theguardian--2020-10-13--'Personally, I'm scared': Black Americans fear the racism Trump has let out of the bag

After 10 years of living peaceably in Alamance county , an overwhelmingly white-majority rural county in North Carolina between Raleigh and Greensboro , Bonnie Dobson had a serious dilemma .
Should she support the anti-racism candidates she ’ s been working to elect by putting their signs in her front yard or not ?
“ I rarely put my views out there for fear of retaliation against my children , ” says Dobson , an African American mother of three in her 50s .
“ There ’ s people I associate with and talk to and may even socialize with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how I feel about social issues .
I don ’ t talk about it , because it ’ s not welcome.
” Others in the community are not as taciturn .
Recent public expressions of foul language against protesters of a Confederate statue in Graham , the county seat , add to her fears that Trump has let the racism all the way out of the bag , and it isn ’ t going back anytime soon .
Two men were arrested for attacking two peaceful demonstrators at a protest in June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she says , referring to the election results .
“ They ’ re flying Confederate flags , calling you ugly things .
They ’ re very comfortable with that now ; either way it ’ s not going to go well.
” Terror of scarcity in a rural economy that ’ s never recovered from the 2008 recession has been accompanied by a surge of white supremacist organizing by Alamance County Taking Back Alamance County [ ACTBAC ] , a so-called Southern heritage group .
A countervailing progressive force might have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county ’ s economic deterioration such as the legislature ’ s tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations foisted on the state by its Republican super-majority .
They opted for the “ trickle down ” approach rather than pursuing Medicaid expansion , a living wage and investment in broadband and transportation options to connect rural workers to jobs .
Instead , race-based anti-immigrant scapegoating helped Trump overwhelm Hillary Clinton 54.5 % to 41.9 % .
Some members of ACTBAC went to the 2017 “ Unite the Right ” rally in Charlottesville , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down by an adherent of Hitler ’ s Final Solution .
Her murder deemed a federal hate crime , a sentence of life plus 419 years was imposed on Heyer ’ s killer .
But the rhetoric hangs in the air and gun sales in the state are off the charts – despite a shortage of ammunition .
Alamance county ’ s population of 169,509 is dispersed over 424sq miles ; a quarter of its residents lack broadband connectivity .
Whites comprise 73.6 % , Blacks 20.9 % , Hispanics or Latinos 13.1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 54 hosiery manufacturers and 30 textile mills , workplaces that provided secure jobs .
But under globalization the entire industry migrated abroad in the 1990s , and mills up and down the Haw River that had sustained the economy since the mid-19th century were abandoned , their hulks standing as memorials to a prosperity no longer in reach .
A defunct furniture plant in downtown Mebane has been repurposed into high end apartments with studios starting at $ 875 a month , and on the other side of the train tracks , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lofts for families of four with a maximum income of $ 33,660 .
Together they mark the growing inequality as the county moves toward becoming a bedroom community for commuters to the Research Triangle and Piedmont Triad , priced out of their own communities and trading cheaper housing for a 45-minute drive each way .
In a county where the largest cash crops include soybeans , tobacco and corn , independent small farmers are burdened by depressed commodity prices and the “ extreme uncertainty and instability in agricultural markets caused by Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoe Willingham , research associate for economic policy at the Center for American Progress and co-author of : The Path to Rural Resilience in America , a rural investment white paper .
The average age of Alamance farmers is just over 58 years old .
Willingham worries about what will happen to their approximately 80,000 acres as the current crop of landowners ages out : will they be transferred to a new generation of farming families , or to Big Ag ?
Alexandra Sirota is the director of the Budget & Tax Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a thinktank in Raleigh committed to ending poverty .
She reports that rural poverty rates are on the rise , young people are leaving for the cities , and wages have fallen in 44 of North Carolina ’ s 100 counties , including Alamance , since 2009 .
“ Coming out of the 2008 recession , there were a bunch of mini chances to make progress , and at every moment we took the wrong turn , ” she says .
“ The state continues to underspend year after year despite growing needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s family lives in a rambling old farmhouse on 4 acres not far from her aging parents .
Lately because of Covid , she ’ s been taking “ getaway ” walks on a nearby trail , going in the early mornings because it ’ s empty at that time and distancing is not an issue .
“ Sometimes I ’ ll listen to a Brené Brown podcast , or just walk in the silence or birdsong ; there ’ s magnolia trees and ornamental grasses that sway with the breeze , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manmade pond with turtles , ” she says .
“ It ’ s flat all the way.
” Their home life , she says , has been “ lovely ” , and they ’ ve focused on scholastics and soccer and growing their daughters into accomplished young women .
But it ’ s come at a price she can no longer afford to pay : her silence .
Silence about the effort required not to internalize the many indignities that come her way on any given day .
Some , she says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Black hair care products on the tallest , hardest to reach shelf in the back of the Walmart .
Others are more wounding , like conversations peppered with casual racist slurs gussied up as clueless compliments : “ You ’ re awfully smart for a colored gal.
” But her silence has become corrosive to her soul , and it ’ s now cracking wide open .
“ When George Floyd was murdered , it completely rocked my world , ” she says .
“ I ’ m beginning to find my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s time.
” Last fall Dobson came home from picking up one of her kids at school to find a car in the driveway .
Sugelema “ Shug ” Lynch from Down Home North Carolina had stopped by to engage her in a “ deep canvassing ” session , which is a method of compassionate listening and empathy in which participants exchange and reflect on issues where the personal meets the political , like access to healthcare .
It ’ s a technique that seemed intuitive to Brigid Flaherty , the organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2016 election results , moved to North Carolina , where her mom lives , to see if she could help open up the conversation about race .
Along with George Goehl , the director of People ’ s Action , a national organization devoted to progressive policy advocacy for rural America , they co-founded Down Home North Carolina in 2017 .
It has established chapters in five rural North Carolina counties .
Deep canvasses are half-hour conversations with voters that are helping Down Home NC build a coalition of Black , brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral power for working families .
They can be revelatory .
In point of fact , Dobson says her talk with Lynch has changed the course of her life .
“ Shug and I shared stories about our experiences with healthcare and our views on immigration .
Then she left , but she ’ d made an impression on me , ” she says .
Dobson is now a lead canvasser for Down Home NC and loves the work .
Due to Covid , canvassers now make contact by phone , instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent study shows that long personal conversations held in advance of elections are about 102 times more effective at changing minds than the usual Get Out the Vote method , typically a brief one-way communication when dropping off campaign literature in the days before the vote .
The race for president in North Carolina is too close to call , with Trump currently trailing Biden by one to four percentage points in all seven polls tracked by CNN , a sea change from 2016 .
Gayle Schwartzberg , the group ’ s political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have to tell residents in Alamance that the current economy isn ’ t working for them .
“ Folks in rural communities are living it .
Jobs are dwindling , they ’ re having a really hard time making ends meet , there are months where they don ’ t know if they can make the rent.
” And that was before the pandemic .
With her colleague Mia Ives-Rublee and others , they developed a Relational Voter Turnout ( RVT ) program in which people activate their own social networks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chasm between registered and actual voter .
“ People contacted by people they know are four times more likely to agree to vote than if they ’ re contacted by a stranger , ” Ives-Rublee explains .
“ In deep canvassing we talk about issues in a way that ’ s respectful of the communities , and understanding of the ways people interact in those communities.
” One of the issues most on the minds of those canvassed last year were raids conducted by Ice in February 2019 throughout North Carolina , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baltutis , mayor of Burlington in Alamance county , signed on to a statement with six other mayors condemning the actions “ which have struck terror in the hearts of many of our valued community members ” .
In addition to wanting the raids and family separations to stop , those canvassed cared about financial dignity and police accountability , insights that informed the group ’ s endorsements of five candidates , including two important firsts .
If Dreama Caldwell is elected as Alamance county commissioner , she ’ ll be the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Born in the county , her road has been long and rugged ; her abolitionist stance on cash bail is personal and has been recounted in a passionate song by banjo player and songwriter Joe Troop called The Rise of Dreama Caldwell .
If Ricky Hurtado wins his race , he ’ ll be the first Latino person to serve in the state ’ s general assembly .
But none of that matters , he says , if the Democrats don ’ t succeed in capturing one of the chambers and breaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That will impact us not just for the next two years , but for the next 10 years .
It ’ s a national issue , too .
If we can get fair representation in North Carolina , which is very much a purple state , then we ’ ll get better , fairer representation in Congress.
” Ives-Rublee says that it ’ s Down Home ’ s strategy to bring people along in an arc – first issues , then candidates , followed by the importance of electing these particular people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requires us to stay nimble .
We ’ re asking people to mail in their ballots and vote as safely as possible , ’ she explains .
“ At the same time we ’ re trying to keep our ear to the ground if there are issues or delays with the USPS , and be prepared with contingency plans .
Getting out the vote in rural locations is extremely complex.
” Schwartzberg acknowledges that the country is in new territory , and doesn ’ t expect that we ’ ll have the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is going to be civil unrest , ” she says .
“ What we ’ re really preparing ourselves to do is to have a network of people who are trained in activism and who trust one another .
This is not a moment that has struck our communities this summer .
Four years ago a lot of promises were made to rural folks about fixing the economy , and we have not seen any of those changes.
” As scary as it can get in Alamance county , where the sheriff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid transmission and his own jail is full of virus , making arrest for participating in protests a terrifying prospect , Bonnie Dobson remains committed .
“ There are some really good people here that just need their eyes to be opened , ” she says .
“ The man who told me ‘ I was smart for a colored gal ’ is in his early 80s .
I put myself where he was , and I got it that it wasn ’ t the time to educate him , that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Later I ’ ll help him understand how I look at things.
” • None This article was amended on 13 October to correct when two men were arrested for attacking two peaceful demonstrators in Alamance county .

After 10 years of living peaceably in Alamance county, an overwhelmingly white-majority rural county in North Carolina between Raleigh and Greensboro, Bonnie Dobson had a serious dilemma. Should she support the anti-racism candidates she’s been working to elect by putting their signs in her front yard or not?
“I rarely put my views out there for fear of retaliation against my children,” says Dobson, an African American mother of three in her 50s. “There’s people I associate with and talk to and may even socialize with, but they don’t know how I feel about social issues. I don’t talk about it, because it’s not welcome.”
Others in the community are not as taciturn. Recent public expressions of foul language against protesters of a Confederate statue in Graham, the county seat, add to her fears that Trump has let the racism all the way out of the bag, and it isn’t going back anytime soon. Two men were arrested for attacking two peaceful demonstrators at a protest in June.
“Personally, I’m scared,” she says, referring to the election results. “They’re flying Confederate flags, calling you ugly things. They’re very comfortable with that now; either way it’s not going to go well.”
Terror of scarcity in a rural economy that’s never recovered from the 2008 recession has been accompanied by a surge of white supremacist organizing by Alamance County Taking Back Alamance County (ACTBAC), a so-called southern heritage group.
A countervailing progressive force might have pointed to more rational bases for the county’s economic deterioration such as the legislature’s tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations foisted on the state by its Republican super-majority. They opted for the “trickle down” approach rather than pursuing Medicaid expansion, a living wage and investment in broadband and transportation options to connect rural workers to jobs.
Instead, race-based anti-immigrant scapegoating helped Trump overwhelm Hillary Clinton 54.5% to 41.9%. Some members of ACTBAC went to the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Heather Heyer was run down by an adherent of Hitler’s Final Solution. Her murder deemed a federal hate crime, a sentence of life plus 419 years was imposed on Heyer’s killer.
But the rhetoric hangs in the air and gun sales in the state are off the charts – despite a shortage of ammunition.
Protesters with the Burlington-Alamance March For Justice and Community march in Graham, North Carolina, on 11 July. Photograph: Logan Cyrus/AFP/Getty Images
Alamance county’s population of 169,509 is dispersed over 424sq miles; a quarter of its residents lack broadband connectivity. Whites comprise 62.9% , Blacks 20.9%, Hispanics or Latinos 13.1%. It was once home to 54 hosiery manufacturers and 30 textile mills, workplaces that provided secure jobs. But under globalization the entire industry migrated abroad in the 1990s, and mills up and down the Haw River that had sustained the economy since the mid-19th century were abandoned, their hulks standing as memorials to a prosperity no longer in reach.
A defunct furniture plant in downtown Mebane has been repurposed into high-end apartments with studios starting at $875 a month, and on the other side of the train tracks, an old mill has been turned into subsidized lofts for families of four with a maximum income of $33,660. Together they mark the growing inequality as the county moves toward becoming a bedroom community for commuters to the Research Triangle and Piedmont Triad, priced out of their own communities and trading cheaper housing for a 45-minute drive each way.
In a county where the largest cash crops include soybeans, tobacco and corn, independent small farmers are burdened by depressed commodity prices and the “extreme uncertainty and instability in agricultural markets caused by Trump’s approach to trade”, says Zoe Willingham, research associate for economic policy at the Center for American Progress and co-author of The Path to Rural Resilience in America, a rural investment white paper.
The average age of Alamance farmers is just over 58 years old. Willingham worries about what will happen to their approximately 80,000 acres as the current crop of landowners ages out: will they be transferred to a new generation of farming families, or to big ag?
Alexandra Sirota is the director of the Budget & Tax Center at the North Carolina Justice Center, a thinktank in Raleigh committed to ending poverty. She reports that rural poverty rates are on the rise, young people are leaving for the cities, and wages have fallen in 44 of North Carolina’s 100 counties, including Alamance, since 2009.
“Coming out of the 2008 recession, there were a bunch of mini chances to make progress, and at every moment we took the wrong turn,” she says. “The state continues to underspend year after year despite growing needs and growing population statewide.”
The Alamance county Confederate statue dedicated in 1914. Photograph: Bob Karp/Zuma Wire/Rex/Shutterstock
Dobson’s family lives in a rambling old farmhouse on four acres not far from her ageing parents. Lately because of Covid, she’s been taking “getaway” walks on a nearby trail, going in the early mornings because it’s empty at that time and distancing is not an issue.
“Sometimes I’ll listen to a Brené Brown podcast, or just walk in the silence or birdsong; there’s magnolia trees and ornamental grasses that sway with the breeze, and around this one little area, a manmade pond with turtles,” she says. “It’s flat all the way.”
Their home life, she says, has been “lovely”, and they’ve focused on scholastics and soccer and growing their daughters into accomplished young women. But it’s come at a price she can no longer afford to pay: her silence. Silence about the effort required not to internalize the many indignities that come her way on any given day. Some, she says, are small irritations, like the placement of Black hair care products on the tallest, hardest to reach shelf in the back of the Walmart. Others are more wounding, like conversations peppered with casual racist slurs gussied up as clueless compliments: “You’re awfully smart for a colored gal.”
But her silence has become corrosive to her soul, and it’s now cracking wide open.
“When George Floyd was murdered, it completely rocked my world,” she says. “I’m beginning to find my voice. At my age, it’s time.”
Last fall Dobson came home from picking up one of her kids at school to find a car in the driveway. Sugelema “Shug” Lynch from Down Home North Carolina had stopped by to engage her in a “deep canvassing” session, which is a method of compassionate listening and empathy in which participants exchange and reflect on issues where the personal meets the political, like access to healthcare.
It’s a technique that seemed intuitive to Brigid Flaherty, the organization’s co-director who, disturbed by the 2016 election results, moved to North Carolina, where her mom lives, to see if she could help open up the conversation about race. Along with George Goehl, the director of People’s Action, a national organization devoted to progressive policy advocacy for rural America, they co-founded Down Home North Carolina in 2017. It has established chapters in five rural North Carolina counties.
Deep canvasses are half-hour conversations with voters that are helping Down Home NC build a coalition of Black, brown and white folks in order to amass electoral power for working families. They can be revelatory. In point of fact, Dobson says her talk with Lynch has changed the course of her life.
“Shug and I shared stories about our experiences with healthcare and our views on immigration. Then she left, but she’d made an impression on me,” she says. Dobson is now a lead canvasser for Down Home NC and loves the work.
Due to Covid, canvassers now make contact by phone, instead of via face-to-face visits. A recent study shows that long personal conversations held in advance of elections are about 102 times more effective at changing minds than the usual Get Out the Vote method, typically a brief one-way communication when dropping off campaign literature in the days before the vote. The race for president in North Carolina is too close to call, with Trump currently trailing Biden by one to four percentage points in all seven polls tracked by CNN, a sea change from 2016.
Gayle Schwartzberg, the group’s political director, says her organization doesn’t have to tell residents in Alamance that the current economy isn’t working for them.
“Folks in rural communities are living it. Jobs are dwindling, they’re having a really hard time making ends meet, there are months where they don’t know if they can make the rent.” And that was before the pandemic.
With her colleague Mia Ives-Rublee and others, they developed a Relational Voter Turnout (RVT) program in which people activate their own social networks to make sure everyone votes, bridging the chasm between registered and actual voter.
“People contacted by people they know are four times more likely to agree to vote than if they’re contacted by a stranger,” Ives-Rublee explains. “In deep canvassing we talk about issues in a way that’s respectful of the communities, and understanding of the ways people interact in those communities.”
Aranza Sosa, center, holds a sign at a protest in front of the Alamance county government building in Graham, North Carolina, on 3 August. Sosa, who was born in Mexico and is now a US citizen, says the county is a hostile place for people of color. Photograph: Allen G Breed/AP
One of the issues most on the minds of those canvassed last year were raids conducted by Ice in February 2019 throughout North Carolina, in which 230 people were arrested. Ian Baltutis, mayor of Burlington in Alamance county, signed on to a statement with six other mayors condemning the actions “which have struck terror in the hearts of many of our valued community members”. In addition to wanting the raids and family separations to stop, those canvassed cared about financial dignity and police accountability, insights that informed the group’s endorsements of five candidates, including two important firsts. If Dreama Caldwell is elected as Alamance county commissioner, she’ll be the first African American woman to be sworn in. Born in the county, her road has been long and rugged; her abolitionist stance on cash bail is personal and has been recounted in a passionate song by banjo player and songwriter Joe Troop called The Rise of Dreama Caldwell.
If Ricky Hurtado wins his race, he’ll be the first Latino person to serve in the state’s general assembly. But none of that matters, he says, if the Democrats don’t succeed in capturing one of the chambers and breaking the super-majority before the 2021 redistricting.
“That will impact us not just for the next two years, but for the next 10 years. It’s a national issue, too. If we can get fair representation in North Carolina, which is very much a purple state, then we’ll get better, fairer representation in Congress.”
Ives-Rublee says that it’s Down Home’s strategy to bring people along in an arc – first issues, then candidates, followed by the importance of electing these particular people.
“In our state, that requires us to stay nimble. We’re asking people to mail in their ballots and vote as safely as possible,’ she explains. “At the same time we’re trying to keep our ear to the ground if there are issues or delays with the USPS, and be prepared with contingency plans. Getting out the vote in rural locations is extremely complex.”
Schwartzberg acknowledges that the country is in new territory, and doesn’t expect that we’ll have the results on 3 November.
“We understand there is going to be civil unrest,” she says. “What we’re really preparing ourselves to do is to have a network of people who are trained in activism and who trust one another. This is not a moment that has struck our communities this summer. Four years ago a lot of promises were made to rural folks about fixing the economy, and we have not seen any of those changes.”
As scary as it can get in Alamance county, where the sheriff refuses to wear a mask to prevent Covid transmission and his own jail is full of virus, making arrest for participating in protests a terrifying prospect, Bonnie Dobson remains committed.
“There are some really good people here that just need their eyes to be opened,” she says. “The man who told me ‘I was smart for a colored gal’ is in his early 80s. I put myself where he was, and I got it that it wasn’t the time to educate him, that it was the time to say ‘thank you.’ Later I’ll help him understand how I look at things.”


theguardian--2020-10-13--The 'untouched mass power' of Latino voters could be the secret to a Biden victory

Carlos Ivan Robles will vote for the first time next month because his life depends on it .
Robles , a 51-year-old Puerto Rican who ’ s lived in eastern Pennsylvania for almost three decades , suffered a stroke in 2014 and relies on Obamacare to cover medical bills and prescription charges that he can not afford .
“ I ’ ve never registered to vote before , it never interested me but we have to get rid of Trump .
Without Obamacare I couldn ’ t pay for my medications , ” said Robles , a former auto body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fretting about healthcare .
According to the Pew Research Centre , healthcare is a top election issue for three quarters of Latino voters – the country ’ s fastest growing racial and voting demographic .
Trump has repeatedly threatened to dismantle former president Barack Obama ’ s Affordable Care Act , which expanded assistance to low income Americans like Robles through Medicaid and protects about 129 million working age people with serious pre-existing chronic conditions such as diabetes , cancer , and asthma from being denied health insurance .
Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the Republicans succeed in appointing ultra-conservative Amy Coney Barrett to the supreme court .
“ I hope Trump doesn ’ t put that judge on the court , but I can ’ t change that .
Voting is all I can do , and that gives me hope , ” added Robles , while registering to vote online outside a health centre in York city .
“ Maybe I ’ ll talk to my sister and brother-in-law , they ’ ve never voted before either.
” In 2016 , Trump won Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called blue wall state since George W Bush – by 44,292 votes out of more than 6m cast .
Then , 57 % of eligible Latino voters turned out and 22 % voted for Trump – less than the national average but enough to help him scrape over the line to take 20 precious electoral college votes .
While polls continue to show Biden leading nationally , analysts agree that Pennsylvania is a must-win battleground state if the Democrats are to reclaim the White House , and the state ’ s rapidly growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crucial role – if they vote .
“ The path to victory is through our communities of colour and the Latino vote is an untouched mass of power that has to be unblocked to win the state , but they ’ re mostly ignored .
Even Biden ’ s campaign still isn ’ t taking the Latino vote seriously , there ’ s been little outreach , ” said Maegan Llerena , state director of nonprofit social justice group Make the Road Action .
While Latinos do lean Democrat overall , they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ size and diversity of this electorate means they could be key to victory for both candidates in several important swing states from Florida to Pennsylvania .
Yet one poll found that by mid-September , almost 60 % of registered Latino voters nationwide had still not been contacted by any candidate or political party – even though a record 32 million are eligible to vote , making them the largest non-white electorate .
According to the 2017 Census American Community Survey , only 52 % of the 875,000 Latinos living in Pennsylvania are eligible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is down to large numbers of under 18s and non-citizen adults among Latinos nationwide .
At the start of this year , 274,000 eligible voters – 60 % of the total – were unregistered , according to analysis by CASA , a grassroots advocacy and political action group working with Latin and immigrant communities .
With so much at stake , a coalition of progressive grassroots groups including Casa and Make the Road are carrying out voter registration drives across the state ’ s 67 counties in order to improve political participation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former industrial hub situated 26 miles south of the state capital Harrisburg , is a diverse and growing city where just over two thirds of its 45,000 habitants identify as black , Latin or mixed race .
According to the census , one in three residents live in poverty , and 13 % have a college degree .
In the city centre , exactly a month before election day on 3 November , masked bilingual outreach workers armed with tablets set-up outside a busy medical clinic and supermarket popular with black and Latino @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote .
It ’ s a mixed bunch .
Reina Rivera , 31 , a factory worker originally from Jersey City , wants to vote out Trump as she fears welfare assistance like food stamps and section 8 housing will be cut if he wins a second term .
It will be her first time voting too .
“ I ’ m embarrassed , I should have voted when I was younger , but this time I will , I ’ m sick of Trump.
” Lanitte Rosado , 42 , also plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since hearing rumours that Biden plans to cut welfare programmes – which is untrue .
Local news in Spanish is limited to part time radio stations and people rely heavily on social networks like Facebook and WhatsApp for information .
In total , the team registered 45 people over six hours – a mix of first timers , new citizens and people who ’ d moved house since the last election .
Lots of people were too busy , uninterested , or unable to vote due to their immigration status .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s worrying how little time we have left and we can ’ t do the outreach we want .
The hardest thing is convincing people that their vote matters , and that it will be counted , ” said Mirna Gonzalez , Casa ’ s field coordinator .
In person voter registration drives only began in September due to the coronavirus risk , but door knocking and crowds are still banned and it ’ s been a struggle to recruit enough outreach workers .
Before the pandemic Casa , which is conducting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to register at least 7,000 voters .
So far , they ’ ve managed about 1,100 and the target has been downsized to 1,900 .
But every vote counts so there ’ s no time to get disheartened , according to outreach worker Elena Aguilar , 49 , a real estate agent originally from El Salvador with temporary protected status ( TPS ) – an immigration programme which Trump is trying to end .
“ I do this work so people who can vote , vote for me and all of us in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about their votes not being counted .
Trump is out of control , he ’ s a dictator … He should be ashamed … I ’ ve paid taxes for 24 years.
” And the pandemic won ’ t stop people like Astrid Russolillo , 42 , originally from Puerto Rico , who will be voting in person because she doesn ’ t trust the post office – despite underlying health conditions which increase her susceptibility to Covid-19 .
“ The abuse and discrimination has to end , we ’ re all human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with respect , that ’ s why so many Latinos will vote this year .
Our biggest fear isn ’ t the virus , it ’ s that Trump wins , that will kill us.
” In a state where Bernie Sanders enjoyed widespread support among Latinos , ousting Trump seems to be the principal motivation for those planning to vote Democrat next month , rather than excitement about Joe Biden .
That ’ s especially true in Kennett Square , a picturesque rural borough in Chester county situated 65 miles east of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major factor influencing voting .
In Kennett Square , which is widely known as the mushroom capital of America , about 45 % of the estimated 6,200 residents are Latinos .
The community includes a growing number of citizens eligible to vote , as well as temporary residents and undocumented migrants unable to vote .
Food trucks selling tacos , tortas and quesadillas are dotted around the mushroom farms as most immigrants originate from Mexico , but newer communities from Guatemala , Honduras , Venezuela and Colombia are growing .
Keyri Zurita , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a Mexican with rights , is eager to cast her first ever ballot .
“ I ’ ve always wanted to vote , it ’ s a big deal for me .
I want to fight for immigrants ’ rights so people like my mum can stop being scared all the time , she works hard and pays her taxes but has no rights.
” For the past 20 years , Zurita ’ s mother , aged 48 , has worked long shifts in a mushroom farm , normally 3am to 5pm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time at home in fear of being detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency ( Ice ) and separated from her children .
Zurita , a college student , added : “ We need to get rid of Ice , that ’ s why I wanted Bernie Sanders for president , but I ’ ll be voting for Biden to get Trump out .
”

Nina Lakhani in York and Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Carlos Ivan Robles will vote for the first time next month because his life depends on it.
Robles, a 51-year-old Puerto Rican who’s lived in eastern Pennsylvania for almost three decades, suffered a stroke in 2014 and relies on Obamacare to cover medical bills and prescription charges he cannot afford.
“I’ve never registered to vote before. It never interested me. But we have to get rid of Trump. Without Obamacare I couldn’t pay for my medications,” said Robles, a former auto body painter.
Robles isn’t alone in fretting about healthcare. According to the Pew Research Center, healthcare is a top election issue for three quarters of Latino voters – the country’s fastest growing racial and voting demographic.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to dismantle former president Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, which expanded assistance to low income Americans like Robles through Medicaid and protects about 129 million working age people with serious pre-existing chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and asthma from being denied health insurance. Trump’s threat could soon become a grim reality if the Republicans succeed in appointing ultra-conservative Amy Coney Barrett to the supreme court.
A voter registration outreach worker in York helps Carlos Ivan Robles, 51, originally from Puerto Rico, register to vote for the first time in his life. ‘Voting is all I can do, and that gives me hope,’ he said. Photograph: Nina Lakhani/The Guardian
“I hope Trump doesn’t put that judge on the court, but I can’t change that. Voting is all I can do, and that gives me hope,” added Robles, while registering to vote online outside a health centre in York city. “Maybe I’ll talk to my sister and brother-in-law, they’ve never voted before either.”
In 2016, Trump won Pennsylvania – the first Republican to take the so-called blue wall state since George W Bush – by 44,292 votes out of more than 6m cast. Then, 57% of eligible Latino voters turned out and 22% voted for Trump – less than the national average but enough to help him scrape over the line to take 20 precious electoral college votes.
While polls continue to show Biden leading nationally, analysts agree that Pennsylvania is a must-win battleground state if the Democrats are to reclaim the White House, and the state’s rapidly growing and diverse Latino communities could play a crucial role – if they vote.
“The path to victory is through our communities of colour, and the Latino vote is an untouched mass of power that has to be unblocked to win the state, but they’re mostly ignored. Even Biden’s campaign still isn’t taking the Latino vote seriously. There’s been little outreach,” said Maegan Llerena, state director of nonprofit social justice group Make the Road Action.
While Latinos do lean Democrat overall, they do not vote as a bloc, and the size and diversity of this electorate means they could be key to victory for both candidates in several important swing states from Florida to Pennsylvania.
Yet one poll found that by early September, almost 60% of registered Latino voters nationwide had still not been contacted by any candidate or political party – even though a record 32 million are eligible to vote, making them the largest non-white electorate.
According to the 2017 Census American Community Survey, only 52% of the 875,000 Latinos living in Pennsylvania are eligible to vote. The relatively low proportion is down to large numbers of under-18s and non-citizen adults among Latinos nationwide.
At the start of this year, 274,000 eligible voters – 60% of the total – were unregistered, according to analysis by Casa, a grassroots advocacy and political action group working with Latin and immigrant communities.
With so much at stake, a coalition of progressive grassroots groups including Casa and Make the Road are carrying out voter registration drives across the state’s 67 counties in order to improve political participation in communities of colour.
York, a former industrial hub situated 26 miles south of the state capital Harrisburg, is a diverse and growing city where just over two thirds of its 45,000 habitants identify as black, Latin or mixed race. According to the census, one in three residents live in poverty, and 13% have a college degree.
In the city centre, exactly a month before election day on 3 November, masked bilingual outreach workers armed with tablets set-up outside a busy medical clinic and supermarket popular with black and Latino residents, inviting passersby to register to vote.
It’s a mixed bunch. Reina Rivera, 31, a factory worker originally from Jersey City, wants to vote out Trump as she fears welfare assistance like food stamps and section 8 housing will be cut if he wins a second term. It will be her first time voting too. “I’m embarrassed. I should have voted when I was younger, but this time I will, I’m sick of Trump.”
Astrid Russolillo, 42, originally from Puerto Rico and now lives in York, is a lifelong Democrat who has never missed an election. She believes Trump’s racist rhetoric will motivate Latinos to vote for Joe Biden next month. Photograph: Nina Lakhani/The Guardian
Lanitte Rosado, 42, also plans to vote, but is undecided for whom since hearing rumours that Biden plans to cut welfare programmes – which is untrue. Local news in Spanish is limited to part-time radio stations and people rely heavily on social networks like Facebook and WhatsApp for information.
In total, the team registered 45 people over six hours – a mix of first-timers, new citizens and people who have moved house since the last election. Lots of people were too busy, uninterested, or unable to vote due to their immigration status.
“It was a good day, but it’s worrying how little time we have left and we can’t do the outreach we want. The hardest thing is convincing people that their vote matters, and that it will be counted,” said Mirna Gonzalez, Casa’s field coordinator.
In person voter registration drives only began in September due to the coronavirus risk, but door knocking and crowds are still banned and it’s been a struggle to recruit enough outreach workers.
Before the pandemic Casa, which is conducting drives in eight counties, was hoping to register at least 7,000 voters. So far, they’ve managed about 1,100 and the target has been downsized to 1,900.
But every vote counts so there’s no time to get disheartened, according to outreach worker Elena Aguilar, 49, a real estate agent originally from El Salvador with temporary protected status (TPS) – an immigration programme which Trump is trying to end.
“I do this work so people who can vote, vote for me and all of us in this situation. But people are scared about their votes not being counted. Trump is out of control, he’s a dictator… He should be ashamed. I’ve paid taxes for 24 years.”
And the pandemic won’t stop people like Astrid Russolillo, 42, originally from Puerto Rico, who will be voting in person because she doesn’t trust the post office – despite underlying health conditions which increase her susceptibility to Covid-19.
“The abuse and discrimination has to end. We’re all human beings, we should be treated equally with respect. That’s why so many Latinos will vote this year. Our biggest fear isn’t the virus – it’s that Trump wins. That will kill us.”
In a state where Bernie Sanders enjoyed widespread support among Latinos, ousting Trump seems to be the principal motivation for those planning to vote Democrat next month, rather than excitement about Joe Biden.
Keyri Zurita, 19, from Kennett Square is a first time voter who wanted Bernie Sanders to be the Democratic candidate because of his stance on immigration reform. She says she’ll be voting for Joe Biden. Photograph: Nina Lakhani/The Guardian
That’s especially true in Kennett Square, a picturesque rural borough in Chester county situated 65 miles east of York, where immigration reform is a major factor influencing voting.
In Kennett Square, which is widely known as the mushroom capital of America, about 45% of the estimated 6,200 residents are Latinos. The community includes a growing number of citizens eligible to vote, as well as temporary residents and undocumented migrants unable to vote. Food trucks selling tacos, tortas and quesadillas are dotted around the mushroom farms as most immigrants originate from Mexico, but newer communities from Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela and Colombia are growing.
Keyri Zurita, 19, an American citizen who identifies as a Mexican with rights, is eager to cast her first ever ballot. “I’ve always wanted to vote. It’s a big deal for me. I want to fight for immigrants’ rights so people like my mum can stop being scared all the time, she works hard and pays her taxes but has no rights.”
For the past 20 years, Zurita’s mother, aged 48, has worked long shifts in a mushroom farm, normally 3am to 5pm, and spends the rest of her time at home in fear of being detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (Ice) and separated from her children.
Zurita, a college student, added: “We need to get rid of Ice, that’s why I wanted Bernie Sanders for president, but I’ll be voting for Biden to get Trump out.”


theguardian--2020-10-13--More than 10-hour wait and long lines as early voting starts in Georgia

Voters in Georgia faced hours-long lines on Monday as people flocked to the polls for the first day of early voting in the state , which has developed a national reputation in recent years for voting issues .
Eager voters endured waits of six hours or more in Cobb County , which was once solidly Republican but has voted for Democrats in recent elections , and joined lines that wrapped around buildings in solidly Democratic DeKalb County .
They also turned out in big numbers in north Georgia ’ s Floyd County , where support for Donald Trump is strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems with the electronic pollbooks used to check in voters .
The issue halted voting for a while at State Farm Arena , in Atlanta .
Voters who cast their ballots at the basketball stadium , which was being used as an early voting site , faced long waits as the glitch was resolved .
Adrienne Crowley , who waited more than an hour to vote , told the Atlanta Journal Constitution there wasn ’ t anything that would make her get out of the line to vote .
“ I would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Elsewhere in Atlanta , some voters reported waiting more than 10 hours for their chance to cast an early ballot .
Voters began lining up outside polling stations in the predawn hours , some using their cellphone flashlights to help other voters fill out pre-registration forms , according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution .
Janine Eveler , the elections and registration director for Cobb County , said the county had prepared as much as much as it could , “ but there ’ s only so much space in the rooms and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re maxing out both of those , ” she said .
“ People are double parking , we have gridlock pretty much in our parking lot , ” she added .
Hundreds of people slowly moved along a line that snaked back and forth outside Cobb ’ s main elections office in a suburban area northwest of Atlanta .
Good moods seemed to prevail , even though some people said at 1pm that they ’ d been waiting for six hours .
A brief cheer went up when a pizza deliverer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Steve Davidson , who is Black , said the late US congressman John Lewis and others had fought too long and hard to secure his place at the polls for him to get tired and leave .
“ They ’ ve been fighting for decades .
If I ’ ve got to wait six or seven hours , that ’ s my duty to do that .
I ’ ll do it happily , ” Davidson said .
Georgia is the latest state to see extremely long lines during the first day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also seen unprecedented voter turnout on the first day of in-person early voting in states like Virginia and Ohio .
With record turnout expected for this year ’ s presidential election and fears about exposure to the coronavirus , election officials and advocacy groups have been encouraging people to vote early , either in person or by absentee ballot .
Nationally , more than 9.4m people have already voted , an unprecedented number , according to data collected by Michael McDonald , a political science professor at the University of Florida .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ US senate seat in Georgia in a race , where the Democratic candidate , Jon Ossoff , is challenging the incumbent Republican , David Perdue .
Georgia has long been seen as a Republican bastion , but many believe recent demographic changes have made it a more competitive state .
A recent poll shows Donald Trump and Joe Biden in a statistical tie in the state .

Voters in Georgia faced hours-long lines on Monday as people flocked to the polls for the first day of early voting in the state, which has developed a national reputation in recent years for voting issues.
Eager voters endured waits of six hours or more in Cobb County, which was once solidly Republican but has voted for Democrats in recent elections, and joined lines that wrapped around buildings in solidly Democratic DeKalb County. They also turned out in big numbers in north Georgia’s Floyd County, where support for Donald Trump is strong.
At least two counties briefly had problems with the electronic pollbooks used to check in voters. The issue halted voting for a while at State Farm Arena, in Atlanta. Voters who cast their ballots at the basketball stadium, which was being used as an early voting site, faced long waits as the glitch was resolved.
Adrienne Crowley, who waited more than an hour to vote, told the Atlanta Journal Constitution there wasn’t anything that would make her get out of the line to vote. “I would have waited all day if I had to.”
The line outside State Farm Arena. pic.twitter.com/J2oMFJecRl — THIS IS A MARIAH CAREY STAN ACCOUNT (@newsworthy17) October 12, 2020
Elsewhere in Atlanta, some voters reported waiting more than 10 hours for their chance to cast an early ballot.
Voters began lining up outside polling stations in the predawn hours, some using their cellphone flashlights to help other voters fill out pre-registration forms, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
The line of voters at George Pierce Park in Suwanee.... pic.twitter.com/3stVPEuyZp — tyler, the reporter (@ByTylerEstep) October 12, 2020
Janine Eveler, the elections and registration director for Cobb County, said the county had prepared as much as much as it could, “but there’s only so much space in the rooms and parking in the parking lot.”
“We’re maxing out both of those,” she said. “People are double parking, we have gridlock pretty much in our parking lot,” she added.
Hundreds of people slowly moved along a line that snaked back and forth outside Cobb’s main elections office in a suburban area northwest of Atlanta. Good moods seemed to prevail, even though some people said at 1pm that they’d been waiting for six hours. A brief cheer went up when a pizza deliverer brought a pie to someone in line.
Steve Davidson, who is Black, said the late US congressman John Lewis and others had fought too long and hard to secure his place at the polls for him to get tired and leave.
“They’ve been fighting for decades. If I’ve got to wait six or seven hours, that’s my duty to do that. I’ll do it happily,” Davidson said.
Georgia is the latest state to see extremely long lines during the first day of in person voting. Election officials have also seen unprecedented voter turnout on the first day of in-person early voting in states like Virginia and Ohio.
With record turnout expected for this year’s presidential election and fears about exposure to the coronavirus, election officials and advocacy groups have been encouraging people to vote early, either in person or by absentee ballot.
Nationally, more than 9.4m people have already voted, an unprecedented number, according to data collected by Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida.
Democrats are trying to pick up a US senate seat in Georgia in a race, where the Democratic candidate, Jon Ossoff, is challenging the incumbent Republican, David Perdue.
Georgia has long been seen as a Republican bastion, but many believe recent demographic changes have made it a more competitive state. A recent poll shows Donald Trump and Joe Biden in a statistical tie in the state.


theguardian--2020-10-13--Trump holds first rally since Covid diagnosis, as Senate opens bitter hearings on court pick – as it

Trump holds first rally since Covid diagnosis, as Senate opens bitter hearings on court pick – as it happened

Joe Biden ’ s campaign went on a fresh offense against the Trump administration on Monday , campaigning in a red state and accusing Republicans of hypocrisy as they sought to portray Democrats as anti-religious during the supreme court hearings for the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett .
Biden campaigned in Ohio , attempting to expand the battleground map and keep Trump on the defensive in a state thought to be out of reach for Democrats after Trump ’ s wide margin of victory there four years ago .
A slew of recent polls has had the Democratic challenger leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double digits .
Likewise , many battleground state surveys , though often narrower than the national picture , have Biden with healthy leads .
The situation has led several top Republicans to make rare public warnings of losing the White House – and maybe even Republicans losing the Senate .
On the campaign trail Biden stressed an economic message and touted his own record while casting Trump as having abandoned working-class voters who helped him win rust belt states that put him in the White House in 2016 .
In Toledo , Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local General Motors ’ powertrain plant .
The former vice-president spoke in a parking lot with about 30 American-made cars and trucks arrayed nearby , and he struck a decidedly populist note , praising unions and arguing that he represented working-class values while the Republican Trump cared only about impressing the Ivy League and country club set .
“ I don ’ t measure people by the size of their bank account , ” Biden said .
“ You and I measure people by the strength of their character , their honesty , @ @ @ @

Maanvi Singh (now), Joan E Greve and Martin Belam (earlier)

13 Oct 2020 02.59 BST Summary A recap from me and Joan E Greve: Donald Trump held his first rally since contracting Covid-19. Lagging in the polls, he was eager to appear healthy as he downplayed the severity of the pandemic and returned to classic stump talking points about the border wall and unfriendly media.
Lagging in the polls, he was eager to appear healthy as he downplayed the severity of the pandemic and returned to classic stump talking points about the border wall and unfriendly media. Dr Anthony Fauci said holding large rallies is “asking for trouble”. In an interview with CNN, he also reiterated that “it’s really unfortunate and really disappointing” that the Trump campaign took his words out of context in a campaign ad.
In an interview with CNN, he also reiterated that “it’s really unfortunate and really disappointing” that the Trump campaign took his words out of context in a campaign ad. Joe Biden was on the offense, campaigning in red-state Ohio. The Democratic nominee spoke harshly of Trump’s response to the virus and his handling of his own infection. The former vice-president also accused Republicans of hypocrisy as they sought to portray Democrats as anti-religious during the supreme court hearings for the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett.
The Democratic nominee spoke harshly of Trump’s response to the virus and his handling of his own infection. The former vice-president also accused Republicans of hypocrisy as they sought to portray Democrats as anti-religious during the supreme court hearings for the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett. The Senate judiciary committee held the first day of Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination hearings. The supreme court nominee and every member of the committee delivered an opening statement. Questioning of Barrett begins tomorrow.
The supreme court nominee and every member of the committee delivered an opening statement. Questioning of Barrett begins tomorrow. Barrett emphasized judges should not try to legislate from the bench in her opening statement. “Courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life,” Barrett said. “The policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the people.”
“Courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life,” Barrett said. “The policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the people.” Senate Republicans accused their Democratic colleagues of attacking Barrett’s Catholic faith, even though Democrats did not mention her faith. Instead, Democrats used their opening statements to warn that Barrett’s confirmation to the supreme court could jeopardize the Affordable Care Act.
Instead, Democrats used their opening statements to warn that Barrett’s confirmation to the supreme court could jeopardize the Affordable Care Act. Kamala Harris argued the Senate should postpone Barrett’s hearings and focus on passing another coronavirus relief bill. Delivering an opening statement virtually from her Senate office, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee said, “Senate Republicans have made it crystal clear that rushing a supreme court nomination is more important than helping and supporting the American people who are suffering from a deadly pandemic and economic crisis.”
Updated at 03.21 BST
13 Oct 2020 02.23 BST Joan E Greve Deeper look: Biden campaigns in red state Ohio Joe Biden’s campaign went on a fresh offense against the Trump administration on Monday, campaigning in a red state and accusing Republicans of hypocrisy as they sought to portray Democrats as anti-religious during the supreme court hearings for the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett. Biden campaigned in Ohio, attempting to expand the battleground map and keep Trump on the defensive in a state thought to be out of reach for Democrats after Trump’s wide margin of victory there four years ago. A slew of recent polls has had the Democratic challenger leading Trump in national polls, often by double digits. Likewise, many battleground state surveys, though often narrower than the national picture, have Biden with healthy leads. The situation has led several top Republicans to make rare public warnings of losing the White House – and maybe even Republicans losing the Senate. On the campaign trail Biden stressed an economic message and touted his own record while casting Trump as having abandoned working-class voters who helped him win rust belt states that put him in the White House in 2016. In Toledo, Biden addressed United Auto Workers who represent a local General Motors’ powertrain plant. The former vice-president spoke in a parking lot with about 30 American-made cars and trucks arrayed nearby, and he struck a decidedly populist note, praising unions and arguing that he represented working-class values while the Republican Trump cared only about impressing the Ivy League and country club set. “I don’t measure people by the size of their bank account,” Biden said. “You and I measure people by the strength of their character, their honesty, their courage.” Biden campaigns in red state Ohio, hoping to expand battleground map Read more
13 Oct 2020 01.46 BST Meanwhile, the Biden campaign has hit back against Trump’s characterization of Biden as old and frail ... After 74-year-old Trump told his ralliers, “I am not an old person, I am a young person,” and made references to his 77-year-old opponent’s choice to broadcast campaign events from his “basement”, among the Biden’s campaign’s responses were celebrations of the former vice-president’s relative mastery of walking up and down inclines. https://t.co/kQzttvt1Q7 pic.twitter.com/PvVe6twk7Z — Mike Gwin (@MichaelJGwin) October 13, 2020
Updated at 02.23 BST
13 Oct 2020 01.38 BST Trump spoke for about 65 minutes – a bit shy of the usual hour and a half he normally takes up at his campaign rallies. With just weeks to go before election day, and early voting underway, Trump has been eager to return to a full schedule of in-person rallies as he scrambles to hold on to his slipping supporters. Polls have his Democratic opponent Joe Biden ahead by an average 12 points, in polls taken since 1 October. Trump is also losing support from seniors, who are the most vulnerable in a pandemic that has already killed more than 214,000 Americans. In a frenetic push to solidify support, Trump and his campaign have sought to downplay the threat of coronavirus. The president’s own demonstrations of reckless, maskless bravado appears to be key to that strategy, as Trump characterizes his opponent as frail and confined to his basement.
Updated at 03.00 BST
13 Oct 2020 01.03 BST As Donald Trump declared himself “immune” at his Florida rally, a new case study published in The Lancet revealed a 25-year-old man in Nevada was infected with coronavirus twice this year. This is the first confirmed case of reinfection in the US. The two infections in this one patient occurred six weeks apart. Reinfections are rare – there are only five such cases documented worldwide. But much is still unknown about how or why this happens. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently advises that those who have recovered from Covid-19 generally appear to be protected from reinfection for three months – but this newly documented case bucks that expectation.
Updated at 01.24 BST
12 Oct 2020 00.33 BST “You better vote for me Puerto Rico. You better vote for me,” Trump said. Residents of Puerto Rico and other US territories are not entitled to vote for president in federal elections, though Puerto Ricans living in US states can vote for president (and Florida is home to hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans). The territory’s Republican governor Wanda Vázquez Garced recently endorsed Trump.
Updated at 00.35 BST
12 Oct 2020 00.21 BST Boasting about his recovery, Trump claimed he is “immune” to the virus now. “I feel powerful,” he said. “I’ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women and everybody – I’ll give a big, fat kiss.” The president has been eager to appear energetic after a recent hospitalization following his Covid-19 diagnosis, repeatedly boasting that he’s “young” at 74 and even claiming, on Fox News that he is a “perfect physical specimen”. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that those with mild or moderate coronavirus infections can return to being around others after 10 days, the research on whether or not people can get reinfected is still ongoing.
Updated at 00.24 BST
12 Oct 2020 00.09 BST Biden and Trump hold very different campaign events Audience members observe a social distance while listening to Biden deliver remarks at a Voter Mobilization Event campaign stop at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal in Cincinnati. Photograph: Tom Brenner/Reuters In Cincinnati, earlier today, Biden addressed a socially distanced, sparse group. He took aim at the president’s comments downplaying the severity of the pandemic and emphasized his plans. “I have a plan to deal with this pandemic responsibly,” Biden said. “Testing, tracing, masking, not politicizing the race for the vaccine. Plan for its safe and equitable distribution. Provide the funding for PPE and other resources for schools and businesses to reopen safely.” 01:22 Joe Biden in Ohio: Trump 'turned his back on you' – video Biden is leading Trump by 10 percentage points nationally, per an average of national polls.
Updated at 03.00 BST
12 Oct 2020 00.04 BST Trump takes stage at packed rally “We’re winning by a lot more now than we were four years ago,” Trump said. “We’re going to win four more years in the White House.” A packed crowd of supporters standing shoulder to shoulder chanted “USA” in response.
Updated at 00.06 BST
12 Oct 2020 23.43 BST If no other GOP senators end up exposed to coronavirus, the party may be on track to vote on Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination by the 22. CNN’s Manu Raju reports that North Carolina’s Thom Tillis, who delivered his opening statement remotely after testing positive for Covid-19 is expected to return to the Senate tomorrow. GOP on track for confirmation of Barrett by month’s end. Tillis, who tested positive earlier this month, is expected back tomorrow, per an aide. With Lee and Tillis back, GOP should have quorum for Thursday when Graham has scheduled a business meeting. Committee will vote Oct. 22 — Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 12, 2020 Mike Lee, the Republican senator of Utah, showed up and spoke during the first day of hearings without a mask, despite his recent Covid-19 diagnosis.
Updated at 23.47 BST
12 Oct 2020 23.34 BST David Smith Analysis: Amy Coney Barrett’s hearing kicks off with hypocrisy and healthcare That was rich. Senate Republicans, otherwise known as Donald Trump’s Praetorian Guard, lined up on Monday to pay pious homage to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the separation of powers and the halcyon days of political bipartisanship.
A visitor from outer space might have thought that they were the upholders of civics and civility at the start of Amy Coney Barrett’s supreme court hearing on Capitol Hill. No matter that Trump has played divider-in-chief or that Republicans blocked Barack Obama’s nominee to the court in 2016. It was a morning of hypocrisy and healthcare. Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Senate judiciary committee and the Trump appreciation society, reminded everyone that both Ginsburg and her ideological opposite, Justice Antonin Scalia, were confirmed almost unanimously. “I don’t know what happened between then and now,” he said, wistfully. “We can all take some blame but I just want to remind everybody there was a time in this country where someone like Ruth Bader Ginsburg was seen by almost everybody as qualified for the position of being on the supreme court, understanding that she would have a different philosophy than many of the Republicans who voted for her.” No justice has been confirmed so close to a presidential election. Graham, who promised not to confirm one in an election year (saying “Use my words against me”, which plenty of Democrats are), acknowledged a point everyone could agree on: “This is going to be a long, contentious week.” As senator after senator drew their battle lines, 48-year-old Barrett, sitting silently in a big black face mask, resembled a prisoner in the dock. Republicans sought to normalise her rushed nomination, arguing the Senate was merely doing its duty while setting up straw men: Democrats want to attack her Catholic faith (none did), Democrats want to play foul as they did with Brett Kavanaugh (hardly), Democrats want to expand the court (objection: relevance), Democrats want to conflate the judiciary with policy (true). Amy Coney Barrett's hearing kicks off with hypocrisy and healthcare | David Smith Read more


theguardian--2020-10-13--Amy Coney Barrett's day one hearing was rank hypocrisy from start to finish | Jill Filipovic

The first day of the Senate hearings to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the supreme court was a disgrace and a sexist spectacle .
First was the simple fact that the hearings are being held at all .
A pandemic continues to ravage the United States , having killed more than 210,000 people and devastating the American economy .
Millions of Americans are out of work , struggling to pay the rent or the mortgage , worried about how they ’ re going to afford groceries .
Republicans in the Senate can ’ t get it together to pass a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but they can demand that the judiciary committee convene , in person , to jam through a hardline right-wing judge just days before the presidential election concludes – and is presumably contested by a president who has already refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power .
The fact that hearings are being held at all is also egregious given Mitch McConnell ’ s blocking of similar hearings to replace justice Antonin Scalia after his death , in February of an election year .
Back then , McConnell and the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be inappropriate and undermine the legitimacy of the court .
Even many months before an election , they said , the American people should decide who appoints a new judge .
McConnell blocked the Senate from even hearing from Merrick Garland , President Barack Obama ’ s nominee .
At the time , Amy Coney Barrett went on television and said that replacing Scalia in an election year would be inappropriate – and that it would be especially inappropriate to replace “ the staunchest conservative on the court ” with a liberal because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move ” .
Now it ’ s an election year – and it ’ s much , much closer to the election than when Scalia passed away in 2016 .
The justice being replaced is Ruth Bader Ginsburg , one of the court ’ s staunchest liberals .
The woman nominated to replace her is a far-right conservative – not a lateral move .
Yet all of these hypocrites , from McConnell to Senate Republicans to Barrett herself , are happy to move forward because , this time , they have the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as infection rates from an airborne virus are rising around the country .
One Republican senator , Mike Lee , attended the hearings and removed his mask , despite having recently tested positive for Covid-19 .
He seems to have caught the virus at a party celebrating Amy Coney Barrett ’ s nomination , resulting in a super-spreader event with the White House as ground zero .
Lee , a self-described pro-life legislator , insisted on attending the hearings in person anyway , putting everyone in the room , and the support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in harm ’ s way – all to confirm a self-described “ pro-life ” supreme court nominee who any honest person will admit was chosen because the president believes she will overturn Roe v Wade , side with him in a contested election , and strip millions of Americans of their healthcare by invalidating the Affordable Care Act .
That would all be bad enough , but the hearing itself was practically a caricature of how conservative men approach accomplished women .
There ’ s no question that Barrett is well-regarded among her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers and judges she has clerked for and worked with say she is a sharp legal mind .
Yet every Republican given a chance to speak mentioned Barrett ’ s status as a mother , and typically emphasized that she has seven children , many of them still school-aged .
Her maternal capacity , as much as her professional accomplishments , was invoked as evidence of her leadership abilities and her status as a role model to young girls .
There ’ s nothing wrong with recognizing that Barrett is a mom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( although I question the wisdom of having six children in a room with a Covid patient and many others who were recently exposed ) .
It ’ s not unusual for the judiciary committee to mention a nominee ’ s parental status .
What is unusual , though , is to have every member of one party bring it up , often more than once , and even emphasize it as a qualification for the bench .
Multiple Republican senators noted , for example , that Barrett would be the first female @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a stretch , and something it ’ s hard to imagine being said about a man .
Do we know who the first male supreme court justice with school-age children was ?
Would that even register ?
The message from Republicans seemed to be that Barrett is particularly admirable as a woman because of her large family .
It ’ s an old sexist trope , that a woman ’ s value is dependent on her fertility – and that having children , or a large number of children , suggests a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embrace her natural maternal role .
It ’ s also a racialized view : white women with large families are often commended by conservatives , while black and brown women with large families are condemned .
Republicans have said over and over that Barrett ’ s personal life , including her faith , should be off-limits .
And yet they repeatedly raised her personal life , including her faith , as an asset .
They seem to want to use what they claim is Barrett ’ s private life as both a sword @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her favor , but one that can not be refuted on its own terms or even questioned , because to do so would be to criticize her private convictions and impose a “ religious test ” .
It was rank hypocrisy from start to finish .
It was also a deep show of disrespect to American women , who would like to be professionally evaluated on our qualifications – not our family size .

The first day of the Senate hearings to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the supreme court was a disgrace and a sexist spectacle.
First was the simple fact that the hearings are being held at all. A pandemic continues to ravage the United States, having killed more than 210,000 people and devastating the American economy. Millions of Americans are out of work, struggling to pay the rent or the mortgage, worried about how they’re going to afford groceries. Republicans in the Senate can’t get it together to pass a pandemic relief bill that Americans desperately need, but they can demand that the judiciary committee convene, in person, to jam through a hardline right-wing judge just days before the presidential election concludes – and is presumably contested by a president who has already refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power.
The fact that hearings are being held at all is also egregious given Mitch McConnell’s blocking of similar hearings to replace justice Antonin Scalia after his death, in February of an election year. Back then, McConnell and the Republican party insisted that confirming a justice would be inappropriate and undermine the legitimacy of the court. Even many months before an election, they said, the American people should decide who appoints a new judge. McConnell blocked the Senate from even hearing from Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama’s nominee. At the time, Amy Coney Barrett went on television and said that replacing Scalia in an election year would be inappropriate – and that it would be especially inappropriate to replace “the staunchest conservative on the court” with a liberal because “it’s not a lateral move”.
Now it’s an election year – and it’s much, much closer to the election than when Scalia passed away in 2016. The justice being replaced is Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the court’s staunchest liberals. The woman nominated to replace her is a far-right conservative – not a lateral move. Yet all of these hypocrites, from McConnell to Senate Republicans to Barrett herself, are happy to move forward because, this time, they have the power.
All of these hypocrites are happy to move forward because this time they have the power
The hearing was also held indoors, as infection rates from an airborne virus are rising around the country. One Republican senator, Mike Lee, attended the hearings and removed his mask, despite having recently tested positive for Covid-19. He seems to have caught the virus at a party celebrating Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination, resulting in a super-spreader event with the White House as ground zero. Lee, a self-described pro-life legislator, insisted on attending the hearings in person anyway, putting everyone in the room, and the support staff charged with cleaning up afterwards, in harm’s way – all to confirm a self-described “pro-life” supreme court nominee who any honest person will admit was chosen because the president believes she will overturn Roe v Wade, side with him in a contested election, and strip millions of Americans of their healthcare by invalidating the Affordable Care Act.
That would all be bad enough, but the hearing itself was practically a caricature of how conservative men approach accomplished women. There’s no question that Barrett is well-regarded among her Notre Dame colleagues and that the conservative lawyers and judges she has clerked for and worked with say she is a sharp legal mind. Yet every Republican given a chance to speak mentioned Barrett’s status as a mother, and typically emphasized that she has seven children, many of them still school-aged. Her maternal capacity, as much as her professional accomplishments, was invoked as evidence of her leadership abilities and her status as a role model to young girls.
There’s nothing wrong with recognizing that Barrett is a mom, or welcoming her children into the room (although I question the wisdom of having six children in a room with a Covid patient and many others who were recently exposed). It’s not unusual for the judiciary committee to mention a nominee’s parental status. What is unusual, though, is to have every member of one party bring it up, often more than once, and even emphasize it as a qualification for the bench. Multiple Republican senators noted, for example, that Barrett would be the first female justice with school-aged children – a bit of a stretch, and something it’s hard to imagine being said about a man. Do we know who the first male supreme court justice with school-age children was? Would that even register?
The message from Republicans seemed to be that Barrett is particularly admirable as a woman because of her large family. It’s an old sexist trope, that a woman’s value is dependent on her fertility – and that having children, or a large number of children, suggests a woman is more righteous and willing to embrace her natural maternal role. It’s also a racialized view: white women with large families are often commended by conservatives, while black and brown women with large families are condemned.
Republicans have said over and over that Barrett’s personal life, including her faith, should be off-limits. And yet they repeatedly raised her personal life, including her faith, as an asset. They seem to want to use what they claim is Barrett’s private life as both a sword and a shield: an argument in her favor, but one that cannot be refuted on its own terms or even questioned, because to do so would be to criticize her private convictions and impose a “religious test”.
It was rank hypocrisy from start to finish. It was also a deep show of disrespect to American women, who would like to be professionally evaluated on our qualifications – not our family size.


theguardian--2020-10-13--Is it reckless to hope Trump might actually be defeated? | Suzanne Moore

The recklessness of hope .
This is now my current mood , not the Audacity of Hope that Obama wrote about .
Is it reckless to think Trump might be defeated , that women are turning against him , that the polls are good for Biden ?
Surely we won ’ t get fooled again .
Now il duce is coming on like some modern-day Lazarus – how is Mrs Lazarus , by the way ?
Anyone know or care ?
He now claims immunity to Covid ( unscientific , untrue ) as well as having a kind of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t even mean the makeup he so badly applies .
Is this a psychotic delusion ?
Is he on a ’ roid high ?
Has his near-death experience produced some kind of euphoria ?
Again , I don ’ t blame Trump alone , but his myriad enablers , some of whom are apparently doctors , some of whom he has infected , some of whom have been thrown by the wayside .
Still , I can see , despite the absolute insanity of it all , that he projects strength against Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still astonishes me that this is the best the Democrats can do .
I keep trying to work out where I will be on the night , and it looks as if – because of lockdown – I won ’ t be able to be where I wanted to be , with whom I wanted to be with .
I keep imagining the next day .
If he wins , will anyone be able to get out of bed ?
Lately , though , I look at him , and that scene in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I think : “ I ’ ll have what he ’ s having.
” Cells from foetuses , antibody cocktails , steroids , “ heart medication ” and the rest .
Who even knows ?
Put the cannula in now , Nurse Ratched .
I am ready .

The recklessness of hope. This is now my current mood, not the Audacity of Hope that Obama wrote about. Is it reckless to think Trump might be defeated, that women are turning against him, that the polls are good for Biden? Surely we won’t get fooled again.
Now il duce is coming on like some modern-day Lazarus – how is Mrs Lazarus, by the way? Anyone know or care? He now claims immunity to Covid (unscientific, untrue) as well as having a kind of “protective glow”. He doesn’t even mean the makeup he so badly applies. Is this a psychotic delusion? Is he on a ’roid high? Has his near-death experience produced some kind of euphoria? Again, I don’t blame Trump alone, but his myriad enablers, some of whom are apparently doctors, some of whom he has infected, some of whom have been thrown by the wayside. Still, I can see, despite the absolute insanity of it all, that he projects strength against Joe Biden’s quivery decency. It still astonishes me that this is the best the Democrats can do.
I keep trying to work out where I will be on the night, and it looks as if – because of lockdown – I won’t be able to be where I wanted to be, with whom I wanted to be with. I keep imagining the next day. If he wins, will anyone be able to get out of bed?
Lately, though, I look at him, and that scene in When Harry Met Sally comes to mind. I think: “I’ll have what he’s having.” Cells from foetuses, antibody cocktails, steroids, “heart medication” and the rest. Who even knows?
Put the cannula in now, Nurse Ratched. I am ready.


theguardian--2020-10-13--'I'll kiss everyone': Trump claims he has immunity at first rally since Covid diagnosis – video

Donald Trump has returned to the campaign trial after being hospitalized with Covid-19 .
He arrived on Air Force One @ @ @ @ @ in Florida without a protective mask but tossed out masks to the crowd .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ claiming he was now ‘ immune ’ to the virus .
‘ I feel powerful @ @ @ @ @ ‘ I ’ ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women and everybody . '
@ @ @ @ @ signature campaign rallies kicked off a three-week sprint to election day , as polls showed @ @ @ @ @ Democratic rival Joe Biden • Trump holds first rally since Covid diagnosis , as Senate @ @ @ @ @ pick – as it happened • Trump holds packed rally after Covid diagnosis as he @ @ @

Donald Trump has returned to the campaign trial after being hospitalized with Covid-19. He arrived on Air Force One to a packed outdoor rally in Florida without a protective mask but tossed out masks to the crowd. Trump boasted about his recovery, claiming he was now ‘immune’ to the virus. ‘I feel powerful,’ he said. ‘I’ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women and everybody.' Trump's return to his signature campaign rallies kicked off a three-week sprint to election day, as polls showed him losing more ground to Democratic rival Joe Biden


theguardian--2020-10-14--US election 2020: what if Trump refuses to concede? – podcast

Trump has repeatedly stated that he may refuse to accept defeat in the coming election .
As Lawrence Douglas explains , things could get very messy if the result is close In the run-up to the 2016 election , Donald Trump famously declared that he would accept the result of the contest with Hillary Clinton , before pausing for dramatic effect and adding : “ If I win.
” Even after being sworn in as president he cast doubt over the legitimacy of millions of votes that had seen him lose the popular vote while winning in the electoral college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than usual expected to vote by mail and with him trailing badly in the polls , Trump is once again questioning the legitimacy of the voting system .
Prof Lawrence Douglas , the author of the recently published Will He Go ?
, tells Anushka Asthana that the stage is being set for a disputed election if the result hinges on small margins and mail-in ballots , which take longer to count .
In this scenario , he believes Trump is likely to refuse to concede if the vote goes against him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and political minefield that the US constitution and the separated powers of the US government is ill-equipped to deal with .
One thing is clear : a new president must be sworn in at noon on 21 January 2020 .
But who turns up to that ceremony could be the result of a bitter and protracted battle .

Presented by Anushka Asthana with Lawrence Douglas; produced by Courtney Yusuf and Axel Kacoutié; executive producers Phil Maynard and Nicole Jackson

Trump has repeatedly stated that he may refuse to accept defeat in the coming election. As Lawrence Douglas explains, things could get very messy if the result is close
In the run-up to the 2016 election, Donald Trump famously declared that he would accept the result of the contest with Hillary Clinton, before pausing for dramatic effect and adding: “If I win.” Even after being sworn in as president he cast doubt over the legitimacy of millions of votes that had seen him lose the popular vote while winning in the electoral college.
This time around, with millions more than usual expected to vote by mail and with him trailing badly in the polls, Trump is once again questioning the legitimacy of the voting system.
Prof Lawrence Douglas, the author of the recently published Will He Go?, tells Anushka Asthana that the stage is being set for a disputed election if the result hinges on small margins and mail-in ballots, which take longer to count. In this scenario, he believes Trump is likely to refuse to concede if the vote goes against him.
It could open up a legal and political minefield that the US constitution and the separated powers of the US government is ill-equipped to deal with. One thing is clear: a new president must be sworn in at noon on 21 January 2021. But who turns up to that ceremony could be the result of a bitter and protracted battle.
Archive: CNBC/CNN/ CBS/ MSNBC/ WESH 2 News/ AP/ Pathé


theguardian--2020-10-14--Amy Coney Barrett faces questions on legal record as nomination hearings continue – as it happened

Mrs. Trump was last seen Sept. 29 accompanying the president to Cleveland for his nationally televised debate with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden .
Before that trip , she attended a Sept. 26 gathering in the White House Rose Garden that is now believed to have been a “ super spreader ” event for the virus .
The president introduced Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett to scores of guests who sat close together , many without face coverings .
Several guests later tested positive for COVID-19 .
The first lady ’ s office provided no update Tuesday on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign referred questions to the White House .
A possible upside for the White House in the positive test results is that they overshadowed the release of audio recordings by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff , a former confidante and adviser to the first lady , in which Mrs. Trump was heard complaining about having to decorate the mansion for Christmas .
She also was heard downplaying the conditions in which migrant children were housed in U.S. detention centers after the administration separated them from their families at the Mexico border .
Wolkoff detailed her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new book the White House has dismissed as full of “ mistruths and paranoia.
” Wolkoff also had confirmed she had Mrs. Trump on tape .

14 Oct 2020 02.27 BST Summary The second day of Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination hearings concluded. Barrett dodged and deflected questions about her views on healthcare, abortion, presidential transfer of power, climate change, Donald Trump’s public statements, and many other issues.
Barrett dodged and deflected questions about her views on healthcare, abortion, presidential transfer of power, climate change, Donald Trump’s public statements, and many other issues. Democrats reiterated their concerns that Barrett’s confirmation could jeopardize the ACA. “I’m not here on a mission to destroy the Affordable Care Act,” Barrett told the committee. “I’m just here to apply the law.” The court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case involving the ACA just one week after the presidential election.
“I’m not here on a mission to destroy the Affordable Care Act,” Barrett told the committee. “I’m just here to apply the law.” The court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case involving the ACA just one week after the presidential election. Kamala Harris – in her prosecutorial style – made the case that Barrett’s views on abortion are clear based on public statements and career record. “I would suggest that we not pretend that we don’t know how this nominee views a women’s right to choose,” said Harris, who ended her questioning time by asking that letters from the NAACP, NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Planned Parenthood opposing Barrett’s nomination be entered into the record.
“I would suggest that we not pretend that we don’t know how this nominee views a women’s right to choose,” said Harris, who ended her questioning time by asking that letters from the NAACP, NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Planned Parenthood opposing Barrett’s nomination be entered into the record. Under intense questioning from Amy Klobuchar, Barrett declined to characterize Roe as a “super-precedent” case. Barrett has said she considers Brown v Board of Education, which ended racial segregation in schools, to be a super-precedent case because it will never be overturned given there are no challenges to it now. “I’m answering a lot of questions about Roe, which I think indicates that Roe doesn’t fall in that category,” Barrett said. She added that her characterization does not necessarily mean Roe should be overturned.
Barrett has said she considers Brown v Board of Education, which ended racial segregation in schools, to be a super-precedent case because it will never be overturned given there are no challenges to it now. “I’m answering a lot of questions about Roe, which I think indicates that Roe doesn’t fall in that category,” Barrett said. She added that her characterization does not necessarily mean Roe should be overturned. Trump called for a massive coronavirus relief package, as Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell announced plans to vote on a standalone bill for small business loans. “STIMULUS! Go big or go home!!!” Trump said in a tweet.
as Senate majority leader announced plans to vote on a standalone bill for small business loans. “STIMULUS! Go big or go home!!!” Trump said in a tweet. The president held a rally for packed-in, maskless supporters in Pennsylvania. Lagging in polls, the president directly appealed to suburban women to “please” vote for him.
Updated at 02.43 BST
14 Oct 2020 02.14 BST The Associated Press asks: where’s Melania? The first lady, whose office last week said her Covid-19 symptoms had been mild, has been unseen since her diagnosis. The AP reports: Mrs. Trump was last seen Sept. 29 accompanying the president to Cleveland for his nationally televised debate with Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Before that trip, she attended a Sept. 26 gathering in the White House Rose Garden that is now believed to have been a “super spreader” event for the virus. The president introduced Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett to scores of guests who sat close together, many without face coverings. Several guests later tested positive for COVID-19. The first lady’s office provided no update Tuesday on her condition. The president’s campaign referred questions to the White House. A possible upside for the White House in the positive test results is that they overshadowed the release of audio recordings by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former confidante and adviser to the first lady, in which Mrs. Trump was heard complaining about having to decorate the mansion for Christmas. She also was heard downplaying the conditions in which migrant children were housed in U.S. detention centers after the administration separated them from their families at the Mexico border. Wolkoff detailed her falling out with Mrs. Trump in a new book the White House has dismissed as full of “mistruths and paranoia.” Wolkoff also had confirmed she had Mrs. Trump on tape. Read the full analysis here.
Updated at 02.41 BST
14 Oct 2020 01.38 BST One other extraordinary dodge today: Barrett said that while she has “read things about climate change”, she does not have “firm views on it”. Amy Coney Barrett tells Sen. Kennedy: “I have read things about climate change. I would not say I have firm views on it.” pic.twitter.com/kG3cv8XN5Q — Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) October 13, 2020 While it is convention for supreme court nominees to demur on questions about how they might rule on future cases, and not uncommon to avoid exposing firm stances on hot-button political issues – Barrett’s assertion that she has no views on and limited exposure to topics that most Americans have thought through to at least some extent is very difficult to believe.
Updated at 01.56 BST
14 Oct 2020 01.24 BST Second day of Amy Coney Barrett nomination hearing concludes The day was characterized by Barrett dodging questions on abortion, voting rights, the Affordable Care Act, and the presidential transfer of power. Amy Coney Barrett answers questions during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. Photograph: Caroline Brehman/EPA The hearing resumes at 9am ET tomorrow.
14 Oct 2020 01.18 BST CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale’s excellent response to Trump’s assertion that he saw the TV network’s camera light go off when he insulted it: CNN “doesn’t use any visible camera light when recording at rallies”. Trump does his usual lie-shtick about how he just saw CNN's camera light go off right after he insulted CNN.
CNN doesn't broadcast these rallies live, doesn't turn off its cameras when he insults CNN, and doesn't use any visible camera light when recording at rallies. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 14, 2020
14 Oct 2020 01.08 BST Donald Trump holds a rally in Pennsylvania The president, trailing in polls and fresh off a coronavirus infection, is addressing thousands at a packed rally in Johnstown. rump holds a Make America Great Again rally as he campaigns at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images “Suburban women, will you please like me?” Trump pleaded. “I saved your damn neighborhood!” The president won the state by an 0.7-point margin in 2016, and is now trailing his opponent by seven points. White, politically moderate women, who helped him win four years ago, are now defecting to Biden per a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll. As he did at his Florida rally yesterday Trump threatened to kiss “every man and woman” – now that he says recovered from Covid-19.
Updated at 01.21 BST
13 Oct 2020 00.35 BST Harris: let's 'not pretend' that Barrett's views on abortion are unknown Kamala Harris speaks virtually during the hearing. Photograph: Patrick Semansky/AFP/Getty Images Harris ended by making a carefully laid-out case that despite Barrett’s equivocation and insistence that she’s unbiased on the issue of reproductive rights – she is far from that. “I would suggest that we not pretend that we don’t know how this nominee views a women’s right to choose to make her own healthcare decisions,” Harris said. The California senator noted that Ruth Bader Ginsburg – whom Barrett has cited as her model in declining to give any hints on how she’d vote on future cases – was much more forthcoming with her own personal views on a woman’s right to choose. Harris then read out a list of public statements and evidence that Barrett’s views on abortion – and how she might vote on an abortion case - have already been made clear. She did not ask Barrett questions about Roe v Wade - driving home the point that everyone already knows the answer. Harris ended by highlighting letters opposing Barrett’s nomination from the NAACP, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Planned Parenthood.
Updated at 02.05 BST
13 Oct 2020 00.16 BST Barrett is maintaining that before she was nominated to the Supreme Court, she was completely unaware of Donald Trump’s public statements that he wanted to appoint a judge that would tear down the ACA. HARRIS: Prior to your nomination, were you aware of Trump's statements pledging to strike down the ACA?
CONEY BARRETT: I don't recall hearing or seeing such statements pic.twitter.com/lKVrTste3o — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 13, 2020 “I would hope the committee would trust my integrity,” Barrett said, noting, as she’s done throughout, that she’s not made any commitments to rule a certain way on the healthcare law. The assertion, and implication that she’d somehow completely tuned out the president’s loud, public criterion for judges he’d appoint, is strange - and difficult to believe.
Updated at 00.55 BST
13 Oct 2020 00.08 BST Today, Harris is again using her famous prosecutorial style to question Barrett’s views on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). After a long preamble about the importance of healthcare amid the ongoing pandemic, Harris’ first question for Barrett was how many months after Barrett wrote a law review article criticizing John Roberts’ decision upholding the ACA did she receive her nomination for her appeals court position. “The Affordable Care Act and all of its protections hinge on this seat,” Harris said.
13 Oct 2020 00.01 BST Harris’ sharp questioning of Trump’s last Supreme Court nominee – now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh – helped elevate her political profile. Complete exchange between Sen. Kamala Harris and Judge Kavanaugh on Mueller Investigation.
Kavanaugh: "I would like to know the person you're thinking of."
Sen. Harris: "I think you're thinking of someone and you don't want to tell us." pic.twitter.com/3bP7rJ6u0L — CSPAN (@cspan) August 11, 2020
13 Oct 2020 23.56 BST Kamala Harris questions Barrett The Democratic vice-presidential nominee has begun by addressing the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, and its economic consequences. “People need help - they need help to pay their rent or mortgages. Parents need help putting food on the table,” she said, criticizing Republicans for rushing through their judicial nominee rather than focusing on passing a coronavirus relief bill.
Updated at 00.12 BST
13 Oct 2020 23.49 BST Barrett has dodged questions about the presidential transfer of power and whether she would recuse herself from deciding a presidential election case. When New Jersey Senator Cory Booker asked directly and pressed, Barrett initially equivocated before saying she believed in the peaceful transfer of power.
“One of the beauties of America from the beginning of the republic is that we have had peaceful transfers of power,” she said. “I think it is part of the genius of our Constitution and the good faith and goodwill of our people.” But she declined – when pressed earlier by Vermont’s Patrick Leahy – to say whether she would recuse herself from deciding a presidential election case, after Donald Trump said he needs his nominee confirmed because he thinks his election will end up in court. She dodged - only saying she’d make a decision carefully. Barrett also declined to say whether the president could pardon himself.
Updated at 00.13 BST
13 Oct 2020 23.10 BST As the Amy Coney Barrett nomination hearings roll on into their ninth hour, it’s worth taking a beat to note that Barrett would not hold her current position on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals had Mitch McConnell not blocked Obama’s nominee Myra Selby. Did you know Amy Coney Barrett is sitting in a stolen judicial seat right now? In May 2017, Trump nominated Barrett to IN seat on Seventh Circuit, which covers Indiana, Illinois & Wisconsin. This is same seat to which President Obama nominated Myra Selby, a Black woman, in 2016. — Leslie Proll (@LeslieProll) September 26, 2020
Updated at 23.27 BST