harris were tasked with delivering rousing speeches without any cheers of agreement from a live audience after they delivered their biggest lines and rallying cries. The event ends with a socially distanced photo-op with Harris and her husband Doug, and Joe and Jill Biden, standing a distance apart. pic.twitter.com/XgKQV7J06r — MJ Lee (@mj_lee) August 12, 2020
Updated at 22.47 BST
12 Aug 2020 22.28 BST Pointing to the health and economic crisis that has gripped the country, Harris said: “This is what happens when we elect a guy who just isn’t up for the job. Our country ends in tatters and so does our reputation around the world.”
12 Aug 2020 22.26 BST Both Harris and Biden have attacked Trump on his administration’s response to the pandemic. “This virus has impacted every country. But there’s a reason it has hit America worse than any other advanced nation,” she said. “It’s because of Trump’s failure to take it seriously from the start.”
Updated at 22.26 BST
12 Aug 2020 22.22 BST Earlier, Joe Biden, who introduced Harris, praised her “seriousness of purpose and of mind”. November will be “a life-changing election for this nation”, Biden said. “The choice we make this November is going to determine the future of America for a very, very long time.” Harris, the daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica is not only a historic choice, “she’s ready to do this job on day one”, Biden said.
Updated at 22.46 BST


theguardian--2020-08-12--US proposes change to shower rules after Trump's hair-washing moan

The US president ’ s hair-washing complaints on Wednesday prompted the government to propose an easing of shower pressure standards .
The Trump administration proposed rule changes that would allow shower heads to boost water pressure , after Donald Trump repeatedly complained that bathroom fixtures do not work to his liking .
The Department of Energy plan followed comments from Trump last month at a White House event on rolling back regulations .
He said he believed water does not come out fast enough from fixtures .
“ So what do you do ?
You just stand there longer or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my hair – I don ’ t know about you , but it has to be perfect , ” he said .
Last December , Trump said environmental regulators were looking at sinks , faucets and toilets to revise rules meant to conserve water and fuel that heats it .
“ People are flushing toilets 10 times , 15 times , as opposed to once , ” Trump told a meeting of small business leaders at the White House .
Consumer groups decried the plan , saying current rules saved consumers money by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would effectively allow shower fixtures to include multiple shower heads that would get around the 2.5 gallon per minute standard Congress set in 1992 , when Trump ’ s fellow Republican George HW Bush was president .
The energy department also proposed easier standards on washing machines .
The Trump administration says its regulatory rollbacks save average American households $ 3,100 a year .
But conservationists say easing bathroom fixture standards could boost energy and water costs .
It was uncertain whether the plan would be finalized .
Trump is campaigning for reelection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vote on 3 November .
If he wins and the proposal advances it could also face court battles .

Donald Trump’s hair has mesmerized many observers since he began his career in politics, but now the president’s own pride in his locks has prompted the US government to propose an easing of shower pressure standards.
The Trump administration proposed rule changes that would allow shower heads to boost water pressure, after Trump repeatedly complained that bathroom fixtures do not work to his liking.
The Department of Energy plan followed comments from Trump last month at a White House event on rolling back regulations. He said he believed water does not come out fast enough from fixtures.
“So what do you do? You just stand there longer or you take a shower longer? Because my hair – I don’t know about you, but it has to be perfect. Perfect,” he said.
Last December, Trump said environmental regulators were looking at sinks, faucets and toilets to revise rules meant to conserve water and fuel that heats it.
“People are flushing toilets 10 times, 15 times, as opposed to once,” Trump told a meeting of small business leaders at the White House.
Consumer groups decried the plan, saying current rules saved consumers money by conserving water and fuel.
Andrew deLaski, the executive director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, an energy conservation organization, said the proposals were “silly” and could result in enough gushing water to flood a bathroom.
“The country faces serious problems,” he told the Associated Press. “We’ve got a pandemic, serious long-term drought throughout much of the west. We’ve got global climate change. Showerheads aren’t one of our problems.”
David Friedman, the vice-president of advocacy Consumer Reports, and a former acting assistant secretary for the Department of Energy, said the new rule would cause a big increase in wasted water and cause a rise in utility bills.
“There is absolutely no need to change current showerhead standards,” he said.
The proposal would effectively allow shower fixtures to include multiple shower heads that would get around the 2.5 gallon per minute standard Congress set in 1992, when Trump’s fellow Republican George HW Bush was president.
The energy department also proposed easier standards on washing machines. The Trump administration says its regulatory rollbacks save average American households $3,100 a year. But conservationists say easing bathroom fixture standards could boost energy and water costs.
It was uncertain whether the plan would be finalized. Trump is campaigning for re-election and trails in opinion polls ahead of the vote on 3 November. If he wins and the proposal advances, it could also face court battles.


theguardian--2020-08-12--Trump called Kamala Harris 'nasty' – is it because she grills powerful men?

On Tuesday , Donald Trump referred to Kamala Harris as a “ nasty woman ” , referencing her 2018 grilling of Brett Kavanaugh over allegations – denied by Kavanaugh – that the now supreme court justice attempted to rape Dr Christine Blasey Ford when they were teenagers .
Nasty or “ not nice ” seem to be words Trump reserves for women who hold men in power to account : Trump similarly insulted Hilary Clinton during the 2016 election race , when she hinted at his reluctance to publish his tax returns .
Trump also ordered female reporters who question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has previously said it was not “ nice ” to call a woman “ tough ” .
But Harris , who was previously California ’ s top prosecutor – for which she has drawn criticism – doesn ’ t like to go easy on her opponents .
In fact , she routinely subjects them to strong and thorough cross-examination .
Here ’ s a list of her “ nastiest ” – or , depending on how you view it , strongest – lines of questioning .
Kavanaugh was questioned over a four-day confirmation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s allegations – during which Harris ’ s questioning was a standout moment .
Her blistering questions propelled her into the spotlight : Kavanaugh squirmed as Harris asked whether he would request an FBI investigation into the claims ; whether men who have female friends can still do harmful things to other women ; and whether he even bothered to watch Dr Ford ’ s testimony ( he didn ’ t ) .
In 2017 , during investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election , the then attorney general , Jeff Sessions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He didn ’ t remember anyone he met .
He prefaced many of his answers with “ to the best of my recollection ” , and even in his written testimony , he wrote of not remembering key details .
When Harris repeatedly pressed Sessions on his refusal to answer questions , he said her questioning was making him nervous .
During the Mueller investigation , Harris flexed her legal muscle when it came to grilling Sessions ’ successor as attorney general , William Barr .
Her quick questioning , willingness to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he pretended not to understand were all prime viewing for someone who wants to see how a nasty woman goes about not letting a man off the hook .
If it ’ s true that you should be with someone who challenges you , Biden has made the right decision in choosing Harris as his running mate .
During the Democratic race , he and Harris frequently went toe-to-toe .
When Biden came under fire for working with segregationist senators to oppose bussing , he said he was backed by the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – completely forgetting about Harris .
She interjected : “ No , the other one is here.
” Her standout moment came when she gave frank testimony about the impact of bussing on her own life , showing grace and grit as she held Biden to account .

On Tuesday, Donald Trump referred to Kamala Harris as a “nasty woman”, referencing her 2018 grilling of Brett Kavanaugh over allegations – denied by Kavanaugh – that the now supreme court justice attempted to rape Dr Christine Blasey Ford when they were teenagers.
Nasty or “not nice” seem to be words Trump reserves for women who hold men in power to account: Trump similarly insulted Hilary Clinton during the 2016 election race, when she hinted at his reluctance to publish his tax returns. Trump also ordered female reporters who question him to “be nice” and has previously said it was not “nice” to call a woman “tough”.
But Harris, who was previously California’s top prosecutor – for which she has drawn criticism – doesn’t like to go easy on her opponents. In fact, she routinely subjects them to strong and thorough cross-examination.
Here’s a list of her “nastiest” – or, depending on how you view it, strongest – lines of questioning.
Any woman who opposes Donald Trump gets called a #nastywoman. But mark my words: if he tries to treat @KamalaHarris the way he’s treated all those other women, she will eat him for lunch. https://t.co/oA2xlkvsVB — Joe Madison (@MadisonSiriusXM) August 12, 2020
Questioning Brett Kavanaugh
02:11 Key moments from the Ford and Kavanaugh hearings – video
Kavanaugh was questioned over a four-day confirmation hearing in relation to Dr Ford’s allegations – during which Harris’s questioning was a standout moment. Her blistering questions propelled her into the spotlight: Kavanaugh squirmed as Harris asked whether he would request an FBI investigation into the claims; whether men who have female friends can still do harmful things to other women; and whether he even bothered to watch Dr Ford’s testimony (he didn’t).
Making Jeff Sessions nervous
Hillary Clinton endured 11 hours of GOP-led Benghazi hearing, but Jeff Sessions gets "nervous" from a tough question by Sen. Kamala Harris. pic.twitter.com/3gdobbotnW — Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) June 14, 2017
In 2017, during investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election, the then attorney general, Jeff Sessions, seemed to have a memory problem. He didn’t remember anyone he met. He prefaced many of his answers with “to the best of my recollection”, and even in his written testimony, he wrote of not remembering key details. When Harris repeatedly pressed Sessions on his refusal to answer questions, he said her questioning was making him nervous.
William Barr didn’t see it coming
Kamala Harris is going to be an especially huge asset for Biden and Democrats if Trump and Barr refuse to accept the election results and won't leave the White House.
She will tear them apart. pic.twitter.com/VVNucdKJcs — Nate Lerner (@NathanLerner) August 12, 2020
During the Mueller investigation, Harris flexed her legal muscle when it came to grilling Sessions’ successor as attorney general, William Barr. Her quick questioning, willingness to elaborate, and refusal to be sidetracked when he pretended not to understand were all prime viewing for someone who wants to see how a nasty woman goes about not letting a man off the hook.
She even grilled Biden
Reupping this clip of Kamala Harris demolishing Joe Biden in the debates — for no reason at all today. #VPPick pic.twitter.com/noyF93mKkQ — Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) August 11, 2020
If it’s true that you should be with someone who challenges you, Biden has made the right decision in choosing Harris as his running mate. During the Democratic race, he and Harris frequently went toe-to-toe. When Biden came under fire for working with segregationist senators to oppose bussing, he said he was backed by the only African American woman ever in the Senate – completely forgetting about Harris. She interjected: “No, the other one is here.”
Her standout moment came when she gave frank testimony about the impact of bussing on her own life, showing grace and grit as she held Biden to account.