theguardian--2020-08-11--Pompeo failed to 'fully assess' civilian cost of Saudi arms sales, watchdog finds

A US government watchdog investigation into the “ emergency ” sale of more than $ 8bn in weapons to Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies has found the state department failed to “ fully assess ” or mitigate the risk of civilian casualties in Yemen .
The report by the state department ’ s Office of Inspector General ( OIG ) found that Mike Pompeo had acted within the law in May 2019 by authorizing the sales of bombs and other arms through an emergency declaration , bypassing congressional opposition .
But the report noted that the relevant law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , gives the executive the right to define what constitutes an “ emergency ” , so the investigators did not look into whether the declaration was justified , “ nor did OIG make any assessment of the policy decisions underlying the arms transfers and the associated emergency ” .
State department officials took the unusual step of briefing the press the day before the report was issued , portraying it as a vindication of Pompeo and the arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates .
They also claimed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s dismissal , at Pompeo ’ s urging , of the inspector general who launched the inquiry , Stephen Linick .
Linick had also opened investigations of Pompeo ’ s use of state department resources for personal errands .
He was succeeded in May by a veteran diplomat , Stephen Akard , who abruptly announced his own resignation , last week .
The report found that the “ OIG found the Department did not fully assess risks and implement mitigation measures to reduce civilian casualties and legal concerns associated with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guided munitions ] included in the Secretary ’ s May 2019 emergency certification ” .
The report also found that the state department had been selling PGM ’ s in component parts , so that each individual transfer fell below the threshold requiring congressional approval .
There were “ 4,221 below-threshold arms transfers involving Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates , with an estimated total value of $ 11.2bn since January 2017 , ” the OIG said .
Pompeo had presented the emergency sales as being essential to contain Iranian “ malign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yemen .
However the OIG found that most of the arms sales had not taken place by January 2020 , in about half the cases because the receiving country had either rejected the sale or had yet to sign a letter of acceptance .
In response , R Clarke Cooper , the assistant secretary for political-military affairs , said more of the emergency sales had gone through since the beginning of the year .
The UK defense ministry disclosed in May it had logged more than 500 Saudi air raids in possible breach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hartung , the director of the arms and security program at the Center for International Policy , said the OIG had dodged its responsibility by not ruling on the legality of Pompeo ’ s emergency declaration .
“ If the OIG is to be believed , when it comes to arms sales the president can ultimately do what he wants when he wants to – a position that violates the spirit and letter of current law , ” Hartung said .
“ All in all a disgraceful abuse of executive authority that calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more rigorous legal strictures on the executive branch ’ s powers to approve and evaluate arms sales .
”

A US government watchdog investigation into the “emergency” sale of more than $8bn in weapons to Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies has found the state department failed to “fully assess” or mitigate the risk of civilian casualties in Yemen.
The report by the state department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that Mike Pompeo had acted within the law in May 2019 by authorizing the sale of bombs and other arms through an emergency declaration, bypassing congressional opposition.
But the report noted that the relevant law, the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), gives the executive the right to define what constitutes an “emergency”, so the investigators did not look into whether the declaration was justified, “nor did OIG make any assessment of the policy decisions underlying the arms transfers and the associated emergency”.
State department officials took the unusual step of briefing the press the day before the report was issued, portraying it as a vindication of Pompeo and the arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. They also claimed the overall conclusion was not affected by Donald Trump’s dismissal, at Pompeo’s urging, of the inspector general who launched the inquiry, Stephen Linick.
Linick had also opened investigations of Pompeo’s use of state department resources for personal errands. He was succeeded in May by a veteran diplomat, Stephen Akard, who abruptly announced his own resignation, last week.
The report found that the “OIG found the Department did not fully assess risks and implement mitigation measures to reduce civilian casualties and legal concerns associated with the transfer of PGM’s [precision guided munitions] included in the Secretary’s May 2019 emergency certification”.
The report also found that the state department had been selling PGM’s in component parts, so that each individual transfer fell below the threshold requiring congressional approval. There were “4,221 below-threshold arms transfers involving Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with an estimated total value of $11.2bn since January 2017,” the OIG said.
Pompeo had presented the emergency sales as being essential to contain Iranian “malign activity” through support of Houthis in Yemen. However the OIG found that most of the arms sales had not taken place by January 2020, in about half the cases because the receiving country had either rejected the sale or had yet to sign a letter of acceptance.
In response, R Clarke Cooper, the assistant secretary for political-military affairs, said more of the emergency sales had gone through since the beginning of the year.
The UK defense ministry disclosed in May it had logged more than 500 Saudi air raids in possible breach of international law in Yemen.
William Hartung, the director of the arms and security program at the Center for International Policy, said the OIG had dodged its responsibility by not ruling on the legality of Pompeo’s emergency declaration.
“If the OIG is to be believed, when it comes to arms sales the president can ultimately do what he wants when he wants to – a position that violates the spirit and letter of current law,” Hartung said. “All in all a disgraceful abuse of executive authority that calls for a strong congressional response, including more rigorous legal strictures on the executive branch’s powers to approve and evaluate arms sales.”


theguardian--2020-08-11--Unions demand US government take charge over 'inexcusable' PPE shortage

A large coalition of labor unions and climate action groups have petitioned the US health and homeland security departments to take over the manufacture and distribution of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) .
The unions , including the AFL-CIO , the Service Employees International Union , the American Federation of Teachers and the Amalgamated Transit Union , represent more than 15 million workers , from nurses to flight attendants to nannies .
The administration is required to respond within 15 days .
The groups could sue if they do not receive a response .
Healthcare and other frontline workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gloves and critical N95 face masks since March , when the Covid-19 pandemic broke the global supply chain for such products .
Healthcare workers could make up between 10 and 20 % of total Covid-19 infections , the petition said , citing previous health authority estimates .
“ It ’ s terrifying to risk your life every day just by going to work .
It brings a lot of things into perspective , ” said Rick Lucas , the president of the Ohio State University Nurses Organization and a nurse Ohio State University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not going to give up on protecting my patients , even though it ’ s clear the federal government has basically given up on protecting us , ” he said .
“ More than 100 of my coworkers have tested positive for the coronavirus , and many of those positive tests were due to occupational exposure because of lack of PPE .
This is inexcusable.
” Although PPE supplies have rebounded for large hospitals and long-term care homes , supply chains remain fragile , with periodic shortages accompanying surges of Covid-19 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , independent doctor ’ s offices have struggled to obtain these supplies at all , as distributors allocate limited supplies to the most critical facilities .
Health experts and industry leaders have predicted PPE shortages could persist for years without government intervention .
They also said there is no end in sight for emergency conservation measures , which have pushed nurses to use the same N95 masks for a week at a time .
The petition , drafted by environmental lawyers and signed by unions , calls on the administration to deploy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act ( DPA ) using an emergency rule-making process .
The wartime law allows the US to mandate manufacturers fulfill government contracts first , to make masks , gloves , gowns and other equipment to protect workers from Covid-19 .
Donald Trump delegated DPA powers to health secretary Alex Azar and acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf in March .
The groups claim neither has used the act sufficiently to remedy the gear shortages .
The Trump administration abdicated responsibility for the manufacture and distribution or PPE to states , which has exacerbated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one another .
Demand for PPE is expected to grow again in the coming months , with the potential for Covid-19 to surge during winter months , and as some states with active infections try to push schools to return to in-person instruction .

A large coalition of labor unions and climate action groups have petitioned the US health and homeland security departments to take over the manufacture and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE).
The unions, including the AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union, the American Federation of Teachers and the Amalgamated Transit Union, represent more than 15 million workers, from nurses to flight attendants to nannies. The administration is required to respond within 15 days.
The groups could sue if they do not receive a response.
Healthcare and other frontline workers have experienced rolling shortages of gowns, gloves and critical N95 face masks since March, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke the global supply chain for such products. Healthcare workers could make up between 10 and 20% of total Covid-19 infections, the petition said, citing previous health authority estimates.
“It’s terrifying to risk your life every day just by going to work. It brings a lot of things into perspective,” said Rick Lucas, the president of the Ohio State University Nurses Organization and a nurse Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
“I’m not going to give up on protecting my patients, even though it’s clear the federal government has basically given up on protecting us,” he said. “More than 100 of my coworkers have tested positive for the coronavirus, and many of those positive tests were due to occupational exposure because of lack of PPE. This is inexcusable.”
Although PPE supplies have rebounded for large hospitals and long-term care homes, supply chains remain fragile, with periodic shortages accompanying surges of Covid-19 cases in the US. At the same time, independent doctor’s offices have struggled to obtain these supplies at all, as distributors allocate limited supplies to the most critical facilities.
Health experts and industry leaders have predicted PPE shortages could persist for years without government intervention. They also said there is no end in sight for emergency conservation measures, which have pushed nurses to use the same N95 masks for a week at a time.
The petition, drafted by environmental lawyers and signed by unions, calls on the administration to deploy the full powers of the Defense Production Act (DPA) using an emergency rule-making process. The wartime law allows the US to mandate manufacturers fulfill government contracts first, to make masks, gloves, gowns and other equipment to protect workers from Covid-19.
Donald Trump delegated DPA powers to health secretary Alex Azar and acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf in March. The groups claim neither has used the act sufficiently to remedy the gear shortages.
The Trump administration abdicated responsibility for the manufacture and distribution or PPE to states, which has exacerbated shortages as states and institutions compete amongst one another.
Demand for PPE is expected to grow again in the coming months, with the potential for Covid-19 to surge during winter months, and as some states with active infections try to push schools to return to in-person instruction.


theguardian--2020-08-12--In this dystopian world, Kamala Harris sails above the presidential bar | Richard Wolffe

What is Mike Pence ?
When the painted smile fades and the glazed eyes begin to focus on reality , is there an honest penny in him ?
For the next three months , the core question of whether Pence has any core is the only real target for America ’ s history-making vice-presidential candidate , Kamala Harris .
As much as the Trump campaign wants to scare the bejesus out of its old , white base with terrifying tales about Krazy Kamala , her own policy positions don ’ t really matter .
Like every other veep candidate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloc or state .
She doesn ’ t displace the top of the ticket because veeps never do .
All that matters is one debate night , in Salt Lake City , in early October .
And even that night will be quickly overshadowed by the second presidential debate a week later .
How can the summer ’ s biggest political story – except for the pandemic , recession and racial justice protests – be so easily dismissed ?
To understand that dynamic , you need look no further than Joe Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama ’ s pick of Biden as his running mate was everything Harris is today : a counterweight to everything he wasn ’ t .
Biden offered some older , whiter balance to the first African American nominee for president .
He also undercut Obama ’ s main claim to that nomination : opposing the war in Iraq .
Biden had voted for the invasion , even as he turned into a sharp critic of the war like every other Democrat .
How did Obama overcome his policy differences with Biden on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to .
There was some chemistry between the Obamas and the Bidens on the day they walked out on stage in Springfield , Illinois , near the old state capitol .
But more often that not , the chemistry story was overblown : Obama was a disciplined speaker where Biden was not .
Obama chose not to wait his turn ; Biden had spent his career waiting for his turn .
Obama was the main choice , while Biden played a supporting role .
Nobody voted for Barack Obama because of Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somehow the cosmos threw up Donald Trump and Mike Pence .
Setting aside the strong possibility that nobody else was desperate enough to take the job , Pence represented a thin crust of establishment respectability on the molten lava of anti-immigrant , white supremacist , pro-Russian , self-enrichment they call Trump ’ s populism .
Pence undercuts so much of what passes for Trump ’ s politics .
He built his career as a Christian conservative and fiscal hawk leading the House Republican study committee , becoming an anti-abortion , budget-cutting governor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play the role of cardboard cutout to a thrice-married president who paid off a porn star and blew open the federal deficit well before the pandemic struck .
His biblically-sized differences with Trump did nothing to change perceptions of the presidential nominee .
They did , however , raise serious questions about whether the exceptionally principled Pence had any principles whatsoever .
Still , nobody voted for Donald Trump because of Mike Pence .
Which brings us to the forthcoming Harris-Pence struggle for definition .
Above all else , Harris reflects something we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circling of the drain we call politics in the era of Donald Trump .
Through her own accomplishments , she meets the only standard relevant to a veep pick : she looks and sounds presidential because she is .
In this dystopian world , Harris sails above the presidential bar that has been lowered to jackboot level by an old man who admires neo-Nazis and autocrats in equal measure .
A former district attorney and attorney general , Harris has navigated law and politics while Trump has evaded both .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s attorneys general have gone viral .
For Democrats , Harris is a return to the Obama vision of America : diverse and driven by social justice .
“ Her own life story is one that I and so many others can see in ourselves , ” Obama said in a statement on Tuesday .
“ A story that says that no matter where you come from , what you look like , how you worship , or who you love , there ’ s a place for you here.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she represents the power behind the throne .
Even though candidate Harris clashed personally and politically with Biden , somehow she is really pulling the strings .
“ As you all know , Joe Biden and the Democratic party have been overtaken by the radical left , ” Pence said at a Trump campaign event in Arizona on Tuesday .
“ So given their promises of higher taxes , open borders , socialized medicine and abortion on demand , it ’ s no surprise that he chose Senator Harris.
” But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Biden chose Harris .
The conventional wisdom was that Harris was too ambitious ; that her attacks were too personal in the primaries ; that Biden was too concerned about internal rivalries to pick the California senator .
Surely there were safer picks than the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother , who went to high school in Canada and graduated from Howard University ?
There surely were governors and senators who could have faced a smaller tsunami of disinformation , conspiracy theories and plain old racism on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the endless pre-game analysis of Biden ’ s decision , it was often said that he needed to find his own Biden .
Like Obama in the Great Recession , Biden needed a partner in the White House , ready to do the work that the boss will be too busy to handle .
But Biden didn ’ t choose another Biden .
He chose another Obama : someone who represents the future of a country of immigrants , with deep roots in the hard work of righting America ’ s wrongs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a transitional figure in Democratic politics , and that ’ s sensible for someone who could well be sworn in as president at the age of 78 .
To be sure , Harris struggled with that transition in her own presidential campaign : was she a former prosecutor or a Bernie Sanders-style supporter of Medicare for All ?
After four years as vice-president , we still may not know the answer to the question of whether Harris is a centrist or not .
But in less than three months , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what future American voters want for themselves and their country .

What is Mike Pence? When the painted smile fades and the glazed eyes begin to focus on reality, is there an honest penny in him?
For the next three months, the core question of whether Pence has any core is the only real target for America’s history-making vice-presidential candidate, Kamala Harris.
As much as the Trump campaign wants to scare the bejesus out of its old, white base with terrifying tales about Krazy Kamala, her own policy positions don’t really matter. Like every other veep candidate, Harris doesn’t deliver a voter bloc or state. She doesn’t displace the top of the ticket because veeps never do.
All that matters is one debate night, in Salt Lake City, in early October. And even that night will be quickly overshadowed by the second presidential debate a week later.
How can the summer’s biggest political story – except for the pandemic, recession and racial justice protests – be so easily dismissed? To understand that dynamic, you need look no further than Joe Biden and Pence.
Back in 2008, Barack Obama’s pick of Biden as his running mate was everything Harris is today: a counterweight to everything he wasn’t. Biden offered some older, whiter balance to the first African American nominee for president.
He also undercut Obama’s main claim to that nomination: opposing the war in Iraq. Biden had voted for the invasion, even as he turned into a sharp critic of the war like every other Democrat.
How did Obama overcome his policy differences with Biden on the campaign trail? He didn’t need to.
04:59 Kamala Harris: memorable moments from Joe Biden's VP pick – video
There was some chemistry between the Obamas and the Bidens on the day they walked out on stage in Springfield, Illinois, near the old state capitol. But more often that not, the chemistry story was overblown: Obama was a disciplined speaker where Biden was not. Obama chose not to wait his turn; Biden had spent his career waiting for his turn.
Obama was the main choice, while Biden played a supporting role. Nobody voted for Barack Obama because of Joe Biden.
Fast-forward eight years, and somehow the cosmos threw up Donald Trump and Mike Pence. Setting aside the strong possibility that nobody else was desperate enough to take the job, Pence represented a thin crust of establishment respectability on the molten lava of anti-immigrant, white supremacist, pro-Russian, self-enrichment they call Trump’s populism.
Pence undercuts so much of what passes for Trump’s politics. He built his career as a Christian conservative and fiscal hawk leading the House Republican study committee, becoming an anti-abortion, budget-cutting governor of Indiana. Somehow he signed up to play the role of cardboard cutout to a thrice-married president who paid off a porn star and blew open the federal deficit well before the pandemic struck.
[Pence's] biblically-sized differences with Trump did nothing to change perceptions of the presidential nominee
His biblically-sized differences with Trump did nothing to change perceptions of the presidential nominee. They did, however, raise serious questions about whether the exceptionally principled Pence had any principles whatsoever.
Still, nobody voted for Donald Trump because of Mike Pence.
Which brings us to the forthcoming Harris-Pence struggle for definition. Above all else, Harris reflects something we may stupidly take for granted in this circling of the drain we call politics in the era of Donald Trump.
Through her own accomplishments, she meets the only standard relevant to a veep pick: she looks and sounds presidential because she is. In this dystopian world, Harris sails above the presidential bar that has been lowered to jackboot level by an old man who admires neo-Nazis and autocrats in equal measure.
A former district attorney and attorney general, Harris has navigated law and politics while Trump has evaded both. It’s no coincidence that her Senate grilling of Trump’s attorneys general have gone viral.
For Democrats, Harris is a return to the Obama vision of America: diverse and driven by social justice. “Her own life story is one that I and so many others can see in ourselves,” Obama said in a statement on Tuesday. “A story that says that no matter where you come from, what you look like, how you worship, or who you love, there’s a place for you here.”
For Republicans like Mike Pence, however, she represents the power behind the throne. Even though candidate Harris clashed personally and politically with Biden, somehow she is really pulling the strings.
“As you all know, Joe Biden and the Democratic party have been overtaken by the radical left,” Pence said at a Trump campaign event in Arizona on Tuesday. “So given their promises of higher taxes, open borders, socialized medicine and abortion on demand, it’s no surprise that he chose Senator Harris.”
But it is, in fact, a surprise that Biden chose Harris. The conventional wisdom was that Harris was too ambitious; that her attacks were too personal in the primaries; that Biden was too concerned about internal rivalries to pick the California senator.
Surely there were safer picks than the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, who went to high school in Canada and graduated from Howard University?
There surely were governors and senators who could have faced a smaller tsunami of disinformation, conspiracy theories and plain old racism on a social media feed near you.
During the endless pre-game analysis of Biden’s decision, it was often said that he needed to find his own Biden. Like Obama in the Great Recession, Biden needed a partner in the White House, ready to do the work that the boss will be too busy to handle.
But Biden didn’t choose another Biden. He chose another Obama: someone who represents the future of a country of immigrants, with deep roots in the hard work of righting America’s wrongs.
Biden and his team have suggested he’s a transitional figure in Democratic politics, and that’s sensible for someone who could well be sworn in as president at the age of 78.
To be sure, Harris struggled with that transition in her own presidential campaign: was she a former prosecutor or a Bernie Sanders-style supporter of Medicare for All?
After four years as vice-president, we still may not know the answer to the question of whether Harris is a centrist or not. But in less than three months, we will know the answer to the question of what future American voters want for themselves and their country.


theguardian--2020-08-12--Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris as running mate – US politics live

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has said his department did everything by the book in regards to arms sales to Saudi Arabia in 2019 , after a government watchdog found the risk of civilian casualties in Yemen was not fully evaluated .
His comments came after a state department inspector general report earlier this week concluded the state department did not fully evaluate the risk of civilian casualties in Yemen when it pushed through a huge 2019 precision-guided munitions sale to Saudi Arabia , report the Associated Press .
“ We did everything by the book , ” Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Czech prime minister , where he is currently visiting .
“ I am proud of the work that my team did .
We got a really good outcome .
We prevented the loss of lives.
” Congress had requested an investigation into the Trump administration*s May 2019 decision to move ahead with $ 8 billion in military sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries , sidestepping the congressional review process by declaring an emergency over tensions with Iran .
He also spoke about 5G , saying that there is growing understanding among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken into account when developing new-generation communication networks .
“ The tide is turning , there is no doubt about that , against untrusted networks and toward the values of free nations ” he said .
The US government has put considerable pressure on allies not to use Chinese-sourced technology in their 5G build-outs .

Kenya Evelyn (now) and Martin Belam (earlier)

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--Ilhan Omar sees victory against well-funded Democrat in primary

Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota survived a stiff Democratic primary challenge Tuesday from a well-funded opponent who tried to make an issue of her national celebrity .
Her win is the latest in a season of victories by a new generation of emboldened progressive lawmakers .
Omar , seeking her second term in November , easily defeated Antone Melton-Meaux , an attorney and mediator who raised millions to run against her .
Omar and her allies gained confidence in her reelection chances after primary victories last week by fellow “ Squad ” member Rashida Tlaib in Michigan and by Cori @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ousted a longtime St Louis-area congressman .
They also claimed momentum from the renewed focus on racial and economic justice after George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis .
“ Tonight , our movement didn ’ t just win , ” Omar tweeted .
“ We earned a mandate for change .
Despite outside efforts to defeat us , we once again broke turnout records .
Despite the attacks , our support has only grown.
” Melton-Meaux used the cash to paper the district and flood airwaves with his “ Focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as out of touch with the heavily Democratic Minneapolis-area fifth district , which hasn ’ t elected a Republican to Congress since 1960 .
He conceded defeat and acknowledged that his efforts weren ’ t enough , while declining to speculate on why .
“ I ’ m also incredibly proud of the work that we did , that garnered at least over 60,000 votes from the district , from people who resonated with our message of effective leadership grounded in the district , and bringing people together to get things done , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Omar in 2018 became one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress , building on a national profile that started when the onetime refugee from Somalia was elected to the Minnesota Legislature just two years earlier .
Her advocacy on liberal issues , and her eagerness to take on Donald Trump , made her even more prominent .
Omar rejected Melton-Meaux ’ s attacks , saying they were funded by interests who wanted to get her out of Congress because she ’ s effective .
She also downplayed Melton-Meaux ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Organized people will always beat organized money.
” Democratic US Senator Tina Smith and Republican challenger Jason Lewis easily won their primaries in the only statewide races on the ballot .
Elsewhere , in western Minnesota ’ s conservative seventh District , former state Senator Michelle Fischbach won a three-way Republican race for the right to challenge Democratic Representative Collin Peterson .
Peterson , chairman of the House Agriculture Committee , is one of the GOP ’ s top targets to flip a House seat in November .
After entering Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Israel and money that some fellow Democrats called anti-Semitic , and apologized .
In the wake of Floyd ’ s death , Omar supported a push by a majority of the Minneapolis city council to replace the city ’ s police department with something new .
Melton-Meaux did not support that but did support shifting some funding away from police to more social service-oriented programs .
Both touched on the issue in personal ways , with Omar saying she wanted her son to grow up safely .
Melton-Meaux , who is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being detained while at the University of Virginia by police seeking an assault suspect reported to have run into his apartment building .
John Hildebrand , a 47-year-old teacher in Minneapolis who voted for Omar , said her national profile is an advantage .
“ I think just her presence encourages other Muslims and Somalis to run for office and to seek to be represented , ” he said .
“ I think she just engages people in the political system more and more .
”

Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota survived a stiff Democratic primary challenge Tuesday from a well-funded opponent who tried to make an issue of her national celebrity.
Her win is the latest in a season of victories by a new generation of emboldened progressive lawmakers.
Omar, seeking her second term in November, easily defeated Antone Melton-Meaux, an attorney and mediator who raised millions to run against her.
Omar and her allies gained confidence in her reelection chances after primary victories last week by fellow “Squad” member Rashida Tlaib in Michigan and by Cori Bush, a Black Lives Matter activist who ousted a longtime St Louis-area congressman. They also claimed momentum from the renewed focus on racial and economic justice after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.
“Tonight, our movement didn’t just win,” Omar tweeted. “We earned a mandate for change. Despite outside efforts to defeat us, we once again broke turnout records. Despite the attacks, our support has only grown.”
Melton-Meaux used the cash to paper the district and flood airwaves with his “Focused on the Fifth” message that portrayed Omar as out of touch with the heavily Democratic Minneapolis-area fifth district, which hasn’t elected a Republican to Congress since 1960. He conceded defeat and acknowledged that his efforts weren’t enough, while declining to speculate on why.
“I’m also incredibly proud of the work that we did, that garnered at least over 60,000 votes from the district, from people who resonated with our message of effective leadership grounded in the district, and bringing people together to get things done,” Melton-Meaux told The Associated Press.
Omar in 2018 became one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, building on a national profile that started when the onetime refugee from Somalia was elected to the Minnesota Legislature just two years earlier. Her advocacy on liberal issues, and her eagerness to take on Donald Trump, made her even more prominent.
Omar rejected Melton-Meaux’s attacks, saying they were funded by interests who wanted to get her out of Congress because she’s effective. She also downplayed Melton-Meaux’s prodigious fundraising before the vote, saying, “Organized people will always beat organized money.”
Democratic US Senator Tina Smith and Republican challenger Jason Lewis easily won their primaries in the only statewide races on the ballot. Elsewhere, in western Minnesota’s conservative seventh District, former state Senator Michelle Fischbach won a three-way Republican race for the right to challenge Democratic Representative Collin Peterson. Peterson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, is one of the GOP’s top targets to flip a House seat in November.
After entering Congress with fanfare, Omarpromoted controversy with comments about Israel and money that some fellow Democrats called anti-Semitic, and apologized. In the wake of Floyd’s death, Omar supported a push by a majority of the Minneapolis city council to replace the city’s police department with something new. Melton-Meaux did not support that but did support shifting some funding away from police to more social service-oriented programs. Both touched on the issue in personal ways, with Omar saying she wanted her son to grow up safely. Melton-Meaux, who is also black, told a personal story of being detained while at the University of Virginia by police seeking an assault suspect reported to have run into his apartment building.
John Hildebrand, a 47-year-old teacher in Minneapolis who voted for Omar, said her national profile is an advantage.
“I think just her presence encourages other Muslims and Somalis to run for office and to seek to be represented,” he said. “I think she just engages people in the political system more and more.”


theguardian--2020-08-12--'Good day for our country': Democrats hail Kamala Harris as VP pick

Democrats from all corners of the party appeared largely united behind Joe Biden ’ s selection of the California senator Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday .
The responses came almost immediately after Biden unveiled Harris as his choice for the vice presidential nominee , less than a week before the Democratic national convention , where Biden will be formally nominated as the presidential candidate for his party .
“ I ’ ve known Senator @ KamalaHarris for a long time .
She is more than prepared for the job .
She ’ s spent her career defending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need a fair shake , ” Barack Obama tweeted .
“ This is a good day for our country .
Now let ’ s go win this thing.
” Hillary Clinton said she was “ thrilled to welcome ” Harris to the ticket .
“ She ’ s already proven herself to be an incredible public servant and leader , ” the former presidential candidate tweeted .
Harris had been one of Biden ’ s rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination until she dropped out of the race late last year , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris has cultivated some more progressive credentials .
While she was often criticized as too much of a centrist and establishment candidate , as Biden was , praise also came from high-profile progressive leaders on Tuesday , including two of Biden ’ s other former rivals , the senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren .
“ Congratulations to @ KamalaHarris , who will make history as our next Vice President , ” Sanders tweeted .
“ She understands what it takes to stand up for working people , fight for health care for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corrupt administration in history .
Let ’ s get to work and win.
” Warren , who had been in the running to be Biden ’ s running mate , tweeted that Harris would be a “ great partner ” to Biden “ in making our government a powerful force for good in the fight for social , racial , and economic justice.
” The liberal group Democracy for America ( DFA ) , which had endorsed Sanders for president this year before he dropped out , also expressed support .
“ Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kamala Harris gives Democrats an historic opportunity to defeat Donald Trump , break through a glass ceiling for Black women , and win majorities in both the House and the Senate that can deliver the bold progressive reforms we need to restore America , ” the group ’ s CEO , Yvette Simpson , said in a statement .
Rahna Epting , executive director of the progressive public policy advocacy group MoveOn , said in a statement : “ Members have shown excitement around a Harris pick .
“ Joe Biden made a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of incredible accomplishment , a fighter for our democracy , and a compassionate and empathetic leader , ” she added .
The Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib , a progressive who has not endorsed Biden , tweeted : “ I ’ ve fought alongside Senator @ KamalaHarris for direct cash payments during the pandemic and for clean water as a human right .
Now let ’ s defeat Trump and make those policies a reality.
” The progressive New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was more muted in her reaction , reportedly telling USA Today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really well ” and “ rounds out his ticket ” .
Harris “ is aligned with him on quite a few issues ” , she said .
During the presidential primaries , one of the main criticisms of Harris was that she did not clearly define her positions .
On healthcare , for example , she co-sponsored Sanders ’ s Medicare for All bill and said she favored eliminating private healthcare , before later unveiling a healthcare plan that kept a significant role for the industry .
Harris has been a prominent voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as California ’ s “ top cop ” has also drawn scrutiny from progressives over her approach to police reform , prisoners ’ rights and truancy among other issues .
Critics had generally preferred one of the other finalists in Biden ’ s deliberations process for Biden ’ s running mate .
While Warren was the favored potential running mate among the liberal wing of the Democratic party , others advocated for former Georgia state representative Stacey Abrams .
But Harris fulfills a major requirement among some progressive Americans : that he pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the many candidates mentioned by Biden himself , or anonymous Democratic operatives in articles gaming out his choices , or pundits , there was no single person who would satisfy all the interest groups and sectors of the Democratic party .
Biden also strongly considered the former Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice , Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer , Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth , Florida congresswoman Val Demings , and California congresswoman Karen Bass .
Donors for Harris , Biden , and other former presidential candidates said Harris ’ s qualifications were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the Biden campaign .
“ Phone has blown up .
People are fired up .
The historic nature of it but also she ’ s a great campaigner who will help us win .
She ’ s already gone thru primaries and is known , ” a Harris campaign donor said in an email to the Guardian .
Ami Copeland , a former national finance director for Obama ’ s first presidential campaign , said she did not “ anticipate too much blowback ” from Harris ’ s nomination .
“ Stakes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not 2016 , ” she said .
Republicans , meanwhile , were eager to falsely paint Harris as a radical leftist , despite many in her own party seeing her as a centrist .
At a press conference Tuesday afternoon Donald Trump said : “ So she did very poorly in the primaries and now she ’ s chosen , so let ’ s see how that works out .
”

Democrats from all corners of the party appeared largely united behind Joe Biden’s selection of the California senator Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday.
The responses came almost immediately after Biden unveiled Harris as his choice for the vice-presidential nominee, less than a week before the Democratic national convention, where Biden will be formally nominated as the party’s presidential candidate.
“I’ve known Senator Kamala Harris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake,” Barack Obama tweeted. “This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing.”
Hillary Clinton said she was “thrilled to welcome” Harris to the ticket.
“She’s already proven herself to be an incredible public servant and leader,” the former presidential candidate tweeted.
Harris had been one of Biden’s rivals for the nomination until she dropped out of the race late last year. Both would be considered center-left, though Harris has cultivated some more progressive credentials. While she was often criticized as too much of a centrist and establishment candidate, as Biden was, praise also came from high-profile progressive leaders on Tuesday, including two of Biden’s other former rivals, the senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
04:50 Why Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate – video explainer
“Congratulations to Kamala Harris, who will make history as our next vice-president,” Sanders tweeted. “She understands what it takes to stand up for working people, fight for health care for all, and take down the most corrupt administration in history. Let’s get to work and win.”
Warren, who had been in the running to be Biden’s running mate, tweeted that Harris would be a “great partner” to Biden “in making our government a powerful force for good in the fight for social, racial, and economic justice.”
The liberal group Democracy for America (DFA), which had endorsed Sanders for president this year before he dropped out, also expressed support.
“Vice President Biden’s selection of Senator Kamala Harris gives Democrats an historic opportunity to defeat Donald Trump, break through a glass ceiling for Black women, and win majorities in both the House and the Senate that can deliver the bold progressive reforms we need to restore America,” the group’s CEO, Yvette Simpson, said in a statement.
Rahna Epting, executive director of the progressive public policy advocacy group MoveOn, said in a statement: “Members have shown excitement around a Harris pick.
“Joe Biden made a powerful choice in Harris: a woman of incredible accomplishment, a fighter for our democracy, and a compassionate and empathetic leader,” she added.
04:59 Kamala Harris: memorable moments from Joe Biden's VP pick – video
The Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a progressive who has not endorsed Biden, tweeted: “I’ve fought alongside Senator Kamala Harris for direct cash payments during the pandemic and for clean water as a human right. Now let’s defeat Trump and make those policies a reality.”
The progressive New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was more muted in her reaction, reportedly telling USA Today that Harris “complements [Biden] really well” and “rounds out his ticket”.
Harris “is aligned with him on quite a few issues”, she said.
Biden, Warren and Harris at a presidential debate in Houston in September. Photograph: Brian Cahn/ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock
During the presidential primaries, one of the main criticisms of Harris was that she did not clearly define her positions. On healthcare, for example, she co-sponsored Sanders’s Medicare for All bill and said she favored eliminating private healthcare, before later unveiling a healthcare plan that kept a significant role for the industry.
Harris has been a prominent voice on racial justice. But her record as California’s “top cop” has also drawn scrutiny from progressives over her approach to police reform, prisoners’ rights and truancy among other issues.
Critics had generally preferred one of the other finalists in Biden’s deliberations process for Biden’s running mate. While Warren was the favored potential running mate among the liberal wing of the Democratic party, others advocated for former Georgia state representative Stacey Abrams.
But Harris fulfills a major requirement among some progressive Americans: that he pick a woman of color.
And among the many candidates mentioned by Biden himself, or anonymous Democratic operatives in articles gaming out his choices, or pundits, there was no single person who would satisfy all the interest groups and sectors of the Democratic party.
Biden also strongly considered the former Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth, Florida congresswoman Val Demings, and California congresswoman Karen Bass.
02:45 Trump's surprise as Joe Biden selects Kamala Harris as running mate: 'She was very nasty' – video
Donors for Harris, Biden, and other former presidential candidates said Harris’s qualifications were undeniable and she would breathe extra life into the Biden campaign.
“Phone has blown up. People are fired up. The historic nature of it but also she’s a great campaigner who will help us win. She’s already gone thru primaries and is known,” a Harris campaign donor said in an email to the Guardian.
Ami Copeland, a former national finance director for Obama’s first presidential campaign, said she did not “anticipate too much blowback” from Harris’s nomination. “Stakes are too high and it’s not 2016,” she said.
Republicans, meanwhile, were eager to falsely paint Harris as a radical leftist, despite many in her own party seeing her as a centrist. At a press conference Tuesday afternoon Donald Trump said: “So she did very poorly in the primaries and now she’s chosen, so let’s see how that works out.”


theguardian--2020-08-12--How Kamala Harris's friendship with Beau Biden united her with Joe

Long before Joe Biden named Kamala Harris as his running mate , and even before they faced off as rival Democratic presidential candidates , the two had bonded over their mutual love for Biden ’ s son Beau – and grief over his death .
Harris ’ s friendship with Biden ’ s late son , who died in 2015 at the age of 46 from brain cancer , was something that Biden said he “ thought a lot about ” as he made the decision to name her as his running mate .
“ There is no one ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s and I ’ m proud to have Kamala standing with me on this campaign , ” Biden wrote in a campaign email .
Harris and Beau Biden both served as attorney generals – she of California , he of Delaware – and began working closely together while negotiating with banks during the foreclosure crisis in 2011 and 2012 .
In her memoir , Harris called him an “ incredible friend and colleague ” who became a close collaborator .
“ There were periods , when I was taking heat , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
In the lead-up to Tuesday ’ s announcement naming Harris as his running mate , Biden , the former vice-president under Obama , often said he was looking to re-create the sort of relationship that he and Obama shared .
Biden wanted a vice president “ who is simpatico with where I want to take the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on strategy , ” he told MSNBC .
In the lead-up to Tuesday ’ s announcement naming Harris as his running mate , Biden , as the former vice president under Obama , often said he was looking to recreate the sort of relationship that he and Obama shared .
Biden wanted a vice president “ who is simpatico with where I want to take the country .
We can disagree on tactic but not on strategy , ” he told MSNBC .
Harris fits that description in that her moderate ideology aligns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Obama-Biden relationship started off pragmatically – advisers to the former president have said he chose Biden , despite misgivings , to assuage voters nervous about electing a young , Black candidate – before eventually growing into a friendship , Harris and Biden have had a head start in developing that simpatico relationship .
As rival candidates for president , the pair did clash during the primaries - most memorably during a Democratic debate when Harris brought up Biden ’ s opposition in the 1970s to mandated bussing to promote school desegregation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools , and she was bussed to school every day .
And that little girl was me , ” Harris said .
She also called out his past collaboration with segregationist senators , for which Biden has apologized .
Even then , Harris prefaced her criticism : “ I do not believe you are a racist , and I agree with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground , ” she said , despite false claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden a racist .
Still , Biden and Harris hit a rough patch after the debate .
In an interview with CNN , Biden said he was hurt by the attack – which was ultimately blunted when Harris was questioned about her own stance on mandated bussing as a solution to continuing school segregation .
Ultimately , her view on modern day bussing – that it should be considered , but not required – ended up echoing Biden ’ s stance in the 70s .
“ I wasn ’ t prepared for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came after me .
She knew Beau , she knows me , ” Biden said afterwards .
During a fundraising event , Dr Jill Biden , his wife , called that exchange a “ punch to the gut ” .
But later , Joe Biden said that he and Harris had smoothed things over .
“ I don ’ t hold grudges , ” Biden said .
“ I ’ ve made it really clear that I don ’ t hold grudges .
I think it was a debate , it was as @ @ @ @ @

Long before Joe Biden named Kamala Harris as his running mate, and even before they faced off as rival Democratic presidential candidates, the two had bonded over their mutual love for Biden’s son Beau – and grief over his death.
Harris’s friendship with Biden’s late son, who died in 2015 at the age of 46 from brain cancer, was something that Biden said he “thought a lot about” as he made the decision to name her as his running mate. “There is no one’s opinion I valued more than Beau’s and I’m proud to have Kamala standing with me on this campaign,” Biden wrote in a campaign email.
Harris and Beau Biden both served as attorney generals – she of California, he of Delaware – and began working closely together while negotiating with banks during the foreclosure crisis in 2011 and 2012.
In her memoir, Harris called him 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.”
04:50 Why Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate – video explainer
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.
In the lead-up to Tuesday’s announcement naming Harris as his running mate, Biden, the former vice-president under Obama, often said he was looking to re-create the sort of relationship that he and Obama shared. Biden wanted a vice president “who is simpatico with where I want to take the country. We can disagree on tactic but not on strategy,” he told MSNBC.
Harris hugs Biden after she endorsed him at a campaign rally in Detroit in March. Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images
Harris fits that description in that her moderate ideology aligns with Biden’s. But whereas the Obama-Biden relationship started off pragmatically – advisers to the former president have said he chose Biden, despite misgivings, to assuage voters nervous about electing a young, Black candidate – before eventually growing into a friendship, Harris and Biden have had a head start in developing that simpatico relationship.
As rival candidates for president, the pair did clash during the primaries - most memorably during a Democratic debate when Harris brought up Biden’s opposition in the 1970s to mandated bussing to promote school desegregation.
“There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bussed to school every day. And that little girl was me,” Harris said. She also called out his past collaboration with segregationist senators, for which Biden has apologized. Even then, Harris prefaced her criticism: “I do not believe you are a racist, and I agree with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground,” she said, despite false claims from the Trump campaign that she called Biden a racist.
Still, Biden and Harris hit a rough patch after the debate. In an interview with CNN, Biden said he was hurt by the attack – which was ultimately blunted when Harris was questioned about her own stance on mandated bussing as a solution to continuing school segregation. Ultimately, her view on modern day bussing – that it should be considered, but not required – ended up echoing Biden’s stance in the 70s.
“I wasn’t prepared for the person coming after me the way she came after me. She knew Beau, she knows me,” Biden said afterwards. During a fundraising event, Dr Jill Biden, his wife, called that exchange a “punch to the gut”.
But later, Joe Biden said that he and Harris had smoothed things over. “I don’t hold grudges,” Biden said. “I’ve made it really clear that I don’t hold grudges. I think it was a debate, it was as simple as that.”


theguardian--2020-08-12--Donald Trump and his campaign launch scattergun attacks on Kamala Harris

Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign wasted no time in targeting Kamala Harris with scattergun attacks that sought to define her as “ the most liberal leftist nominee ” ever to run for vice-president .
The US president hurled insults from the bully pulpit of the White House while his campaign released an attack ad within minutes of Democratic rival Joe Biden ’ s announcement , following up with a media conference call and barrage of emails .
“ Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Would Destroy America , ” read the stark headline of one .
A fundraising email made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phony Kamala Harris ” .
With 77-year-old Biden far from certain to run for a second term , Harris , now his most likely successor , is naturally more of a target than most running mates .
But the Trump campaign struggled to reconcile an apparent contradiction : accusing her of being an overzealous criminal prosecutor in the past on the one hand , while suggesting that she and Biden would neglect law and order on the other .
“ She is a person that ’ s told many , many stories that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has made more than 20,000 false or misleading claims while in office according to the Washington Post , told reporters at the White House .
Trump – who twice donated to Harris ’ s campaign for California attorney general – went on to assert , without offering evidence , that she supports raising taxes , “ socialised medicine ” , slashing funds for the military and putting a stop to fracking .
“ She did very , very poorly in the primaries , as you know , ” Trump said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ race in December , before the first nominating contests were held in Iowa and New Hampshire , saying she did not have funds to continue .
The president went on to call Harris “ nasty ” , a word he often applied to his opponent Hillary Clinton in 2016 , as he recounted her grilling of his supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in 2018 .
The word came up again as he reflected on the Democratic primary .
“ She was very , very nasty ... she was probably nastier than even Pocahontas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disrespectful to Joe Biden .
And it ’ s hard to pick somebody that ’ s that disrespectful.
” It was a reference to the opening primary debate in which Harris challenged Biden over his past opposition to school busing , although she also said , “ I do not believe you are a racist , ” and he has since made clear he does not hold a grudge .
The Trump campaign appears to have settled on portraying Biden as beholden to the radical left as its least worst strategic option .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman of colour to be named to a major party US presidential ticket , into that narrative – and her voting record in the Senate does place her on the left of her party .
Marsha Blackburn , a Republican senator for Tennessee , told reporters : “ This has completed the leftist takeover of the party and of their radical agenda .
Kamala Harris will be the most liberal leftist nominee for VP that our country has ever seen .
If you want to find proof of where she has moved left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her support for Bernie Sanders ’ health care takeover.
” Blackburn went on to claim that Sanders ’ plan would take away private health insurance from millions of Americans and cost $ 32tn .
Harris did imply early in the campaign that she endorsed Sanders ’ Medicare for All , but later clarified that she did not favour scrapping private insurance .
Blackburn also cited Harris ’ s support for the Green New Deal , arguing that it would cost jobs and be hugely expensive .
Harris was a supporter and co-sponsor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Senator Ed Markey .
The Republican senator added that the number one issue for “ suburban women ” is security .
“ What you ’ re going to see is a lot of ‘ security moms ’ that are all across this nation who are going to say , ‘ You know what ?
Law and order is important to me and I don ’ t want a vice president who is out there marching in the streets with the BLM organisation .
Law and order is important to me and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while they are in prison.
’ “ They will look at her record as a DA [ district attorney ] in San Francisco and say , ‘ Security in our communities is important and I don ’ t want someone who says that they are not going to be tough on hardened criminals ’ .
” But Trump campaign messaging undercut itself on this topic : it argued that in 2004 , DA Harris chose not to seek the death penalty against a gang member who killed a San Francisco police officer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep inmates locked up in prison so they could be used for cheap labour , “ championed ” a law to put the parents of truant kids in jail and prosecuted a mentally ill woman who was shot by San Francisco police .
Another Trump campaign email alleged : “ Harris has endorsed the far-left ’ s immigration policies that are tantamount to open borders .
Harris supports sanctuary cities.
” The word “ tantamount ” is open to interpretation .
The claim about sanctuary cities included a hyperlink to a New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Lindsey Graham , a Republican senator for South Carolina and Trump ally , took a more measured approach , acknowledging the threat and summing up why Harris will motivate voters on both sides of the partisan divide .
“ Senator @ KamalaHarris will be a formidable opponent , ” he tweeted .
“ She is smart , aggressive , and has fully bought in to the Democratic Party ’ s very liberal agenda .
”

Donald Trump’s re-election campaign wasted no time in targeting Kamala Harris with scattergun attacks that sought to define her as “the most liberal leftist nominee” ever to run for vice-president.
The US president hurled insults from the bully pulpit of the White House while his campaign released an attack ad within minutes of Democratic rival Joe Biden’s announcement, following up with a media conference call and barrage of emails.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Would Destroy America,” read the stark headline of one. A fundraising email made reference to “Sleepy Joe Biden and Phony Kamala Harris”.
With 77-year-old Biden far from certain to run for a second term, Harris, now his most likely successor, is naturally more of a target than most running mates. But the Trump campaign struggled to reconcile an apparent contradiction: accusing her of being an overzealous criminal prosecutor in the past on the one hand, while suggesting that she and Biden would neglect law and order on the other.
“She is a person that’s told many, many stories that weren’t true,” Trump, who has made more than 20,000 false or misleading claims while in office according to the Washington Post, told reporters at the White House.
Trump – who twice donated to Harris’s campaign for California attorney general – went on to assert, without offering evidence, that she supports raising taxes, “socialised medicine”, slashing funds for the military and putting a stop to fracking.
“She did very, very poorly in the primaries, as you know,” Trump said. Harris dropped out of the Democratic primary race in December, before the first nominating contests were held in Iowa and New Hampshire, saying she did not have funds to continue.
04:59 Kamala Harris: memorable moments from Joe Biden's VP pick – video
The president went on to call Harris “nasty”, a word he often applied to his opponent Hillary Clinton in 2016, as he recounted her grilling of his supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in 2018.
The word came up again as he reflected on the Democratic primary. “She was very, very nasty... she was probably nastier than even Pocahontas to Joe Biden. She was very disrespectful to Joe Biden. And it’s hard to pick somebody that’s that disrespectful.”
It was a reference to the opening primary debate in which Harris challenged Biden over his past opposition to school busing, although she also said, “I do not believe you are a racist,” and he has since made clear he does not hold a grudge.
The Trump campaign appears to have settled on portraying Biden as beholden to the radical left as its least worst strategic option. It quickly folded Harris, the first woman of colour to be named to a major party US presidential ticket, into that narrative – and her voting record in the Senate does place her on the left of her party.
Marsha Blackburn, a Republican senator for Tennessee, told reporters: “This has completed the leftist takeover of the party and of their radical agenda. Kamala Harris will be the most liberal leftist nominee for VP that our country has ever seen. If you want to find proof of where she has moved left, you can start with looking at her support for Bernie Sanders’ health care takeover.”
Blackburn went on to claim that Sanders’ plan would take away private health insurance from millions of Americans and cost $32tn. Harris did imply early in the campaign that she endorsed Sanders’ Medicare for All, but later clarified that she did not favour scrapping private insurance.
Blackburn also cited Harris’s support for the Green New Deal, arguing that it would cost jobs and be hugely expensive. Harris was a supporter and co-sponsor of the original Green New Deal resolution offered by Senator Ed Markey.
The Republican senator added that the number one issue for “suburban women” is security. “What you’re going to see is a lot of ‘security moms’ that are all across this nation who are going to say, ‘You know what? Law and order is important to me and I don’t want a vice president who is out there marching in the streets with the BLM organisation. Law and order is important to me and I do not think felons should be voting while they are in prison.’
“They will look at her record as a DA [district attorney] in San Francisco and say, ‘Security in our communities is important and I don’t want someone who says that they are not going to be tough on hardened criminals’.”
04:50 Why Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris as his running mate – video explainer
But Trump campaign messaging undercut itself on this topic: it argued that in 2004, DA Harris chose not to seek the death penalty against a gang member who killed a San Francisco police officer, but it also stated she fought to keep inmates locked up in prison so they could be used for cheap labour, “championed” a law to put the parents of truant kids in jail and prosecuted a mentally ill woman who was shot by San Francisco police.
Another Trump campaign email alleged: “Harris has endorsed the far-left’s immigration policies that are tantamount to open borders. Harris supports sanctuary cities.”
The word “tantamount” is open to interpretation. The claim about sanctuary cities included a hyperlink to a New York Times article that was 12 years old.
Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator for South Carolina and Trump ally, took a more measured approach, acknowledging the threat and summing up why Harris will motivate voters on both sides of the partisan divide. “Senator Kamala Harris will be a formidable opponent,” he tweeted. “She is smart, aggressive, and has fully bought in to the Democratic Party’s very liberal agenda.”


theguardian--2020-08-12--QAnon supporter denounced for racism wins Georgia Republican primary

Marjorie Taylor Greene , a businesswoman who has expressed racist views and support for the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon , has won the Republican nomination for Georgia ’ s 14th congressional district .
Greene beat the neurosurgeon John Cowan in a primary runoff for the open seat on Tuesday in the deep-red district in north-west Georgia , despite several Republican officials denouncing her campaign after videos surfaced in which she expressed racist , antisemitic and anti-Muslim views .
She has amassed tens of thousands of followers on social media , where she often posts videos of herself speaking directly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ propel her popularity with her base , while also drawing strong condemnation from some future would-be colleagues in Congress .
In a series of videos unearthed just after Greene placed first in the initial 9 June Republican primary , she complains of an “ Islamic invasion ” into government offices , claims Black and Hispanic men are held back by “ gangs and dealing drugs ” , and pushes an antisemitic conspiracy theory that the billionaire philanthropist George Soros , who is Jewish , collaborated with the Nazis .
Several high-profile Republicans then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minority whip , Steve Scalise of Louisiana , quickly threw his support behind Cowan , while Representative Jody Hice of Georgia rescinded an endorsement of Greene .
Greene addressed criticism of her comments on Twitter .
“ The Fake News Media , the DC Swamp , and their radical leftist allies see me as a very serious threat .
I will not let them whip me into submission , ” she said , without distancing herself from her earlier remarks .
Greene also is part of a growing list of candidates who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US conspiracy theory popular among some supporters of Donald Trump .
She is regarded as one of the QAnon supporters with the best chance of winning in November .
She has positioned herself as a staunch Trump supporter and emphasizes a strongly pro-gun , pro-border wall and anti-abortion message .
She has also connected with voters through an intensive effort to travel the district and meet people on the ground .
Larry Silker , a 72-year-old retiree , cast a ballot for Greene last week at an early voting location in Dallas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a go-getter , you know .
She ’ s out seeing everybody that she can , and I think that ’ s nice , ” Silker said .
Asked whether he had seen criticism of Greene ’ s remarks , Silker said : “ Well yeah , you know , you see it .
But do you put faith in it ?
You just have to weigh it out.
” The district stretches from the outskirts of metro Atlanta to the largely rural north-west corner of the state .
Greene will face the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Republican representative Tom Graves , who did not seek re-election , last won the seat with over 76 % of the vote in 2018 .
The Associated Press contributed to this report

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a businesswoman who has expressed racist views and support for the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon, has won the Republican nomination for Georgia’s 14th congressional district.
Greene beat the neurosurgeon John Cowan in a primary runoff for the open seat on Tuesday in the deep-red district in north-west Georgia, despite several Republican officials denouncing her campaign after videos surfaced in which she expressed racist, antisemitic and anti-Muslim views.
She has amassed tens of thousands of followers on social media, where she often posts videos of herself speaking directly to the camera. Those videos have helped propel her popularity with her base, while also drawing strong condemnation from some future would-be colleagues in Congress.
In a series of videos unearthed just after Greene placed first in the initial 9 June Republican primary, she complains of an “Islamic invasion” into government offices, claims Black and Hispanic men are held back by “gangs and dealing drugs”, and pushes an antisemitic conspiracy theory that the billionaire philanthropist George Soros, who is Jewish, collaborated with the Nazis.
Several high-profile Republicans then spoke out against her. The House minority whip, Steve Scalise of Louisiana, quickly threw his support behind Cowan, while Representative Jody Hice of Georgia rescinded an endorsement of Greene.
Greene addressed criticism of her comments on Twitter. “The Fake News Media, the DC Swamp, and their radical leftist allies see me as a very serious threat. I will not let them whip me into submission,” she said, without distancing herself from her earlier remarks.
Greene also is part of a growing list of candidates who have expressed support for QAnon, the far-right US conspiracy theory popular among some supporters of Donald Trump. She is regarded as one of the QAnon supporters with the best chance of winning in November.
She has positioned herself as a staunch Trump supporter and emphasizes a strongly pro-gun, pro-border wall and anti-abortion message. She has also connected with voters through an intensive effort to travel the district and meet people on the ground.
Larry Silker, a 72-year-old retiree, cast a ballot for Greene last week at an early voting location in Dallas, Georgia.
“She seems to be a go-getter, you know. She’s out seeing everybody that she can, and I think that’s nice,” Silker said.
Asked whether he had seen criticism of Greene’s remarks, Silker said: “Well yeah, you know, you see it. But do you put faith in it? You just have to weigh it out.”
The district stretches from the outskirts of metro Atlanta to the largely rural north-west corner of the state. Greene will face the Democrat Kevin Van Ausdal in November. The Republican representative Tom Graves, who did not seek re-election, last won the seat with over 76% of the vote in 2018.
The Associated Press contributed to this report