theguardian--2020-09-06--Cohen's book spotlights Trump's Obama obsession and resurfaces 'you're fired' video

The impression of Donald Trump ’ s obsession with his predecessor Barack Obama was fueled by a video from 2012 resurfacing this weekend from a parody in which the now-Republican president mocks his Democratic rival .
Journalists dug up the clip after Michael Cohen , Trump ’ s disgraced former fixer , shared a photo of it taken from the film to promote his latest book .
In the book , Cohen alleges Trump had “ hatred and contempt ” for the former president , made racist outbursts , and was guilty of the same crimes that landed his former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ‘ Faux-Bama ’ to participate in a video in which Trump ‘ ritualistically belittled the first black president and then fired him ’ , ” Cohen ’ s book says .
The apparent clip Cohen is describing shows Trump in Trump Tower in an office facing an unnamed Black man across a desk .
It ends with an Apprentice-style “ you ’ re fired ” .
The clip is reported to have been looked at for possible inclusion in that year ’ s Republican convention , when Mitt Romney was nominated for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press obtained an early copy of Cohen ’ s book .
“ Tell me one country run by a black person that isn ’ t a shithole .
They are all complete fucking toilets , ” Cohen writes , attributing the comments to Trump following the former president ’ s election in 2008 – mirroring earlier reports he referred to African and Caribbean nations by the same insult .
Trump also supposedly denigrated South African anti-apartheid activist and former South Africa Nelson Mandela , claiming he “ fucked the whole country up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shithole ” .
“ Fuck Mandela .
He was no leader , ” Trump allegedly said .
Trump has often insulted Obama , launching his political career by promoting the “ birther ” conspiracy theory that falsely claimed Obama was not born in the US .
Before running for office , he first peddled a racist trope that the Columbia University and Harvard Law School graduate was only admitted into to the prestigious institutions on account of “ fucking affirmative action ” .
The book , to be released on Tuesday , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memoir that makes the case that Trump landed him in federal prison , offering a detailed account of the then-reality TV star ’ s alleged role in a hush money scandal during his campaign for president .
It is said to detail Trump ’ s history of racism and discrimination , including his alleged “ low opinion of all black people ” .
While Cohen claimed to have never heard the president utter a racial epithet , he has not shied away from some of the foulest language in referencing Black people and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to their votes , then-candidate Trump had no interest in courting them .
“ Plus , I will never get the Hispanic vote , ” Trump said , according to Cohen .
“ Like the blacks , they ’ re too stupid to vote for Trump .
They ’ re not my people.
” Although some polls showed Trump has gained in popularity following last month ’ s Republican National Convention , Americans of color overwhelming oppose Trump .
Hillary Clinton earned 91 and 66 % of Black and Latino voters respectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revelation echo charges from opponents of the president who insist he is racist .
“ Trump hired a Black guy who looked like President Obama ( a “ Faux-Bama ) to sit in front of his desk so Trump could insult him , ” one analyst wrote .
“ Now that ’ s a level of racism that goes deep into Trump ’ s character.
” Trump later tweeted , dismissing the allegations as the latest attempt by Democrats , and “ the corrupt Fake News Media.
” to launch “ a massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say anything , like their recent lies about me and the military , and hope that it sticks , ” he tweeted before adding that “ MAGA gets it !
” The White House also fired back at the accusations late Saturday , dismissing the president ’ s former personal aid as opportunist .
“ Cohen is a disgraced felon and disbarred lawyer , who lied to Congress , ” press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement Saturday .
“ He has lost all credibility , and it ’ s unsurprising to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of lies.
” Critics also noted Cohen ’ s attempt to minimize his involvement in wrongdoing , claiming Trump is “ guilty of the same crimes ” for which Cohen first pleaded guilty .
They include campaign finance violations , lying to Congress , and other crimes .
Instead , Cohen refers to himself as a “ star witness ” to a hush-money conspiracy that still could culminate in charges for Trump after he leaves office .
The book , therefore , is a “ fundamental piece of evidence ” the guilt of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ master manipulator ” .
Still , even as he directly accused Trump of being involved in his crimes , for which he pleaded guilty , Cohen still claimed to “ care for Donald Trump , even to this day .
“ I had and still have a lot of affection for him , ” he wrote , “ Donald Trump ’ s presidency is a product of the free press , ” Cohen wrote .
“ Not free as in freedom of expression , I mean free as unpaid for .
Rallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , idiotic interviews , 24-7 wall-to-wall coverage , all without spending a penny .
The free press gave America Trump.
” Cohen has led a publicity blitz around his memoir even as he continues serving his federal sentence in home confinement .
A federal judge ruled this summer that authorities had retaliated against him – sending him back to prison in upstate New York after he had been furloughed because of the coronavirus pandemic – for publishing the book ahead of the November election .
He was released to home confinement in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him speaking publicly .

The impression of Donald Trump’s obsession with his predecessor Barack Obama was fueled by a video from 2012 resurfacing this weekend from a parody in which the now-Republican president mocks his Democratic rival.
Journalists dug up the clip after Michael Cohen, Trump’s disgraced former fixer, shared a photo of it taken from the film to promote his latest book.
In the book, Cohen alleges Trump had “hatred and contempt” for the former president, made racist outbursts and was guilty of the same crimes that landed his former fixer in prison.
“Trump hired a ‘Faux-Bama’ to participate in a video in which Trump ‘ritualistically belittled the first black president and then fired him’,” Cohen’s book says. The apparent clip Cohen is describing shows Trump in Trump Tower in an office facing an unnamed Black man across a desk. It ends with an Apprentice-style “you’re fired”.
The clip is reported to have been looked at for possible inclusion in that year’s Republican convention, when Mitt Romney was nominated for president.
‘Trump hired a ‘Faux-Bama’ to participate in a video in which Trump ritualistically belittled the first black president and then fired him,’ Cohen’s book says. Photograph: Michael Cohen/Skyhorse
Both CNN and the Associated Press obtained an early copy of Cohen’s book.
“Tell me one country run by a black person that isn’t a shithole. They are all complete fucking toilets,” Cohen writes, attributing the comments to Trump following the former president’s election in 2008 – mirroring earlier reports he referred to African and Caribbean nations by the same insult.
Trump also supposedly denigrated the South African anti-apartheid activist and former president Nelson Mandela, claiming he “fucked the whole country up” and “now it’s a shithole”.
“Fuck Mandela. He was no leader,” Trump allegedly said.
Michael Cohen’s new book will be released on 8 September 2020. Photograph: AP
Trump has often insulted Obama, launching his political career by promoting the “birther” conspiracy theory that falsely claimed Obama was not born in the US. Before running for office, he first peddled a racist trope that the Columbia University and Harvard Law School graduate was only admitted into the prestigious institutions on account of “fucking affirmative action”.
Cohen’s book, to be released on Tuesday, is styled as a tell-all memoir that makes the case that Trump landed him in federal prison, offering a detailed account of the then reality TV star’s alleged role in a hush-money scandal during his campaign for president.
It is said to detail Trump’s history of racism and discrimination, including his alleged “low opinion of all black people”. While Cohen claimed to have never heard the president utter a racial epithet, he has not shied away from some of the foulest language in referencing Black people and Latinos.
Cohen wrote that when it came to their votes, Trump had no interest in courting them. “Plus, I will never get the Hispanic vote,” Trump said, according to Cohen. “Like the blacks, they’re too stupid to vote for Trump. They’re not my people.”
Although some polls showed Trump had gained in popularity following last month’s Republican national convention, Americans of color overwhelming oppose Trump. Hillary Clinton earned 91 and 66% of Black and Latino voters respectively in the 2016 presidential election.
The revelation echoes charges from opponents of the president who insist he is racist.
“Trump hired a Black guy who looked like President Obama (a “Faux-Bama) to sit in front of his desk so Trump could insult him,” one analyst wrote. “Now that’s a level of racism that goes deep into Trump’s character.”
The Democrats, together with the corrupt Fake News Media, have launched a massive Disinformation Campaign the likes of which has never been seen before. They will say anything, like their recent lies about me and the Military, and hope that it sticks... But #MAGA gets it! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 6, 2020
Trump later tweeted, dismissing the allegations as the latest attempt by Democrats, and “the corrupt Fake News Media”. to launch “a massive disinformation campaign”.
“They will say anything, like their recent lies about me and the military, and hope that it sticks,” he tweeted before adding that “MAGA gets it!” The White House also fired back at the accusations late on Saturday, dismissing the president’s former personal aide as opportunist.
“Cohen is a disgraced felon and disbarred lawyer, who lied to Congress,” the press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany ,said in a statement on Saturday. “He has lost all credibility, and it’s unsurprising to see his latest attempt to profit off of lies.”
Critics also noted Cohen’s attempt to minimize his involvement in wrongdoing, claiming Trump is “guilty of the same crimes” for which Cohen first pleaded guilty. They include campaign finance violations, lying to Congress, and other crimes.
Instead, Cohen refers to himself as a “star witness” to a hush-money conspiracy that still could culminate in charges for Trump after he leaves office. The book, therefore, is a “fundamental piece of evidence” of the guilt of an “organized crime don” and “master manipulator”.
Still, even as he directly accused Trump of being involved in his crimes, for which he pleaded guilty, Cohen still claimed to “care for Donald Trump, even to this day.
“I had and still have a lot of affection for him,” he wrote, “Donald Trump’s presidency is a product of the free press,” Cohen wrote. “Not free as in freedom of expression, I mean free as unpaid for. Rallies broadcast live, tweets, press conferences, idiotic interviews, 24-7 wall-to-wall coverage, all without spending a penny. The free press gave America Trump.”
Cohen has led a publicity blitz around his memoir even as he continues serving his federal sentence in home confinement. A federal judge ruled this summer that authorities had retaliated against him – sending him back to prison in upstate New York after he had been furloughed because of the coronavirus pandemic – for publishing the book ahead of the November election.
He was released to home confinement in July and the government lifted a ban on his speaking publicly.


theguardian--2020-09-06--Judge orders US Census Bureau to halt plan to wind down operations

A federal judge has ordered the US Census Bureau for the time being to stop following a plan that would have had it winding down operations in order to finish the 2020 census at the end of September .
The federal judge in San Jose issued a temporary restraining order on Saturday against the Census Bureau and the Commerce Department , which oversees the agency .
The order stops the Census Bureau from winding down operations until a court hearing is held on 17 September .
The once-a-decade head count of every US resident helps determine how $ 1.5tn in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional seats each state gets in a process known as apportionment .
The temporary restraining order was requested by a coalition of cities , counties and civil rights groups that had sued the Census Bureau , demanding it restore its previous plan for finishing the census at the end of October , instead of using a revised plan to end operations at the end of September .
The coalition had argued the earlier deadline would cause the Census Bureau to overlook minority communities in the census , leading to an inaccurate count .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lucy Koh wrote that previous court cases had concluded that it is in the public interest that Congress be fairly apportioned and that the federal funds be distributed using an accurate census .
“ Thus , the balance of the hardships and public interest tip sharply in Plaintiffs ’ favor , “ Koh said .
In a message emailed to regional offices and headquarters , the Census Bureau said the statistical agency and the Commerce Department “ are obligated to comply with the Court ’ s Order and are taking immediate steps to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be provided later , the bureau said .

A federal judge has ordered the US Census Bureau for the time being to stop following a plan that would have had it winding down operations in order to finish the 2020 census at the end of September.
The federal judge in San Jose issued a temporary restraining order on Saturday against the Census Bureau and the Commerce Department, which oversees the agency.
The order stops the Census Bureau from winding down operations until a court hearing is held on 17 September. The once-a-decade head count of every US resident helps determine how $1.5tn in federal funding is distributed and how many congressional seats each state gets in a process known as apportionment.
The temporary restraining order was requested by a coalition of cities, counties and civil rights groups that had sued the Census Bureau, demanding it restore its previous plan for finishing the census at the end of October, instead of using a revised plan to end operations at the end of September. The coalition had argued the earlier deadline would cause the Census Bureau to overlook minority communities in the census, leading to an inaccurate count.
In her order, US district judge Lucy Koh wrote that previous court cases had concluded that it is in the public interest that Congress be fairly apportioned and that the federal funds be distributed using an accurate census.
“Thus, the balance of the hardships and public interest tip sharply in Plaintiffs’ favor,“ Koh said.
In a message emailed to regional offices and headquarters, the Census Bureau said the statistical agency and the Commerce Department “are obligated to comply with the Court’s Order and are taking immediate steps to do so.”. Further guidance would be provided later, the bureau said.


theguardian--2020-09-07--Trump's White House rally fails to evoke adulation from stony-faced reporters

After turning the south lawn into a convention stage last month , Donald Trump held a surprise press conference-cum-campaign event on Monday at the White House ’ s front door – where Jackie Kennedy wore black on the day of JFK ’ s funeral , and where the Obamas greeted their successors on inauguration day .
On a glorious late summer ’ s day , Trump ’ s vantage point behind a presidential lectern at the north portico afforded him a view of former president Andrew Jackson ’ s statue in Lafayette Square and , beyond that , the newly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him a second term in November , and perhaps he ’ ll install a golden escalator like the one he descended in at Trump Tower to launch his first campaign .
Despite the lofty surroundings , the president dropped all pretense of rising above the political hurly-burly .
Over 46 minutes , he branded his Democratic presidential election rival , Joe Biden , “ stupid ” , falsely accused Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris of peddling anti-vaccination conspiracy theories , and unleashed a torrent of half-truths and non-truths .
But unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the convention speech , or the devotees who gather at Trump ’ s increasingly frequent airport-hangar rallies , there was a stony silence from mask-wearing reporters sitting under columns , ornate carvings and a giant lamp on the White House driveway .
The perennial salesman , Trump wanted to use Labor Day to boast about economic recovery .
The numbers are “ terrific ” , he said .
“ We are in the midst of the fastest economic recovery in US history , ” he claimed .
Some 10.6m jobs had been added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did not acknowledge nearly half the jobs lost in the pandemic had still not returned .
Of the recovery , he said : “ We have V-shape .
It ’ s probably a super-V. ” No mention of the more than 100,000 small businesses that shut down or the unemployment benefits that had expired for millions of Americans .
As for his claim about the pandemic – “ We are an absolute leader , in every way ” – well , no one can dispute that America has the highest caseload ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death toll ( more than 189,000 ) in the world .
Biden and Harris “ should immediately apologise for the reckless anti-vaccine rhetoric that they are talking right now , talking about ‘ endangering lives ’ ” , Trump charged , after Harris said she would rely on the decisions of public health officials and medical experts for news on a Covid-19 vaccine rather than the president .
“ It undermines science , and what happens is all of a sudden you ’ ll have this incredible vaccine and because of that fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhetoric , that ’ s all that is , just for politics , ” Trump said .
He added later : “ The numbers are looking unbelievably strong , unbelievably good .
So now they ’ re saying , ‘ Wow , Trump ’ s pulled this off , OK , let ’ s disparage the vaccine.
’ That ’ s so bad for this country .
That ’ s so bad for the world to even say that , and that ’ s what they ’ re saying.
” Yes , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just disappear ” , suggested injecting bleach as a cure and dismissed the climate crisis as a hoax accused his opponents of undermining science .
Perhaps Neil deGrasse Tyson should moderate the first presidential debate later this month .
Despite the White House trappings , this was a campaign event in disguise .
Biden and the “ radical socialist Democrats would immediately collapse the economy ” , Trump warned darkly .
“ You ’ ll have a crash the likes of which you ’ ve never seen before.
” Biden wants to demolish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever more fancifully , and will cause more electricity blackouts in California .
“ He wants to have things lit up with wind.
” There was also a long diatribe about trade .
China , he said , “ took advantage of stupid people .
Stupid people .
And Biden ’ s a stupid person .
You know that , you ’ re not gon na write it , but you know that … If Biden wins , China will own this country.
” After more than 20 minutes of darkness , doom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather unconvincingly , “ Happy Labor Day , everybody !
” and then took questions , trying and failing to get the first reporter to remove his mask ( “ If you don ’ t take it off , you ’ re very muffled ” ) .
Naturally , Trump was asked about the Atlantic magazine ’ s report that he had disparaged dead soldiers as “ losers ” and suckers ” .
Though several former Trump administration officials have said the report chimes with their knowledge , the president described it as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded : “ Who would say a thing like that ?
Only an animal would say a thing like that.
” Trump also claimed that he was “ taking the high road ” by not meeting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer to discuss a coronavirus stimulus package .
“ I don ’ t need to meet with them to be turned down , ” he said .
“ They don ’ t want to make a deal because they think if the country does as badly as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats .
I am taking the high road .
I ’ m taking the high road by not seeing them.
” Then someone lit the blue touchpaper by asking about the Russia investigation .
“ They spied on my campaign , and that includes Biden and Obama !
” Trump fumed , suddenly animated by the conspiracy theory .
“ If we did what they did , you would have many people in jail right now.
” And when asked if he would support an investigation into allegations against Postmaster General Louis DeJoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if something can be proven that he did something wrong , always .
They ’ ve been looking at me for four years , they found nothing .
“ Four years , think of it .
For four years .
From the day I came down the escalator , I ’ ve been under investigation by sleaze .
And they found nothing .
They found nothing .
A friend of mine said you have to be the most innocent , honorable man to ever hold the office of president.
” Trump also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ she will never be president , although I have to be careful because Obama used to say that about me , so I have to be a little bit careful .
But you have to look at her a little bit more closely because obviously Joe ’ s not doing too well.
” Polling , however , shows Biden continuing to enjoy a steady lead on Trump .
Standing at the front door of the White House two months before election day , the president sounded like a desperate man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directions like Al Pacino ’ s Tony Montana under siege at his luxury mansion in Scarface .
The election might go the same way .

After turning the south lawn into a convention stage last month, Donald Trump held a surprise press conference-cum-campaign event on Monday at the White House’s front door – where Jackie Kennedy wore black on the day of JFK’s funeral, and where the Obamas greeted their successors on inauguration day.
On a glorious late summer’s day, Trump’s vantage point behind a presidential lectern at the north portico afforded him a view of former president Andrew Jackson’s statue in Lafayette Square and, beyond that, the newly minted Black Lives Matter Plaza. Give him a second term in November, and perhaps he’ll install a golden escalator like the one he descended in at Trump Tower to launch his first campaign.
Despite the lofty surroundings, the president dropped all pretense of rising above the political hurly-burly. Over 46 minutes, he branded his Democratic presidential election rival, Joe Biden, “stupid”, falsely accused Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris of peddling anti-vaccination conspiracy theories, and unleashed a torrent of half-truths and non-truths.
But unlike the loyalists on the south lawn for the convention speech, or the devotees who gather at Trump’s increasingly frequent airport-hangar rallies, there was a stony silence from mask-wearing reporters sitting under columns, ornate carvings and a giant lamp on the White House driveway.
The perennial salesman, Trump wanted to use Labor Day to boast about economic recovery. The numbers are “terrific”, he said. “We are in the midst of the fastest economic recovery in US history,” he claimed. Some 10.6m jobs had been added since May, he said, though he did not acknowledge nearly half the jobs lost in the pandemic had still not returned.
Of the recovery, he said: “We have V-shape. It’s probably a super-V.” No mention of the more than 100,000 small businesses that shut down or the unemployment benefits that had expired for millions of Americans. As for his claim about the pandemic – “We are an absolute leader, in every way” – well, no one can dispute that America has the highest caseload (more than 6.2m) or the highest death toll (more than 189,000) in the world.
Biden and Harris “should immediately apologise for the reckless anti-vaccine rhetoric that they are talking right now, talking about ‘endangering lives’”, Trump charged, after Harris said she would rely on the decisions of public health officials and medical experts for news on a Covid-19 vaccine rather than the president.
“It undermines science, and what happens is all of a sudden you’ll have this incredible vaccine and because of that fake rhetoric, it’s a political rhetoric, that’s all that is, just for politics,” Trump said.
He added later: “The numbers are looking unbelievably strong, unbelievably good. So now they’re saying, ‘Wow, Trump’s pulled this off, OK, let’s disparage the vaccine.’ That’s so bad for this country. That’s so bad for the world to even say that, and that’s what they’re saying.”
Yes, the man who said the coronavirus would “just disappear”, suggested injecting bleach as a cure and dismissed the climate crisis as a hoax accused his opponents of undermining science. Perhaps Neil deGrasse Tyson should moderate the first presidential debate later this month.
Despite the White House trappings, this was a campaign event in disguise. Biden and the “radical socialist Democrats would immediately collapse the economy”, Trump warned darkly. “You’ll have a crash the likes of which you’ve never seen before.”
Biden wants to demolish the energy industry, he went on ever more fancifully, and will cause more electricity blackouts in California. “He wants to have things lit up with wind.”
There was also a long diatribe about trade. China, he said, “took advantage of stupid people. Stupid people. And Biden’s a stupid person. You know that, you’re not gonna write it, but you know that … If Biden wins, China will own this country.”
After more than 20 minutes of darkness, doom and fearmongering, the president said, rather unconvincingly, “Happy Labor Day, everybody!” and then took questions, trying and failing to get the first reporter to remove his mask (“If you don’t take it off, you’re very muffled”).
Naturally, Trump was asked about the Atlantic magazine’s report that he had disparaged dead soldiers as “losers” and suckers”. Though several former Trump administration officials have said the report chimes with their knowledge, the president described it as a “totally made-up story” and demanded: “Who would say a thing like that? Only an animal would say a thing like that.”
05:32 Voter suppression: how Trump is undermining the US election – video explainer
Trump also claimed that he was “taking the high road” by not meeting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer to discuss a coronavirus stimulus package. “I don’t need to meet with them to be turned down,” he said.
“They don’t want to make a deal because they think if the country does as badly as possible … that’s good for the Democrats. I am taking the high road. I’m taking the high road by not seeing them.”
Then someone lit the blue touchpaper by asking about the Russia investigation. “They spied on my campaign, and that includes Biden and Obama!” Trump fumed, suddenly animated by the conspiracy theory. “If we did what they did, you would have many people in jail right now.”
And when asked if he would support an investigation into allegations against Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the president added: “Yeah, if something can be proven that he did something wrong, always. They’ve been looking at me for four years, they found nothing.
“Four years, think of it. For four years. From the day I came down the escalator, I’ve been under investigation by sleaze. And they found nothing. They found nothing. A friend of mine said you have to be the most innocent, honorable man to ever hold the office of president.”
Trump also spared some venom for Harris, insisting that “she will never be president, although I have to be careful because Obama used to say that about me, so I have to be a little bit careful. But you have to look at her a little bit more closely because obviously Joe’s not doing too well.”
Polling, however, shows Biden continuing to enjoy a steady lead on Trump. Standing at the front door of the White House two months before election day, the president sounded like a desperate man, as if firing a machine-gun in all directions like Al Pacino’s Tony Montana under siege at his luxury mansion in Scarface. The election might go the same way.


theguardian--2020-09-07--Wisconsin: Kamala Harris meets Jacob Blake family in battleground state visit

Kamala Harris and Mike Pence marked Labor Day – the traditional start of campaign season – by heading to Wisconsin , the swing state that Donald Trump won by less than a percentage point in 2016 .
Shortly after touching down in Milwaukee , Harris met privately with the family and legal team of Jacob Blake at the airport .
The meeting included Blake ’ s father , two sisters and members of his legal team , and they were joined on the phone by Blake , his mother and family attorney Benjamin Crump .
Blake , a Black man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot by police seven times in the back last month in Kenosha , reigniting mass anti-racism and anti police brutality protests .
Asked how the meeting went , Harris told reporters : “ Really wonderful .
I mean they ’ re an incredible family and what they ’ ve endured and they do it with such dignity and grace .
And you know , they ’ re carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders.
” Asked what message she had conveyed , she said : “ Just to , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-being and of course , for their brother and their son ’ s well being and to let them know that they have support.
” Crump said Harris had an “ inspirational and uplifting ” one-hour visit with Jacob Blake , Jr and his family .
She spoke to them about how they were handling their trauma and “ urged them to take care of their physical and mental health.
” “ In a moving moment , Jacob Jr told senator Harris that he was proud of her , and the senator told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him and how he is working through his pain.
” In her first visit to a battleground state as Democratic vice-presidential nominee , Harris toured an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers ( IBEW ) training facility , where she spoke with members and Wisconsin labor leaders .
She attended a “ build back better ” roundtable with Black business owners in Milwaukee where she was expected to talk about how a Biden-Harris administration would progress racial equality .
Ahead of her visit , Harris tweeted on Monday morning : “ To all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Thank you .
From those essential workers picking up another early shift to front line health care workers working on extra shifts , your nation owes you a debt of gratitude .
We will keep fighting for you.
” On the other side of the state in La Crosse , vice-president Pence addressed employees at the Dairyland Power Cooperative .
In comments that lasted just over half an hour , standing in front of a US flag , Pence said the Trump administration planned to “ make America great again , again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the year .
He praised Trump and his response to the pandemic , criticized Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and spoke in support of the police , vowing : “ We ’ re not going to defund the police , not now , not ever.
” Neither Biden nor Harris has said they support defunding the police .
On coronavirus , he said : “ Joe Biden said not long ago that no miracle is coming .
But here in America , we ’ re in the miracle business and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe and effective vaccine for the coronavirus before the end of this year.
” The visits mark the first time both vice-presidential candidates have campaigned in the same state on the same day .
Wisconsin , which Trump won by less than 23,000 votes after Hillary Clinton decided not to campaign there in the final stretch of the 2016 race , is considered a vital component to the president ’ s re-election campaign ahead of November ’ s election .
Biden and Trump both visited the state last week with trips to Kenosha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrast .
Biden met with Blake ’ s family and warned that Trump ’ s behavior “ legitimizes the dark side of human nature , ” while Trump used his visit to claim that racial injustice in policing is due to “ bad apples ” rather than being “ systemic ” .
Until now , Harris has largely been campaigning virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic , which has killed almost 190,000 people and infected more than 6.2 million in the US , more than any other country in the world by far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris hit back at the president and attorney general William Barr ’ s denial of systemic racism in the US justice system , telling CNN there are “ two systems of justice ” for Black and white Americans .
With less than 60 days to go until election day on 3 November , the president had no planned campaign events scheduled for Monday - but held a Labor Day press conference that contained plenty of campaigning .
Later this week he has visits planned to North Carolina , Florida , Michigan and Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigning in Pennsylvania , which Trump also won by less than a percentage point four years ago .

Kamala Harris and Mike Pence marked Labor Day – the traditional start of campaign season – by heading to Wisconsin, the swing state that Donald Trump won by less than a percentage point in 2016.
Shortly after touching down in Milwaukee, Harris met privately with the family and legal team of Jacob Blake at the airport. The meeting included Blake’s father, two sisters and members of his legal team, and they were joined on the phone by Blake, his mother and the family’s attorney Benjamin Crump.
Blake, a Black man, was left paralyzed after he was shot by police seven times in the back last month in Kenosha, reigniting mass anti-racism and anti police brutality protests.
Asked how the meeting went, Harris told reporters: “Really wonderful. I mean they’re an incredible family and what they’ve endured and they do it with such dignity and grace. And you know, they’re carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders.”
Asked what message she had conveyed, she said: “Just to, one, to express concern for their wellbeing and of course, for their brother and their son’s wellbeing and to let them know that they have support.”
Crump said Harris had an “inspirational and uplifting” one-hour visit with Jacob Blake Jr and his family. She spoke to them about how they were handling their trauma and “urged them to take care of their physical and mental health”.
“In a moving moment, Jacob Jr told Senator Harris that he was proud of her, and the senator told Jacob that she was also proud of him and how he is working through his pain.”
In her first visit to a battleground state as Democratic vice-presidential nominee, Harris toured an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) training facility, where she spoke with members and Wisconsin labor leaders.
She attended a “build back better” roundtable with Black business owners in Milwaukee where she had been expected to talk about how a Biden-Harris administration would improve racial equality.
Ahead of her visit, Harris tweeted on Monday morning: “To all the workers who have kept our country going: Thank you. From those essential workers picking up another early shift to front line health care workers working on extra shifts, your nation owes you a debt of gratitude. We will keep fighting for you.”
Vice-President Mike Pence speaks at a campaign event in Exeter, Pennsylvania. Photograph: John Minchillo/AP
On the other side of the state in La Crosse, Vice-President Pence addressed employees at the Dairyland Power Cooperative.
In comments that lasted just over half an hour, standing in front of a US flag, Pence said the Trump administration planned to “make America great again, again” and promised a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.
He praised Trump and his response to the pandemic, criticized the Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, and spoke in support of the police, vowing: “We’re not going to defund the police, not now, not ever.” Neither Biden nor Harris has said they support defunding the police.
On coronavirus, he said: “Joe Biden said not long ago that no miracle is coming. But here in America, we’re in the miracle business and we’re going to have a safe and effective vaccine for the coronavirus before the end of this year.”
The visits mark the first time both vice-presidential candidates have campaigned in the same state on the same day.
Wisconsin, which Trump won by less than 23,000 votes after Hillary Clinton decided not to campaign there in the final stretch of the 2016 race, is considered a vital component to the president’s re-election campaign ahead of November’s election.
Biden and Trump both visited the state last week with trips to Kenosha, but their approaches were in stark contrast.
Biden met with Blake’s family and warned that Trump’s behavior “legitimizes the dark side of human nature”, while Trump used his visit to claim that racial injustice in policing is due to “bad apples” rather than being “systemic”.
Until now, Harris has largely been campaigning virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed almost 190,000 people and infected more than 6.2 million in the US, more than any other country in the world by far.
In an interview on Sunday, Harris hit back at the denial by the president and the attorney general, William Barr, of systemic racism in the US justice system, telling CNN there are “two systems of justice” for Black and white Americans.
With less than 60 days to go until election day on 3 November, the president had no planned campaign events scheduled for Monday – but held a Labor Day press conference that contained plenty of campaigning. Later this week he has visits planned to North Carolina, Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Biden, meanwhile, spent Monday campaigning in Pennsylvania, which Trump also won by less than a percentage point four years ago.


theguardian--2020-09-07--Michelle Obama on marriage: ‘There are times when you can’t stand each other’

Michelle Obama said there have been times when she wanted to “ push Barack out of the window ” and that marriage should be approached like picking a basketball team in a frank discussion about relationships .
In the latest episode of her Spotify podcast , the former first lady said young couples , especially when they have small children , struggle to deal with tiredness , stress and sharing roles and they give up on their relationship .
“ You ’ ve got to know that there are going to be times , long periods of time , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ...
I said it , you know , on the book tour , as a joke , ” she said , in conversation with television host Conan O ’ Brien .
“ There were times that I wanted to push Barack out of the window , right .
And I say that , because it ’ s like you ’ ve got to know the feelings will be intense .
But that doesn ’ t mean you quit .
And these periods can last a long time .
They can last years.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult periods , she said often young couples want to give up when they face difficulties because “ they think they ’ re broken ” .
She added : “ I just want to say , look , if that breaks a marriage , then Barack and I have been broken off and on , throughout our marriage , but we have a very strong marriage .
And if I had given up on it , if I had walked away from it , in those tough times , then I would ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was there as well.
” The couple , who met in 1989 , will celebrate their 28th wedding anniversary next month .
If people went into marriage as if they were picking their basketball team she believes it would lead to “ better marriages ” .
“ Because if you ’ re looking at a team , the people you want to win with , then number one you want everybody on your team to be strong ...
If we looked at marriage as a real team , you want your teammate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LeBron [ James , the LA Lakers star ] .
” After having fertility issues , she said she was ready when they had Sasha and Malia , now 19 and 22 , but that having children dramatically changed their dynamic .
“ I would not trade them in , but whew , they can mess up a marriage.
” She said becoming a mother was the first time that she felt “ the sting of gender roles ” in their marriage .
“ I had to be there , and I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body , and my husband was still sort of boppin ’ around , living his life ... the resentment starts to build up , or it started to , it ’ s like well , what happened to the unit , what happened to my best friend ?
What happened to my buddy , who ’ s , at the gym ?
It ’ s like , how the hell are you at the gym ?
You know , dude ...
I ’ ve got cabbage on my breast .
”

Michelle Obama said there have been times when she wanted to “push Barack out of the window” and that marriage should be approached like picking a basketball team in a frank discussion about relationships.
In the latest episode of her Spotify podcast, the former first lady said young couples, especially when they have small children, struggle to deal with tiredness, stress and sharing roles and they give up on their relationship.
“You’ve got to know that there are going to be times, long periods of time, when you can’t stand each other … I said it, you know, on the book tour, as a joke,” she said, in conversation with the television host Conan O’Brien.
“There were times that I wanted to push Barack out of the window, right. And I say that, because it’s like you’ve got to know the feelings will be intense. But that doesn’t mean you quit. And these periods can last a long time. They can last years.”
Because people do not talk about the difficult periods, she said often young couples want to give up when they face difficulties because “they think they’re broken”.
She added: “I just want to say, look, if that breaks a marriage, then Barack and I have been broken off and on, throughout our marriage, but we have a very strong marriage. And if I had given up on it, if I had walked away from it, in those tough times, then I would’ve missed all the beauty, that was there as well.”
The couple, who met in 1989, will celebrate their 28th wedding anniversary next month.
If people went into marriage as if they were picking their basketball team she believes it would lead to “better marriages”.
“Because if you’re looking at a team, the people you want to win with, then number one you want everybody on your team to be strong … If we looked at marriage as a real team, you want your teammate to be a winner, then you want LeBron [James, the LA Lakers star].”
After having fertility issues, she said she was ready when they had Sasha and Malia, now 19 and 22, but that having children dramatically changed their dynamic. “I would not trade them in, but whew, they can mess up a marriage.”
She said becoming a mother was the first time that she felt “the sting of gender roles” in their marriage.
“I had to be there, and I had to go, and it was my body, and my husband was still sort of boppin’ around, living his life … the resentment starts to build up, or it started to, it’s like well, what happened to the unit, what happened to my best friend? What happened to my buddy, who’s, at the gym? It’s like, how the hell are you at the gym? You know, dude … I’ve got cabbage on my breast.”


theguardian--2020-09-07--US veterans and soldiers divided over Trump calling war dead ‘suckers’

Donald Trump was struggling to retain support of active US service members , according to polls , even before last week ’ s bombshell report that the commander-in-chief referred to fallen and captured US service members as “ losers ” and “ suckers ” .
But some veterans and military family members remain conflicted .
The Atlantic magazine ’ s story – in which four sources close to Trump said he cancelled a visit to pay respects at an American military cemetery outside Paris in 2018 because he thought the dead soldiers were “ losers ” and “ suckers ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mess up his hair – prompted an outpouring of condemnation , and comes less than two months before the 3 November election .
Several former Trump administration officials confirmed the report .
Trump and the White House have denied it , with the president insisting : “ There is nobody feels more strongly about our soldiers , our wounded warriors , our soldiers that died in war than I do.
” Polls in 2016 showed active service members preferred Trump to Hilary Clinton by a large margin , but polling from late July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times showed the continued steady drop in opinions of the commander-in-chief since he was elected , with almost 50 % of respondents reporting an unfavorable view .
“ I recommend all veterans to use their Military pics as a profile pic to let Trump know how many people he has offended by calling fallen soldiers losers and suckers .
# NewProfilePics , ” army veteran David Weissman , who describes himself as an “ apologetic ” former Trump supporter , wrote on Twitter last week , in a post that went viral .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Army ’ s 82nd airborne , told the Associated Press that he was rankled by the reports .
“ Usually , you don ’ t choose those kinds of missions .
You agree to serve and you agree to go where your assignment is.
” An active-service member stationed at the United States Military Academy at West Point military academy told the Guardian on Monday that the president ’ s reported comments were not necessarily surprising .
“ I wouldn ’ t put it past him , ” they said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick your commander in chief , and I take what he says with a grain of salt.
” The service member added : “ Whatever political leaders say , we don ’ t put much store in it .
We ’ re apolitical .
We know they ’ re going to change out in four or eight years .
Yes , they are in charge of us , but our other leaders are the ones who do the groundwork so we put our faith in them.
” However , some others have expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veterans and military families divided .
“ If you twist his words or just take one thing out of context , you ’ ll always find a way to hate him , ” Katie Constandse , 37 , who is married to a soldier stationed at Fort Bragg , told the Associated Press .
“ He ’ s a human being .
He takes a lot of stuff .
I don ’ t see how he has survived for almost four years – the constant barrage of anger toward him.
” “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warm and cuddly , ” she said .
A Pew Research poll from 2019 showed that veterans remained largely supportive of Trump ’ s leadership of the nation ’ s armed forces – which came after the death of Republican senator and Vietnam war hero John McCain , who Trump had criticized for being captured .
Jon Soltz , chairman of VoteVets , a progressive , anti-Trump veterans organization that says it represents 700,000 veterans and their families , tweeted last week : “ I wish there was more outrage about Trump lying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for political reasons , because as a veteran it really disgusts me.
” The Military Times poll based on 1,018 active-duty troops surveyed in late July and early August found that nearly half of respondents ( 49.9 % ) had an unfavorable view of the president , compared to about 38 % who had a favorable view .
The poll found that 41 % said they would vote for Trump ’ s Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden , if the election was held that day , while 37 % said they plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the poll , Trump has struggled to regain support among active service members , despite efforts to solidify his bond with the military that included delivering the graduation speech to cadets at West Point in June and talking-up a “ colossal ” $ 2tn rebuilding of US military might .
Trump ’ s West Point address came weeks after he ordered the area around the White House cleared demonstrators using teargas and other chemical irritants so that he and defense secretary Mark Esper , and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Square .
“ What we have here is an effort to use the military to partisan advantage to the point of potentially putting troops in the streets to confront protesters [ and ] to present himself as the law and order president , ” said Risa Brooks , professor of political science at Marquette University , told the Guardian at the time .
While Esper later claimed he had no knowledge of the plan , Trump ’ s threat to use the Insurrection Act to deploy troops on US streets received strong push-back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Marine general who resigned as secretary of defense in 2018 , voiced his opposition to Trump ’ s leadership .
“ Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people – does not even pretend to try .
Instead , he tries to divide us , ” Mattis wrote in a statement published by the Atlantic .
Trump has a long history of disparaging veterans , however .
In 1999 , while toying with a run for president as the Reform Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Does being captured make you a hero ?
I don ’ t know .
I ’ m not sure , ” Trump said in the interview with CBS .
Later , in 2015 , he said the senator was “ not a war hero ” and declared , “ I like people who weren ’ t captured.
” He also reportedly called his top generals “ losers ” and “ a bunch of dopes and babies ” during a 2017 meeting at the Pentagon , according to the authors of A Very Stable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoided military service by citing a bone spur in his foot , appears to hold conflicting views .
In 2015 , he told The Washington Post he felt “ always felt somewhat guilty ” about not serving in the military .
In what he described as t an effort to make up for his guilt , Trump said he “ spent a fortune ” – reportedly $ 1m – to build a Vietnam memorial in his hometown .
“ I was a very strong opponent of the Vietnam War , ” Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ but I also recognized that the people who went to fight were great Americans.
” He has also said his time in military school helped him to learn “ a lot about discipline , and about channeling my aggression into achievement ” .

Donald Trump was struggling to retain support of active US service members, according to polls, even before last week’s bombshell report that the commander-in-chief referred to fallen and captured US service members as “losers” and “suckers”. But some veterans and military family members remain conflicted.
The Atlantic magazine’s story – in which four sources close to Trump said he cancelled a visit to pay respects at an American military cemetery outside Paris in 2018 because he thought the dead soldiers were “losers” and “suckers” and did not want the rain to mess up his hair – prompted an outpouring of condemnation, and comes less than two months before the 3 November election.
Several former Trump administration officials confirmed the report. Trump and the White House have denied it, with the president insisting: “There is nobody feels more strongly about our soldiers, our wounded warriors, our soldiers that died in war than I do.”
Polls in 2016 showed active service members preferred Trump to Hilary Clinton by a large margin, but polling from late July and early August conducted by the Military Times showed the continued steady drop in opinions of the commander-in-chief since he was elected, with almost 50% of respondents reporting an unfavorable view.
“I recommend all veterans to use their Military pics as a profile pic to let Trump know how many people he has offended by calling fallen soldiers losers and suckers. #NewProfilePics,” army veteran David Weissman, who describes himself as an “apologetic” former Trump supporter, wrote on Twitter last week, in a post that went viral.
Donald Trump takes part in the commemoration ceremony for Armistice Day, 100 years after the end of first world war in Paris, France, on 11 November 2018. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters
Thomas Richardson, a retired member of the army’s 82nd airborne division, told the Associated Press that he was rankled by the reports. “Usually, you don’t choose those kinds of missions. You agree to serve and you agree to go where your assignment is.”
An active-service member stationed at the United States Military Academy at West Point told the Guardian on Monday that the president’s reported comments were not necessarily surprising.
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” they said. “But you don’t get to pick your commander-in-chief, and I take what he says with a grain of salt.”
The service member added: “Whatever political leaders say, we don’t put much store in it. We’re apolitical. We know they’re going to change out in four or eight years. Yes, they are in charge of us, but our other leaders are the ones who do the groundwork so we put our faith in them.”
However, some others have expressed skepticism at the report, with some veterans and military families divided.
“If you twist his words or just take one thing out of context, you’ll always find a way to hate him,” Katie Constandse, 37, who is married to a soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, told the Associated Press. “He’s a human being. He takes a lot of stuff. I don’t see how he has survived for almost four years – the constant barrage of anger toward him.”
“We don’t need someone who is warm and cuddly,” she said.
A Pew Research poll from 2019 showed that veterans remained largely supportive of Trump’s leadership of the nation’s armed forces – which came after the death of the Republican senator and Vietnam war hero John McCain, who Trump had criticized for being captured.
Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets, a progressive, anti-Trump veterans organization that says it represents 700,000 veterans and their families, tweeted last week: “I wish there was more outrage about Trump lying about the dignified transfer of the fallen for political reasons, because as a veteran it really disgusts me.”
The Military Times poll based on 1,018 active-duty troops surveyed in late July and early August found that nearly half of respondents (49.9%) had an unfavorable view of the president, compared with about 38% who had a favorable view. The poll found that 41% said they would vote for Trump’s Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden, if the election was held that day, while 37% said they plan to vote to re-elect Trump.
Donald Trump delivers remarks in front of military personnel and a B-2 Spirit aircraft inside a hangar at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on 15 September 2017. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA
According to the poll, Trump has struggled to regain support among active service members, despite efforts to solidify his bond with the military that included delivering the graduation speech to cadets at West Point in June and talking up a “colossal” $2tn rebuilding of US military might.
Trump’s West Point address came weeks after he ordered the area around the White House cleared demonstrators using teargas and other chemical irritants so that he and the defense secretary, Mark Esper, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Gen Mark Milley could walk across Lafayette Square.
“What we have here is an effort to use the military to partisan advantage to the point of potentially putting troops in the streets to confront protesters [and] to present himself as the law-and-order president,” said Risa Brooks, professor of political science at Marquette University, told the Guardian at the time.
While Esper later claimed he had no knowledge of the plan, Trump’s threat to use the Insurrection Act to deploy troops on US streets received strong pushback from former military commanders. James Mattis, the marine general who resigned as secretary of defense in 2018, voiced his opposition to Trump’s leadership.
“Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people – does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us,” Mattis wrote in a statement published by the Atlantic.
Trump has a long history of disparaging veterans, however. In 1999, while toying with a run for president as the Reform party candidate, he attacked McCain.
“Does being captured make you a hero? I don’t know. I’m not sure,” Trump said in the interview with CBS. Later, in 2015, he said the senator was “not a war hero” and declared, “I like people who weren’t captured.”
He also reportedly called his top generals “losers” and “a bunch of dopes and babies” during a 2017 meeting at the Pentagon, according to the authors of A Very Stable Genius.
But Trump, who avoided military service by citing a bone spur in his foot, also appears to hold conflicting views.
In 2015, he told the Washington Post he felt “always felt somewhat guilty” about not serving in the military. In what he described as an effort to make up for his guilt, Trump said he “spent a fortune” – reportedly $1m – to build a Vietnam memorial in his home town.
“I was a very strong opponent of the Vietnam war,” Trump said at the memorial’s dedication, “but I also recognized that the people who went to fight were great Americans.” He has also said his time in military school helped him to learn “a lot about discipline, and about channeling my aggression into achievement”.


theguardian--2020-09-08--Trump expected to announce new list of potential supreme court justices

The White House is expected to announce a new list of potential supreme court justices as soon as Wednesday , a move designed to shore up conservative support for Donald Trump as his race for the White House against Joe Biden enters the final stretch .
Trump ’ s decision to name a list of possible picks during the 2016 election is widely seen to have boosted support among conservatives otherwise queasy about backing him against Hillary Clinton .
Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh , both now on the court , were included on that list of reliably conservative picks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press secretary , Kayleigh McEnany , flagged the impending announcement , telling reporters : “ You will see it soon.
” On Tuesday , Politico reported that the list was imminent .
Trump signaled he was compiling a new list after a pair of supreme court rulings went against his administration in June .
The updated list is expected to include many of the 2016 lineup , including Raymond Kethledge , 53 , an appeals court judge on the sixth circuit , and Amy Coney Barrett , 48 , a member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported to have been close to being nominated when Kavanaugh was picked in late 2018 , to fill a seat vacated by the retirement of Anthony Kennedy .
Kavanaugh , a former White House aide to George W Bush , was confirmed after contentious confirmation hearings featuring allegations of sexual assault , which he vehemently denied .
After Trump ’ s two picks , conservatives hold a 5-4 majority on the supreme court , where seats are vacated by the retirement or death of an incumbent .
Over the summer , the liberal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has announced health problems including treatment for cancer .
Trump promotes his judicial appointments as perhaps his most important accomplishment .
A Biden presidency , he warns , would mean more liberals on the highest court .
But Trump ’ s appointees have not always performed as anticipated .
This summer , for example , Gorsuch sided with the chief justice , John Roberts , and the liberal justices to guarantee protection from discrimination in the workplace for LGBTQ individuals – a disappointment to conservatives .
Last month , Vice-President Mike Pence told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was appointed by George W Bush , had been “ a disappointment to conservatives ” .
But Trump ’ s appointments to lower courts offer plentiful consolation .
During his first term , nearly 200 judges have been installed with lifetime appointments .
According to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the Federal Judicial Center , in July there were 792 active judges across the three main tiers of the federal system .
Of those , Trump has appointed 194 , or 24 % of the total .
Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal judges , 39 % .
Of judges still sitting , George W Bush appointed 21 % and 11 % were appointed by Bill Clinton .
Much smaller shares were appointed by George HW Bush ( 2 % ) and Ronald Reagan ( 2 % ) .
A single federal judge , Puerto Rico ’ s Carmen Consuelo Cerezo , dates her appointment to Jimmy Carter ’ s administration .

The White House is expected to announce a new list of potential supreme court justices as soon as Wednesday, a move designed to shore up conservative support for Donald Trump as his race for the White House against Joe Biden enters the final stretch.
Trump’s decision to name a list of possible picks during the 2016 election is widely seen to have boosted support among conservatives otherwise queasy about backing him against Hillary Clinton. Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, both now on the court, were included on that list of reliably conservative picks.
Last week, the White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, flagged the impending announcement, telling reporters: “You will see it soon.” On Tuesday, Politico reported that the list was imminent.
Trump signaled he was compiling a new list after a pair of supreme court rulings went against his administration in June.
The updated list is expected to include many of the 2016 lineup, including Raymond Kethledge, 53, an appeals court judge on the sixth circuit, and Amy Coney Barrett, 48, a member of the seventh circuit appeals court.
Both were reported to have been close to being nominated when Kavanaugh was picked in late 2018, to fill a seat vacated by the retirement of Anthony Kennedy. Kavanaugh, a former White House aide to George W Bush, was confirmed after contentious confirmation hearings featuring allegations of sexual assault, which he vehemently denied.
After Trump’s two picks, conservatives hold a 5-4 majority on the supreme court, where seats are vacated by the retirement or death of an incumbent. Over the summer, the liberal justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 87, has announced health problems including treatment for cancer.
Trump promotes his judicial appointments as perhaps his most important accomplishment. A Biden presidency, he warns, would mean more liberals on the highest court.
But Trump’s appointees have not always performed as anticipated. This summer, for example, Gorsuch sided with the chief justice, John Roberts, and the liberal justices to guarantee protection from discrimination in the workplace for LGBTQ individuals – a disappointment to conservatives.
Last month, Vice-President Mike Pence told the Christian Broadcasting Network that Roberts, who was appointed by George W Bush, had been “a disappointment to conservatives”.
But Trump’s appointments to lower courts offer plentiful consolation. During his first term, nearly 200 judges have been installed with lifetime appointments.
According to a Pew Research Center analysis of data from the Federal Judicial Center, in July there were 792 active judges across the three main tiers of the federal system.
Of those, Trump has appointed 194, or 24% of the total. Barack Obama appointed the largest share of currently active federal judges, 39%. Of judges still sitting, George W Bush appointed 21% and 11% were appointed by Bill Clinton.
Much smaller shares were appointed by George HW Bush (2%) and Ronald Reagan (2%). A single federal judge, Puerto Rico’s Carmen Consuelo Cerezo, dates her appointment to Jimmy Carter’s administration.


theguardian--2020-09-08--John Kerry on Biden's foreign policy: 'He’d never lavish praise on dictators'

Among the many crises triggered by Donald Trump ’ s presidency , there is one that has been largely overlooked by the 2020 election .
It also just happens to be the one that Joe Biden has spent his entire career preparing for : the crisis of global confidence in American leadership .
The former vice-president spent 34 years on the Senate foreign relations committee , and another eight years in the Obama White House with an expansive brief on foreign affairs including the American withdrawal from Iraq .
Today he stands as the presidential nominee with the most formidable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George HW Bush in 1988 .
But at a time when respect for American leadership has largely collapsed around the world , Biden ’ s worldview , and the foreign policy he would likely pursue , is mostly an afterthought in an election dominated by the antics and outrages of the incumbent in the White House .
Biden ’ s team is under no illusions about the scale of the diplomatic challenge .
According to recent polling , European confidence in Trump ’ s leadership is between 40 and 60 points lower than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama ’ s presidency .
Even in Russia , confidence in Trump is 16 points lower than it was for Obama at the end of his first term .
How can Biden heal the damage ?
John Kerry , the former secretary of state and long-time Biden confidant , believes the former vice-president ’ s long relationships with allies will help .
“ I ’ m not going to sugarcoat it , ” he told The Guardian .
“ I know there are worries among friends and allies that the United States could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we just ping pong back and forth from one election to another .
But I think Joe Biden ’ s presence is reassuring .
I wouldn ’ t speak for the vice-president and his team , but it ’ s clear for anyone who has known him and worked with him and watched him over many years , just how much he values our European alliances .
He traveled for decades on the foreign relations committee in the Senate to learn and listen and get to know dozens of young parliamentarians who grew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers.
” “ I think his unique credibility and years of relationships in Europe will help restore those alliances on day one of a Biden presidency .
I know he ’ s respected , and he earned those relationships .
In 2008 , when Russian tanks rolled into a neighboring country called Georgia , it was Joe Biden who immediately picked up the phone , and called an old friend , who happened to be the president of the country .
So Joe got on a plane , flew all night , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president of our democratic ally and made it clear the United States stands with allies .
People remember those moments.
” At a New York speech in 2019 , Biden spelled out a return to Obama-era agreements that Trump has been determined to destroy : especially the international deal to halt Iran ’ s nuclear program , and the Paris climate agreement .
Biden has promised to host his own climate summit in his first 100 days , setting higher targets for the world ’ s biggest carbon-polluting countries .
“ Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could send right away on climate change , ” Kerry said .
“ Obviously , he ’ s said he ’ ll rejoin the Paris climate agreement immediately , but I think he ’ ll also send the signal in Glasgow , Scotland , at the next COP [ climate change conference ] that the world must ratchet up its ambition .
Paris itself was a goal not a guarantee.
” ‘ He saw his son deployed to a war zone ’ Biden was never fully aligned with Obama ’ s foreign policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House , especially on the decision to send more American troops to Afghanistan .
In the Senate , where Obama was a new member on the foreign relations committee , Biden was particularly distant .
Over the years , Biden has been hard to compartmentalize on the use of American force .
He voted against the Gulf War in 1990 because it did not advance American national interests .
But he voted for the invasion of Iraq 12 years later , after his preferred option to prioritize diplomacy failed to pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became a liberal hawk in the Senate , pushing hard for military action against Serbia for its ethnic cleansing wars in Bosnia and Kosovo .
So where does Biden stand today ?
“ We have to retire the hawk-dove frame .
It ’ s counterproductive , ” said Kerry .
“ What was Joe Biden on the Balkans ?
He was the guy in the Senate pounding on his colleagues and a Democratic administration to move with urgency to stop genocide .
What do you call that ?
The thread that runs through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrestled with facts and values and he grilled people who agreed with him and those who disagreed with him and hew pressure-tested everyone ’ s assumptions.
” “ He ’ s a guy who saw his son deployed to a war zone .
He knows what it ’ s like to live with that worry .
So , he ’ s healthily impatient with countries that benefit from our troops ’ sacrifice but allow politicians to squander those sacrifices .
You tell me : is that being a hawk or being a dove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the familiar lines of American foreign policy , he will do so in a world that has changed significantly over the last four years .
Trump ’ s presidency has emboldened authoritarian regimes and weakened democratic checks and balances across the world .
Biden says he will host a summit for democracy in his first year in office , to “ strengthen democratic institutions ” and “ defend against authoritarianism.
” The Democratic nominee has made it clear he would confront Russia , where Trump makes every effort to do the opposite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in explaining that his approach would mean an end to business as usual with Saudi Arabia , as well as continued tension with China .
“ He ’ d never lavish praise on dictators .
But guess what ?
He knows how to work with people to manage disagreements and still get things done in areas where you absolutely have to cooperate , ” said Kerry .
“ Think about China .
The world ’ s two biggest economies have to cooperate on climate change , period .
You can do that at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deals with serious problems in that relationship.
” In practice , Biden ’ s version of American foreign policy can only succeed with higher foreign aid budgets to halt the slide of democracies and confront the regimes that seek to accelerate that decline .
Biden ’ s work in the so-called northern triangle of Guatemala , El Salvador and Honduras , involved $ 420m of US aid to help stem a new wave of migration by strengthening good government , the rule of law , and food security .
Those programs were cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent $ 11bn on a partial wall along the Mexican border .
“ They must fight the underlying problems that are driving mass migration and caravans , but their leadership needs to go further , faster , ” said Kerry .
“ It ’ s not easy to fix countries where up to half the population lives in poverty .
But they can all move faster to strengthen the rule of law , fight corruption , and reform their judicial systems .
“ Guess what ?
It ’ ll never get fixed if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the highest levels .
In this grand bargain , the United States has a role to play .
The biggest house on the block has to help lead the neighborhood watch .
”

Among the many crises triggered by Donald Trump’s presidency, there is one that has been largely overlooked by the 2020 election. It also just happens to be the one that Joe Biden has spent his entire career preparing for: the crisis of global confidence in American leadership.
The former vice-president spent 34 years on the Senate foreign relations committee, and another eight years in the Obama White House with an expansive brief on foreign affairs including the American withdrawal from Iraq. Today he stands as the presidential nominee with the most formidable foreign policy credentials of any candidate since George HW Bush in 1988.
But at a time when respect for American leadership has largely collapsed around the world, Biden’s worldview, and the foreign policy he would probably pursue, is mostly an afterthought in an election dominated by the antics and outrages of the incumbent in the White House.
Biden’s team is under no illusions about the scale of the diplomatic challenge. According to recent polling, European confidence in Trump’s leadership is between 40 and 60 points lower than it was at the same point in Obama’s presidency. Even in Russia, confidence in Trump is 16 points lower than it was for Obama at the end of his first term.
How can Biden heal the damage? John Kerry, the former secretary of state and longtime Biden confidant, believes the former vice-president’s long relationships with allies will help.
I think his unique credibility and years of relationships in Europe will help restore those alliances on day one of a Biden presidency John Kerry
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” he told the Guardian. “I know there are worries among friends and allies that the United States could just rip up treaties and norms if we just ping-pong back and forth from one election to another. But I think Joe Biden’s presence is reassuring. I wouldn’t speak for the vice-president and his team, but it’s clear for anyone who has known him and worked with him and watched him over many years, just how much he values our European alliances. He traveled for decades on the foreign relations committee in the Senate to learn and listen and get to know dozens of young parliamentarians who grew up to become prime ministers and foreign ministers.
“I think his unique credibility and years of relationships in Europe will help restore those alliances on day one of a Biden presidency. I know he’s respected, and he earned those relationships. In 2008, when Russian tanks rolled into a neighboring country called Georgia, it was Joe Biden who immediately picked up the phone, and called an old friend, who happened to be the president of the country. So Joe got on a plane, flew all night, and sat on a hilltop in Georgia with the president of our democratic ally and made it clear the United States stands with allies. People remember those moments.”
At a New York speech in 2019, Biden spelled out a return to Obama-era agreements that Trump has been determined to destroy: especially the international deal to halt Iran’s nuclear program, and the Paris climate agreement. Biden has promised to host his own climate summit in his first 100 days, setting higher targets for the world’s biggest carbon-polluting countries.
“Just think about the positive signals an administration could send right away on climate change,” Kerry said. “Obviously, he’s said he’ll rejoin the Paris climate agreement immediately, but I think he’ll also send the signal in Glasgow, Scotland, at the next COP [climate change conference] that the world must ratchet up its ambition. Paris itself was a goal not a guarantee.”
‘He saw his son deployed to a war zone’
Biden was never fully aligned with Obama’s foreign policy. He diverged with his boss in the White House, especially on the decision to send more American troops to Afghanistan. In the Senate, where Obama was a new member on the foreign relations committee, Biden was particularly distant.
Over the years, Biden has been hard to compartmentalize on the use of American force. He voted against the Gulf war in 1990 because it did not advance American national interests. But he voted for the invasion of Iraq 12 years later, after his preferred option to prioritize diplomacy failed to pass. Between those two votes, Biden became a liberal hawk in the Senate, pushing hard for military action against Serbia for its ethnic cleansing wars in Bosnia and Kosovo.
So where does Biden stand today?
“We have to retire the hawk-dove frame. It’s counterproductive,” said Kerry. “What was Joe Biden on the Balkans? He was the guy in the Senate pounding on his colleagues and a Democratic administration to move with urgency to stop genocide. What do you call that? The thread that runs through all these areas is that Joe Biden wrestled with facts and values and he grilled people who agreed with him and those who disagreed with him and he pressure-tested everyone’s assumptions.
“He’s a guy who saw his son deployed to a war zone. He knows what it’s like to live with that worry. So, he’s healthily impatient with countries that benefit from our troops’ sacrifice but allow politicians to squander those sacrifices. You tell me: is that being a hawk or being a dove?”
John Kerry with Joe Biden campaigning in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA
If Biden promises a return to the familiar lines of American foreign policy, he will do so in a world that has changed significantly over the last four years. Trump’s presidency has emboldened authoritarian regimes and weakened democratic checks and balances across the world.
Biden says he will host a summit for democracy in his first year in office, to “strengthen democratic institutions” and “defend against authoritarianism”. The Democratic nominee has made it clear he would confront Russia, where Trump makes every effort to do the opposite. But Biden has been less vocal in explaining that his approach would mean an end to business as usual with Saudi Arabia, as well as continued tension with China.
“He’d never lavish praise on dictators. But guess what? He knows how to work with people to manage disagreements and still get things done in areas where you absolutely have to cooperate,” said Kerry. “Think about China. The world’s two biggest economies have to cooperate on climate change, period. You can do that at the same time that a mature president deals with serious problems in that relationship.”
In practice, Biden’s version of American foreign policy can only succeed with higher foreign aid budgets to halt the slide of democracies and confront the regimes that seek to accelerate that decline.
Biden’s work in the so-called northern triangle of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, involved $420m of US aid to help stem a new wave of migration by strengthening good government, the rule of law, and food security.
Those programs were cut by the Trump administration, which instead spent $11bn on a partial wall along the Mexican border.
“They must fight the underlying problems that are driving mass migration and caravans, but their leadership needs to go further, faster,” said Kerry. “It’s not easy to fix countries where up to half the population lives in poverty. But they can all move faster to strengthen the rule of law, fight corruption and reform their judicial systems.
“Guess what? It’ll never get fixed if there’s not trust and respect at the highest levels. In this grand bargain, the United States has a role to play. The biggest house on the block has to help lead the neighborhood watch.”


theguardian--2020-09-09--Is democracy in America under threat? - podcast

As the US election draws closer , the Guardian ’ s Ed Pilkington hears from civil leaders on their fears for the integrity of the process and the future of their democracy When Barack Obama spoke at the Democratic national convention recently he had as his backdrop a facsimile of the US constitution .
He spoke pointedly about the importance of that document and criticised Donald Trump , a reality TV star who had damaged the reputation of the United States with “ our democratic institutions threatened like never before ” .
It is a concern shared by many across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ed Pilkington tells Anushka Asthana that he was alarmed by what he heard in interviews with some of the most prominent figures in civil rights , the law and academia on the state of democracy in America .
He spoke to Michael Waldman , the head of the Brennan Center for Justice ; Derrick Johnson , the president of the NAACP ; Deirdre Schifeling , the campaign director of Democracy For All 2021 ; K. Sabeel Rahman , the head of Demos , and Vanita Gupta , the president and chief executive of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights .
All told him versions of the same story : democracy in America is in peril like never before .

Presented by Anushka Asthana with Ed Pilkington; produced by Joshua Kelly and Axel Kacoutié; executive producers Nicole Jackson and Phil Maynard

As the US election draws closer, the Guardian’s Ed Pilkington hears from civil leaders on their fears for the integrity of the process and the future of their democracy
When Barack Obama spoke at the Democratic national convention recently he had as his backdrop a facsimile of the US constitution. He spoke pointedly about the importance of that document and criticised Donald Trump, a reality TV star who had damaged the reputation of the United States with “our democratic institutions threatened like never before”.
It is a concern shared by many across the US and the Guardian’s Ed Pilkington tells Anushka Asthana that he was alarmed by what he heard in interviews with some of the most prominent figures in civil rights, the law and academia on the state of democracy in America. He spoke to Michael Waldman, the head of the Brennan Center for Justice; Derrick Johnson, the president of the NAACP; Deirdre Schifeling, the campaign director of Democracy For All 2021; K. Sabeel Rahman, the head of Demos, and Vanita Gupta, the president and chief executive of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. All told him versions of the same story: democracy in America is in peril like never before.


theguardian--2020-09-09--US justice department seeks to defend Trump in lawsuit tied to rape allegation

The US justice department is seeking to take over Donald Trump ’ s defense in a defamation lawsuit from a writer who accused him of rape , and federal lawyers asked a court on Tuesday to allow a move that could put the American people on the hook for any money she might be awarded .
After New York state courts turned down Trump ’ s request to delay E Jean Carroll ’ s suit , justice department lawyers filed court papers on Tuesday aiming to shift the case into federal court and to substitute the US for Trump as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government , rather than Trump himself , might have to pay damages if any are awarded .
The filing complicates , at least for the moment , Carroll ’ s efforts to get a DNA sample from the president as potential evidence and to have him answer questions under oath .
Justice department lawyers argue that Trump was “ acting within the scope of his office ” when he denied Carroll ’ s allegations , made last year , that he raped her in a New York luxury department store in the mid-1990s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she was “ totally lying ” to sell a memoir – besmirched her character and harmed her career .
“ Numerous courts have recognized that elected officials act within the scope of their office or employment when speaking with the press , including with respect to personal matters , ” the DoJ attorneys wrote .
The White House echoed the argument .
“ Last year , the president vehemently denied allegations made by Jean Carroll about a supposed incident from some 25 years ago , ” a senior White House official told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The president was acting within the scope of his office when he publicly responded to these false allegations.
” “ Trump ’ s effort to wield the power of the US government to evade responsibility for his private misconduct is without precedent , ” she said in an email to the Guardian .
Carroll told the Guardian by email : “ Today ’ s actions demonstrate that Trump will do everything possible , including using the full powers of the federal government , to block discovery from going forward in my case before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a jury from ever deciding which one of us is lying.
” It will be up to a federal judge to decide whether to keep the case in federal court and to allow the US to become the defendant .
Carroll is trying to get a DNA sample from Trump to see whether it matches as-yet-unidentified male genetic material found on a dress that she says she was wearing during the alleged attack and didn ’ t wear again until a photo shoot last year .
Her suit seeks damages and a retraction @ @ @ @ @ @

The US justice department is seeking to take over Donald Trump’s defense in a defamation lawsuit from a writer who accused him of rape, and federal lawyers asked a court on Tuesday to allow a move that could put the American people on the hook for any money she might be awarded.
After New York state courts turned down Trump’s request to delay E Jean Carroll’s suit, justice department lawyers filed court papers on Tuesday aiming to shift the case into federal court and to substitute the US for Trump as the defendant. That means the federal government, rather than Trump himself, might have to pay damages if any are awarded.
The filing complicates, at least for the moment, Carroll’s efforts to get a DNA sample from the president as potential evidence and to have him answer questions under oath.
Justice department lawyers argue that Trump was “acting within the scope of his office” when he denied Carroll’s allegations, made last year, that he raped her in a New York luxury department store in the mid-1990s. She says his comments – including that she was “totally lying” to sell a memoir – besmirched her character and harmed her career.
“Numerous courts have recognized that elected officials act within the scope of their office or employment when speaking with the press, including with respect to personal matters,” the DoJ attorneys wrote.
The White House echoed the argument. “Last year, the president vehemently denied allegations made by Jean Carroll about a supposed incident from some 25 years ago,” a senior White House official told the Guardian in a statement. “The president was acting within the scope of his office when he publicly responded to these false allegations.”
Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, called their argument “shocking”.
“Trump’s effort to wield the power of the US government to evade responsibility for his private misconduct is without precedent,” she said in an email to the Guardian.
Carroll told the Guardian by email: “Today’s actions demonstrate that Trump will do everything possible, including using the full powers of the federal government, to block discovery from going forward in my case before the upcoming election to try to prevent a jury from ever deciding which one of us is lying.”
It will be up to a federal judge to decide whether to keep the case in federal court and to allow the US to become the defendant.
Carroll is trying to get a DNA sample from Trump to see whether it matches as-yet-unidentified male genetic material found on a dress that she says she was wearing during the alleged attack and didn’t wear again until a photo shoot last year.
Her suit seeks damages and a retraction of Trump’s statements.


theguardian--2020-09-09--Crowds eschew masks at Trump rally as president mocks Biden over social distancing

A packed crowd of hundreds gathered in North Carolina for a Donald Trump campaign rally on Tuesday , with many people forgoing masks , in defiance of state guidelines capping gatherings at 50 people .
Ahead of the president ’ s visit to Winston-Salem , the chair of the local county commission , a Republican , urged Trump to wear a face mask .
The state has a mask requirement in place to slow the spread of coronavirus .
“ It ’ s been ordered by the governor , ” said Dave Plyler , the Republican chairman of the Forsyth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Winston-Salem Journal .
“ When in Rome , do as the Romans do .
When in North Carolina , do as the governor says.
” Trump “ is a citizen of the United States , but he is also a guest in our county ” , Plyler said .
“ Without a mask , he could get sick , and he could blame the governor.
” However Trump did not wear a mask , and used the event to mock his Democratic opponent , Joe Biden , for following social distancing guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the circles ?
” he said , an apparent reference to a Biden event held in a school gymnasium with attendees observing social distancing guidelines .
Nearly 178,000 people in North Carolina have tested positive Covid-19 , with more than 1,000 cases reported on Tuesday – though the number of cases and deaths are slowly trending downward .
Recent polls have found Trump locked in a close race with Biden in North Carolina .
As the coronavirus pandemic rages on , the president has often sought to focus on the economy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporters waited for Trump to arrive , Knockin ’ on Heaven ’ s Door played over the loudspeakers , making for an inadvertently dark soundtrack .
Deriding the mass demonstrations across the country against racism and policing , Trump told the jam-packed , cheering crowd : “ We decided to call our rallies peaceful protests.
” The president has previously used the phrase to describe gatherings of his supporters , saying that if protestors against police brutality are allowed to gather then his supporters should be able to as well .
“ Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if you campaign you can not have more than five people , ” the president said .
“ You can ’ t go to church , you can ’ t do anything outside .
If you are willing to riot , running down the main street , if you want to riot and stand on top of each other ’ s face and do whatever the hell you want to do , you are allowed to do that because you are considered a peaceful protester.
” His claims , however , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governed by Democrat Roy Cooper , gatherings are currently capped at 50 , and masks are mandated .
Going outside is allowed in North Carolina ( as it is in all states ) , and churches are allowed to conduct services , though officials recommend that worshippers follow social distancing and wear masks .
There have been more than 6.3 million cases of coronavirus in the US , with the country approaching 190,000 deaths .
Trump ’ s rally comes as health experts warn the hunt for a vaccine has become increasingly politicized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release one ahead of the November election .
Dr Anthony Fauci , the leading White House infectious disease expert , who has been increasingly at odds with Trump , stressed on Tuesday that a coronavirus vaccine would be unlikely to be ready “ by the end of the year ” .
Fauci contradicted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , which has signaled that health officials might expect a vaccine to be ready before the election .
“ It ’ s unlikely we ’ ll have a definitive answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and effective by the election , Fauci said at the Research !
America 2020 National Health Research Forum .

A packed crowd of hundreds gathered in North Carolina for a Donald Trump campaign rally on Tuesday, with many people forgoing masks, in defiance of state guidelines capping gatherings at 50 people.
Ahead of the president’s visit to Winston-Salem, the chair of the local county commission, a Republican, urged Trump to wear a face mask. The state has a mask requirement in place to slow the spread of coronavirus.
“It’s been ordered by the governor,” said Dave Plyler, the Republican chairman of the Forsyth county board of commissioners, according to the Winston-Salem Journal. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in North Carolina, do as the governor says.”
Trump “is a citizen of the United States, but he is also a guest in our county”, Plyler said. “Without a mask, he could get sick, and he could blame the governor.”
However, Trump did not wear a mask, and used the event to mock his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, for following social distancing guidelines. “You ever see the gyms with the circles?” he said, an apparent reference to a Biden event held in a school gymnasium with attendees observing social distancing guidelines.
Nearly 178,000 people in North Carolina have tested positive Covid-19, with more than 1,000 cases reported on Tuesday – though the number of cases and deaths are slowly trending downward.
Recent polls have found Trump locked in a close race with Biden in North Carolina. As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, the president has often sought to focus on the economy and policing rather than the virus.
While supporters waited for Trump to arrive, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door played over the loudspeakers, making for an inadvertently dark soundtrack.
Deriding the mass demonstrations across the country against racism and policing, Trump told the jam-packed, cheering crowd: “We decided to call our rallies peaceful protests.”
The president has previously used the phrase to describe gatherings of his supporters, saying that if protesters against police brutality are allowed to gather then his supporters should be able to as well.
“Because they have rules in these Democrat-run states that if you campaign you cannot have more than five people,” the president said. “You can’t go to church, you can’t do anything outside. If you are willing to riot, running down the main street, if you want to riot and stand on top of each other’s face and do whatever the hell you want to do, you are allowed to do that because you are considered a peaceful protester.”
His claims, however, are an exaggeration. In North Carolina, governed by Democrat Roy Cooper, gatherings are currently capped at 50, and masks are mandated. Going outside is allowed in North Carolina (as it is in all states), and churches are allowed to conduct services, though officials recommend that worshippers follow social distancing and wear masks.
There have been more than 6.3m cases of coronavirus in the US, with the country approaching 190,000 deaths. Trump’s rally comes as health experts warn the hunt for a vaccine has become increasingly politicized, with the Trump administration rushing to release one ahead of the November election.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the leading White House infectious disease expert, who has been increasingly at odds with Trump, stressed on Tuesday that a coronavirus vaccine would be unlikely to be ready “by the end of the year”. Fauci contradicted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has signaled that health officials might expect a vaccine to be ready before the election.
“It’s unlikely we’ll have a definitive answer” on whether a vaccine is safe and effective by the election, Fauci said at the Research! America 2020 National Health Research Forum.