inquisitr--2020-04-23--Meghan McCain Stops Short Of Saying She’ll Vote For Joe Biden, But It ‘Shouldn’t Take A Rocket Scien

Meghan McCain Stops Short Of Saying She’ll Vote For Joe Biden, But It ‘Shouldn’t Take A Rocket Scientist’

'The View ' co-host spoke about the election on 'What What Happens Live . '
Meghan McCain appeared on Andy Cohen ’ s Watch What Happens Live Wednesday night to discuss a variety of topics , however , one subject seemed to draw the most attention .
Cohen asked McCain a question from a viewer , who wanted to know if she ’ d vote for Joe Biden now that he ’ s the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate .
“ It shouldn ’ t take a rocket scientist , ” she answered , per CNN , though she didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be voting for the former vice president .
McCain appeared alongside her friend , Erika Jayne of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills , to speak about a couple of topics , but the conversation inevitably turned toward politics and who McCain would be voting for this November .
Although a staunch conservative , she has been distancing herself from the Republican party over the past year and a half , even going so far as saying she no longer “ self-identifies ” as a Republican , according to USA Today .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCain stated Donald Trump ’ s party is not something she recognizes anymore and is not the party her father would have identified with .
McCain is also a close friend of Biden .
As she said on Watch What Happens Live , she claimed her parents met because of the Bidens .
She also stated the former vice president helped her work through her grief when her father passed .
Fans of The View will remember Biden comforting her as she began crying on air when speaking about her father ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship , it could be safe to say McCain would vote for the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate this fall .
Cohen then asked if her mother would be voting for Biden as well .
Even though McCain hedged making any definite declarations , she did point to her mother ’ s close relationship with Biden and to how Trump has treated her family .
“ The Trumps , they ’ re always making my mom cry , ” McCain said .
She then continued to speak about how she sometimes has to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She stated politics is personal , and she feels the country needs someone at the moment who “ tamps down ” the hatred and fear permeating current society , implying that person would be Biden , not Trump .
Cohen wondered if Biden would be the first Democrat her mother voted for , a question to which McCain didn ’ t reply .
Jayne spoke up as well , telling McCain that she should be Biden ’ s running mate .
“ He said he was going to pick a woman , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you !
” McCain laughed off the suggestion , saying that Biden would most likely pick someone like Sen. Kamala Harris .
She did assure viewers she had no inside information , however , stating she didn ’ t know who he was going to select to be on the ticket .
Jayne joked she would rather it be McCain , as she “ was not friends ” with Harris .
The full segment can be seen below .

Meghan McCain appeared on Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live Wednesday night to discuss a variety of topics, however, one subject seemed to draw the most attention. Cohen asked McCain a question from a viewer, who wanted to know if she’d vote for Joe Biden now that he’s the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate.
“It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist,” she answered, per CNN, though she didn’t come out and explicitly say she would be voting for the former vice president.
McCain appeared alongside her friend, Erika Jayne of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, to speak about a couple of topics, but the conversation inevitably turned toward politics and who McCain would be voting for this November. Although a staunch conservative, she has been distancing herself from the Republican party over the past year and a half, even going so far as saying she no longer “self-identifies” as a Republican, according to USA Today. The daughter of the late Sen. John McCain stated Donald Trump’s party is not something she recognizes anymore and is not the party her father would have identified with.
McCain is also a close friend of Biden. As she said on Watch What Happens Live, she claimed her parents met because of the Bidens. She also stated the former vice president helped her work through her grief when her father passed. Fans of The View will remember Biden comforting her as she began crying on air when speaking about her father’s cancer diagnosis. Because of their close relationship, it could be safe to say McCain would vote for the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate this fall.
We love hearing from Bravoholics! Have the Housewives or other @BravoTV shows helped you get through a rough time? Send us your stories ❤ #WWHLatHome pic.twitter.com/hU0TSxpnAN — WWHL (@BravoWWHL) April 23, 2020
Cohen then asked if her mother would be voting for Biden as well. Even though McCain hedged making any definite declarations, she did point to her mother’s close relationship with Biden and to how Trump has treated her family.
“The Trumps, they’re always making my mom cry,” McCain said.
She then continued to speak about how she sometimes has to go with her heart over her head. She stated politics is personal, and she feels the country needs someone at the moment who “tamps down” the hatred and fear permeating current society, implying that person would be Biden, not Trump.
Cohen wondered if Biden would be the first Democrat her mother voted for, a question to which McCain didn’t reply.
Jayne spoke up as well, telling McCain that she should be Biden’s running mate.
“He said he was going to pick a woman,” she said. “It should be you!”
McCain laughed off the suggestion, saying that Biden would most likely pick someone like Sen. Kamala Harris. She did assure viewers she had no inside information, however, stating she didn’t know who he was going to select to be on the ticket.
Jayne joked she would rather it be McCain, as she “was not friends” with Harris.
The full segment can be seen below.


inquisitr--2020-04-23--Osama Bin Laden Wanted To Assassinate Barack Obama So That Joe Biden Would Be President, Report Says

Fox News has resurfaced David Ignatius ’ s op-ed for The Washington Post dated to 2012 that suggests Osama bin Laden wanted to assassinate Barack Obama to make Joe Biden president and throw the United States “ into a crisis.
” The alleged plot reportedly stems from documents that were seized from bin Laden ’ s Pakistan compound after he was assassinated in May 2011 .
According to Fox News , these documents suggest that the al-Qaeda founder wanted to eliminate Obama along with top U.S. military commander David Petraeus while they traveled by plane .
In a message to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expressed his desire to see Biden at the helm of the United States .
Bin Laden allegedly wanted terrorist Ilyas Kashmiri — who was killed in 2011 not long after his leader ’ s death — to carry out the assassination .
Despite the purported plans , U.S. intelligence officials told The Washington Post that bin Laden ’ s scheme never progressed past the aspirational stage .
“ The plot to target Obama was probably bluster , since al-Qaeda apparently lacked the weapons to shoot down U.S. aircraft , ” Ignatius wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed that the plot was never a “ serious threat.
” In January of 2012 , Biden reportedly said he opposed the raid that ultimately killed bin Laden .
Later , in 2015 , the former vice president purportedly claimed that he had pushed Obama to carry out the attack .
When he appeared for an interview on CBS ’ s 60 Minutes in 2015 , Biden claimed that everything he said was “ accurate ” and insisted he suggested one more verification before carrying out the mission .
During a presidential debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in opposition to the plan to assassinate bin Laden .
As noted by Raw Story , the resurfaced story of the alleged Obama-Petraeus plan comes just hours after a Fox News poll showed Biden leading President Donald Trump by eight percentage points .
The network also highlighted that Trump is only up seven points among male voters , which is significantly less than the 17-point advantage he had in 2016 .
A Wednesday Quinnipiac University poll also showed Biden ahead of Trump in Florida , with 46 percent support compared to Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is notable as Florida is expected to be a critical battleground state in November .

Fox News has resurfaced David Ignatius’s op-ed for The Washington Post dated to 2012 that suggests Osama bin Laden wanted to assassinate Barack Obama to make Joe Biden president and throw the United States “into a crisis.”
The alleged plot reportedly stems from documents that were seized from bin Laden’s Pakistan compound after he was assassinated in May 2011. According to Fox News, these documents suggest that the al-Qaeda founder wanted to eliminate Obama along with top U.S. military commander David Petraeus while they traveled by plane.
In a message to a top deputy, bin Laden allegedly expressed his desire to see Biden at the helm of the United States.
“Biden is totally unprepared for that post, which will lead the U.S. into a crisis. As for Petraeus, he is the man of the hour… and killing him would alter the war’s path…”
Bin Laden allegedly wanted terrorist Ilyas Kashmiri — who was killed in 2011 not long after his leader’s death — to carry out the assassination. Despite the purported plans, U.S. intelligence officials told The Washington Post that bin Laden’s scheme never progressed past the aspirational stage.
“The plot to target Obama was probably bluster, since al-Qaeda apparently lacked the weapons to shoot down U.S. aircraft,” Ignatius wrote.
“But it’s a chilling reminder that even when he was embattled and in hiding, bin Laden still dreamed of pulling off another spectacular terror attack against the United States.”
Ignatius also noted that Obama administration officials claimed that the plot was never a “serious threat.”
Joe Biden is now trying to cover up his opposition to the Osama bin Laden raid. Moments ago, Biden says, "No I didn't" when confronted by Peter Doocy for being against the raid. 8 years ago, Biden said he opposed raid and told Obama, “Mr. President, my suggestion is don’t go.” pic.twitter.com/zAWhMf38MU — Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) January 3, 2020
In January of 2012, Biden reportedly said he opposed the raid that ultimately killed bin Laden. Later, in 2015, the former vice president purportedly claimed that he had pushed Obama to carry out the attack. When he appeared for an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes in 2015, Biden claimed that everything he said was “accurate” and insisted he suggested one more verification before carrying out the mission.
During a presidential debate in 2012, Obama claimed that Biden was in opposition to the plan to assassinate bin Laden.
As noted by Raw Story, the resurfaced story of the alleged Obama-Petraeus plan comes just hours after a Fox News poll showed Biden leading President Donald Trump by eight percentage points. The network also highlighted that Trump is only up seven points among male voters, which is significantly less than the 17-point advantage he had in 2016.
A Wednesday Quinnipiac University poll also showed Biden ahead of Trump in Florida, with 46 percent support compared to Trump’s 42 percent. The finding is notable as Florida is expected to be a critical battleground state in November.


inquisitr--2020-04-23--Donald Trump Says Sports Will Eventually Return To ‘The Way They Used To Be’

During the Wednesday White House coronavirus press briefing , Donald Trump addressed the future of sports events , which are currently shut down amid the pandemic .
As reported by Breitbart , the president spoke of a conversation he had with an unnamed sports owner who he advised against removing the seats from his stadium .
“ Your stadiums are gon na be the way they ’ ve been for the last 100 years , ” Trump said , per reporting from Mike Rodak of AL.com .
According to Trump , sports will eventually return to “ the way it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually be gone.
” “ And if it should show up in the fall , we ’ re gon na put it out very fast , ” he said .
“ We have great people .
We ’ re gon na put it out very fast.
” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , believes that the coronavirus will undoubtedly return in the fall , USA Today reported .
He supported his reasoning by pointing to its highly contagious nature .
“ What happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re able to contain it when it occurs , ” he said .
Despite his apparent cautiousness , Fauci has reportedly said that fans may be able to return to stadiums during Phase 3 of the reopening process , which may begin August or September .
However , the coronavirus task force discussion suggests that such a return would not be possible at the outset of the U.S. economic revival .
Fauci said sports will return without fans sometime during the summer .
According to the renowned doctor , players will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to CBS Sports , COVID-19 has led to the cancellation of approximately 47 percent of sporting events .
Before the virus swept the globe , about 48,800 sporting events were scheduled , while now , that number has dwindled to just 26,424 .
In terms of revenue , these events were projected to make around $ 135.3 billion .
Now , they ’ re currently on track to make $ 73.7 billion .
The sports industry generated $ 129 billion in 2019 .
As The Inquisitr previously reported , Trump is allegedly being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to save his reelection campaign .
In addition , some of his conservative allies reportedly believe that a failure to do so will cause a backlash from his base .
Adam Brandon , president of the conservative group FreedomWorks , claims the next month will make or break Trump ’ s chances in 2020 .

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inquisitr--2020-04-24--Mike Pence: Coronavirus Could ‘Largely’ Be ‘Behind Us’ By Early June

In an interview broadcast on Thursday , Vice President Mike Pence said that the coronavirus pandemic could “ largely ” be “ behind us ” by June , reports Mediaite .
Speaking with conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh , Pence suggested that the development of so-called herd immunity could help the United States handle another potential outbreak much better .
The vice president said that “ some of those early studies ” suggest collective immunity could be a “ bulwark ” against the virus .
Pence then shared his optimistic prediction about the country fully reopening by June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pence is not skeptical of the efficacy of social distancing guidelines , it seems .
The vice president urged Limbaugh ’ s listeners to respect the guidelines , avoid large public gatherings , and “ listen to your state and local authorities.
” “ Because as we track this data , state by state , county by county , we ’ re getting there , ” he said .
Pence also thanked those who have followed the guidelines recommended by the government .
“ I want your listeners to know that everything we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is a tribute to what they have done , ” he said .
As Mediaite notes , Pence ’ s appearance on Limbaugh ’ s program comes on the heels of reports that President Donald Trump is considering starting his own daily radio show .
The president was reportedly invested in the idea , but decided to drop it as to not compete against Limbaugh , whose show is one of the most popular in the country .
Public health experts do not exactly share Pence ’ s optimism .
Dr. Anthony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has argued that the novel COVID-19 will not go away until a vaccine is widely available , which could take up to 18 months .
Although not a public health expert , billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates , the co-founder of Microsoft , is viewed as an authority on pandemics , given that he has long warned that the United States — and the world — is not able to deal with one .
In an interview earlier this month , Gates echoed Fauci and others , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go back to truly normal ” until there is a vaccine .
Much like his vice president , Trump seems optimistic .
The president has already touted a number of controversial COVID-19 treatments .
For weeks , Trump has been promoting the drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine .
On Thursday , he suggested that light and heat could be used to treat coronavirus patients .


inquisitr--2020-04-24--Donald Trump Says Media Giving Joe Biden A Pass: ‘We Have A Sleepy Guy In The Basement Of A House’

On Thursday , during the daily coronavirus press briefing at the White House , Donald Trump was asked about the 2020 presidential election .
A reporter asked the president whether he believes the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to concerns about the legitimacy of the November election , given that some Americans might not be able to vote safely .
Per RealClearPolitics , Trump responded by blasting the media , while ripping into former Vice President Joe Biden , the Democratic Party ’ s presumptive presidential nominee .
“ We have a sleepy guy in the basement of a house that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to who doesn ’ t want to do debates because of COVID , and lots of things are happening , right ?
” the president began .
“ And I watched a couple of interviews and I say oh , I look forward to this , but they ’ re keeping him sheltered because of the coronavirus , ” Trump said of Biden , arguing that the media is treating the Republican Party much worse than the Democratic Party , despite the fact that his economy was “ the greatest ” in United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his administration has not gotten enough credit amid the coronavirus pandemic .
He pointed out that even Democratic politicians — such as California Gov .
Gavin Newsom — have praised the federal government ’ s response to the crisis , saying that Trump is keeping his promises .
According to Trump , Biden has been given “ a pass ” by much of the media , which is why it is impossible to make predictions about the upcoming election .
The president insisted that the press is granting his presumptive opponent preferential treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump then drew a comparison between the coronavirus pandemic and impeachment .
According to the president , the way he is now being treated by the media is evocative of the “ impeachment hoax ” and of former special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation into Russian election interference .
“ It was illegal and with all of that , I ’ m doing fine .
because the people see we ’ re doing a great job , ” Trump said .
As suggested by the latest polling , Trump has every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
According to an Ipsos poll released on Thursday , Trump is trailing Biden in the swing states of Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania .
The president won all three states in 2016 but is now trailing Biden by six points .
In all three states , Trump ’ s approval ratings are low , and most voters apparently believe their governors have done a better job handling the coronavirus pandemic .
Forty-seven percent of voters in Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania approve of the president ’ s response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their governors are doing a good job .


inquisitr--2020-04-23--Donald Trump’s Re-Election Chances May Suffer Due To Coronavirus Deaths Of Older Adults, Study Says

A study from the journal Administrative Theory & Praxis claims that Donald Trump ‘ s re-election chances may suffer due to mass deaths of older adults resulting from the coronavirus pandemic , Politico reports .
According to the analysis , even if shelter-in-place orders remain in effect , the United States could see 11,000 more Republican fatalities than Democrats in the 65-and-older demographic in Michigan and North Carolina before the November election .
In addition , if Pennsylvania were to return to social distancing in the absence of shelter-in-place , the researchers claim that 13,000 more Republicans than Democrats in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study generated its conclusions using early fatality projections from CovidActNow.org .
As noted by Politico , the predictions are “ orders of magnitude higher ” than deaths observed thus far in battleground states , which has caused skepticism of the findings .
Politico claims that Trump supporters tend to be heavier and older , which puts them at a higher risk of coronavirus lethality .
In addition , smoking levels are reportedly higher in Republican states .
Andrew Johnson , the lead author of the analysis and a professor of management at Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the implications of the results in an interview .
“ The pandemic is going to take a greater toll on the conservative electorate leading into this election — and that ’ s simply just a calculation of age , ” he said .
In response to skepticism about the magnitude of the projections , Johnson claims that easing of stay-at-home orders , as some Republican governors are set to do , could increase COVID-19 cases and resulting deaths .
As reported by CNN , polling across the last month suggests that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — such as Florida , Michigan , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin — that allowed him to snatch a victory in 2016 by winning the Electoral College .
“ [ Joe ] Biden ’ s lead nationally in those polls has been consistently around six to or seven points , as it is now in those , ” the analysis reads .
A recent survey from the Harvard Institute of Politics found that Biden is also leading Trump among younger voters age 18 to 29 .
As The Inquisitr reported , a new Ipsos/Reuters poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania .
In addition , 48 percent of voters surveyed in the three battleground states said that the coronavirus is the most significant problem in their community .
Conversely , just 15 percent and 12 percent said it ’ s the economy and health care , respectively .


inquisitr--2020-04-23--Republican Jim Jordan Refuses To Wear Mask At Hearing, Calls Coronavirus Oversight A Plot Against Do

Republican Jim Jordan Refuses To Wear Mask At Hearing, Calls Coronavirus Oversight A Plot Against Donald Trump

Republican Jim Jordan slammed a proposed coronavirus relief oversight committee as a political plot against Donald Trump in a meeting that grew contentious when the Ohio congressman went against the recommendation of the House physician and refused to wear a mask .
As Cleveland Plain Dealer reported , Jordan spoke out against the oversight committee in a hearing of the House Rules Committee , saying that a Democratic proposal to create oversight of the federal government ’ s response is meant as a way to find attacks against Trump .
“ This is just one more attempt by the Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jordan said .
Democrats have pushed for increasing oversight over both the federal government ’ s handling of the coronavirus crisis and how and potential relief funds are distributed .
As the Plain Dealer reported , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she sees the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis as a “ very bipartisan initiative to stop waste , fraud and abuse , price-gouging , profiteering , and the rest.
” She stressed that it would not be focused on Trump , but rather the process in place to respond to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the meeting where he voiced his displeasure , Jordan also came into conflict with Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin , who noted that the Capitol physician recommended that members of Congress wear masks , though they were not required to do so .
Jordan said he was maintaining proper social distancing by remaining six feet from others in the room , but did not put on a mask .
Raskin took issue , claiming it was not responsible of Jordan to keep his face unprotected in an effort to slow the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s obviously not a sign of bravery not to wear a mask , ” Raskin said .
“ It ’ s a sign of irresponsibility towards other people because when we wear a mask , we ’ re protecting them .
When they don ’ t wear a mask , they ’ re not protecting us.
” Jordan has remained one of Trump ’ s most vocal defenders , saying last week that the impeachment hearings against the president earlier in the year took his attention away from the early response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early statements downplaying the severity of the virus , comparing it to the season flu and predicting that cases in the U.S. would soon go away .
But Jordan and other defenders claim that the Democrats ’ push for impeachment played a major role , not allowing Trump to give the growing outbreak the proper attention .


inquisitr--2020-04-24--Andrew Yang Supporters Trend #CongressPassUBI As Additional Coronavirus Aid Lacks Payments To Americ

Andrew Yang Supporters Trend #CongressPassUBI As Additional Coronavirus Aid Lacks Payments To Americans

Supporters of former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang trended # CongressPassUBI on Friday amid the passing of a new supplemental coronavirus aid bill , which does not include additional payments to Americans .
“ The newest coronavirus relief package being proposed includes no direct monthly payments to people , ” Yang tweeted along with the hashtag .
“ Congress needs to get their priorities right and put people first .
If you agree , give them a call at 202-224-3121.
” UBI advocate Scott Santens , who supported Yang ’ s campaign and now works for Mitch McConnell challenger Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ magical thinking ” to suggest that reopening the economy will bring the United States back to normalcy .
“ YOU as a citizen of the United States are not a priority to members of the US House & Senate , ” he wrote in another tweet .
Broihier also pushed the hashtag as well as his belief in the benefit of UBI .
“ A Universal Basic Income will abolish poverty in America , ” he tweeted .
According to Broihier , UBI would reflect a commitment on behalf of U.S. leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberty , and the pursuit of happiness.
” In March , the Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act was signed into law and provided Americans with direct cash relief .
On Friday , The Grand Forks Herald reported that Donald Trump signed legislation that re-funded programs in the CARE Act , including the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from Small Business Administration , without similar cash for the American people .
As noted by Forbes ’ Andrew Solender , many of the UBI advocates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 2,000 monthly payments for adults and $ 500 for children — a significant step up from the $ 1,000 per month that Yang ’ s campaign centered around .
The idea of UBI has gained steam amid the economic shutdown intended to curb the coronavirus pandemic .
Republican figures such as Anthony Scaramucci have thrown their support behind the idea and point to its potential for pushing the economy forward as spending decreases .
Other prominent figures that have voiced support for UBI include Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey , congressman and former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pope Francis .
In Canada , the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ( CERB ) provides residents who have been affected by coronavirus with $ 2,000 per month for up to 16 weeks .
As reported by National Post , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rejected calls to turn the CERB ’ s payments into a universal benefit .
Other countries have also considered UBI , and Spain recently passed a permanent basic income .


inquisitr--2020-04-24--Nancy Pelosi Slams Donald Trump, Says Republicans ‘Don’t Believe In Science’

During a press conference on Friday , Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi slammed President Donald Trump and his Republican allies .
Per The Hill , Pelosi responded to Trump ’ s suggestion that heat , light and disinfectant could be potential coronavirus treatments .
Trump ’ s remarks , she suggested , are “ consistent ” with his previous comments .
“ My reaction is that it was consistent with all of his other statements , which had no relationship to science , fact , evidence , data or appropriate way to proceed , ” Pelosi said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday , Trump suggested exposing COVID-19 patients to “ tremendous ” light and heat .
He also argued that injecting coronavirus patients with disinfectant could be an effective therapy .
Less than 24 hours later , Trump walked back his comments , insisting they were “ sarcastic.
” But according to Pelosi it is not only Trump ’ s apparent rejection of science that is problematic .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans have embraced anti-scientism as well , she suggested .
Trump ’ s statements , Pelosi said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying let the states go bankrupt.
” “ They don ’ t believe in science and they don ’ t believe in governance .
And that ’ s why it ’ s hard to get them to accept the evidence that we have a role to do something to meet the needs of the American people in a very direct and stronger way.
” As The Hill notes , Trump ’ s remarks — which he now claims were not to be taken seriously — caused an uproar , with numerous public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday was not the first time for Trump to promote questionable and controversial COVID-19 treatment .
For weeks , Trump and his Republican allies have been promoting anti-malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as potential treatment for COVID-19 , despite the fact that there is no evidence to suggest they would be effective .
According to the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) , the drugs should not be taken without supervision because of the risk of heart problems .
Pelosi has repeatedly called for “ science-based ” solutions to the pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ top Democrat said that the federal government should pay attention to scientific data , instead of insisting that the country needs to fully reopen as soon as possible in order to save the sinking economy .
According to Pelosi , widespread testing is key , and social distancing guidelines must be followed in order to contain the virus and prevent future outbreaks .
Pelosi also dismissed anti-lockdown protests as a “ distraction , ” saying that local governments and governors need to make science and evidence-based decisions .


inquisitr--2020-04-24--Unearthed ‘Larry King Live’ Call Supports Joe Biden Accuser’s Sexual Assault Allegation, Report Says

A Friday report from The Intercept claims that a new piece of evidence has emerged in support of Tara Reade and her accusations of sexual assault and harassment against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
In her interview with Rolling Stone journalist Katie Halper , Reade said that her mother — who she claims to have confided in about the alleged incident — called into Larry King Live on CNN and spoke about the alleged assault in an anonymous call .
The Intercept claims to have received audio of a call made into Larry King ’ s program on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a segment “ Washington : The Cruelest City on Earth , ” which is reportedly the anonymous call made by Reade ’ s mother .
“ I ’ m wondering what a staffer would do besides go to the press in Washington ?
” the caller said .
“ My daughter has just left there , after working for a prominent senator , and could not get through with her problems at all , and the only thing she could have done was go to the press , and she chose not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him.
” King asked the caller if she was implying her daughter had a story to tell but did not “ out of respect ” for her employer , to which the caller agreed .
Reade reportedly read the transcript of the call and claims that she believes it is her mother .
According to The Intercept , the evidence supports Reade ’ s claim that she told her mother about the alleged assault at the hands of Biden while working for his U.S. Senate office in 1993 .
Reade previously claimed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as her close friend and brother , about both the alleged sexual assault discussed on Halper ’ s podcast and previous harassment allegations .
“ Her brother , Collin Moulton , and her friend , who has asked to remain anonymous , both confirmed that they heard about the allegations from Reade at the time , ” the report reads .
Although Reade ’ s mother died in 2016 , her brother and friend claim that Reade indeed confided in her about the alleged assault .
According to the pair , Reade ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feminist and activist , advised her daughter to talk to the police .
As The Intercept noted , the call does not include the phrase “ sexual harassment , ” which conflicts with Reade ’ s recollection of the call .
However , it supports Reade ’ s claim that she attempted to raise concerns with Biden ’ s superiors in his office , which ultimately failed .
In addition , the caller ’ s reference to the press , The Intercept suggests , makes it clear that the problems being referred to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in question if they were exposed .
The Intercept also says that the call reinforces the substance of Reade ’ s claims , regardless of her inability to remember specific details of the assault .
In addition , the publication claims that the evidence calls Biden ’ s denial into question .
Notably , the Biden campaign released a statement from Marianne Baker — who Reade claims to have complained to — which claimed that she never received a complaint about inappropriate behavior .
As noted by The Intercept , the truth of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the belief that Reade lied to her mother , brother , and friend about her initial complaint to Biden ’ s office .
Reade allegedly tried to take her story to # MeToo advocacy group Time ’ s Up , which reportedly has links to a top Biden adviser .
She claims the group ultimately refused to publicize the claims , citing its non-profit status and Biden ’ s presidential campaign .


inquisitr--2020-04-24--Former Bernie Sanders Spokeswoman Accuses Media Of Protecting Joe Biden

In an interview with The Atlantic that was published on Thursday , Briahna Joy Gray — who was the spokeswoman for Bernie Sanders ‘ now-suspended presidential campaign — accused the media of protecting presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
According to Gray , Biden ’ s success in the primary was driven along by “ months of concentrated media attention.
” She claimed that this media attention focused on the former vice president ’ s electability , and avoided shedding light on “ any of his vulnerabilities.
” “ Of course , if you ’ ve never heard of Tara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s never been framed up to you on the mainstream news that Joe Biden has these vulnerabilities on trade , if the only explanation you ’ ve ever gotten is that Trump won because he ’ s racist , you are going to believe that Joe Biden is the most electable candidate.
” As evidence for her argument , Gray pointed to Sanders ’ win in Nevada — and the subsequent claims by MSNBC ’ s Chris Matthews , who then suggested that a Sanders victory in November would pave the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it ’ s “ inaccurate ” to argue that voters selected their candidate in a “ neutral , unbiased media climate.
” “ People need information to make informed decisions , and unfortunately the media climate meant that was not the case.
” Nevertheless , Gray acknowledged that the onus was on Sanders to overcome such challenges .
She denied that Biden ’ s win was solely the result of a “ media conspiracy.
” As reported by Breitbart , Gray faced criticism for revealing that she would not be voting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained her decision by pointing to Biden ’ s platform and its seeming lack of many of the ideas on Sanders ’ platform — including Medicare for All , a wealth tax , and a proposal to cancel all student debt .
Gray ’ s position is one that appears to reflect some former Sanders supporters who feel disillusioned with the Democratic Party .
As Breitbart notes , some of these voters do not find Biden progressive enough .
A report from Towards Data Science appears to support Gray ’ s claim of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular , it found that Biden received more positive attention than Sanders — both before and after his massive Super Tuesday comeback — when measuring unique articles .
In a segment on The Hill ’ s Rising , progressive commentator and co-host Krystal Ball attacked MSNBC in particular for its coverage of Sanders .
She pointed to a piece from In These Times which found that Sanders not only received less coverage than Biden — one-third the total , over the two month period examined — but that said coverage was more negative @ @ @

In an interview with The Atlantic that was published on Thursday, Briahna Joy Gray — who was the spokeswoman for Bernie Sanders‘ now-suspended presidential campaign — accused the media of protecting presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
According to Gray, Biden’s success in the primary was driven along by “months of concentrated media attention.” She claimed that this media attention focused on the former vice president’s electability, and avoided shedding light on “any of his vulnerabilities.”
“Of course, if you’ve never heard of Tara Reade’s allegations, if it’s never been framed up to you on the mainstream news that Joe Biden has these vulnerabilities on trade, if the only explanation you’ve ever gotten is that Trump won because he’s racist, you are going to believe that Joe Biden is the most electable candidate.”
As evidence for her argument, Gray pointed to Sanders’ win in Nevada — and the subsequent claims by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, who then suggested that a Sanders victory in November would pave the way to public executions. She then claimed that it’s “inaccurate” to argue that voters selected their candidate in a “neutral, unbiased media climate.”
“People need information to make informed decisions, and unfortunately the media climate meant that was not the case.”
Nevertheless, Gray acknowledged that the onus was on Sanders to overcome such challenges. She denied that Biden’s win was solely the result of a “media conspiracy.”
“I’m saying that’s a part of it.”
"I’m resisting your framing."
Even Biden supporters should understand @briebriejoy's analysis here. During Obamas first term progressives were told we couldn't oppose his bad policies because it'd help Romney. No one talks about how opposition to TPP started during Obama v Romney pic.twitter.com/0vG2BT2lbU — Brett "Solidarity 2023" Banditelli (@banditelli) April 23, 2020
As reported by Breitbart, Gray faced criticism for revealing that she would not be voting for Biden in the 2020 election. She explained her decision by pointing to Biden’s platform and its seeming lack of many of the ideas on Sanders’ platform — including Medicare for All, a wealth tax, and a proposal to cancel all student debt.
Gray’s position is one that appears to reflect some former Sanders supporters who feel disillusioned with the Democratic Party. As Breitbart notes, some of these voters do not find Biden progressive enough.
A report from Towards Data Science appears to support Gray’s claim of Biden’s media coverage. In particular, it found that Biden received more positive attention than Sanders — both before and after his massive Super Tuesday comeback — when measuring unique articles.
In a segment on The Hill’s Rising, progressive commentator and co-host Krystal Ball attacked MSNBC in particular for its coverage of Sanders. She pointed to a piece from In These Times which found that Sanders not only received less coverage than Biden — one-third the total, over the two month period examined — but that said coverage was more negative in nature.


inquisitr--2020-04-24--Joe Biden Tweet Pokes Fun At President Trump For ‘Disinfectant’ Comments

President Donald Trump has attempted to walk back statements made on Thursday during a White House press briefing , where he said that injecting disinfectants could potentially be a method for treating the novel coronavirus .
Meanwhile , former Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden appears to have taken aim at the president ’ s suppositions with a pointed post on social media .
Biden took to Twitter on Friday with a piece of cautionary advice for those looking to ingest cleaning products as a means to eradicate COVID-19 infection from their bodies .
“ I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but please don ’ t drink bleach , ” he tweeted .
Although the tweet could be considered an admonishment for people looking to self-treat in the wake of Trump ’ s statements , it could also be viewed as another criticism of the remarks themselves .
Biden had taken the president to task previously via Twitter by questioning the concept of coronavirus treatment by disinfectant or UV light — another subject broached by Trump — and asked for better testing and protective equipment for health professionals .
Although the president stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential treatments , his comments have prompted responses from companies that produce cleaning products and elicited criticism from medical experts and the masses on social media alike .
In response to the outcry , Trump is now claiming that his comments about injecting disinfectants were made sarcastically .
However , he did correctly point out that disinfectants are largely successful in killing the coronavirus on people ’ s hands .
“ I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters just like you , just to see what would happen .
I was asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the reporters in the room about disinfectant on the inside .
But it does kill it and it would kill it on the hands , and it would make things much better.
” NBC News and other sources have alleged that Trump ’ s line of questioning didn ’ t appear to be in jest or sarcastic in any way when he made the remarks .
Meanwhile , Biden ’ s tweet about drinking bleach has blown up , garnering tens of thousands of retweets and well over 100,000 likes at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tweet has run the gamut from those backing the former vice president and attacking Trump to others who are taking aim at Biden .
Biden has gone through some controversy of his own lately , in regard to allegations of misconduct made by Tara Reade , one of his former staffers during his days in the Senate .
The Intercept has reported that new evidence supporting Reade ’ s credibility has emerged .


inquisitr--2020-04-24--‘Tide Pods’ Trends On Twitter After President Trump Suggests Using Disinfectants To Treat Coronaviru

‘Tide Pods’ Trends On Twitter After President Trump Suggests Using Disinfectants To Treat Coronavirus

President Donald Trump received criticism following statements he made during a live coronavirus briefing on Thursday that inferred the novel coronavirus could potentially be treated via the injection of disinfectants .
USA Today reports that Twitter users have called Trump the ‘ Tide Pods ” president after the term became a trend on the social media platform in the wake of those statements .
During his daily meeting with the press , Trump spoke at length about possible treatments for COVID-19 and suggested some unconventional methods for doing so .
In addition to mentioning the injection of disinfectants , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treat the disease and the possibility of bringing light inside the body through the skin or by some other means .
“ I see the disinfectant that knocks it out in a minute , one minute .
And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning ?
As you see , it gets in the lungs , it does a tremendous number on the lungs , so it would be interesting to check that.
” Trump didn ’ t specify which disinfectant he may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement has prompted some clarification from companies like RB — the makers of Lysol and Dettol — that their products should not be used by coronavirus patients to treat their infection .
Per RB ’ s statement , nobody should be injecting , ingesting , or otherwise administering disinfectant products into the human body for any reason , in keeping with conventional wisdom .
Meanwhile , the ‘ Tide Pods ” trend is running strong on Twitter and some of the tweets have been particularly harsh toward the president for his ideas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their 3-year-old child .
This isn ’ t the first time a coronavirus treatment suggested by Trump has been ill-received or later shown to be ineffective .
On Friday , the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) issued a statement saying that hydroxychloroquine — which the president had suggested as a COVID-19 treatment in March — has been ineffective in treating the disease .
The agency cautioned against using it outside of a hospital setting or clinical trial .
The use of chloroquine has resulted in an increased risk of cardiac issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , there have been 828,441 total cases of coronavirus infection and 46,379 deaths in the United States as of April 22 .


inquisitr--2020-04-24--FDA Warns Against Self-Medicating With Chloroquine, Donald Trump’s Purported ‘Game-Changer’ COVID-19

FDA Warns Against Self-Medicating With Chloroquine, Donald Trump’s Purported ‘Game-Changer’ COVID-19 Treatment

A drug used to treat malaria that was once hyped by President Donald Trump on Twitter as a “ game changer ” and possible treatment for coronavirus patients hasn ’ t fared particularly well in light of further study into its use .
The FDA is the latest group to advise against its use in some capacity , warning people not to take the drug outside of a hospital setting .
On Friday , the FDA issued a safety announcement specifically regarding hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine use — both in tandem with azithromycin as the president suggested and otherwise — to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed out , the FDA warned that the use of the drug has yielded reports of serious heart rhythm problems in patients .
They further stated chloroquine should not be used by anyone outside of a hospital setting or a clinical trial and that the drug has not been shown to be safe or effective for treatment or prevention of coronavirus infection .
“ Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine can cause abnormal heart rhythms such as QT interval prolongation and a dangerously rapid heart rate called ventricular tachycardia .
These risks may increase when these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prolong the QT interval , including the antibiotic azithromycin , which is also being used in some COVID-19 patients without FDA approval for this condition .
Patients who also have other health issues such as heart and kidney disease are likely to be at increased risk of these heart problems when receiving these medicines.
” This warning comes just days after a study of 368 male coronavirus patients in U.S. veterans hospitals was published .
The report showed that those who were treated with the drug experienced more fatalities than the control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with hydroxychloroquine alone .
As with the FDA statement , that study cited potential heart risks associated with chloroquine use .
The study has been submitted to the New England Journal of Medicine for peer review .
In March , Trump indicated that hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin treatment for COVID-19 patients was a significant breakthrough and pushed the FDA to make the treatment available “ immediately ” in a tweet .
At the time , a controversial French study was believed to be the inspiration behind Trump ’ s post .
In addition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for autoimmune conditions like chronic discoid lupus erythematosus , systemic lupus erythematosus , and rheumatoid arthritis .
As it stands , it would seem that COVID-19 is unlikely to join that list .


inquisitr--2020-04-24--White House Tries To Walk Back Donald Trump’s Statement About Injecting Disinfectants

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany issued a statement on Friday attempting to clarify the statements made by President Donald Trump on Thursday about injecting disinfectants as a way to fight COVID-19 .
“ President Trump has repeatedly said that Americans should consult with medical doctors regarding coronavirus treatment , a point that he emphasized again during yesterday ’ s briefing , ” she wrote , according to a tweet from CBS News White House correspondent Weijia Jiang .
“ Leave it to the media to irresponsibly take President Trump out of context and run with negative headlines.
” During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference , William Bryan from the Department of Homeland Security explained that recent studies show isopropyl alcohol , bleach , and UV light all kill COVID-19 within minutes .
After Bryan concluded , Trump took to the podium and began to muse about whether there was a way to inject sunlight into the body to fight the virus , adding that his experts were looking into a way to test the idea .
He then turned to the concept of injecting disinfectants into the body to combat coronavirus .
“ I see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minute , one minute .
And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning ?
As you see , it gets in the lungs , it does a tremendous number on the lungs , so it would be interesting to check that , ” he said .
Within minutes , doctors and medical experts responded to the president ’ s suggestion , saying that people shouldn ’ t inject disinfectants to fight diseases , as The Inquisitr previously reported .
Later , commentators like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Morgan asserted that Trump was going to “ kill people ” with his unverified and “ dangerous ” ideas .
The Washington ’ s Emergency Management Division was forced to issue a tweet cautioning people against the idea .
Later , household cleaner manufacturer Lysol warned people against ingesting their products in any way .
The EPA also issued a statement warning people not to ingest disinfectants or use products like bleach or isopropyl alcohol on items intended to be ingested .
At Thursday ’ s press conference , Philip Rucker , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed the president on his comments , saying that Trump is the president and should be providing information and guidance rather than making unsubstantiated claims .
Trump responded that he was the president and The Washington Post was fake news .
“ I ’ m just here to present ideas , ” Trump claimed , as Politico reported .
In the past , the president has faced criticism for pushing drugs like hydroxychloroquine , an unproven treatment , as a way to fight COVID-19 .


inquisitr--2020-04-24--Joe Biden Says Donald Trump Will Try To Delay Presidential Election

Joe Biden says that he believes President Donald Trump will do whatever he can to delay the upcoming presidential election in November .
The former vice president held a virtual fundraiser on Thursday where he said that he was worried that Trump will do everything in his power to make it difficult for citizens to vote .
“ Mark my words , I think he is going to try to kick back the election somehow , come up with some rationale why it can ’ t be held , ” Biden said , as The Guardian reports .
He went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing back against funding the United States Postal Service , a move that some people think is aimed at suppressing mail-in voting .
With the novel coronavirus pandemic leaving many people scared or unable to leave their homes , experts say that mail voting may be essential in the fall election .
“ Imagine threatening not to fund the post office .
Now , what in God ’ s name is that about ?
Other than trying to let the word out that he ’ s going to do all he can to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote , ” Biden said .
“ That ’ s the only way he thinks he can possibly win.
” Trump has called voting by mail “ corrupt ” and “ dangerous ” and has told GOP members that they should do what they can to fight vote-by-mail expansion .
However , a recent report revealed that Trump requested an absentee ballot from Florida so that he could vote by mail in the upcoming election .
Biden , who is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president , added that he believes that Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. election , saying that he was certain that they did in 2016 .
A recent report from a GOP-led committee in Congress confirmed that Russia meddled in the election , concluding that they did so to help elect Trump .
“ You can be assured between [ Trump ] and the Russians there is going to be an attempt to interfere , ” he said .
The president has not suggested that he would delay the election , but many people on both sides of the aisle have expressed concern that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While there is no law that allows the president to delay a presidential election — that ’ s something only Congress can do — some people point to Trump ’ s seeming lack of understanding about presidential power .
Recent polls show that Trump is trailing Biden in several key battleground states , and the former vice president leads by eight points nationwide .

Joe Biden says that he believes President Donald Trump will do whatever he can to delay the upcoming presidential election in November. The former vice president held a virtual fundraiser on Thursday where he said that he was worried that Trump will do everything in his power to make it difficult for citizens to vote.
“Mark my words, I think he is going to try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can’t be held,” Biden said, as The Guardian reports.
He went on to question why the president is pushing back against funding the United States Postal Service, a move that some people think is aimed at suppressing mail-in voting. With the novel coronavirus pandemic leaving many people scared or unable to leave their homes, experts say that mail voting may be essential in the fall election.
“Imagine threatening not to fund the post office. Now, what in God’s name is that about? Other than trying to let the word out that he’s going to do all he can to make it very hard for people to vote,” Biden said. “That’s the only way he thinks he can possibly win.”
Trump has called voting by mail “corrupt” and “dangerous” and has told GOP members that they should do what they can to fight vote-by-mail expansion. However, a recent report revealed that Trump requested an absentee ballot from Florida so that he could vote by mail in the upcoming election.
Biden, who is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, added that he believes that Russia will once again attempt to interfere in the U.S. election, saying that he was certain that they did in 2016. A recent report from a GOP-led committee in Congress confirmed that Russia meddled in the election, concluding that they did so to help elect Trump.
“You can be assured between [Trump] and the Russians there is going to be an attempt to interfere,” he said.
The president has not suggested that he would delay the election, but many people on both sides of the aisle have expressed concern that he might attempt to do so. While there is no law that allows the president to delay a presidential election — that’s something only Congress can do — some people point to Trump’s seeming lack of understanding about presidential power.
Recent polls show that Trump is trailing Biden in several key battleground states, and the former vice president leads by eight points nationwide.


inquisitr--2020-04-24--CIA Ignored Evidence That Russia Favored Hillary Clinton To Win 2016 Election, Ex-Intelligence Offic

CIA Ignored Evidence That Russia Favored Hillary Clinton To Win 2016 Election, Ex-Intelligence Officer Claims

Fred Fleitz , who served as Donald Trump ‘ s White House National Security Council chief of staff in 2018 , penned an op-ed for Fox News in which he claimed former CIA director John Brennan ignored intelligence that suggested Russia wanted Hillary Clinton to win the 2016 presidential election .
According to Fleitz , House Intelligence Committee staff members told him they found “ conflicting intelligence ” on Russia ’ s motivations for interfering in the 2016 election , which ran parallel to an FBI investigation into Trump ’ s campaign .
In addition , the officials allegedly told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysis ” that suggested it was in Russia ’ s interest for Clinton — who the country reportedly believed was ” more predictable and malleable ” — to win the election .
“ They also told me that Brennan suppressed that intelligence over the objections of CIA analysts , ” Fleitz wrote .
The House Intelligence Committee staff reportedly claimed Brennan ’ s team opted out of using “ high-quality ” intelligence that hinted at a Russian preference of a Clinton win and instead relied on “ low-quality ” information to support the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fleitz claimed Democratic lawmakers were “ fanatically united ” in promoting the narrative that Trump colluded with Russia , which he claimed was false .
As reported by Breitbart , the Department of Justice ( DOJ ) has tapped federal prosecutor John Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia probe .
Fleitz alleged that Durham is currently examining the possibility of drafting the findings of the intelligence community assessment as part of his investigation into possible federal government abuse both before and after the 2016 election .
Durham , Fleitz wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2017 intelligence community assessment under Brennan was “ rigged to hurt Trump politically.
” As The Inquisitr previously reported , recently declassified footnotes from DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz ’ s report revealed that the FBI was aware at some point in 2017 that Christopher Steele ’ s dossier , which played a role in driving the Russia investigation forward , contained Russian disinformation .
According to Fleitz , the 2017 U.S. intelligence community assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump win was aligned with the “ basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he said has been “ widely discredited.
” Former FBI Director James Comey — who held his position while Brennan was with the CIA — previously assured that the Steele Dossier was accurate .
However , it ’ s unclear if he was aware of the presence of Russian disinformation at the time of his claims .

Fred Fleitz, who served as Donald Trump‘s White House National Security Council chief of staff in 2018, penned an op-ed for Fox News in which he claimed former CIA director John Brennan ignored intelligence that suggested Russia wanted Hillary Clinton to win the 2016 presidential election.
According to Fleitz, House Intelligence Committee staff members told him they found “conflicting intelligence” on Russia’s motivations for interfering in the 2016 election, which ran parallel to an FBI investigation into Trump’s campaign. In addition, the officials allegedly told Fleitz that Brennan “suppressed facts or analysis” that suggested it was in Russia’s interest for Clinton — who the country reportedly believed was ” more predictable and malleable” — to win the election.
“They also told me that Brennan suppressed that intelligence over the objections of CIA analysts,” Fleitz wrote.
The House Intelligence Committee staff reportedly claimed Brennan’s team opted out of using “high-quality” intelligence that hinted at a Russian preference of a Clinton win and instead relied on “low-quality” information to support the theory that Russia wanted Trump to win.
Fleitz claimed Democratic lawmakers were “fanatically united” in promoting the narrative that Trump colluded with Russia, which he claimed was false.
“If information ever reached the Senate Intelligence Committee about Brennan suppressing intelligence in the intelligence community assessment that Putin favored Clinton instead of Trump, its Democratic members and staff certainly would have demanded that those crucial facts never be known.”
As reported by Breitbart, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has tapped federal prosecutor John Durham to investigate the origins of the Russia probe. Fleitz alleged that Durham is currently examining the possibility of drafting the findings of the intelligence community assessment as part of his investigation into possible federal government abuse both before and after the 2016 election.
Durham, Fleitz wrote, will be able to determine whether the 2017 intelligence community assessment under Brennan was “rigged to hurt Trump politically.”
As The Inquisitr previously reported, recently declassified footnotes from DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report revealed that the FBI was aware at some point in 2017 that Christopher Steele’s dossier, which played a role in driving the Russia investigation forward, contained Russian disinformation.
#FISA READ footnote 350 FBI effort to verify Steele Dossier “The (redacted) stated that it did not have high confidence in this subset of Steele’s reporting and ASSESSED that the referenced subset was part of a Russian disinformation campaign to denigrate US foreign relations” pic.twitter.com/7aVvNkx3BV — Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) April 10, 2020
According to Fleitz, the 2017 U.S. intelligence community assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump win was aligned with the “basic premise” of the Steele Dossier, which he said has been “widely discredited.”
Former FBI Director James Comey — who held his position while Brennan was with the CIA — previously assured that the Steele Dossier was accurate. However, it’s unclear if he was aware of the presence of Russian disinformation at the time of his claims.


inquisitr--2020-04-24--Lysol Maker Disavows Donald Trump’s Idea Of Injecting Disinfectant To Kill Coronavirus

In response to Donald Trump ’ s suggestion that doctors examine the possibility of injecting disinfectants to combat coronavirus , RB , the parent company of Lysol , was forced to push back on the president ’ s claims , Raw Story reports .
“ Due to recent speculation and social media activity , RB ( the makers of Lysol and Dettol ) has been asked whether internal administration of disinfectants may be appropriate for investigation or use as a treatment for coronavirus ( SARS-CoV-2 ) , ” the statement reads .
According to Lysol , nobody should inject , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disinfectant products into the human body under any circumstances .
While RB did not mention Trump by name in their statement , they appeared to imply that his controversial suggestion was irresponsible .
Notably , the company claimed it had a responsibility to provide consumers with “ accurate , up-to-date information ” that is supported by “ leading public health experts.
” RB ’ s statement comes as many doctors were forced to social media to urge the public not to inject or consume any chemicals that contain bleach or isopropyl alcohol to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Items You Can ( And Should ) Buy On Amazon Right Now Trump ’ s suggestion came after William Bryan , a member of the coronavirus task force and acting undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security , said that the pair of chemicals mentioned above could quickly eliminate COVID-19 .
“ And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute , ” Trump said , per BBC , before inquiring aloud about the use of disinfection by “ injection inside ” or “ almost a cleaning.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , disinfectants don ’ t work inside the body and are used to kill viruses on surfaces .
In addition to putting one at risk of poisoning and death , injecting disinfectant would likely not be effective at killing COVID-19 , which — once it takes hold — quickly multiplies and spreads to the lungs .
Pulmonologist Dr. Vin Gupta said that injecting or ingesting cleansing products is not only dangerous but a common method that people use to try and take their own life .
John Balmes , a pulmonologist at Zuckerberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even inhaling the fumes of chlorine bleach can be harmful , as the lungs and airway are not designed for exposure to disinfectant .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , 70 percent alcohol can effectively kill coronavirus when applied to hard surfaces such as electronics , screens , and doorknobs .
Per BBC , it is also generally recommended to wipe down surfaces of things one touches with products possessing anti-microbial properties .


inquisitr--2020-04-25--Chris Hayes Blasts White House Press Briefings As ‘Pathological Narcissistic Propaganda Show’

During the opening monologue of his MSNBC show on Friday , anchor Chris Hayes blasted President Donald Trump ‘ s White House press briefings as a “ pathological narcissistic propaganda show , ” reports Mediaite .
Hayes began his monologue by pointing out that Trump initially downplayed the severity of COVID-19 , suggesting that the virus will simply go away once the summer begins .
Now , the anchor said , Trump is trying to find a “ magic pill ” in order to revive the crashing economy and ensure his re-election .
Hayes said that Trump has been touting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that there is no evidence that it could be good for treating COVID-19 .
He also noted that Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority Rick Bright was reportedly demoted from his position for opposing the administration ’ s plans regarding unproven drugs .
Nevertheless , Hayes continued , Trump has not stopped looking for “ magical solutions ” to tackle the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Nope .
He still wants the magic bullet to save him and his reelection , ” he said , pointing to Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefing .
On Thursday , the president argued that exposing COVID-19 patients to light and heat could be an effective therapy , given that some research appears to indicate that the virus does not spread as quick in warmer weather .
Trump also floated the idea of injecting coronavirus patients with disinfectant .
The president now claims that the suggestions should not have been taken seriously .
“ That ’ s insane , it sounds insane , but he ’ s the president .
That ’ s the guy running the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ re heading towards a million cases .
We ’ re on our way to that .
26 million people have lost their jobs , ” he continued .
The anchor added that the White House has not offered a concrete plan of action to deal with the pandemic .
“ There ’ s no plan or solutions coming from the White House , ” Hayes said .
As Mediaite notes , Hayes has previously argued that cable networks — including his own — should stop broadcasting Trump ’ s press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures are skeptical about Trump ’ s claim that Thursday ’ s suggestions were merely sarcasm .
On Friday , Fox Business Network anchor Neil Cavuto called on the president to clarify his remarks and “ unequivocally ” state that Americans should not inject themselves with disinfectants to treat the coronavirus .
Public health experts have strongly pushed back against Trump ’ s propositions , and Lysol released a statement explaining that its products can not be used to treat COVID-19 .


inquisitr--2020-04-25--Neil Cavuto: Donald Trump ‘Was Not Joking’ When He Talked About Injecting Disinfectant, Should Clari

Neil Cavuto: Donald Trump ‘Was Not Joking’ When He Talked About Injecting Disinfectant, Should Clarify

Fox Business Network anchor Neil Cavuto is calling on President Donald Trump to clarify his comments about using disinfectants as treatment for the novel coronavirus .
Per The Hill , Cavuto said that Trump “ was not joking ” when he suggested that injecting COVID-19 patients with disinfectant should be considered .
In fact , the anchor argued , the president should further clarify his remarks and admit that he had a slip of tongue , in order to not mislead the public .
On Thursday , during the daily White House press conference , Trump floated a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pointing to data that appears to suggest the virus will not spread as fast during summer , Trump said that patients should perhaps be exposed to heat and strong lights .
He added that injecting disinfectant should also be explored as a potential therapy .
Public health experts and scientists were quick to lambaste the president , pointing out that injecting disinfectant would be extremely dangerous .
The company Lysol released an official statement , clarifying that “ under no circumstance ” should its products be used in such a way .
Less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump walked them back .
The president said that he was being “ sarcastic ” in order to mock the reporters present at the conference .
According to Cavuto , whether Trump was indeed sarcastic or not , he needs to advise the public against using disinfectants to treat COVID-19 .
“ I think it ’ s important [ for ] the president to… come out unequivocally [ and say ] ‘ some of you took me seriously , even though I sounded serious saying it , please do not , please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this stuff into your system , ” Cavuto said .
Cavuto and Trump have previously butted heads .
Notably , in 2019 , the two men feuded over Trump ’ s suggestion that Fox News has been unfair to him .
Trump said that the network no longer “ works ” for him , and the anchor responded that it is not supposed to .
It is not only Cavuto and public health experts that believe Trump ’ s recent remarks were anti-scientific .
On Friday , Speaker of the House of Representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments are not even surprising , arguing that his remarks about potential coronavirus treatment are “ consistent ” with many of his previous statements .
According to Pelosi , top Republicans — including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — reject science and data as well .
The House speaker said that the Republicans “ don ’ t believe in science and they don ’ t believe in governance .
”


inquisitr--2020-04-26--Donald Trump Is A ‘Sexual Sadist’ Who Enjoys ‘Degrading People,’ Says Psychologist

In a new interview with Salon published on Saturday , psychologist and psychotherapist John Gartner discussed President Donald Trump ‘ s alleged mental pathologist and how they are being exacerbated amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Gartner , who contributed to the bestseller The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump , claims that the president is a malignant narcissist .
“ Malignant narcissists are very sick people , ” he began , explaining that mentally healthy individuals are not even able to comprehend how “ sick ” malignant narcissist are .
According to Gartner , the public needs to understand that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is , in fact , “ actively engaging in sabotage ” amid the COVID-19 pandemic , making it tougher for governors and local governments to do their jobs and protect the citizens from the virus .
The psychologist said that Trump constantly “ lies and makes things up ” in order to serve the imaginary world he has created in his own mind , a world in which he has total power .
He added that Trump is a “ sexual sadist ” who enjoys harming other people and generating chaos .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people ” are still in denial about who Trump actually is , even though he has been displaying symptoms of malignant narcissism his entire life .
Americans , he continued , are “ hostages ” to Trump , who is destroying their health and well being by doing nothing to tackle the coronavirus pandemic .
Furthermore , Gartner opined , Trump is more than comfortable with poor , marginalized , and non-white people dying from COVID-19 , because he views them as inferior .
“ Donald Trump is a malignant narcissist with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destructiveness , where he ’ s getting pleasure and a sense of power from dominating people and degrading people , ” the psychologist added .
Gartner also discussed the 2020 presidential election , when Trump will face off against Joe Biden , the Democratic Party ’ s presumptive presidential nominee .
Trump will do all he can to stay in power , the psychologist suggested , predicting that the president will find a way to “ cause great harm ” if his chances of re-election are seriously jeopardized .
“ The democidal maniac @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Make no mistake , ” Gartner concluded .
Gartner is not the only mental expert questioning the president ’ s mental state .
Yale psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee has long argued that Trump is not fit for office .
In an interview earlier this month , she said that the coronavirus pandemic is showing that Trump does not have the “ mental capacity ” to lead the country .

'1000 Lb Sister' Tammy Slaton Defends Her 'Filtered' Pictures, Ask Critics to Talk to Her Hand
She said, "Listen, I am not trying to be rude, but it's my profile. And if I like using the filters, I will. Plain and simple," as she waved goodbye.
4h ago


inquisitr--2020-04-25--Donald Trump Campaign Blasts Coronavirus Committee As ‘Third Witch Hunt In Three Years’

President Donald Trump ‘ s 2020 campaign is slamming the United States Congress , The Hill reports .
In a fundraising email sent Saturday , the president ’ s campaign team likened congressional efforts to oversee the implementation of the $ 2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package to former special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation and impeachment .
“ First , the Democrat ’ s Russian Collusion Delusion FAILED because WE fought back .
Then , their Impeachment Hoax FAILED because WE fought back even harder , ” the email says .
The Trump campaign said that it is raising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against “ the Left.
” Established in the record relief package , the Congressional Oversight Commission is not left wing , but bipartisan .
Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader will jointly decide who to appoint as the committee ’ s chairman .
The panel will have five members and be tasked with overseeing the implementation of the relief .
But Congress is not the only body with oversight responsibilities .
The package also allows for two other similar measures .
A Pentagon watchdog was named @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Trump demoted him without appointing a replacement .
The president also nominated a White House lawyer to oversee $ 500 billion of the relief funds .
This lead to protests from Democratic politicians , who claim that oversight officials need to be impartial .
As The Hill notes , Trump has been aggressively pushing back against oversight measures , claiming that such maneuvers are “ witch hunts ” and “ hoaxes.
” Trump has repeatedly suggested that the Democrats are using the coronavirus pandemic to damage his chances of re-election .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president warned Democratic politicians against treating the federal government ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic like the Russia probe .
“ This should not be a partisan witch hunt .
You know like the Russia witch hunt that turned out to be a total phony deal , ” Trump said , stating that Democrats view the pandemic as an “ election.
” According to the Democrats , however , it is Trump who is trying to use the coronavirus crisis to his advantage .
In an interview on Friday , House Intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is dealing with the pandemic the way he dealt with impeachment , shifting responsibility onto others while trying to advance his own agenda .
According to Schiff , Trump is doing what is “ politically advantageous ” for him , with reckless disregard for the consequences .


inquisitr--2020-04-25--Donald Trump Jr. Jokes About Hillary Clinton ‘Poisoning’ Jeffrey Epstein

Donald Trump Jr. took aim at Hillary Clinton on Saturday , making a joke that appeared to accuse her of “ poisoning ” disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein .
The eldest son of President Donald Trump took to Twitter to respond to Hillary ’ s dig about Trump ’ s apparent endorsement of injecting disinfectant as a cure for the coronavirus .
President Trump came under widespread criticism for the remark , which led to many public health experts to warn that injecting or ingesting disinfectant would be very dangerous .
Trump later claimed he was being sarcastic , an explanation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also some evidence that Americans may have taken his advice , with several places noting an increase in calls to poison control centers for ingestion of household cleaning supplies , like Lysol .
Clinton joined those in calling out Trump for the controversial medical advice , taking to Twitter to mock the president and warn people not to listen to him .
“ Please don ’ t poison yourself because Donald Trump thinks it could be a good idea , ” Clinton tweeted , via the New York Post .
Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , going after Clinton with an insinuation that she may have played a role in Epstein ’ s death .
He also seemed to reference the investigation that she used a private email server as secretary of state .
“ We know , we know … poison is reserved for a long list of people like Jeffrey Epstein … and servers .
Am I right ?
” Trump Jr. tweeted , adding a winking emoji .
Epstein was found unresponsive in his Manhattan jail cell last summer and died after being rushed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a suicide by hanging — with no poison involved .
Following Epstein ’ s death , many conspiracy theorists circulated unfounded theories that Bill and Hillary Clinton could have played a role in his death .
Bill Clinton had a previous relationship with Epstein , having flown on the financier ’ s private jet .
Donald Trump also had a friendship with Epstein , with videos showing them partying together before they had a reported falling out .
Trump Jr. ’ s tweet seemed to backfire a bit , as many reminded the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship with Epstein , responding to his tweet with pictures of the two together .
There are also theories that Epstein may have been murdered .
As the New York Post reported , famed medical examiner Michael Baden said Epstein ’ s autopsy and the manner of his injuries suggested that it may have been a homicide rather than a suicide .


inquisitr--2020-04-25--Donald Trump ‘Finally Realizes’ He Could Lose Re-Election To Joe Biden, Conservative Columnist Says

In a Saturday column for The Daily Beast , conservative columnist Matt Lewis touched on Donald Trump ‘ s reported plan to abandon the daily coronavirus press briefings .
Lewis suggests that this move is a sign that Trump has finally come to grips with the fact that he could lose re-election to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
“ It takes a lot for a man this delusional to come to terms with reality .
And while I ’ m not delusional enough to think he is maturing , or that avoiding the media will last ( he craves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump might finally be getting scared , ” Lewis wrote .
A recent new Ipsos/Reuters poll found Trump trailing Biden in Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania — battleground states that helped him win in 2016 .
According to Lewis , Trump ’ s awareness of this threat is reflected in his recent behavior .
Notably , Lewis pointed to Trump ’ s “ abrupt departure ” from Friday ’ s briefing and likened it to a “ rare ” reflection that he is admitting failure .
As reported by CNN , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publication claims Trump ’ s victory over Hillary Clinton was partly due to her low likability , in 2020 , he purportedly faces an uphill battle against Biden , who has a higher net favorability rating in recent polls .
CNN also claims that even the small portion of voters who approve of the job Trump is doing as president don ’ t view him in a favorable light .
White House aides are reportedly worried that the COVID-19 press briefings are harming Trump ’ s popularity .
One adviser allegedly told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him with any benefit and highlighted the fear that seniors are experiencing .
The aide reportedly claimed that such seniors are not interested in watching the president clash with the press .
Despite many polls suggesting Trump has a tough road ahead against Biden , he leads the former vice president by five points in Texas , as reported by The Hill .
Specifically , a Saturday University of Texas-Texas Tribune poll showed Trump with 49 percent support and Biden with 44 percent .
According to The Hill , the poll suggests that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tightest in decades .
In 2016 , Trump won the state by 9 points , while Mitt Romney beat Barack Obama by 16 points in 2012 .

In a Saturday column for The Daily Beast, conservative columnist Matt Lewis touched on Donald Trump‘s reported plan to abandon the daily coronavirus press briefings. Lewis suggests that this move is a sign that Trump has finally come to grips with the fact that he could lose re-election to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
“It takes a lot for a man this delusional to come to terms with reality. And while I’m not delusional enough to think he is maturing, or that avoiding the media will last (he craves attention too much for that), Trump might finally be getting scared,” Lewis wrote.
“Look at the polls. He could very well lose his re-election to Joe Biden. I think he finally realizes that.”
A recent new Ipsos/Reuters poll found Trump trailing Biden in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania — battleground states that helped him win in 2016. According to Lewis, Trump’s awareness of this threat is reflected in his recent behavior. Notably, Lewis pointed to Trump’s “abrupt departure” from Friday’s briefing and likened it to a “rare” reflection that he is admitting failure.
“For a man who never apologizes or admits the smallest defeat, walking out without taking a single question — the first time he’s ever done that in a coronavirus briefing — suggests he just couldn’t handle another interrogation.”
As reported by CNN, Trump trails Biden in likability. While the publication claims Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton was partly due to her low likability, in 2020, he purportedly faces an uphill battle against Biden, who has a higher net favorability rating in recent polls. CNN also claims that even the small portion of voters who approve of the job Trump is doing as president don’t view him in a favorable light.
NEW: Harvard Institute of Politics survey finds Joe Biden leading Trump 60% to 30% among voters 18-29. Notably, that’s not much different than the 62% to 31% lead Bernie Sanders would have. pic.twitter.com/RgP6WribRy — Kevin Robillard 🇺🇸 (@Robillard) April 23, 2020
White House aides are reportedly worried that the COVID-19 press briefings are harming Trump’s popularity. One adviser allegedly told the president that the appearances are not providing him with any benefit and highlighted the fear that seniors are experiencing. The aide reportedly claimed that such seniors are not interested in watching the president clash with the press.
Despite many polls suggesting Trump has a tough road ahead against Biden, he leads the former vice president by five points in Texas, as reported by The Hill. Specifically, a Saturday University of Texas-Texas Tribune poll showed Trump with 49 percent support and Biden with 44 percent.
According to The Hill, the poll suggests that the 2020 election could be Texas’ tightest in decades. In 2016, Trump won the state by 9 points, while Mitt Romney beat Barack Obama by 16 points in 2012.


inquisitr--2020-04-25--Adam Schiff: Donald Trump Has ‘Fundamental Insecurity’ Toward Barack Obama

In an interview broadcast Friday night , House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff discussed President Donald Trump ‘ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
Per The Hill , speaking with MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes , Schiff argued that the federal government was not prepared for the pandemic .
According to Schiff , the administration was not ready to deal with the crisis because Trump disbanded the pandemic preparedness office created by former President Barack Obama .
According to Schiff , Trump left the United States “ vulnerable because he felt that was politically advantageous.
” Schiff explained that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not change , he will not change , and now it has such tragic and deadly consequences.
” Schiff also said that Trump ’ s response to the pandemic is evocative of the way he dealt with impeachment .
The California Democrat , who played a central role in the inquiries , said Trump ’ s unwillingness to collaborate with Democratic governors during a pandemic was very reminiscent of his attempts to pressure Ukraine .
Trump was unwilling to help governors critical of him and he directed Vice President Mike Pence to refuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ So , sadly , as we pointed out in the trial , a man with no moral compass will not find his way , and this president certainly hasn ’ t , ” the top Democrat said .
The Democratic-controlled House impeached Trump for allegedly pressuring the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son , Hunter .
The GOP-controlled Senate later acquitted the president .
Schiff led the Democratic effort in both chambers , acting as one of the impeachment managers .
Schiff has previously suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by COVID-19 to advance his own agenda .
In April , Schiff accused the president of “ decapitating ” intelligence community leadership , per The Guardian .
Trump has blamed Obama for the federal government ’ s inability to respond to the pandemic .
Last week , during a White House press briefing , Trump repeatedly blamed his predecessor for the lack of resources , claiming that his administration “ inherited broken junk ” from Obama .
According to reports , the Trump administration gutted a number of key public health agencies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior director for global health security and biothreats on the national security council .
Nonetheless , the president has continued blaming Democratic politicians for the government ’ s apparent inability to deal with the pandemic , criticizing not only Obama but also Democratic governors and top Democrats in the House .


inquisitr--2020-04-25--Donald Trump Retweets CDC Guide On How To Use Disinfectants After Facing Backlash

On Friday , President Donald Trump retweeted a message from the Centers for Disease Control warning people not to ingest disinfectants .
The message comes a day after Trump mused that perhaps taking bleach or isopropyl alcohol internally could help people combat COVID-19 .
“ Household cleaners and disinfectants can cause health problems when not used properly .
Follow the instructions on the product label to ensure safe and effective use , ” the CDC message reads .
On Thursday , Trump and several of the individuals on the White House coronavirus task force held their near-daily press briefing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a leader at the Department of Homeland Security , presented information on the effectiveness of household products like isopropyl alcohol and bleach , along with UV light , in battling the disease .
After leaving the podium , the president stepped up and began musing about the possibility of getting disinfectants into the human body as a way to fight the novel coronavirus .
“ And is there a way we can do something like that , by injection inside or almost a cleaning ?
Because you see it gets in the lungs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lungs .
So it would be interesting to check that , ” Trump said at the presser , according to The New York Times .
Later in the briefing , Trump was asked whether he should be making such statements when the public is tuning in to his briefings to get information and guidance .
Trump ’ s comments were met with immediate backlash , with doctors warning that people shouldn ’ t ingest bleach or rubbing alcohol as a way to kill the virus , as The Inquisitr previously reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement urging people not to consume their products .
The next day , Trump said that he had made the comment sarcastically to see how reporters would react .
“ I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen , ” he said .
The surgeon general also urged people to speak with a physician prior to taking on any treatment , and the EPA echoed this statement .
On Friday , the CDC sent out their tweet reminding Americans to use cleaning products in accordance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Comments on the post ranged from support for Trump to disdain for the president ’ s stance .
Some users replied with images of people drinking bleach or inserting an IV of Lysol .
Others called out the media for taking the president ’ s comments out of context .


inquisitr--2020-04-25--Donald Trump To Speak At West Point Graduation Ceremony, School Tells 1,000 Graduates To Return To C

Donald Trump To Speak At West Point Graduation Ceremony, School Tells 1,000 Graduates To Return To Campus

Donald Trump has announced plans to speak at West Point ’ s graduation in June , reportedly leading the university to tell 1,000 cadets who left campus amid the coronavirus outbreak to return .
As The New York Times reported , the school has summoned the graduates to campus despite widespread shutdowns and restrictions on domestic travel .
The graduation had already been pushed back several weeks from its original date on May 13 , and will now be held on June 13 .
Trump has made a number of statements pushing for states to begin loosening restrictions and reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet if New York will begin reopening by the time the university ’ s ceremony is held .
Some have expressed concern about Trump ’ s plans , not sure if it would be safe for cadets to come back to campus .
“ He ’ s the commander in chief , that ’ s his call , ” Sue Fulton , a West Point graduate and former chairwoman of the academy ’ s Board of Visitors , told the New York Times .
“ Cadets are certainly excited about the opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing together , flinging their hats in the air.
” “ But everyone is leery about bringing 1,000 cadets into the New York metropolitan area for a ceremony .
It ’ s definitely a risk.
” Trump himself put in place international travel bans , first placing restrictions on travel from China and later extending these restrictions to Europe .
A recent report claimed that Trump is growing eager to leave the White House , where he has been staying for weeks amid coronavirus restrictions save for a brief visit to Norfolk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Comfort before it traveled to New York to serve as a mobile hospital .
Prior to the outbreak , Trump traveled regularly both to hold campaign rallies and to make weekend visits to his company ’ s resorts .
The report from MSNBC claimed that Trump was working with advisers and looking into the possibility of traveling as soon as the first week in May .
The report noted that Trump would likely be traveling to meet those affected by the coronavirus and meeting with first responders .
The report added that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign trail as well , though the timing of that would be more up in the air .
The Republican National Committee has announced that it still plans to move forward with its convention this summer , though many states still have restrictions on group events so any campaign rallies for Trump would likely have to wait .


inquisitr--2020-04-25--28 Million Mail-In Ballots Went Missing In The Past 4 Elections, Sparking Concerns About The 2020 El

28 Million Mail-In Ballots Went Missing In The Past 4 Elections, Sparking Concerns About The 2020 Election

Six million mail-in ballots were never counted in the 2016 presidential election in a shocking miscarriage of the electoral process Newly released data from the federal Election Assistance Commission has revealed that more than 28 million mail-in ballots were unaccounted for in elections held between 2012 and 2018 , according to Real Clear Politics .
Political experts are now voicing their concerns about the flaws in mail-in ballot systems as many states are turning to the practice for upcoming elections , especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic .
The number means that close to one-in-five of all ballots used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the 2016 presidential election , 6 million mail-in ballots were never counted .
Worse still , experts have claimed that the estimate of around 28.3 million missing ballots is likely lower than the true number , as multiple regions in the country — most significantly Chicago — did not respond to the agency ’ s survey questions .
Though no evidence has overtly suggested that the missing ballots have been used to conduct voter fraud , the Public Interest Legal Foundation ( PILF ) has warned that the scale of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a grave concern .
According to Logan Churchwell , a spokesman for PILF , it is well known by election officials that “ millions ” of uncounted mail-in ballots are ignored during election cycles .
“ [ It ] is not a secret type data here – it ’ s sitting there on the Internet , and you ’ re paying for the server cost , ” he said , before slamming the lackluster response to the issue .
“ If there ’ s so many ballots out there in the wind unaccounted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manpower could be dedicated to go bring them in .
And that ’ s another part of the system where you have weaknesses and risk , ” he added .
His sentiments were echoed by The New York Times .
“ [ Voter fraud ] is vastly more prevalent than the in-person voting fraud that has attracted far more attention , ” they wrote .
“ In Florida , absentee-ballot scandals seem to arrive like clockwork around election time.
” The process is so vulnerable that a 2008 report published by the CalTech/MIT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ restrict or abolish on-demand absentee voting in favor of in-person early voting.
” The criticism comes as many politicians have suggested expanding mail-in voting due to the COVID-19 crisis .
For example , former Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar and Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden proposed a bill called the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act of 2020 .
The law would let all eligible voters in the U.S. submit their ballots by mail , overriding any state laws on the matter .
However , in addition to potential fraud , Churchwell has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ ballot harvesting , ” a process where political operatives collect and submit mail-in ballots on behalf of voters .
The practice often toes the line with election fraud , and a GOP operative in North Carolina was even indicted for crossing that line in 2018 .
Though the 2020 presidential election is still months away , many political experts have voiced concerns about potential changes due to COVID-19 .
As was previously reported by The Inquisitr , presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden even claimed that he believed Trump was going to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t be held .
”


inquisitr--2020-04-25--Leaked Republican Memo Reportedly Says ‘Don’t Defend Trump’ On Coronavirus, Attack China Instead

A lengthy Republican memo from the National Republican Senatorial Committee advises members of the party not to defend Donald Trump on the coronavirus , but instead use their energy attacking China .
As Politico reported , the 57-page memo written by a top GOP strategist contains a number of suggestions for how to attack China and claim ties between Democratic candidates and China .
It claimed that China covered up evidence of the coronavirus outbreak , that Democrats have been too soft on China , and that Republicans will push for sanctions on China for its role in the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a Chinese hit-and-run followed by a cover-up that cost thousands of lives , ” says the memo , which was credited to the political strategist firm O ’ Donnell & Associates .
As Politico noted , the firm behind the memo is led by Brett O ’ Donnell , a longtime Republican strategist who has worked with current Secretary of State Mike Pompeo .
It was published last week , the report claimed .
The memo calls on Republicans to remain focused on China , making the country and its role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 presidential campaign by trying to tie presumptive Democratic candidate Joe Biden to the country .
As the report noted , the Trump campaign and pro-Trump super PACs have already released a video claiming that Biden is too cozy with China .
The memo also advises members not to get caught up in actually defending the president .
“ Don ’ t defend Trump , other than the China Travel Ban — attack China , ” the memo read .
Trump has been widely criticized for his response to the coronavirus , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak downplaying its severity and predicting that the number of cases would soon go down to zero .
He has countered this by touting the travel ban from China as an important step in slowing the spread of the virus .
The president has since taken a more serious stance toward the coronavirus , and a more aggressive approach toward blaming China .
As NBC News reported , this included questioning whether China has been truthful in reporting the number of people dead in the country from COVID-19 .
“ Do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country called China .
… Does anybody really believe that ?
” Trump said at a daily White House briefing on the coronavirus this week .
“ Some countries are in big , big trouble and they ’ re not reporting the facts — and that ’ s up to them .
”


inquisitr--2020-04-25--New York Sees Rise In Patients Ingesting Household Cleaners After Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Comment

New York Sees Rise In Patients Ingesting Household Cleaners After Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Comments

New York City saw a rise in patients who had ingested household cleaning products after Donald Trump ’ s controversial comments about “ injecting ” disinfectants to cure the coronavirus , with nearly three times as many calls to the city ’ s poison control center in a few hours after the comments were made .
As the New York Daily News reported , the city ’ s poison control hotline saw a total of 30 cases of possible exposure to disinfectants during an 18-hour period following Trump ’ s press conference in which he floated the idea of injecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted the numbers were nearly three times higher than the same 18-hour period last year , and some of the cases appeared directly connected to Trump ’ s controversial and later retracted advice .
“ Moreover , out of the cases reported between Thursday and Friday , nine were specifically about possible exposure to Lysol , ” the report noted .
“ Ten were in regards to bleach and 11 about household cleaners in general , the spokesman said.
” As The Inquisitr reported , Trump later claimed that he was joking when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The remark had drawn immediate pushback from medical experts and makers of household cleaning products , urging people not to attempt injecting them or ingesting them , which could lead to serious side effects or even death .
Trump ’ s claim that he was joking came under scrutiny as well , with Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto calling on Trump to more forcefully apologize for the comments seen by many as dangerous .
“ The president was not joking in his remarks yesterday when he discussed injecting people with disinfectant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He might be dialing that back today .
I don ’ t know why he just didn ’ t say , ‘ I screwed up , I got it wrong , that wasn ’ t my intention.
’ This is an important medical distinction.
” The report from the New York Daily News seemed to hint that at least some people may have taken the president seriously , though the report did not say there was any direct connection between the spike in calls to the city ’ s poison control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump ’ s controversial medical advice has led to some serious medical situations in the past , including an Arizona man who died after taking a household variety of the drug chloroquine , which Trump had touted as a “ game changer ” in the fight against coronavirus .
The man ingested a version used as an aquarium cleaner and fell seriously ill , later dying after being taken to a nearby hospital .
His wife , who also ingested the chemical , fell seriously ill as well but survived her ordeal @