theguardian--2020-08-02--'She shows what's possible': Mondaire Jones on AOC and his path to Congress

Growing up in the New York suburbs , Mondaire Jones could not imagine himself running for public office .
But after declaring victory in the Democratic primary for New York ’ s 17th congressional district earlier this month , the 33-year-old progressive is now poised to make history as one of the first ever openly gay , Black members of Congress .
“ I did not think that I could run successfully as an openly gay candidate for public office , ” the lawyer and activist told the Guardian .
In November he is expected to comfortably win the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his life , following his win against the 16-term incumbent Nita Lowey , who has since announced her retirement .
In the primary he took on seven candidates to win by a substantial margin with 41.9 % of the vote .
“ It has really only been in the last few years that I have changed my impression of what was possible and I ’ m so excited to be now , it would appear , one of the most openly gay people in American politics , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people and older people who I know are being helped to come to terms with their identity and to live authentic lives because they reach out to me on social media all the time telling me as much.
” Jones has been endorsed by progressive heavyweights such as senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders and the New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
His constituents will include the Clintons , who he said he hopes to meet soon .
Jones said seeing openly gay candidates win elected office , such as fellow New Yorker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends and who is also expected to make history in November running for Congress in the Bronx – and the Colorado governor , Jared Polis , shifted his perspective .
He was also inspired by “ young people of colour defying the political establishment ” such as Ocasio-Cortez and her 2018 defeat of the 10-term Democrat Joe Crowley , without which he does not think he would have run .
“ She showed me what is possible with a movement behind you.
” Jones has said that to him “ policy is personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young single mother , who worked multiple jobs and “ had a decisive impact on my life through her constant encouragement of me ” .
They lived in Section 8 housing – a government assistance programme for low-income families – and received food stamps .
“ I know intimately how broken this economy is for the vast majority of American households… Debates around the need for a $ 15 minimum wage at the federal level are not academic for me.
” His grandparents , who left the Jim Crow south to start a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him and when childcare was too expensive he sometimes went to work with his grandmother , who cleaned people ’ s homes .
As a result , in Washington he plans to fight for universal childcare .
“ No kid should have to accompany their guardian to work.
” He also supports universal healthcare in the form of Medicare for All , policing and criminal justice reform , student debt relief and tuition-free public college .
But at the top of his list is the environment .
“ A Green New Deal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solving climate change , is my number one priority.
” His journey into activism started in high school with his local NAACP Youth Council .
After going to Stanford University , he worked for the Department of Justice under the Obama administration .
He then went to Harvard Law School and became an attorney .
The success of his primary campaign , he said , was a “ testament to the power of my economic message to the people in my district , which is not all affluent .
And my personal story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American dream.
” In Washington , Jones is likely to join a growing group of young , progressive and diverse Democrats unafraid to take on the political establishment – even within their own party .
From New York , fellow newcomers are expected to include Torres and Jamaal Bowman , a former teacher who ousted the 16-term Democrat Eliot Engel in his primary .
With the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement behind them and centered around progressive ideas , what will it mean for Congress and the country ?
“ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics , where we ’ ve seen a slew of progressive victories at the federal level and at the state legislative level and the overwhelming support for progressive policies by the American people , shows that change can not wait and that House Democrats must get with the program or face electoral consequences , ” said Jones .
And he believes the coronavirus pandemic is going to “ fundamentally change our politics ” as more people look to government for help .
Party affiliation , he warned , is not enough .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the people we have in power right now.
” Progressives , he said , should “ continue to push House leadership to the left so that leadership aligns with the American people ” and “ act as a bloc to win concessions ” .
He is in contact with Ocasio-Cortez .
Last week , the day after she delivered a powerful speech against the culture of “ violent language against women ” following a confrontation with the Republican congressman Ted Yoho , Jones said she was giving him advice on staffing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ person she is .
It was arguably her biggest week since being elected and she was already focused on helping other incoming members of Congress , she ’ s just an incredible person.
” He is optimistic about the November election and believes Joe Biden can and will beat Donald Trump .
“ He ’ s going to be the best president that we ’ ve ever had to date and I ’ m excited about doing everything I can to get him elected.
” While Biden wasn ’ t his first or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added : “ Donald Trump poses a number of existential threats to the United States of America … So I don ’ t see how anyone who really cares about enacting progressive change would not support Joe Biden in this general election .
”

Growing up in the New York suburbs, Mondaire Jones could not imagine himself running for public office.
But after declaring victory in the Democratic primary for New York’s 17th congressional district earlier this month, the 33-year-old progressive is now poised to make history as one of the first ever openly gay, Black members of Congress.
“I did not think that I could run successfully as an openly gay candidate for public office,” the lawyer and activist told the Guardian.
In November he is expected to comfortably win the Democratic stronghold, where he has lived most of his life, following his challenge of the 16-term incumbent Nita Lowey, who has since announced her retirement. In the primary he took on seven candidates to win by a substantial margin with 41.9% of the vote.
“It has really only been in the last few years that I have changed my impression of what was possible and I’m so excited to be now, it would appear, one of the most openly gay people in American politics,” he said.
“And to be inspiring so many young people and older people who I know are being helped to come to terms with their identity and to live authentic lives because they reach out to me on social media all the time telling me as much.”
Jones has been endorsed by progressive heavyweights such as senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders and the New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. His constituents will include the Clintons, who he said he hopes to meet soon.
Jones said seeing openly gay candidates win elected office, such as fellow New Yorker Ritchie Torres – with whom he is friends and who is also expected to make history in November running for Congress in the Bronx – and the Colorado governor, Jared Polis, shifted his perspective.
He was also inspired by “young people of colour defying the political establishment” such as Ocasio-Cortez and her 2018 defeat of the 10-term Democrat Joe Crowley, without which he does not think he would have run. “She showed me what is possible with a movement behind you.”
Mondaire Jones addresses a Black Lives Matter rally outside the Westchester county courthouse in White Plains, New York, 15 July 2020 Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP
Jones has said that to him “policy is personal”. He was raised by his young single mother, who worked multiple jobs and “had a decisive impact on my life through her constant encouragement of me”. They lived in Section 8 housing – a government assistance programme for low-income families – and received food stamps.
“I know intimately how broken this economy is for the vast majority of American households… Debates around the need for a $15 minimum wage at the federal level are not academic for me.”
His grandparents, who left the Jim Crow south to start a family in New York, helped raise him and when childcare was too expensive he sometimes went to work with his grandmother, who cleaned people’s homes.
As a result, in Washington he plans to fight for universal childcare. “No kid should have to accompany their guardian to work.”
He also supports universal healthcare in the form of Medicare for All, policing and criminal justice reform, student debt relief and tuition-free public college. But at the top of his list is the environment. “A Green New Deal, the only thing that comes close to solving climate change, is my number one priority.”
His journey into activism started in high school with his local NAACP Youth Council. After going to Stanford University, he worked for the Department of Justice under the Obama administration. He then went to Harvard Law School and became an attorney.
The success of his primary campaign, he said, was a “testament to the power of my economic message to the people in my district, which is not all affluent. And my personal story, which quintessentially is that of the American dream.”
In Washington, Jones is likely to join a growing group of young, progressive and diverse Democrats unafraid to take on the political establishment – even within their own party. From New York, fellow newcomers are expected to include Torres and Jamaal Bowman, a former teacher who ousted the 16-term Democrat Eliot Engel in his primary.
With the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement behind them and centered around progressive ideas, what will it mean for Congress and the country?
I know intimately how broken this economy is for the vast majority of American households Mondaire Jones
“This moment in American history, in electoral politics, where we’ve seen a slew of progressive victories at the federal level and at the state legislative level and the overwhelming support for progressive policies by the American people, shows that change cannot wait and that House Democrats must get with the program or face electoral consequences,” said Jones.
And he believes the coronavirus pandemic is going to “fundamentally change our politics” as more people look to government for help.
Party affiliation, he warned, is not enough. “We need better Democrats than a lot of the people we have in power right now.”
Progressives, he said, should “continue to push House leadership to the left so that leadership aligns with the American people” and “act as a bloc to win concessions”.
He is in contact with Ocasio-Cortez. Last week, the day after she delivered a powerful speech against the culture of “violent language against women” following a confrontation with the Republican congressman Ted Yoho, Jones said she was giving him advice on staffing.
“That’s the kind of person she is. It was arguably her biggest week since being elected and she was already focused on helping other incoming members of Congress, she’s just an incredible person.”
He is optimistic about the November election and believes Joe Biden can and will beat Donald Trump. “He’s going to be the best president that we’ve ever had to date and I’m excited about doing everything I can to get him elected.”
While Biden wasn’t his first or second choice during the presidential primaries, he added: “Donald Trump poses a number of existential threats to the United States of America … So I don’t see how anyone who really cares about enacting progressive change would not support Joe Biden in this general election.”


theguardian--2020-08-02--It Was All a Lie review: Trump as symptom not cause of Republican decline

A consultant for Bush and Romney laments the fate of his party and sees heavy defeat as the best medicine to hope for It Was All a Lie review : Trump as symptom not cause of Republican decline Stuart Stevens ’ It Was All a Lie is a sustained attack , both jeremiad and confession , on the Republican party he served for 40 years .
His is the hand at Belshazzar ’ s political feast : “ All of these immutable truths turned out to be marketing slogans .
None of it meant anything .
I was the guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were really smart and just crushing the market.
” Stevens , a consultant , is refreshingly frank about his role and responsibility .
“ Blame me , ” he writes , adding : “ I had been lying to myself for decades.
” He seeks a new leaf on a “ crazy idea that a return to personal responsibility begins with personal responsibility ” .
Unsurprisingly , he starts with race , “ the original Republican sin … the key in which much of American politics and certainly all of southern politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act of 1964 , Republicans have had difficulty appealing to African American voters .
Stevens is not surprised .
“ What happens if you spend decades focused on appealing to white voters and treating non-white voters with , at best , benign neglect ?
You get good at doing what it takes to appeal to white voters.
” How , for instance , does a black person hear an “ avowed hatred of government ” ?
The policy effects are shocking ; the electoral effects only recently came into focus as demographics change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obvious that even the Russians adopted it , attempting to instigate tensions among black voters to help Trump win ” .
This self-deception extends to other areas , notably foreign policy , in which “ the Republican party has gone from ‘ Mr Gorbachev , tear down this wall ’ to a Republican president who responds to Vladimir Putin like a stray dog , eager to follow him home ” .
All without much protest from those who know better .
Stevens believes Donald Trump “ just removes the necessity of pretending ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s all about “ attacking and defining Democrats ” .
The idea that “ character counts ” , so prominent in earlier decades , is forgotten .
In short , stripped “ of any pretense of governing philosophy , a political party will default to being controlled by those who shout the loudest and are unhindered by any semblance of normalcy ” .
The first casualty is the truth .
“ Large elements of the Republican party have made a collective decision that there is no objective truth ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power is more important .
Rather than saying the sky is green , the new strategy is “ to build a world in which the sky is in fact green .
Then everyone who says it is blue is clearly a liar.
” Sadly , it has worked .
Stevens notes that once “ there is no challenge to the craziest of ideas that have no basis in fact , it is easy for Trump to take one small bit of truth and spin it into an elaborate fantasy.
” He rightly calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willingly follow a coward against your own values and to put your own power above the good of the nation is to become a coward.
” People know better – including Republican members of Congress – but will not speak .
Yet Stevens recalls that the “ story of Faust is not just that Mephistopheles takes your soul , he also doesn ’ t deliver on what he promised.
” The remedy is simple .
“ You can always say no .
I so wish Republican leaders would try it ” .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this ?
Both enabler and someone who took a shaky foundation and crushed it .
Trump “ brought it all into clarity and made the pretending impossible ” .
For Stevens , the GOP “ rallied behind Donald Trump because if that was the deal needed to regain power , what was the problem ?
Because it had always been about power.
” Stevens has high praise for two former clients , George W Bush and Mitt Romney , “ decent men who tried to live their lives by a set of values @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
Yet neither could win today .
He quotes George HW Bush ’ s impassioned resignation letter from the National Rifle Association after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 , and realizes few would do so now .
Stevens is deeply concerned about the future of American democracy , comparing some tests in the study How Democracies Die with actions under the Trump administration .
With one party having failed its “ circuit-breaker ” role , he cites the “ urgent need for a center-right party to argue for a different vision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left .
Though moderate Republican governors remain popular , he is distinctly pessimistic today ’ s Republicans can be that party , as they have “ legitimized bigotry and hate as an organizing principle for a political party in a country with a unique role in the world ” .
Stevens has little hope the GOP will save itself from Trump or rise to the challenge of adapting to an increasingly non-white America .
Losing , badly , is his only hope for concentrating Republican minds to the new reality of American demographics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definitive : “ Burn it to the ground and start over.
” The former may happen .
The latter is less predictable .

Stuart Stevens’ It Was All a Lie is a sustained attack, both jeremiad and confession, on the Republican party he served for 40 years. His is the hand at Belshazzar’s political feast: “All of these immutable truths turned out to be marketing slogans. None of it meant anything. I was the guy working for Bernie Madoff who actually thought we were really smart and just crushing the market.”
Stevens, a consultant, is refreshingly frank about his role and responsibility. “Blame me,” he writes, adding: “I had been lying to myself for decades.” He seeks a new leaf on a “crazy idea that a return to personal responsibility begins with personal responsibility”.
Unsurprisingly, he starts with race, “the original Republican sin … the key in which much of American politics and certainly all of southern politics was played.” Since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Republicans have had difficulty appealing to African American voters. Stevens is not surprised.
“What happens if you spend decades focused on appealing to white voters and treating non-white voters with, at best, benign neglect? You get good at doing what it takes to appeal to white voters.” How, for instance, does a black person hear an “avowed hatred of government”?
The policy effects are shocking; the electoral effects only recently came into focus as demographics change. Yet the strategy “was so obvious that even the Russians adopted it, attempting to instigate tensions among black voters to help Trump win”.
You can always say no. I so wish Republican leaders would try it Stuart Stevens
This self-deception extends to other areas, notably foreign policy, in which “the Republican party has gone from ‘Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall’ to a Republican president who responds to Vladimir Putin like a stray dog, eager to follow him home”. All without much protest from those who know better.
Stevens believes Donald Trump “just removes the necessity of pretending” Republicans care about social issues. Instead, it’s all about “attacking and defining Democrats”. The idea that “character counts”, so prominent in earlier decades, is forgotten.
In short, stripped “of any pretense of governing philosophy, a political party will default to being controlled by those who shout the loudest and are unhindered by any semblance of normalcy”. The first casualty is the truth. “Large elements of the Republican party have made a collective decision that there is no objective truth” and that a cause or simple access to power is more important.
Rather than saying the sky is green, the new strategy is “to build a world in which the sky is in fact green. Then everyone who says it is blue is clearly a liar.” Sadly, it has worked. Stevens notes that once “there is no challenge to the craziest of ideas that have no basis in fact, it is easy for Trump to take one small bit of truth and spin it into an elaborate fantasy.”
He rightly calls this fear and cowardice: “To willingly follow a coward against your own values and to put your own power above the good of the nation is to become a coward.” People know better – including Republican members of Congress – but will not speak. Yet Stevens recalls that the “story of Faust is not just that Mephistopheles takes your soul, he also doesn’t deliver on what he promised.”
The remedy is simple. “You can always say no. I so wish Republican leaders would try it”.
What was Trump’s role in all this? Both enabler and someone who took a shaky foundation and crushed it. Trump “brought it all into clarity and made the pretending impossible”. For Stevens, the GOP “rallied behind Donald Trump because if that was the deal needed to regain power, what was the problem? Because it had always been about power.”
Stevens has high praise for two former clients, George W Bush and Mitt Romney, “decent men who tried to live their lives by a set of values that represented the best of our society”. Yet neither could win today. He quotes George HW Bush’s impassioned resignation letter from the National Rifle Association after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, and realizes few would do so now.
Stevens is deeply concerned about the future of American democracy, comparing some tests in the study How Democracies Die with actions under the Trump administration.
With one party having failed its “circuit-breaker” role, he cites the “urgent need for a center-right party to argue for a different vision and governing philosophy” as Democrats drift left. Though moderate Republican governors remain popular, he is distinctly pessimistic today’s Republicans can be that party, as they have “legitimized bigotry and hate as an organizing principle for a political party in a country with a unique role in the world”.
Stevens has little hope the GOP will save itself from Trump or rise to the challenge of adapting to an increasingly non-white America. Losing, badly, is his only hope for concentrating Republican minds to the new reality of American demographics. Absent that, his prescription is definitive: “Burn it to the ground and start over.”
The former may happen. The latter is less predictable.


theguardian--2020-08-02--Paul Begala on Trump: 'Nothing unites the people of Earth like a threat from Mars'

In the New York Times in January 2016 , David Axelrod , former campaign strategist for Barack Obama , published The Obama Theory of Trump .
“ Voters rarely seek the replica of what they have , ” he wrote .
“ They almost always seek the remedy , the candidate who has the personal qualities the public finds lacking in the departing executive.
” Ten months later , America elected Obama ’ s polar opposite , Donald Trump : Moriarty to his Holmes , Joker to his Batman , antimatter to matter .
According to Paul Begala , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodes well for Joe Biden .
“ Too many Democrats were trying to be just as pugilistic in their way as Trump is , ” he says , by phone from a farm in Virginia ’ s Shenandoah Valley .
“ I ’ ve known Joe a very long time and I think his most dominant character feature is empathy .
He ’ s bright and he ’ s experienced but he ’ s so empathetic .
We ’ ve seen him through tragedy .
He ’ s been very good to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were a time where we needed empathy , it ’ s now .
He has experience , which used to be a bad thing , he has competence and empathy and that ’ s exactly the opposite of Trump .
So if we want the replica , we ’ re not going to vote for Joe .
But if we want the remedy – and I think we do – he ’ s very well positioned to win.
” Now 59 , Begala was a chief strategist for Bill Clinton ’ s 1992 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as counselor to the president , then advised a Super Pac that helped elect Barack Obama in 2012 .
He describes Lyndon Johnson , Clinton and Obama as the three “ Rushmore-worthy ” presidents of his lifetime .
He is also a familiar face on CNN and has written six books , the latest of which is You ’ re Fired : The Perfect Guide to Beating Donald Trump .
Chapter one is entitled Mea Culpa , as Begala reflects on the catastrophe of Hillary Clinton ’ s utterly unexpected defeat in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some personal responsibility here for failing to stop the worst man who ’ s ever been president and I think also the worst president we ’ ve ever had .
Here ’ s what I got wrong .
I was so appalled by Trump ’ s sewer-level character , I couldn ’ t avert my eyes .
“ I didn ’ t connect my attacks on Trump ’ s character , on the racism , the misogyny , the Islamophobia , mocking the disabled , mocking a PoW , to the lives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t close that loop , all you ’ re doing is saying , ‘ He ’ s a bad guy.
’ A lot of people said , ‘ Gee , he ’ s a terrible guy , but I ’ m going to take a chance on him because he looks like he ’ s a wrecking ball we might need in Washington.
’ So what I should have said is , ‘ When you deploy a wrecking ball he very often destroys your house , ’ and this is what I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats to do.
” The chaos , the cruelty , the outrages , the constant throwing of shiny objects for the media to chase : the reality TV presidency is the point .
Begala continues : “ In addition to saying and doing racist things , there is a method to his madness .
He uses those things to distract us from the fact that he ’ s looting the treasury , wants to destroy social security and Medicare and Medicaid , has rained hell on farmers and working people , the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , would be his number one piece of advice to Biden as heads into an election that , against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic , racial justice protests , online disinformation and Trump ’ s countless falsehoods , is likely to be one of the most combustible and unpredictable in history ?
“ It is to make it always about voters , not about Trump , and this is what coronavirus has done for Joe , ” Begala says .
“ Trump ’ s gift is to convince enough voters that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just show , it is just a Twitter war with Rosie O ’ Donnell like when he was a TV star but now it ’ s a Twitter war with Colin Kaepernick or Nancy Pelosi .
“ That ’ s terribly wrong but a lot of people accepted that and agreed with it .
But now voting for your president is a life-and-death matter and no matter how hard he tries to reignite these divisive social issues , I think it is not enough to divert people from the fact that their mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get sick and , God forbid , die .
“ His incompetence and his callousness and his corruption : these all now have a cost to me the voter , to you the voter .
I think Joe ’ s done a very good job of keeping the focus on voters and not every day rising to the bait of every crazy thing that Trump says.
” An old political saw holds that Democrats fall in love while Republicans fall in line .
Some have blamed Hillary Clinton ’ s loss in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who voted for Bernie Sanders .
There were fears of a repeat in 2020 but Biden won the primary with room to spare and now the party appears remarkably united behind him .
“ He is consolidating the base and that ’ s for two reasons , ” Begala says .
“ He ’ s doing his job but you know what ?
The left is doing theirs .
I come from the Clinton wing , I ’ m a more moderate guy , but I got to tell you , the left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rallying to Joe and people like me need to note that and salute that .
“ It ’ s been really impressive .
My hat is off to the left wing of my party .
They ’ re not taking their marbles and going home .
They ’ re mobilising , organising , registering .
It ’ s just been great .
Now , will this last forever ?
Of course not .
But for right now , nothing unites the people of Earth like a threat from Mars.
” He adds : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats to spread the map , to run very hard in North Carolina , in Georgia , in Arizona and in my beloved Texas , where I grew up , because how long can the Democrats hold together a coalition which right now consists of four-star generals and Black Lives Matter ?
That ’ s not going to hold forever , but that ’ s OK.
He ’ ll get static probably from the centre of his party and from the left of his party.
” Democrats tend to embrace generational change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ F Kennedy ( aged 43 ) , Jimmy Carter ( 52 ) , Clinton ( 46 ) and Obama ( 47 ) , all with photogenic young families .
Biden , by contrast , would be 78 on inauguration day , eclipsing Trump ’ s record as the oldest person sworn in as US president .
Is there a danger Biden belongs to a less charismatic group of Democratic nominees – Walter Mondale , Michael Dukakis , Al Gore , John Kerry – all of whom lost ?
Begala insists : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I ’ ve seen him give terrific speeches but we can ’ t have stadiums full of people anyway .
What we want is empathy and that ’ s what he has .
At another moment , we want something else .
But I think the Democrats did a very wise thing in picking this man at this moment.
” Indeed , Biden ’ s empathy is anchored as deep as the ocean .
His wife , Neilia , and baby daughter , Naomi , were killed in a car crash in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , died from brain cancer in 2015 .
Jon Stewart , the satirist and film director , observed recently that “ we are fearful and we are angry and we are in pain .
And when I see Biden , past the shtick , I see a guy who knows what loss is .
Who knows grief .
And I think that that kind of grief humbles him.
” His age , however , is bound to be a recurring theme .
The Trump campaign is hammering away at Biden ’ s mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will stick ?
“ No , because it ’ s compared to what ?
Joe ’ s not the guy telling people to drink bleach .
Trump is batty .
I don ’ t know if it ’ s age-related – maybe he ’ s always been batty – but Trump is completely unhinged .
He ’ s not just unstable , he ’ s unhinged .
Seriously , if we had a fully functioning mental health system , he ’ d be in a rubber room , not an Oval Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a valid critique on Biden is fatuous and I don ’ t think it ’ s where the Republicans should want to go .
If they had a [ Mitt ] Romney , a [ George ] Bush , somebody kind of stable and middle of the road for their party , that might be an effective attack .
But this is always a comparison .
There ’ s a great old comedian , Henny Youngman , who would ’ ve been a great political strategist because his famous one-liner was , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ‘ Compared to what ?
’ That ’ s all a presidential campaign is .
Compared to what ?
” He adds : “ I think that the people who took a chance on Trump now are chastened .
A whole lot of people voted for Obama and then Trump and I accept that … but I think you ’ re going to have an awful lot of people who go back , Trump to Biden .
“ I can ’ t count the number of people , including friends of mine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I voted for Trump , I took a chance , I thought we could use a little business experience in shaking things up .
But oh , my God , he ’ s been a disaster and we must never have him again.
’ Hundreds of people have told me that .
I never had one say to me , ‘ I voted for Hillary but you know what , Trump ’ s done a really good job and we need to keep him.
’ So I think that tells us something.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be an uphill task to repair American ’ s reputation abroad .
“ Let ’ s say that Biden wins and he ’ s inaugurated , I ’ m going to go see my friends in Europe and I ’ m going to say , ‘ Everything ’ s better , everything ’ s better , ’ and they ’ re going to say , ‘ Yeah , you guys could do it again.
’ How do I argue that my country is incapable of electing a Trump ?
I will .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been through it , you don ’ t want it again .
But I think the damage is really devastating .
It ’ s incalculable.
” Has Begala ever known America so divided ?
“ No , I was too young in the 60s .
I love being partisan but it ’ s negative partisanship .
So many of the people who were for Trump are for him because they hate me and that ’ s no way to live a life .
“ I do think it ’ s asymmetrical .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides .
It is one side that ’ s gone insane and seems to be consuming itself with hatred .
My party has its problems , believe me , but it is not both sides .
This negative partisanship from the right : they will do anything to ‘ own the libs ’ .
” Historians will perhaps invoke Caligula , King George III and assorted authoritarians of the 20th century .
But they will surely also dwell on how the Republican party both produced Trump and succumbed to his will , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A drubbing in November , Begala argues , is just what Republicans need .
“ They are getting a shrinking percentage of a shrinking portion of the country .
Most of the guys I grew up with were high-school-educated white men and didn ’ t go to college and so I have a lot of friends that way .
They ’ re a smaller cohort every day and he ’ s doing less well with them .
“ They have to reform and the best way to make that happen , paradoxically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crushing victory .
If the Democrats win Texas , Georgia , North Carolina , Arizona – states that we rarely carry – the Republican party will have to reassess and it will actually pull the Republicans to the centre .
“ I ’ m a great believer in revivification because I saw Reagan do it as a kid and I saw Clinton do it as an adult .
I believe they can but they have got to find a way to communicate with this rising American electorate , to women – especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of colour .
They ’ re just haemorrhaging the folks.
” A practising Catholic , Begala reflects : “ There ’ s two kind of churches .
Those that seek out converts and those that hunt down heretics and right now Joe Biden ’ s leading a party that ’ s seeking out converts .
Even George Conway and Bill Kristol are on the same side I ’ m on .
I love it .
“ But meanwhile , Trump is leading a hunt for heretics .
When Jeff Sessions is not rightwing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem !
”

In the New York Times in January 2016, David Axelrod, former campaign strategist for Barack Obama, published The Obama Theory of Trump. “Voters rarely seek the replica of what they have,” he wrote. “They almost always seek the remedy, the candidate who has the personal qualities the public finds lacking in the departing executive.”
Ten months later, America elected Obama’s polar opposite, Donald Trump: Moriarty to his Holmes, Joker to his Batman, antimatter to matter. According to Paul Begala, a doyen of Democratic politics, the theory bodes well for Joe Biden.
“Too many Democrats were trying to be just as pugilistic in their way as Trump is,” he says, by phone from a farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. “I’ve known Joe a very long time and I think his most dominant character feature is empathy. He’s bright and he’s experienced but he’s so empathetic. We’ve seen him through tragedy. He’s been very good to me and my family.
“If there were a time where we needed empathy, it’s now. He has experience, which used to be a bad thing, he has competence and empathy and that’s exactly the opposite of Trump. So if we want the replica, we’re not going to vote for Joe. But if we want the remedy – and I think we do – he’s very well positioned to win.”
Now 59, Begala was a chief strategist for Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign and served in the White House as counselor to the president, then advised a Super Pac that helped elect Barack Obama in 2012. He describes Lyndon Johnson, Clinton and Obama as the three “Rushmore-worthy” presidents of his lifetime. He is also a familiar face on CNN and has written six books, the latest of which is You’re Fired: The Perfect Guide to Beating Donald Trump.
Chapter one is entitled Mea Culpa, as Begala reflects on the catastrophe of Hillary Clinton’s utterly unexpected defeat in 2016.
I have some personal responsibility for failing to stop the worst man who’s ever been president
Begala explains: “I have some personal responsibility here for failing to stop the worst man who’s ever been president and I think also the worst president we’ve ever had. Here’s what I got wrong. I was so appalled by Trump’s sewer-level character, I couldn’t avert my eyes.
“I didn’t connect my attacks on Trump’s character, on the racism, the misogyny, the Islamophobia, mocking the disabled, mocking a PoW, to the lives of the voters. When you don’t close that loop, all you’re doing is saying, ‘He’s a bad guy.’ A lot of people said, ‘Gee, he’s a terrible guy, but I’m going to take a chance on him because he looks like he’s a wrecking ball we might need in Washington.’ So what I should have said is, ‘When you deploy a wrecking ball he very often destroys your house,’ and this is what I’m urging in the book for the Democrats to do.”
The chaos, the cruelty, the outrages, the constant throwing of shiny objects for the media to chase: the reality TV presidency is the point.
Begala continues: “In addition to saying and doing racist things, there is a method to his madness. He uses those things to distract us from the fact that he’s looting the treasury, wants to destroy social security and Medicare and Medicaid, has rained hell on farmers and working people, the very people who elected him.”
What, then, would be his number one piece of advice to Biden as heads into an election that, against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, racial justice protests, online disinformation and Trump’s countless falsehoods, is likely to be one of the most combustible and unpredictable in history?
“It is to make it always about voters, not about Trump, and this is what coronavirus has done for Joe,” Begala says. “Trump’s gift is to convince enough voters that politics is just spectacle, it is just show, it is just a Twitter war with Rosie O’Donnell like when he was a TV star but now it’s a Twitter war with Colin Kaepernick or Nancy Pelosi.
“That’s terribly wrong but a lot of people accepted that and agreed with it. But now voting for your president is a life-and-death matter and no matter how hard he tries to reignite these divisive social issues, I think it is not enough to divert people from the fact that their mother, their brother, their child could get sick and, God forbid, die.
“His incompetence and his callousness and his corruption: these all now have a cost to me the voter, to you the voter. I think Joe’s done a very good job of keeping the focus on voters and not every day rising to the bait of every crazy thing that Trump says.”
‘The left has been terrific’
An old political saw holds that Democrats fall in love while Republicans fall in line. Some have blamed Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016 on bitter infighting between moderates and progressives who voted for Bernie Sanders. There were fears of a repeat in 2020 but Biden won the primary with room to spare and now the party appears remarkably united behind him.
Paul Begala with Bill Clinton in the Map Room of the White House, just before an address to the American people during Clinton’s impeachment drama. Photograph: Luke Frazza/AFP
“He is consolidating the base and that’s for two reasons,” Begala says. “He’s doing his job but you know what? The left is doing theirs. I come from the Clinton wing, I’m a more moderate guy, but I got to tell you, the left of my party has been terrific in rallying to Joe and people like me need to note that and salute that.
“It’s been really impressive. My hat is off to the left wing of my party. They’re not taking their marbles and going home. They’re mobilising, organising, registering. It’s just been great. Now, will this last forever? Of course not. But for right now, nothing unites the people of Earth like a threat from Mars.”
He adds: “I am publicly urging Biden and the Democrats to spread the map, to run very hard in North Carolina, in Georgia, in Arizona and in my beloved Texas, where I grew up, because how long can the Democrats hold together a coalition which right now consists of four-star generals and Black Lives Matter? That’s not going to hold forever, but that’s OK. He’ll get static probably from the centre of his party and from the left of his party.”
Democrats tend to embrace generational change. Four of their past five presidents were John F Kennedy (aged 43), Jimmy Carter (52), Clinton (46) and Obama (47), all with photogenic young families. Biden, by contrast, would be 78 on inauguration day, eclipsing Trump’s record as the oldest person sworn in as US president. Is there a danger Biden belongs to a less charismatic group of Democratic nominees – Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Al Gore, John Kerry – all of whom lost?
Begala insists: “I actually think Joe’s quite charismatic and I’ve seen him give terrific speeches but we can’t have stadiums full of people anyway. What we want is empathy and that’s what he has. At another moment, we want something else. But I think the Democrats did a very wise thing in picking this man at this moment.”
Indeed, Biden’s empathy is anchored as deep as the ocean. His wife, Neilia, and baby daughter, Naomi, were killed in a car crash in 1972. His adult son, Beau, died from brain cancer in 2015. Jon Stewart, the satirist and film director, observed recently that “we are fearful and we are angry and we are in pain. And when I see Biden, past the shtick, I see a guy who knows what loss is. Who knows grief. And I think that that kind of grief humbles him.”
Seriously, if we had a fully functioning mental health system, Trump would be in a rubber room, not an Oval Office
His age, however, is bound to be a recurring theme. The Trump campaign is hammering away at Biden’s mental and physical fitness.
Does Begala fear that will stick? “No, because it’s compared to what? Joe’s not the guy telling people to drink bleach. Trump is batty. I don’t know if it’s age-related – maybe he’s always been batty – but Trump is completely unhinged. He’s not just unstable, he’s unhinged. Seriously, if we had a fully functioning mental health system, he’d be in a rubber room, not an Oval Office.
“So the notion that’s a valid critique on Biden is fatuous and I don’t think it’s where the Republicans should want to go. If they had a [Mitt] Romney, a [George] Bush, somebody kind of stable and middle of the road for their party, that might be an effective attack. But this is always a comparison. There’s a great old comedian, Henny Youngman, who would’ve been a great political strategist because his famous one-liner was, ‘How’s your wife?’ ‘Compared to what?’ That’s all a presidential campaign is. Compared to what?”
He adds: “I think that the people who took a chance on Trump now are chastened. A whole lot of people voted for Obama and then Trump and I accept that … but I think you’re going to have an awful lot of people who go back, Trump to Biden.
“I can’t count the number of people, including friends of mine, who said, ‘Look, I voted for Trump, I took a chance, I thought we could use a little business experience in shaking things up. But oh, my God, he’s been a disaster and we must never have him again.’ Hundreds of people have told me that. I never had one say to me, ‘I voted for Hillary but you know what, Trump’s done a really good job and we need to keep him.’ So I think that tells us something.”
‘The damage is really devastating’
Should Biden prevail, Begala fears it will be an uphill task to repair American’s reputation abroad.
Begala speaks in Pasadena in 2017. Photograph: Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images
“Let’s say that Biden wins and he’s inaugurated, I’m going to go see my friends in Europe and I’m going to say, ‘Everything’s better, everything’s better,’ and they’re going to say, ‘Yeah, you guys could do it again.’ How do I argue that my country is incapable of electing a Trump? I will. I’ll say once you’ve been through it, you don’t want it again. But I think the damage is really devastating. It’s incalculable.”
Has Begala ever known America so divided? “No, I was too young in the 60s. I love being partisan but it’s negative partisanship. So many of the people who were for Trump are for him because they hate me and that’s no way to live a life.
“I do think it’s asymmetrical. The crisis in America is not both sides. It is one side that’s gone insane and seems to be consuming itself with hatred. My party has its problems, believe me, but it is not both sides. This negative partisanship from the right: they will do anything to ‘own the libs’.”
Historians will perhaps invoke Caligula, King George III and assorted authoritarians of the 20th century. But they will surely also dwell on how the Republican party both produced Trump and succumbed to his will, and ponder what it says about human nature.
A drubbing in November, Begala argues, is just what Republicans need.
“They are getting a shrinking percentage of a shrinking portion of the country. Most of the guys I grew up with were high-school-educated white men and didn’t go to college and so I have a lot of friends that way. They’re a smaller cohort every day and he’s doing less well with them.
“They have to reform and the best way to make that happen, paradoxically, is for the Democrats to have a crushing victory. If the Democrats win Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona – states that we rarely carry – the Republican party will have to reassess and it will actually pull the Republicans to the centre.
“I’m a great believer in revivification because I saw Reagan do it as a kid and I saw Clinton do it as an adult. I believe they can but they have got to find a way to communicate with this rising American electorate, to women – especially unmarried women – young people, people of colour. They’re just haemorrhaging the folks.”
A practising Catholic, Begala reflects: “There’s two kind of churches. Those that seek out converts and those that hunt down heretics and right now Joe Biden’s leading a party that’s seeking out converts. Even George Conway and Bill Kristol are on the same side I’m on. I love it.
“But meanwhile, Trump is leading a hunt for heretics. When Jeff Sessions is not rightwing enough for you, you got a problem!”


theguardian--2020-08-02--The painful truth about Covid and the economy – Trump is to blame | Robert Reich

“ The recovery has been very strong , ” Donald Trump said on Monday .
Then the commerce department reported the US economy contracted between April and June at the fastest pace in nearly three-quarters of a century , which is as long as economists have been keeping track .
The drop wiped out five years of economic growth .
But pesky facts have never stopped Trump .
Having lied for five months about the coronavirus , he ’ s now filling social media and the airwaves with untruths about the economy so he can dupe his way to election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t take very long ” , he reassured Americans on Thursday .
But every indicator shows that after a small uptick in June , the US economy is tanking again .
Restaurant reservations are down , traffic at retail stores is dwindling , more small businesses are closing , the small rebound in air travel is reversing .
What ’ s Trump ’ s plan to revive the economy ?
The same one he ’ s been pushing for months : just “ reopen ” it .
He wants the public to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused the economy to tank in the first place , so reversing them will bring the economy back .
Rubbish .
It was the virus that caused the downturn , and its resurgence is taking the economy down again .
The virus is surging back because governors reopened prematurely , before the virus was under control – at Trump ’ s repeated insistence .
The sequence of cause-and-effect is clear .
The virus has surged most in states that were among the first to reopen , such as Florida , South Carolina , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sun belt .
Because of this resurgence , many states are pausing plans to reopen and some are reimposing restrictions .
But these restrictions are not the reason the economy is slowing .
They are the necessary consequence of allowing the pandemic to get out of control .
Even the White House ’ s own coronavirus taskforce concludes that 21 states have outbreaks serious enough to justify more restrictions .
Notably , the economy is sliding again even though the government has pumped trillions of dollars into it .
What happens when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about to find out .
Senate Republicans can ’ t agree among themselves , let alone with House Democrats , about more funding , while Trump says “ we really don ’ t care ” about reaching a spending agreement .
That means starting this week more than 30 million Americans will no longer receive $ 600 in extra weekly employment benefits .
As a result , tens of millions will not be able to make rent or mortgage payments .
More will go hungry , including children .
The economy is likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House argues that the extra unemployment payments have discouraged workers from seeking jobs because some are receiving more money in benefits than they would earn by working .
“ We don ’ t want to create disincentives to work , ” says Trump adviser Larry Kudlow .
More rubbish .
A study by Yale economists finds “ no evidence ” that people who have lost their jobs are choosing to stay unemployed because of the extra federal aid .
In fact , “ workers facing larger [ unemployment ] expansions generally appear to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others , not slower.
” People can ’ t go back to work because there is very little work for them to do .
Fourteen million more people are unemployed than there are jobs .
In fact , the extra benefits have been keeping some 3 million employed because the money has gone into the pockets of people who spend it , thereby sustaining economic activity .
Shrinking those benefits will put less money into consumer pockets , with the result that millions more jobs will be lost .
Lies about the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus because the virus ’ s grim death count is painfully apparent while the economy is complicated .
But Trump ’ s economic lies are no less egregious , and they ’ re about to cause a great deal of unnecessary suffering .
Trump and Senate Republicans may not like it , but that ’ s the painful truth .
• None Robert Reich , a former US secretary of labor , is professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and the author of Saving Capitalism : For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Common Good .
His new book , The System : Who Rigged It , How We Fix It , is out now .
He is a columnist for Guardian US

“The recovery has been very strong,” Donald Trump said on Monday. Then the commerce department reported the US economy contracted between April and June at the fastest pace in nearly three-quarters of a century, which is as long as economists have been keeping track. The drop wiped out five years of economic growth.
But pesky facts have never stopped Trump. Having lied for five months about the coronavirus, he’s now filling social media and the airwaves with untruths about the economy so he can dupe his way to election day.
The comeback “won’t take very long”, he reassured Americans on Thursday. But every indicator shows that after a small uptick in June, the US economy is tanking again. Restaurant reservations are down, traffic at retail stores is dwindling, more small businesses are closing, the small rebound in air travel is reversing.
What’s Trump’s plan to revive the economy? The same one he’s been pushing for months: just “reopen” it.
He wants the public to believe the shutdown orders that began in March caused the economy to tank in the first place, so reversing them will bring the economy back.
People can’t go back to work because there is very little work for them to do
Rubbish. It was the virus that caused the downturn, and its resurgence is taking the economy down again. The virus is surging back because governors reopened prematurely, before the virus was under control – at Trump’s repeated insistence.
The sequence of cause-and-effect is clear. The virus has surged most in states that were among the first to reopen, such as Florida, South Carolina, Texas and much of the rest of the sun belt.
Because of this resurgence, many states are pausing plans to reopen and some are reimposing restrictions. But these restrictions are not the reason the economy is slowing. They are the necessary consequence of allowing the pandemic to get out of control.
Even the White House’s own coronavirus taskforce concludes that 21 states have outbreaks serious enough to justify more restrictions.
Notably, the economy is sliding again even though the government has pumped trillions of dollars into it. What happens when the money stops?
We’re about to find out. Senate Republicans can’t agree among themselves, let alone with House Democrats, about more funding, while Trump says “we really don’t care” about reaching a spending agreement.
That means starting this week more than 30 million Americans will no longer receive $600 in extra weekly employment benefits. As a result, tens of millions will not be able to make rent or mortgage payments. More will go hungry, including children. The economy is likely to slide even further.
The White House argues that the extra unemployment payments have discouraged workers from seeking jobs because some are receiving more money in benefits than they would earn by working.
“We don’t want to create disincentives to work,” says Trump adviser Larry Kudlow.
More rubbish. A study by Yale economists finds “no evidence” that people who have lost their jobs are choosing to stay unemployed because of the extra federal aid. In fact, “workers facing larger [unemployment] expansions generally appear to be quicker to return to work than others, not slower.”
People can’t go back to work because there is very little work for them to do. Fourteen million more people are unemployed than there are jobs.
In fact, the extra benefits have been keeping some 3 million employed because the money has gone into the pockets of people who spend it, thereby sustaining economic activity. Shrinking those benefits will put less money into consumer pockets, with the result that millions more jobs will be lost.
Lies about the economy are harder to spot than lies about the coronavirus because the virus’s grim death count is painfully apparent while the economy is complicated. But Trump’s economic lies are no less egregious, and they’re about to cause a great deal of unnecessary suffering.
Trump and Senate Republicans may not like it, but that’s the painful truth.


theguardian--2020-08-01--Could this anti-Trump Republican group take down the president?

Amid all the noise of an election involving Donald Trump – all the inflammatory tweets and shadowy Facebook posts – one set of ads has somehow managed to break through .
There ’ s the one of the US president shuffling down a ramp that declares that the president “ is not well ” .
There ’ s the whispering one about Trump ’ s “ loyalty problem ” inside his White House , campaign and family .
There ’ s the epic Mourning in America that remakes Reagan ’ s election-defining 1984 ad , turning the sun-bathed suburbs into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession .
On Twitter , YouTube and Facebook , those three ads alone have racked up more than 35m views .
The Lincoln Project , run by a group of renegade Republican political consultants , has crystallized one of the core narratives of the 2020 campaign in ways that few other political commercials have in past cycles .
Its work on brutal attack ads sits alongside the swift boat veterans against John Kerry in 2004 , the Willie Horton ad against Michael Dukakis in 1988 , and the daisy ad against Barry Goldwater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from independent media , distrust across the political spectrum and a recent series of harshly negative coverage from pro-Trump media outlets .
Disdain appears to be the consensus view from the pundits .
Atlantic magazine called their ads “ personally abusive , overwrought , pointlessly salacious , and trip-wired with non sequiturs ” .
The New Republic examined what it called “ the viral impotency ” of the Lincoln Project , suggesting they couldn ’ t “ persuade voters of anything ” .
Even the Washington Post declared most of their ads were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but simply at needling the president ” .
But that ’ s not how the project ’ s leaders see their work or purpose .
In their launch manifesto , published as a column in the New York Times , the founders said their goal was “ defeating President Trump and Trumpism at the ballot box ” , including his Republican supporters in Congress .
To that end , they said their efforts were about “ persuading enough disaffected conservatives , Republicans and Republican-leaning independents in swing states and districts ” to defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trumpism .
In practice , that means organizing anti-Trump Republicans in eight swing states – including Florida , Ohio , Arizona and North Carolina – to hold virtual town halls and write postcards to Republican neighbors and friends .
It also means organizing surrogates to speak to those voters in their home states and towns .
“ These are Republicans they are familiar with – former representatives and mayors , ” said Sarah Lenti , executive director of the Lincoln Project .
“ People like Rick Snyder in Michigan who will come out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting the Lincoln Project and supporting Joe Biden this cycle.
’ It gives people the cover to say , ‘ Our leadership is doing this , so it ’ s OK for us too.
’ ” Alongside the top-tier surrogates and ads , there is a grassroots effort to organize women , veterans and evangelicals to reach out to persuade Republicans to abandon the president who dominates their party .
“ There are certain voters we ’ re not going to move – the one-issue voters on the right to life – and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lenti .
“ We ’ re looking at 3-5 % of Republicans in certain states .
They tend to be more educated than not .
Over 40 years old , and the demographic split is about 50/50 , maybe a little towards men .
We ’ re also seeing traction with some evangelicals , and those are typically older and less educated.
” That sliver of disaffected Republicans is the target for ads like Mourning in America : people who are old enough to remember the original from three decades ago are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of the coronavirus .
“ Under the leadership of Donald Trump , ” the narrator says , “ our country is weaker , and sicker , and poorer.
” That was the first ad that triggered Trump enough to tweet-storm about the group two months ago : a presidential outburst that transformed the Lincoln Project ’ s profile and resources .
“ A group of RINO Republicans who failed badly 12 years ago , then again 8 years ago , and then got BADLY beaten by me , a political first timer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( no imagination ) the concept of an ad from Ronald Reagan , “ Morning in America ” , doing everything possible to get even for all of their many failures , ” Trump tweeted .
If Trump was truly tormented by the Reagan reference , the irony is striking .
Trump himself stole , without attribution , Reagan ’ s 1980 slogan : Make America Great Again .
For the most part Trump ’ s tweets focused on the individual founders of the project that troubles him so deeply .
Given their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissal of them as Rinos – Republicans In Name Only – means there are very few Republicans who can pass the Trump test .
The Lincoln Project founders include John Weaver , who was a political strategist for George HW Bush in 1988 and 1992 , as well as John McCain ’ s strategist for a decade ; Reed Galen , who worked on both Bush campaigns in 2000 and 2004 ; Steve Schmidt , who ran the McCain campaign in 2008 and worked in the Bush White House and campaigns before that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer whose wife Kellyanne just happens to work as Trump ’ s counselor in the West Wing .
The pushback did not stop there .
The conservative Club for Growth took the extraordinary step of creating and airing its own ad attacking the Lincoln Project .
It depicted the group as a bunch of failed strategists trying to make a quick buck by hating not just Trump but the American people .
This month they have been joined by two hit stories in the Murdoch-owned New York Post , accusing the founders of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” as well as secretly wanting to work for Trump .
These may be confusing lines of attack for Trump supporters who have grown numb to ties to Russia , tax troubles and think highly of those who want to work for Trump .
For Democratic ad-makers , the work of the Lincoln Project has earned their respect , even if questions remain about its impact .
“ The ads have struck a chord with progressives and activists who see the Project as validating everything we ’ ve been saying about Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we usually campaign against , ” said Jim Margolis , a veteran Democratic strategist and ad-maker for the Obama and Clinton campaigns .
“ The question is whether independent voters , moderate Republicans and white suburban voters will respond as well .
“ If the objective is modest – moving a point or two in the right states with the right people – I think they can help win the election .
Remember : Hillary Clinton lost the presidency in 2016 by less than one point in Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference between a Trump second term and a new day in America.
” But for some of the ads it is clear they are engaged in a battle for the attention of a singular target .
“ Some of these ads have an audience of one , ” says Lenti .
“ That ’ s always been part of the strategy .
Because every time he gets off message , spewing grievances , he ’ s not campaigning .
The idea is to get him off message again and again and again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people inside the White House that he wants them to make us go away .
But we ’ re not going away.
” Trump ’ s concern about the Lincoln Project has only helped to fill its coffers .
After seeing Mourning In America , Trump stepped off Marine One and talked to reporters before boarding Air Force One .
“ They should not call it the Lincoln Project , ” he complained , after taking more potshots at its founders .
“ It ’ s not fair to Abraham Lincoln , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Losers Project.
” Instead of turning them into losers , Trump helped raise $ 2m for his sworn enemies .
The group raked in more than $ 20m by the end of June , far ahead of its target of raising $ 30m by the end of the election cycle .
Most of those funds came after Trump ’ s attacks in May , with small donors making up the bulk of its supporters : the average donation is around $ 50 .
Now the group has enough funds to go after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ races .
This week it placed its biggest ad buy – $ 4m in Alaska , Maine and Montana – as the expanded battlefield underscores its bigger goal .
“ I don ’ t think this wing of the party is going away , ” says Lenti .
“ Our job isn ’ t to reform the Republican party .
Our job is to end Trump and Trumpism .
”

Amid all the noise of an election involving Donald Trump – all the inflammatory tweets and shadowy Facebook posts – one set of ads has somehow managed to break through.
There’s the one of the US president shuffling down a ramp that declares that the president “is not well”. There’s the whispering one about Trump’s “loyalty problem” inside his White House, campaign and family.
There’s the epic Mourning in America that remakes Reagan’s election-defining 1984 ad, turning the sun-bathed suburbs into a dark national portrait of pandemic and recession. On Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, those three ads alone have racked up more than 35m views.
The Lincoln Project, run by a group of renegade Republican political consultants, has crystallized one of the core narratives of the 2020 campaign in ways that few other political commercials have in past cycles.
Its work on brutal attack ads sits alongside the swift boat veterans against John Kerry in 2004, the Willie Horton ad against Michael Dukakis in 1988, and the daisy ad against Barry Goldwater in 1964.
Their reward? Disdain from independent media, distrust across the political spectrum and a recent series of harshly negative coverage from pro-Trump media outlets.
Disdain appears to be the consensus view from the pundits. Atlantic magazine called their ads “personally abusive, overwrought, pointlessly salacious, and trip-wired with non sequiturs”. The New Republic examined what it called “the viral impotency” of the Lincoln Project, suggesting they couldn’t “persuade voters of anything”. Even the Washington Post declared most of their ads were “aimed not at persuading disaffected Republicans but simply at needling the president”.
But that’s not how the project’s leaders see their work or purpose. In their launch manifesto, published as a column in the New York Times, the founders said their goal was “defeating President Trump and Trumpism at the ballot box”, including his Republican supporters in Congress.
To that end, they said their efforts were about “persuading enough disaffected conservatives, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents in swing states and districts” to defeat Trump and elect congressional majorities opposed to Trumpism.
In practice, that means organizing anti-Trump Republicans in eight swing states – including Florida, Ohio, Arizona and North Carolina – to hold virtual town halls and write postcards to Republican neighbors and friends. It also means organizing surrogates to speak to those voters in their home states and towns.
“These are Republicans they are familiar with – former representatives and mayors,” said Sarah Lenti, executive director of the Lincoln Project. “People like Rick Snyder in Michigan who will come out and say, ‘We’re supporting the Lincoln Project and supporting Joe Biden this cycle.’ It gives people the cover to say, ‘Our leadership is doing this, so it’s OK for us too.’”
Alongside the top-tier surrogates and ads, there is a grassroots effort to organize women, veterans and evangelicals to reach out to persuade Republicans to abandon the president who dominates their party.
“There are certain voters we’re not going to move – the one-issue voters on the right to life – and that’s OK,” says Lenti.
“We’re looking at 3-5% of Republicans in certain states. They tend to be more educated than not. Over 40 years old, and the demographic split is about 50/50, maybe a little towards men. We’re also seeing traction with some evangelicals, and those are typically older and less educated.”
That sliver of disaffected Republicans is the target for ads like Mourning in America: people who are old enough to remember the original from three decades ago are also old enough to be at the highest risk of the coronavirus. “Under the leadership of Donald Trump,” the narrator says, “our country is weaker, and sicker, and poorer.”
That was the first ad that triggered Trump enough to tweet-storm about the group two months ago: a presidential outburst that transformed the Lincoln Project’s profile and resources.
“A group of RINO Republicans who failed badly 12 years ago, then again 8 years ago, and then got BADLY beaten by me, a political first timer, 4 years ago, have copied (no imagination) the concept of an ad from Ronald Reagan, “Morning in America”, doing everything possible to get even for all of their many failures,” Trump tweeted.
If Trump was truly tormented by the Reagan reference, the irony is striking. Trump himself stole, without attribution, Reagan’s 1980 slogan: Make America Great Again.
For the most part Trump’s tweets focused on the individual founders of the project that troubles him so deeply. Given their track record in GOP politics, his dismissal of them as Rinos – Republicans In Name Only – means there are very few Republicans who can pass the Trump test.
The Lincoln Project founders include John Weaver, who was a political strategist for George HW Bush in 1988 and 1992, as well as John McCain’s strategist for a decade; Reed Galen, who worked on both Bush campaigns in 2000 and 2004; Steve Schmidt, who ran the McCain campaign in 2008 and worked in the Bush White House and campaigns before that; and George Conway, a conservative lawyer whose wife Kellyanne just happens to work as Trump’s counselor in the West Wing.
The pushback did not stop there. The conservative Club for Growth took the extraordinary step of creating and airing its own ad attacking the Lincoln Project. It depicted the group as a bunch of failed strategists trying to make a quick buck by hating not just Trump but the American people.
This month they have been joined by two hit stories in the Murdoch-owned New York Post, accusing the founders of “ties to Russia and tax troubles” as well as secretly wanting to work for Trump. These may be confusing lines of attack for Trump supporters who have grown numb to ties to Russia, tax troubles and think highly of those who want to work for Trump.
For Democratic ad-makers, the work of the Lincoln Project has earned their respect, even if questions remain about its impact. “The ads have struck a chord with progressives and activists who see the Project as validating everything we’ve been saying about Trump, but now being voiced by the people we usually campaign against,” said Jim Margolis, a veteran Democratic strategist and ad-maker for the Obama and Clinton campaigns. “The question is whether independent voters, moderate Republicans and white suburban voters will respond as well.
“If the objective is modest – moving a point or two in the right states with the right people – I think they can help win the election. Remember: Hillary Clinton lost the presidency in 2016 by less than one point in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. So even small gains can mean the difference between a Trump second term and a new day in America.”
But for some of the ads it is clear they are engaged in a battle for the attention of a singular target.
“Some of these ads have an audience of one,” says Lenti. “That’s always been part of the strategy. Because every time he gets off message, spewing grievances, he’s not campaigning. The idea is to get him off message again and again and again. It bothers him. We hear from people inside the White House that he wants them to make us go away. But we’re not going away.”
Trump’s concern about the Lincoln Project has only helped to fill its coffers. After seeing Mourning In America, Trump stepped off Marine One and talked to reporters before boarding Air Force One.
“They should not call it the Lincoln Project,” he complained, after taking more potshots at its founders. “It’s not fair to Abraham Lincoln, a great president. They should call it the Losers Project.”
Instead of turning them into losers, Trump helped raise $2m for his sworn enemies. The group raked in more than $20m by the end of June, far ahead of its target of raising $30m by the end of the election cycle. Most of those funds came after Trump’s attacks in May, with small donors making up the bulk of its supporters: the average donation is around $50.
Now the group has enough funds to go after Trump’s supporters in tight Senate races. This week it placed its biggest ad buy – $4m in Alaska, Maine and Montana – as the expanded battlefield underscores its bigger goal.
“I don’t think this wing of the party is going away,” says Lenti. “Our job isn’t to reform the Republican party. Our job is to end Trump and Trumpism.”


theguardian--2020-08-03--TikTok row: Trump to take action soon, says Pompeo, as Microsoft pursues deal

Donald Trump will take action in coming days to tackle an array of national security risks presented by TikTok and other Chinese software companies , Mike Pompeo has said , as Microsoft revealed it was pursuing a deal after speaking to the US president .
Microsoft said late on Sunday that - after a conversation between Trump and its CEO , Satya Nadella – it would move quickly on acquisition talks with TikTok ’ s parent company , ByteDance , completing talks no later than 15 September .
It pledged to ensure that all private data of American users was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US .
Two people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Trump had agreed to give ByteDance 45 days to negotiate a sale TikTok to Microsoft .
“ A win-win in the making , ” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted in response to Trump ’ s new stance on Sunday .
The statement came after Pompeo told Fox News show Sunday Morning Futures : “ These Chinese software companies doing business in the United States , whether it ’ s TikTok or WeChat – there are countless more … are feeding data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their national security apparatus .
“ Could be their facial recognition patterns .
It could be information about their residence , their phone numbers , their friends , who they ’ re connected to .
Those are the issues that President Trump has made clear we ’ re going to take care of , ” he said .
TikTok ’ s US user data is stored in the US , with strict controls on employee access , and its biggest investors come from the US , the company said on Sunday .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to protecting our users ’ privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform.
” Trump had said on Friday that he would soon ban TikTok in the US .
A federal committee is reviewing whether that is possible .
Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said its members agreed that TikTok could not remain in the US in its current form , because it “ risks sending back information on 100 million Americans ” .
“ We all agree there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agrees it can ’ t exist as it does , ” Mnuchin said Sunday on ABC ’ s This Week .
Chinese state media said banning Tik Tok would be “ a barbaric act of a rogue government ” , and rejected the US ’ s claims about national security fears .
A Global Times editorial , published on Sunday , said a Microsoft acquisition was “ the hunting and looting of TikTok by the US government in conjunction with US high-tech companies ” .
The editorial also suggested any ban was politically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main users of TikTok – don ’ t like Trump .
As speculation grew over a ban or sale of the social media ’ s US business , TikTok posted a video on Saturday saying : “ We ’ re not planning on going anywhere.
” On Monday morning , ByteDance said it would “ adhere to the vision of globalisation ” despite being “ faced with all kinds of complex and unimaginable difficulties ” .
TikTok ’ s catchy videos and ease of use has made it popular , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users in the US and hundreds of millions globally .
Its parent company , ByteDance , launched TikTok in 2017 .
It bought Musical.ly , a video service popular with teens in the US and Europe , and combined the two .
It has a similar service , Douyin , for users in China .
But TikTok ’ s Chinese ownership has raised concern about the potential for sharing user data with Chinese officials as well as censorship of videos critical of the Chinese government .
TikTok says it does not censor videos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government access to US user data .
“ The president , when he makes his decision , will make sure that everything we have done drives us as close to zero risk for the American people , ” Pompeo said .
“ That ’ s the mission set that he laid out for all of us when we began to evaluate this now several months back .
We ’ re closing in on a solution .
And I think you will see the president ’ s announcement shortly.
” The debate over TikTok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese companies , including telecom providers Huawei and ZTE .
The Trump administration has ordered that the US stop buying equipment from those providers to be used in US networks .
Trump has also tried to steer allies away from Huawei over concerns that the Chinese government has access to its data , which Huawei denies .
Associated Press contributed to this report

Donald Trump on Monday said Microsoft can buy the Chinese-owned video app TikTok, but said the purchase would have to be completed by 15 September.
Trump also said the US Treasury should receive payment as a portion of any deal between the social media platform and a US company. The president didn’t explain how that process would work.
On Sunday the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, had told Fox News that Trump was likely to take unspecified action against TikTok in the coming days.
Later in the day, Microsoft said that following a conversation between its CEO, Satya Nadella, and Trump, it would move quickly on acquisition talks with TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, for its US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand operations, aiming to complete the talks no later than 15 September.
It pledged to ensure that all private data of American users was transferred to, and remained in, the US.
On Monday China’s foreign ministry said it strongly opposed any US actions against Chinese software companies, and it hoped the US could stop its “discriminatory policies”.
Pompeo told Fox that countless Chinese software companies were “feeding data directly to the Chinese Communist party, their national security apparatus”.
“Could be their facial recognition patterns. It could be information about their residence, their phone numbers, their friends, who they’re connected to. Those are the issues that President Trump has made clear we’re going to take care of,” he said.
TikTok’s US user data is stored in the US, with strict controls on employee access, and its biggest investors come from the US, the company said on Sunday.
A TikTok spokesperson said: “We are committed to protecting our users’ privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform.”
Trump had said on Friday that he would soon ban TikTok in the US. A federal committee is reviewing whether that is possible. The treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, said its members agreed that TikTok could not remain in the US in its current form because it “risks sending back information on 100 million Americans”.
“We all agree there has to be a change … everybody agrees it can’t exist as it does,” Mnuchin said Sunday on ABC’s This Week.
The Republican senator Lindsey Graham tweeted that Trump’s new stance was “a win-win in the making”.
Chinese state media said banning Tik Tok would be “a barbaric act of a rogue government”, and rejected the US’s claims about national security fears. A Global Times editorial on Sunday said a Microsoft acquisition was “the hunting and looting of TikTok by the US government in conjunction with US high-tech companies”.
The editorial also suggested any ban was politically motivated because many teens – who are the main users of TikTok – do not like Trump.
As speculation grew over a ban or sale of the social media’s US business, TikTok posted a video on Saturday saying: “We’re not planning on going anywhere.”
On Monday morning ByteDance said it would “adhere to the vision of globalisation” despite being “faced with all kinds of complex and unimaginable difficulties”.
TikTok’s catchy videos and ease of use has made it popular, and it says it has tens of millions of users in the US and hundreds of millions globally.
ByteDance launched TikTok in 2017. It bought Musical.ly, a video service popular with teens in the US and Europe, and combined the two. It has a similar service, Douyin, for users in China.
But TikTok’s Chinese ownership has raised concern about the potential for sharing user data with Chinese officials as well as censorship of videos critical of the Chinese government. TikTok says it does not censor videos and it would not give the Chinese government access to US user data.
“The president, when he makes his decision, will make sure that everything we have done drives us as close to zero risk for the American people,” Pompeo said. “That’s the mission set that he laid out for all of us when we began to evaluate this now several months back. We’re closing in on a solution. And I think you will see the president’s announcement shortly.”
The debate over TikTok has parallels with a broader US security crackdown on Chinese companies, including telecom providers Huawei and ZTE. The Trump administration has ordered that the US stop buying equipment from those providers to be used in US networks. Trump has also tried to steer allies away from Huawei over concerns that the Chinese government has access to its data, which Huawei denies.
Associated Press contributed to this report


theguardian--2020-08-02--Deborah Birx warns Covid-19 now 'extraordinarily widespread' in US – live

The US economy could benefit if the nation were to “ lock down really hard ” for four to six weeks , a top Federal Reserve official said on Sunday , adding that Congress can well afford large sums for coronavirus relief efforts .
The economy , which in the second quarter suffered its biggest blow since the Great Depression , would be able to mount a robust recovery , but only if the virus were brought under control , Neel Kashkari , president of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank , told CBS ’ s Face the Nation .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we just have this raging virus spreading throughout the country with flare-ups and local lockdowns for the next year or two , which is entirely possible , we ’ re going to see many , many more business bankruptcies , ” Kashkari said .
“ That ’ s going to be a much slower recovery for all of us.
” He said Congress was positioned to spend big on coronavirus relief efforts because the nation ’ s budget gap can be financed without relying on foreign borrowing , given how much Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are fortunate enough to still have our jobs , we ’ re saving a lot more money because we ’ re not going to restaurants or movie theaters or vacations , ” Kashkari said .
“ That actually means that we have a lot more resources as a country to support those who have been laid off , ” he said .
The Democratic-led US House of Representatives approved a $ 3tn relief bill in May , while Senate Republicans , many of whom have expressed concerns about mounting debt , countered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week .
In an interview with ABC ’ s This Week on Sunday , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said president Donald Trump would spend what was needed , but that the deficit was a factor .
“ There ’ s obviously a need to support workers and support the economy , ” he said .
“ On the other hand , we have to be careful about not piling on enormous amount of debts for future generations .
”

Bryan Armen Graham  (now), Tom Lutz (earlier)

2 Aug 2020 22.03 BST The US economy could benefit if the nation were to “lock down really hard” for four to six weeks, a top Federal Reserve official said on Sunday, adding that Congress can well afford large sums for coronavirus relief efforts.
The economy, which in the second quarter suffered its biggest blow since the Great Depression, would be able to mount a robust recovery, but only if the virus were brought under control, Neel Kashkari, president of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, told CBS’s Face the Nation.
“If we don’t do that and we just have this raging virus spreading throughout the country with flare-ups and local lockdowns for the next year or two, which is entirely possible, we’re going to see many, many more business bankruptcies,” Kashkari said.
“That’s going to be a much slower recovery for all of us.” A man walks past a retail store that is going out of business due to the coronavirus pandemic in Winnetka, Illinois. Photograph: Nam Y Huh/AP He said Congress was positioned to spend big on coronavirus relief efforts because the nation’s budget gap can be financed without relying on foreign borrowing, given how much Americans are saving.
“Those of us who are fortunate enough to still have our jobs, we’re saving a lot more money because we’re not going to restaurants or movie theaters or vacations,” Kashkari said.
“That actually means that we have a lot more resources as a country to support those who have been laid off,” he said.
The Democratic-led US House of Representatives approved a $3tn relief bill in May, while Senate Republicans, many of whom have expressed concerns about mounting debt, countered by proposing a $1tn aid package last week.
Efforts to craft a compromise appear stalled.
In an interview with ABC’s This Week on Sunday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said president Donald Trump would spend what was needed, but that the deficit was a factor.
“There’s obviously a need to support workers and support the economy,” he said.
“On the other hand, we have to be careful about not piling on enormous amount of debts for future generations.”
2 Aug 2020 21.41 BST Our Berlin correspondent Kate Connolly reports the US government’s decision to withdraw thousands of troops from bases across southern and western Germany will have a huge impact on affected communities, according to local politicians. Up to 12,000 troops from the air force and army are due to leave the region, the US defense secretary, Mark Esper, said this week in a move attributed to long-term planning by the Pentagon, but which Donald Trump said was a punishment for Berlin’s low defense spending. According to initial reports, thousands of troops are due to be repositioned to bases within other Nato countries, such as Belgium, Italy and Spain, while around 6,400 will return to the US. ... Fritz Kühn, mayor of the southern city of Stuttgart, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, home to EUCOM, the United States European Command, said his city was being punished for the breakdown in relations between Trump and the German government. “I think what is happening is simply not OK. It does not reflect the good relations which exist between the city of Stuttgart and the Americans,” he said. The city’s economy would be hit badly by the withdrawal, he said. “The city will miss the consumer power of the Americans. But even more than that is the loss of the German-American tradition. The Americans like the city. They visit our markets, our wine festivals ... they enjoy our way of life. “This announcement is like a rejection of that tight association. Trump doesn’t think much of the transatlantic partnership and Putin is the one who profits from those insecurities. Trump is playing Putin’s tune and that’s dangerous.” 'Simply not OK': removal of US troops worries German communities Read more
2 Aug 2020 21.13 BST It could be tick-tock for TikTok, according to Mike Pompeo. The US secretary of state said Donald Trump “will take action in the coming days” on Chinese apps, including the massively popular short-video sharing platform, citing a broad array of national security risks presented by software connected to the Chinese Communist Party. “Here’s what I hope that the American people will come to recognize: These Chinese software companies doing business in the United States, whether it’s TikTok or WeChat there are countless more ... are feeding data directly to the Chinese Communist Party, their national security apparatus,” Pompeo told Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo during an interview on Sunday Morning Futures. He continued: “Could be their facial recognition patterns. It could be information about their residence, their phone numbers, their friends, who they’re connected to. Those those are the issues that President Trump has made clear we’re going to take care of.” China’s ByteDance has agreed to divest the US operations of TikTok completely in a bid to save a deal with the White House, after Trump said on Friday he had decided to ban the app, two people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
ByteDance’s concession will test whether Trump’s threat to ban TikTok is a negotiating tactic or whether he is intent on cracking down on a social media app that has up to 80 million daily active users in the US. Should you delete TikTok from your phone? | Chris Stokel-Walker Read more
2 Aug 2020 20.42 BST Donald Trump is back at the White House after another Sunday morning at Trump National in Potomac Falls, marking the 13th day he’s spent at one of his golf courses in the past 37 days. Once again the presidential motorcade passed by several dozen supporters and protestors lining both sides of the street in front of the club as it departed. A protestor in a grim reaper costume holds up a sign with the number 152K to represent the number of victims of the coronavirus disease in the US outside Trump National Golf Club on Sunday. Photograph: Cheriss May/Reuters Protesters and supporters Donald Trump gather outside the Trump National Golf Club on Sunday. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Protesters gather outside Trump National Golf Club on Sunday. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
2 Aug 2020 20.07 BST The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported 4,601,526 coronavirus cases, an increase of 58,947 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of Covid-19 deaths in the country had risen by 1,132 to 154,002.
The CDC reported its tally of cases of Covid-19 as of 4 pm ET on 1 August, versus its previous report a day earlier.
2 Aug 2020 19.45 BST Thousands of people in California were under evacuation orders Sunday after a wildfire in mountains east of Los Angeles exploded in size as crews battled the flames in triple-digit heat. The blaze, dubbed the Apple Fire by local firefighters, was straddling Riverside and San Bernardino counties and consumed more than 23sq miles (about 60sq km) of dry brush and timber, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. There was zero containment early Sunday. The cause is under investigation. The blaze began as two adjacent fires reported Friday evening in Cherry Valley, an unincorporated area near the city of Beaumont about 85 miles (137km) east of downtown Los Angeles. Flames leapt along brushy ridge tops and came close to homes while firefighters attacked it from the ground and air. Firefighters monitor flames as they skirt a hillside near a residential area during the Apple Fire in Banning, California. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
2 Aug 2020 19.22 BST Bands of heavy rain from Isaias lashed Florida’s east coast on Sunday while officials dealing with surging cases of coronavirus kept a close watch on the weakened tropical storm, the Associated Press reports.
Isaias was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm Saturday afternoon, but was still expected to bring heavy rain and flooding as it crawled just off Florida’s Atlantic coast. “Don’t be fooled by the downgrade,” Florida governor Ron DeSantis warned at a news conference after the storm spent hours roughing up the Bahamas. “It’s a tale of two storms,” said Stacy Stewart, senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami on Sunday. “If you live on the west side of the storm, you didn’t get much. If you live east of the storm, there’s a lot of nasty weather there.” Florida is on the west side of Isaias. Authorities closed beaches, parks and virus testing sites, lashing signs to palm trees so they wouldn’t blow away.
DeSantis said the state is anticipating power outages and asked residents to have a week’s supply of water, food and medicine on hand.
Officials wrestled with how to prepare shelters where people can seek refuge from the storm if necessary, while also safely social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus. A satellite image obtained on Sunday at 12.10 UTC shows tropical storm Isaias off the southeast coast of Florida in the Atlantic Ocean. Photograph: Lizabeth Menzies/RAMMB/NOAA/NESDIS/AFP/Getty Images Isaias put another burden on communities already hit by other storms and sickness. In Palm Beach County, about 150 people were in shelters, said emergency management spokeswoman Lisa De La Rionda, adding that the evacuees are physically distant from each other and wearing masks, due to the virus. In Indian River County, north of West Palm Beach, Florida, emergency shelters were clearing out Sunday after Isaias was downgraded to a tropical storm. Officials told TCPalm newspapers that 38 people registered at three schools used as shelters.
Those areas now must be cleaned to ensure no traces of the coronavirus remain as teachers and staff report Monday to prepare for the upcoming school year. No one checked in with Covid-19 symptoms. Temperature checks were done at the door, officials said, and isolation rooms were designated in case anyone came in with symptoms.
2 Aug 2020 19.01 BST A record high percentage of US companies are beating analysts’ forecasts this earnings season, giving investors a glimmer of hope in what is still expected to be the slowest profit period since the financial crisis.
More than halfway through second-quarter earnings, 82.1% of companies reporting have surpassed profit expectations, which would be the highest in the history of Refinitiv IBES data going back to 1994, according to Reuters.
What’s more, the size of the beats is well above what is typical. S&P 500 companies have beaten earnings expectations by a whopping 21.7%, also set to be the highest on record since 1994, based on Refinitiv’s data as of Friday.
The latest big boost to numbers came late last week, when results from Facebook and trillion-dollar market value companies Apple, Amazon.com and Google parent Alphabet surpassed forecasts. People walk past an image of an iPhone displayed at an Apple store on Saturday in Ahmedabad, India. Photograph: Ajit Solanki/AP In many cases, estimates had been lowered so much ahead of earnings season that they were easier to beat, strategists said.
Still, the results bolster the case for investors betting that the impact of coronavirus-led lockdowns and layoffs on companies’ bottom lines may not be quite as dire as previously believed. “What it’s saying is there are pockets of absolute strength in corporate America,” said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey.
Tech results in particular suggested “there is spending going on globally,” she said.
2 Aug 2020 18.27 BST David Smith William Barr was hungry. “Mr Chairman, could we take a five-minute break?” the attorney general asked Jerry Nadler of the House of Representatives’ judiciary committee. “No,” retorted Nadler, his hearing almost done. Barr responded sardonically: “You’re a real class act.” It was pure Barr: a proud, combative, unflappable and unapologetic partisan warrior in the loyal service of the White House. During the five-hour session on Capitol Hill in Washington this week, Barr made clear why he has been dubbed Donald Trump’s faithful protector and personal henchman. He defended using federal forces in US cities, denied giving Trump’s allies favorable treatment and demurred on issues such as foreign election interference or whether November’s poll can be postponed. For critics, it was proof positive that Barr’s unswerving loyalty to the president has torn down the wall that separates the White House and justice department and ensures law enforcement operates independent of politics. Some believe he now poses an existential threat to democracy itself. You can read the full article below: Is Trump's top cop, attorney general William Barr, a danger to democracy? Read more
2 Aug 2020 18.10 BST New York governor Andrew Cuomo said Covid-19 figures in his state are “all very good news” in a briefing on Sunday. At the height of the pandemic in New York, the state was recording hundreds of deaths a day. On Sunday, three deaths were reported and 556 people were hospitalized with Covid-19, a figure that Cuomo said is “the lowest number since we began.” A total of 531 people tested positive for Covid-19 in the state over the last 24 hours, out of 58,951 tests.
2 Aug 2020 17.59 BST As well as his appearance on CNN, Democrat congressman Jim Clyburn has also appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation. He is asked whether the Democrats are hurting Americans by failing to agree a new deal with the Republicans to aid people taking an economic hit during the pandemic. “I think what Democrats are doing, trying to keep ordinary people in focus, people who we depended on as so-called essential workers, the people seem not to think about- at least the Republicans,” Clyburn says. “Why would you put a 100% deduction for business lunches in this plan? That tells you a little bit what they’re thinking about.” Clyburn worked as a teacher before entering politics, and he is asked whether he would be happy returning to school if he was still in the profession. “Absolutely not, not until we have a national plan that the school district here in South Carolina ought to be coordinated,” he says. “We can’t have children going to school when we have not laid out a plan for there to be social distancing, for there to be everybody required a mask. I saw where a school district down in Georgia, I believe, they are saying well you’ve got to have a mask on the bus but in the classroom is optional. Come on. That’s not the way to run this stuff.” He also says that broadband needs to be available to everyone, especially in rural communities, to help with distance learning. “That’s why I have been such a long time proponent of having universal access to broadband,” he says. “Everything that’s great about this country, and the Internet is one of those great things, it ought to be accessible, ought to be affordable for everybody.”
2 Aug 2020 17.41 BST Adam Gabbatt According to one congressional candidate for America’s House of Representatives, Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement are a screen “for pedophilia and human trafficking”. Another has claimed the US has a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles out”, while several others running for national office have posted cryptic memes hinting at a powerful global elite that must be abolished. These believers in QAnon, a conspiracy theory labelled a potential domestic terror threat by the FBI, are all running for national office – not as fringe independents, but as Republican candidates. In some cases they have been backed by Republican money, and promoted by Donald Trump himself, and in certain Republican heartland states, the QAnon candidates are even likely to be elected in November. Marjorie Taylor Greene, from Georgia, is among the QAnon supporters with the best chance of winning in November. She has also been the most strident with her beliefs. “Q is a patriot,” Greene said in 2017, referring to her belief in the conspiracy theory’s anonymous online poster who claims to have knowledge of a secret ring of powerful, deep-state sex-traffickers and pedophiles, and is said to be a part of the Trump administration. “He is someone that very much loves his country and is on the same page as us, and he is very pro-Trump. He appears to have connections at the highest levels.” You can read the full article below: 'They need voters': QAnon is finding a home in the Republican party Read more