inquisitr--2020-06-07--Kamala Harris Faces Faces Renewed Scrutiny Amid Running Mate Speculation

California Senator Kamala Harris has long been considered one of the top candidates for Joe Biden ’ s running mate in the 2020 presidential election , but her record may be an issue .
According to a Saturday report from Bloomberg , in the wake of mass protests against police brutality , Harris ’ record as prosecutor is being reexamined .
As district attorney of San Francisco and California attorney general , Harris was involved in a number of scandals .
Notably , she has been accused of waging a war on truancy and aggressively prosecuting the parents of children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also been criticized for allegedly wrongfully prosecuting multiple men of color .
Biden has vowed to pick a female running mate and some believe that choosing an African-American woman for the position would be wise .
Former Georgia state House minority leader Stacey Abrams , Florida Representative Val Demings , former National Security Adviser Susan Rice and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms are all reportedly on Biden ’ s shortlist .
According to Democratic consultant Garry South , Harris ’ record could play well in white suburbia , but the African-American community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutor having put people behind bars , she may sell well to the average white suburban voter , but in the African-American community , there are a lot of concerns about that , ” he said .
Scott Street , a Los Angeles lawyer who worked for Harris ’ 2016 election opponent , echoed South .
“ With that kind of record , I think a lot people who care about these issues are going to be concerned , particularly in light of the George Floyd case and national protests , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African-American , died last month after a white police officer pinned him to the ground and knelt on his neck .
His death sparked nationwide protests , with tens of thousands of Americans calling for justice and clashing with the police .
Harris attended one of the protests , sharing video clips and photographs on social media .
Harris faced similar hurdles during the Democratic Party ’ s presidential primaries .
The California senator tried to rebrand herself as a “ progressive prosecutor , ” but voters rejected her .
She was repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped out of the race before the Iowa caucuses .
But , according to some , Harris ’ identity may be all that matters in terms of the November election .
“ Her practical experience might work against her among progressives and younger voters , but her symbolic significance as a woman of color may be more salient than her work experience , ” political science professor at California Polytechnic State University Michael Latner said .
Biden has also been criticized for his record on criminal justice .
In particular , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controversial 1994 crime bill has come under intense scrutiny

California Sen. Kamala Harris has long been considered one of the top candidates for Joe Biden’s running mate in the 2020 presidential election, but her record may be an issue. According to a Saturday report from Bloomberg, in the wake of mass protests against police brutality, Harris’ record as a prosecutor is being reexamined.
As district attorney of San Francisco and California attorney general, Harris was involved in a number of scandals. Notably, she had been accused of waging a war on truancy and aggressively prosecuting the parents of children who skipped school. The California senator has also been criticized for allegedly wrongfully prosecuting multiple men of color.
Biden has vowed to pick a female running mate, and some believe that choosing an African American woman for the position would be wise. Former Georgia state House minority leader Stacey Abrams, Florida Rep. Val Demings, former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms are all reportedly on Biden’s shortlist.
According to Democratic consultant Garry South, Harris’ record could play well in white suburbia, but the African American community would likely reject her.
“As a prosecutor having put people behind bars, she may sell well to the average white suburban voter, but in the African-American community, there are a lot of concerns about that,” he said.
Scott Street, a Los Angeles lawyer who worked for Harris’ 2016 election opponent, echoed South.
“With that kind of record, I think a lot people who care about these issues are going to be concerned, particularly in light of the George Floyd case and national protests,” he said.
George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, died last month after a white police officer pinned him to the ground and knelt on his neck. His death sparked nationwide protests, with tens of thousands of Americans calling for justice, and many clashing with the police. Harris attended one of the protests, sharing video clips and photographs on social media.
Harris faced similar hurdles during the Democratic Party’s presidential primaries. The California senator tried to rebrand herself as a “progressive prosecutor,” but voters rejected her. She was repeatedly slammed and criticized for her record and dropped out of the race before the Iowa caucuses.
But, according to some, Harris’ identity may be all that matters in terms of the November election.
“Her practical experience might work against her among progressives and younger voters, but her symbolic significance as a woman of color may be more salient than her work experience,” political science professor at California Polytechnic State University Michael Latner said.
Biden has also been criticized for his record on criminal justice. In particular, the former vice president’s involvement in the controversial 1994 crime bill has come under intense scrutiny


inquisitr--2020-06-07--Mike Pence Slams Joe Biden, Defends Donald Trump

In an interview with Fox News broadcast on Saturday , Vice President Mike Pence slammed Democrat Joe Biden while defending President Donald Trump against criticism .
Speaking with anchor Jesse Watters , Pence accused Biden of supporting riots and violent protesters .
“ We see in Joe Biden a willingness to align himself with people that are rioting on the streets , destroying the property and livelihoods , claiming the lives of innocent civilians and law enforcement officers , and yet not speaking a word on behalf of those that have been victims , ” the vice president said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of George Floyd .
Floyd , a 46-year-old African-American man , died in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department after officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground and knelt on his neck .
Some of the demonstrations against police brutality turned violent , leading to clashes between protesters and the police .
Biden , the Democratic Party ’ s presumptive presidential nominee , has indeed criticized Trump ’ s response to the protests .
However , he has also repeatedly condemned violence and looting .
For instance , in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice president expressed support for peaceful protests , denouncing “ violence that endangers lives.
” Trump has also been criticized for allegedly ordering security forces to disperse the protests outside the White House .
The president has been accused of ordering a crack down on the demonstration in order to get to the St. John ’ s Episcopal Church and pose for photographs .
According to Pence , Trump ’ s visit to the St. John ’ s Episcopal Church was meant to demonstrate that “ burning churches ” will not be tolerated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the only prominent political figure to criticize Trump ’ s response to the demonstrations .
Retired Lieutenant General Russel Honoré — who oversaw the military response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — said that the commander-in-chief is trying to use the military “ as his personal protectors.
” Honoré and more than 200 former senior diplomats and military leaders signed a formal letter condemning Trump ’ s response to the protests .
The officials wrote that the U.S. military has “ no role ” in dealing with Americans exercising their free speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused Trump of exploiting the national crisis to divide the United States .
Pence described Mattis ’ claims as “ wrong , ” stating that Trump has , in fact , done the opposite .
“ What this president has done in recent days is what every American expects a president to do in times of crisis .
And that is put the lives and the property and the liberty of every American first , ” he said .

In an interview with Fox News broadcast on Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence slammed Democrat Joe Biden while defending President Donald Trump against criticism.
Speaking with anchor Jesse Watters, Pence accused Biden of supporting riots and violent protesters.
“We see in Joe Biden a willingness to align himself with people that are rioting on the streets, destroying the property and livelihoods, claiming the lives of innocent civilians and law enforcement officers, and yet not speaking a word on behalf of those that have been victims,” the vice president said.
Mass protests broke out following the death of George Floyd. Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department after former officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground and knelt on his neck. Some of the demonstrations against police brutality turned violent, leading to clashes between protesters and officers.
Biden, the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, has indeed criticized Trump’s response to the protests. However, he has also repeatedly condemned violence and looting. For instance, in a statement released on May 31, the former vice president expressed support for peaceful protests, denouncing “violence that endangers lives.”
Trump has also been criticized for allegedly ordering security forces to disperse the protests outside the White House. The president has been accused of ordering a crackdown on the demonstration in order to get to the St. John’s Episcopal Church and pose for photographs.
According to Pence, Trump’s visit to St. John’s Episcopal Church was meant to demonstrate that “burning churches” will not be tolerated by the Trump administration.
Biden was not the only prominent political figure to criticize Trump’s response to the demonstrations. Retired Lieutenant General Russel Honoré — who oversaw the military response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — said that the commander-in-chief is trying to use the military “as his personal protectors.”
Honoré and more than 200 former senior diplomats and military leaders signed a formal letter condemning Trump’s response to the protests. The officials wrote that the U.S. military has “no role” in dealing with Americans exercising their free speech rights.
Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused Trump of exploiting the national crisis to divide the United States. Pence described Mattis’ claims as “wrong,” stating that Trump has, in fact, done the opposite.
“What this president has done in recent days is what every American expects a president to do in times of crisis. And that is put the lives and the property and the liberty of every American first,” he said.


inquisitr--2020-06-06--Tens Of Thousands Of Protesters Expected To Descend On Washington, D.C., For Largest BLM Protest Yet

Thousands of people have gathered in Washington , D.C. , to protest the killing of George Floyd , with thousands more expected in what organizers say is expected to be the largest Black Lives Matter demonstration in the area so far .
As NBC News reports , thousands of people gathered near the White House and other important Washington locations to call for justice for Floyd , who died earlier this month while in police custody in Minneapolis .
“ We anticipate the largest demonstrations with regards to numbers that we ’ ve seen in the city to date , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And we anticipate that the protesters will continue to be as peaceful as they have been over the past couple of days.
” The protests so far today have been largely peaceful , with demonstrators calling for action from President Donald Trump , and decrying his use of military and extreme crowd dispersal tactics to quell unrest in the District of Columbia .
“ I ’ m tired of the racism .
Just tired , ” said Rochelle Grate , a 58-year-old woman who attended Saturday ’ s protest .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not of color to say ‘ Man , this is real and I ’ ve been blind to it . '
” Floyd died on May 25 as now-former police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
Floyd repeatedly told the officer that he couldn ’ t breathe before becoming unresponsive and being taken by ambulance to a local hospital , where he was declared dead .
The entire incident was caught on video , prompting outrage and backlash across the country .
After using pepper spray and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reportedly peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square last week , President Trump has repeatedly faced criticism from people who say that he has failed to respond appropriately to the unrest .
On Saturday , many people are expected to show up to continue to protest the violence against black Americans at the hands of the police , along with the Trump administration ’ s handling of the unrest .
As Fox News reports , Army officials were expecting fewer people than the million who showed up in 2017 for the Women ’ s March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 200,000 people would show up .
Large areas were closed off in the capitol in anticipation of the demonstrations , with streets closed to make room for people , while the White House itself was walled off with 8-foot-tall fencing .
Protesters have stood outside the fencing every day this week , though police say they haven ’ t made an arrest since Tuesday and a curfew hasn ’ t been enforced since Wednesday , indicating that demonstrators have been peaceful .

Thousands of people have gathered in Washington, D.C., to protest the killing of George Floyd, with thousands more expected in what organizers say is expected to be the largest Black Lives Matter demonstration in the area so far.
As NBC News reports, thousands of people gathered near the White House and other important Washington locations to call for justice for Floyd, who died earlier this month while in police custody in Minneapolis.
“We anticipate the largest demonstrations with regards to numbers that we’ve seen in the city to date,” D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said. “And we anticipate that the protesters will continue to be as peaceful as they have been over the past couple of days.”
The protests so far today have been largely peaceful, with demonstrators calling for action from President Donald Trump, and decrying his use of military and extreme crowd dispersal tactics to quell unrest in the District of Columbia.
“I’m tired of the racism. Just tired,” said Rochelle Grate, a 58-year-old woman who attended Saturday’s protest. “This is different. It snapped people not of color to say ‘Man, this is real and I’ve been blind to it.'”
Floyd died on May 25 as now-former police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyd repeatedly told the officer that he couldn’t breathe before becoming unresponsive and being taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was declared dead.
The entire incident was caught on video, prompting outrage and backlash across the country.
After using pepper spray and tear gas to disperse a crowd of reportedly peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square last week, President Trump has repeatedly faced criticism from people who say that he has failed to respond appropriately to the unrest.
On Saturday, many people are expected to show up to continue to protest the violence against black Americans at the hands of the police, along with the Trump administration’s handling of the unrest.
As Fox News reports, Army officials were expecting fewer people than the million who showed up in 2017 for the Women’s March, but they still thought that up to 200,000 people would show up.
Large areas were closed off in the capitol in anticipation of the demonstrations, with streets closed to make room for people, while the White House itself was walled off with 8-foot-tall fencing. Protesters have stood outside the fencing every day this week, though police say they haven’t made an arrest since Tuesday and a curfew hasn’t been enforced since Wednesday, indicating that demonstrators have been peaceful.


inquisitr--2020-06-08--Former National Security Adviser John Bolton To Publish White House Tell All Without Administration

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton To Publish White House Tell All Without Administration Approval

Former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has announced plans to publish a tell-all about his tenure in the Trump administration , despite President Donald Trump ’ s express efforts to block it .
According to The Hill , the book , “ The Room Where It Happened : A White House Memoir , ” could have a negative blowback due to his security clearance while working under the president .
According to Politico Congressional reporter Andrew Desiderio , the book is slated to be released on June 23 , and will contain information that is potentially classified , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Desiderio tweeted about the release , saying that Bolton is working on a “ media blitz ” prior to the release of his 592-page book .
The Hill ‘ s earlier article , the White House has worked specifically to keep the book from being published , citing “ significant amounts of classified information.
” They also offered to work with Bolton to ensure his “ ability to tell his story in a manner that protects U.S. national security.
” The publication reported that the president noted to media personalities off-the-record early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew the book to contain “ highly classified ” information and considered Bolton to be a “ traitor ” thanks to his intent to publish it .
“ We ’ re going to try and block the publication of the book , ” Trump reportedly said while speaking of Bolton ’ s book .
In January of this year , the president also addressed Bolton and his book , saying “ If I listened to him , we would be in World War Six by now , and goes out and IMMEDIATELY writes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Classified National Security .
Who would do this ?
” While it is still unclear whether Trump himself has read the book , administration officials have worked overtime to ensure that whatever secure information its 500 pages hold , remain out of the public ’ s eye .
Bolton ’ s upcoming book is hardly Trump ’ s only concern of late , however .
The president , who is looking for reelection in November , has lost the support of some of the more moderate in his party .
The Inquisitr previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as several other well known Republicans , have decided they will not be supporting the incumbent Republican candidate for president in the November general election .
Bush shares the opinion of some other Republicans who believe that the president should have led the country differently during the crisis and nationwide outcry over the death of George Floyd , the 46-year-old African American man who died while in police custody .

Former White House national security adviser John Bolton has announced plans to publish a tell-all about his tenure in the Trump administration, despite President Donald Trump’s express efforts to block it.
According to The Hill, the book, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, could have a negative blowback due to his security clearance while working under the president.
According to Politico congressional reporter Andrew Desiderio, the book is slated to be released on June 23 and will contain information that is potentially classified and without being vetted by the Trump administration. Desiderio tweeted about the release, saying that Bolton is working on a “media blitz” prior to the release of his 592-page book.
According to an earlier article from The Hill, the White House has worked specifically to keep the book from being published, citing “significant amounts of classified information.” They also offered to work with Bolton to ensure that he would have the “ability to tell his story in a manner that protects U.S. national security.”
The publication reported that the president noted to media personalities off the record early in February that he knew the book might contain “highly classified” information and considered Bolton a “traitor” thanks to his intent to publish it.
“We’re going to try and block the publication of the book,” Trump reportedly said.
“After I leave office, he can do this. But not in the White House.”
In a tweet from January, the president also addressed Bolton and his book.
“If I listened to him, we would be in World War Six by now, and goes out and IMMEDIATELY writes a nasty & untrue book. All Classified National Security. Who would do this?”
So John Bolton thought Trump’s phone call with Zelensky was so bad, he said nothing at the time (except praising the call as “warm & cordial”) & waited to write a book about it? As one does. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/VP4fgdPuvS — Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) February 18, 2020
While it is still unclear whether Trump himself has read the book, administration officials have worked overtime to ensure that whatever secure information its 500 pages hold remain out of the public’s eye.
Bolton’s upcoming book is hardly Trump’s only concern of late, however. The president, who is looking for reelection in November, has lost the support of some of the more moderate in his party.
The Inquisitr previously reported that former President George W. Bush, as well as several other well-known Republicans, have decided they will not be supporting the incumbent Republican candidate for president in the November general election.
Bush shares the opinion of some other Republicans who believe that the president should have led the country differently during the crisis and nationwide outcry over the death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old African American man who died while in police custody.


inquisitr--2020-06-08--Senator Cory Booker Calls For An End To Qualified Immunity For Law Enforcement

Senator Cory Booker wants to bring new accountability for law enforcement officials , co-sponsoring a sweeping bill that would end the practice of qualified immunity that protects officers from being sued for actions that don ’ t violate a statute or constitutional right .
As NPR reported , the New Jersey senator is a co-sponsor of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 , which aims to end dangerous practices and increase training for officers .
The report noted that the bill would ban the use of chokeholds and “ no-knock ” warrants like the one used by police in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Breonna Taylor .
It would also outlaw racial profiling .
Booker said the overall aim is to increase accountability for police officers .
“ These are common sense changes that , frankly , will create a far greater level of accountability for those police officers who violate the law , who violate our rights and who violate our common community standards , ” Booker told NPR .
The bill comes in response to the rising protests after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police , who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
Protests have risen up across the country , with many calling not only for justice for Floyd ’ s family but also larger reform to address systemic racism within law enforcement and laws that protect officers from being held accountable .
Booker pointed out the practice of qualified immunity , which keeps police from being personally liable for lawsuits , preventing citizens from seeking civil action in a number of cases .
Many protesters have called for an end to this practice , which Booker noted does not come from any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something that has evolved over time .
It ’ s not written into any law , ” Booker said .
“ But our highest courts in the land have decided that police officers are immune from civil cases , unless there ’ s been specifically in the past a case of generally the exact circumstances that has led towards a successful action… .
It creates this bar towards civil action against a police officer for violating your civil rights.
” Booker ’ s office already shared broad details of the proposal earlier in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would also aim to improve transparency by collecting more accurate data of police misconduct and incidents when officers use force .
A number of reform advocates have called for a national registry to track officers who have been found guilty of misconduct , and Booker ’ s bill would follow through by creating one .
This would prevent officers disciplined or fired from departments from getting another job in law enforcement with a different department .

Sen. Cory Booker wants to bring new accountability for law enforcement officials, co-sponsoring a sweeping bill that would end the practice of qualified immunity that protects officers from being sued for actions that don’t violate a statute or constitutional right.
As NPR reported, the New Jersey senator is a co-sponsor of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, which aims to end dangerous practices and increase training for officers. The report noted that the bill would ban the use of chokeholds and “no-knock” warrants like the one used by police in Louisville that led to the shooting death of Breonna Taylor. It would also outlaw racial profiling.
Booker said the overall aim is to increase accountability for police officers.
“These are common sense changes that, frankly, will create a far greater level of accountability for those police officers who violate the law, who violate our rights and who violate our common community standards,” Booker told NPR.
The bill comes in response to the rising protests after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police, who have since been charged for his death. Protests have risen up across the country, with many calling not only for justice for Floyd’s family but also for larger reform to address systemic racism within law enforcement and laws that protect officers from being held accountable.
Booker pointed out the practice of qualified immunity, which keeps police from being personally liable for lawsuits, preventing citizens from seeking civil action in a number of cases. Many protesters have called for an end to this practice, which Booker noted does not come from any written law.
“Qualified immunity is something that has evolved over time. It’s not written into any law,” Booker said. “But our highest courts in the land have decided that police officers are immune from civil cases, unless there’s been specifically in the past a case of generally the exact circumstances that has led towards a successful action…. It creates this bar towards civil action against a police officer for violating your civil rights.”
Booker’s office already shared broad details of the proposal earlier in the week, noting that the bill would also aim to improve transparency by collecting more accurate data of police misconduct and incidents when officers use force. A number of reform advocates have called for a national registry to track officers who have been found guilty of misconduct, and Booker’s bill would follow through by creating one. This would prevent officers disciplined or fired from departments from getting another job in law enforcement with a different department.


inquisitr--2020-06-08--Boston Celtics Legend Bill Russel Calls Donald Trump A ‘Coward’ Over Protest Comments

Basketball legend Bill Russell pushed back against President Donald Trump ’ s critique of the national anthem protest with a tweet of himself kneeling along with some choice words .
Russell was responding to Trump ’ s recent comments on the kneeling protest that was kicked off by Colin Kaepernick where football players throughout the league took a knee when the anthem was being played as a way of bringing attention to police brutality .
According to the former Boston Celtics player , the president ’ s disrespect is not part of the American spirit and more aptly fitted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump ’ s inflammatory tweet was sparked by New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees who told ESPN just days ago that he would “ never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America.
” Only a few days after his words were printed , Brees walked back his comments in an Instagram post pointed directly at Trump , saying that after extensive conversations with those in the black community and friends whose opinions he trusts , he now feels “ this is not an issue about the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump responded to Brees ’ retraction about his issue with the anthem protest , saying what a fan he was of the football player but that he was sorry to see him take back his earlier patriotic comments .
The tweets opened old wounds with those who felt the protest was not only justified but necessary to promote equality .
Russell is far from the only high profile figure to speak out against the president in recent days as racial turmoil in the nation has risen .
Protests and riots have plagued the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an unarmed African American man who died in police custody on Memorial Day .
Pop icon Pink called the president “ an insult to humanity ” in a tweet as The Inquisitr recently reported .
The singer called out Trump supporters saying that they are likely dwindling down to nothing as they watch the president ’ s actions ahead of the 2020 presidential election .
Pink also called the Trump fans who unfollowed her “ racist ” and wished them good riddance .

Basketball legend Bill Russell pushed back against President Donald Trump’s critique of the national anthem protest with a tweet of himself kneeling along with some choice words.
Russell was responding to Trump’s recent comments on the protest that was kicked off by Colin Kaepernick when football players throughout the NFL took a knee as the anthem was being played as a way of bringing attention to police brutality.
According to the former Boston Celtics player, the president’s disrespect is not part of the American spirit and more aptly fitted to divide the country than bring it together.
#Trump you projected your narrative that #TakingAKnee is disrespectful & #UnAmerican it was never about that! You are divisive & a coward. It takes true courage 2 stand 4 what is right & risk your life in the midst of a #pandemic #Proud2kneel #BlackLivesMatter @MSNBC @BostonGlobe https://t.co/nhNITHSrxo pic.twitter.com/h0PuUYVFwu — TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) June 7, 2020
Trump’s tweet was sparked by New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees, who told ESPN just days ago that he would “never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America.”
“I love and respect my teammates, and I stand right there with them in regard to fighting for racial equality and justice. I also stand with my grandfathers, who risked their lives for this country, and countless other military men and women who do it on a daily basis.”
Only a few days after his words were printed, Brees walked back his comments in an Instagram post pointed directly at Trump, saying that after extensive conversations with those in the black community and friends whose opinions he trusts, he now feels “this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been.”
“We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities.”
Trump responded to Brees’ retraction about his issue with the anthem protest, saying what a fan he was of the football player but that he was sorry to see him take back his earlier patriotic comments.
I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
The tweets opened old wounds with those who felt the protest was not only justified but necessary to promote equality.
Russell is far from the only high profile figure to speak out against the president in recent days as racial turmoil in the nation has risen. Protests and riots have plagued the nation since the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African American man who died in police custody on Memorial Day.
Pop icon Pink called the president “an insult to humanity” in a tweet as The Inquisitr recently reported. The singer called out Trump supporters, saying that they are likely dwindling down to nothing as they watch the president’s actions ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Pink also called the Trump fans who unfollowed her “racist” and wished them good riddance.


inquisitr--2020-06-08--Donald Trump’s Campaign Is Planning To Shift Messaging To Theme Of A ‘Great American Comeback,’ Repo

Donald Trump’s Campaign Is Planning To Shift Messaging To Theme Of A ‘Great American Comeback,’ Report Says

A Sunday report from Axios claims that Donald Trump ’ s campaign is currently scrambling to change the subject and focus on optimistic messaging to balance the president ’ s law-and-order rhetoric amid the chaos and protests .
According to the report , Trump ’ s top political advisers are concerned about the “ brutal ” internal polling following the president ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and protests over the killing of George Floyd .
In a Thursday meeting of Trump ’ s top political advisers , the team reportedly settled on a theme of the “ Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ punctuated by words like “ recovering , ” “ restoring , ” “ renewing , ” and “ rebuilding.
” The message was tested in a new ad on Friday following a positive jobs report .
“ The great American comeback has begun , ” the ad said .
“ Renewing .
Restoring .
Rebuilding .
Together , we ’ ll make America great again.
” Whether the campaign strategy will pay off remains to be seen .
As of now , Axios claims that internal polls suggest Trump has lost a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also cited a campaign adviser ’ s claim that Trump has a problem with female voters .
In addition , some of Trump ’ s more extreme actions and rhetoric are allegedly concerning some of his advisers .
According to one senior adviser to the campaign , the new messaging aims to provide a buffer for such behavior .
Another adviser familiar with the recent discussion spoke about the importance of unity following the uprising over Floyd ’ s death .
As reported by Politico , Trump ’ s reelection campaign will utilize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country and in swing states .
Although recent polls have not boded well for the president , his campaign ’ s advisers claim that the predicted economic rebound — which Trump has regularly pointed to — will boost his standing .
The plan comes as a recent report claimed that 2.5 million U.S. jobs were created in May .
As The Inquisitr reported , New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker believes that another crucial part of Trump ’ s reelection campaign is making sure to take control in key states like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Florida , and South Carolina — all of which show Trump tight with Democratic nominee Joe Biden .

A Sunday report from Axios claims that Donald Trump’s campaign is currently scrambling to change the subject and focus on an optimistic message to balance the president’s law-and-order rhetoric amid the protests and uncertainty. According to the report, Trump’s top political advisers are concerned about the “brutal” internal polling following the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and protests over the killing of George Floyd.
In a Thursday meeting of Trump’s top political advisers, the team reportedly settled on a theme of the “Great American Comeback,” which will be punctuated by words like “recovering,” “restoring,” “renewing,” and “rebuilding.” The message was tested in a new ad on Friday following a positive jobs report.
“The great American comeback has begun. Renewing. Restoring. Rebuilding. Together, we’ll make America great again,” the ad proclaims.
Whether the campaign strategy will pay off remains to be seen. Axios claims that internal polls suggest Trump has lost a significant amount of independent support. The publication also cited a campaign adviser’s claim that Trump has a problem with female voters. In addition, some of Trump’s more extreme actions and rhetoric are allegedly concerning some of his advisers. According to one senior adviser to the campaign, the new messaging aims to provide a buffer for such behavior.
“There’s a thought that we need to shift to be much more cohesive in terms of a message of healing, rebuilding, restoring, recovering… a theme that goes with COVID and the economy and the race stuff.”
Another adviser familiar with the recent discussion spoke about the importance of unity following the outrage over Floyd’s death.
“He has to tone down the most incendiary rhetoric, talk about law and order in the context of riots, and at the same time say the country’s united that what happened to George Floyd can never happen again.”
As reported by Politico, Trump’s reelection campaign will utilize both television and digital ads across the country and in swing states. Although recent polls have not boded well for the president, his campaign’s advisers claim that the predicted economic rebound — which Trump has regularly pointed to — will boost his standing. The plan comes as a recent report claimed that 2.5 million U.S. jobs were created in May.
As The Inquisitr reported, New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker believes that another crucial part of Trump’s reelection campaign is making sure to take control in key states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, and South Carolina. All of those states currently see Trump in a tight race with Democratic nominee Joe Biden.


inquisitr--2020-06-08--Ben Carson Says ‘Vast Majority Of Policemen Are Wonderful’

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said on Sunday that “ the vast majority of policemen are wonderful , ” Politico reported .
Carson appeared on CNN ’ s State of the Union to discuss the nationwide protests against police brutality .
The protests began after the death of George Floyd .
A white officer with the Minneapolis Police Department pinned Floyd , an African-American , to the ground and knelt on his neck .
Carson told anchor Jake Tapper that he “ grew up at a time when there was real systemic racism.
” The HUD secretary briefly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ that kind of thing is very uncommon now.
” “ Are there still racists around ?
Absolutely .
There were yesterday , there are today , and there will be tomorrow , ” he noted , saying that racism still needs to be fought .
Carson added that issues in certain police departments need to be dealt with because “ we have policemen who are rogue.
” As The Guardian reported , the protests sparked by Floyd ’ s death “ have been marked by widespread incidents of police violence.
” Officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on demonstrators , injuring thousands .
The behavior of American law enforcement has been condemned internationally and by numerous domestic organizations .
Carson was also asked about President Donald Trump ’ s response to the protests .
Tapper pointed out that Trump may not be in favor of a national healing , given that he retweeted a post attacking Floyd ’ s character .
Carson dodged the anchor ’ s questions , saying that Trump will personally address the issue next week .
Some have urged Trump to tone down the inflammatory rhetoric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of State Condoleezza Rice — who served under Republican President George W. Bush — said that the president should “ put tweeting aside ” and do his best to unite the nation .
Protesters and activists have advocated for sweeping reforms , with some calling on leaders to defund police departments .
Similar calls have become a rallying cry at protests across the nation , but most Americans apparently disagree with the suggestion .
According to a Yahoo News/YouGov poll released last week , 65 percent of Americans are opposed to such measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a partisan issue , given that Democrats , Republicans and independent voters all oppose defending police departments .
Similarly , a NPR-Marist poll from earlier this week found that 56 percent of Americans believe police are either behaving appropriately or not being aggressive enough during the Floyd demonstrations .

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said on Sunday that “the vast majority of policemen are wonderful,” Politico reported.
Carson appeared on CNN’s State of the Union to discuss the nationwide protests against police brutality. The protests began after the death of George Floyd. A white officer with the Minneapolis Police Department pinned Floyd, an African American, to the ground and knelt on his neck.
Carson told anchor Jake Tapper that he “grew up at a time when there was real systemic racism.” The HUD secretary briefly reflected on his own experiences and said “that kind of thing is very uncommon now.”
“Are there still racists around? Absolutely. There were yesterday, there are today, and there will be tomorrow,” he noted, saying that racism still needs to be fought.
Carson added that issues in certain police departments need to be dealt with because “we have policemen who are rogue.”
“The vast majority of policemen are wonderful, but you have some who are rogue and they can go from one jurisdiction to another jurisdiction, and nobody does anything about it.”
As The Guardian reported, the protests sparked by Floyd’s death “have been marked by widespread incidents of police violence.” Officers across the nation have violently cracked down on demonstrators, injuring thousands. The behavior of American law enforcement has been condemned internationally and by numerous domestic organizations.
Carson was also asked about President Donald Trump’s response to the protests. Tapper pointed out that Trump may not be in favor of a national healing, given that he retweeted a post attacking Floyd’s character. Carson dodged the anchor’s questions, saying that Trump will personally address the issue next week.
Some have urged Trump to tone down the inflammatory rhetoric. As Politico noted, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice — who served under Republican President George W. Bush — said that the president should “put tweeting aside” and do his best to unite the nation.
Protesters and activists have advocated for sweeping reforms, with some calling on leaders to defund police departments. Similar calls have become a rallying cry at protests across the nation, but most Americans apparently disagree with the suggestion. According to a Yahoo News/YouGov poll released last week, 65 percent of Americans are opposed to such measures.
This does not seem to be a partisan issue, given that Democrats, Republicans, and independent voters all oppose defunding police departments.
Similarly, an NPR/Marist poll from earlier this week found that 56 percent of Americans believe police are either behaving appropriately or not being aggressive enough during the Floyd demonstrations.


inquisitr--2020-06-08--Mitt Romney Joins March In D.C., Says ‘We Need To Stand Up And Say That Black Lives Matter’

Mitt Romney joined a group of more than 1,000 Christians who marched in Washington , D.C. , on Sunday , with the Republican senator saying he wanted to add his voice to the Black Lives Matter movement .
The Utah Senator and former Republican presidential candidate wore a mask and joined others walking through the streets of the nation ’ s capital toward the White House .
He told an NBC News reporter that he wanted to join the others speaking out against racism in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis last month .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need many voices against racism and against brutality , ” Romney said in a clip shared on Twitter .
“ And we need to stand up and say that black lives matter.
” Romney later shared a picture of himself at the event on his official social media accounts .
While he did not elaborate more , many noted that the issue may be a personal one for Romney , who is the grandfather of a black child adopted by his son and daughter-in-law .
There have been several days of peaceful protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some early demonstrations that turned violent , with protesters clashing with police and damaging property .
One of those peaceful protests took place on Monday , when police and law enforcement officials from a number of federal agencies aggressively pushed out protesters ahead of Trump holding a photo op in front of a church , leading to widespread criticism of the president .
Romney ’ s appearance at the rally came hours after a number of top Trump administration officials denied that there is a problem with systemic racism in law enforcement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that issues like the death of Floyd represent isolated incidents rather than a deeper problem .
While Romney did not make any reference to Trump during his appearance at Sunday ’ s protest , he has sharply criticized Donald Trump on a number of issues including race relations .
Back in 2018 , after reports that Trump referred to African nation as “ sh*thole countries , ” Romney issued a statement rebuking Trump .
The statement was sent on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and invoked the memory of the Civil Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an aspiring immigrant ’ s nation of origin is as irrelevant as their race .
The sentiment attributed to POTUS is inconsistent w/ America ’ s history and antithetical to American values , ” Romney tweeted .
“ May our memory of Dr. King buoy our hope for unity , greatness , & ‘ charity for all . '
”

Mitt Romney joined a group of more than 1,000 Christians who marched in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, with the Republican senator saying he wanted to add his voice to the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Utah senator and former Republican presidential candidate wore a mask and joined others walking through the streets of the nation’s capital toward the White House. He told an NBC News reporter that he wanted to join the others speaking out against racism in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis last month.
“We need a voice against racism, we need many voices against racism and against brutality,” Romney said in a clip shared on Twitter. “And we need to stand up and say that black lives matter.”
Romney later shared a picture of himself at the event on his official social media accounts. While he did not elaborate more, many noted that the issue may be a personal one for Romney, who is the grandfather of a black child adopted by his son and daughter-in-law.
There have been several days of peaceful protests in the nation’s capital after some early demonstrations that turned violent, with protesters clashing with police and damaging property. One of those peaceful protests took place on Monday when police and law enforcement officials from a number of federal agencies reportedly pushed out protesters ahead of Trump holding a photo op in front of a church, leading to widespread criticism of the president.
Romney’s appearance at the rally came hours after a number of top Trump administration officials denied that there is a problem with systemic racism in law enforcement, including Attorney General William Barr, who said that issues like the death of Floyd represent isolated incidents rather than a deeper problem. While Romney did not make any reference to Trump during his appearance at Sunday’s protest, he has sharply criticized Donald Trump on a number of issues, including race relations.
Back in 2018, after reports that Trump referred to some African nation as “sh*thole countries,” Romney issued a statement rebuking Trump. The statement was sent on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and invoked the memory of the civil rights movement leader.
“The poverty of an aspiring immigrant’s nation of origin is as irrelevant as their race. The sentiment attributed to POTUS is inconsistent w/ America’s history and antithetical to American values,” Romney tweeted. “May our memory of Dr. King buoy our hope for unity, greatness, & ‘charity for all.'”


inquisitr--2020-06-07--Atlanta Mayor Says She Was ‘Simply Disgusted’ At Donald Trump’s Invocation Of George Floyd

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms appeared on CNN ’ s Inside Politics on Sunday and spoke about Donald Trump ’ s use of George Floyd ’ s name during a Rose Garden press conference on Friday , Breitbart reported .
“ Disgusted , simply disgusted , ” Lance Bottoms said of her reaction to the clip .
Lance Bottoms was speaking of Floyd ’ s brother , Philonise Floyd , who spoke of his dismay at the president ’ s condolence call .
According to Lance Bottoms , Trump should have used the White House press conference to speak about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pride he would have from the movement against racism and police brutality that is currently sweeping the United States .
Instead , Trump used George Floyd ’ s name during an address in which he touted American ’ s rebounding unemployment rate .
“ This is a great day for him , a great day for everybody , ” Trump said .
Lance Bottoms acknowledged that she did not know George Floyd personally but claims she has watched his family and friends to “ get a glimpse ” of his character .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized Trump for his threat to use weapons and canine units on Floyd protesters during a conversation with CNN ’ s Jake Tapper .
She suggested his comments were doing nothing but stoking the fires of the chaotic political climate worse and urged him to remain silent .
In a piece for CNN , Maeve Reston argued that Trump ’ s decision to invoke Floyd ’ s name is a reflection of his disconnect from the United States ’ pain .
She called the statement “ incomprehensible ” and “ stunning ” given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , which came after veteran Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for over eight minutes .
Reston also noted that just hours after using Floyd ’ s name , Trump retweeted a post from conservative commentator Glenn Beck , who quoted fellow commentator Candace Owens ’ attack on Floyd ’ s character .
According to Reston , Trump ’ s concern is not for those around him , but for how the crisis will impact him and his reelection campaign .
Reston noted that the president ’ s recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adversaries such as Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who is reportedly struggling to decide whether to back Trump in 2020 .

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms appeared on CNN’s Inside Politics on Sunday and spoke about Donald Trump’s use of George Floyd’s name during a Rose Garden press conference on Friday, Breitbart reported.
Lance Bottoms said the clip left her “disgusted, simply disgusted.”
“This is a man who has been murdered on our streets. President Trump doesn’t know him, and in fact, by all accounts from George Floyd’s brother when President Trump called to offer condolences, he didn’t even give the family an opportunity to speak.”
Lance Bottoms was speaking of Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, who spoke of his dismay at the president’s condolence call. According to Lance Bottoms, Trump should have used the White House press conference to speak about George Floyd’s family and the pride he would have from the movement against racism and police brutality that is currently sweeping the United States. While Trump did cite George Floyd — and the importance of equality and improved law enforcement standards, per Mediaite — the president also touted American’s rebounding unemployment rate. The latter portion of the president’s remarks were widely reported upon, spurring The Washington Post to offer a correction.
Lance Bottoms acknowledged that she did not know George Floyd personally, but claims she has watched his family and friends to “get a glimpse” of his character.
“Again, it shows that this president is incapable of showing any type of empathy. He always gets it wrong, time and time again, and I think we’ve got to stop expecting any more from him,” Lance Bottoms remarked.
Lance Bottoms previously criticized Trump for his threat to use weapons and canine units on protesters during a conversation with CNN’s Jake Tapper. She suggested his comments were doing nothing but stoking the fires of the chaotic political climate and urged the president to remain silent.
In a piece for CNN, Maeve Reston argued that Trump’s decision to invoke Floyd’s name is a reflection of his disconnect from the United States’ pain. She called the statement “incomprehensible” and “stunning” given the fresh wound from Floyd’s death, which came after veteran Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. Reston also noted that just hours after using Floyd’s name, Trump retweeted a post from conservative commentator Glenn Beck, who quoted fellow commentator Candace Owens’ attack on Floyd’s character.
According to Reston, Trump’s concern is not for those around him, but for how the crisis will impact him and his re-election campaign. Reston noted that the president’s recent focus has been taking aim at Washington adversaries such as Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is reportedly struggling to decide whether to back Trump in 2020.


inquisitr--2020-06-07--Mike Huckabee Urges All Republicans To Support Donald Trump

In an interview broadcast on Sunday , former Arkansas Gov .
Mike Huckabee urged all Republicans to support President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election , The Daily Beast reported .
Huckabee appeared on Fox News to discuss a recent report from The New York Times .
The report alleged that many prominent Republicans — including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah and former President George W. Bush — are hesitant to back Trump against former Vice President Joe Biden .
Jeb Bush , the former governor of Florida , has reportedly not made up his mind yet .
Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to voting for Biden .
It remains unclear who former Republican House Speakers Paul Ryan and John Boehner will support in November .
According to the publication ’ s sources , Cindy McCain , the widow of late Sen. John McCain , will not back Trump in the 2020 election .
If the claims made by the NYT are true , Huckabee said , “ then I ’ m going to be not just unhappy , I ’ m going to be livid.
” The former Arkansas governor said that many conservatives “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the policies of Bush or McCain or Romney , ” but nevertheless supported their Republican colleagues , because the alternative was always a “ far-left liberal.
” Huckabee then went on to list what he suggested are some of Trump ’ s greatest accomplishments , arguing that the president has been great on issues such as abortion , immigration , taxation and foreign policy .
Unless Republicans back Trump , he said , “ they ’ re going to get Joe Biden , who isn ’ t pro-life , who is for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to succumb to China.
” “ Everything that we find disgusting he ’ s going to embrace it , including the socialists out here , ” Huckabee said of the former vice president .
The former governor concluded that Republicans who don ’ t like Trump ’ s personality need to “ get over it ” and support him in November .
As The Daily Beast noted , some prominent Republicans have already endorsed Biden .
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell , who served in the Bush White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying that Trump ’ s rhetoric is “ dangerous for our democracy.
” It is not only prominent Republicans who are opposed to Trump , some military leaders are as well .
Retired Lieutenant General Russel Honoré — who handled the military response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — recently criticized Republicans on Capitol Hill for not standing up to Trump amid protests over George Floyd ’ s death .
Honoré was among the signatories of a letter signed by more than 200 former military leaders and diplomats .
The officials condemned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the protests , saying that American protesters must be allowed to exercise their free speech rights .

In an interview broadcast on Sunday, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee urged all Republicans to support President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, The Daily Beast reported.
Huckabee appeared on Fox News to discuss a recent report from The New York Times. The report alleged that many prominent Republicans — including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah and former President George W. Bush — are hesitant to back Trump against former Vice President Joe Biden.
Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, has reportedly not made up his mind yet. Republican Rep. Francis Rooney of Florida is open to voting for Biden. It remains unclear who former Republican House Speakers Paul Ryan and John Boehner will support in November. According to the publication’s sources, Cindy McCain, the widow of late Sen. John McCain, will not back Trump in the 2020 election. Huckabee revealed what his response would be if the claims made by the NYT turn out to be true.
“I’m going to be not just unhappy, I’m going to be livid.”
The former Arkansas governor said that many conservatives “didn’t all agree on some of the policies of Bush or McCain or Romney,” but nevertheless supported their Republican colleagues, because the alternative was always a “far-left liberal.”
Huckabee then went on to list what he suggested are some of Trump’s greatest accomplishments, arguing that the president has been great on issues such as abortion, immigration, taxation, and foreign policy. Unless Republicans back Trump, he said, “they’re going to get Joe Biden, who isn’t pro-life, who is for higher taxes, open borders, he’s going to succumb to China.”
“Everything that we find disgusting he’s going to embrace it, including the socialists out here.”
The former governor concluded that Republicans who don’t like Trump’s personality need to “get over it” and support him in November.
“This isn’t Hollywood. This is the rough, tumble world of politics. And maybe he’s not as genteel as some of us would like. But, by gosh, he’s getting the job done.”
As The Daily Beast noted, some prominent Republicans have already endorsed Biden. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who served in the Bush White House, formally endorsed the Democrat on Sunday, saying that Trump’s rhetoric is “dangerous for our democracy.”
It is not only prominent Republicans who have voiced their opposition to Trump. Retired Lieutenant General Russel Honoré — who handled the military response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — recently criticized Republicans on Capitol Hill for not standing up to Trump amid protests over George Floyd’s death.
Honoré was among the signatories of a letter signed by more than 200 former military leaders and diplomats. The officials condemned Trump’s handling of the response to the protests, saying that American protesters must be allowed to exercise their right to free speech.


inquisitr--2020-06-07--Michelle Obama Urges Graduating Students To Couple Protesting With Mobilization & Voting

On Sunday , former first lady Michelle Obama gave a commencement address amid the protests of George Floyd ’ s death and police brutality that continue around the U.S. As reported by The Hill , Obama urged the 2020 graduates to couple protest with mobilization and voting .
“ Graduates , anger is a powerful force , ” Obama said .
“ It can be a useful force , but left on its own , it will only corrode and destroy and sow chaos on the inside and out .
But when anger is focused , when it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is the stuff that changes history.
” Obama pointed to the anger of Martin Luther King Jr. , Sojourner Truth , Lucretia Mott , Cesar Chavez , and the Stonewall demonstrators , but emphasized that they were also “ driven by compassion , by principle , by hope.
” “ And so they took advantage of whatever resources they had in their own time , ” she said .
At the end of her address , Obama called on the graduates to text everyone they know a voter registration link and gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work of previous generations .
The address was part of a YouTube-hosted commencement ceremony and included appearances from other high-profile figures , including Beyonce , Taylor Swift , and Barack Obama .
The former first lady ’ s national nonpartisan organization , When We All Vote ( WWAV ) , is aimed at increasing voter turnout in 2020 .
As reported by Mic , Obama ’ s organization claims it has organized 2,500 local voter registration events across the U.S. , and texted almost 4 million voter registrations resources for the 2018 midterms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently announced an initiative , Civic Cities , to boost voter turnout and participation in America by harnessing the help of local elected officials .
According to Mic , mayors participating in the initiative will be provided with the platform via press releases , social media channels , and media .
The mayors will also have access to voter registration data to help track the program ’ s progress .
As The Inquisitr reported , Michelle Obama previously expressed her disappointment at the lack of black voter turnout in the 2016 election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barack Obama notably asked black voters to vote for Clinton and suggested he would take it as a personal slight if they did not do so .
As critics noted , Obama ’ s presidency had a negative effect on middle-class wealth , in particular , African Americans in this demographic .

On Sunday, former first lady Michelle Obama gave a commencement address amid the protests of George Floyd’s death and police brutality that continue around the U.S. As reported by The Hill, Obama urged the 2020 graduates to couple protest with mobilization and voting.
“Graduates, anger is a powerful force,” Obama said. “It can be a useful force, but left on its own, it will only corrode and destroy and sow chaos on the inside and out. But when anger is focused, when it’s channeled into something more, oh, that is the stuff that changes history.”
Obama pointed to the anger of Martin Luther King Jr., Sojourner Truth, Lucretia Mott, Cesar Chavez, and the Stonewall demonstrators, but emphasized that they were also “driven by compassion, by principle, by hope.”
“And so they took advantage of whatever resources they had in their own time,” she said.
At the end of her address, Obama called on the graduates to text everyone they know a voter registration link and gave them advice on how to continue the work of previous generations.
“By staying open and hopeful, even in the tough times. By channeling that discomfort you feel into activism, and a democracy that was designed to respond to those who vote.”
The address was part of a YouTube-hosted commencement ceremony and included appearances from other high-profile figures, including Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Barack Obama.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxpTjcouaeQ
The former first lady’s national nonpartisan organization, When We All Vote (WWAV), is aimed at increasing voter turnout in 2020. As reported by Mic, Obama’s organization claims it has organized 2,500 local voter registration events across the U.S., and texted almost 4 million voter registrations resources for the 2018 midterms.
As for 2020, the organization recently announced an initiative, Civic Cities, to boost voter turnout and participation in America by harnessing the help of local elected officials.
According to Mic, mayors participating in the initiative will be provided with the platform via press releases, social media channels, and media. The mayors will also have access to voter registration data to help track the program’s progress.
As The Inquisitr reported, Michelle Obama previously expressed her disappointment at the lack of black voter turnout in the 2016 election, which saw Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.
Barack Obama notably asked black voters to vote for Clinton and suggested he would take it as a personal slight if they did not do so. As critics noted, Obama’s presidency had a negative effect on middle-class wealth, in particular, African Americans in this demographic.


inquisitr--2020-06-07--Top Trump Officials Deny There’s Systemic Racism In Law Enforcement, DOJ ‘Abandoned’ Investigations

Top Trump Officials Deny There’s Systemic Racism In Law Enforcement, DOJ ‘Abandoned’ Investigations Of Police

A number of top members of Donald Trump ’ s administration have denied that there is a problem with systemic racism in law enforcement , with their defenses coming just days after a report found that the Department of Justice has “ abandoned ” broad investigations of police department misconduct .
As protests have broken out across the country and spread worldwide in the last two weeks after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis , members of the Trump administration have pushed back against allegations that racism has become a systemic problem among law enforcement .
Attorney General William @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nation on Sunday , saying that Floyd ’ s killing is not symptomatic of a larger problem .
Barr added that there has been significant progress since the 1960s .
“ I think there ’ s racism in the United States still but I don ’ t think that the law enforcement system is systemically racist .
I understand the distrust , however , of the African American community given the history in this country , ” Barr said .
As CNN noted , that sentiment was echoed by a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration .
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said that “ some ” police officers abuse their jobs , but denied there is a systemic problem .
Ben Carson , the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and one of the most high-profile African Americans in Trump ’ s administration , said that he grew up during a time of “ real systemic racism ” but believes that is no longer the case .
“ We have policemen who are rogue — the vast majority of policemen are wonderful , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unfairly targeting minorities , pointing to harsher policing tactics and more aggressive prosecution for people of color when compared to white suspects .
The protests that have spread across the country are calling for justice not just for Floyd specifically , but also sweeping changes in law enforcement to address these disparities .
The denials of systemic racism from members of the Trump administration comes just days after a report from CNN finding that the Department of Justice has “ abandoned ” investigations of unconstitutional policing practices that took place while both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in office .
“ While the Justice Department launched 12 investigations of law enforcement agencies for practices that violate the Constitution during George W. Bush ’ s first term , and 15 during Barack Obama ’ s first term , the department has opened only a single public investigation of that kind in the three and a half years since Trump became president , according to legal experts and DOJ records , ” the report noted .
Trump was also criticized in the last two weeks for calls to crack down on protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use the U.S. military to put down protests .
Critics say Trump is failing to acknowledge the larger issues of police misconduct that the protests are addressing .

A number of top members of Donald Trump’s administration have denied that there is a problem with systemic racism in law enforcement, with their defenses coming just days after a report found that the Department of Justice has “abandoned” broad investigations of police department misconduct.
As protests have broken out across the country and spread worldwide in the last two weeks after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, members of the Trump administration have pushed back against allegations that racism has become a systemic problem among law enforcement.
Attorney General William Barr appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, saying that Floyd’s killing is not symptomatic of a larger problem.
Barr added that there has been significant progress since the 1960s.
“I think there’s racism in the United States still but I don’t think that the law enforcement system is systemically racist. I understand the distrust, however, of the African American community given the history in this country,” Barr said.
As CNN noted, that sentiment was echoed by a number of top members of Donald Trump’s administration. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said that “some” police officers abuse their jobs, but denied there is a systemic problem.
Ben Carson, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and one of the most high-profile African Americans in Trump’s administration, said that he grew up during a time of “real systemic racism” but believes that is no longer the case.
“We have policemen who are rogue — the vast majority of policemen are wonderful,” he said.
Protesters have said that law enforcement is unfairly targeting minorities, pointing to harsher policing tactics and more aggressive prosecution for people of color when compared to white suspects. The protests that have spread across the country are calling for justice not just for Floyd specifically, but also sweeping changes in law enforcement to address these disparities.
The denials of systemic racism from members of the Trump administration comes just days after a report from CNN finding that the Department of Justice has “abandoned” investigations of unconstitutional policing practices that took place while both Barack Obama and George W. Bush were in office.
“While the Justice Department launched 12 investigations of law enforcement agencies for practices that violate the Constitution during George W. Bush’s first term, and 15 during Barack Obama’s first term, the department has opened only a single public investigation of that kind in the three and a half years since Trump became president, according to legal experts and DOJ records,” the report noted.
Trump was also criticized in the last two weeks for calls to crack down on protests that had grown violent, including threats to use the U.S. military to put down protests. Critics say Trump is failing to acknowledge the larger issues of police misconduct that the protests are addressing.


inquisitr--2020-06-07--Attorney General William Barr Says He Doesn’t Believe US Law Enforcement Is Systemically Racist

During a Sunday interview on CBS News ’ Face the Nation , Attorney General William Barr , a close Donald Trump ally , pushed back against the suggestion that the United States law enforcement is “ systemically racist , ” Breitbart reported .
“ I think there ’ s racism in the United States still but I don ’ t think that the law enforcement system is systemically racist , ” Barr said .
Nevertheless , Barr claimed to understand African American distrust of law enforcement due to the country ’ s history .
He also acknowledged that U.S. institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of the country ’ s history .
When pressed on the effectiveness of reform , Barr stressed the difficulty of the process but claimed he believes it is “ working.
” “ I think one of the best examples is the military , ” Barr said .
According to Barr , the majority of police officers are “ civic minded people ” who work to serve the public “ bravely ” and “ righteously.
” Barr ’ s comments come as protests continue across the United States — and around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while being detained by Minneapolis police officers .
Floyd , who was an African American , died after being subdued by white officer Derek Chauvin despite his cries for help .
The incident has sparked calls for reform in law enforcement as many social media reports spotlight continued police brutality amid the protests .
In a piece for USA Today , Wenei Philimon explored the history of racism in the U.S. police system .
Jennifer Cobbina , a criminal justice professor at Michigan State University , spoke about the purportedly long history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Cobbina , people often take racism as a “ contemporary issue ” but don ’ t understand that incidents like Floyd ’ s death are part of a “ legacy of injustice.
” Sally Hadden , a history professor at Western Michigan University , noted that policing used to revolve around race via slave patrols that would hunt down runaway slaves and prevent rebellion .
Even after the abolition of slavery in 1865 , USA Today claims that African Americans were “ heavily policed ” by law enforcement — especially in regions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African American behavior , such as property ownership .

During a Sunday interview on CBS News’ Face the Nation, Attorney General William Barr, a close ally of Donald Trump, pushed back against the suggestion that the United States law enforcement is “systemically racist,” Breitbart reported.
“I think there’s racism in the United States still but I don’t think that the law enforcement system is systemically racist,” Barr said.
Nevertheless, Barr claimed to understand African American distrust of law enforcement due to the country’s history. He also acknowledged that U.S. institutions “were explicitly racist” for the majority of the country’s history.
“Since the 1960s, I think we’ve been in a phase of reforming our institutions and making sure that they’re in sync with our laws and aren’t fighting a rearguard action to impose inequities.”
When pressed on the effectiveness of reform, Barr stressed the difficulty of the process but claimed he believes it is “working.”
“I think one of the best examples is the military,” Barr said.
“The military used to be explicitly racist institution. And now I think it’s in the vanguard of- of bringing the races together and providing equal opportunity. I think law enforcement has been going through the same process.”
According to Barr, the majority of police officers are “civic minded people” who work to serve the public “bravely” and “righteously.”
Barr’s comments come as protests continue across the United States — and around the world — after George Floyd’s death in the custody of Minneapolis police. Floyd, who was an African American, died after being subdued by white officer Derek Chauvin despite his cries for help. The incident has sparked calls for reform in law enforcement, as many social media reports spotlight continued police brutality amid the protests.
In a piece for USA Today, Wenei Philimon explored the history of racism in the U.S. police system. Jennifer Cobbina, a criminal justice professor at Michigan State University, spoke about the purportedly long history of racism in American police departments. According to Cobbina, people often take racism as a “contemporary issue” but don’t understand that incidents like Floyd’s death are part of a “legacy of injustice.”
Sally Hadden, a history professor at Western Michigan University, noted that policing used to revolve around race via slave patrols that would hunt down runaway slaves and prevent rebellion.
Even after the abolition of slavery in 1865, USA Today claims that African Americans were “heavily policed” by law enforcement — especially in regions of the country with laws that restricted African American behavior, such as property ownership.


inquisitr--2020-06-07--DC Mayor Muriel Bowser Fires Retaliation At Donald Trump While Addressing Record Breaking Crowd At B

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser Fires Retaliation At Donald Trump While Addressing Record Breaking Crowd At BLM Plaza

Washington , D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser retaliated against President Donald Trump , prolonging their ongoing feud while addressing the protesters gathered in her city over the weekend .
Bowser and Trump have been at odds over security in the city that they both call home , with Trump saying extra security was needed to fend off protesters that became violent just days ago , setting fire to an area just outside the presidential residence .
The mayor , however , has stood firm in her position that the bulk of the protesters are not a threat , that extra law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and put the troops in a bad position .
She vocalized as much when speaking to tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered to protest police brutality and the death of George Floyd who died in police custody .
According to The Hill , Bowser called out Trump for bringing federal troops to D.C. , following a sharp escalation in violent protests .
The mayor said that using federal troops on a domestic front was something that she hoped she would never see in the United States .
Bowser told the crowd on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” in demanding “ more justice and more peace , ” which seems to be what she was attempting when just a day before the Saturday gathering , Bowser sent a letter to the president asking to immediately “ withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence ” from the city , according to The Hill .
According to the city ’ s mayor , the curfew which , will soon be lifted , and the substantial decrease in arrests , are proof enough that the federal forces need not remain in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes that the National Guard “ saved her from great embarrassment ” this week and called Bowser “ incompetent , ” as The Inquisitr previously reported .
Bowser had previously shamed Trump for his increased security measures around the White House in preparation for the Saturday protest , which was expected to be the largest BLM rally to date .
The president , however , appears to have Bowser in a bit of a corner , since she doesn ’ t wish for him to increase security but also denied him the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security when throngs of angry demonstrators came uncomfortably close to breaching the presidential residence .
Bowser said that it wasn ’ t the metropolitan police ’ s job to help protect the White House .
The president called in the National Guard the next day .

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser retaliated against President Donald Trump while addressing the protesters gathered in her city over the weekend, continuing their ongoing feud.
Bowser and Trump have been at odds over security in the city that they both call home, with Trump saying extra security was needed to fend off protesters that became violent just days ago, setting fire to an area just outside the presidential residence.
The mayor, however, has stood firm in her position that the bulk of the protesters are not a threat and that extra law enforcement will only exacerbate the situation and put the troops in a bad position. Bowser relayed this message to tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered to protest police brutality and the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody.
According to The Hill, Bowser called out Trump for bringing federal troops to D.C., following a sharp escalation in violent protests. The mayor said that using federal troops on a domestic front was something that she hoped she would never see in the United States.
“Our soldiers should not be treated this way. They should not be asked to move on American citizens.”
Bowser told the crowd on Saturday that they needed to be “loud” in demanding “more justice and more peace,” echoing her actions from just a day before the Saturday gathering; Bowser sent a letter to Trump asking to immediately “withdraw all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence” from the city, according to The Hill.
According to the city’s mayor, the curfew — which will soon be lifted — and the substantial decrease in arrests, are proof enough that the federal forces need not remain in the city.
Trump previously said he believes that the National Guard “saved her from great embarrassment” this week and called Bowser “incompetent,” in his tweet about security in Washington D.C. as The Inquisitr reported.
Bowser had previously shamed Trump for his increased security measures around the White House in preparation for the Saturday protest, which was expected to be the largest Black Lives Matter rally to date.
Despite Bowser’s objection to increased security, she denied Trump the use of metropolitan police to assist White House security when throngs of demonstrators came close to breaching the presidential residence. Bowser said that it wasn’t the metropolitan police’s job to help protect the White House; Trump called in the National Guard the next day.


inquisitr--2020-06-07--Donald Trump Must ‘Run The Table’ In Key States To Get Re-Elected, ‘New York Times’ Reporter Says

New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker appeared on MSNBC on Sunday and spoke about Donald Trump ’ s chances of re-election , which he said are decreasing as Republicans turn against him .
As reported by Raw Story , Baker claims that Trump ’ s chances of winning re-election hinge on his ability to “ run the table ” in critical states .
“ What the president has done throughout his presidency is stick to his core constituency ; the voters who got him there in the first place .
He has done nothing to reach out beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
According to Baker , Trump ’ s plan thus far has been to appeal to his base as part of a strategy to boost turnout in the right states and gain an electoral college win , as he did in 2016 against Hillary Clinton .
Baker pointed to the close races in swing states like Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania , which were crucial for Trump ’ s 2016 win .
But Baker also noted that even states like Texas , Florida , and North Carolina show tight races , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s strategy will be difficult to pull off in the current race .
“ If those states are in play , states that were not thought to be competitive , that makes President Trump ’ s job that much harder , ” Baker said .
Although Baker noted that polls aren ’ t always accurate — many did not predict Trump ’ s 2016 win — he nevertheless said the current state of the 2020 race should be a “ concern ” for Trump ’ s campaign .
The latest NBC News/Wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with key voters that drove his win in 2016 .
For example , the survey showed him leading among voters without a degree by just three points , a demographic he won in 2016 by about eight points .
Conversely , Trump lost college graduates by approximately nine points in 2016 and is now losing the same demographic by 24 points .
Despite the reported roadblocks for Trump ’ s campaign , many still believe he has a chance to win in November .
Pulitzer Prize-winning financial journalist David Cay Johnston claimed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking control of the narrative on coronavirus , decreasing social unrest , and reviving the economy .
Johnston also suggested Trump ’ s appeal to reliable older voters , who reportedly make up over 70 percent of the U.S. voting population , could still be harnessed to help him defeat Joe Biden .

New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker appeared on MSNBC on Sunday and spoke about Donald Trump’s chances of re-election, which he said are decreasing as Republicans turn against him. As reported by Raw Story, Baker claims that Trump’s chances of winning re-election hinge on his ability to “run the table” in critical states.
“What the president has done throughout his presidency is stick to his core constituency; the voters who got him there in the first place. He has done nothing to reach out beyond his core constituency,'” Baker said.
According to Baker, Trump’s plan thus far has been to appeal to his base as part of a strategy to boost turnout in the right states and gain an electoral college win, as he did in 2016 against Hillary Clinton. Baker pointed to the close races in swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, which were crucial for Trump’s 2016 win.
But Baker also noted that even states like Texas, Florida, and North Carolina show tight races, which he said suggests that the president’s strategy will be difficult to pull off in the current race.
“If those states are in play, states that were not thought to be competitive, that makes President Trump’s job that much harder,” Baker said.
“In other words, he has to run the table. He not only has to win back the states he won last time, but hold on to these states that he is in danger of losing.”
Although Baker noted that polls aren’t always accurate — many did not predict Trump’s 2016 win — he nevertheless said the current state of the 2020 race should be a “concern” for Trump’s campaign.
The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed Trump losing ground with key voters that drove his win in 2016. For example, the survey showed him leading among voters without a degree by just three points, a demographic he won in 2016 by about eight points. Conversely, Trump lost college graduates by approximately nine points in 2016 and is now losing the same demographic by 24 points.
Despite the reported roadblocks for Trump’s campaign, many still believe he has a chance to win in November. Pulitzer Prize-winning financial journalist David Cay Johnston claimed that the president can secure a victory by taking control of the narrative on coronavirus, decreasing social unrest, and reviving the economy.
Johnston also suggested Trump’s appeal to reliable older voters, who reportedly make up over 70 percent of the U.S. voting population, could still be harnessed to help him defeat Joe Biden.


inquisitr--2020-06-07--Michigan Poll: Joe Biden Surges To Double-Digit Lead Over Donald Trump

According to an EPIC-MRA poll released on Sunday , the Democratic Party ’ s presumptive presidential nominee , Joe Biden , has surged to a double-digit lead over President Donald Trump in the state of Michigan .
Per The Detroit Free Press , the poll found that Biden ’ s lead over Trump has doubled since January .
The former vice president is polling at 53 percent , while Trump enjoys the support of 41 percent of Michiganders .
The survey also found that a majority of voters in Michigan do not approve of the way Trump has handled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .
In the poll , 58 percent of respondents gave Trump a negative rating , while 41 percent gave him a positive rating .
In general , Michiganders are not happy with what is going on in the United States .
Sixty-three percent said that the country is heading in the wrong direction , while 51 percent said they would vote to remove Trump if the election was held today .
Michigan is a battleground state , so independent voters play an important role in all elections .
The EPIC-MRA survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden , while only 23 percent of them said that they back Trump .
Furthermore , the state ’ s Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer has higher approval ratings than Trump , with 60 percent of respondents saying that she has done a good job handling the response to COVID-19 .
Overall , the governor ’ s approval rating is 55 percent , with 43 percent disapproving of her job performance .
Whitmer is reportedly being vetted by team Biden for the position of the former vice president ’ s running mate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also a national co-chair of Biden ’ s presidential campaign .
However , as The Detroit Free Press noted , Trump won Michigan in 2016 — after polls showed him trailing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton .
The tide appears to have turned completely , and most recent polls suggest that Biden is a clear favorite to win the White House in November .
According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released on Sunday , Trump has lost ground with a number of key voter groups .
The survey found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among blue-collar workers , women , men , and white voters .
The poll put Biden ahead of Trump by seven points nationwide , which suggests that Trump could lose the popular vote more convincingly than in 2016 .

According to an EPIC-MRA poll released on Sunday, the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Joe Biden, has surged to a double-digit lead over President Donald Trump in the state of Michigan.
Per The Detroit Free Press, the poll found that Biden’s lead over Trump has doubled since January. The former vice president is polling at 53 percent, while Trump enjoys the support of 41 percent of Michiganders.
The survey also found that a majority of voters in Michigan do not approve of the way Trump has handled the federal government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. In the poll, 58 percent of respondents gave Trump a negative rating, while 41 percent gave him a positive rating.
In general, Michiganders are not happy with what is going on in the United States. Sixty-three percent said that the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 51 percent said they would vote to remove Trump if the election was held today.
Michigan is a battleground state, so independent voters play an important role in all elections. The EPIC-MRA survey found that 62 percent of independents support Biden, while only 23 percent of them said that they back Trump.
Furthermore, the state’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has higher approval ratings than Trump, with 60 percent of respondents saying that she has done a good job handling the response to COVID-19. Overall, the governor’s approval rating is 55 percent, with 43 percent disapproving of her job performance.
Whitmer is reportedly being vetted by team Biden for the position of the former vice president’s running mate in the 2020 election. The governor is also a national co-chair of Biden’s presidential campaign.
However, as The Detroit Free Press noted, Trump won Michigan in 2016 — after polls showed him trailing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“Polls are a snapshot in time. Trump narrowly won Michigan in 2016, despite polls showing him trailing Democrat Hillary Clinton. In March and August of 2016, EPIC-MRA polls showed Clinton leading Trump by 10 points in Michigan, 47-37 and 46-36.”
The tide appears to have turned completely, and most recent polls suggest that Biden is a clear favorite to win the White House in November. According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released on Sunday, Trump has lost ground with a number of key voter groups.
The survey found that the president’s standing has weakened among blue-collar workers, women, men, and white voters. The poll put Biden ahead of Trump by seven points nationwide, which suggests that Trump could lose the popular vote more convincingly than in 2016.


inquisitr--2020-06-07--Donald Trump Says ‘Everything Is Under Perfect Control’ As He Tells National Guard To Withdraw In Wa

Donald Trump Says ‘Everything Is Under Perfect Control’ As He Tells National Guard To Withdraw In Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he was ordering the National Guard to withdraw from Washington , D.C. , following nearly two weeks of protests and demonstrations in the capital .
In an early-morning tweet , Trump said that everything in the area was under control .
“ I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington , D.C. , now that everything is under perfect control .
They will be going home , but can quickly return , if needed .
Far fewer protesters showed up last night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Around 20,000 people showed up to protest in Washington , D.C. , on Saturday , though some leaders were expecting up to 200,000 people to show up to demonstrate in support of Black Live Matter and against the president ’ s handling of the civil unrest in the country , as The Inquisitr previously reported .
Protesters hoped to gather up to 1 million people , rivaling the women ’ s march in 2017 .
The presence of the National Guard has been a sticking point between Trump and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evict National Guard troops from local hotels .
“ The incompetent Mayor of Washington , D.C. , @ MayorBowser , who ’ s budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for ‘ handouts ’ , is now fighting with the National Guard , who saved her from great embarrassment over the last number of nights .
If she doesn ’ t treat these men and women well , then we ’ ll bring in a different group of men and women !
” he tweeted .
Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace in D.C. , and officials say that protesters in recent days have been peaceful , with no arrests made and no curfew necessary .
Protesters descended on the capital to demonstrate against police brutality and the death of George Floyd , the unarmed black man who died while in police custody on March 25 .
Floyd was held down by an officer who placed a knee on his neck while Floyd expressed that he couldn ’ t breathe and called for his deceased mother .
He later became unresponsive and was taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared dead .
The video of his death spread rapidly , touching off protests across the country .
At one point , things reached a place where the president and his family were reportedly taken to the White House bunker in order to ensure their safety , though Trump has said that he was only there to conduct an inspection .
It isn ’ t clear from Trump ’ s tweet if only the out-of-state guards will be leaving or if all National Guard forces will leave .

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he was ordering the National Guard to withdraw from Washington, D.C., following nearly two weeks of protests and demonstrations in the capital.
In an early-morning tweet, Trump said that everything in the area was under control.
“I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control. They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!” he said.
Around 20,000 people showed up to protest in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, though some leaders were expecting up to 200,000 people to show up to demonstrate in support of Black Live Matter and against the president’s handling of the civil unrest in the country, as The Inquisitr previously reported.
Protesters hoped to gather up to 1 million people, rivaling the women’s march in 2017.
The presence of the National Guard has been a sticking point between Trump and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. On Friday, Bowser vowed to evict National Guard troops from local hotels.
“The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., @MayorBowser, who’s budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for ‘handouts’, is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment over the last number of nights. If she doesn’t treat these men and women well, then we’ll bring in a different group of men and women!” he tweeted.
Over 5,000 troops were in place to maintain peace in D.C., and officials say that protesters in recent days have been peaceful, with no arrests made and no curfew necessary.
More than 5,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 11 states and D.C. are manning traffic control points, aid stations and protecting the safety of peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C. on June 6, 2020. pic.twitter.com/e30oT19pAI — National Guard (@USNationalGuard) June 6, 2020
Protesters descended on the capital to demonstrate against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, the unarmed black man who died while in police custody on March 25. Floyd was held down by an officer who placed a knee on his neck while Floyd expressed that he couldn’t breathe and called for his deceased mother.
He later became unresponsive and was taken to a local hospital where he was declared dead. The video of his death spread rapidly, touching off protests across the country. At one point, things reached a place where the president and his family were reportedly taken to the White House bunker in order to ensure their safety, though Trump has said that he was only there to conduct an inspection.
It isn’t clear from Trump’s tweet if only the out-of-state guards will be leaving or if all National Guard forces will leave.