inquisitr--2020-05-31--Cornel West On George Floyd Protests: ‘We’re Witnessing The Collapse Of The Legitimacy Of Leadership

Cornel West On George Floyd Protests: ‘We’re Witnessing The Collapse Of The Legitimacy Of Leadership’

In an interview with Fox News broadcast on Sunday , philosopher and political activist Cornel West discussed the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd , The Hill reported .
Floyd , an African-American man from Minnesota died earlier this week in police custody after a white police officer pinned Floyd to the ground and knelt on his neck .
Since then , protests have erupted in dozens of major American cities .
“ What we ’ re seeing here is the ways in which the vicious legacy of white supremacy manifests in organized hatred , greed and corruption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that the events shined a light on a deep-rooted crisis in the United States .
West said that it was “ beautiful ” to see citizens take to the streets in protest of police brutality , but added that “ the problem is we have a system that ’ s not responding and seems to be unable to respond.
” Some of the protests have been violent .
In multiple American cities , rioters clashed with police , while vandals and looters ransacked businesses and damaged property .
Multiple local and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guard .
On Saturday night , the reserve forces were deployed in Texas , California , Nevada , Tennessee , Missouri , Utah , Washington , and Colorado , West said that the vast majority of protesters was peacefully marching for justice , but he also noted that other forms of “ looting ” are more dangerous .
“ Looting is wrong , [ but ] legalized looting is wrong too ” the Harvard Divinity School professor stated .
West added that Americans should be more concerned about poverty , unemployment and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that similar protests could take place again unless these systemic disparities and issues are addressed .
Wallace also asked West whether he feels like progress has been made on racial issues .
The anchor noted that the United States elected its first African-American president 12 years ago .
West conceded that there has indeed been progress in this regard , but he responded to Wallace with a famous quote from Malcolm X .
“ If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches , there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
West explained that he does not measure progress “ in terms of black elites , ” saying that he is more concerned about ordinary people , like Dr. Martin Luther King was .
Some members of the United States Congress apparently agree with West ’ s assessment that leaders have failed the people .
In an interview on Sunday , Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar said that Americans have to “ look to one another ” for leadership .

In an interview with Fox News broadcast on Sunday, philosopher and political activist Cornel West discussed the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, The Hill reported.
Floyd, an African American man from Minnesota, died earlier this week in police custody after a white police officer pinned Floyd to the ground and knelt on his neck. Since then, protests have erupted in dozens of major American cities.
“What we’re seeing here is the ways in which the vicious legacy of white supremacy manifests in organized hatred, greed and corruption,” West told anchor Chris Wallace, adding that the events shined a light on a deep-rooted crisis in the U.S.
“We’re witnessing the collapse of the legitimacy of leadership, the political class, the economic class, the professional class, that’s the deeper crisis.”
West said that it was “beautiful” to see citizens take to the streets in protest of police brutality, but added that “the problem is we have a system that’s not responding and seems to be unable to respond.”
Some of the protests have been violent. In multiple American cities, rioters clashed with police, while vandals and looters ransacked businesses and damaged property. Multiple local and state governments responded by deploying the National Guard.
On Saturday night, the reserve forces were deployed in Texas, California, Nevada, Tennessee, Missouri, Utah, Washington, and Colorado,
West said that the vast majority of protesters was peacefully marching for justice, but he also noted that other forms of “looting” are more dangerous.
“Looting is wrong, [but] legalized looting is wrong too,” the Harvard Divinity School professor stated.
West added that Americans should be more concerned about poverty, unemployment, and other major issues than property damage, predicting that similar protests could take place again unless these systemic disparities and issues are addressed.
Wallace also asked West whether he feels like progress has been made on racial issues. The anchor noted that the U.S. elected its first African American president 12 years ago. West conceded that there has indeed been progress in this regard, but he responded to Wallace with a famous quote from Malcolm X.
“If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there’s no progress,” the philosopher said.
West explained that he does not measure progress “in terms of black elites,” saying that he is more concerned about ordinary people, like Dr. Martin Luther King was.
"We are witnessing America as a failed social experiment," says Dr. @CornelWest. "…Its capitalist economy could not… deliver, in such a way that people could live lives of decency. The nation state, it's criminal justice system…could not generate protection of rights." pic.twitter.com/WZ9QO6QXJW — Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) May 30, 2020
Some members of Congress apparently agree with West’s assessment that leaders have failed the people. In an interview on Sunday, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar said that Americans have to “look to one another” for leadership.


inquisitr--2020-05-31--Former FBI Official Slams William Barr For Staying Silent On Far-Right Groups Encouraging Mayhem Ami

Former FBI Official Slams William Barr For Staying Silent On Far-Right Groups Encouraging Mayhem Amid Protests

Attorney General William Barr is coming under fire for remaining silent on the far-right groups that have been accused of encouraging members to take part in mayhem amid the growing national protests .
The federal government behind statements from President Donald Trump has blamed far-left groups for the growing unrest across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
On Sunday , Trump said that he planned to declare the loose collective of anti-fascists known as Antifa as a terrorist organization , leading to an outcry among those who believe that Trump has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacist groups that have more generally supported him .
Frank Figliuzzi , the former assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI , said that Barr is wrong to stay silent when there has been evidence that some of these far-right groups are participating in riots and encouraging members to add to the mayhem .
Speaking to MSNBC host Brian Williams , Figliuzzi said that online posts show these groups calling members into action .
“ We ’ re seeing evidence in the protests that right-wing dangerous militia groups are there .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come from both Boogaloo Bois and dangerous militia groups , ” he said , via Raw Story .
“ On the far-left , we ’ re seeing some evidence developing of global anarchists showing up.
” Figliuzzi added that it was disturbing to see Trump threaten to unleash the U.S. military on those causing unrest and looting in cities .
“ Well , let me remind our viewers that we have laws in the United States that prevent the military from turning into law enforcement on the streets of America , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned that far-right groups appear to be encouraging the destruction and looting that has taken place across Minneapolis in the nights since Floyd ’ s death .
A report from Vice noted that the group also referenced by Figliuzzi , the Boogaloo Bois , have been posting online and even created posters encouraging members to take part .
As the report noted , many of these groups are opposed to the message of addressing racial inequality and structural racism at the center of many of the groups organizing protests .
“ Their approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deadly standoff with federal agents at Ruby Ridge in 1992 , to the victims of modern police brutality , including Floyd , ” the Vice report noted .
“ But unlike the vast majority of protesters , they refuse to acknowledge the fact that police brutality is an issue that disproportionately impacts people of color .
”

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inquisitr--2020-05-31--Poll: Joe Biden Surges To Double-Digit Lead As Donald Trump’s Approval Ratings Drop

According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Sunday , former Vice President Joe Biden has surged past President Donald Trump nationwide .
The poll showed Biden at 53 percent , 10 percentage points ahead of Trump , among registered voters .
Among all Americans , Biden ’ s lead was 13 points .
Just two months ago , the two men were virtually tied in most polls .
Biden appears to have made inroads with key voting blocs .
For instance , 50 percent of suburban voters said that they view the former vice president favorably .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hillary Clinton ’ s favorability rating among suburbanites was only 38 percent .
Furthermore , Biden came in stronger than Trump among white women , 51 percent of whom said they would back him in November , while 45 percent expressed support for Trump .
In 2016 , Trump beat Clinton among white women by nine points , according to exit polling .
Notably , senior citizens appear to prefer Biden over Trump .
The poll showed the Democrat with a 10-point lead over Trump , who beat Clinton among seniors four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Hispanic voters .
Fifty-six percent of Hispanics said that they hold a favorable view of the former vice president .
In comparison , 76 percent viewed Clinton favorably .
The lack of enthusiasm for his candidacy is another issue for Biden .
Only 68 percent of the former vice president ’ s supporters said that they would definitely vote for him in November .
Eighty-seven percent of Trump supporters said the same of their candidate .
Trump ’ s approval ratings have slipped .
Two months ago , the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , but now it seems to be back in the negative territory , with 53 percent of voters disapproving of his job performance .
Similarly , 53 percent said that they disapprove of the way Trump has handled the coronavirus pandemic .
As The Washington Post noted , “ Against a rapidly changing backdrop — with the coronavirus far from contained , the prospects for the economy remaining rocky as many businesses begin to reopen and violence convulsing cities across the nation — the poll captures the moment.
” When it comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , his ratings are still in the positive territory , but they have nevertheless slipped since March .
Fifty-two percent said they approve of how the commander-in-chief has managed the economy , while 44 percent said they disapprove .
Voters were evenly split over whether Trump or Biden would do a better job handling economic recovery .

According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll released on Sunday, former Vice President Joe Biden has surged past President Donald Trump nationwide.
The poll showed Biden at 53 percent, 10 percentage points ahead of Trump, among registered voters. Among all Americans, Biden’s lead was 13 points. Just two months ago, the two men were virtually tied in most polls.
Biden appears to have made inroads with key voting blocs. For instance, 50 percent of suburban voters said that they view the former vice president favorably. In 2016, presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s favorability rating among suburbanites was only 38 percent.
Furthermore, Biden came in stronger than Trump among white women, 51 percent of whom said they would back him in November, while 45 percent expressed support for Trump. In 2016, Trump beat Clinton among white women by nine points, according to exit polling.
Notably, senior citizens appear to prefer Biden over Trump. The poll showed the Democrat with a 10-point lead over Trump, who beat Clinton among seniors four years ago.
However, Biden is struggling with Hispanic voters. Fifty-six percent of Hispanics said that they hold a favorable view of the former vice president. In comparison, 76 percent viewed Clinton favorably.
The lack of enthusiasm for his candidacy is another issue for Biden. Only 68 percent of the former vice president’s supporters said that they would definitely vote for him in November. Eighty-seven percent of Trump supporters said the same of their candidate.
Trump’s approval ratings have slipped. Two months ago, the president’s overall approval rating was at its highest point, but now it seems to be back in the negative territory, with 53 percent of voters disapproving of his job performance. Similarly, 53 percent said that they disapprove of the way Trump has handled the coronavirus pandemic.
“Against a rapidly changing backdrop — with the coronavirus far from contained, the prospects for the economy remaining rocky as many businesses begin to reopen and violence convulsing cities across the nation — the poll captures the moment,” The Washington Post noted.
“But it is not predictive as to the political fallout and implications for November, especially given the possible disparity between the popular vote and the electoral college results as was the case in 2016.”
When it comes to Trump’s handling of the economy, his ratings are still in the positive territory, but they have nevertheless slipped since March. Fifty-two percent said they approve of how the commander-in-chief has managed the economy, while 44 percent said they disapprove. Voters were evenly split over whether Trump or Biden would do a better job handling economic recovery.


inquisitr--2020-05-31--Nancy Pelosi Says ‘I Kinda Ignore’ What Donald Trump Tweets Because He Adds Fuel To Discord

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that she isn ’ t listening to President Donald Trump after he repeatedly made controversial comments on social media that have added to the unrest gripping the nation over the killing of George Floyd , an unarmed black man in Minnesota .
Police gave an interview to ABC News ’ George Stephanopoulos to discuss the unrest gripping the country after riots and demonstrations continued for yet another day .
The California Democrat said that the peaceful protests calling for reform in the United States had been overshadowed by some rioting and looting and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , along with some recent “ unfortunate statements.
” The ABC host asked if she was referring to the president , who has been facing ongoing criticism for a number of statements about the protests .
Detractors say that he is contributing to discord in the country with his message rather than creating unity .
However , Pelosi rejected the idea that she was focused on the president ’ s messages .
“ No .
I ’ m not paying too much attention to what president says , ” Pelosi responded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this time of crisis , to which she said he should be bringing dignity to the office and try to bring Americans together .
“ He should be a unifying force in our country .
We have seen that with Democratic and Republican presidents all along , ” she said .
“ And not to fuel the flame , not to fuel the flame.
” She added that she doesn ’ t want to take the president ’ s “ bait.
” “ To take his bait time and time again is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he always wants to divert attention from what the cause of the response was , rather than to describe it in his own terms , ” she said .
Pelosi ’ s comments come after 46-year-old Floyd died while in police custody in Minneapolis .
Floyd became unresponsive after former officer Derek Chavin kneeled on the man ’ s neck for minutes on end as Floyd repeatedly said that he couldn ’ t breathe .
While Chauvin has been arrested in the death of Floyd , Pelosi said that the other officers present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
She said that there was obviously a crime committed , and all of the people involved in the scene should be arrested .
She called the death “ murder ” and a live “ execution.
” The House is expected to consider moving forward on a proposal to ban police chokeholds in the coming weeks .

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that she isn’t listening to President Donald Trump after he repeatedly made controversial comments on social media that have added to the unrest gripping the nation over the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minnesota.
Police gave an interview to ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos to discuss the unrest gripping the country after riots and demonstrations continued for yet another day.
The California Democrat said that the peaceful protests calling for reform in the United States had been overshadowed by some rioting and looting and expressed sadness for the man’s death, along with some recent “unfortunate statements.”
The ABC host asked if she was referring to the president, who has been facing ongoing criticism for a number of statements about the protests. Detractors say that he is contributing to discord in the country with his message rather than creating unity.
However, Pelosi rejected the idea that she was focused on the president’s messages.
“No. I’m not paying too much attention to what president says,” Pelosi responded.
“I’m talking about the injustice, the knee in the neck…I kinda ignore what President Trump says.”
Stephanopoulos asked what Trump should be doing in this time of crisis, to which she said he should be bringing dignity to the office and try to bring Americans together.
“He should be a unifying force in our country. We have seen that with Democratic and Republican presidents all along,” she said. “And not to fuel the flame, not to fuel the flame.”
She added that she doesn’t want to take the president’s “bait.”
“To take his bait time and time again is just a gift to him, because he always wants to divert attention from what the cause of the response was, rather than to describe it in his own terms,” she said.
House Democrats are leading voices in the fight for progress nationwide. We are committed to fighting injustice wherever it arises, whether in law enforcement or in America’s response to COVID-19. #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/aAJwiNjrhv — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 31, 2020
Pelosi’s comments come after 46-year-old Floyd died while in police custody in Minneapolis. Floyd became unresponsive after former officer Derek Chavin kneeled on the man’s neck for minutes on end as Floyd repeatedly said that he couldn’t breathe.
While Chauvin has been arrested in the death of Floyd, Pelosi said that the other officers present at the event should be arrested as well. She said that there was obviously a crime committed, and all of the people involved in the scene should be arrested. She called the death “murder” and a live “execution.”
The House is expected to consider moving forward on a proposal to ban police chokeholds in the coming weeks.


inquisitr--2020-05-31--Ilhan Omar Says Donald Trump Has To Be Condemned For ‘Glorifying Violence’

In an interview with ABC broadcast on Sunday , Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar said that President Donald Trump has to be condemned for “ glorifying violence , ” The Hill reported .
Omar said that Trump “ has failed in really understanding the kind of pain and anguish many of his citizens are feeling ” after the death of George Floyd .
Floyd , an African-American from Minneapolis , Minnesota , died after a white police officer pinned him to the ground and knelt on his neck .
In response to the tragedy , thousands took the streets .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the protests turned violent , with rioters fighting against the police and destroying property in the process .
“ When you have a president who really is glorifying violence , was talking about the kind of vicious dogs and weapons that could be unleashed on citizens , it is quite appalling and disturbing , ” the Democrat said , pointing to Trump ’ s recent statements .
The president has repeatedly referred to the demonstrators as “ thugs , ” and some of his remarks have been interpreted as calls for violence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be condemned in the strongest terms possible .
Echoing D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser , the Minnesota Democrat said that Trump has failed to show leadership since Floyd ’ s death .
This , she said , is the main reason Americans now “ look to one another for that leadership.
” Local and state governments have tried to crack down on the protests .
Last night , multiple states mobilized the National Guard .
The governors of Tennessee , Nevada , Missouri , Washington , California , Colorado , Texas , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quell the demonstrations and stop the riots .
A slew of other states did the same .
Omar has previously argued that some are seeking to “ exploit ” the initial momentum of the protests .
She has also pushed back against suggestions that outside agitators are responsible for the protests , arguing that those who promote such theories are doing so to justify state violence .
Trump and his allies have blamed the violence on Antifa and other left-wing groups .
During a speech on Saturday , Trump vowed to put an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radical-left criminals ” are responsible for what is going on in the streets of dozens of cities across the nation .
Attorney General William Barr has similarly argued that “ far-left ” groups and organizations need to be held responsible for allegedly inciting violence .

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inquisitr--2020-05-31--Andrew Yang Proposes George Floyd Police Misconduct Division Of Department Of Justice

On Sunday , former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang proposed an approach to deal with the police misconduct that has sparked riots across the country in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
“ There are 18,000 police departments in the US , ” Yang tweeted .
Demings , a former police officer and Orlando Police chief , is currently being vetted as a candidate for the administration of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , who Yang has endorsed .
As reported by NBC News , Demings recently criticized the actions of former Minneapolis police officer Derek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd by asphyxiation .
“ When an officer engages in stupid , heartless and reckless behavior , their actions can either take a life or change a life forever , ” she wrote in a Washington Post op-ed .
Alex S. Vitale , the author of The End of Policing and a sociology professor at Brooklyn College , pushed back on Yang ’ s suggestion of more investigations and linked to his op-ed in The Nation in which he argues for the defunding of the police .
Vitale claimed that the deaths of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African American EMT who was killed after police officers crashed into her home , prove that police reforms have failed .
The next step , Vitale says , is defunding the police .
Vitale argues for redirecting resources from the police departments into “ community-based initiatives ” that he claims can create the “ real safety ” and “ security ” that the violent , racist criminal justice system has failed to .
Singer-songwriter John Legend echoed Vitale and suggested rerouting police funding into community needs like health care and universal basic income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a good idea .
Yang ’ s presidential campaign centered around a UBI , and his non-profit , Humanity Forward , promotes the proposal and provides pilots of the program to citizens around the country .
The non-profit recently received a $ 5,000,000 donation from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey , which was invested into a program for $ 250 cash payments to 200,000 Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic .


inquisitr--2020-05-31--Donald Trump Says He Will Soon Declare Antifa A ‘Terrorist Organization’

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Sunday morning that he would soon be designating Antifa as a terrorist organization amid the violence of the George Floyd protests .
Before the declaration , Trump tweeted about the protests and riots in Minnesota , as well as his belief that Antifa is behind the chaos in the state .
“ The ANTIFA led anarchists , among others , were shut down quickly .
Should have been done by Mayor on first night and there would have been no trouble !
” Trump said , again taking aim at Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other Democrat run Cities and States should look at the total shutdown of Radical Left Anarchists in Minneapolis last night , ” Trump tweeted Sunday morning .
“ The National Guard did a great job , and should be used in other States before it is too late !
” Trump ’ s comments come after Attorney General William Barr suggested that Antifa and anarchists are the culprits behind the chaos of the protests , NBC News reported .
National Security Adviser Robert O ’ Brien also backed this narrative on CNN ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although he hesitated to associate them with the left .
“ This is a destructive force of radical — I don ’ t even know if we want to call them leftists , ” he said , calling them “ militants ” who are “ burning our cities.
” According to Fox News , it ’ s still unclear precisely who sparked the violence amid the protests .
Along with Trump , Fox News investigate reporter Bill Melugin accused Antifa of being behind the attacks on journalists .
His claim appeared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer and security consultant Adam Leggat , who said intelligence reports suggest that most of the violent protestors are far-left anarchists .
Elsewhere , Minnesota officials claimed this weekend that they believe white nationalists from outside the state are fueling violence .
According to Courthouse News Service , John Harrington , the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Safety , claimed that officials are also investigating posting from white supremacist groups , which are allegedly encouraging members to use the protests to spread chaos .
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and state Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested on Friday was from out of the state but later walked back the statement .
According to Krystal Ball , the narrative that agitators from outside Minneapolis are responsible for the violence is an attempt to undermine the country ’ s unrest .
Award-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald also suggested that the narrative of outside actors is a false one that was pushed by Minnesota officials and amplified via media pundits .
Additionally , he vehemently disagreed with Trump ’ s proposal to designate Antifa a terrorist organization .

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Sunday morning that he would soon be designating Antifa as a terrorist organization amid the violence of the George Floyd protests.
Before the declaration, Trump tweeted about the protests and riots in Minnesota, as well as his belief that Antifa is behind the chaos in the state.
“The ANTIFA led anarchists, among others, were shut down quickly. Should have been done by Mayor on first night and there would have been no trouble!” Trump said, again taking aim at Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for his handling of the protests.
“Other Democrat run Cities and States should look at the total shutdown of Radical Left Anarchists in Minneapolis last night,” Trump tweeted Sunday morning. “The National Guard did a great job, and should be used in other States before it is too late!”
There are zero murders linked to Antifa. There are far more linked to the police. https://t.co/DZJ1WBH65I — Gravel Institute (@GravelInstitute) May 31, 2020
Trump’s comments come after Attorney General William Barr suggested that Antifa and anarchists are the culprits behind the chaos of the protests, NBC News reported. National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien also backed this narrative on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, although he hesitated to associate them with the left.
“This is a destructive force of radical — I don’t even know if we want to call them leftists,” he said, calling them “militants” who are “burning our cities.”
According to Fox News, it’s still unclear precisely who sparked the violence amid the protests. Along with Trump, Fox News investigate reporter Bill Melugin accused Antifa of being behind the attacks on journalists. His claim appeared to be supported by former British Army counterterrorism officer and security consultant Adam Leggat, who said intelligence reports suggest that most of the violent protestors are far-left anarchists.
Who are these white agitators dressed up like ninjas committing vandalism, looting, setting fires & inciting violence. Anarchists
Neo-Nazis
Antifa
White Nationalists What’s their agenda… more anger, hate, resentment & division between blacks and whites?pic.twitter.com/SwaReexApd — Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) May 31, 2020
Elsewhere, Minnesota officials claimed this weekend that they believe white nationalists from outside the state are fueling violence. According to Courthouse News Service, John Harrington, the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Safety, claimed that officials are also investigating posting from white supremacist groups, which are allegedly encouraging members to use the protests to spread chaos.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and state Gov. Tim Walz initially estimated that every person arrested on Friday was from out of the state but later walked back the statement.
According to Krystal Ball, the narrative that agitators from outside Minneapolis are responsible for the violence is an attempt to undermine the country’s unrest. Award-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald also suggested that the narrative of outside actors is a false one that was pushed by Minnesota officials and amplified via media pundits. Additionally, he vehemently disagreed with Trump’s proposal to designate Antifa a terrorist organization.
This thread – one of the most viral of the year, that created an entire narrative out of whole cloth – is just unbelievable: https://t.co/qn2tP85V5p — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) May 31, 2020


inquisitr--2020-05-31--President Donald Trump Takes Aim At Media Coverage Of Protests On Twitter

Mass protests and violent clashes between police officers and citizens abound across the U.S. in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis , Minnesota on Monday .
Meanwhile , President Donald Trump has decried media coverage of the continued unrest , attacking outlets via social media and claiming that they have negatively contributed to the ongoing violence .
In a statement posted to Twitter on Sunday morning , the president opined that coverage has been skewed by “ truly bad people with a sick agenda.
” Trump wrote , “ The Lamestream Media is doing everything within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As long as everybody understands what they are doing , that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda , we can easily work through them to GREATNESS !
” Trump ’ s tweet inspired pointed responses from a variety of viewpoints .
Some replies took aim at a previous tweet where Trump threatened protesters with “ the most vicious dogs , and most ominous weapons , I have ever seen.
” Meanwhile , others wrote in support of the president and denounced protesters as criminals .
Protesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video footage of the incident that led to Floyd ’ s death went viral on social media .
That footage showed a white MPD officer , Derek Chauvin , pressing his knee into Floyd ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes .
As he did so , Floyd , who is black , called for help , asked for Chauvin not to kill him , and stated that he couldn ’ t breathe .
Nevertheless , Chauvin continued to kneel on Floyd , even after he became unresponsive .
The 46-year-old was later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although protests were initially peaceful , some later became violent , with stores being looted and other buildings and vehicles being defaced and/or damaged by crowds and even set ablaze in some cases .
Meanwhile , some footage taken at protest sites appeared to show acts of violence being committed by police officers and others showing opposition toward demonstrators .
Multiple videos circulating on Twitter over the weekend showed two New York Police Department vehicles driving through a crowd of defenseless protesters .
Despite the violence occurring around the country , the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention toward the media as opposed to the events that are being covered and the issues that have motivated protesters .
He has also been accused by some of the taunting protesters and potentially making the situation worse .
As reported by The Inquisitr , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms made that very claim during an appearance on CNN ’ s Face the Nation on Sunday .
“ He speaks and he makes it worse .
There are times when you should just be quiet and I wish that he would just be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be silent , if there is somebody of good sense and good conscience in the White House , put him in front of a teleprompter and pray he reads it and at least says the right things , because he is making it worse .
”


inquisitr--2020-05-31--Don Lemon Calls Out Hollywood Leaders For ‘Doing Nothing’ Amid George Floyd Protests

CNN anchor Don Lemon called out Hollywood leaders on Saturday , who he accused of “ doing nothing ” from the comfort of their “ mansions ” as protesters of George Floyd ’ s death sweep across the U.S. “ But what about the leadership in other places ?
” Lemon said , per Breitbart .
“ What about Hollywood ?
Strangely quiet.
” Lemon noted the praise he has received on Twitter and called on such individuals to do more to support the movement protesting Floyd ’ s death .
“ Especially black celebrities and black leaders and while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wealthy people , ” he said .
The 54-year-old correspondent asked why such celebrities and leaders were not throwing their support behind the young people he said are alone and “ standing on a platform at the edge of an abyss.
” As reported by The Hollywood Reporter , Lemon claimed that many stars refused to come on his show and said they don ’ t want people to see them angry or hurt their brand .
Lemon told them to stop texting and tweeting him praise and take action .
Lemon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and wealth to support the Floyd protesters , although he was clear to distinguish them from the people looting and causing chaos .
In particular , Lemon called on Ellen Degeneres , Oprah Winfrey , Tyler Perry , Tracee Ellis Ross , Anthony Anderson , Drake , Diddy , and Jane Fonda to use their visibility to be a voice for the young protestors taking to the streets in the name of Floyd .
The same night , Lemon also called out President Donald Trump and other country leaders , who he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lemon ’ s comment came as Trump took aim at Democrat mayors on Twitter .
In particular , Trump slammed Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for his handling of the protests and threatened to send the U.S. military into the state .
As reported by Vulture , various celebrities outside of Lemon ’ s orbit , including Taylor Swift , Billie Eilish , Beyoncé , have used their platforms to make political statements amid the Floyd protests .
Notably , Beyonce called for justice for Floyd and urged people of all ethnicities not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain that comes from it .

CNN anchor Don Lemon called out Hollywood leaders on Saturday, who he accused of “doing nothing” from the comfort of their “mansions” as protesters of George Floyd’s death sweep across the U.S.
“But what about the leadership in other places?” Lemon said, per Breitbart. “What about Hollywood? Strangely quiet.”
Lemon noted the praise he has received on Twitter and called on such individuals to do more to support the movement protesting Floyd’s death.
“Especially black celebrities and black leaders and while celebrities and rich Hollywood and rich folks and wealthy people,” he said.
The 54-year-old correspondent asked why such celebrities and leaders were not throwing their support behind the young people he said are alone and “standing on a platform at the edge of an abyss.”
“Yes, I’m calling you out. You can be mad at me all you want. You’re sitting there watching TV, and you’re b*tching about it.”
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Lemon claimed that many stars refused to come on his show and said they don’t want people to see them angry or hurt their brand. Lemon told them to stop texting and tweeting him praise and take action.
“Get on television or do something and help these young people instead of sitting in your mansions and doing nothing and have some moral courage and stop worrying about your reputation and your brand.”
Lemon called on people with power, influence, and wealth to support the Floyd protesters, although he was clear to distinguish them from the people looting and causing chaos. In particular, Lemon called on Ellen Degeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Tracee Ellis Ross, Anthony Anderson, Drake, Diddy, and Jane Fonda to use their visibility to be a voice for the young protestors taking to the streets in the name of Floyd.
The same night, Lemon also called out President Donald Trump and other country leaders, who he said should be calling for calm. Lemon’s comment came as Trump took aim at Democrat mayors on Twitter. In particular, Trump slammed Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for his handling of the protests and threatened to send the U.S. military into the state.
As reported by Vulture, various celebrities outside of Lemon’s orbit, including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Beyoncé, have used their platforms to make political statements amid the Floyd protests. Notably, Beyonce called for justice for Floyd and urged people of all ethnicities not to become normalized by such violence and the pain that comes from it.


inquisitr--2020-05-31--Police Officers Join Protesters In Flint, Michigan, March

In the wake of George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis , Minnesota , on Monday , protests calling for an end to racial injustice have arisen around the U.S .
Some of those protests have turned violent , with brutal clashes between police officers and protesters dominating the headlines as a result .
However , in Flint , Michigan , some officers put down their weapons and peacefully joined a march calling for an end to police brutality , as well as justice for Floyd .
As reported by TMZ on Sunday , Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show support for their cause .
He and several deputies then joined them on a march to the Flint Township ’ s police station .
The national outcry was ignited when footage of the arrest attempt that led to Floyd ’ s untimely death went viral following the incident .
In the video , MPD Officer Derek Chauvin , a white man , was shown kneeling on Floyd , a black man , with his knee pressed into Floyd ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes .
Despite Floyd ’ s pleas for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t breathe , Chauvin continued to press into him , doing so for several minutes after he had become unresponsive .
Floyd was eventually placed on a gurney and was carried away ; he was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly thereafter .
Chauvin , meanwhile , was later brought into custody on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter and is currently being held at the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul , Minnesota .
As reported previously by The Inquisitr , Chauvin is believed to be on suicide watch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s actions and the events that led to Floyd ’ s death as he spoke to protesters prior to their march .
He also said that he was on-site only to ensure that protesters would be heard before joining them on their march .
“ The only reason we ’ re here is to make sure you have a voice .
That ’ s it .
Don ’ t think for a second that [ Chauvin ] represents who these cops are from all over the county and around the station .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not do that nonsense , ” he said .
“ We want to be with you all , for real , so I took the helmet off and laid the batons down .
I want to make this a parade , not a protest.
” Per TMZ , the sheriff and his deputies had joined the crowd assembled in a Target and remained with them for more than two hours as they marched .
Video footage of the event showed officers and protesters embracing and talking to one another as they moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deputies in riot gear at the station , but the proceedings remained a peaceful affair .


inquisitr--2020-05-31--Donald Trump Facing ‘Mounting Pressure’ From Inside White House To Address The Nation Amid Unrest, R

Donald Trump Facing ‘Mounting Pressure’ From Inside White House To Address The Nation Amid Unrest, Report Says

U.S. President Donald Trump is facing pressure from within the White House to make a public address to the nation amid the unrest that has spread across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd after a police officer held a knee to his neck in Minneapolis .
Trump has taken to Twitter to make a number of statements about the protests and spoke briefly to reporters late in the week about the national response , but has not yet addressed the nation .
As Katherine Faulders of ABC News reported on Twitter , there is growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must speak to the country as a whole .
‘ There is mounting pressure inside the White House for President Trump to make a formal address to the nation from the White House amid the chaos and unrest erupting across the United States , ” Faulders reported .
Protests continued to grow on Saturday , with demonstrations in dozens of American cities , including a number that grew violent , with protesters damaging property and looting stores in some cities .
A number of people have pointed fingers at Trump for stoking racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is at least partly to blame for the tensions that have arisen after the death of Floyd and other people of color killed at the hands of police , as well as the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia .
In an appearance on CBS News ’ Face the Nation on Sunday , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said that Trump ’ s tweets calling violent protesters “ thugs ” and promising to unleash “ the unlimited power of our Military ” on protesters is only fueling the unrest .
She also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s reaction to violent demonstrations in Charlottesville , Virginia , in 2017 , when white supremacist groups descended on the city to protest the removal of a Confederate statue and clashed with counterprotesters , leaving one person dead .
“ And this is so reminiscent of Charlottesville when President Trump just made it worse , ” Bottoms said .
“ And there are times that you should just stop .
And this is- this is one of those times .
He ’ s making it worse .
This is not about using military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in America .
We are beyond a tipping point in this country .
And his rhetoric only inflames that .
And he should just sometimes stop talking.
” Trump has blamed current violence on far-left groups , saying that the anti-fascist group Antifa is leading the violence .

U.S. President Donald Trump is facing pressure from within the White House to make a public address to the nation amid the unrest that has spread across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd after a police officer held a knee to his neck in Minneapolis.
Trump has taken to Twitter to make a number of statements about the protests and spoke briefly to reporters late in the week about the national response, but has not yet addressed the nation. As Katherine Faulders of ABC News reported on Twitter, there is growing sentiment within the White House that Trump must speak to the country as a whole.
‘There is mounting pressure inside the White House for President Trump to make a formal address to the nation from the White House amid the chaos and unrest erupting across the United States,” Faulders reported.
Protests continued to grow on Saturday, with demonstrations in dozens of American cities, including a number that grew violent, with protesters damaging property and looting stores in some cities.
A number of people have pointed fingers at Trump for stoking racial divisions throughout his presidency, saying that he is at least partly to blame for the tensions that have arisen after the death of Floyd and other people of color killed at the hands of police, as well as the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.
In an appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said that Trump’s tweets calling violent protesters “thugs” and promising to unleash “the unlimited power of our Military” on protesters is only fueling the unrest. She also compared the current situation to Trump’s reaction to violent demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, when white supremacist groups descended on the city to protest the removal of a Confederate statue and clashed with counterprotesters, leaving one person dead.
“And this is so reminiscent of Charlottesville when President Trump just made it worse,” Bottoms said. “And there are times that you should just stop. And this is- this is one of those times. He’s making it worse. This is not about using military force. This is about where we are in America. We are beyond a tipping point in this country. And his rhetoric only inflames that. And he should just sometimes stop talking.”
Trump has blamed current violence on far-left groups, saying that the anti-fascist group Antifa is leading the violence.


inquisitr--2020-05-31--Atlanta Mayor Slams Donald Trump For Taunting George Floyd Protesters: ‘He’s Making It Worse’

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms appeared on Sunday ’ s edition of CNN ’ s State of the Union and spoke to host Jake Tapper about Donald Trump ’ s comments on the protesters of George Floyd ’ s death , Raw Story reported .
“ He should just stop talking , ” she said .
“ This is like Charlottesville all over again.
” Bottoms was referring to Trump ’ s threats to protesters , including the use of “ ominous weapons ” and “ vicious dogs.
” “ He speaks and he makes it worse .
Here are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I wish that he would just be quiet .
Or if he can ’ t be silent , if there is somebody of good sense and good conscience in the White House , put him in front of a teleprompter and pray he reads it and at least says the right things , because he is making it worse.
” As reported by Vox , Trump ’ s threat echoed law enforcement ’ s response — releasing canine units to disperse protests — to civil rights protests in the 1960s .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used a phrase first used by Miami police chief Walter Headley , who supported segregation , and later used by infamous former Alabama Gov .
George Wallace .
Wallace was considered on the extreme right of the political spectrum and threatened to run over demonstrators in 1968 .
According to Clarence Lusane of Howard University , Headley may have picked the term up from Eugene “ Bull ” Connor , Birmingham , Alabama ’ s segregationist public safety commissioner .
Per Vox , Connor used police dogs in his battle with black protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over Floyd ’ s death — which comes as millions of Americans are out of work amid the coronavirus pandemic — continued Saturday night .
Trump threatened military action against the rioters and looters and noted that the federal government was prepared to intervene .
As reported by CBC News , rioters continue to damage American cities , which has led to a total of 1,669 arrests since Thursday .
CBC noted that Trump appeared supportive of the stricter tactics against protesters on Saturday night and praised the National Guard deployment in Minneapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took a more measured approach and did not appear to condemn the protesters , which also drew some criticism .
“ The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest , ” he said in a Saturday statement .
Many incidences of excessive police force amid the riots have been captured and shared on social media .
The occurrences have caused a pushback from some , who note that such violence is what sparked the protests of Floyd ’ s death at the hands of former police officer @ @ @

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms appeared on Sunday’s edition of CNN’s State of the Union and spoke to host Jake Tapper about Donald Trump’s comments on the protesters of George Floyd’s death, Raw Story reported.
“He should just stop talking,” she said. “This is like Charlottesville all over again.”
Bottoms was referring to Trump’s threats to protesters, including the use of “ominous weapons” and “vicious dogs.”
“He speaks and he makes it worse. Here are times when you should just be quiet and I wish that he would just be quiet. Or if he can’t be silent, if there is somebody of good sense and good conscience in the White House, put him in front of a teleprompter and pray he reads it and at least says the right things, because he is making it worse.”
As reported by Vox, Trump’s threat echoed law enforcement’s response — releasing canine units to disperse protests — to civil rights protests in the 1960s. The parallel comes just one day after Trump used a phrase first used by Miami police chief Walter Headley, who supported segregation, and later used by infamous former Alabama Gov. George Wallace. Wallace was considered on the extreme right of the political spectrum and threatened to run over demonstrators in 1968.
According to Clarence Lusane of Howard University, Headley may have picked the term up from Eugene “Bull” Connor, Birmingham, Alabama’s segregationist public safety commissioner. Per Vox, Connor used police dogs in his battle with black protesters in the 1960s.
The civil unrest over Floyd’s death — which comes as millions of Americans are out of work amid the coronavirus pandemic — continued Saturday night. Trump threatened military action against the rioters and looters and noted that the federal government was prepared to intervene.
As reported by CBC News, rioters continue to damage American cities, which has led to a total of 1,669 arrests since Thursday.
No group, protestors or civilians, have been anywhere close to as violent and sadistic as the police have been tonight.pic.twitter.com/85p9E3zMps — Gravel Institute (@GravelInstitute) May 31, 2020
CBC noted that Trump appeared supportive of the stricter tactics against protesters on Saturday night and praised the National Guard deployment in Minneapolis.
“No games!” he tweeted.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden took a more measured approach and did not appear to condemn the protesters, which also drew some criticism.
“The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest,” he said in a Saturday statement.
Many incidences of excessive police force amid the riots have been captured and shared on social media. The occurrences have caused a pushback from some, who note that such violence is what sparked the protests of Floyd’s death at the hands of former police officer Derek Chauvin.


inquisitr--2020-06-01--Chinese Officials Mock Reports Donald Trump Was Rushed To Bunker Amid Protests: ‘Mr. President, Don’

Chinese Officials Mock Reports Donald Trump Was Rushed To Bunker Amid Protests: ‘Mr. President, Don’t Go Hide’

Chinese officials appeared to be taking advantage of reports that Donald Trump was rushed into a secure bunker as protests raged on near the White House , mocking the president on state media in response to his criticism over treatment of Hong Kong protesters .
As the Guardian reported , China ’ s foreign ministry spokeswoman appeared to strike back at Trump for his criticism of China ’ s threat to crack down on Hong Kong by making reference to the unrest spreading across the United States after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Hua Chunying posted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” on Twitter along with a screenshot of Trump ’ s criticism of China and crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong .
Other Chinese officials also took aim at Trump for what they saw as a double standard given the police crackdowns on protesters after Floyd ’ s death .
Hu Xijin , editor-in-chief of state-run Global Times , seemed to mock Trump after reports that Secret Service officers rushed him and his family into a bunker normally used for terrorist attacks .
“ Mr President , don ’ t go hide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in a series of tweets , via the Guardian .
“ Go to talk to the demonstrators seriously .
Negotiate with them , just like you urged Beijing to talk to Hong Kong rioters.
” Trump has been sharply criticized for his response to protests , which included a tweet calling violent protesters “ thugs ” and threatening to unleash the U.S. military and appearing to authorize them to use deadly force on looters .
This led to even more criticism after reports that Trump was taken to an underground bunker on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House .
The New York Times reported that tensions were high inside the White House as protests in the nation ’ s capital grew increasingly violent , and despite his boisterous statements on social media , Trump was “ rattled ” by the unrest .
The report noted that Trump and family members were only briefly taken to the bunker , which is designed to be able to withstand a terrorist attack .
Trump has remained mostly quiet on the unrest , speaking out in a series of tweets and short statements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation .
As The Inquisitr reported , there is mounting pressure from some within the White House on the president to make a national address , but he is yet to do so .
He did make a short statement on Twitter on Sunday saying he planned to declare the loosely affiliated anti-fascist group Antifa as a terrorist organization .

Chinese officials appeared to be taking advantage of reports that U.S. President Donald Trump was rushed into a secure bunker as protests raged on near the White House, mocking the president on state media in response to his criticism over treatment of Hong Kong protesters.
As the Guardian reported, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman appeared to strike back at Trump for his criticism of China’s threat to crack down on Hong Kong, making reference to the unrest spreading across the United States after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Hua Chunying posted the words “I can’t breathe” on Twitter, along with a screenshot of Trump’s criticism of China and crackdowns on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
Other Chinese officials also took aim at Trump for what they saw as a double standard given the police crackdowns on protesters after Floyd’s death. Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the state-run Global Times, seemed to mock Trump after reports that Secret Service officers rushed him and his family into a bunker normally used for terrorist attacks.
“Mr President, don’t go hide behind the secret service,” Hu wrote in a series of tweets, via the Guardian. “Go to talk to the demonstrators seriously. Negotiate with them, just like you urged Beijing to talk to Hong Kong rioters.”
Trump has been sharply criticized for his response to protests, which included a tweet calling violent protesters “thugs,” threatening to unleash the U.S. military, and appearing to authorize it to use deadly force on looters.
This led to even more criticism after reports that Trump was taken to an underground bunker on Friday as protesters came close to the White House. The New York Times reported that tensions were high inside the White House as protests in the nation’s capital grew increasingly violent, and despite his boisterous statements on social media, Trump was “rattled” by the unrest.
The report noted that Trump and family members were only briefly taken to the bunker, which is designed to be able to withstand a terrorist attack.
Trump has remained mostly quiet on the unrest, speaking out in a series of tweets and short statements to reporters but not yet addressing the nation. As The Inquisitr reported, there is mounting pressure from some within the White House on the president to make a national address, but he has yet to do so. He did make a short statement on Twitter on Sunday saying he planned to declare the loosely affiliated anti-fascist group Antifa as a terrorist organization.


inquisitr--2020-06-01--Marco Rubio Draws Ire Of Critics After Blaming Riots On ‘Far Left’ And ‘Far Right’ Groups

On Sunday afternoon , Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida posted a video on his Twitter account addressing the protests and riots that have ravaged major cities across the country for the last few days .
In his video , Rubio argued that while there were some people in Minneapolis , Minnesota , and other parts of the country who were protesting out of respect for George Floyd , there were others who simply wanted to create chaos .
He claimed the people who were only interested in rioting were from both the far-left and far-right fringes and this claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative side of the social media spectrum .
Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe was among the first to find an issue with Rubio ’ s comments .
She first asked him in a reply to his video which right-wing groups he was referring to .
She added she found his comments “ cowardly.
” Rubio quote tweeted her question and responded that he felt it would be cowardly to only call out left-wing groups like Antifa and ignore what others were doing .
Another conservative commentator , Ryan James Girdusky , also took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the right was responsible for the looting .
He posted on Twitter that he was glad Rubio was never going to be president and he also called the approach cowardly .
The Federalist ‘ s Molly Hemingway took issue with the senator ’ s comments as well .
She also had a problem with him blaming both sides of the political aisle for the violence that has erupted across the country .
In a tweet on Sunday , which has since been removed , Hemingway called Rubio a kind of “ truffle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of truffle pig that specialized in rooting out just the wrong thing to say in any given situation .
She added the things he said tended to harm his caucus .
Rubio was far from the first to claim there are outside influences meshed into the protests .
Officials from Minnesota gave a press conference earlier this weekend where they claimed at least 80 percent of those who were arrested in Minneapolis were from outside the state .
Officials , including Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz , claimed these outsiders were there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

On Sunday afternoon, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida posted a video on his Twitter account addressing the protests and riots that have ravaged major cities across the country for the last few days.
In his video, Rubio argued that while there were some people in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and other parts of the country who were protesting out of respect for George Floyd, there were others who simply wanted to create chaos. He claimed the people who were only interested in rioting were from both the far-left and far-right fringes and this claim angered many social media users on the conservative side of the social media spectrum.
Various domestic terror groups on BOTH far left & right are instigating & committing acts of violence & looting. They are stealing the focus away from the murder of Mr. Floyd & the legitimate problems it revealed. pic.twitter.com/IQ8v7sMsU6 — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 31, 2020
Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe was among the first to find an issue with Rubio’s comments. She first asked him in a reply to his video which right-wing groups he was referring to. She added she found his comments “cowardly.” Rubio quote tweeted her question and responded that he felt it would be cowardly to only call out left-wing groups like Antifa and ignore what others were doing.
“What would be cowardly is condemning what Antifa is doing in the street but ignore what certain extremist groups on the far right are encouraging followers to do on telegram & facebook. I am against ANY group that undermines law & order.”
Another conservative commentator, Ryan James Girdusky, also took issue with Rubio for not naming who on the right was responsible for the looting. He posted on Twitter that he was glad Rubio was never going to be president and he also called the approach cowardly.
“Name one single right-winger who’s causing looting… what a spineless individual Marco Rubio is. I’m glad you’re never going to be President.”
The Federalist‘s Molly Hemingway took issue with the senator’s comments as well. She also had a problem with him blaming both sides of the political aisle for the violence that has erupted across the country.
In a tweet on Sunday, which has since been removed, Hemingway called Rubio a kind of “truffle pig.” She added he was the kind of truffle pig that specialized in rooting out just the wrong thing to say in any given situation. She added the things he said tended to harm his caucus.
Rubio was far from the first to claim there are outside influences meshed into the protests. Officials from Minnesota gave a press conference earlier this weekend where they claimed at least 80 percent of those who were arrested in Minneapolis were from outside the state.
Officials, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, claimed these outsiders were there specifically to cause violence and create chaos.


inquisitr--2020-06-01--A ‘Rattled’ Donald Trump Was Rushed To Underground Bunker As Protesters Moved Near White House, Repo

A ‘Rattled’ Donald Trump Was Rushed To Underground Bunker As Protesters Moved Near White House, Report Says

Donald Trump and his family members were left “ rattled ” by protests as they moved close to the White House on Friday and were briefly rushed into an underground bunker , a new report claims .
The New York Times reported on the tensions that rose within the White House over the weekend as some of the nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death intensified and demonstrations in Washington , D.C. , moved closer to the president ’ s residence .
The report claims on Friday night as some protesters moved close to the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an underground bunker that in the past had been used during terrorist attacks .
“ After days in which the empathy he expressed for George Floyd , the man killed , was overshadowed by his combative threats to ramp up violence against looters and rioters , Mr. Trump spent Sunday out of sight , even as some of his campaign advisers were recommending that he deliver a nationally televised address before another night of possible violence , ” the report noted .
“ The building was even emptier than usual as some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told not to come in case of renewed unrest.
” The report added that messaging from the White House appeared mixed , with some advisers reportedly trying to map out a more deliberate messaging strategy while Trump has “ blasting out a string of messages ” on Twitter that attacked Democrats for not cracking down strongly enough on protesters .
Trump had garnered controversy earlier in the week for tweets that called violent protesters “ thugs , ” a word that critics said carried a racially charged connotation .
Trump also appeared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being called in to quell unrest and authorizing them to use deadly force on looters .
As some in the White House reportedly pushed for Trump to make an address to the nation in the midst of the unrest , the president instead delivered short messages to reporters and took aim at at far-left groups as well as the loosely organized anti-fascist group Antifa .
In a message on Sunday , Trump said that he would be declaring Antifa as a terrorist organization , despite this being a loose collection of people identifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizational structure , the New York Times noted .
As the report added , it was unclear if Trump had the legal authority to declare Antifa as a terrorist group , as American law applies this designation only to foreign entities .

Donald Trump and his family members were left “rattled” by protests as demonstrators moved close to the White House on Friday. Trump and his family were briefly rushed into an underground bunker, a new report claims.
The New York Times reported on the tensions that rose within the White House over the weekend as some of the nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death intensified and demonstrations in Washington, D.C. moved closer to the president’s residence. The report claims on Friday night as some protesters moved close to the White House, Secret Service members rushed Trump to an underground bunker that in the past had been used during terrorist attacks.
The situation left Trump uncharacteristically quiet, the report claimed.
“After days in which the empathy he expressed for George Floyd, the man killed, was overshadowed by his combative threats to ramp up violence against looters and rioters, Mr. Trump spent Sunday out of sight, even as some of his campaign advisers were recommending that he deliver a nationally televised address before another night of possible violence,” the report noted. “The building was even emptier than usual as some White House officials planning to work were told not to come in case of renewed unrest.”
The report added that messaging from the White House appeared mixed, with some advisers reportedly trying to map out a more deliberate messaging strategy while Trump was “blasting out a string of messages” on Twitter that attacked Democrats for not cracking down strongly enough on protesters.
Trump had garnered controversy earlier in the week for tweets that called violent protesters “thugs,” a word that critics said carried a racially charged connotation. Trump also appeared to endorse the idea of the U.S. military being called in to quell unrest and authorizing them to use deadly force on looters.
As some in the White House reportedly pushed for Trump to make an address to the nation in the midst of the unrest, the president instead delivered short messages to reporters and took aim at far-left groups as well as the loosely organized anti-fascist group Antifa.
In a message on Sunday, Trump said that he would be declaring Antifa as a terrorist organization, despite this being a loose collection of people identifying themselves as anarchists and not having an organizational structure, The New York Times noted. As the report added, it was unclear if Trump had the legal authority to declare Antifa as a terrorist group, as American law applies this designation only to foreign entities.


inquisitr--2020-05-31--Joe Biden Surges To Double-Digit Lead As Donald Trump’s Approval Ratings Drop

According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll released on Sunday , former Vice President Joe Biden has surged past President Donald Trump nationwide .
The poll showed Biden at 53 percent , 10 percentage points ahead of Trump , among registered voters .
Among all Americans , Biden ’ s lead was 13 points .
Just two months ago , the two men were virtually tied in most polls .
Biden appears to have made inroads with key voting blocs .
For instance , 50 percent of suburban voters said that they view the former vice president favorably .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s favorability rating among suburbanites was only 38 percent .
Furthermore , Biden came in stronger than Trump among white women , 51 percent of whom said they would back him in November , while 45 percent expressed support for Trump .
In 2016 , Trump beat Clinton among white women by nine points , according to exit polling .
Notably , senior citizens appear to prefer Biden over Trump .
The poll showed the Democrat with a 10-point lead over Trump , who beat Clinton among seniors four years ago .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fifty-six percent of Hispanics said that they hold a favorable view of the former vice president .
In comparison , 76 percent viewed Clinton favorably .
The lack of enthusiasm for his candidacy is another issue for Biden .
Only 68 percent of the former vice president ’ s supporters said that they would definitely vote for him in November .
Eighty-seven percent of Trump supporters said the same of their candidate .
Trump ’ s approval ratings have slipped .
Two months ago , the president ’ s overall approval rating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now it seems to be back in the negative territory , with 53 percent of voters disapproving of his job performance .
Similarly , 53 percent said that they disapprove of the way Trump has handled the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Against a rapidly changing backdrop — with the coronavirus far from contained , the prospects for the economy remaining rocky as many businesses begin to reopen and violence convulsing cities across the nation — the poll captures the moment , ” The Washington Post noted .
When it comes to Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ratings are still in the positive territory , but they have nevertheless slipped since March .
Fifty-two percent said they approve of how the commander-in-chief has managed the economy , while 44 percent said they disapprove .
Voters were evenly split over whether Trump or Biden would do a better job handling economic recovery .


inquisitr--2020-06-02--Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker Slams Donald Trump’s ‘Bitterness, Combativeness and Self-Intere

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker Slams Donald Trump’s ‘Bitterness, Combativeness and Self-Interest’

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker slammed President Donald Trump ’ s incendiary comments regarding the protests that have broken out across the country over the past week .
The protests first ignited over George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin .
The Republican governor said he was appalled by the president ’ s “ bitterness , combativeness , and self-interest , ” CNN reported on Monday evening .
“ That ’ s not what we need in Boston , it ’ s not what we need right now in Massachusetts and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this great country of ours either , ” he said .
According to The Hill , Baker ’ s pointed remarks toward the president also seemed to take aim at his handling of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Trump has repeatedly encouraged government officials to take forceful action against violent protestors .
In response to Trump ’ s remarks , Baker said that he was no longer surprised by the president ’ s consistently inflammatory comments .
CNN stated that the president called on state leaders to start arresting people , or they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jerks ” on an audio recording .
Baker countered Trump ’ s assertions by stating that the peaceful protests made in Floyd ’ s name and against police brutality have created a “ powerful statement.
” He also added that Floyd ’ s death was a “ horrible tragedy — one of countless tragedies to befall people of color across the United States .
The vast majority of protesters today did so peacefully , toward a common goal of promoting justice and equality.
” The Massachusetts governor said he was grateful toward the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message through peaceful means .
He further extended his gratitude to the first responders and authorities who aimed to protect individuals involved in the protest .
Like Trump , Baker also condemned anyone that was lashing out violently and contributing to the destruction of property .
The governor said that anyone participating in looting or other unlawful acts was detracting from the overall statement made by thousands from his state and others across the country .
Baker is far from the only political leader to criticize the president ’ s recent actions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmer said the comments he made on the call should concern all Americans .
Whitmer alleged that the Trump administration is intentionally trying to sow discord throughout the nation .
Senator Ed Markey reportedly called Trump “ scum ” for adding fuel to the fire .

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker slammed President Donald Trump’s incendiary comments regarding the protests that have broken out across the country over the past week. The protests first ignited over George Floyd’s death at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
The Republican governor said he was appalled by the president’s “bitterness, combativeness, and self-interest,” CNN reported on Monday evening.
“That’s not what we need in Boston, it’s not what we need right now in Massachusetts and it’s definitely not what we need across this great country of ours either,” he said.
According to The Hill, Baker’s pointed remarks toward the president also seemed to take aim at his handling of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has repeatedly encouraged government officials to take forceful action against violent protesters. In response to Trump’s remarks, Baker said that he was no longer surprised by the president’s consistently inflammatory comments.
“At so many times during these past several weeks when the country needed compassion and leadership the most, it was simply nowhere to be found.”
CNN stated that the president called on state leaders to start arresting people, or they will look like “a bunch of jerks” on an audio recording.
Baker countered Trump’s assertions by stating that the peaceful protests made in Floyd’s name and against police brutality have created a “powerful statement.”
He also added that Floyd’s death was a “horrible tragedy — one of countless tragedies to befall people of color across the United States. The vast majority of protesters today did so peacefully, toward a common goal of promoting justice and equality.”
The Massachusetts governor said he was grateful toward the individuals who were intent on spreading the message through peaceful means. He further extended his gratitude to the first responders and authorities who aimed to protect individuals involved in the protest.
Like Trump, Baker also condemned anyone that was lashing out violently and contributing to the destruction of property. The governor said that anyone participating in looting or other unlawful acts was detracting from the overall statement made by thousands from his state and others across the country.
Baker is far from the only political leader to criticize the president’s recent actions.
The Hill reported that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said the comments he made on the call should concern all Americans. Whitmer alleged that the Trump administration is intentionally trying to sow discord throughout the nation.
Senator Ed Markey reportedly called Trump “scum” for adding fuel to the fire.


inquisitr--2020-06-01--Rush Limbaugh Clashes With Charlamagne tha God Over ‘White Privilege’

Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh recently spoke to The Breakfast Club hosts Charlamagne tha God , DJ Envy , and Angela Yee , Breitbart reported .
In a clip fro the pre-taped appearance , Limbaugh speaks on the death of George Floyd and the concept of “ white privilege.
” “ The George Floyd story is being lost , ” Limbaugh said .
“ There are two things happening in America , and it sickens me what happened to him .
Legitimate national outrage about a policeman ’ s criminal brutality has been hijacked.
” Limbaugh said he doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd ” and claimed his death during his arrest “ sickened ” him.
” “ I don ’ t want what to forget about George Floyd .
What happened to George Floyd sickened me .
I wanted to reach out and tell you all this .
I wanted to make sure you have no doubt —and I ’ m not the only American who feels that way , the senselessness of it.
” Charlamagne asked Limbaugh if he would use his white privilege to battle the prejudice that he believes lead to Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radio host has a “ direct line ” to President Donald Trump .
“ Now wait a minute .
I don ’ t buy into the notion of white privilege , ” Limbaugh said , which prompted Charlamagne to call him “ delusional.
” Limbaugh pushed back and argued that the notion of white privilege is a “ liberal construct ” that runs parallel to political correctness .
He claims it is used to intimidate people into silence and admit guilt for things they weren ’ t responsible for .
In response , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — white former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is accused of murdering him — and claimed that the incident would not have happened to a white person .
According to Limbaugh , if Floyd were white , the incident would not likely have received significant media coverage .
As reported by CNN , the topic resurfaced at the end of the interview when Limbaugh pushed back against Charlamagne ’ s claim that white people receive better treatment in America and argued that he has been “ mistreated ” by individuals , groups , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed he been fired nine times throughout his career , had his car keyed , and had his tires blown .
But when Charlamagne pressed Limbaugh on mistreatment at the hands of the police , Limbaugh admitted he had not experienced any .
“ No that kind of stuff has never happened to me , I ’ ll grant you , ” Limbaugh said , although he subsequently backtracked his statement .
Limbaugh previously expressed his dismay at Floyd ’ s death and expressed sympathy with the some Minneapolis looters , noting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


inquisitr--2020-06-01--Donald Trump Slams Biden Campaign Staffers For Helping ‘Anarchists’ Get Out Of Jail

President Donald Trump took aim at presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ’ s staffers on Monday after it was revealed they were donating to the bail fund for protesters .
Protests , which have devolved into looting and riots in many cities across the nation , have resulted in hundreds of arrests across the nation as widespread unrest continues in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd .
National sympathy for protesters has been tumultuous as the lines between protesters and rioters have become blurred .
According to an analysis by Reuters at least 13 members of Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday and Saturday about making donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund , which arranges bail for those arrested while demonstrating for social justice .
The president tweeted his disdain for the move , calling Biden ’ s staffers “ radical left ” and speculating about what else they could be doing to assist in the protest .
The president ’ s swipe at Biden ’ s staffers included a jab at the former vice president himself , asserting that his likely Democratic opponent probably wasn ’ t aware of what his staffers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spokesperson for the Biden campaign , told Reuters that his candidate opposes the current cash bail system and considers it to be a “ modern-day debtors prison.
” However , the campaign declined to comment as to whether the donations were coordinated by the campaign .
Bates pointed reporters to Biden ’ s earlier comments that protesters frustrated over the state of racism in America today have every right to be angry and frustrated .
The spokesperson also stressed that they believe more violence won ’ t solve the problem of justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign said in an email to Reuters about the issue on Saturday that they find it “ disturbing ” that anyone , much less more than a dozen individuals , on Biden ’ s staff “ would financially support the mayhem that is hurting innocent people and destroying what good people spent their lives building.
” Trump campaign members also called on Biden to condemn the riots that have caused vast destruction in inner cities across the nation .
Biden ’ s campaign staffers aren ’ t the only high profile individuals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , as The Inquisitr previously reported .
Demonstrators who gathered looking for social change after the viral video of Floyd ’ s death showed unnecessary aggression ending in death , have in some cases been arrested after their protests became violent .
However , their cause has touched the hearts of many and Hollywood stars have also chipped in , looking to help pay bail .
Stars such as Steve Carell and Jameela Jamil have donated and posted confirmation of their donations to Twitter , encouraging others to do the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fund include comedian and actor Patton Oswalt and actress-turned-political-candidate Cynthia Nixon .

President Donald Trump took aim at presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s staffers on Monday after it was revealed they were donating to the bail fund for protesters.
Protests, which have devolved into looting and riots in many cities across the nation, have resulted in hundreds of arrests across the nation as widespread unrest continues in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.
National sympathy for protesters has been tumultuous as the lines between protesters and rioters have become blurred. According to an analysis by Reuters at least 13 members of Biden’s campaign staff posted on Twitter on Friday and Saturday about making donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which arranges bail for those arrested while demonstrating for social justice.
The president tweeted his disdain for the move, calling Biden’s staffers “radical left” and speculating about what else they could be doing to assist in the protest.
Sleepy Joe Biden’s people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more. Joe doesn’t know anything about it, he is clueless, but they will be the real power, not Joe. They will be calling the shots! Big tax increases for all, Plus! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 1, 2020
The president’s swipe at Biden’s staffers included a jab at the former vice president himself, asserting that his likely Democratic opponent probably wasn’t aware of what his staffers were up to.
Andrew Bates, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign, told Reuters that his candidate opposes the current cash bail system and considers it to be a “modern-day debtors prison.” However, the campaign declined to comment as to whether the donations were coordinated by the campaign.
Bates pointed reporters to Biden’s earlier comments that protesters frustrated over the state of racism in America today have every right to be angry and frustrated. The spokesperson also stressed that they believe more violence won’t solve the problem of justice and inequality.
The president’s campaign said in an email to Reuters about the issue on Saturday that they find it “disturbing” that anyone, much less more than a dozen individuals, on Biden’s staff “would financially support the mayhem that is hurting innocent people and destroying what good people spent their lives building.”
Trump campaign members also called on Biden to condemn the riots that have caused vast destruction in inner cities across the nation.
Biden’s campaign staffers aren’t the only high profile individuals to donate to the protesters’ bail fund, however, as The Inquisitr previously reported.
Demonstrators who gathered looking for social change after the viral video of Floyd’s death showed unnecessary aggression ending in death, have in some cases been arrested after their protests became violent.
Welcome to Minneapolis. https://t.co/9iHm0H1aYQ — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 29, 2020
However, their cause has touched the hearts of many and Hollywood stars have also chipped in, looking to help pay bail.
Stars such as Steve Carell and Jameela Jamil have donated and posted confirmation of their donations to Twitter, encouraging others to do the same.
Other celebs who donated to the fund include comedian and actor Patton Oswalt and actress-turned-political-candidate Cynthia Nixon.


inquisitr--2020-06-01--Justin Amash Prepares Bill That Would End Police Immunity From Civil Lawsuits

In a letter sent to his House colleagues on Sunday , Michigan Rep. Justin Amash asked them to support his “ Ending Qualified Immunity Act.
” The call comes in the wake of the death of George Floyd , who died while being apprehended by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and three other officers .
As reported by WKZO , the bill Amash is preparing would end the qualified immunity doctrine that has protected police from civil lawsuits that would require them to pay settlements to victims or their grieving families .
“ The brutal killing of George Floyd is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of incidents of egregious police misconduct , ” Amash wrote in the letter .
“ This pattern continues because police are legally , politically and culturally insulated… That must change so that these incidents stop happening.
” According to WKZO , an aide of Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar claims the congresswoman , who lives in Minneapolis , will be supporting the bill , which will allegedly be introduced on Thursday .
As Amash noted in his letter , the Civil Rights Act of 1871 gave individuals the right to sue local and state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1967 , the Supreme Court created the qualified immunity doctrine to roll back these rights .
The Libertarian congressman said that the doctrine prevents police from being held liable — unless the individual whose rights they violated can prove there is a previous case that both mirrors the current one and was ruled by the court as a constitutional violation .
Amash said that if a plaintiff can not find a prior case that matches theirs , they will likely forgo a lawsuit due to their low likelihood of winning .
Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit , Amash claims judges can use qualified immunity to dismiss the case and avoid ruling whether the public official violated the plaintiff ’ s rights .
An investigation by Reuters found that since 2005 , the federal appeals courts — which follows the lead of the Supreme Court — have been increasingly granting police immunity in cases of excessive force .
As the publication notes , district courts below the federal appeals courts must follow these rulings .
Amash ’ s push to end qualified immunity comes after Chauvin , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caught on video placing his knee on Floyd ’ s neck for over eight minutes during the arrest , despite the man ’ s pleas for help .
An autopsy of Floyd ’ s body from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner ’ s Office claimed that he died of underlying health issues .
But an independent autopsy by Dr. Michael Baden and Dr. Allecia Wilson subsequently found that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to the compression of Floyd ’ s neck and back , which cut blood flow to his brain @


inquisitr--2020-06-01--Donald Trump’s Rhetoric Making Unrest ‘Worse,’ Says Illinois Gov. Pritzker

President Donald Trump had a phone call with state governors on Monday .
During this call , he urged them to take a tough stance on the protests and riots happening across the country in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death on Memorial Day while in the custody of four former Minneapolis police officers .
However , at least one governor called out the president for the rhetoric coming out of the White House , expressing concerns that national leaders were not calling for calmness .
Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker expressed his concern during the call with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House correspondent Katie Rogers .
“ I ’ ve been extraordinarily concerned about the rhetoric that ’ s been used by you .
It ’ s been inflammatory… we have to call for calm .
We have to have police reform called for .
We ’ ve called out our national guard and our state police , but the rhetoric that ’ s coming out of the White House is making it worse .
And I need to say that people are feeling real pain out there and we ’ ve got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and making sure that we ’ re addressing the concerns of the legitimate peaceful protestors.
” Trump responded to Pritzker ’ s concerns during the phone call by telling the governor that he didn ’ t like the job that he ’ s done in Illinois on both the coronavirus response and the demonstrations .
The governor ’ s words come after his recent strong condemnation of Trump ’ s response to Floyd ’ s death and subsequent protests , riots , and unrest , according to an NBC Chicago report .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the president a “ racist , misogynist homophobe.
” In response to the president ’ s tweet calling rioters “ thugs ” and writing “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts , ” Pritzker had some strong words for him .
“ His tweets , his reaction , his failure to address the racism in America is stoking the flames in subtle and not so subtle ways , ” he said .
In Monday morning ’ s call , Trump urged the governors of the U.S. to step up their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid the protests , or else the country will look like pushovers to the rest of the world — or a bunch of “ jerks , ” as The Inquisitr reported .
He reminded governors that the U.S. has plenty of resources to curb the violence that occurred over the weekend in major cities , and he urged them to use it .
CBS Local Chicago reported that yesterday , Pritzker ordered the National Guard to provide support in Chicago after Mayor Lori Lightfoot requested assistance due to protests that turned violent on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
Both the governor and mayor condemned the riots , but they still encouraged peaceful forms of protest , with Pritzker urging demonstrators to practice social distancing and wear masks .

President Donald Trump had a phone call with state governors on Monday. During this call, he urged them to take a tough stance on the protests and riots happening across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death on Memorial Day while in the custody of four former Minneapolis police officers. However, at least one governor called out the president for the rhetoric coming out of the White House, expressing concerns that national leaders were not calling for calmness.
Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker expressed his concern during the call with Trump, according to a tweet from White House correspondent Katie Rogers.
“I’ve been extraordinarily concerned about the rhetoric that’s been used by you. It’s been inflammatory… we have to call for calm. We have to have police reform called for. We’ve called out our national guard and our state police, but the rhetoric that’s coming out of the White House is making it worse. And I need to say that people are feeling real pain out there and we’ve got to have national leadership in calling for calm and making sure that we’re addressing the concerns of the legitimate peaceful protestors.”
Trump responded to Pritzker’s concerns during the phone call by telling the governor that he didn’t like the job that he’s done in Illinois on both the coronavirus response and the demonstrations.
The governor’s words come after his recent strong condemnation of Trump’s response to Floyd’s death and subsequent protests, riots, and unrest, according to an NBC Chicago report. At a press conference last Friday, Pritzker called the president a “racist, misogynist homophobe.”
In response to the president’s tweet calling rioters “thugs” and writing “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” Pritzker had some strong words for him.
“His tweets, his reaction, his failure to address the racism in America is stoking the flames in subtle and not so subtle ways,” he said.
In Monday morning’s call, Trump urged the governors of the U.S. to step up their efforts in policing and curbing the violence amid the protests, or else the country will look like pushovers to the rest of the world — or a bunch of “jerks,” as The Inquisitr reported. He reminded governors that the U.S. has plenty of resources to curb the violence that occurred over the weekend in major cities, and he urged them to use it.
CBS Local Chicago reported that yesterday, Pritzker ordered the National Guard to provide support in Chicago after Mayor Lori Lightfoot requested assistance due to protests that turned violent on Saturday night left substantial damage in the city. Both the governor and mayor condemned the riots, but they still encouraged peaceful forms of protest, with Pritzker urging demonstrators to practice social distancing and wear masks.


inquisitr--2020-06-01--Donald Trump Reportedly Tells Governors To Step Up Or Else They’ll ‘Look Like A Bunch Of Jerks’

President Donald Trump reportedly had harsh words for governors in a conference call on Monday .
According to a tweet by CBS News ’ Ed O ’ Keefe , the president called on states to step up enforcement .
The call came after a weekend filled with both peaceful protests and riots in major cities across the United States after last Monday ’ s death of George Floyd in the custody of former Minneapolis police officers .
The president also told governors that Washington , D.C. , was under control over the weekend , despite reports that the Secret Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underground bunker near the White House amid the demonstrations outside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue .
Trump also insinuated the possibility of bringing in troops to help quell the growing unrest in the nation ’ s capital .
President Trump also encouraged the U.S. governors to arrest people , track them , and put them in jail for a significant amount of time in order to deter this type of thing from happening in the future .
Then , he criticized some of those on the phone call for their responses to the protests and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s death , admitting that the unrest is not great for the country .
In a tone that at least one person listening to the call described as “ unhinged , ” according to O ’ Keefe ’ s Twitter thread , the president reminded governors that the country has the resources to handle the unrest .
He also noted that other countries throughout the world watching the videos and seeing the photos could view the U.S. as a pushover because of the violence , looting , and fires .
Additionally , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the violence .
Over the weekend , Trump remained inside while presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden took to the streets of Wilmington , Delaware , on Sunday to speak with those gathered to protest police brutality and Floyd ’ s death along with the death of other black people at the hands of police .
The president sent several tweets on Saturday and Sunday , including one on Sunday that he planned to designate ANTIFA a terrorist organization .

President Donald Trump reportedly had harsh words for governors in a conference call on Monday. According to a tweet by CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe, the president called on states to step up enforcement.
“You have to dominate, if you don’t dominate you’re wasting your time. They’re going to run over you, you’re going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate.”
The call came after a weekend filled with both peaceful protests and riots in major cities across the United States after last Monday’s death of George Floyd in the custody of former Minneapolis police officers. The president also told governors that Washington, D.C., was under control over the weekend, despite reports that the Secret Service rushed the president and others to an underground bunker near the White House amid the demonstrations outside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Trump also insinuated the possibility of bringing in troops to help quell the growing unrest in the nation’s capital.
President Trump also encouraged the U.S. governors to arrest people, track them, and put them in jail for a significant amount of time in order to deter this type of thing from happening in the future. Then, he criticized some of those on the phone call for their responses to the protests and riots in the wake of Floyd’s death, admitting that the unrest is not great for the country.
“You’re making a mistake because you’re making yourselves look like fools. And some have done a great job. But a lot of you, it’s not — it’s not a great day for our country.”
In a tone that at least one person listening to the call described as “unhinged,” according to O’Keefe’s Twitter thread, the president reminded governors that the country has the resources to handle the unrest. He also noted that other countries throughout the world watching the videos and seeing the photos could view the U.S. as a pushover because of the violence, looting, and fires. Additionally, he encouraged governors to take a tough stance against the violence.
Over the weekend, Trump remained inside while presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden took to the streets of Wilmington, Delaware, on Sunday to speak with those gathered to protest police brutality and Floyd’s death along with the death of other black people at the hands of police. The president sent several tweets on Saturday and Sunday, including one on Sunday that he planned to designate ANTIFA a terrorist organization.


inquisitr--2020-06-02--Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker Slams Donald Trump’s ‘Bitterness, Combativeness And Self-Intere

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker Slams Donald Trump’s ‘Bitterness, Combativeness And Self-Interest’

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker slammed President Donald Trump ’ s incendiary comments regarding the protests that have broken out across the country over the past week .
The protests first ignited over George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin .
The Republican governor said he was appalled by the president ’ s “ bitterness , combativeness , and self-interest , ” CNN reported on Monday evening .
“ That ’ s not what we need in Boston , it ’ s not what we need right now in Massachusetts and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this great country of ours either , ” he said .
According to The Hill , Baker ’ s pointed remarks toward the president also seemed to take aim at his handling of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Trump has repeatedly encouraged government officials to take forceful action against violent protesters .
In response to Trump ’ s remarks , Baker said that he was no longer surprised by the president ’ s consistently inflammatory comments .
CNN stated that the president called on state leaders to start arresting people , or they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jerks ” on an audio recording .
Baker countered Trump ’ s assertions by stating that the peaceful protests made in Floyd ’ s name and against police brutality have created a “ powerful statement.
” He also added that Floyd ’ s death was a “ horrible tragedy — one of countless tragedies to befall people of color across the United States .
The vast majority of protesters today did so peacefully , toward a common goal of promoting justice and equality.
” The Massachusetts governor said he was grateful toward the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message through peaceful means .
He further extended his gratitude to the first responders and authorities who aimed to protect individuals involved in the protest .
Like Trump , Baker also condemned anyone that was lashing out violently and contributing to the destruction of property .
The governor said that anyone participating in looting or other unlawful acts was detracting from the overall statement made by thousands from his state and others across the country .
Baker is far from the only political leader to criticize the president ’ s recent actions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmer said the comments he made on the call should concern all Americans .
Whitmer alleged that the Trump administration is intentionally trying to sow discord throughout the nation .
Senator Ed Markey reportedly called Trump “ scum ” for adding fuel to the fire .