theguardian--2020-08-18--Michelle Obama's DNC speech – full transcript

Good evening , everyone .
It ’ s a hard time , and everyone ’ s feeling it in different ways .
And I know a lot of folks are reluctant to tune in to a political convention right now or to politics in general .
Believe me , I get that .
But I am here tonight because I love this country with all my heart , and it pains me to see so many people hurting .
I ’ ve met so many of you .
I ’ ve heard your stories .
And through you , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And thanks to so many who came before me , thanks to their toil and sweat and blood , I ’ ve been able to live that promise myself .
That ’ s the story of America .
All those folks who sacrificed and overcame so much in their own times because they wanted something more , something better for their kids .
There ’ s a lot of beauty in that story .
There ’ s a lot of pain in it , too , a lot of struggle and injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who we choose as our president in this election will determine whether or not we honor that struggle and chip away at that injustice and keep alive the very possibility of finishing that work .
I am one of a handful of people living today who have seen first-hand the immense weight and awesome power of the presidency .
And let me once again tell you this : the job is hard .
It requires clear-headed judgment , a mastery of complex and competing issues , a devotion to facts and history , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to listen – and an abiding belief that each of the 330,000,000 lives in this country has meaning and worth .
A president ’ s words have the power to move markets .
They can start wars or broker peace .
They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts .
You simply can not fake your way through this job .
As I ’ ve said before , being president doesn ’ t change who you are , it reveals who you are .
Well , a presidential election can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And four years ago , too many people chose to believe that their votes didn ’ t matter .
Maybe they were fed up .
Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn ’ t be close .
Maybe the barriers felt too steep .
Whatever the reason , in the end , those choices sent someone to the Oval Office who lost the national popular vote by nearly 3,000,000 votes .
In one of the states that determined the outcome , the winning margin averaged out to just two votes per precinct – two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been living with the consequences .
When my husband left office with Joe Biden at his side , we had a record-breaking stretch of job creation .
We ’ d secured the right to healthcare for 20,000,000 people .
We were respected around the world , rallying our allies to confront climate change .
And our leaders had worked hand in hand with scientists to help prevent an Ebola outbreak from becoming a global pandemic .
Four years later , the state of this nation is very different .
More than 150,000 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shambles because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long .
It has left millions of people jobless .
Too many have lost their healthcare ; too many are struggling to take care of basic necessities like food and rent ; too many communities have been left in the lurch to grapple with whether and how to open our schools safely .
Internationally , we ’ ve turned our back , not just on agreements forged by my husband , but on alliances championed by presidents like Reagan and Eisenhower .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd , Breonna Taylor and a neverending list of innocent people of color continue to be murdered , stating the simple fact that a black life matters is still met with derision from the nation ’ s highest office .
Because whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness , what we get instead is chaos , division and a total and utter lack of empathy .
Empathy : that ’ s something I ’ ve been thinking a lot about lately .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s shoes ; the recognition that someone else ’ s experience has value , too .
Most of us practice this without a second thought .
If we see someone suffering or struggling , we don ’ t stand in judgment .
We reach out because “ there , but for the grace of God , go I.
” It is not a hard concept to grasp .
It ’ s what we teach our children .
And like so many of you , Barack and I have tried our best to instill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to carry forward the values that our parents and grandparents poured into us .
But right now , kids in this country are seeing what happens when we stop requiring empathy of one another .
They ’ re looking around wondering if we ’ ve been lying to them this whole time about who we are and what we truly value .
They see people shouting in grocery stores , unwilling to wear a mask to keep us all safe .
They see people calling the police on folks minding their own business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skin .
They see an entitlement that says only certain people belong here , that greed is good and winning is everything because as long as you come out on top , it doesn ’ t matter what happens to everyone else .
And they see what happens when that lack of empathy is ginned up into outright disdain .
They see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists .
They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used on peaceful protesters for a photo op .
Sadly , this is the America that is on display for the next generation .
A nation that ’ s underperforming not simply on matters of policy but on matters of character .
And that ’ s not just disappointing , it ’ s downright infuriating , because I know the goodness and the grace that is out there in households and neighborhoods all across this nation .
And I know that regardless of our race , age , religion , or politics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fear and truly open our hearts , we know that what ’ s going on in this country is just not right .
This is not who we want to be .
So what do we do now ?
What ’ s our strategy ?
Over the past four years , a lot of people have asked me , “ When others are going so low , does going high still really work ?
” My answer : going high is the only thing that works , because when we go low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of degrading and dehumanizing others , we just become part of the ugly noise that ’ s drowning out everything else .
We degrade ourselves .
We degrade the very causes for which we fight .
But let ’ s be clear : going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty .
Going high means taking the harder path .
It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountaintop .
Going high means standing fierce against hatred while remembering that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we want to survive , we ’ ve got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences .
And going high means unlocking the shackles of lies and mistrust with the only thing that can truly set us free : the cold hard truth .
So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can .
Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country .
He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job , but he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not meet this moment .
He simply can not be who we need him to be for us .
It is what it is .
Now , I understand that my message won ’ t be heard by some people .
We live in a nation that is deeply divided , and I am a black woman speaking at the Democratic convention .
But enough of you know me by now .
You know that I tell you exactly what I ’ m feeling .
You know I hate politics .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this nation .
You know how much I care about all of our children .
So if you take one thing from my words tonight , it is this : if you think things can not possibly get worse , trust me , they can , and they will if we don ’ t make a change in this election .
If we have any hope of ending this chaos , we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it .
I know Joe .
He is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was a terrific vice-president .
He knows what it takes to rescue an economy , beat back a pandemic and lead our country .
And he listens .
He will tell the truth and trust science .
He will make smart plans and manage a good team .
And he will govern as someone who ’ s lived a life that the rest of us can recognize .
When he was a kid , Joe ’ s father lost his job .
When he was a young senator , Joe lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And when he was vice-president , he lost his beloved son .
So Joe knows the anguish of sitting at a table with an empty chair , which is why he gives his time so freely to grieving parents .
Joe knows what it ’ s like to struggle , which is why he gives his personal phone number to kids overcoming a stutter of their own .
His life is a testament to getting back up , and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide us forward .
Now , Joe is not perfect .
And he ’ d be the first to tell you that .
But there is no perfect candidate , no perfect president .
And his ability to learn and grow – we find in that the kind of humility and maturity that so many of us yearn for right now .
Because Joe Biden has served this nation his entire life without ever losing sight of who he is , but more than that , he has never lost sight of who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden wants all of our kids to go to a good school , see a doctor when they ’ re sick , live on a healthy planet .
And he ’ s got plans to make all of that happen .
Joe Biden wants all of our kids , no matter what they look like , to be able to walk out the door without worrying about being harassed or arrested or killed .
He wants all of our kids to be able to go to a movie or a math class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He wants all our kids to grow up with leaders who won ’ t just serve themselves and their wealthy peers but will provide a safety net for people facing hard times .
And if we want a chance to pursue any of these goals , any of these most basic requirements for a functioning society , we have to vote for Joe Biden in numbers that can not be ignored .
Because right now , folks who know they can not win fair and square at the ballot box are doing everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ’ re closing down polling places in minority neighborhoods .
They ’ re purging voter rolls .
They ’ re sending people out to intimidate voters , and they ’ re lying about the security of our ballots .
These tactics are not new .
But this is not the time to withhold our votes in protest or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning .
We have got to vote like we did in 2008 and 2012 .
We ’ ve got to show up with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden .
We ’ ve got to vote early , in person if we can .
We ’ ve got to request our mail-in ballots right now , tonight , and send them back immediately and follow up to make sure they ’ re received .
And then , make sure our friends and families do the same .
We have got to grab our comfortable shoes , put on our masks , pack a brown-bag dinner and maybe breakfast too , because we ’ ve got to be willing to stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
Look , we have already sacrificed so much this year .
So many of you are already going that extra mile .
Even when you ’ re exhausted , you ’ re mustering up unimaginable courage to put on those scrubs and give our loved ones a fighting chance .
Even when you ’ re anxious , you ’ re delivering those packages , stocking those shelves , and doing all that essential work so that all of us can keep moving forward .
Even when it all feels so overwhelming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all together without child care .
Teachers are getting creative so that our kids can still learn and grow .
Our young people are desperately fighting to pursue their dreams .
And when the horrors of systemic racism shook our country and our consciences , millions of Americans of every age , every background rose up to march for each other , crying out for justice and progress .
This is who we still are : compassionate , resilient , decent people whose fortunes are bound up with one another .
And it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to once again reflect our truth .
So , it is up to us to add our voices and our votes to the course of history , echoing heroes like John Lewis who said : “ When you see something that is not right , you must say something .
You must do something.
” That is the truest form of empathy : not just feeling , but doing ; not just for ourselves or our kids , but for everyone , for all our kids .
And if we want to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , if we want to be able to look our children in the eye after this election , we have got to reassert our place in American history .
And we have got to do everything we can to elect my friend , Joe Biden , as the next president of the United States .
Thank you all .
God bless .

Good evening, everyone. It’s a hard time, and everyone’s feeling it in different ways. And I know a lot of folks are reluctant to tune in to a political convention right now or to politics in general. Believe me, I get that. But I am here tonight because I love this country with all my heart, and it pains me to see so many people hurting.
I’ve met so many of you. I’ve heard your stories. And through you, I have seen this country’s promise. And thanks to so many who came before me, thanks to their toil and sweat and blood, I’ve been able to live that promise myself.
That’s the story of America. All those folks who sacrificed and overcame so much in their own times because they wanted something more, something better for their kids.
There’s a lot of beauty in that story. There’s a lot of pain in it, too, a lot of struggle and injustice and work left to do. And who we choose as our president in this election will determine whether or not we honor that struggle and chip away at that injustice and keep alive the very possibility of finishing that work.
I am one of a handful of people living today who have seen first-hand the immense weight and awesome power of the presidency. And let me once again tell you this: the job is hard. It requires clear-headed judgment, a mastery of complex and competing issues, a devotion to facts and history, a moral compass, and an ability to listen – and an abiding belief that each of the 330,000,000 lives in this country has meaning and worth.
A president’s words have the power to move markets. They can start wars or broker peace. They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts. You simply cannot fake your way through this job.
As I’ve said before, being president doesn’t change who you are, it reveals who you are. Well, a presidential election can reveal who we are, too. And four years ago, too many people chose to believe that their votes didn’t matter. Maybe they were fed up. Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn’t be close. Maybe the barriers felt too steep. Whatever the reason, in the end, those choices sent someone to the Oval Office who lost the national popular vote by nearly 3,000,000 votes.
In one of the states that determined the outcome, the winning margin averaged out to just two votes per precinct – two votes. And we’ve all been living with the consequences.
When my husband left office with Joe Biden at his side, we had a record-breaking stretch of job creation. We’d secured the right to healthcare for 20,000,000 people. We were respected around the world, rallying our allies to confront climate change. And our leaders had worked hand in hand with scientists to help prevent an Ebola outbreak from becoming a global pandemic.
Four years later, the state of this nation is very different. More than 150,000 people have died and our economy is in shambles because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long. It has left millions of people jobless. Too many have lost their healthcare; too many are struggling to take care of basic necessities like food and rent; too many communities have been left in the lurch to grapple with whether and how to open our schools safely. Internationally, we’ve turned our back, not just on agreements forged by my husband, but on alliances championed by presidents like Reagan and Eisenhower.
And here at home, as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and a neverending list of innocent people of color continue to be murdered, stating the simple fact that a black life matters is still met with derision from the nation’s highest office.
Because whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness, what we get instead is chaos, division and a total and utter lack of empathy.
Empathy: that’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. The ability to walk in someone else’s shoes; the recognition that someone else’s experience has value, too. Most of us practice this without a second thought. If we see someone suffering or struggling, we don’t stand in judgment. We reach out because “there, but for the grace of God, go I.” It is not a hard concept to grasp. It’s what we teach our children.
And like so many of you, Barack and I have tried our best to instill in our girls a strong moral foundation to carry forward the values that our parents and grandparents poured into us. But right now, kids in this country are seeing what happens when we stop requiring empathy of one another. They’re looking around wondering if we’ve been lying to them this whole time about who we are and what we truly value.
They see people shouting in grocery stores, unwilling to wear a mask to keep us all safe. They see people calling the police on folks minding their own business just because of the color of their skin. They see an entitlement that says only certain people belong here, that greed is good and winning is everything because as long as you come out on top, it doesn’t matter what happens to everyone else. And they see what happens when that lack of empathy is ginned up into outright disdain.
They see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists. They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages, and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protesters for a photo op.
Sadly, this is the America that is on display for the next generation. A nation that’s underperforming not simply on matters of policy but on matters of character. And that’s not just disappointing, it’s downright infuriating, because I know the goodness and the grace that is out there in households and neighborhoods all across this nation.
And I know that regardless of our race, age, religion, or politics, when we close out the noise and the fear and truly open our hearts, we know that what’s going on in this country is just not right. This is not who we want to be.
So what do we do now? What’s our strategy? Over the past four years, a lot of people have asked me, “When others are going so low, does going high still really work?” My answer: going high is the only thing that works, because when we go low, when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others, we just become part of the ugly noise that’s drowning out everything else. We degrade ourselves. We degrade the very causes for which we fight.
But let’s be clear: going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty. Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountaintop. Going high means standing fierce against hatred while remembering that we are one nation under God, and if we want to survive, we’ve got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences.
And going high means unlocking the shackles of lies and mistrust with the only thing that can truly set us free: the cold hard truth.
So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.
Now, I understand that my message won’t be heard by some people. We live in a nation that is deeply divided, and I am a black woman speaking at the Democratic convention. But enough of you know me by now. You know that I tell you exactly what I’m feeling. You know I hate politics. But you also know that I care about this nation. You know how much I care about all of our children.
So if you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this: if you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can, and they will if we don’t make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.
I know Joe. He is a profoundly decent man, guided by faith. He was a terrific vice-president. He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country. And he listens. He will tell the truth and trust science. He will make smart plans and manage a good team. And he will govern as someone who’s lived a life that the rest of us can recognize.
When he was a kid, Joe’s father lost his job. When he was a young senator, Joe lost his wife and his baby daughter. And when he was vice-president, he lost his beloved son. So Joe knows the anguish of sitting at a table with an empty chair, which is why he gives his time so freely to grieving parents. Joe knows what it’s like to struggle, which is why he gives his personal phone number to kids overcoming a stutter of their own.
His life is a testament to getting back up, and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up, to help us heal and guide us forward.
Now, Joe is not perfect. And he’d be the first to tell you that. But there is no perfect candidate, no perfect president. And his ability to learn and grow – we find in that the kind of humility and maturity that so many of us yearn for right now. Because Joe Biden has served this nation his entire life without ever losing sight of who he is, but more than that, he has never lost sight of who we are, all of us.
Joe Biden wants all of our kids to go to a good school, see a doctor when they’re sick, live on a healthy planet. And he’s got plans to make all of that happen. Joe Biden wants all of our kids, no matter what they look like, to be able to walk out the door without worrying about being harassed or arrested or killed. He wants all of our kids to be able to go to a movie or a math class without being afraid of getting shot. He wants all our kids to grow up with leaders who won’t just serve themselves and their wealthy peers but will provide a safety net for people facing hard times.
And if we want a chance to pursue any of these goals, any of these most basic requirements for a functioning society, we have to vote for Joe Biden in numbers that cannot be ignored. Because right now, folks who know they cannot win fair and square at the ballot box are doing everything they can to stop us from voting. They’re closing down polling places in minority neighborhoods. They’re purging voter rolls. They’re sending people out to intimidate voters, and they’re lying about the security of our ballots. These tactics are not new.
But this is not the time to withhold our votes in protest or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning. We have got to vote like we did in 2008 and 2012. We’ve got to show up with the same level of passion and hope for Joe Biden. We’ve got to vote early, in person if we can. We’ve got to request our mail-in ballots right now, tonight, and send them back immediately and follow up to make sure they’re received. And then, make sure our friends and families do the same.
We have got to grab our comfortable shoes, put on our masks, pack a brown-bag dinner and maybe breakfast too, because we’ve got to be willing to stand in line all night if we have to.
Look, we have already sacrificed so much this year. So many of you are already going that extra mile. Even when you’re exhausted, you’re mustering up unimaginable courage to put on those scrubs and give our loved ones a fighting chance. Even when you’re anxious, you’re delivering those packages, stocking those shelves, and doing all that essential work so that all of us can keep moving forward.
Even when it all feels so overwhelming, working parents are somehow piecing it all together without child care. Teachers are getting creative so that our kids can still learn and grow. Our young people are desperately fighting to pursue their dreams.
And when the horrors of systemic racism shook our country and our consciences, millions of Americans of every age, every background rose up to march for each other, crying out for justice and progress.
This is who we still are: compassionate, resilient, decent people whose fortunes are bound up with one another. And it is well past time for our leaders to once again reflect our truth.
So, it is up to us to add our voices and our votes to the course of history, echoing heroes like John Lewis who said: “When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something.” That is the truest form of empathy: not just feeling, but doing; not just for ourselves or our kids, but for everyone, for all our kids.
And if we want to keep the possibility of progress alive in our time, if we want to be able to look our children in the eye after this election, we have got to reassert our place in American history. And we have got to do everything we can to elect my friend, Joe Biden, as the next president of the United States.
Thank you all. God bless.


theguardian--2020-08-18--DNC 2020: Democrats show unity on first night of virtual convention

In a unmistakable show of unity against a president they said threatened the nation ’ s democracy , liberals , progressives , moderates and even some Republicans came together for the opening night of the Democratic national convention on Monday , a virtual affair that culminated with an urgent plea from former first lady Michelle Obama to vote for Joe Biden “ like our lives depend on it ” .
In her keynote address at a convention that had been truncated and conducted almost entirely online as a result of the public health crisis , Obama delivered a searing indictment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Confronting Donald Trump directly , she accused him of mishandling the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 170,000 American lives and of failing to respond to the nationwide cries for racial justice .
The suffering felt across the country would only deepen , she warned , if Trump was allowed four more years in the White House .
“ Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country , ” Obama said , prefacing her remarks with a promise to be unusually direct .
“ He has had more than enough time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job , but he is clearly in over his head .
He can not meet this moment .
He simply can not be who we need him to be for us .
It is what it is.
” When she finished speaking , the broadcast displayed a panoramic of living rooms around the US , where supporters applauded enthusiastically .
Her denunciations of the president were echoed from prominent figures of both parties .
The Vermont senator Bernie Sanders , who finished second to Biden in the Democratic primary race , warned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the path of authoritarianism ” while John Kasich , the anti-Trump Republican former governor of Ohio , urged Americans “ take off our partisans hats and put our nation first ” .
In the first moments of the broadcast on Monday night , actor Eva Longoria , host for the evening , acknowledged that this year ’ s convention would be unlike any other .
Traditionally , she said , a convention is a quadrennial exercise in reaffirming “ our democracy.
” “ This year , we ’ ve come to save it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pre-taped rap of a gavel , Mississippi congressman Bennie Thompson , the convention ’ s chairman , formally opened the four-day presidential nominating convention that has been entirely reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic .
The convention was originally planned for Milwaukee , Wisconsin , in mid-July , with tens of thousands of in-person attendees .
Now , renamed the “ Convention Across America ” and “ anchored ” in Milwaukee , it has been condensed into two-hour primetime events over four nights , featuring some of the nation ’ s most prominent politicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtually , however we gather unified in spirit , ” said Wisconsin congresswoman Gwen Moore .
“ Unified in our values and purpose to heal divisions and together move the nation confidently into a prosperous , inclusive future.
” In live remarks from Burlington , Sanders warned that the “ future of our democracy is at stake ” .
“ This president is not just a threat to our democracy , but by rejecting science , he has put our lives and health in jeopardy , ” Sanders said , summarizing Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president to the tyrannical Roman emperor : “ Nero fiddled while Rome burned .
Trump golfs.
” Directly addressing the millions of young progressives who voted for him in 2020 , many of whom remain skeptical of Biden , Sanders laid out key policies where he and his one-time rival overlap , including on a $ 15 minimum wage and aggressive action on climate change .
It was a stark contrast to the almost valedictory nature of his remarks in 2016 , which did little to ease the boiling anger of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the convention floor in Philadelphia .
On Monday night , Sanders was unequivocal : “ We need Joe Biden as our next president.
” Amid the appeals to unity , were searing reminders of the lives touched – and lost – by the parallel crises of a global pandemic and racial injustice .
From a nurse in Texas worried about “ the kiddos ” going back to school in a pandemic to a Pennsylvania farmer fearful that he might be the last generation to till a field if the economy doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all urged the nation to choose new leadership .
In one of the most moving segments of the evening , Kristin Urquiza said her father was a “ healthy 65-year-old ” when he died from coronavirus after Arizona rushed to reopen its economy at the urging of the president .
“ His only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump , ” Urquiza said , “ and for that , he paid with his life.
” Urquiza said she would cast her vote for Biden in November to honor her father .
“ One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to me was that he felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump , ” Urquiza said .
“ And so , when I cast my vote for Joe Biden , I will do it for my dad.
” Urquiza was echoed by several prominent Republicans who said they too planned to vote for Biden in November .
“ America is at a crossroads , ” Kasich said , standing at the intersection or two gravel pathways in his hometown of Westerville , Ohio , an affluent suburb in the perennial swing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zero ” in the battle for the White House .
“ Joe Biden is the man for these times.
” His remarks were followed by a montage of lifelong Republican voters who expressed disbelief for the moment in which they found themselves : calling for the election of a Democratic president at the party ’ s national convention .
Nevertheless , they warned of the lasting consequences of allowing Trump a second term .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo , who was widely praised for his handling of the coronavirus that ravaged his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s response to the pandemic .
“ Only a strong body can fight off the virus , and America ’ s divisions weakened it , ” Cuomo said , seated at his desk as America came to know him during daily press briefings , with a powerpoint presentation stating the number of days the US has been enduring the pandemic : “ Today is Monday .
Day 170.
” “ Donald Trump didn ’ t create the initial division , ” he continued .
“ The division created Trump ; he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows that the American public is increasingly disappointed by Trump ’ s handling of the virus , and his presidency , while Biden maintains a steady lead , according to national surveys .
In a summer of racial reckoning sparked by the police killing of George Floyd , Biden joined the event on Monday night to host a conversation on racial injustice and police reform .
Floyd ’ s family addressed the convention , and asked Americans to join his family in a moment of silence .
“ George should be alive today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Philonise Floyd , said before beginning a somber roll call of African Americans who have died at the hands of police .
Earlier in the day , Trump delivered a starkly different message in Oshkosh , Wisconsin , on Monday , hours before the convention formally began in Milwaukee .
There he addressed supporters from an airport landing strip , mocking the former first lady for pre-recording her remarks while delighting the crowd with a promise to deliver a “ live speech ” from the White House when he accepts the Republican nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little to blunt the sting of her words .
It was Obama who delivered the evening ’ s most devastating rebuke of her husband ’ s successor in a strikingly political speech that diverged greatly from sunny vision of American progress she outlined at Democratic convention four years , when she assailed Trump without ever saying his name .
“ If you think things can not possibly get worse , trust me , they can – and they will if we don ’ t make a change in this election , ” Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said “ vote ” .
“ If we have any hope of ending this chaos , we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.
” In her telling , Trump ’ s greatest weakness was Biden ’ s greatest strength : his empathy .
“ Whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness , ” Obama said , “ what we get instead is chaos , division , and a total and utter lack of empathy.
” Though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly five decades – and despite efforts by the Trump campaign to define Biden as a leftwing socialist – many Americans are unfamiliar with the contours of his life and career .
On Monday night , a highly produced video with Amtrak workers told the story of Biden riding the train between his home in Wilmington and Washington DC as a young senator so that he could be home with his young sons after his wife and daughter were killed in a car accident .
The South Carolina congressman James Clyburn , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was instrumental in helping his longtime friend win the Democratic primary , described Biden simply as a “ good man ” .
“ We know Joe , ” he said .
“ But more importantly Joe knows us .
”

In a unmistakable show of unity against a president they said threatened the nation’s democracy, liberals, progressives, moderates and even some Republicans came together for the opening night of the Democratic national convention on Monday, a virtual affair that culminated with an urgent plea from former first lady Michelle Obama to vote for Joe Biden “like our lives depend on it”.
In her keynote address at a convention that had been truncated and conducted almost entirely online as a result of the public health crisis, Obama delivered a searing indictment of her husband’s successor. Confronting Donald Trump directly, she accused him of mishandling the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed more than 170,000 American lives and of failing to respond to the nationwide cries for racial justice.
The suffering felt across the country would only deepen, she warned, if Trump was allowed four more years in the White House.
“Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” Obama said, prefacing her remarks with a promise to be unusually direct. “He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”
When she finished speaking, the broadcast displayed a panoramic of living rooms around the US, where supporters applauded enthusiastically.
Her denunciations of the president were echoed from prominent figures of both parties. The Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, who finished second to Biden in the Democratic primary race, warned that Trump was leading the nation “down the path of authoritarianism” while John Kasich, the anti-Trump Republican former governor of Ohio, urged Americans to “take off our partisans hats and put our nation first”.
01:50 Bernie Sanders slams Trump at DNC: 'Nero fiddled while Rome burned. The president golfs' – video
In the first moments of the broadcast on Monday night, actor Eva Longoria, host for the evening, acknowledged that this year’s convention would be unlike any other. Traditionally, she said, a convention is a quadrennial exercise in reaffirming “our democracy”.
“This year, we’ve come to save it,” Longoria said.
With a pre-taped rap of a gavel, Mississippi congressman Bennie Thompson, the convention’s chairman, formally opened the four-day presidential nominating convention that has been entirely reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic.
The convention was originally planned for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in mid-July, with tens of thousands of in-person attendees. Now, renamed the “Convention Across America” and “anchored” in Milwaukee, it has been condensed into two-hour primetime events over four nights, featuring some of the nation’s most prominent politicians alongside everyday Americans.
The control room where live feeds are managed for the Democratic national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on 17 August. Photograph: Reuters
“We gather virtually, however we gather unified in spirit,” said the Wisconsin congresswoman Gwen Moore. “Unified in our values and purpose to heal divisions and together move the nation confidently into a prosperous, inclusive future.”
In live remarks from Burlington, Sanders warned that the “future of our democracy is at stake”.
“This president is not just a threat to our democracy, but by rejecting science, he has put our lives and health in jeopardy,” Sanders said, summarizing Trump’s handling of the pandemic, likening the president to the tyrannical Roman emperor: “Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs.”
Directly addressing the millions of young progressives who voted for him in 2020, many of whom remain skeptical of Biden, Sanders laid out key policies where he and his one-time rival overlap, including on a $15 minimum wage and aggressive action on climate change.
It was a stark contrast to the almost valedictory nature of his remarks in 2016, which did little to ease the boiling anger of his supporters that spilled into the open on the convention floor in Philadelphia.
On Monday night, Sanders was unequivocal: “We need Joe Biden as our next president.”
Amid the appeals to unity, were searing reminders of the lives touched – and lost – by the parallel crises of a global pandemic and racial injustice.
From a nurse in Texas worried about “the kiddos” going back to school in a pandemic to a Pennsylvania farmer fearful that he might be the last generation to till a field if the economy doesn’t improve and a repentant Trump supporter, all urged the nation to choose new leadership.
In one of the most moving segments of the evening, Kristin Urquiza said her father was a “healthy 65-year-old” when he died from coronavirus after Arizona rushed to reopen its economy at the urging of the president.
“His only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump,” Urquiza said, “and for that, he paid with his life.”
Urquiza said she would cast her vote for Biden in November to honor her father. “One of the last things that my father said to me was that he felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump,” Urquiza said. “And so, when I cast my vote for Joe Biden, I will do it for my dad.”
Urquiza was echoed by several prominent Republicans who said they too planned to vote for Biden in November.
“America is at a crossroads,” Kasich said, standing at the intersection or two gravel pathways in his home town of Westerville, Ohio, an affluent suburb in the perennial swing state that Democrats have called “ground zero” in the battle for the White House. “Joe Biden is the man for these times.”
His remarks were followed by a montage of lifelong Republican voters who expressed disbelief for the moment in which they found themselves: calling for the election of a Democratic president at the party’s national convention. Nevertheless, they warned of the lasting consequences of allowing Trump a second term.
01:29 Kasich among anti-Trump Republicans backing Joe Biden at DNC – video
The New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, who was widely praised for his handling of the coronavirus that ravaged his state earlier this year, laced into Trump’s response to the pandemic.
“Only a strong body can fight off the virus, and America’s divisions weakened it,” Cuomo said, seated at his desk as America came to know him during daily press briefings, with a PowerPoint presentation stating the number of days the US has been enduring the pandemic: “Today is Monday. Day 170.”
“Donald Trump didn’t create the initial division,” he continued. “The division created Trump; he only made it worse.”
New polling shows that the American public is increasingly disappointed by Trump’s handling of the virus, and his presidency, while Biden maintains a steady lead, according to national surveys.
In a summer of racial reckoning sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, Biden joined the event on Monday night to host a conversation on racial injustice and police reform.
Floyd’s family addressed the convention, and asked Americans to join his family in a moment of silence.
“George should be alive today,” Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, said before beginning a somber roll call of African Americans who have died at the hands of police.
Earlier in the day, Trump delivered a starkly different message in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
There he addressed supporters from an airport landing strip, mocking the former first lady for pre-recording her remarks while delighting the crowd with a promise to deliver a “live speech” from the White House when he accepts the Republican nomination next week.
But the format did little to blunt the sting of her words.
It was Obama who delivered the evening’s most devastating rebuke of her husband’s successor in a strikingly political speech that diverged greatly from the sunny vision of American progress she outlined at Democratic convention four years, when she assailed Trump without ever saying his name.
“If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can – and they will if we don’t make a change in this election,” Obama said, wearing a gold necklace that said “vote”. “If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.”
In her telling, Trump’s greatest weakness was Biden’s greatest strength: his empathy.
“Whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness,” Obama said, “what we get instead is chaos, division and a total and utter lack of empathy.”
18:00 Michelle Obama: the former first lady's DNC speech in full – video
Though Biden has been in American politics for nearly five decades – and despite efforts by the Trump campaign to define Biden as a leftwing socialist – many Americans are unfamiliar with the contours of his life and career.
On Monday night, a highly produced video with Amtrak workers told the story of Biden riding the train between his home in Wilmington and Washington DC as a young senator so that he could be home with his young sons after his wife and daughter were killed in a car accident.
The South Carolina congressman James Clyburn, the highest-ranking black member of Congress whose endorsement was instrumental in helping his longtime friend win the Democratic primary, described Biden simply as a “good man”.
“We know Joe,” he said. “But more importantly Joe knows us.”


theguardian--2020-08-18--A pandemic DNC: telethon, commercial, and awkward family Zoom call in one

A strange new political creature drew its first breath on Monday night .
The most unconventional of Democratic national conventions was part earnest telethon , part two-hour commercial , part awkward family Zoom call .
There will be plenty of armchair critics , but overall party leaders will be pleased to have projected unity in diversity , swerved past major technical glitches and finished on the grace note of Michelle Obama , who delivered what amounted to an alternative state of the union address .
As in so much else in 2020 , we were in uncharted territory .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ceilings , no noisy protests on the sweaty conference floor – all forgone as the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep across the US .
Instead , Latina actor and activist Eva Longoria was an accomplished host ( “ Trump desperately needs the suburban housewives but Biden beat him to the Desperate Housewives , ” joked comedian Stephen Colbert ) .
The glossy videos that normally play as a backdrop to every convention , ignored by many , were now thrust into the foreground .
Curiously , this had the effect of making politicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The highlights of the evening were not boiler plate speeches – which cried out for the kind of artificial crowd noise used for TV sport – but searing first person testimony from the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice .
Kristin Urquiza told how her father , who had voted for Trump , went to a karaoke bar in Arizona after its stay-at-home order was lifted .
A few weeks later he was in hospital with Covid-19 and , after “ five agonising days ” , died in intensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ My dad was a healthy 65-year-old , ” she said .
“ His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump and for that he paid with his life ...
When I cast my vote for Joe Biden , I will do it for my dad.
” As a gut punch , it was reminiscent of Khizr Khan , the father of an American Muslim and army captain killed in Iraq , excoriating Trump at the Democratic convention in 2016 .
An authentic voice from the heart rising above the others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black man killed by police in Minneapolis , called for a moment of silence .
Floyd ’ s brother , Philonise , said : “ George should be alive today .
Breonna Taylor should be alive today .
Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today .
Eric Garner should be alive today .
Stephon Clark , Atatiana Jefferson , Sandra Bland – they should all be alive today.
” Another moving intervention came from another non-politician .
Four years ago Michelle Obama , the then first lady , delivered one of the most visceral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before a crowd that cheered , whooped and openly wept .
This time , wearing a gold necklace with word “ vote ” spelled out , she sat alone in a room with plants , a photo , a Biden sign just out of focus , a candle burning on a table .
The only applause came afterwards from supporters watching via streaming .
But the speech was no less powerful in its way : a plea for empathy from a patriot who gave the impression of transcending politics , more disappointed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can , ” Obama said , “ Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country .
He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job , but he is clearly in over his head .
He can not meet this moment .
He simply can not be who we need him to be for us .
It is what it is.
” Obama was the unifying figure at the end of a night that included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor of Ohio , and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont , a self-declared democratic socialist who will finish runner up to Biden in the Democratic primary .
The virtual format ensured there could be no repeat of the pro-Sanders protests and chants of “ Bernie !
Bernie !
” at the 2016 convention that signalled all was not well with Hillary Clinton ’ s candidacy .
But perhaps that wouldn ’ t have happened anyway , given Sanders ’ warmer relationship with Biden and the way Trump ’ s existential threat can concentrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of firewood and seeming just a whisker away from his Larry David doppelgänger on Saturday Night Live , Sanders acknowledged he disagrees with Biden ’ s health care plan yet pointed to its positive aspects .
He went on : “ As long as I am here , I will work with progressives , with moderates and yes , with conservatives , to preserve this nation from a threat that so many of our heroes fought and died to defeat.
” Kasich posed at a crossroads as he made a clunky metaphorical point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m sure there are Republicans and independents who couldn ’ t imagine crossing over to support a Democrat ; they fear Joe may turn sharp left and leave them behind , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t believe that , because I know the measure of the man : reasonable , faithful , respectful .
And you know , no one pushes Joe around.
” The impression was of a party that , for now at least , has buried its internal squabbles because of the urgent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a former White House press secretary under Bill Clinton , tweeted : “ Lots of talk about the Democratic party needing to unite the party at the # DemConvention I went to my first Democratic convention in 1972 and I ’ ve never seen the party more united then we are tonight.
” No less clear was the diversity of speakers across age , disability , gender , sexuality and race – a vivid contrast from Republicans , who hold their convention next week .
It was manifest in the politicians and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people from each state singing the national anthem – a smart use of the new technological constraints , culminating in the singers ’ faces forming stars on the US flag .
There were some glitches during live segments but nothing too serious .
As Rick Telesz , a farmer from Volant , Pennsylvania , repented voting for Trump , a door could be heard creaking in the background .
Mayor Muriel Bowser ’ s teleprompter did not quite align with her camera .
Congressman Jim Clyburn had to start twice and had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been much worse , and various musical interludes passed off smoothly .
A peculiar , policy-light opening night in this most peculiar of times .
Like watching a stage play online , it offered a flavour but was no match for being there ; so much for cutting down on screen time .
Tim Alberta , chief political correspondent of Politico , wrote on Twitter : “ You know the worst part of a virtual convention ?
Thousands of reporters , flacks and party officials who ’ d otherwise be busy on site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

A strange new political creature drew its first breath on Monday night. The most unconventional of Democratic national conventions was part earnest telethon, part two-hour commercial, part awkward family Zoom call.
There will be plenty of armchair critics, but overall party leaders will be pleased to have projected unity in diversity, swerved past major technical glitches and finished on the grace note of Michelle Obama, who delivered what amounted to an alternative State of the Union address.
As in so much else in 2020, we were in uncharted territory. No raucous cheers, no balloons descending from ceilings, no noisy protests on the sweaty conference floor – all forgone as the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep across the US.
Instead, Latina actor and activist Eva Longoria was an accomplished host (“Trump desperately needs the suburban housewives but Biden beat him to the Desperate Housewives,” joked comedian Stephen Colbert).
The glossy videos that normally play as a backdrop to every convention, ignored by many, were now thrust into the foreground. Curiously, this had the effect of making politicians shrink in stature and ordinary citizens grow. The highlights of the evening were not boilerplate speeches – which cried out for the kind of artificial crowd noise used for TV sport – but searing first person testimony from the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice.
Kristin Urquiza told how her father, who had voted for Trump, went to a karaoke bar in Arizona after its stay-at-home order was lifted. A few weeks later he was in hospital with Covid-19 and, after “five agonising days”, died in intensive care with a nurse holding his hand.
00:58 Kristin Urquiza blames Trump for her father's coronavirus death in DNC speech – video
“My dad was a healthy 65-year-old,” she said. “His only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump and for that he paid with his life … When I cast my vote for Joe Biden, I will do it for my dad.”
As a gut punch, it was reminiscent of Khizr Khan, the father of an American Muslim and army captain killed in Iraq, excoriating Trump at the Democratic convention in 2016. An authentic voice from the heart rising above the others.
The family of George Floyd, a black man killed by police in Minneapolis, called for a moment of silence. Floyd’s brother, Philonise, said: “George should be alive today. Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. Eric Garner should be alive today. Stephon Clark, Atatiana Jefferson, Sandra Bland – they should all be alive today.”
Another moving intervention came from another non-politician. Four years ago Michelle Obama, the then first lady, delivered one of the most visceral ripostes to the nascent scourge of Trumpism before a crowd that cheered, whooped and openly wept. This time, wearing a gold necklace with word “vote” spelled out, she sat alone in a room with plants, a photo, a Biden sign just out of focus, a candle burning on a table. The only applause came afterwards from supporters watching via streaming.
01:07 'In over his head': Michelle Obama delivers rebuke of Trump in DNC speech – video
But the speech was no less powerful in its way: a plea for empathy from a patriot who gave the impression of transcending politics, more disappointed in her country than angry at it. “Let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can,” Obama said, “Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”
Obama was the unifying figure at the end of a night that included both John Kasich, a former Republican governor of Ohio, and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a self-declared democratic socialist who will finish runner-up to Biden in the Democratic primary.
The virtual format ensured there could be no repeat of the pro-Sanders protests and chants of “Bernie! Bernie!” at the 2016 convention that signalled all was not well with Hillary Clinton’s candidacy. But perhaps that wouldn’t have happened anyway, given Sanders’ warmer relationship with Biden and the way Trump’s existential threat can concentrate minds.
Sitting before a giant stockpile of firewood and seeming just a whisker away from his Larry David doppelgänger on Saturday Night Live, Sanders acknowledged he disagrees with Biden’s healthcare plan yet pointed to its positive aspects. He went on: “As long as I am here, I will work with progressives, with moderates and, yes, with conservatives to preserve this nation from a threat that so many of our heroes fought and died to defeat.”
01:29 Kasich among anti-Trump Republicans backing Joe Biden at DNC – video
Kasich posed at a crossroads as he made a clunky metaphorical point about America being at a crossroads. “I’m sure there are Republicans and independents who couldn’t imagine crossing over to support a Democrat; they fear Joe may turn sharp left and leave them behind,” he said. “I don’t believe that, because I know the measure of the man: reasonable, faithful, respectful. And you know, no one pushes Joe around.”
The impression was of a party that, for now at least, has buried its internal squabbles because of the urgent need to stop Trump. Joe Lockhart, a former White House press secretary under Bill Clinton, tweeted: “Lots of talk about the Democratic party needing to unite the party at the #DemConvention I went to my first Democratic convention in 1972 and I’ve never seen the party more united then we are tonight.”
No less clear was the diversity of speakers across age, disability, gender, sexuality and race – a vivid contrast from Republicans, who hold their convention next week. It was manifest in the politicians and also in film montages, including young people from each state singing the national anthem – a smart use of the new technological constraints, culminating in the singers’ faces forming stars on the US flag.
There were some glitches during live segments but nothing too serious. As Rick Telesz, a farmer from Volant, Pennsylvania, repented voting for Trump, a door could be heard creaking in the background. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s teleprompter did not quite align with her camera. Congressman Jim Clyburn had to start twice and had a mild camera wobble. It could have been much worse, and various musical interludes passed off smoothly.
A peculiar, policy-light opening night in this most peculiar of times. Like watching a stage play online, it offered a flavour but was no match for being there; so much for cutting down on screen time.
Tim Alberta, chief political correspondent of Politico, wrote on Twitter: “You know the worst part of a virtual convention? Thousands of reporters, flacks and party officials who’d otherwise be busy on site have nothing to do but live-tweet it.”


theguardian--2020-08-18--Cheating is a way of life for Donald Trump – and now it’s his election strategy

He has been accused of cheating on all three of his wives and cheating his workers out of pay cheques .
As a teenager , he reportedly paid someone to take his SAT exams so he could cheat his way into university .
It is suspected he cheated on his taxes .
He is rumoured to brazenly cheat at golf .
As his niece , Mary Trump , has said , Donald Trump embraces “ cheating as a way of life ” .
And now he is embracing it as an election strategy : Trump is openly and unabashedly attempting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The only way the US can have a free and fair election during a pandemic is if there is widespread postal voting – something Trump and his lackeys are doing their best to prevent .
Step one : install one of the president ’ s cronies and mega-donors , Louis DeJoy , as the postmaster general of the United States Postal Service ( USPS ) .
Step two : implement cost-cutting measures that slow mail delivery .
The richest country in the world now has a postal system so unfit for purpose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Washington DC that it could not guarantee that all of the postal votes cast in November would be counted .
Trump is not even trying to hide what he is doing : he admitted last week that he does not want to give the USPS additional money because he does not want to make voting easier .
The corruption is so blatant that , if it were going on in any other country , the US would have invaded and promised to install democracy .
While US politicians are adept at telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they seem at a loss in relation to Trump .
The good news is that the Democrats are trying to do something .
On Sunday , Nancy Pelosi , the speaker of the House of Representatives , said she would recall the chamber later this week from its summer holiday for a vote on legislation prohibiting the USPS from changing the level of service it had in place on 1 January .
On Monday , DeJoy agreed to House Democrats ’ demands that he testify about the changes he is making to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation and hearings are of limited help .
Trump does not need to completely undermine the USPS ’ s infrastructure , because he has already undermined trust in the system .
He has spent the past few months claiming rabidly ( and falsely ) that postal voting substantially increases the risks of voter fraud .
His base seems to believe him .
Nearly three-quarters ( 73 % ) of Republicans believe that postal votes will not be counted accurately , according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll .
Meanwhile , only 45 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total vote count will be accurate , down from 59 % before the 2016 election .
Trump has masterly laid the groundwork to contest the election .
And Trump is definitely going to contest November ’ s results .
Even if he wins by a landslide , he will argue that the voting was rigged and the landslide should have been bigger .
If he wins by a tiny margin , he will shout “ Unfair !
” and argue that the votes for Biden were fraudulent .
And if he loses ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a Fox News interview last month , Trump refused to say that he would concede .
“ I will tell you at the time , ” he said .
“ I ’ ll keep you in suspense .
OK ?
”

He has been accused of cheating on all three of his wives and cheating his workers out of pay cheques. As a teenager, he reportedly paid someone to take his SAT exams so he could cheat his way into university. It is suspected he cheated on his taxes. He is rumoured to brazenly cheat at golf.
As his niece, Mary Trump, has said, Donald Trump embraces “cheating as a way of life”. And now he is embracing it as an election strategy: Trump is openly and unabashedly attempting to rig November’s presidential election.
The only way the US can have a free and fair election during a pandemic is if there is widespread postal voting – something Trump and his lackeys are doing their best to prevent. Step one: install one of the president’s cronies and mega-donors, Louis DeJoy, as the postmaster general of the United States Postal Service (USPS). Step two: implement cost-cutting measures that slow mail delivery. The richest country in the world now has a postal system so unfit for purpose that the USPS recently warned 46 states and Washington DC that it could not guarantee that all of the postal votes cast in November would be counted.
Trump is not even trying to hide what he is doing: he admitted last week that he does not want to give the USPS additional money because he does not want to make voting easier. The corruption is so blatant that, if it were going on in any other country, the US would have invaded and promised to install democracy.
While US politicians are adept at telling other countries how to run themselves, they seem at a loss in relation to Trump. The good news is that the Democrats are trying to do something. On Sunday, Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives, said she would recall the chamber later this week from its summer holiday for a vote on legislation prohibiting the USPS from changing the level of service it had in place on 1 January. On Monday, DeJoy agreed to House Democrats’ demands that he testify about the changes he is making to the USPS.
The bad news is that legislation and hearings are of limited help. Trump does not need to completely undermine the USPS’s infrastructure, because he has already undermined trust in the system. He has spent the past few months claiming rabidly (and falsely) that postal voting substantially increases the risks of voter fraud. His base seems to believe him. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Republicans believe that postal votes will not be counted accurately, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. Meanwhile, only 45% of Americans say they are confident the total vote count will be accurate, down from 59% before the 2016 election. Trump has masterly laid the groundwork to contest the election.
And Trump is definitely going to contest November’s results. Even if he wins by a landslide, he will argue that the voting was rigged and the landslide should have been bigger. If he wins by a tiny margin, he will shout “Unfair!” and argue that the votes for Biden were fraudulent. And if he loses? Well, it will get very messy. In a Fox News interview last month, Trump refused to say that he would concede. “I will tell you at the time,” he said. “I’ll keep you in suspense. OK?”


theguardian--2020-08-17--Is it feminist to be obsessed with Kamala Harris's husband?

In recent days you ’ ve probably read a lot about Doug Emhoff – or , as he is more commonly known , Kamala Harris ’ s husband .
Many a breathless piece has been written about the Democratic vice-presidential candidate ’ s partner doing very cute , but nonetheless bare minimum acts ( he retweets his wife !
; he loves his children !
; he has a job ! )
.
Granted , to see two married people being so nice to each other is a brief moment of joy in an otherwise depressing news landscape .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have some deeper meaning , outside of the fact that we love to obsess over the relationships of the rich and the powerful ?
Maybe it is feminist to obsess over him .
Emhoff does , after all , give off the opposite of toxic masculine energy .
While it is commonplace in some quarters to pejoratively refer to men who like women too much as “ simps ” ; here is a man who ’ s proudly a fan of his wife on Instagram !
Who unashamedly refers to himself as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media straplines and is here for all of her photo opportunities .
Normally women are expected to be the cheerleaders for their powerful partners while their male partners take the front seat – but here is a man firmly in the back .
We can laugh off describing Emhoff as a “ zaddy ” ( a capable , sexy dad ) ; calling him our “ hot Jewish dad crush ” ; or referring to him as the “ first second gentleman ” , because it is tongue-in-cheek : ha ha , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same treatment that the women in powerful men ’ s lives get .
Of course , there aren ’ t any tabloid clippings about how inappropriately dressed he is yet ; but it feels like redistribution – isn ’ t it fun to objectify a man , for once ?
But while we might all be convincing ourselves that this fawning is feminist , radical , or even normal , it ’ s not .
The partners of past vice-presidents ( let alone potential vice-presidents ) barely ever get this much attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s wife ?
Joe Biden ’ s wife Jill was barely written about during his tenure , although she did recently win the limelight when she literally strong-armed protesters off the stage when they tried to interrupt one of Biden ’ s speeches .
Lynne Cheney was subject to a rather harsh representation in the blockbuster Vice , for her apparently close and controlling relationship to her husband during the Bush vice-presidency – but only years after the event .
So perhaps we should give up the act and accept that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-brow excuse for engaging in one of the internet ’ s most guilty pleasures : relationship voyeurism .
We love to pore over the relationships of people we don ’ t know ; to read about how they met in a “ surprisingly relatable way ” ( she made him cookies and he told her upfront , by email , that he liked her – which is basically the plot to the popular 1990s movie You ’ ve Got Mail ) ; what they did on their first date ; and whether there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like the world ’ s biggest open secret , we love to look into the lives of others .
Stalking people ’ s relationships was essentially the premise of Facebook ; the raison d ’ etre of most of Taylor Swift ’ s career ; and the reason why any of us still reads tabloid papers .
Harris and Emhoff are the Brad and Jen 2020 reboot – but make it political .

In recent days you’ve probably read a lot about Doug Emhoff – or, as he is more commonly known, Kamala Harris’s husband.
Many a breathless piece has been written about the Democratic vice-presidential candidate’s partner doing very cute, but nonetheless bare minimum acts (he retweets his wife!; he loves his children!; he has a job!). Granted, to see two married people being so nice to each other is a brief moment of joy in an otherwise depressing news landscape. But surely, the headlines dedicated to him have some deeper meaning, outside of the fact that we love to obsess over the relationships of the rich and the powerful?
Maybe it is feminist to obsess over him. Emhoff does, after all, give off the opposite of toxic masculine energy. While it is commonplace in some quarters to pejoratively refer to men who like women too much as “simps”; here is a man who’s proudly a fan of his wife on Instagram! Who unashamedly refers to himself as “Kamala’s hubby” in his social media straplines and is here for all of her photo opportunities. Normally women are expected to be the cheerleaders for their powerful partners while their male partners take the front seat – but here is a man firmly in the back.
Meet the future Second Gentleman- Entertainment lawyer Doug Emhoff, who Kamala met when her best friend set them up on a date. Next week, they’ll celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary, pic.twitter.com/kK0j03ri47 — Mike Sington (@MikeSington) August 12, 2020
We can laugh off describing Emhoff as a “zaddy” (a capable, sexy dad) ; calling him our “hot Jewish dad crush”; or referring to him as the “first second gentleman”, because it is tongue-in-cheek: ha ha, look at us subjecting a man to the same treatment that the women in powerful men’s lives get. Of course, there aren’t any tabloid clippings about how inappropriately dressed he is yet; but it feels like redistribution – isn’t it fun to objectify a man, for once?
Kamala Harris’ Husband Doug Emhoff Is A Hot Jewish Dad https://t.co/3ZaVCvbO5e — noah kulwin (@nkulw) August 12, 2020
But while we might all be convincing ourselves that this fawning is feminist, radical, or even normal, it’s not. The partners of past vice-presidents (let alone potential vice-presidents) barely ever get this much attention. Has anyone heard about Mike Pence’s wife? Joe Biden’s wife Jill was barely written about during his tenure, although she did recently win the limelight when she literally strong-armed protesters off the stage when they tried to interrupt one of Biden’s speeches. Lynne Cheney was subject to a rather harsh representation in the blockbuster Vice, for her apparently close and controlling relationship to her husband during the Bush vice-presidency – but only years after the event.
So perhaps we should give up the act and accept that this new obsession with Emhoff gives us a high-brow excuse for engaging in one of the internet’s most guilty pleasures: relationship voyeurism. We love to pore over the relationships of people we don’t know; to read about how they met in a “surprisingly relatable way” (she made him cookies and he told her upfront, by email, that he liked her – which is basically the plot to the popular 1990s movie You’ve Got Mail); what they did on their first date; and whether there is any animosity between their ex-partners.
Like the world’s biggest open secret, we love to look into the lives of others. Stalking people’s relationships was essentially the premise of Facebook; the raison d’etre of most of Taylor Swift’s career; and the reason why any of us still reads tabloid papers. Harris and Emhoff are the Brad and Jen 2020 reboot – but make it political.


theguardian--2020-08-18--Michelle Obama, Bernie Sanders and anti-Trump Republicans: day one at the DNC – video highlights

At the first day of a Democratic national convention unlike any other in history , Michelle Obama urged voters to @ @ @ @ @ like their lives depend on it ’ .
She was joined by many other speakers @ @ @ @ @ presidency .
Speaking online because of coronavirus restrictions , the former first lady ’ s @ @ @ @ @ senator Bernie Sanders , who likened Trump to tyrannical Roman emperor Nero .
The first @ @ @ @ @ hosted by actor Eva Longoria and featured contributions by George Floyd ’ s family , @ @ @ @ @ the country and even a former Republican governor • Michelle Obama ’ s rebuke and @ @ @ @ @ from the DNC • A pandemic DNC : telethon , commercial , and awkward family @ @ @ @

At the first day of a Democratic national convention unlike any other in history, Michelle Obama urged voters to head to the polls 'like their lives depend on it'. She was joined by many other speakers attacking Donald Trump's presidency. Speaking online because of coronavirus restrictions, the former first lady's words were echoed by Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, who likened Trump to tyrannical Roman emperor Nero. The first day of the convention was hosted by actor Eva Longoria and featured contributions by George Floyd's family, voters and politicians from across the country and even a former Republican governor


theguardian--2020-08-18--Michelle Obama: the former first lady's DNC speech in full – video

The former first lady Michelle Obama launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump and urged US citizens to elect Democrat @ @ @ @ @ end what she said had been chaos during the last four years .
In an @ @ @ @ @ night of the Democratic national convention , Obama said Trump 'has had enough time to @ @ @ @ @ the job ' but that he had failed to meet the moment in a country @ @ @ @ @ , economic turmoil and racial injustice .
• 'It is what it is ' : @ @ @ @ @ in gripping DNC speech

The former first lady Michelle Obama launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump and urged US citizens to elect Democrat Joe Biden in November to end what she said had been chaos during the last four years.
In an impassioned speech capping the first night of the Democratic national convention, Obama said Trump 'has had enough time to prove that he can do the job' but that he had failed to meet the moment in a country reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, economic turmoil and racial injustice.


theguardian--2020-08-18--Bernie Sanders slams Trump at DNC: 'Nero fiddled while Rome burned. The president golfs' – video

In his convention remarks , the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders strongly urged his supporters to vote for Joe Biden in @ @ @ @ @ that Trump represents a severe threat to US democracy .
“ Our great nation is @ @ @ @ @ moment , ” Sanders said , describing this election as the “ most important in @ @ @ @ @ country ” • 'It is what it is ' : Michelle Obama picks Trump apart @ @ @ @

In his convention remarks, the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders strongly urged his supporters to vote for Joe Biden in the November election, warning that Trump represents a severe threat to US democracy. “Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment,” Sanders said, describing this election as the “most important in the modern history of this country”


theguardian--2020-08-18--Kristin Urquiza blames Trump for her father's coronavirus death in DNC speech – video

Urquiza , whose father died from coronavirus , addressed the Democratic convention to condemn Trump ’ s efforts to downplay @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Urquiza said her father , Mark Anthony Urquiza , voted for Trump in @ @ @ @ @ to the president when it came to coronavirus

Urquiza, whose father died from coronavirus, addressed the Democratic convention to condemn Trump’s efforts to downplay the threat posed by the virus.
Urquiza said her father, Mark Anthony Urquiza, voted for Trump in 2016, and he listened to the president when it came to coronavirus


theguardian--2020-08-18--Democratic national convention: Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders among speakers – watch in full

Democrats kick off a four-day virtual convention with a display of party unity for Joe Biden and the broad coalition @ @ @ @ @ Trump in November .
Biden 's top primary rival , Bernie Sanders , and the @ @ @ @ @ will headline a parade of speakers appearing from around the US to make a virtual @ @ @ @ @ , organizers said

Democrats kick off a four-day virtual convention with a display of party unity for Joe Biden and the broad coalition aiming to defeat Republican Donald Trump in November.
Biden's top primary rival, Bernie Sanders, and the former first lady Michelle Obama will headline a parade of speakers appearing from around the US to make a virtual case for a Biden presidency, organizers said


theguardian--2020-08-19--Democratic convention live: second night begins with Jill Biden to speak

The Delaware delegation initially passed on casting its votes , but the roll call later returned to Delaware Senator Tom @ @ @ @ @ Carney to close out the formal nomination of Joe Biden .
Speaking from the Joseph @ @ @ @ @ Wilmington , Delaware , Carney praised Biden for spending decades “ delivering for families like @ @ @ @ @ who served alongside Biden in the Senate , described him as “ a leader made @ @ @ @ @ finest public servant I have ever known.
” The two lawmakers then cast their votes @ @ @ @ @ Delaware ’ s Joe Biden .
”

Joan E Greve in Washington and Maanvi Singh

19 Aug 2020 06.06 BST Key takeaways from the second night of the Democratic convention That’s it from us tonight. The Guardian team will be back tomorrow for the third night of the Democratic convention, when vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris will deliver her speech. Here are the key takeaways from the night: Joe Biden was formally nominated for president with an impressive virtual roll call vote. Because Democrats are not able to meet in person in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week, each state delegation filmed a video to cast their votes for president. The videos provided a vibrant visualization of every region in the country, and the well-received presentation raised the possibility that future conventions could retain certain elements of this year’s virtual event.
Because are not able to meet in person in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this week, each state delegation filmed a video to cast their votes for president. The videos provided a vibrant visualization of every region in the country, and the well-received presentation raised the possibility that future conventions could retain certain elements of this year’s virtual event. Jill Biden offered a personal case for the election of her husband. The Biden campaign produced a moving video recounting how Jill met her future husband shortly after his first wife and his young daughter were killed in a car accident. Biden also reflected on the sorrow of losing their eldest son, Beau, to brain cancer at the age of 46. The former second lady argued that her husband’s continued commitment to public service, despite these devastating losses, underscored how he would lead the country through this moment of crisis. “How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole,” Biden said. “With love and understanding – and with small acts of kindness. With bravery. With unwavering faith.”
The Biden campaign produced a moving video recounting how Jill met her future husband shortly after his first wife and his young daughter were killed in a car accident. Biden also reflected on the sorrow of losing their eldest son, Beau, to brain cancer at the age of 46. The former second lady argued that her husband’s continued commitment to public service, despite these devastating losses, underscored how he would lead the country through this moment of crisis. “How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole,” Biden said. “With love and understanding – and with small acts of kindness. With bravery. With unwavering faith.” It was an emotional night, with many moments tugging on viewers’ heartstrings. In addition to the Bidens recounting the loss of their family members, progressive activist Ady Barkan , who is has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), made an emotional plea for expanding access to quality healthcare and described Donald Trump ’s potential reelection as an “existential threat”. “We live in the richest country in history and yet we do not guarantee this most basic human right,” Barkan said. “Everyone living in America should get the healthcare they need regardless of their employment status or ability to pay.” The Biden campaign also produced a video focused on Biden’s friendship with longtime Republican senator John McCain , who died of brain cancer two years ago.
In addition to the Bidens recounting the loss of their family members, progressive activist , who is has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), made an emotional plea for expanding access to quality healthcare and described ’s potential reelection as an “existential threat”. “We live in the richest country in history and yet we do not guarantee this most basic human right,” Barkan said. “Everyone living in America should get the healthcare they need regardless of their employment status or ability to pay.” The Biden campaign also produced a video focused on Biden’s friendship with longtime Republican senator , who died of brain cancer two years ago. Democrats continued their theme of highlighting Republican endorsements of Biden. Former secretary of state Colin Powell and former defense secretary Chuck Hagel both praised Biden as a leader with the necessary skills to guide the country through a global pandemic and move past the divisions of Trump’s presidency. “What a difference it will make to have a president who unites us, who restores our strength and our soul,” Powell said. The endorsements marked the latest effort by the Biden camp to appeal to centrist voters who voted for Barack Obama but flipped to supporting Trump in 2016.
Former secretary of state and former defense secretary both praised Biden as a leader with the necessary skills to guide the country through a global pandemic and move past the divisions of Trump’s presidency. “What a difference it will make to have a president who unites us, who restores our strength and our soul,” Powell said. The endorsements marked the latest effort by the Biden camp to appeal to centrist voters who voted for but flipped to supporting Trump in 2016. The New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a nominating speech for the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, sparking some confusion on social media. By the rules of the convention, each candidate who passes a certain delegate threshold are required to be nominated and included in the roll call vote. However, some Twitter users appeared to incorrectly believe the progressive woman was trying to snub Biden by endorsing Sanders, prompting Ocasio-Cortez herself to clear up the confusion. Lesson learned: explaining complicated convention rules over Twitter is quite the headache. The Guardian team will be back again tomorrow. Thank you for following along with our convention coverage tonight.
Updated at 06.11 BST
19 Aug 2020 05.45 BST Tonight, Sally Yates, Bill Clinton and Chuck Schumer all echoed Michelle Obama’s most memorable condemnation of Donald Trump yesterday: “It is what it is”. The Democrats’ indictment of Trump uses the president’s own words against him. “A thousand Americans are dying a day,” Jonathan Swan of Axios said during a recent interview with Trump. “They are dying. That’s true. And you – it is what it is,” he responded. “But that doesn’t mean we aren’t doing everything we can. It’s under control as much as you can control it.” “President Lincoln, honoring the great sacrifice at Gettysburg, didn’t say ‘It is what it is.’ President Roosevelt, seeing a third of the nation ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourished, didn’t say ‘It is what it is.’ America, Donald Trump has quit on you,” Schumer said. – Maanvi Singh
Updated at 06.09 BST
19 Aug 2020 05.40 BST Shortly after delivering her nomination speech for Bernie Sanders, progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to Instagram Live to encourage her supporters to rally around Joe Biden in November.
Following the #DNC @AOC went on Instagram live to further push her followers to rally in support of Biden and then went on to say, “the moment Joe Biden is elected we continue our fight for guaranteed healthcare, living wages...” pic.twitter.com/3boAgdAlng — Haleigh Hoffman 😷 (@HaleighHoffman) August 19, 2020 However, Ocasio-Cortez also made clear that progressives should continue their fight for Medicare for All and tuition-free public college, among other initiatives. “The moment that Joe Biden is elected, we continue our fight for guaranteed healthcare. We continue our fight for living wages,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Updated at 06.08 BST
19 Aug 2020 05.33 BST Republican candidate barred from Twitter for hate speech wins Republican nomination for congress While the DNC tonight had focused on the presidential election – Democrats will also face off against Republicans in many down-ballot races across the US. One of those is the congressional race in Palm Beach, Florida district where Donald Trump is registered to vote. The district is expected to favor Democratic incumbent Lois Frankel. Nonetheless, Trump, tonight touted Laura Loomer, the rightwing commentator who was banned from Twitter and Facebook for hate speech against Minnesota Democratic representative Ilhan Omar, who just won the Republican nomination there. – Maanvi Singh
Updated at 06.08 BST
19 Aug 2020 05.24 BST After Jill Biden finished her speech tonight, Joe Biden joined her on screen to offer some kind words about what a wonderful first lady she would be. But some convention viewers noted that sweet moment got off to an awkward start, with Biden’s hand getting caught in the ear loops of her husband’s face mask. pic.twitter.com/qY5mB8KXfP — Peter Stevenson (@PeterStevenson) August 19, 2020
Updated at 05.25 BST
19 Aug 2020 05.19 BST Today, Joe Biden accepted the nomination that he first sought more than three decades ago. Biden’s first bid for the presidency, in the 80s, came to an end after a plagiarism scandal, after it was revealed that he pilfered parts of his closing arguments in debate from a British Labour party politician. – Maanvi Singh
Updated at 06.07 BST
19 Aug 2020 05.14 BST Tomorrow night, Elizabeth Warren and Nancy Pelosi will speak, Kamala Harris will formally accept the vice-presidential nomination and Barack Obama will deliver the keynote address. You can find the full schedule here.
19 Aug 2020 04.56 BST Now here’s more about that calamari cameo ...
Joseph McNamara, left, announces the state’s delegates during the virtual convention as a plate of calamari makes a cameo on the right. Photograph: DNCC/Getty Images The Providence Journal interviewed Joseph McNamara, the man lucky enough to appear alongside the calamari tonight and speak on behalf of Rhode Island’s delegates: “It’s tough for any elected official to say anything in 30 seconds,” said McNamara, who as a state representative from Warwick championed declaring calamari the official “state appetizer.” That, in part, explains why McNamara used his 30 seconds to give the state’s fishing industry — and the squid, in particular — a plug. Filmed on Oakland Beach in Warwick, behind Iggy’s Boardwalk with executive chef John Bordieri close by, holding a plate of calamari, the Rhode Island story McNamara told began with the potential decimation of the state’s fishing industry in the spring, when the state closed restaurants to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Prices dropped dramatically. In some cases, wholesalers stopped buying, and fishermen had no place to sell their catch. To help fishermen navigate this storm, the state temporarily changed some regulations to allow them to peddle their catches directly to consumers, fish markets and restaurants, instead of selling exclusively to wholesalers. Through an emergency regulation on April 17, the state created a direct-sale dealer license for Rhode Island fishermen. McNamara said: “It is a story of adapting ... [and] using innovation during the pandemic to help businesses and industries.” As a result of state marketing efforts, he said, “Rhode Island-style calamari″ is now sold in restaurants nationwide as an “upscale” appetizer which, in turn, has translated into a $60-million-a-year industry. Joseph McNamara is the state’s Democratic party chairman. – Maanvi Singh
Updated at 05.29 BST