inquisitr--2020-05-11--Donald Trump Accused Of Racism After Telling Reporter Weijia Jiang To ‘Ask China’ About Coronavirus

Critics are accusing Donald Trump of racism after telling Weijia Jiang , a reporter of Asian descent , to “ ask China ” a question she had posed him on the response to the coronavirus .
The statement led to a heated exchange that ended with Trump abruptly ending the press conference , prompting many of his critics to accuse him of making a racially charged reply to the CBS News reporter .
As The Independent reported , the exchange took place after Jiang asked Trump why he sometimes seems to view the coronavirus outbreak as a “ global race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of tests given .
In the daily coronavirus briefings , the president had frequently compared the United States to other countries as he touted the number of tests administered .
When Trump told Jiang to “ ask China ” the same question , she lowered her face mask and asked him if there was a reason he was asking her that .
The president replied that he asks that of all reporters .
As CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins approached the microphone to ask a question after having been called on , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed out that Trump had called on her and continued with her question as he called on another reporter , the president ended the press conference .
The incident led to criticism for Trump , with many people accusing him of racism for telling a reporter of Asian descent to ask China a question .
Jiang is an Asian American , having been born in China and moving to West Virginia with her family when she was 2 .
As reporter Shannon Watts noted on Twitter , Jiang had previously claimed that an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus as the “ Kung-Flu ” when speaking to her .
This is not the first time that Trump has been accused of racism after a testy exchange with a female reporter of color at his daily coronavirus briefings .
In another incident in March , Trump told PBS News ’ Yamiche Alcindor , who is black , that “ you people ” should be more positive when addressing him at the press conferences .
Though it appeared from his answer that Trump intended “ you people ” to refer to reporters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has historically had a negative racial connotation when used to address people of color .
As Politico noted in a 2018 report , a number of media groups and reporters have accused Trump of being particularly harsh and often using personal insults in his treatment with female reporters , and more so with those of color .
“ While the president insults many journalists , these critics say his barbs targeting women and people of color feel especially sharp , and hit at the reporter ’ s basic intelligence and competence as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s a tone that black reporters and scholars of African-American history say particularly stings , given that African-American journalists were not allowed into the White House until 1947 — and that the White House press corps remains overwhelmingly white to this day .
”


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Progressives Urge Nancy Pelosi To Delay Friday’s Vote On The Next Coronavirus Relief Packages

Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus ( CPC ) are asking Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to push back the House vote on the next coronavirus relief package , The Hill reported .
On Tuesday , Pelosi unveiled the proposed bill for the next coronavirus relief package and announced that the House was planning to vote on the bill Friday .
Shortly after Pelosi made this announcement , members of the CPC drafted and sent a letter to Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , asking them to postpone the vote so representatives could have more time to review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill .
The proposed bill for the $ 3 trillion relief package is over 1,800 pages long , and lawmakers from the CPC are insisting they need more time to absorb the details .
“ As we read the more than 1800-page legislation , we must have more time to determine what is in and what is not in this legislation , as well as a conversation about the bill as a caucus .
Most of us will already be flying by Thursday , shaving even more time off our full review , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to House leaders .
According to The Hill , progressive lawmakers are concerned that the proposed bill does not go far enough to help workers who are currently unemployed and small businesses that are struggling to survive .
Per Politico , progressives in the House pushed hard to include provisions in the package that would assist small businesses in making payroll , but House Democrats weren ’ t prepared to include the provisions in this bill .
Majority Leader Hoyer said that he believed the plan proffered by progressives is a good idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next relief package .
Leaders of the CPC contacted its members and asked them to let House leadership know they were undecided about how they would vote on the bill , per The Hill .
The leaders hope to delay the vote on the bill by making it unclear whether the bill will get enough votes to pass .
According to Politico , progressives in the House acknowledged that they don ’ t have a lot of leverage to ensure their priorities will make it into this relief package .
They don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their constituents by delaying the bill .
They also don ’ t want to alienate their allies in the House because they want to get their priorities addressed in upcoming relief packages .
During a call with House representatives on Tuesday , Pelosi acknowledged that some of her colleagues wouldn ’ t be pleased with what was left out of the bill , Politico reported .
She stressed that “ we can ’ t do everything in this bill.
” Already , the bill is one of the most comprehensive aid packages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House .
Even if the bill is passed on Friday , it will hit a major stumbling block when it gets to the Senate , according to Politico .
Republicans criticized the bill before it was even made public , saying that it was too expansive and expensive .
Both the White House and Congressional Republicans have said they want to wait before passing any more relief packages .

Oops! Page Not Found
The page you were looking for doesn’t exist,
isn’t available or was loaded incorrectly.


inquisitr--2020-05-14--Donald Trump On Mike Pence’s Social Distancing: ‘I Miss Him’

President Donald Trump spoke to reporters on Wednesday during a meeting with Colorado and North Dakota governors Jared Polis and Doug Burgum , respectively , and spoke about Vice President Mike Pence ‘ s social distancing .
“ I haven ’ t seen Mike Pence , and I miss him , ” Trump said , per The Hill , noting that he speaks with Pence often on the phone .
“ He was in the room with somebody that tested positive , and he did not test positive , ” Trump said , referring to Pence ’ s Press Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected with the coronavirus .
“ He tested the opposite.
” Before Miller , a valet for Trump , Ivanka Trump ‘ s personal assistant , and a number of secret service members tested positive for COVID-19 .
Regardless , Trump expressed optimism at Pence ’ s well-being amid his social distancing .
Although Pence ’ s schedule has not significantly changed and he is not engaging in quarantine procedure , he is reportedly limiting contact with others due to his exposure to Miller .
In a piece for CNN , Chris Cillizza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantining , which is against the advice of public health experts .
“ Testing negative one day is no guarantor of testing negative the next day , particularly when you have been exposed to someone who has the virus !
” Cillizza wrote , referring to the virus ’ 14-day incubation period .
According to White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany , Pence ’ s distance from Trump is a “ personal decision , ” and he will determine when to renew close contact with the president .
The Hill reports that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials in regular contact with the pair , are now tested for coronavirus daily instead of weekly .
However , a recent NYU Langone Health study claims that the Abbott Laboratories rapid coronavirus test used by the White House is unreliable and creates false positives approximately 48 percent of the time when using it in the recommended manner .
Despite close calls with coronavirus and testing concerns , both Pence and Trump have refused to wear masks in public as a protective measure against the virus .
As reported by USA Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approximately seven in 10 registered voters believe that the pair should be covering their faces as they travel .
In contrast to Trump and Pence ’ s defiance , several Trump administration officials , including Health and Human Services ( HHS ) Secretary Alex Azar and HHS testing czar Brett Giroir , have on at least one occasion worn masks in public .
Reporters have also begun wearing masks during press conferences held by the president and his allies .


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Joe Biden Calls Out Donald Trump Tweeting ‘Enough With The Anger And Division’

Former Vice President Joe Biden , who is the presumed 2020 Democrat presidential nominee , took to Twitter on Wednesday to call out President Donald Trump in an attempt to unite the country amid the coronavirus pandemic , which has been divisive in the United States .
“ Enough with the anger and division and fear-mongering , Mr. President , ” Biden said .
“ It ’ s time for you to step up , appeal to our better angels , and unite the country .
We ’ ll overcome this crisis by coming together — not by tearing each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment along with a retweet from Trump .
The president posted yesterday about Asian Americans being upset at China over COVID-19 .
“ Asian Americans are VERY angry at what China has done to our Country , and the World .
Chinese Americans are the most angry of all .
I don ’ t blame them !
” the president tweeted early on Tuesday morning .
Trump ’ s tweet about Asian Americans being angry at China came after a contentious moment on Monday during his coronavirus briefing .
When reporter Weijia Jiang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempts to turn coronavirus testing into a global race , he responded with “ ask China , ” The Inquisitr reported .
Jiang tried to ask why he specifically asked her to ask China since she is of Asian descent , but he did not answer .
After that exchange , Trump abruptly left the briefing .
A new CNN poll showed that more of those people polled felt that Biden would unite the United States and not divide it .
In fact , 55 percent said that Biden would help bring the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent who felt Trump would be the better choice to bring united amid the growing divisiveness in the U.S. Also , 53 percent of people felt that the former vice president is trustworthy , where 38 percent saw that attribute in the president .
In the replies on the tweet , some Twitter users referred to Trump as the “ Divider In Chief ” and noted that they saw Biden as the “ Uniter In Chief.
” Several also gave the latter some advice about taking the gloves off with Trump , noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 campaign because Trump wasn ’ t nice in 2016 and didn ’ t seem to be changing course for this year ’ s election either .
Of course , not everybody who responded had pleasant things to say to Biden .
Many asked him how Trump ’ s original tweet was divisive , and others attempted to point to the so-called Obamagate scandal that the president has tweeted about in recent days , with some adding a “ Bidengate ” hashtag .

Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is the presumed 2020 Democrat presidential nominee, took to Twitter on Wednesday to call out President Donald Trump in an attempt to unite the country amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has been divisive in the United States.
“Enough with the anger and division and fear-mongering, Mr. President,” Biden said. “It’s time for you to step up, appeal to our better angels, and unite the country. We’ll overcome this crisis by coming together — not by tearing each other apart,”
Biden wrote his comment along with a retweet from Trump. The president posted yesterday about Asian Americans being upset at China over COVID-19.
“Asian Americans are VERY angry at what China has done to our Country, and the World. Chinese Americans are the most angry of all. I don’t blame them!” the president tweeted early on Tuesday morning.
Members of the task force @SecAzar and @HHS_ASH are following the new White House rule of covering their face. TBD: Will the President come to this briefing in a mask? pic.twitter.com/FBMEAC3FFs — Weijia Jiang (@weijia) May 11, 2020
Trump’s tweet about Asian Americans being angry at China came after a contentious moment on Monday during his coronavirus briefing. When reporter Weijia Jiang asked the president a question about his attempts to turn coronavirus testing into a global race, he responded with “ask China,” The Inquisitr reported. Jiang tried to ask why he specifically asked her to ask China since she is of Asian descent, but he did not answer. After that exchange, Trump abruptly left the briefing.
A new CNN poll showed that more of those people polled felt that Biden would unite the United States and not divide it. In fact, 55 percent said that Biden would help bring the nation together, as opposed to 38 percent who felt Trump would be the better choice to bring united amid the growing divisiveness in the U.S. Also, 53 percent of people felt that the former vice president is trustworthy, where 38 percent saw that attribute in the president.
In the replies on the tweet, some Twitter users referred to Trump as the “Divider In Chief” and noted that they saw Biden as the “Uniter In Chief.” Several also gave the latter some advice about taking the gloves off with Trump, noting that he cannot be nice during the 2020 campaign because Trump wasn’t nice in 2016 and didn’t seem to be changing course for this year’s election either.
Of course, not everybody who responded had pleasant things to say to Biden. Many asked him how Trump’s original tweet was divisive, and others attempted to point to the so-called Obamagate scandal that the president has tweeted about in recent days, with some adding a “Bidengate” hashtag.


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Coronavirus Test Used By Donald Trump And White House Staff Is Reportedly Unreliable

An NYU Langone Health study suggests that the Abbott Laboratories rapid coronavirus test used by Donald Trump and his White House staff is unreliable and creates false positives in almost half of all cases , Raw Story reported .
According to the study , the test created false negatives approximately one-third of the time when using a nasal swab for sample collection and 48 percent of the time when using a dry swab — the procedure recommended by the company .
As reported by Forbes , “ point-of-care ” tests such as the one provided by Abbott Laboratories — which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — are being used to increase testing in the United States as the country grapples with the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus .
Notably , countries that have successfully flattened their coronavirus curve have utilized mass testing to track and isolate infected individuals .
“ The fact that it misses positive samples on patients being admitted to the hospital with clinical picture of COVID19 makes this technology unacceptable in our clinical setting , ” the study reads .
The news comes after in the wake of a new policy that requires Trump and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan was implemented after staffers close to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence tested positive for COVID-19 .
As noted by Raw Story , the study is not yet peer-reviewed , and Abbott Laboratories shed doubt on the results by suggesting that it ’ s not clear if the samples were properly gathered .
Scott Stoffel , a spokesman for the company , claims that the reported rate of false negatives for the test is 0.02 percent and claims that a University of Detroit study found that test to be 98 percent accurate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journal , Abbott Laboratories recently received an emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its new “ Alinity m ” test , which can allegedly process 1,080 coronavirus tests in 24 hours .
Robert Ford , president and chief executive officer of Abbott , released a statement on the new test ’ s rollout and its importance amid the pandemic .
The company is reportedly working to install the instrument in hospitals and health systems across the country .
According to a study from Harvard University , 41 states currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safely reopen their economies .


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Joe Biden Calls For Federal Rent And Mortgage Forgiveness During Coronavirus Pandemic

Joe Biden wants Americans to have full forgiveness of rent and mortgage payments during the coronavirus pandemic .
The presumptive Democratic nominee discussed his plan for helping Americans feeling the impact of the coronavirus while appearing on Snapchat ’ s Good Luck America .
In the interview , which was also published in Vanity Fair , Biden said that rent and mortgage payments shouldn ’ t just be put off for a few months , but forgiven entirely in order to help people financially impacted by the pandemic .
“ Forgiveness .
Not paid later , forgiveness , ” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important to people who are in the lower-income strata.
” Biden said he understands that it has been difficult for state governments to offer full forgiveness of these payments , even as many states have extended bans on evictions or foreclosures amid the public health crisis .
Biden said that state revenue shortfalls could make this impossible , so said it is up to the federal government to offer forgiveness on rent and mortgage payments during the crisis .
Biden added that the coronavirus outbreak has shown the need to build a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” especially those most vulnerable to the current crisis .
He pointed out the generation just leaving college and entering the workforce will face particular difficulties .
“ We have to reform the system .
We have a chance to do that now , ” he said .
“ And people are getting out of school not having a graduation ceremony taking place .
They have no way to pay for their student debt , and they can ’ t have their jobs.
” He added that there is now an entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the teeth ” and that the government needs to help them by fundamentally changing the way the economy functions .
As Business Insider noted , Biden ’ s call for rent and mortgage forgiveness appeared to back up proposals from many of the more progressive members of the Democratic Party and could be seen as an olive branch to this branch after Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders suspended his presidential campaign .
The report noted that many progressive groups have also called for forgiveness on rent and mortgage payments , including housing advocacy organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on May 1. Business Insider added that with roughly 30 million Americans filing for unemployment since the start of the crisis and many finding it too difficult to apply for benefits that would help with mortgage or rent payments , there is a gap that experts say would be very difficult to fill .


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Donald Trump Says He Disagrees With Anthony Fauci On Reopening Schools

In a clip from an appearance set to air Thursday on Fox News , President Donald Trump claimed to disagree with Dr. Anthony Fauci on the topic of reopening American schools amid the coronavirus pandemic , Raw Story reported .
“ Anthony is a good person , a very good person , ” Trump said to host Maria Bartiromo .
“ I ’ ve disagreed with him .
I think that we have to open our schools … I totally disagree with him on schools.
” As Raw Story noted , Fauci did not specifically address school closures and reopenings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health , Education , Labor , and Pensions Committee .
Instead , Fauci warned the prematurely opening the U.S. economy would cause unnecessary suffering and death .
However , Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul took aim at Fauci ’ s opposition to reopening the economy and expressed his belief that children who can not return to school and do not have the benefit of homeschooling will disproportionately suffer .
Speaking to Bartiromo , Trump suggested that state reopenings must include open schools .
“ I think you should absolutely open the schools , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Fauci used his Tuesday testimony to express concern that some areas of the country may prematurely open without having met adequate checkpoints and developing appropriate mitigation measures to prevent a resurgence of the virus .
“ There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control , which in fact , paradoxically , will set you back , not only leading to some suffering and death that could be avoided but could even set you back on the road to try to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that coronavirus deaths are disproportionately older adults — at least 65 — the publication indicates that there is a significant undercount of children with the infectious disease .
According to the CovKid , more than 24,000 children have tested positive for the virus , and as of April 30 , and there are 20 deaths from coronavirus in children and teens across eight states .
In terms of demographics , over one-third of 3,049 children with the virus in California and Illinois were Latino .
Nevertheless , Elizabeth Pathak , an epidemiologist and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the number of children with the infection is likely higher due to the testing kit shortage and limited testing of children .
Although CNN reports that Fauci has been viewed as one of the most credible experts amid the COVID-19 crisis , he has faced scrutiny from Republicans that believe he is operating from a partisan standpoint .
Others , including Republican Rep. Liz Cheney , have pushed back against such suggestions and pointed to his long history as a public health expert for both Democratic and Republican administrations .


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Donald Trump’s Attacks On Barack Obama Could Cause Issues With A Key Demographic

President Donald Trump is trying to win over a critical demographic — black voters .
However , some believe that he may be causing problems that could keep him from winning over any more voters among the group with his renewed attacks on President Barack Obama as well as issues related to the coronavirus pandemic , The New York Times reported .
Each week the president ’ s reelection team has held weekly virtual meetings with a group called Black Voices for Trump .
In the 2016 election , Trump won over only 8 % of black voters , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demographic by touting low unemployment , criminal justice reform , and supporting traditionally black colleges .
However , with the coronavirus pandemic , the president faces a harsh reality , which is the virus appears to affect African Americans disproportionately .
Black people are dying at higher rates than other groups .
Plus , the unemployment that resulted from COVID-19 took away one of the president ’ s key selling points among black voters .
Yesterday , CNN released a poll on Tuesday that showed overall 54 % of adults in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to the coronavirus crisis has been weak .
Among black respondents , 79 % felt the government ’ s response was inadequate .
Plus , the details also showed that nearly 54 % of black adults personally know somebody who tested positive , which contrasted with 38 % of white adults and 36 % of Latino adults who knew somebody who became ill with the novel coronavirus .
Earlier today , Trump retweeted a video from Dan Scavino that featured former President Barack Obama reading a mean tweet from then citizen Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d be remembered as a president .
Trump added his own commentary to the tweet .
Although Obama was wrong with his remarks , Trump ’ s attacks on America ’ s first black president leave many people feeling that the president has little hope of winning more black voters than he did in 2016 .
Plus , in recent days , Trump had tweeted and retweeted many things about “ Obamagate , ” which The Inquisitr reported he didn ’ t explain at all when he was asked about it earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of BlackPAC , said that the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on black people are increasing disdain for the president and his response .
She also noted that her group ’ s polls showed that black voters “ do not trust him to be honest , and they don ’ t expect to get accurate information from him .
The impact is intensifying people ’ s dislike and distrust.
” Also , Mitch McConnell , who is the Senate majority leader and a strong supporter of President Trump , recently said that Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” about Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus response .
Then McConnell went on to call the former president ’ s remarks “ classless.
” Even a small increase in black voters over the 8 % he won in 2016 would help the president ’ s reelection campaign .
At this point , Trump may have lost any advantage he had built with the demographic due to the realities of the current economy and his pandemic handling along with his and other prominent Republicans ’ attacks on Obama .

President Donald Trump is trying to win over a critical demographic — black voters. However, some believe that he may be causing problems that could keep him from winning over any more voters among the group with his renewed attacks on President Barack Obama as well as issues related to the coronavirus pandemic, The New York Times reported.
Each week, the president’s reelection team has held weekly virtual meetings with a group called Black Voices for Trump. In the 2016 election, Trump won over only 8 percent of black voters, and he attempted to make gains with that demographic by touting low unemployment, criminal justice reform, and supporting traditionally black colleges. However, with the coronavirus pandemic, the president faces a harsh reality, which is the virus appears to affect African Americans disproportionately. Black people are dying at higher rates than other groups. Plus, the unemployment that resulted from COVID-19 took away one of the president’s key selling points among black voters.
Yesterday, CNN released a poll on Tuesday that showed overall 54 percent of adults in the United States felt that the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis has been weak. Among black respondents, 79 percent felt the government’s response was inadequate. Plus, the details also showed that nearly 54 percent of black adults personally know somebody who tested positive, which contrasted with 38 percent of white adults and 36 percent of Latino adults who knew somebody who became ill with the novel coronavirus.
Earlier today, Trump retweeted a video from Dan Scavino that featured former President Barack Obama reading a mean tweet from then citizen Trump, and Obama said at least he’d be remembered as a president. Trump added his own commentary to the tweet.
“Obama was always wrong!”
Although Obama was wrong with his remarks, Trump’s attacks on America’s first black president leave many people feeling that the president has little hope of winning more black voters than he did in 2016. Plus, in recent days, Trump had tweeted and retweeted many things about “Obamagate,” which The Inquisitr reported he didn’t explain at all when he was asked about it earlier this week.
Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, said that the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on black people are increasing disdain for the president and his response.
She also noted that her group’s polls showed that black voters “do not trust him to be honest, and they don’t expect to get accurate information from him. The impact is intensifying people’s dislike and distrust.”
Also, Mitch McConnell, who is the Senate majority leader and a strong supporter of President Trump, recently said that Obama “should have kept his mouth shut” about Trump’s handling of the coronavirus response. Then McConnell went on to call the former president’s remarks “classless.”
Even a small increase in black voters over the 8 percent he won in 2016 would help the president’s reelection campaign. At this point, Trump may have lost any advantage he had built with the demographic due to the realities of the current economy and his pandemic handling along with his and other prominent Republicans’ attacks on Obama.


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Poll: Donald Trump Leads In Battleground States, Trails Joe Biden Nationwide

According to a new CNN poll released on Wednesday , former Vice President Joe Biden is ahead of President Donald Trump nationwide , but Trump has an advantage in key battleground states .
Biden is polling at 51 percent nationwide , five points ahead of Trump .
In battleground states , the president is ahead of the Democratic Party ’ s presumptive presidential nominee by seven points .
The following 15 states were defined as battlegrounds : Wisconsin , Pennsylvania , Georgia , Minnesota , Nevada , North Carolina , Ohio , Florida , Maine , New Mexico , Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Michigan .
Both men appear to enjoy strong support from members of their respective parties — 95 percent of Republicans back Trump , and 95 percent of Democrats support Biden .
Fifty percent of independent voters support Trump , while 46 percent prefer Biden .
Trump is stronger among men , 50 percent of whom support him , while 46 percent back Biden .
Trump also has a healthy advantage among white voters , polling 12 percentage points ahead of the Democrat .
The candidates are tied when it comes to voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of trump among voters over age 45 and among those older than 65 .
“ Though other recent polling has shown some signs of concern for Biden among younger voters and strength among older ones , few have pegged the race as this close among younger voters , ” CNN notes .
The coronavirus pandemic and the federal government ’ s handling of the outbreak are all but certain to have tremendous implications for the 2020 presidential election .
In this respect , Biden seems to have an advantage .
Fifty-one percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to handle the pandemic , while 45 percent pick Trump .
In some areas , Trump has an advantage .
When it comes to handling the economy 54 percent of voters say Trump is a better choice than Biden , while 42 percent believe the former vice president would handle the economy better than Trump .
The respondents were also asked to assess which of the candidates has the “ stamina and sharpness ” to be president .
In this regard , Trump — who has mocked Biden ’ s mental acuity — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters consider Biden to be more honest and trustworthy than Trump , and believe he would be able to manage the government more effectively and respond competently during a crisis .
The former vice president is also seen as caring more “ about people like you .
”

According to a new CNN poll released on Wednesday, former Vice President Joe Biden is ahead of President Donald Trump nationwide, but Trump has an advantage in key battleground states.
Biden is polling at 51 percent nationwide, five points ahead of Trump. In battleground states, the president is ahead of the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee by seven points. The following 15 states were defined as battlegrounds: Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Maine, New Mexico, Arizona, New Hampshire, Virginia, Colorado, and Michigan.
Both men appear to enjoy strong support from members of their respective parties — 95 percent of Republicans back Trump, and 95 percent of Democrats support Biden. Fifty percent of independent voters support Trump, while 46 percent prefer Biden.
Trump is stronger among men, 50 percent of whom support him, while 46 percent back Biden. Trump also has a healthy advantage among white voters, polling 12 percentage points ahead of the Democrat. The candidates are tied when it comes to voters under age 45, but Biden is ahead of Trump among voters over age 45 and among those older than 65.
“Though other recent polling has shown some signs of concern for Biden among younger voters and strength among older ones, few have pegged the race as this close among younger voters,” CNN notes.
“The results suggest that younger voters in the battleground states are tilted in favor of Trump, a stark change from the last CNN poll in which battleground voters were analyzed in March, even as other demographic groups shifted to a smaller degree.”
The coronavirus pandemic and the federal government’s handling of the outbreak are all but certain to have tremendous implications for the 2020 presidential election. In this respect, Biden seems to have an advantage. Fifty-one percent of voters say they would trust Biden to handle the pandemic, while 45 percent pick Trump.
In some areas, Trump has an advantage. When it comes to handling the economy 54 percent of voters say Trump is a better choice than Biden, while 42 percent believe the former vice president would handle the economy better than Trump. The respondents were also asked to assess which of the candidates has the “stamina and sharpness” to be president. In this regard, Trump — who has mocked Biden’s mental acuity — has a three-point advantage.
Conversely, voters consider Biden to be more honest and trustworthy than Trump and believe he would be able to manage the government more effectively and respond competently during a crisis. The former vice president is also seen as caring more “about people like you.”


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Donald Trump Should Resign Out Of Patriotism After Botched Coronavirus Response, Howard Stern Says

Howard Stern has an idea for Donald Trump after what the radio host sees as a failed response to the coronavirus — resign out of patriotism .
Stern , who has described himself as a friend of Trump but has been increasingly critical of his presidency and especially his response to the coronavirus outbreak , said on Wednesday that he believes the president is far over his head and could do Americans a favor by throwing in the towel .
“ I do think it would be extremely patriotic of Donald to say , ‘ I ’ m in over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t want to be president anymore , ’ ” Stern said on his SiriusXM show , via The Hill .
“ It ’ d be so patriotic that I ’ d hug him , and then I ’ d go back to Mar-a-Lago and have a meal with him and feel good about him because it would be such an easy thing to do.
” This is not the first time that the radio host has called on Trump to resign .
He made a similar statement after Trump ’ s controversial suggestion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or ingest disinfectant as a treatment for the coronavirus .
As Breitbart noted , Stern suggested that Trump ’ s supporters could take the president ’ s advice and “ take disinfectant and all drop dead.
” As a number of medical experts were speaking out against Trump ’ s advice and warning that it would be unsafe for people to try ingesting disinfectant , Stern suggested that Trump could resign and live the rest of his days at Mar-a-Lago .
“ Do the world a favor .
You don ’ t want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mar-a-Lago .
Have a nice rest of your life , ” Stern said .
“ This guy is out of his f*cking mind .
I don ’ t know what Donald is doing.
” The call on Trump to be “ patriotic ” and resign came a day after Stern had some very harsh words for the way Trump would view his most devoted base of voters .
During his show on Tuesday , Stern said that Trump would be “ disgusted ” by the people who are voting for him , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside his luxury resort in Florida .
“ He ’ d be disgusted by them , ” he said .
“ Go to Mar-a-Lago , see if there ’ s any people who look like you .
I ’ m talking to you in the audience.
” Despite their friendship and Trump appearing many times on Stern ’ s show , the radio host endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016 and is backing Joe Biden this year , and has offered advice on how to defeat the president .


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Judge Emmet Sullivan Issues Order Allowing ‘Friend Of The Court’ Briefs After DOJ Request On Michael

Judge Emmet Sullivan Issues Order Allowing ‘Friend Of The Court’ Briefs After DOJ Request On Michael Flynn

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued an order that indicated he is not ready to accept the Department of Justice ’ s ( DOJ ) request to dismiss the case against Michael Flynn .
Before ruling on the DOJ ’ s motion , the judge will allow interested third parties to file amicus curiae , or “ friend of the court ” briefs to weigh in , according to an ABC News report .
Last Thursday , the DOJ asked the court to dismiss the case against Flynn , who is a former National Security advisor to President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for lying to the FBI about his contact with a former Russian ambassador .
United States Attorney General William Barr argued that Flynn ’ s guilty pleas needed to be thrown out because new evidence about how the FBI handled the investigation meant that the whole case was not legitimate .
Barr ’ s move stunned many people who have worked at the DOJ , and nearly 2,000 former officials with the department signed a letter calling for the Attorney General to resign , The Inquisitr reported .
After Judge Sullivan ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to file briefs in the case .
A group of former Watergate prosecutors also attempted to file a brief , and Flynn ’ s lawyers filed a motion to stop it , arguing that such a submission had no relevance to the former National Security advisor ’ s case .
According to a WBAP report , Flynn ’ s attorney ’ s said that the case should be between the defendant and the U.S. without outside parties included .
“ A criminal case is a dispute between the United States and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for third parties to meddle in the dispute , and certainly not to usurp the role of the government ’ s counsel , ” Flynn ’ s attorneys wrote .
Sullivan initially rejected the group ’ s filing because he had not detailed a schedule or process for accepting briefs at this point .
After Sullivan ’ s order on Tuesday , DOJ spokesperson Kerri Kupec spoke with Fox News .
“ Obviously the Justice Department ’ s position is pretty clear in its filing .
We do not believe this case should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , and we certainly hope that in the interest of true justice the judge ultimately agrees and drops the case against Gen. Flynn.
” For now , it is unclear how Sullivan will ultimately rule on the DOJ ’ s request to drop the case , and there is a possibility that he could move forward with the sentencing portion .
Should the judge choose to do that , Flynn ’ s lawyers would likely appeal the move .

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued an order that indicated he is not ready to accept the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request to dismiss the case against Michael Flynn. Before ruling on the DOJ’s motion, the judge will allow interested third parties to file amicus curiae, or “friend of the court” briefs to weigh in, according to an ABC News report.
Last Thursday, the DOJ asked the court to dismiss the case against Flynn, who is a former National Security advisor to President Donald Trump. He previously pleaded guilty two times for lying to the FBI about his contact with a former Russian ambassador. United States Attorney General William Barr argued that Flynn’s guilty pleas needed to be thrown out because new evidence about how the FBI handled the investigation meant that the whole case was not legitimate.
Barr’s move stunned many people who have worked at the DOJ, and nearly 2,000 former officials with the department signed a letter calling for the attorney general to resign, The Inquisitr reported. After Sullivan’s order, the former officials would be allowed to file briefs. A group of former Watergate prosecutors also attempted to file a brief, and Flynn’s lawyers filed a motion to stop it, arguing that such a submission had no relevance to the former National Security advisor’s case.
.@GenFlynn and the Trump administration have paid the price for a tax-payer funded conspiracy theory. No longer should this deep state plot be allowed to continue casting a cloud over our judicial system. pic.twitter.com/hxsSKwcPAC — Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) May 13, 2020
According to a WBAP report, Flynn’s attorney’s said that the case should be between the defendant and the U.S. without outside parties included.
“A criminal case is a dispute between the United States and a criminal defendant. There is no place for third parties to meddle in the dispute, and certainly not to usurp the role of the government’s counsel,” Flynn’s attorneys wrote.
Sullivan initially rejected the group’s filing because he had not detailed a schedule or process for accepting briefs at this point.
After Sullivan’s order on Tuesday, DOJ spokesperson Kerri Kupec spoke with Fox News.
“Obviously the Justice Department’s position is pretty clear in its filing,” she said. “We do not believe this case should have been brought, we are correcting that, and we certainly hope that in the interest of true justice the judge ultimately agrees and drops the case against Gen. Flynn.”
For now, it is unclear how Sullivan will ultimately rule on the DOJ’s request, and there is a possibility that he could move forward with the sentencing portion. Should the judge choose to do that, Flynn’s lawyers would likely appeal the move.


inquisitr--2020-05-13--America Will Face Its ‘Darkest Winter’ Ever Without Proper Pandemic Planning, HHS Whistleblower Says

Dr. Richard Bright , who filed a whistleblower complaint against his former boss at the Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) for failing to replenish personal protective equipment ( PPE ) as coronavirus spread , is preparing to issue a dire warning on the coming winter .
According to CNN , Bright ’ s prepared testimony for his Thursday appearance before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce ’ s health subcommittee will warn of the repercussions of failing to properly prepare for the pandemic .
“ Our window of opportunity is closing .
If we fail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based in science , I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged , causing unprecedented illness and fatalities , ” he is expected to say .
Bright will allegedly reiterate his belief that he was removed from his post due to his resistance to efforts to push chloroquine — which Donald Trump frequently touted as a COVID-19 cure — on the American public without transparency about the health risks it carries .
Bright is also expected to address his alleged warnings of the coming PPE shortages that he says fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflect on the past few months of this outbreak , it is painfully clear that we were not as prepared as we should have been , ” his prepared statement reportedly reads .
Bright ’ s whistleblower complaint takes particular aim at his former boss , Robert Kadlec , who he claims ignored his coronavirus warnings and ultimately removed him from his position after the virus became a severe public health issue .
As reported by Politico , a former HHS official claimed that Bright was a target for removal from the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who they called a “ tight-knit cadre ” of Trump supporters .
Conversely , other current and former HSS staff painted a less clear picture of Bright , with some suggesting he was inspiring and others that he alienated others .
Regardless , Politico reports that the staff confirmed at least part of Bright ’ s complaint — that the Trump administration put an “ unusual ” degree of political pressure on the department to ignore questions about chloroquine ’ s effectiveness and safety for coronavirus treatment .
The HHS has pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s whistleblower complaint .
As for Bright , his attorney , Debra Katz , suggested that he expected attacks on his reputation after filing his complaint and stands by his claims .


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Fails To Earn 15 Signatures Needed For Ballot Spot

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez committed an election gaffe by failing to receive signatures needed for her spot on the Working Families Party ballot line .
Though the blunder will likely not affect Ms. Ocasio-Cortez ’ s odds of winning her seat again in the upcoming fall election , the incident comes amidst rumors of internal issues in her campaign .
According to The New York Times , Ocasio-Cortez will not appear on the Work Families Party ballot in either the Democratic primary or the general election after failing to collect the 15 required signatures .
Though the minimum is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo reduced the number of necessary signatures by 30 percent in an executive order signed earlier in April .
The emergency law sought to give relief to political campaigns during the state lockdown orders due to the coronavirus pandemic , which has made New York City the biggest COVID-19 hotspot in the world .
But despite the decreased number of signatures , Ocasio-Cortez still managed to collect just 13 names , two shy of the needed minimum .
The freshman congresswoman ’ s Democratic primary opponent , former CNBC anchor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing the matter to court .
Queens Supreme Court Judge Phillip Hom accordingly struck Ocasio-Cortez from the ballot line .
Caruso-Cabrera celebrated the ruling , claiming that the lack of signatures showed that New York neighborhoods don ’ t “ want ” the 30-year-old .
“ The AOC campaign is in shock .
She has hurt working people of the Bronx and Queens with her votes and creates disunity within our party , ” Caruso-Cabrera said , according to PJ Media .
Caruso-Cabrera then hinted at discord in Ocasio-Cortez ’ s campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her in March , ” Caruso-Cabrera added , referring to Corbin Trent .
Trent abruptly left the campaign in what many politicos considered a shock move , per The New York Post .
Trent continued to raise eyebrows after he appeared to scrub all affiliation to the freshman congresswoman from his Twitter account .
“ No wonder why pro-union forces don ’ t want her and neither do our neighborhoods , ” Caruso-Cabrera concluded .
However , the Ocasio-Cortez campaign remained unfazed despite the blunder .
“ Congrats to them for finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to change the outcome of the election , ” Lauren Hitt , a spokeswoman for Ocasio-Cortez , returned , adding that her team did not to potentially spread the virus .
Ocasio-Cortez still has the endorsement of the Working Families party , even if she will not appear on their ballot line .
Ocasio-Cortez shot to fame after an upset victory in 2018 made her the youngest congresswoman in history .
She has often been a target of President Donald Trump , who recently joked that he had asked Anthony Fauci to @ @ @ @ @

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez committed an election gaffe by failing to receive signatures needed for her spot on the Working Families Party ballot line. Though the blunder will likely not affect Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s odds of winning her seat again in the upcoming fall election, the incident comes amidst rumors of internal issues in her campaign.
According to The New York Times, Ocasio-Cortez will not appear on the Work Families Party ballot in either the Democratic primary or the general election after failing to collect the 15 required signatures.
Though the minimum is generally higher, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reduced the number of necessary signatures by 30 percent in an executive order signed earlier in April. The emergency law sought to give relief to political campaigns during the state lockdown orders due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has made New York City the biggest COVID-19 hotspot in the world.
But despite the decreased number of signatures, Ocasio-Cortez still managed to collect just 13 names, two shy of the needed minimum.
The freshman congresswoman’s Democratic primary opponent, former CNBC anchor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, saw the opening and took advantage by bringing the matter to court. Queens Supreme Court Judge Phillip Hom accordingly struck Ocasio-Cortez from the ballot line.
Caruso-Cabrera celebrated the ruling, claiming that the lack of signatures showed that New York neighborhoods don’t “want” the 30-year-old.
“The AOC campaign is in shock. She has hurt working people of the Bronx and Queens with her votes and creates disunity within our party,” Caruso-Cabrera said, according to PJ Media.
Caruso-Cabrera then hinted at discord in Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign.
“Her own campaign spokesman ran away from her in March,” Caruso-Cabrera added, referring to Corbin Trent. Trent abruptly left the campaign in what many politicos considered a shock move, per The New York Post. Trent continued to raise eyebrows after he appeared to scrub all affiliation to the freshman congresswoman from his Twitter account.
“No wonder why pro-union forces don’t want her and neither do our neighborhoods,” Caruso-Cabrera concluded.
However, the Ocasio-Cortez campaign remained unfazed despite the blunder.
“Congrats to them for finding technicalities, but it’s not going to change the outcome of the election,” Lauren Hitt, a spokeswoman for Ocasio-Cortez, returned, adding that her team did not to potentially spread the virus.
Ocasio-Cortez still has the endorsement of the Working Families party, even if she will not appear on their ballot line.
Ocasio-Cortez shot to fame after an upset victory in 2018 made her the youngest congresswoman in history. She has often been a target of President Donald Trump, who recently joked that he had asked Anthony Fauci to run against the 30-year-old.


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Jared Kushner On Possible November Election Postponement: ‘I’m Not Sure I Can Commit One Way Or The

Jared Kushner On Possible November Election Postponement: ‘I’m Not Sure I Can Commit One Way Or The Other’

In a Tuesday interview with TIME , Jared Kushner , senior advisor to Donald Trump , said he could not commit with certainty to the November 3 election date .
“ I ’ m not sure I can commit one way or the other , but right now that ’ s the plan , ” he said , when pressed about the possibility of the election being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Kushner ’ s comment comes as theories swirl about the possibility of Trump attempting to cancel the November election .
As noted by Elliot Hannon in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not aware of any discussions about moving the date of the vote , though Hannon remained skeptical .
“ That would be reassuring , but these guys lie about anything and everything , even the things that don ’ t matter and they didn ’ t need to lie about in the first place , ” he wrote .
A 2014 report from the Congressional Research Service concluded that the president and his staff could not postpone an election , even in the case of an emergency , CNN reported .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dictates Trump ’ s current presidential term ends on January 20 , 2021 , even in the absence of a preceding election .
While Kushner acknowledged that the executive branch doesn ’ t theoretically have the power to unilaterally postpone the election , Hannon noted that the president and his administration have circumvented Congress previously and on numerous occasions .
“ You don ’ t think that could happen again ?
” he asked .
As The Inquisitr previously reported , presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden predicted Trump would attempt to postpone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
He pointed to Trump ’ s resistance to funding the postal service and suggested it ’ s part of a plan to block vote-by-mail efforts that top Democrats — including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — are pushing to implement amid the coronavirus pandemic .
According to Trump , such efforts are part of a Democratic-led plan to rig the election .
Trump previously pushed back against suggestions that he was planning to postpone the election and said he looks forward to November 3 , when he will face off against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , only one federal election has been postponed in U.S. history — the 2018 race for the U.S. House Delegate in the Northern Mariana Islands , which was hit by a super typhoon before the event .

In a Tuesday interview with TIME, Jared Kushner, senior advisor to Donald Trump, said he could not commit with certainty to the November 3 election date.
“I’m not sure I can commit one way or the other, but right now that’s the plan,” he said, when pressed about the possibility of the election being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Hopefully by the time we get to September, October, November, we’ve done enough work with testing and with all the different things we’re trying to do to prevent a future outbreak of the magnitude that would make us shut down again.”
Kushner’s comment comes as theories swirl about the possibility of Trump attempting to cancel the November election. As noted by Elliot Hannon in Slate, Kushner later clarified that he was not aware of any discussions about moving the date of the vote, though Hannon remained skeptical.
“That would be reassuring, but these guys lie about anything and everything, even the things that don’t matter and they didn’t need to lie about in the first place,” he wrote.
A 2014 report from the Congressional Research Service concluded that the president and his staff could not postpone an election, even in the case of an emergency, CNN reported. In addition, the publication noted the Constitution dictates Trump’s current presidential term ends on January 20, 2021, even in the absence of a preceding election.
While Kushner acknowledged that the executive branch doesn’t theoretically have the power to unilaterally postpone the election, Hannon noted that the president and his administration have circumvented Congress previously and on numerous occasions.
“You don’t think that could happen again?” he asked.
As The Inquisitr previously reported, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden predicted Trump would attempt to postpone the election in a virtual fundraiser last month. He pointed to Trump’s resistance to funding the postal service and suggested it’s part of a plan to block vote-by-mail efforts that top Democrats — including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — are pushing to implement amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to Trump, such efforts are part of a Democratic-led plan to rig the election.
Trump previously pushed back against suggestions that he was planning to postpone the election and said he looks forward to November 3, when he will face off against the Democratic nominee.
According to Congressional research, only one federal election has been postponed in U.S. history — the 2018 race for the U.S. House Delegate in the Northern Mariana Islands, which was hit by a super typhoon before the event.


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Tara Reade’s Lawyer Slams Chuck Schumer’s ‘Nonsensical’ Defense Of Joe Biden

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer recently defended presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden from the accusations of sexual assault leveled against him by Tara Reade .
Per Breitbart , Reade ’ s lawyer , Douglas Wigdor , reached out to the publication and slammed Schumer ’ s “ nonsensical ” response .
“ Schumer ’ s comment is absolutely nonsensical as Biden hasn ’ t provided any explanation .
Is Schumer simply accepting Biden ’ s blanket denial ?
Seems like a complete double standard.
” As reported by Politico , Schumer noted that the # MeToo movement has helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his defense of Biden .
Schumer previously took the side of Christine Blasey Ford , who accused Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her .
As reported by Fox News , Schumer was one of the first top Democrats to say that Kavanaugh ’ s nomination — which eventually passed — should be put on hold in light of Ford ’ s allegations .
Schumer suggested “ a whole lot of questions ” should be asked about the situation .
“ They should go interview Professor Ford .
They should interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole lot of questions… And then I think , in my view , the public will see that these allegations are true.
” As noted by Fox News , Schumer has not asked for similar investigations into Reade ’ s claims against Biden or supported calls for the release of his Senate records at the University of Delaware .
Reade has accused Biden of sexually assaulting her during her time at his Delaware Senate office , which Biden and his campaign have denied .
Wigdor previously called on Biden ’ s campaign to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate papers from his time as a Delaware Senator .
Thus far , Biden has refused to make the documents public and told MSNBC ’ s Mika Brzezinski he believes the information within them could be “ taken out of context.
” Although Biden ’ s refusal to release his Senate records has been seen as suspicious , David Harsanyi argues in the National Review that the move might be due to reasons not connected to Reade ’ s accusation .
According to Harsanyi , the papers will reveal Biden ‘ s past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrary to those that form the foundation of his current campaign .
This revelation , Harsanyi argues , will put Biden in the uncomfortable position of defending his about-turns in significant policy stances .

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer recently defended presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden from the accusations of sexual assault leveled against him by Tara Reade. Per Breitbart, Reade’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, reached out to the publication and slammed Schumer’s “nonsensical” response.
“Schumer’s comment is absolutely nonsensical as Biden hasn’t provided any explanation. Is Schumer simply accepting Biden’s blanket denial? Seems like a complete double standard.”
As reported by Politico, Schumer noted that the #MeToo movement has helped women have their stories heard before offering his defense of Biden.
“Now I’ve heard Joe Biden’s explanation. I think it’s sufficient. I think he will be a great candidate. I think he will be a great president. And I think he will help us take back the Senate.”
Schumer previously took the side of Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her. As reported by Fox News, Schumer was one of the first top Democrats to say that Kavanaugh’s nomination — which eventually passed — should be put on hold in light of Ford’s allegations. Schumer suggested “a whole lot of questions” should be asked about the situation.
“They should go interview Professor Ford. They should interview Judge Kavanaugh. They should ask a whole lot of questions… And then I think, in my view, the public will see that these allegations are true.”
As noted by Fox News, Schumer has not asked for similar investigations into Reade’s claims against Biden or supported calls for the release of his Senate records at the University of Delaware. Reade has accused Biden of sexually assaulting her during her time at his Delaware Senate office, which Biden and his campaign have denied.
Wigdor previously called on Biden’s campaign to release the former vice president’s Senate papers from his time as a Delaware Senator. Thus far, Biden has refused to make the documents public and told MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski he believes the information within them could be “taken out of context.”
Although Biden’s refusal to release his Senate records has been seen as suspicious, David Harsanyi argues in the National Review that the move might be due to reasons not connected to Reade’s accusation. According to Harsanyi, the papers will reveal Biden‘s past political positions, many of which run contrary to those that form the foundation of his current campaign. This revelation, Harsanyi argues, will put Biden in the uncomfortable position of defending his about-turns in significant policy stances.


inquisitr--2020-05-13--Barack Obama’s Recent Comments Are ‘Irking’ Donald Trump And Republican Lawmakers, Report Says

A recent phone conversation reportedly captured former President Barack Obama vocalizing criticism of Donald Trump ‘ s administration amid the coronavirus pandemic and it ’ s “ irking ” the president and his Republican allies , The Hill reported .
“ I think President Obama should have kept his mouth shut , ” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said of Obama ’ s criticism of the Trump administration ’ s pandemic response .
“ I don ’ t think he [ Obama ] has much to say because there wasn ’ t much put in place , ” Republican Senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports of the Obama administration ’ s failures in regards to pandemic preparedness .
As reported by Politico , White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow expressed bewilderment at the former president ’ s alleged criticism of the Trump administration ’ s purportedly chaotic response to COVID-19 .
Although Kudlow admitted the response hasn ’ t been perfect , he pointed to the recent relief packages as evidence of their successful approach to the virus .
Obama ’ s comments on the Department of Justice ’ s decision to drop charges against Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn , also appear to have ruffled some feathers .
“ I think that what I ’ m more interested in is all the news that came out about Obamagate… .
I think he ’ s going to be thrown into the conversation , ” Braun said .
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley took things a step further and claimed the former president was involved in the investigation of Flynn and subsequent charges .
GOP Senator Rand Paul echoed Grassley and said he believes Obama was “ directly involved ” with the Flynn case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the comments , which run contrary to the precedent set by former President George W. Bush .
Republican Senators Kevin Cramer and John Coryn expressed indifference .
Notably , Coryn expressed his belief that Obama has the right to express his opinions as much as those who disagree with him .
Before the recently reported conversation , Obama took aim at Trump and the GOP in his endorsement video of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , Business Insider reported .
Although the former president avoided directly naming Trump , he used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican Party ’ s attacks on Obamacare as well as their focus on tax cuts for the wealthy .
He suggested that Trump and the GOP run contrary to the value of government , the rule of law , and honest leadership that seeks to inform as opposed to divide the public .

A recent phone conversation reportedly captured former President Barack Obama vocalizing criticism of Donald Trump‘s administration amid the coronavirus pandemic and it’s “irking” the president and his Republican allies, The Hill reported.
“I think President Obama should have kept his mouth shut,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said of Obama’s criticism of the Trump administration’s pandemic response.
“I don’t think he [Obama] has much to say because there wasn’t much put in place,” Republican Senator Mike Braun said, likely referring to reports of the Obama administration’s failures in regards to pandemic preparedness.
As reported by Politico, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow expressed bewilderment at the former president’s alleged criticism of the Trump administration’s purportedly chaotic response to COVID-19. Although Kudlow admitted the response hasn’t been perfect, he pointed to the recent relief packages as evidence of their successful approach to the virus.
Obama’s comments on the Department of Justice’s decision to drop charges against Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, also appear to have ruffled some feathers.
“I think that what I’m more interested in is all the news that came out about Obamagate…. I think he’s going to be thrown into the conversation,” Braun said.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley took things a step further and claimed the former president was involved in the investigation of Flynn and subsequent charges.
“It’s pretty clear that Obama had his fingers in this…. And the Flynn problems were part of an effort that — the Democrats actually thought that they could cut short this presidency by probably three and a half years.”
GOP Senator Rand Paul echoed Grassley and said he believes Obama was “directly involved” with the Flynn case.
Others were less bothered by reports of the comments, which run contrary to the precedent set by former President George W. Bush. Republican Senators Kevin Cramer and John Coryn expressed indifference. Notably, Coryn expressed his belief that Obama has the right to express his opinions as much as those who disagree with him.
In a leaked phone call to former staffers, Barack Obama describes the U.S. response to the coronavirus crisis as an "absolute chaotic disaster." pic.twitter.com/aDebo1OKlT — Brut America (@brutamerica) May 10, 2020
Before the recently reported conversation, Obama took aim at Trump and the GOP in his endorsement video of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, Business Insider reported. Although the former president avoided directly naming Trump, he used the 12-minute video to highlight Trump and the Republican Party’s attacks on Obamacare as well as their focus on tax cuts for the wealthy. He suggested that Trump and the GOP run contrary to the value of government, the rule of law, and honest leadership that seeks to inform as opposed to divide the public.


inquisitr--2020-05-14--‘Trump Death Clock’ Billboard In Times Square Blames President For 50K Dead Americans From Coronavir

‘Trump Death Clock’ Billboard In Times Square Blames President For 50K Dead Americans From Coronavirus

A Times Square billboard is taking aim at Donald Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus , keeping a running tally of all deaths from the virus in the United States under the words “ Trump Death Clock.
” As the Independent reported , the digital counter was a project from filmmaker and Trump critic Eugene Jarecki , who said it was meant as a reminder of the lives lost through the inaction of the Trump administration .
Though the billboard went up earlier in the month , it attracted some viral attention as the death toll for the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases topped 1.4 million — more than one-quarter of all reported cases around the world .
The Trump Death Clock blamed more than 50,000 of these on Trump ’ s lack of action in the critical early days .
Jarecki had originally offered his criticism in a Washington Post op-ed , saying he does not want the nation ’ s suffering from the coronavirus to go overlooked and wants Americans to know that it could have been prevented .
“ This suffering can not be forgotten .
As of today , tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a consequence of the administration ’ s failure to act sooner , so it ’ s no wonder the president excoriates reporters who ask him why he waited so long to implement the guidelines , ” Jarecki wrote .
As the Independent ’ s report noted , the Trump Death Clock uses an estimation that 60 percent of coronavirus deaths in the United States could have been avoided had the Trump administration heeded early warnings in February that the pandemic was coming .
As epidemiologists Britta L. Jewell and Nicholas P. Jewell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times , the White House did not issue social distancing guidelines until March 16 , but by then it was too late to stop the coming surge .
“ But an estimated 90 percent of the cumulative deaths in the United States from Covid-19 , at least from the first wave of the epidemic , might have been prevented by putting social distancing policies into effect two weeks earlier , on March 2 , when there were only 11 deaths in the entire country , ” they wrote , adding that even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place just one week earlier , there would have been a 60 percent reduction in total deaths .
Jarecki said the idea for the Trump Death Count billboard was floated by people who had read his editorial and suggested he do something to show more people .
The filmmaker said he inquired about prices for advertisements in Time Square and found that it was much lower than he expected , as there are few people out walking in the famous New York City center to see it and prices have dropped considerably .


inquisitr--2020-05-14--Former VP Joe Biden Backs Anthony Fauci Amid Trump Criticism

President Donald Trump and one of his top advisors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci , are seemingly at odds after the president criticized Fauci ’ s recent Senate testimony on Wednesday .
However , presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden believes that Trump continues to miss the mark with regards to the novel coronavirus , expressing support for Fauci via Twitter .
In addition to retweeting a CNN story about GOP senators being split on Fauci ’ s admonishment that the U.S. may be reopening too quickly , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and took aim at Trump ’ s past statements on treating the virus .
Fauci and three other high-ranking administration officials testified before a Senate Committee on Tuesday as the legislative body aims to track the administration ’ s progress in mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country .
During Fauci ’ s testimony , Kentucky Senator Rand Paul — a medical doctor in his own right — sparred with the infectious disease expert on the issue of keeping schools closed .
While Fauci testified specifically with regards to reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also pointed out that children are not exempt from potentially becoming infected .
Meanwhile , Paul pointedly declared that keeping schools closed would be “ a huge mistake.
” As reported by The Inquisitr , President Trump has taken the same stance as Paul and is vehemently against the notion of keeping schools closed .
Trump even went so far as to deem that portion of Fauci ’ s testimony as being “ unacceptable , ” per Politico .
“ I was surprised by his answer , actually , because , you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , it ’ s not an acceptable answer , especially when it comes to schools , ” Trump said during a meeting with governors at the White House .
For his part , Biden has consistently espoused a more cautious approach to reopening the American economy , expressing concern that doing so too quickly and/or without the proper safety protocols in place could make the crisis even worse than it already is in the U.S. During a Tuesday appearance on Good Morning America , Biden said that he would advise governors to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider the science as they weigh the merits of reopening commerce .
He went on to assess Trump ’ s response to the pandemic as being “ incompetent .
”


inquisitr--2020-05-14--Wisconsin Supreme Court Blocks The State’s Stay-At-Home Order Extension

Wisconsin ‘ s Republican-led Legislature declared a major win today when they voted to overturn the state ’ s stay-at-home order extension .
CNN reported that the court ruled Democratic Governor Tony Evers ’ administration overstepped its authority when they worked alongside the Department of Health Services to extend the order through May 26 .
The lawsuit was initially filed last month against the Andrea Palm , the department ’ s secretary-designee , and other officials .
The department issued an extension of the “ Safer At Home ” emergency order in April , although they also relaxed some restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extension , they also loosened restrictions on some businesses like public libraries and golf courses .
The Republicans argued that the continuance of the order would result in numerous residents losing their jobs and severely harm the economy , leaving the state “ in shambles.
” “ An agency can not confer on itself the power to dictate the lives of law-abiding individuals as comprehensively as the order does without reaching beyond the executive branch ’ s authority , ” said the justices in the decision made earlier today .
Gov .
Evers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March .
Evers has not yet responded to the court ’ s latest ruling .
When the Republicans first filed the lawsuit against Palm , Evers criticized the decision , claiming the Republican leaders were “ focused entirely on how to get legislative Republicans more power ” and “ exploiting a global pandemic to further their attempts to undermine the will of the people.
” He continued , saying he felt that the Republicans were forcing his administration to seek permission to enact life-saving measures for state residents .
On the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Republican Speaker Robin Vos argued that the administration was overreaching and not allowing the people to have a voice in the decision to extend the stay-at-home order .
In a joint statement , they claimed the extension was an example of Evers abusing his power , which led to the political party taking the case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court .
The Democratic party felt the virus would spread and claim many more lives if the stay-at-home order was lifted too soon while the Republicans felt Evers ’ administration was not being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of infected has decreased .
The article stated that Wisconsin currently has more than 10,900 confirmed cases and over 420 deaths .


inquisitr--2020-05-15--Donald Trump Suggests Coronavirus Testing Is ‘Overrated’ As Experts Say More Is Needed To Reopen Eco

Donald Trump Suggests Coronavirus Testing Is ‘Overrated’ As Experts Say More Is Needed To Reopen Economy

Donald Trump suggested that the practice of widespread testing for the coronavirus is “ overrated , ” despite medical experts saying the nation needs to drastically ramp up its testing capabilities in order to widely reopen the economy .
Trump made the remarks during a visit to a medical equipment distribution center in Pennsylvania on Thursday , a visit where he announced that the United States had just topped 10 million overall tests given since the start of the coronavirus outbreak .
“ We have the best testing in the world , ” Trump said , via The Hill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , frankly , overrated .
Maybe it is overrated.
” Trump went on to say that the high volume of tests given is the real reason for the high number of cases in the United States , suggesting that other countries may have higher numbers if they were to conduct more tests .
“ We have more cases than anybody in the world , but why ?
Because we do more testing , ” Trump said .
“ When you test , you have a case .
When you test you find something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t do any testing , we would have very few cases .
They don ’ t want to write that .
It ’ s common sense .
We test much more.
” Trump ’ s recent boasts about the number of coronavirus tests have been disputed by critics who noted that the United States lags behind a number of other countries in number of tests distributed per 1,000 people .
As CNN reported , as Trump held a daily coronavirus briefing standing in front of a large sign that read “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” studies showed that the United States ranked No .
22 in the world in number of tests per 1,000 people .
The report noted that public health experts say the U.S. is not conducting enough tests to safely reopen the economy , including the Harvard Global Health Institute that said close to 900,000 tests should be given every day by May 15 .
Trump said this week that the U.S. is conducting close to 300,000 tests every day .
As The Inquisitr reported , Trump has previously said that more testing would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would cause the number of people found to be positive to rise as well .
He also suggested that some of the stringent restrictions put in place in states across the country in an effort to slow the spread of the virus may actually be intended to hurt him politically and ding his chances of winning the election in November .


inquisitr--2020-05-14--Barack Obama Posts One-Word Tweet After Donald Trump’s ‘Obamagate’ Attacks: ‘Vote’

Barack Obama posted a short message after a series of attacks from Donald Trump over what the president has called “ Obamagate , ” a scandal that Trump has so far declined to offer details about .
The tweet from Obama came after days of attacks from Trump , which included a series of tweets Thursday that accused the former president of having committed crimes .
While Obama did not mention Trump directly in his message , which was also shared on Facebook and Instagram , it followed in Obama ’ s past responses to attacks from opponents by telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than engaging in arguments .
Earlier on Thursday , Trump had asked that Republican senators call Obama to testify over unexplained wrongdoing that appeared to be related to the Russia investigation .
Trump singled out Senator Lindsey Graham , chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee , which is investigating the origin of the FBI ’ s inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
“ If I were a Senator or Congressman , the first person I would call to testify about the biggest political crime and scandal in the history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is former President Obama , ” Trump tweeted .
“ He knew EVERYTHING.
” But Graham put off Trump ’ s suggestion , releasing a statement saying that while his committee was planning to provide oversight on everything related to the Russia investigation , he was not keen on calling Obama as he believed it was set a bad precedent .
“ I am greatly concerned about the precedent that would be set by calling a former president for oversight , ” Graham said in a statement , via USA Today .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , the presidency has executive privilege claims against other branches of government.
” As The Inquisitr reported earlier in the week , Trump declined to offer details on the crime he claims that Obama has committed .
After Trump had tweeted that Obama was responsible for the “ biggest political crime in American history , ” a reporter pressed Trump to describe exactly what crime he believed the former president had committed .
Trump did not answer directly , instead saying that the “ crime is very obvious to everybody.
” Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama are related to the Department of Justice ’ s prosecution of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn , who had pleaded guilty to lying about his contacts with Russia .
The Justice Department announced earlier this month that it was dropping its case against Flynn .

Barack Obama posted a short message after a series of attacks from Donald Trump over what the president has called “Obamagate,” a scandal that Trump has so far declined to offer details about.
Obama’s one-word response to Trump was “vote.”
The tweet from Obama came after days of attacks from Trump, which included a series of tweets Thursday that accused the former president of having committed crimes. While Obama did not mention Trump directly in his message, which was also shared on Facebook and Instagram, it followed in Obama’s past responses to attacks from opponents by telling people to focus their energy on voting rather than engaging in arguments.
Earlier on Thursday, Trump had asked Republican senators to call Obama to testify over unexplained wrongdoing that appeared to be related to the Russia investigation. Trump singled out Sen. Lindsey Graham, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is investigating the origin of the FBI’s inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“If I were a Senator or Congressman, the first person I would call to testify about the biggest political crime and scandal in the history of the USA, by FAR, is former President Obama,” Trump tweeted. “He knew EVERYTHING.”
But Graham put off Trump’s suggestion, releasing a statement saying that while his committee was planning to provide oversight on everything related to the Russia investigation, he was not keen on calling Obama as he believed it would set a bad precedent.
“I am greatly concerned about the precedent that would be set by calling a former president for oversight,” Graham said in a statement, via USA Today. “No president is above the law. However, the presidency has executive privilege claims against other branches of government.”
As The Inquisitr reported earlier in the week, Trump declined to offer details on the crime he claims that Obama has committed. After Trump had tweeted that Obama was responsible for the “biggest political crime in American history,” a reporter pressed Trump to describe exactly what crime he believed the former president had committed. Trump did not answer directly, instead saying that the “crime is very obvious to everybody.”
Many believe that Trump’s attacks on Obama are related to the Department of Justice’s prosecution of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying about his contacts with Russia. The Justice Department announced earlier this month that it was dropping its case against Flynn.


inquisitr--2020-05-14--Justin Amash Slams Joe Biden For Bragging About His Role In Writing The Patriot Act

Just days after he attacked Mitch McConnell ‘ s plan to expand the Patriot Act , Libertarian congressman Justin Amash attacked Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for his support of the post-September 11 anti-terrorism legislation .
“ As the Senate debates reauthorizing the anti-privacy Patriot Act , let ’ s recall that Senator Joe Biden cosponsored the Patriot Act , voted for it , complained it didn ’ t go far enough , voted for it again , voted for it *again* , and publicly bragged that he ‘ wrote that bill , ' ” Amash tweeted on Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of U.S. law enforcement agencies when identifying possible terrorists .
Critics of the legislation , including Amash , point to its potential for abuse and use on American citizens .
As reported by The Washington Post in 2011 , the act has been used significantly more to target drug dealers than terrorists .
At the time of the article , the Patriot Act was used in 1,618 drug cases and just 15 terrorism cases .
As reported by BuzzFeed News , Biden has publicly taken credit for the Patriot Act on many occasions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in ’ 94 that had a lot of these things in it , ” Biden said in 2001 , referring to the Omnibus Counterterrorism Act of 1995 .
In 2002 , Biden claimed that Attorney General John Ashcroft called him to confirm that the Patriot Act was essentially his 1994 crime bill .
Notably , former President Bill Clinton , who signed the 1994 crime bill into law , claimed that it substantially exacerbated the problems it intended to fix .
Although Biden voted for the Patriot Act in 2001 , he expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For example , he said in 2001 that he was in favor of using the act to gather telephone logs but not the content of the calls .
Per Vox , the Senate voted on Wednesday to expand the powers of the Patriot Act to allow the surveillance of Americans ’ internet browsing and search history ; an amendment to prevent such monitoring failed to pass by just one vote .
McConnell allegedly drove the expansion along with the help of Donald Trump and his allies , who are supposedly working together to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr .
As Amash previously highlighted , Barr has expressed support of the Patriot Act as well as criticism of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for its alleged restrictiveness .

Just days after he attacked Mitch McConnell‘s plan to expand the Patriot Act, Libertarian congressman Justin Amash attacked Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden for his support of the post-September 11 anti-terrorism legislation.
“As the Senate debates reauthorizing the anti-privacy Patriot Act, let’s recall that Senator Joe Biden co-sponsored the Patriot Act, voted for it, complained it didn’t go far enough, voted for it again, voted for it *again*, and publicly bragged that he ‘wrote that bill,'” Amash tweeted on Wednesday.
The Patriot Act broadened the surveillance powers of U.S. law enforcement agencies when identifying possible terrorists. Critics of the legislation, including Amash, point to its potential for abuse and use on American citizens. As reported by The Washington Post in 2011, the act has been used significantly more often to target drug dealers than terrorists. At the time of the article, it was used in 1,618 drug cases and just 15 terrorism cases.
As reported by BuzzFeed News, Biden has publicly taken credit for the Patriot Act on many occasions.
“I introduced the terrorism bill in ’94 that had a lot of these things in it,” Biden said in 2001, referring to the Omnibus Counterterrorism Act of 1995.
In 2002, Biden claimed that Attorney General John Ashcroft called him to confirm that the Patriot Act was essentially his 1994 crime bill.
“Civil libertarians were opposed to it. Right after 1994, and you can ask the attorney general this, because I got a call when he introduced the Patriot Act. He said, ‘Joe, I’m introducing the act basically as you wrote it in 1994.'”
Notably, former President Bill Clinton, who signed the 1994 crime bill into law, claimed that it substantially exacerbated the problems it intended to fix.
Although Biden voted for the Patriot Act in 2001, he expressed support for certain limitations of the law. For example, he said in 2001 that he was in favor of using it to gather telephone logs but not the content of the calls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7VSBz9vsXQ
Per Vox, the Senate voted on Wednesday to expand the powers of the Patriot Act to allow the surveillance of Americans’ internet browsing and search history — an amendment to prevent such monitoring failed to pass by just one vote. McConnell allegedly drove the expansion along with the help of Donald Trump and his allies, who are supposedly working together to expand the powers of Attorney General William Barr.
As Amash previously highlighted, Barr has expressed support of the Patriot Act, as well as criticism of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for its alleged restrictiveness.


inquisitr--2020-05-14--Donald Trump Attacks Barack Obama For Making F-35s ‘All Over The World’

During his Wednesday Fox Business interview with Maria Bartiromo , President Donald Trump expressed his misgivings with the supply chain of the F-35s , which he claimed are made “ all over the world.
” As reported by Raw Story , he also accused former President Barack Obama of playing a role in establishing this globalized chain .
“ I could tell you hundreds of stories of the stupidity that I ’ ve seen , ” Trump said .
“ As an example , we make a fighter jet .
It ’ s a certain fighter jet .
I won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it happens to be the F-35 , okay ?
… And we make parts for this jet all over the world — we make them in Turkey , we make them here , we make them there — because President Obama and others — I ’ m not just blaming him — thought it was a wonderful thing.
” In a subsequent tweet by air war reporter Valerie Insinna , the Defense News journalist pushed back on Trump ’ s claims and suggested he ’ s “ bending the truth at best.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was supportive of the globalized structure of the F-35 program , she notes that the jet ’ s supply chain would have mainly been solidified when Obama stepped into office in 2008 .
She notes that its first flight was in 2006 and that suppliers would likely have been selected before the aircraft contract was awarded in 2001 .
According to Insinna , the supply chain of the F-35 was “ always in flux , ” which she claims is consistent with its “ overall vision ” This aircraft , she says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. military but also for America ’ s allies and partners .
In addition , the development of the F-35 was allegedly funded by many of these allies in return for industrial work .
Insinna claims that the project was not conceptualized by “ any one president ” and pointed to the benefits of an aircraft that is shared by allies .
As outlined in her piece for Defense News , Insinna notes that the shared structure of F-35s was a benefit for the Pentagon as it allowed them to coordinate with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it helped the Defense Department by providing them with a means of purchasing cheaper planes .
As of now , there are eight partner nations involved in the F-35 program : the United States , the United Kingdom , Canada , Australia , Denmark , Norway , Italy , the Netherlands .
Turkey was part of the original group of nine but was removed from the program last year after its investment in the Russian S-400 air defense system .
Trump has been lashing out at Obama in recent months .
As The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama just one day after his Fox News interview and accused Obama of being involved in unspecified crimes related to the FBI investigation of his 2016 presidential campaign .

During his Wednesday Fox Business interview with Maria Bartiromo, President Donald Trump expressed his misgivings with the supply chain of the F-35s, which he claimed are made “all over the world.” As reported by Raw Story, he also accused former President Barack Obama of playing a role in establishing this globalized chain.
“I could tell you hundreds of stories of the stupidity that I’ve seen,” Trump said.
“As an example, we make a fighter jet. It’s a certain fighter jet. I won’t tell you which, but it happens to be the F-35, okay? … And we make parts for this jet all over the world — we make them in Turkey, we make them here, we make them there — because President Obama and others — I’m not just blaming him — thought it was a wonderful thing.”
In a subsequent tweet by air war reporter Valerie Insinna, the Defense News journalist pushed back on Trump’s claims and suggested he’s “bending the truth at best.”
Although Insinna says that the Obama administration was supportive of the globalized structure of the F-35 program, she notes that the jet’s supply chain would have mainly been solidified when Obama took office in 2008. She notes that its first flight was in 2006 and that suppliers would likely have been selected before the aircraft contract was awarded in 2001.
"I won't tell you which but it happens to be the F35" pic.twitter.com/rHyTklfyJ1 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 14, 2020
According to Insinna, the supply chain of the F-35 was “always in flux,” which she claims is consistent with its “overall vision.” This aircraft, she says, was created not just for use by the U.S. military, but also for America’s allies and partners.
In addition, the development of the F-35 was allegedly funded by many of these allies in return for industrial work. Insinna claims that the project was not conceptualized by “any one president” and pointed to the benefits of an aircraft that is shared by allies.
As outlined in her piece for Defense News, Insinna notes that the shared structure of the F-35s was a benefit for the Pentagon as it allowed them to coordinate with allies more effectively. She also claims it helped the Defense Department by providing them with a means of purchasing cheaper planes.
As of now, there are eight partner nations involved in the F-35 program: the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia, Denmark, Norway, Italy, and the Netherlands. Turkey was part of the original group of nine, but was removed from the program last year after its investment in the Russian S-400 air defense system.
Trump has been lashing out at Obama in recent months. As The Inquisitr reported, Trump took aim at Obama just one day after his Fox News interview and accused Obama of being involved in unspecified crimes related to the FBI investigation of his 2016 presidential campaign.


inquisitr--2020-05-14--Donald Trump Slammed For Making Another Visit To PPE Factory Without Wearing A Mask

President Donald Trump visited a medical equipment distribution center in Allentown , Pennsylvania on Thursday , and people were quick to point out that he failed once again to wear a face mask despite being surrounded by people who chose to do so .
Jordan Fabian , White House correspondent for Bloomberg News , posted an image on Twitter of Trump at the Owens & Minor factory , a 137-year-old business that distributes protective gear like N95 masks and other personal protective equipment .
Critics in the comments of the post argued that Trump had recently been exposed to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus and should be taking precautions to avoid spreading the disease .
The federal government recommends wearing masks as part of this effort , as well as entering a self-quarantine .
Others said that it showed a lack of respect for the people he was around as masks are touted as a way to protect others and that he was failing to lead by example .
While in the area , Trump made some remarks that included calls for Governor Tom Wolf to re-open the state faster , as PennLive reported .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania to start opening up a little bit here , ” Trump said .
“ You have areas of Pennsylvania that are barely affected , and they want to keep them closed .
Can ’ t do that.
” He also took a few jabs at his familiar targets : the media and Democratic Presidential hopeful Joe Biden before thanking workers at the facility for their efforts .
He noted that the people of Allentown were once coal miners and steelworkers that helped build the country and would be the base of manufacturing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You ’ re going to be a nation of manufactures , and Pennsylvania workers will once again , you ’ re going to lead the way .
With your help , we will vanquish the virus .
We ’ ll get our nation back to work , and we will build our glorious future with American hands , and American grit , and American pride.
” Trump ’ s unwillingness to wear masks has become a flashpoint in the media and among critics .
He has reportedly decided that wearing a mask sends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Honeywell mask factory in Arizona without wearing a mask , drawing criticism .
Meanwhile , after one of his staffers and one of Vice President Mike Pence ’ s staffers tested positive for the virus , members of the White House have reportedly been directed to wear masks while at work to prevent the disease from spreading further .


inquisitr--2020-05-14--White House Not Preparing Nancy Pelosi To Be President If Donald Trump, Mike Pence Are Debilitated B

White House Not Preparing Nancy Pelosi To Be President If Donald Trump, Mike Pence Are Debilitated By COVID-19

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters on Thursday that no plans have been made with regard to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ascending to the presidency in the event that President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both become incapacitated by COVID-19 , Politico reports .
Her revelation on the subject of succession comes in the wake of multiple members of the administration ’ s inner circle testing positive for the coronavirus infection .
“ That ’ s not even something that we ’ re addressing , ” she told assembled media members in the White House driveway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping the president healthy .
We ’ re keeping the vice president healthy .
And you know they ’ re healthy at this moment , and they ’ ll continue to be.
” As reported by Politico , Pence spokeswoman Katie Miller , who is also the wife of White House senior adviser and presidential speechwriter Stephen Miller , tested positive for COVID-19 last week .
A member of the president ’ s personal valet service is also reported to have tested positive for the coronavirus , but their identity has not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the administration has not taken action to prepare for the possibility that Pelosi may be called upon to assume the duties of commander in chief .
Instead , the White House is focused on keeping the president and his administration healthy .
To that end , the White House Management Office reportedly issued a memo this week requiring West Wing staffers to wear masks at all times when they are in the building , except when working at their own desks .
In the event that both the president and vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the office , Pelosi would be the next person in the line of presidential succession .
The speaker of the house was reestablished as the second in line to the presidency as part of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 .
The act , which President Harry S. Truman signed into law in July of that year , also restored the president pro tempore of the Senate to the line of succession directly after the house speaker .
If Pelosi were also to fall ill and become incapacitated , Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president pro tempore of the Senate , followed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo .
The concept of the COVID-19 pandemic infiltrating the White House by way of infection has become a growing concern in light of the recent positive tests .
Meanwhile , as reported by The Inquisitr , a new study has indicated that the tests used by Trump , as well as administration officials and staff , may be unreliable .
Per the NYU Langone Health study , the tests created false negatives in almost half of all cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not been peer-reviewed , however .