theguardian--2020-08-21--Joe Biden to accept Democratic presidential nomination 33 years after first bid – DNC live

Actress Julia Louis Dreyfus has landed a number of digs against Trump as she hosts the final night of the @ @ @ @ @ that Trump would soon be tweeting about how she is a “ washed-up , horse-face @ @ @ @ @ ratings.
” Dreyfus said , “ Well , with all due respect , sir , @ @ @ @ @ one .
”

Joan E Greve in Washington and Maanvi Singh

21 Aug 2020 06.29 BST Key takeaways from the night That’s it from us tonight. The Guardian live blog will be back with more convention coverage next week, when Trump accepts the Republican nomination. Here are the key takeaways from the night: Joe Biden accepted the nomination with a message of American perseverance in the face of hardship. In a speech that was by turns uplifting and incisive, the former vice president pledged to provide a steady hand of leadership. “United we can, and will, overcome this season of darkness in America,” Biden said. The speech was praised by commentators on the right and the left, with even Fox News hosts acknowledging Biden had exceeded expectations.
In a speech that was by turns uplifting and incisive, the former vice president pledged to provide a steady hand of leadership. “United we can, and will, overcome this season of darkness in America,” Biden said. The speech was praised by commentators on the right and the left, with even Fox News hosts acknowledging Biden had exceeded expectations. The night repeatedly reflected on Biden’s personal losses, allowing the nominee to build credibility with a grieving nation. The DNC played a tribute video commemorating the life of Beau Biden , the nominee’s eldest son who died of brain cancer at the age of 46. In his acceptance speech, Biden recounted losing Beau, as well as his first wife and young daughter, who died in a car accident in the early 1970s. He drew on those memories to empathize with the Americans who had lost loved ones to coronavirus. “Your loved ones may have left this Earth, but they never leave your heart,” Biden said. “They will always be with you.”
The DNC played a tribute video commemorating the life of , the nominee’s eldest son who died of brain cancer at the age of 46. In his acceptance speech, Biden recounted losing Beau, as well as his first wife and young daughter, who died in a car accident in the early 1970s. He drew on those memories to empathize with the Americans who had lost loved ones to coronavirus. “Your loved ones may have left this Earth, but they never leave your heart,” Biden said. “They will always be with you.” A young boy with a stutter captured viewers’ hearts. Brayden Harrington , a 13-year-old from New Hampshire, recalled meeting Biden on the campaign trail and telling the candidate about his verbal stutter. Harrington said Biden, who also struggled with a stutter as a child, gave him more confidence about his abilities, empowering the young boy to deliver a speech on the national stage. “Without Joe Biden, I would not be talking to you today,” Harrington said.
, a 13-year-old from New Hampshire, recalled meeting Biden on the campaign trail and telling the candidate about his verbal stutter. Harrington said Biden, who also struggled with a stutter as a child, gave him more confidence about his abilities, empowering the young boy to deliver a speech on the national stage. “Without Joe Biden, I would not be talking to you today,” Harrington said. Biden’s former primary rivals rallied around him. Several former Democratic presidential candidates – including New Jersey Senator Cory Booker , former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and businessman Andrew Yang – offered their endorsements to Biden, in the party’s latest effort to display unity before the November elections.
Several former Democratic presidential candidates – including New Jersey Senator , former South Bend Mayor and businessman – offered their endorsements to Biden, in the party’s latest effort to display unity before the November elections. The virtual convention (mostly) worked. Aside from a few glitches and timing hiccups, the Democrats managed to pull off a well-produced convention that set a high bar for Republicans next week. Democrats even managed to recreate some of the elements of pageantry that usually accompany the convention, setting off a fireworks display in Wilmington, Delaware, shortly after Biden concluded his acceptance speech.
Aside from a few glitches and timing hiccups, the Democrats managed to pull off a well-produced convention that set a high bar for Republicans next week. Democrats even managed to recreate some of the elements of pageantry that usually accompany the convention, setting off a fireworks display in Wilmington, Delaware, shortly after Biden concluded his acceptance speech. Julia Louis-Dreyfus offered some much-needed levity. The comedian and star of Veep roasted Trump as she hosted the final night of the convention. “Just remember: Joe Biden goes to church so regularly, that he doesn’t even need tear gas and a bunch of federalized troops to help him get there,” she said. Thanks for following along with our convention coverage all week, and remember to tune back in for the Republican convention starting on Monday.
21 Aug 2020 06.25 BST In case you missed it: here is the biographical video that the DNC played before Joe Biden delivered his acceptance speech tonight. The video, narrated by actress Octavia Spencer, tells the story of Biden’s life and career up to this point.
21 Aug 2020 06.13 BST The convention played a video tonight featuring several of Joe Biden’s former primary rivals explaining what they admire about the nominee. But convention viewers quickly noted the video did not include every former Democratic presidential candidate. Former candidates like former housing secretary Julián Castro, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and author Marianne Williamson were not featured in the video. The exclusion of certain candidates prompted the Daily Show to re-envision the video as a Zoom call with the forgotten candidates left in the waiting room. Damn this was cold blooded pic.twitter.com/crUIPK6rkH — The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) August 21, 2020
21 Aug 2020 06.06 BST Throughout the convention, Joe Biden has spoken about his grief over losing his son Beau Biden in 2015. Tonight, the DNC aired a video paying tribute to Beau, featuring lines from Barack Obama’s eulogy to Biden’s son. “He did in 46 years what most of us couldn’t do in 146,” Obama said. “Some folks may never know that their lives are better because of Beau Biden, but that’s OK. “Certainly for Beau, acclaim was never the point of public service.” Beau Biden was a close friend of Kamala Harris, and both Harris and Joe Biden mentioned that Beau had introduced them to each other – and that they had bonded in shared grief over his death. After Beau died of cancer, Joe Biden spearheaded an Obama administration “moonshot” to cure the diseases. How Kamala Harris's friendship with Beau Biden united her with Joe Read more
21 Aug 2020 05.54 BST Joe Biden’s speech tonight was about 25 minutes long, making it the shortest Democratic acceptance speech since at least 1984. Biden’s speech was about half the length of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 acceptance speech and 40 minutes shorter than Bill Clinton’s 1996 speech. Biden is not known for brevity, but he gave the shortest acceptance speech at the DNC since 1984, and his speech was less than half as long as Hillary’s, according to C-SPAN. pic.twitter.com/WLxYFS8oLy — Kevin Robillard (@Robillard) August 21, 2020 The length of Biden’s speech may be related to the abbreviated nature of this year’s virtual convention. Past conventions have had several hours of programming each day, while this year’s only has two hours each day, potentially requiring the nominee to make some cuts to his speech.
21 Aug 2020 05.47 BST Luke Skywalker has weighed in. The Rebel Alliance backs Biden for president. "Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not of the darkness."- Joe Biden
November 3rd #VOTE to DEFEAT THE DARK-SIDE#HelpUsJoeBiWan_YoureOurOnlyHope 🙏 pic.twitter.com/v6ZSQZe0LZ — Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) August 21, 2020 (To be clear, actor Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke in the Star Wars movies, has backed Biden for a while - and headlined a virtual fundraiser for the candidate in June.) – Maanvi Singh
Updated at 05.53 BST
21 Aug 2020 05.43 BST Joe Biden quoted two of his favorite writers – Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and the Irish poet Seamus Heaney – in tonight’s speech. “Faith sees best in the darkness,” Biden said, repeating a Kierkegaard quote that he said gave him solace after the death of his son Beau. Light and darkness were the themes of the Democratic nominee’s speech. “I will be an ally of the light not of the darkness,” he told supporters. And Biden quoted these lines from Heaney: History says, Don’t hope on this side of the grave, But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up,
And hope and history rhyme”
– Maanvi Singh
21 Aug 2020 05.28 BST Gabrielle Giffords, the former US congresswoman of Arizona who sustained brain damage after she was shot, delivered one of the most memorable speeches at yesterday’s DNC event. Today she thanked another DNC presenter who like her, struggled with speech, for his courage. Speaking is hard for me too, Brayden. But as you know, practice and purpose help. Thank you for your courage and for the great speech! https://t.co/lAkk8tPRXw — Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) August 21, 2020 Giffords spent “countless hours” practicing to deliver one of the longest speeches she’s had to deliver since she was shot, per a spokesperson. “Today, I struggle with speech but I have not lost my voice. America needs all of us to speak out, even when you have to fight to find the words,” she said in an address that appealed for an end to gun violence. Thirteen-year-old Brayden Harrington, who spoke tonight, had bonded with Biden on the campaign trail over their joint struggles with stuttering. – Maanvi Singh
21 Aug 2020 05.18 BST Joe Biden has given the acceptance speech he’s been waiting decades to deliver. After two failed presidential bids – one involving an embarrassing plagiarism scandal – the 77-year-old has finally realized his dream. Thirty-three years ago, Biden was tasked with delivering a rather somber speech. The then-senator of Delaware called journalists to a press conference on Capitol Hill to announce he would no longer seek the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination, following accusations that he plagiarized a speech by the British Labour leader Neil Kinnock and inflated his academic record. “I made some mistakes,” Biden told reporters. “But now, the exaggerated shadow of those mistakes has begun to obscure the essence of my candidacy and the essence of Joe Biden.” Despite the ignominious end to his first White House bid, Biden expressed optimism about his political future. “There will be other opportunities for me to campaign for president,” Biden said. “This country’s going to be lifted up, and I’m going to play a big part in doing it.” Now, after another failed presidential campaign and two terms as Barack Obama’s vice-president, Biden is finally getting the chance to realize his long-held dream. On Thursday, Biden formally accepted the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination – a moment he has was waited more than three decades for. “United we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America,” Biden pledged. “It is with great honor and humility that I accept this nomination for president of the United States of America.”
Biden gives the acceptance speech he's been waiting decades to deliver Read more
Updated at 05.30 BST
21 Aug 2020 05.16 BST Tonight, Joe Biden chose not to name Donald Trump in his speech, instead opting to call Trump “the current occupant of the office” and “this president”. The rhetorical choice worked effectively to minimize Trump, and focus supporters instead on how Biden and Harris, if they win, plan to respond to the pandemic and the economic crisis that Trump will have left in his wrath. Months after the coronavirus pandemic hut the US, “ after all this time, the president still does not have a plan,” Biden said. Pitching himself, he added: “Well, I do.” – Maanvi Singh
21 Aug 2020 05.00 BST In his address, Biden several times mentioned young people. They’re a demographic that he’s trying to court – especially since about two-thirds of younger voters went for Bernie Sanders in the primaries. “One of the most powerful voices we hear in the country today is from our young people,” Biden said tonight. “They’re speaking to the inequity and injustice that has grown up in America. Economic injustice. Racial injustice. Environmental injustice.” But younger, progressive Democrats have been pushing Biden to back them up by adopting more ambitious policies to address economic, racial, and environmental injustice. Young climate activists this week criticized the Democratic National Committee this week for quietly removing language from the official platform calling for an end to subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuel companies.
While Biden has a reliable base in Democrats over 45, he’ll still have to work ahead of the elections to energize younger voters. – Maanvi Singh
21 Aug 2020 04.54 BST Max Benwell Biden’s speech is getting a lot of praise, and not just from Democrats. In a panel discussion that will no doubt enrage Donald Trump, Fox News hosts Chris Wallace and Brett Baier were very positive about Biden’s address. Fox News's Chris Wallace praises Biden's speech: "I thought it was an enormously effective speech. Remember, Donald Trump has been talking for months about Joe Biden as mentally shot ... I thought that he blew a hole, a big hole in the characterization." pic.twitter.com/sChU4jBzw2 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 21, 2020 Karl Rove called it an “excellent speech” and even Laura Ingraham, who is the host of one of Fox News’ opinion shows and staunchly Republican, praised it – and in the middle of a segment with Donald Trump Jr. It didn’t seem to go down too well with him at all.
Watch the smile disappear from Jr’s face as Laura Ingraham says Joe Biden exceeded expectations. It almost looks like he’s about to cry pic.twitter.com/p3XVncSOYZ — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) August 21, 2020
Updated at 05.12 BST
21 Aug 2020 04.51 BST After Joe Biden concluded his speech, Kamala Harris and her husband joined the Bidens to watch the DNC’s fireworks display over the Chase Center. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, joined by their spouses, walk out to a socially distant tailgate in Wilmington, Delaware, as they close out the final night of the DNC with fireworks https://t.co/CnDWgVxY5m pic.twitter.com/0HDWvzLPOH — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 21, 2020 It was no balloon drop, but a number of commentators applauded the DNC for adding an element of pageantry to the virtual event.
21 Aug 2020 04.28 BST This was one of Joe Biden’s strongest speeches – stayed on-script, but delivered emotion and passion. He never mentioned Donald Trump’s name, but nonetheless indicted his opponent’s record as president. For Trump and his campaign, who have sought to denigrate Biden, 77, as too old and senile to take on the presidency, setting expectations low proved to be a tactical error. All Biden had to do was practice the speech, and deliver it clearly, to disprove Trump – everything else was icing. Trump, who appears to have been watching along, tweeted a relatively tame criticism: In 47 years, Joe did none of the things of which he now speaks. He will never change, just words! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2020 – Maanvi Singh
Updated at 04.34 BST
21 Aug 2020 04.21 BST Democratic convention concludes After Joe Biden concluded his speech, he and Jill Biden went outside the Chase Center to watch a fireworks display. Fireworks over the waterfront in Delaware after Biden accepts the nomination pic.twitter.com/rlQqTyXOtg — Lauren Gambino (@laurenegambino) August 21, 2020 With that, the 2020 Democratic National Convention has concluded. Next up: Donald Trump and the Republicans.
21 Aug 2020 04.15 BST Joe Biden closed his nomination acceptance speech by once again framing his candidacy as a fight for the soul of the nation. “This is our moment to make hope and history rhyme,” Biden said. “This is our moment. This is our mission.” After he finished the speech, Biden was joined on stage by Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Harris’s husband.
Updated at 04.34 BST
21 Aug 2020 04.13 BST Joe Biden said he believed the country was ready to address systemic racism, amid nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd. “Will we be the generation that finally wipes out the stain of racism from our national character?” Biden said. “I believe we’re up to it. I believe we’re ready.” Biden recounted meeting Floyd’s daughter the day before he was laid to rest, and she told Biden her father had “changed the world.”


theguardian--2020-08-21--Biden to accept Democratic presidential nomination in long-sought moment

Joe Biden will accept the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday evening , a long-sought moment that comes more than 30 years after he first ran for president , and as America faces extraordinary national turmoil .
Biden , 77 , denied the chance to accept the nomination before a roaring crowd by the coronavirus pandemic , will deliver the most important speech of his nearly half a century in public life from a silent ballroom near his home in Wilmington , Delaware , on the last night of the all-virtual Democratic national convention .
With less than three months left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strong position , consistently leading Donald Trump in national and battleground state polls , and Democrats largely united behind him .
The evening before , Kamala Harris took her place in history as the first Black woman and first Asian American to be nominated to a national presidential ticket .
The nomination caps a decades-long quest for Biden , who has sought the presidency intermittently since 1987 .
In his first run , as a young senator , Biden ran as a generational change candidate but his campaign ended ignobly amid a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lacked a policy core .
Twenty years later , he ran again , on a platform that emphasized his long record and experience .
But he faded in the primary race , outshined by the history-making candidacies of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton .
In his own telling , Obama told Biden that when he offered him the role of vice-president , he hoped the job would be the “ capstone ” of his political career , to which Biden replied : “ And not the tombstone.
” Biden again considered running in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his eldest son , Beau , he formally ruled out the possibility , in a decision many believed extinguished once and for all his dream of occupying the Oval Office .
However , driven by Trump ’ s equivocation on the white nationalist violence that erupted in Charlottesville , Biden entered the 2020 race with the imperative to “ restore the soul of our nation ” .
The speakers at the convention on Thursday , which included several of his former primary rivals , were a reflection of how uncertain Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced the most diverse field of candidates that had even run , and that better embodied a young , diverse and increasingly progressive Democratic party .
But after faltering early , he staged a comeback with the help of Black voters in South Carolina .
“ Every American must now decide : can America be a place where faith is about healing and not exclusion ?
” Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , who ran against Biden in the primary , is expected to say on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country that lives up to the truth that Black lives matter ?
Will we handle questions of science and medicine by turning to scientists and doctors ?
What will we do to make America into a land where no one who works full time can live in poverty.
” Biden ’ s children , Hunter Biden and Ashley Biden , are expected to introduce their father .
While Ashley has been a presence on the campaign , hosting events for Biden , Hunter has largely remained behind the scenes since Republicans turned his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while his father was vice-president into a political liability .
Trump was ultimately impeached by the House over his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens .
Despite ongoing efforts by Trump allies to show otherwise , there is no evidence of corruption by either Biden .
Loathe to cede the national spotlight , Trump has spent the week assailing Biden on a tour of battleground states that included a stop on Thursday near Biden ’ s birthplace in Pennsylvania .
Across the four-day convention , prominent Republicans including former governor John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach to governing while progressive leaders such as Senator Elizabeth Warren raised the possibility that Biden had the opportunity to be a transformational figure who would usher in sweeping economic and social change .
Yet highly-produced videos and soaring speeches glossed over the internal divisions that simmer below the show of party ’ s unity against the Trump presidency .
Many progressives are uncomfortable with Biden ’ s pragmatism , his ties to Wall Street and his verbal miscues , particularly on issues of race .
His age , and his own insinuations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if elected , have intensified the focus on Harris , who many view as the future of the party that is increasingly diverse , female and pluralistic .
Though Democrats widely embraced her as the vice-presidential nominee , some progressives remain skeptical of her prosecutorial record .
Andrew Yang , a tech entrepreneur who centered his 2020 presidential campaign around the issue of universal basic income , asked voters to “ give them the chance ” .
“ They understand the problems we face , ” he said .
“ They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our country .
”

Joe Biden vowed to unite a deeply divided America and lead the country to “overcome this season of darkness” as he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday evening, a long-sought moment that came more than 30 years after he first ran for president.
Biden, 77, denied the chance to accept the nomination before a roaring crowd due to the pandemic, delivered the most consequential speech of his nearly half a century in public life from a silent ballroom inside the Chase Center, near his home in Wilmington, Delaware, on the last night of the virtual Democratic national convention.
“Here and now I give you my word, if you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst,” Biden said. “I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness.”
“United we can, and will, overcome this season of darkness in America. We will choose hope over fear, facts over fiction, fairness over privilege.”
Biden’s speech, at turns somber and hopeful, delivered a forceful closing argument on the final night of the most unusual presidential nominating convention in modern memory. This year’s quadrennial affair showcased the racial – and ideological – diversity of the Democrats’ coalition, which stretches from a democratic socialist to a former Republican governor, and is increasingly led by women, young people and people of color.
That was evident the evening before when Biden’s running mate, the California senator Kamala Harris, accepted her place in history, as the first black woman and first Asian American to appear on a major party’s presidential ticket.
Biden presented November’s election as a “battle for the soul of this nation”, echoing the words he used when he launched his third presidential bid last year. He said the country faced four historic crises: the coronavirus pandemic, the economic fallout, racial injustice and climate change.
Joe Biden vowed to be an ‘American president’ who would ‘work hard for those who didn’t support me’.
Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
He vowed to be an “American president” who would “work hard for those who didn’t support me,” drawing a stark contrast with the president who attacks and threatens his critics.
“This is not a partisan moment,” he said. “This must be an American moment.”
Without mentioning his rival by name, Biden accused Donald Trump of having “failed in his most basic duty to the nation” by mishandling the pandemic. If elected, he pledged to implement a national strategy to tackle it, including a national mandate on wearing a mask as “a patriotic duty”.
“The tragedy of where we are today is it didn’t have to be this bad,” he said of the crisis, which has killed more than 170,000 Americans and infected more than 5 million, far more than any other country in the world.
“He failed to protect us,” Biden said. “He failed to protect America. And, my fellow Americans, that is unforgivable.”
Outside the convention center, under a crescent moon, fireworks lit the sky in a moment of celebration. After delivering the speech, Biden and Harris emerged with their spouses to watch the display.
In a parking lot beyond the stage where they stood, supporters from Biden’s home town sat on their car hoods, others in the beds of their trucks, waving American flags and blaring car horns in a show of support for a man described earlier this week as Delaware’s “favorite son”. Biden and Harris raised their clasped hands high, and the crowd honked their horns louder.
Across the four-day convention, Americans were introduced anew to the former vice-president. His family, friends, colleagues and former political rivals – from the president he served for eight years to a New York City security guard who briefly rode on an elevator with him – testified to his character. Electing Biden, they argued, would amount to a stark repudiation of Trumpism.
Supporters watch the program outside the venue where Democratic presidential candidate former vice-president Joe Biden speaks at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday night. Photograph: Carolyn Kaster/AP
They cast him as a singular match for the moment, a public servant whose empathy, deep experience and sense of decency had uniquely prepared him to lead a nation stricken by compounding crises.
“We know how important it is that we elect real leaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, people of honor and integrity, who hold justice close to their hearts and believe that the lives of my four black children matter,” the Atlanta mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, who was among the women Biden considered to be his running mate, said earlier in the evening, as part of a tribute to the late civil rights leader John Lewis on Thursday.
During his remarks, Biden spoke directly to the grieving families who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus, invoking the lessons learned from his own personal tragedies after losing his wife and infant daughter to a car accident in 1972, and his eldest son, Beau, to brain cancer in 2015.
“I know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes,” Biden said. But he said he had found that “best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose.”
The presidential nomination caps a decades-long quest for Biden, who has sought the presidency intermittently since 1987. In his first run, as a young senator, Biden ran as a generational change candidate but his campaign ended ignobly amid a plagiarism scandal and a sense that he lacked a policy core.
Twenty years later, he ran again, on a platform that emphasized his long record and experience. But he faded in the primary race, outshone by the history-making candidacies of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Biden again considered running in 2016. But after the death of his eldest son, Beau, he formally ruled out the possibility, in a decision many believed extinguished once and for all his dream of occupying the Oval Office.
However, driven by Trump’s equivocation on the white nationalist violence that erupted in Charlottesville, Biden entered the 2020 race.
From left to right: Jill Biden, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, greet supporters outside the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, at the conclusion of the DNC on Thursday night. Photograph: Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images
“It was a wake-up call for us as a country,” Biden said on Thursday. “And for me, a call to action. At that moment, I knew I’d have to run.”
The speakers at the convention on Thursday, which included several of his former primary rivals, were a reflection of how uncertain Biden’s path to the nomination was. He faced the most diverse field of candidates that had ever run, and that better embodied a young, diverse and increasingly progressive Democratic party. But after faltering early, he staged a comeback with the help of black voters in South Carolina.
Pete Buttigieg, the openly gay former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who ran for president in 2020, praised Biden for his early support of same-sex marriage.
“Joe Biden is right, this is a contest for the soul of the nation. And to me that contest is not between good Americans and evil Americans,” Buttigieg said. “It’s the struggle to call out what is good for every American.”
The Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs during a deployment in Iraq and was among those Biden vetted to be his running mate, lashed Trump by name.
“Donald Trump doesn’t deserve to call himself commander in chief for another four minutes – let alone another four years,” she said, calling Biden a man of “common decency” and vouching for his support for military families.
All week, organizers threaded the program with stories of people affected by the pandemic and victims of gun violence and immigrant families torn apart. Thursday introduced Brayden Harrington, a 13-year-old from New Hampshire who suffers, as Biden did, from a stutter.
Staring into the camera, Harrington steadied his voice and, slowly and deliberately, delivered a speech.
“Joe Biden made me feel more confident about something that’s bothered me my whole life. Joe Biden cared,” he said. “Imagine what he could do for all of us.”
Biden’s children, Hunter Biden and Ashley Biden, introduced their father on Thursday, after an emotional tribute to their brother, Beau.
While Ashley has been a presence on the campaign, hosting events for Biden, Hunter has largely remained behind the scenes since Republicans turned his past work for a Ukrainian gas company while his father was vice-president into a political liability.
Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden celebrate in front of fireworks after Joe Biden accepted the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Trump was ultimately impeached by the House over his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. Despite ongoing efforts by Trump allies to show otherwise, there is no evidence of corruption by either Biden.
Loathe to cede the national spotlight, Trump has spent the week assailing Biden on a tour of battleground states that included a stop on Thursday near Biden’s childhood home in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
“In 47 years, Joe did none of the things of which he now speaks. He will never change, just words!” Trump tweeted after Biden’s speech.
Biden enters the final stretch of the general election in a strong position, consistently leading Trump in national and battleground state polls, and with Democrats largely united behind him, a theme of the convention.
03:36 How Julia Louis-Dreyfus roasted Donald Trump in DNC finale – video
Over the course of two-hour nightly broadcasts, the convention has sought to present a show of unity by featuring prominent Republicans including former governor John Kasich, who testified to Biden’s character and consensus-minded approach to governing, while progressive Democratic leaders such as Senator Elizabeth Warren raised the possibility that Biden had the opportunity to be a transformational figure who would usher in sweeping economic and social change.
The task that now looms for Biden in the final 10 weeks of the campaign is to energize this ungainly coalition – to continue to persuade independent and moderate voters who recoil from Trump’s divisiveness, without losing progressives who remain uncertain about their nominee.
The importance of voting was another major focus of the convention, amid fears that the pandemic and actions by the Trump administration will make it harder for Americans to cast their ballots ahead of the elections in November.
In his remarks on Thursday, Biden framed the stakes of the election.
“This is a life-changing election,” he said. “This will determine what America’s going to look like for a long, long time.”


theguardian--2020-08-21--California fires: hundreds of blazes burn amid scorching heatwave – as it happened

Santa Cruz county is asking that all visitors and tourists occupying hotels , motels and vacation rentals leave the county @ @ @ @ @ for evacuees .
“ Local shelters are near capacity , ” officials said in a @ @ @ @ @ Emergency Operations Center ) is working with local agencies including cities , post-secondary institutions , @ @ @ @ @ increase capacity .
However , the scale of existing and anticipated evacuation orders is unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ house evacuees is critical.
” The county has been hard-hit by the CZU Lightning Complex @ @ @ @ @ acres and 0 % contained .
More than 20,000 people have been evacuated , according @ @ @ @ @ s office .
Santa Cruz county is known for its postcard-esque beaches and its wild @ @ @ @ @ ’ s picturesque boardwalk , a snapshot from a different era , was featured in @ @ @ @ @ , Us .

20 Aug 2020 00.07 BST The SCU Lightning Complex Fire has grown to 137,475 acres with 5% containment. Burning in a variety of locations in the southeast region of the Bay Area, the blaze stretches through Alameda, Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties, as well as San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties of the Central Valley. Officials issued mandatory evacuations for large swaths of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Alameda and Santa Clara counties. Time lapse of fire burning through Lick Observatory compound atop Mt. Hamilton. Structures appear to have survived. Update from observatory expected soon. #SCULightningComplex pic.twitter.com/cQ9vg4mntA — Bob Redell (@BobNBC) August 20, 2020 More footage from the firefight taking place at the peak of Mt. Hamilton this evening (East of San Jose). Your SLO City and fellow California Firefighters are working hard to protect and defend landmarks, buildings and infrastructure. #SCULightningComplex pic.twitter.com/qfB4COztnB — SLO City Fire (@SLO_City_Fire) August 20, 2020 For those keeping track, California is currently fighting three lightning complex fires: the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire, the LNU Lightning Complex Fire and the SCU Lightning Complex Fire. The initials represent the locations and different units of each Cal Fire agency battling the fires: CZU is the Santa Cruz-San Mateo unit, LNU is the Lake/Napa/Sonoma county region and SCU covers Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Stanislaus and San Joaquin. They’re called complex fires because they’re complicated. Only partially kidding - basically, these three blazes had at least two or more fires within them that were assigned to the same incident. It can be hard to picture because when a fire gets a name, you tend to conjure up this image of this giant monolithic monster of flames. In reality, a wildfire is more a series of hotspots and flare-ups than anything else, sometimes spread out by miles, and a wildfire complex, even more so.
Updated at 00.28 BST
20 Aug 2020 23.47 BST In a way, Donald Trump is not entirely incorrect when he talks about “cleaning your floors” - clearing vegetation is a big part of wildfire prevention and prep that take place every year. But California’s wildfires have gotten deadlier and more destructive in recent years not just because of forest management. The fires of the past few years aren’t just sweeping through forests - they’re taking out entire towns and they’re ripping up whole neighborhoods where people live. A large part of this is because of the climate crisis. As the Guardian’s former environmental reporter Susie Cagle wrote during last year’s fire season, the climate crisis “has sped up California’s natural cyclical weather patterns and made the age-old threat of fire into an acute and repetitive trauma”. Fall is traditionally fire season for California, as the Diablo winds in the north and Santa Ana winds in the south blow down the hillsides and across forests and brushland that has dried out from the summer heat, but not yet wetted by winter rains. Extreme winds make the vegetation especially flammable, and threaten to whip up flames and carry hot embers further and faster, creating new “spot” fires across the landscape. Watch a video explainer on the role the climate crisis has played on wildfires here: 05:36 California wildfires: what role has the climate crisis played? – video explainer
20 Aug 2020 23.31 BST Donald Trump is once again talking about cleaning the forest floors, just as he had two years ago when he visited Paradise, a town devastated by the Camp Fire. Because time is a flat circle. “I see again the forest fires are starting again in California,” Trump said. “You got to clean your floors, clean your floors...I’ve been telling them this for three years, but they don’t want to listen.” 'You've got to clean your floors, it's just an expression' — Pres. Trump commenting on the wildfires in CA by saying they have to 'clean the forest floors' and get rid of 'all the leaves' pic.twitter.com/mcmJPc4mZv — NowThis (@nowthisnews) August 20, 2020 It was amidst talks of clean floors and not heeding his advice on the value of a clean forest floor that he made his statement about withholding aid: “Maybe we’re just gonna have to make them pay for it, because they don’t listen to us,” he said. Dear @realDonaldTrump: Mother Nature doesn’t discriminate when she strikes, whether it’s a hurricane or tornado or earthquake or wildfire. That’s why we are the United States, we unite to help each other when disaster hits. Still surprised I have to explain that to you. https://t.co/JVkh7UPB0c — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 20, 2020
20 Aug 2020 22.58 BST As California burns, Donald Trump threatens to withhold aid. Trump on fire assistance to California: "Maybe we're just gonna have to make them pay for it, because they don't listen to us." — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 20, 2020 According to Republican Voters Against Trump, it wouldn’t be the first time. “He told us to stop giving money to people whose houses had burned down because he was so rageful that people in the state of California didn’t support him and that politically it wasn’t a base for him,” Miles Taylor, former chief of staff to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, said in a video. This is f*cking crazy. @realDonaldTrump told @fema to cut off funding to fire victims because CA is not part of his base. Wildfires devastated parts of my district and I saw firsthand the destruction. I will be asking the IG to investigate. Because we are all Americans. https://t.co/fQ5s7mj76s — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 17, 2020
Updated at 23.05 BST
20 Aug 2020 22.09 BST The Los Angeles region is once again facing an extreme heat wave, poor air quality and raging wildfires, creating major public health challenges during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Eerily smoky skies this morning across #SoCal from all the #wildfires burning across the state. This PG&E webcam view is from Tassajara Peak east of Morro Bay. Air quality has dropped to the worst level of the week across the central coast - unhealthy to very unhealthy. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/pHsriUG56P — NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) August 20, 2020 While the largest and most concerning fires are farther north, which is experiencing the worst air pollution in the world, southern California is also struggling with extremely challenging weather conditions and continued coronavirus threats. In recent days, the sprawling LA region has been plagued by record-breaking high temperatures, smoke-filled air, foggy conditions and “unhealthy” and “very unhealthy” levels of pollution.
The heat is supposed to last into the weekend, and officials are urging people to stay indoors, which has created an extra burden as some activities, such as dining and fitness, have moved outside due to Covid.
The Apple fire, east of LA, was 95% contained and at 33,400 acres as of Thursday. That fire has exacerbated pollution in Riverside county and the industrial area known as the Inland Empire, which is known for having some of the worst air quality across the US.
The Lake fire, in the northern part of LA county, was at 27,000 acres and 48% contained as of Thursday morning. The Holser fire, in Ventura county (near the coast and also north of LA) was at 3,000 acres and 30% contained.
Across the LA area, authorities also issued an advisory for ozone pollution due to the heat and fires. - Sam Levin
Updated at 23.28 BST
20 Aug 2020 21.30 BST Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, discusses some of the challenges of setting up emergency shelters during a pandemic. Visiting some of the evacuation centers today to talk with folks who have had to flee their homes due to the #wildfires in CA. Grateful for all the volunteers who have stepped up to help keep everyone impacted safe, cool, and healthy during this time. pic.twitter.com/v7vEwNDn7b — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 20, 2020 Newsom announced Thursday that he secured a Fema grant to help battle the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire. He had secured a grant for the LNU Lightning Complex Fire earlier this week.
20 Aug 2020 20.55 BST In addition to the wildfires plaguing the Bay Area and forcing evacuations, a number of blazes are burning through national forests at the moment. The Loyalton Fire burning in Tahoe National Forest famously set off a “fire tornado” warning a few days back. It has since grown to 46,617 acres and is 38% contained. Officials lifted mandatory evacuations in this area. The first ‘Fire Tornado’ to set off the “fire tornado” warning in history. Incident occurred today in Northen California. #LoyaltonFIRE pic.twitter.com/ISSzR5mVa2 — SV News 🚨 (@SVNewsAlerts) August 16, 2020 The Dolan Fire burns about 10 miles south of Big Sur on the coast, south of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. It has grown to 6,700 acres and is 0% contained. In its vicinity are the Carmel Fire at 4,285 acres and 0% containment and the River Fire at 33,653 acres and 7% containment. Heat Map of all the fires in Monterey County. #carmelfire #riverfire #dolanfire https://t.co/TuiY2pcWXb pic.twitter.com/R57TImhh0D — Monterey County Office of Emergency Services (@MontereyCoOES) August 20, 2020 Across the state in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Bell Fire burns in Stanislaus National Forest at 31 acres. Like the Loyalton Fire and many of the blazes in the Bay Area, officials believe it was sparked by lightning. The Beach Fire burns in Inyo National Forest at 3,780 acres.
20 Aug 2020 18.24 BST California’s oldest state park, home of some of its majestic redwoods, has “sustained extensive damage”, according to the state parks and recreation department. The fire dubbed the CZU August Lightning Complex that is burning in various locations in Santa Cruz county and San Mateo county reached Big Basin Redwoods state park on Tuesday. The blaze “damaged the park’s headquarters, historic core and campgrounds”, according to park officials. Campers, day-use visitors and staff at both Little Basin and Big Basin were evacuated. As of Thursday, the fire was estimated to have grown to 40,000 acres and was 0% contained. Cal Fire issued mandatory evacuations for parts of Santa Cruz county today. Moving forward our hashtag for the CZU fires will be #CZULightningComplex Please use this hashtag. pic.twitter.com/CIpADSR90y — CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) August 20, 2020
Updated at 19.39 BST


theguardian--2020-08-21--Steve Bannon pleads not guilty to fraud charges over border wall campaign – as it happened

White Republican in Wisconsin argued black voters deserve Kanye West on the ballot Wisconsin ’ s elections commission ruled 5-1 today that Kanye West did not make the deadline to appear on November ’ s ballot as a presidential candidate .
The one dissenting vote was a white Republican who argued that West should appear on the ballot because black Milwaukee residents deserved to be able to vote for a black candidate after what they experienced at the polls in April .
Polling place closures and coronavirus fears in the early weeks of the pandemic resulted in significant numbers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissuaded from voting , a study from the Brennan Center for Justice concluded .
“ Mr .
( Kanye ) West is an African American candidate , ” Republican Robert Spindell said , according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , “ and I think we should do all we can to — after the terrible treatment that the Black population in Milwaukee received during the April election — that we given them a choice.
” The Journal Sentinel reported that the decision was a loss for supporters of Trump , who have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoiler campaign .

Lois Beckett in Oakland, Joan E Greve in Washington, Lauren Aratani and Martin Belam

21 Aug 2020 01.37 BST Evening summary We’re wrapping up our live US politics blog for today, but you can continue following our updates from the virtual Democratic National Convention. An updated summary of today’s key events, from my colleague Joan Greve and me: Steve Bannon pleaded not guilty to fraud charges. Bannon, a former top adviser to Trump, was arrested earlier today for allegedly using money from his anti-immigrant group “We Build the Wall” on personal expenses.
Bannon, a former top adviser to was arrested earlier today for allegedly using money from his anti-immigrant group “We Build the Wall” on personal expenses. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has tested positive for coronavirus. Cassidy said in a statement announcing his positive test result, “I am strictly following the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same.”
Cassidy said in a statement announcing his positive test result, “I am strictly following the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same.” House speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed Congressman Joe Kennedy’s primary challenge against Senator Ed Markey, enraging progressives. A number of progressives noted Pelosi has historically been very hesitant to support primary challenges against Democratic incumbents, but the speaker made an exception for Kennedy’s campaign against Markey, who is considered one of the most progressive members of the Senate.
A number of progressives noted Pelosi has historically been very hesitant to support primary challenges against Democratic incumbents, but the speaker made an exception for Kennedy’s campaign against Markey, who is considered one of the most progressive members of the Senate. A federal judge ruled that Trump must comply with the Manhattan district attorney’s subpoena of his tax returns. The district attorney’s office is conducting an investigation into hush-money payments Trump made in 2016 and possible bank and insurance fraud.
The district attorney’s office is conducting an investigation into hush-money payments Trump made in 2016 and possible bank and insurance fraud. Another 1.1 million Americans filed for unemployment claims last week, according to the Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment figures. The figure marks a concerning uptick compared to the week before.
according to the Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment figures. The figure marks a concerning uptick compared to the week before. NBC News reported that Stephen Miller wanted to separate tens of thousand more migrant kids from their parents, and that he made top Trump officials personally endorse moving forward with the family separation policy in an early May 2018 show-of-hands vote at a White House meeting.
and that he made top Trump officials personally endorse moving forward with the family separation policy in an early May 2018 show-of-hands vote at a White House meeting. Wisconsin said Kanye West did not make the deadline to appear on the ballot as a presidential candidate, a setback for Republicans who hoped the artist would steal votes away from Biden and help Trump to victory in a key swing state.
21 Aug 2020 01.20 BST White Republican in Wisconsin argued black voters deserve Kanye West on the ballot BREAKING: Wisconsin Elections Commission votes 5-1 to reject Kanye West's nominating petitions, keeping him off the Wisconsin ballot. — Molly Beck (@MollyBeck) August 20, 2020 Wisconsin’s elections commission ruled 5-1 today that Kanye West did not make the deadline to appear on November’s ballot as a presidential candidate. The one dissenting vote was a white Republican who argued that West should appear on the ballot because black Milwaukee residents deserved to be able to vote for a black candidate after what they experienced at the polls in April. Polling place closures and coronavirus fears in the early weeks of the pandemic resulted in significant numbers of voters, particularly black voters, being dissuaded from voting, a study from the Brennan Center for Justice concluded. “Mr. (Kanye) West is an African American candidate,” Republican Robert Spindell said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “and I think we should do all we can to — after the terrible treatment that the Black population in Milwaukee received during the April election — that we given them a choice.” The Journal Sentinel reported that the decision was a loss for supporters of Trump, who have been pushing West’s candidacy as a spoiler campaign. State Elections Commission votes to keep Kanye West off Wisconsin ballot in November.
One GOP source has said the goal was for West to get 107K votes, about what Libertarian Gary Johnson did in 2016. Trump won WI by about 22K votes. https://t.co/oqWOJQMlJt via @journalsentinel — Molly Beck (@MollyBeck) August 20, 2020
20 Aug 2020 00.50 BST What NBC reported about Trump officials raising their hands for child separation More on that NBC News story about an early May 2018 White House meeting at which Stephen Miller reportedly demanded that top Trump officials raise their hands to endorse moving forward with the administration’s policy of family separation.
Which cabinet members reportedly raised their hands to support what has been widely condemned as one of the most evil and inhumane acts of the Trump administration? NBC News does not provide a breakdown of the vote, other than reporting that then-secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen “kept hers down,” and that a lot of other people raised their hands. But NBC News said a document listed those who had been invited to the meeting, including: secretary of state Mike Pompeo, health and human services secretary Alex Azar, attorney general Jeff Sessions, then-White House chief of staff John Kelly, White House deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell, then-White House counsel Don McGahn, and Marc Short, then director of legislative affairs and now chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence.
It’s worth noting that on Monday, Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff at Trump’s Department of Homeland Security, went public with an endorsement of Joe Biden, and with a scathing op-ed about his experiences working for Trump. Like this NBC News report citing two unnamed officials present at the meting, Taylor’s op-ed contained details that appeared designed to defend his former boss, Nielsen, for her role in the administration’s family separation policy.
20 Aug 2020 00.38 BST NBC: Trump advisers endorsed separation of migrant families with show-of-hands vote Trump adviser Stephen Miller had wanted to separate even more migrant children from their parents than the administration eventually did, three former administration officials told NBC News. “While ‘zero tolerance’ ultimately separated nearly 3,000 children from their parents, what Miller proposed would have separated an additional 25,000, including those who legally presented themselves at a port of entry seeking asylum, according to Customs and Border Protection data from May and June 2018,” NBC News reported. The new report from NBC News also details a May 2018 meeting at which top Trump advisers reportedly raised their hands to personally endorse the administration’s separation of migrant kids and parents at the US border, a policy which was later widely condemned as an “unconscionable” human rights violation, and as child abuse. Frustrated that the administration’s “zero tolerance” policy was not yet being put into action, Stephen Miller demanded that powerful administration officials raise their hands to show support for moving forward, NBC News reported, and “a sea of hands went up.” The details of the meeting were provided to NBC News by two unnamed officials who were in the room, and backed up with a document about who was invited to the meeting. A White House spokesperson denied to NBC News that the show-of-hands vote happened. Exclusive from @JuliaEAinsley and @jacobsoboroff In a tense 2018 White House meeting of many top Trump advisers, Stephen Miller demanded a show-of-hands vote to allow separation of migrant kids and parents, officials say. https://t.co/m8r3uVhX0O — NBC Investigations (@NBCInvestigates) August 20, 2020
Updated at 00.39 BST
20 Aug 2020 23.32 BST Endorsing with the Stars: Steph and Ayesha Curry for Joe Biden The Democratic National Convention shared a clip from the NBA star and TV cooking personality’s Biden endorsement, which will be aired tonight. Here’s the preview clip of Steph and Ayesha Curry’s video with their kids endorsing Joe Biden, which’ll air in full tonight. https://t.co/28JFqpVTOk — Matt Berman (@Mr_Berman) August 20, 2020
20 Aug 2020 23.11 BST Sam Levine ‘He didn’t strike me as a serious candidate:’ questions about DeJoy’s qualifications Postmaster General Louis DeJoy did not seem to be a “serious candidate” to serve as postmaster general during an interview with the agency’s board of governor’s, David Williams, a former member of the board, told Congress on Thursday. DeJoy did “particularly badly” during his second interview for the position, when John Barger, a Trump appointee to the board, had to complete question answers for DeJoy and explain what he meant. “He didn’t strike me as a serious candidate,” Williams told the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
DeJoy’s role in leading the agency are under heavy scrutiny amid reports of widespread mail delays across the country. Donald Trump has admitted he does not want to fund the postal service because doing so would make it easier for Americans to vote by mail this fall. DeJoy announced this week he was “suspending” recent changes believe to be causing delays until after the election, but many worry the damage has already been done. Williams also said that Barger, not the outside search firm looking for a new postmaster general, brought DeJoy’s name to the board for consideration. The Washington Post reported Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin recruited DeJoy, a major Republican donor without prior USPS experience, to the position.
Williams said he did not believe DeJoy underwent a background check before being appointed to the position. Questions about DeJoy’s business entanglements and potential conflicts of interest have come to light in recent weeks. Williams also raised concern about recent decisions to remove mail sorting machines and mailboxes, saying they were puzzling and would not save USPS money.


theguardian--2020-08-20--Biden expected to aim for reassurance over inspiration in DNC speech

When Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 , he gave a speech remembered for its soaring rhetoric about renewing “ the American promise ” .
When his former vice-president , Joe Biden , accepts the presidential nomination on Thursday night , he is expected to aim for something a bit different : basic reassurance .
Reassurance that millions of jobs lost in the last six months can be recovered .
Reassurance that help is on the way in combating the coronavirus .
Reassurance that a baseline of decent conduct still pertains in public life .
The task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Biden say .
The task is to relate , and to remind voters from both parties , or no party , about something they might miss out of Washington .
Opening a new chapter in a 50-year political career , Biden will accept his charge in the climactic speech of the Democratic national convention , bringing to a close four nights of political cheerleading , policy-hashing and Donald Trump-bashing .
The event at times has come across as an incomprehensible digital patchwork , and in other moments – in the testimony of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 , and the historic nomination of the first woman of color as vice-president – has sent tremors of hope and expectation through Democratic circles about the party ’ s prospects in November .
But it is up to Biden to deliver the crowning moment , in remarks that millions of Americans will follow on the official convention live stream , over social media or through video clips circulating before the Republicans get their own national convention under way next Monday .
“ He recognizes this isn ’ t about Donald Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s about us , ” Senator Chris Coons of Delaware , a close Biden ally , told Reuters .
“ And it ’ s about who ’ s going to move us forward in a way that reminds us of the best in America , not the worst.
” The president seems determined to interrupt the moment , planning a rally on Thursday afternoon outside Biden ’ s hometown of Scranton , Pennsylvania .
Trump has held similar rallies in recent days at airports in Wisconsin and Minnesota , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The incursion into Pennsylvania , which Trump flipped from the Democrats in 2016 but where polling averages currently have Biden ahead of Trump by more than six points , was taken as a particularly flagrant move .
A Trump campaign spokesperson told the Associated Press that Trump would highlight “ a half-century of Joe Biden failing America ” .
“ This sideshow is a pathetic attempt to distract from the fact that Trump ’ s presidency stands for nothing but crises , lies and division , ” said a Biden spokesman , Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his political strengths that Biden has in the past been able to connect with the demographic that shapes the core of Trump supporters , including white , low-income voters without a college degree .
But the challenge for Biden on Thursday , in the view of some analysts , was to connect with his own party .
As a septuagenerian Washington veteran , Biden was the clear pick of Democratic primary voters , but the progressive left has shown some discomfort with the nominee , 12 years after the party elected the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it elevated the first female presidential nominee from a major party .
In a nod to the party ’ s pluralism , Biden was to be preceded on Thursday night by prominent progressives including the New Jersey senator Cory Booker and by elected female officials who were seriously considered as vice-presidential picks , including Atlanta ’ s mayor , Keisha Lance Bottoms , and Senators Tammy Baldwin and Tammy Duckworth .
Pete Buttigieg , who broke ground this spring as an openly gay presidential candidate , was also scheduled to speak .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the political realm for their big finale .
The proceedings were to be hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus , the star of the long-running political satire Veep , with musical performances slated from the Chicks ( formerly the Dixie Chicks ) , John Legend and Common .
As the night wears on , however , the event seemed designed to highlight the big-tent nature of the Democratic party , rather than its grassroots and activist fervor .
Both Andrew Yang , a businessman who scored a breakout success among independents as a presidential candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Bloomberg , the billionaire former Republican and brief 2020 candidate , were scheduled to speak before Biden .
Particular Democratic grumbling attended the prime speaking slot given to Bloomberg , especially when the Democratic national committee had been criticized in recent days for reserving few slots for Latino leaders and giving short time to young party leaders such as Georgia ’ s Stacey Abrams and the New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
In March it was announced that Bloomberg had taken $ 18m from his failed presidential bid and transferred it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaks out inside the big tent , in the end it is Biden who will be in the spotlight .
He has taken six Senate terms , eight years as vice-president and two previous failed runs for the presidency to get there .
And his job will be to make every viewer feel like he is talking to her or him personally .
In a tribute to Biden at the convention on Wednesday night , Obama said that connecting was what Biden does best .
“ That empathy , that decency , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody counts – that ’ s who Joe is .
”

When Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, he gave a speech remembered for its soaring rhetoric about renewing “the American promise”. When his former vice-president, Joe Biden, accepts the presidential nomination on Thursday night, he is expected to aim for something a bit different: basic reassurance.
Reassurance that millions of jobs lost in the last six months can be recovered. Reassurance that help is on the way in combating the coronavirus. Reassurance that a baseline of decent conduct still pertains in public life.
The task is not to inspire, political advisers to Biden say. The task is to relate, and to remind voters from both parties, or no party, about something they might miss out of Washington.
Opening a new chapter in a 50-year political career, Biden will accept his charge in the climactic speech of the Democratic national convention, bringing to a close four nights of political cheerleading, policy-hashing and Donald Trump-bashing.
The event at times has come across as an incomprehensible digital patchwork, and in other moments – in the testimony of those who have lost loved ones to Covid-19, and the historic nomination of the first woman of color as vice-president – has sent tremors of hope and expectation through Democratic circles about the party’s prospects in November.
But it is up to Biden to deliver the crowning moment, in remarks that millions of Americans will follow on the official convention live stream, over social media or through video clips circulating before the Republicans get their own national convention under way next Monday.
“He recognizes this isn’t about Donald Trump, it’s not about Joe Biden, it’s about us,” Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, a close Biden ally, told Reuters. “And it’s about who’s going to move us forward in a way that reminds us of the best in America, not the worst.”
The president seems determined to interrupt the moment, planning a rally on Thursday afternoon outside Biden’s hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Trump has held similar rallies in recent days at airports in Wisconsin and Minnesota, with social distancing measures for the crowd.
The incursion into Pennsylvania, which Trump flipped from the Democrats in 2016 but where polling averages currently have Biden ahead of Trump by more than six points, was taken as a particularly flagrant move. A Trump campaign spokesperson told the Associated Press that Trump would highlight “a half-century of Joe Biden failing America”.
“This sideshow is a pathetic attempt to distract from the fact that Trump’s presidency stands for nothing but crises, lies and division,” said a Biden spokesman, Andrew Bates.
It is seen as one of his political strengths that Biden has in the past been able to connect with the demographic that shapes the core of Trump supporters, including white, low-income voters without a college degree.
But the challenge for Biden on Thursday, in the view of some analysts, was to connect with his own party. As a septuagenerian Washington veteran, Biden was the clear pick of Democratic primary voters, but the progressive left has shown some discomfort with the nominee, 12 years after the party elected the first black president and four years after it elevated the first female presidential nominee from a major party.
In a nod to the party’s pluralism, Biden was to be preceded on Thursday night by prominent progressives including the New Jersey senator Cory Booker and by elected female officials who were seriously considered as vice-presidential picks, including Atlanta’s mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and Senators Tammy Baldwin and Tammy Duckworth. Pete Buttigieg, who broke ground this spring as an openly gay presidential candidate, was also scheduled to speak.
The Democrats saved some big names from outside the political realm for their big finale. The proceedings were to be hosted by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the star of the long-running political satire Veep, with musical performances slated from the Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks), John Legend and Common.
As the night wears on, however, the event seemed designed to highlight the big-tent nature of the Democratic party, rather than its grassroots and activist fervor.
Both Andrew Yang, a businessman who scored a breakout success among independents as a presidential candidate touting a universal basic income, and Mike Bloomberg, the billionaire former Republican and brief 2020 candidate, were scheduled to speak before Biden.
Particular Democratic grumbling attended the prime speaking slot given to Bloomberg, especially when the Democratic national committee had been criticized in recent days for reserving few slots for Latino leaders and giving short time to young party leaders such as Georgia’s Stacey Abrams and the New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
In March it was announced that Bloomberg had taken $18m from his failed presidential bid and transferred it to the Democratic National Committee.
Whatever chaos breaks out inside the big tent, in the end it is Biden who will be in the spotlight. He has taken six Senate terms, eight years as vice-president and two previous failed runs for the presidency to get there. And his job will be to make every viewer feel like he is talking to her or him personally.
In a tribute to Biden at the convention on Wednesday night, Obama said that connecting was what Biden does best.
“That empathy, that decency,” Obama said, “the belief that everybody counts – that’s who Joe is.”


theguardian--2020-08-20--Mike Pompeo sets US on collision course with UN partners over Iran

Mike Pompeo has set the US on a collision course with most of its UN partners in an attempt to extend the isolation of Iran .
Instead it was the US which appeared beleaguered , with Pompeo clashing bitterly with European allies , emphasising a deepening Transatlantic rift .
The US secretary of state went to the UN on Thursday to set in motion a diplomatic gambit , claiming the US is still a participant in the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran – from which Donald Trump explicitly withdrew two years ago – and therefore retains the right under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ snapback ” or resumption of full UN sanctions .
Very few other UN member states think the US has the authority to do this .
Even before he made a scheduled announcement at the UN headquarters in New York , the UK , France and Germany issued a statement saying the the US was not a participant and they would not support it .
In response , Pompeo denounced the Europeans as having chosen to “ side with the Ayatollahs ” .
“ Their actions endanger the people of Iraq , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indeed their own citizens as well , ” he told reporters .
“ America won ’ t join in this failure of leadership .
America will not appease .
America will lead.
” The extent of US isolation was illustrated by a related vote in the security council last week , in which it received support from the Dominican Republic alone , despite an intense and targeted lobbying campaign .
Pompeo met the UN secretary general , António Guterres , and the current chair of the UN security council , the Indonesian permanent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York on Thursday , to deliver formal notice that the US considers Iran to be in non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal , known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA ) .
The snapback mechanism was written into the JCPOA to give the parties to the deal confidence that any one of them could reimpose sanctions if Iran violated the agreement .
It was not intended for a state that had left the agreement to exploit it .
The US is claiming still to be a JCPOA participant through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that it is named as a participant in a UN resolution endorsing the JCPOA .
But that stance was quickly rejected by European governments .
“ France , Germany and the United Kingdom ( “ the E3 ” ) note that the US ceased to be a participant to the JCPoA following their withdrawal from the deal on May 8 , 2018 , ” a joint letter from the three governments said .
“ We can not therefore support this action which is incompatible with our current efforts to support the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been served , there is a 30-day window after which , in the absence of a security council resolution to the contrary , all UN sanctions in place under the 2015 deal will snap back into place .
It is likely Pompeo has timed his visit to the UN so that the month-long grace period will end in time for Donald Trump ’ s speech to the UN general assembly summit in the last week of September , allowing the president to declare that UN sanctions have been restored .
The US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put particular pressure on the UK , which has thus far stuck with European powers on the issue .
Richard Gowan , the UN director at the International Crisis Group , said that US leaks earlier in the year , revealing that it had threatened the UK and other European countries with sanctions if they did not take action against Iran , had backfired .
“ That was an exceedingly stupid move because , especially in London , ministers were deeply offended that the US was treating them in this way , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Johnson administration in London started to stiffen its spine and wonder whether it really wanted to end up supporting the US in this process , ” Gowan said .
The outcome is expected to be messy , with conflicting versions of reality , and no clear adjudicator .
The matter could be referred to the international court of justice in The Hague , but a ruling could take a year .
Ellie Geranmayeh , a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations said : “ Other nations appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a rampaging toddler and hope that the US swiftly grows out of its maximum pressure phase.
” Wendy Sherman , a former state department official who was lead US negotiator on the JCPOA , said : “ This is really a process that will just be mucked around in the procedural political process of the United Nations , and at the end of the day , we ’ ll go out with a whimper , not with a bang.
” Confusion may suit the Trump administration , which would be seen domestically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It will also make banks and companies more skittish about financing Iranian purchases of even humanitarian goods on the global market , increasing pressure on Tehran .
Most observers believe Trump and Pompeo ’ s ultimate aim is to provoke Iran into retaliatory action , formal withdrawal from the JCPOA and expulsion of nuclear inspectors , for example , which will make it impossible to salvage the 2015 agreement even if Joe Biden wins the presidency in November .

Mike Pompeo has set the US on a collision course with most of its UN partners in an attempt to extend the isolation of Iran.
Instead it was the US which appeared beleaguered, with Pompeo clashing bitterly with European allies, emphasising a deepening Transatlantic rift.
The US secretary of state went to the UN on Thursday to set in motion a diplomatic gambit, claiming the US is still a participant in the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran – from which Donald Trump explicitly withdrew two years ago – and therefore retains the right under the rules of the deal to trigger a “snapback” or resumption of full UN sanctions.
Very few other UN member states think the US has the authority to do this. Even before he made a scheduled announcement at the UN headquarters in New York, the UK, France and Germany issued a statement saying the the US was not a participant and they would not support it.
In response, Pompeo denounced the Europeans as having chosen to “side with the Ayatollahs”.
“Their actions endanger the people of Iraq, of Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and indeed their own citizens as well,” he told reporters. “America won’t join in this failure of leadership. America will not appease. America will lead.”
The extent of US isolation was illustrated by a related vote in the security council last week, in which it received support from the Dominican Republic alone, despite an intense and targeted lobbying campaign.
Pompeo met the UN secretary general, António Guterres, and the current chair of the UN security council, the Indonesian permanent representative, Dian Triansyah Djani, in New York on Thursday, to deliver formal notice that the US considers Iran to be in non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The snapback mechanism was written into the JCPOA to give the parties to the deal confidence that any one of them could reimpose sanctions if Iran violated the agreement. It was not intended for a state that had left the agreement to exploit it. The US is claiming still to be a JCPOA participant through a legal technicality, based largely on the fact that it is named as a participant in a UN resolution endorsing the JCPOA. But that stance was quickly rejected by European governments.
“France, Germany and the United Kingdom (“the E3”) note that the US ceased to be a participant to the JCPoA following their withdrawal from the deal on May 8, 2018,” a joint letter from the three governments said. “We cannot therefore support this action which is incompatible with our current efforts to support the JCPOA.”
After a notice of non-compliance has been served, there is a 30-day window after which, in the absence of a security council resolution to the contrary, all UN sanctions in place under the 2015 deal will snap back into place.
It is likely Pompeo has timed his visit to the UN so that the month-long grace period will end in time for Donald Trump’s speech to the UN general assembly summit in the last week of September, allowing the president to declare that UN sanctions have been restored.
The US is seeking to rally support and to put particular pressure on the UK, which has thus far stuck with European powers on the issue.
Richard Gowan, the UN director at the International Crisis Group, said that US leaks earlier in the year, revealing that it had threatened the UK and other European countries with sanctions if they did not take action against Iran, had backfired.
“That was an exceedingly stupid move because, especially in London, ministers were deeply offended that the US was treating them in this way, and actually that was probably the first moment that the Johnson administration in London started to stiffen its spine and wonder whether it really wanted to end up supporting the US in this process,” Gowan said.
The outcome is expected to be messy, with conflicting versions of reality, and no clear adjudicator. The matter could be referred to the international court of justice in The Hague, but a ruling could take a year.
Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations said: “Other nations appear poised to treat it like a tirade from a rampaging toddler and hope that the US swiftly grows out of its maximum pressure phase.”
Wendy Sherman, a former state department official who was lead US negotiator on the JCPOA, said: “This is really a process that will just be mucked around in the procedural political process of the United Nations, and at the end of the day, we’ll go out with a whimper, not with a bang.”
Confusion may suit the Trump administration, which would be seen domestically as tough on Iran and the UN. It will also make banks and companies more skittish about financing Iranian purchases of even humanitarian goods on the global market, increasing pressure on Tehran.
Most observers believe Trump and Pompeo’s ultimate aim is to provoke Iran into retaliatory action, formal withdrawal from the JCPOA and expulsion of nuclear inspectors, for example, which will make it impossible to salvage the 2015 agreement even if Joe Biden wins the presidency in November.


theguardian--2020-08-20--Steve Bannon's indictment tops a disastrous week for Donald Trump | Lloyd Green

Trump University may be gone but its spirit lives on .
On Thursday , federal prosecutors for the southern district of New York announced the indictment and arrest of Steve Bannon , the mastermind behind Donald Trump ’ s 2016 upset victory , and three others on a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud .
Prosecutors allege that defendants allegedly bilked more than $ 25m in a crowdfunding campaign , and as part of the scheme , Bannon purportedly funneled $ 1m through a separate non-profit with more than a few golden crumbs used to “ cover hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expenses .
In case anyone forgot , Bill Barr , Trump ’ s attorney general failed in his attempt to make the SDNY an extension of Main Justice , and the SDNY has investigated and prosecuted close allies of the president .
Regardless , having persuaded nearly 63 million Americans four years ago into voting for a reality TV star with a string of corporate bankruptcies to his name , it was time for one more score by the president ’ s erstwhile allies .
So this is what “ law and order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : corruption at society ’ s highest levels , wholesale contempt for the constitution , and crime in the streets .
To be sure , this is the same crew that made “ lock her up ” a campaign rallying cry and convinced a portion of the electorate that Mexico would pay for the wall .
Indeed , over the course of a morning , Bannon gained one more thing in common with Mike Flynn , Trump ’ s disgraced national security adviser who like Bannon was exiled from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , Flynn is a convicted felon ; Bannon may yet become one .
Regardless , the news could not have come at a worse time for the president .
There are only 75 days to the election , Joe Biden ’ s lead is fairly steady , and Hillary Clinton is not on the ballot .
In other words , the indictment of Bannon & Co is one more rancid cherry sitting atop a disastrous week for Trump .
Minutes after federal prosecutors unsealed the criminal charges , a federal judge dismissed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again sought to block the Manhattan district attorney , Cyrus Vance Jr , from obtaining the tax returns and business records of Trump and his company .
As for the merits of Trump ’ s arguments , the court observed , they are “ as unprecedented and far-reaching as it is perilous to the rule of law and other bedrock constitutional principles on which this country was founded and by which it continues to be governed ” .
It wasn ’ t enough that the US supreme court had previously refused to buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , fear of his own indictment weighs heavily on the ageing one-time real estate developer .
In turn , all this comes on the heels of the US Senate ’ s intelligence committee report that confirmed that Trump had lied to Robert Mueller , the special counsel , and that Paul Manafort worked hand in glove with a Russian intelligence asset to help elect Trump .
Yes , there really was collusion .
Indeed , Jared Kushner , Trump ’ s son-in-law , could not have made things any clearer about how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As Barack Obama was warning the US of the danger posed by Trump to the country and democracy , Kushner proclaimed on Fox News : “ In the Democratic convention , I ’ m hearing a lot of lecturing moralists … in this administration , we have a lot of doers , we have businessmen , we have people who are held accountable.
” Accountable ?
Facing a burgeoning pandemic back in March , Trump had this to say , “ I don ’ t take responsibility at all.
” Also for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security clearance the same way he got into Harvard – “ Daddy ” pulled some very expensive strings .
Once upon a time , Kushner even predicted that the US would be “ rocking ” come July .
Instead , Covid ’ s death toll hovers at the 175,000-mark , first-time unemployment claims are rising , and the president has designated QAnon , the hate-filled conspiracy movement as a de facto Republican party adjunct .
Predictably , Trump has contradicted himself even as he seeks to distance himself from Bannon .
Asked about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t “ know anything about the project at all ” and that he “ didn ’ t like that project ” because he thought it was “ being done for showboating reasons ” .
So was Trump ignorant or did he have a problem with We Build the Wall for its lack of modesty ?
Try none of the above .
Rather , Trump again appears to be dancing around the truth , ie , lying .
In January 2019 , Kris Kobach , Kansas ’ s ex-state attorney general and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times that Trump had bestowed his “ blessing ” on the project .
Bannon was hauled into custody by the US Postal Inspector Service .
While the US Postal Service refuses to guarantee that absentee ballots will be delivered on time , it still had the manpower and money for a few more arrests .
Irony abounds , the indictment also seeks asset forfeiture .

Trump University may be gone but its spirit lives on. On Thursday, federal prosecutors for the southern district of New York announced the indictment and arrest of Steve Bannon, the mastermind behind Donald Trump’s 2016 upset victory, and three others on a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors allege that defendants allegedly bilked more than $25m in a crowdfunding campaign, and as part of the scheme, Bannon purportedly funneled $1m through a separate non-profit with more than a few golden crumbs used to “cover hundreds of thousands of dollars” in personal expenses.
In case anyone forgot, Bill Barr, Trump’s attorney general failed in his attempt to make the SDNY an extension of Main Justice, and the SDNY has investigated and prosecuted close allies of the president. Regardless, having persuaded nearly 63 million Americans four years ago into voting for a reality TV star with a string of corporate bankruptcies to his name, it was time for one more score by the president’s erstwhile allies.
So this is what “law and order” means in the age of Trump: corruption at society’s highest levels, wholesale contempt for the constitution, and crime in the streets. To be sure, this is the same crew that made “lock her up” a campaign rallying cry and convinced a portion of the electorate that Mexico would pay for the wall.
Indeed, over the course of a morning, Bannon gained one more thing in common with Mike Flynn, Trump’s disgraced national security adviser who like Bannon was exiled from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue’s island of broken toys. For now, Flynn is a convicted felon; Bannon may yet become one.
01:11 Trump says he knows 'nothing' about border wall project following Bannon's arrest – video
Regardless, the news could not have come at a worse time for the president. There are only 75 days to the election, Joe Biden’s lead is fairly steady, and Hillary Clinton is not on the ballot. In other words, the indictment of Bannon & Co is one more rancid cherry sitting atop a disastrous week for Trump.
Minutes after federal prosecutors unsealed the criminal charges, a federal judge dismissed Trump’s latest lawsuit, which again sought to block the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr, from obtaining the tax returns and business records of Trump and his company.
As for the merits of Trump’s arguments, the court observed, they are “as unprecedented and far-reaching as it is perilous to the rule of law and other bedrock constitutional principles on which this country was founded and by which it continues to be governed”.
It wasn’t enough that the US supreme court had previously refused to buy what the president was selling. Apparently, fear of his own indictment weighs heavily on the ageing one-time real estate developer.
In turn, all this comes on the heels of the US Senate’s intelligence committee report that confirmed that Trump had lied to Robert Mueller, the special counsel, and that Paul Manafort worked hand in glove with a Russian intelligence asset to help elect Trump. Yes, there really was collusion.
Indeed, Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, could not have made things any clearer about how the president and his minions view re-election. As Barack Obama was warning the US of the danger posed by Trump to the country and democracy, Kushner proclaimed on Fox News: “In the Democratic convention, I’m hearing a lot of lecturing moralists … in this administration, we have a lot of doers, we have businessmen, we have people who are held accountable.”
Accountable? Facing a burgeoning pandemic back in March, Trump had this to say, “I don’t take responsibility at all.” Also for the record, Kushner received his White House security clearance the same way he got into Harvard – “Daddy” pulled some very expensive strings.
Once upon a time, Kushner even predicted that the US would be “rocking” come July. Instead, Covid’s death toll hovers at the 175,000-mark, first-time unemployment claims are rising, and the president has designated QAnon, the hate-filled conspiracy movement as a de facto Republican party adjunct.
Predictably, Trump has contradicted himself even as he seeks to distance himself from Bannon. Asked about the latest charges, Trump said he didn’t “know anything about the project at all” and that he “didn’t like that project” because he thought it was “being done for showboating reasons”.
So was Trump ignorant or did he have a problem with We Build the Wall for its lack of modesty? Try none of the above.
Rather, Trump again appears to be dancing around the truth, ie, lying. In January 2019, Kris Kobach, Kansas’s ex-state attorney general and immigration hardliner, told the New York Times that Trump had bestowed his “blessing” on the project.
Bannon was hauled into custody by the US Postal Inspector Service. While the US Postal Service refuses to guarantee that absentee ballots will be delivered on time, it still had the manpower and money for a few more arrests. Irony abounds, the indictment also seeks asset forfeiture.