csmonitor--2020-08-27--‘We’re all in favor’: Racial justice boycotts roil pro sports

NBA players didn ’ t come to Disney solely for a restart .
They wanted social reform .
The Milwaukee Bucks showed how far they ’ re willing to go to get it by opting not to play in their playoff game Wednesday .
Two more games were postponed later in the day , the second time this season NBA basketball came to an immediate halt .
Other sports followed , just as they did in March when the season was suspended for four months because of the coronavirus pandemic .
This time , the players will decide how long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing that we all understand is if we ’ re not playing , what are we doing ?
What are we doing to show and to help what ’ s going on outside this bubble ?
” Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams said , shortly before the Bucks were scheduled to tip off their game against the Orlando Magic .
Instead , the Bucks players remained in the locker room , finally emerging hours later to read a statement demanding action from lawmakers and encouraging voting by citizens .
They changed the narrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the focus squarely on social justice reform in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake , a Black man , by police in Kenosha , Wisconsin , while three of his children in his car looked on .
While players and teams from baseball , the WNBA , MLS , and tennis sat out their competitions Wednesday night , NBA players and coaches met for nearly three hours in a Disney hotel to determine next steps , including whether the season should continue .
They did not come to a consensus , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details weren ’ t revealed publicly .
The NBA ’ s board of governors will meet Thursday morning and likely address whether the playoff games scheduled for that day will be played .
The Western & Southern Open won ’ t be , with the U.S. Tennis Association , along with the ATP and WTA Tours , announcing play would be paused after two-time Grand Slam women ’ s champion Naomi Osaka had already said she wouldn ’ t play her semifinal match .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to happen with me not playing , but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction , ” Ms. Osaka tweeted .
“ Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach.
” More lost NBA games would be another punishing financial blow in a season in which the league was already headed to losses of hundreds of million of dollars , potentially leading to ramifications that would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming to Disney , many NBA players wrestled for weeks about whether it was even right to play , fearing that a return to games would take attention off the deaths of , among others , Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in recent months .
They ultimately decided coming to the bubble and playing televised games would give them the largest platform , though now at least some are wondering if that ’ s still true .
Toronto coach Nick Nurse said he ’ s heard some players on his team say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players considered boycotting a playoff game in 2014 after audio tapes featuring former owner Donald Sterling were revealed .
He said this time is different because it ’ s the whole league , rather than one team , weighing the decision .
“ I think every team has to decide what they want to do and honestly I hope everyone plays , ” Mr. Rivers said .
“ I just think showing the excellence in doing your job , there ’ s nothing wrong with that , but also fighting for what ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It certainly is for the Bucks , who play about 40 miles from Kenosha .
Sterling Brown , one of the players to read the statement , has a federal lawsuit pending against the city of Milwaukee alleging he was targeted because he was Black and that his civil rights were violated in January 2018 when officers used a stun gun on him after a parking violation .
And it is for the Raptors , whose team president , Masai Ujiri , had an altercation with an Oracle Arena security guard after Game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finals .
A video of it released recently appears to show an Alameda County sheriff ’ s deputy initially shoved Mr. Ujiri , who is Black , twice .
They are scheduled to open the second round Thursday against Boston , but Mr. Nurse said his players were already having discussions about not playing .
“ Boycotting the game has come up for them and again , as a way to try to demand a little more action and I think that ’ s really what they want , ” Mr. Nurse said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough attention and there ’ s not quite enough action and I think that ’ s what I can sense from the discussion .
Their disappointment of man , how can we get something to change ?
” It probably starts with actions like the Bucks took .
Mr. Rivers and LeBron James had passionately described the emotions the NBA community felt after seeing the video of Mr. Blake ’ s shooting .
But it ’ s going to take more than players sitting out NBA games .
“ It ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up for our values , ” former President Barack Obama tweeted , commending the NBA and WNBA players while posting a link to Rivers ’ comments from earlier this week .
The WNBA also postponed its three games Wednesday night , just hours after the NBA .
” We know it ’ s a very emotional time for our players .
They are struggling with what ’ s been happening in this country for months , if not years , ” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert , who said the league supports its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Bradenton , Florida , in the WNBA bubble , Washington was set to play Atlanta , Minnesota was going to face Los Angeles , and Connecticut was going to meet Phoenix .
All four teams took a knee at center court right before leaving the court .
Atlanta Dream player Elizabeth Williams read a statement on ESPN saying that the “ consensus is not to play in tonight ’ s games.
” “ We stand in solidarity with our brothers in the NBA , and will continue this conversation with our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look to take collective action , ” said Ms. Williams , the secretary of the players ’ union .
The Mystics came into the arena wearing shirts that spelled out Mr. Blake ’ s name on the front and had holes in the back to signify the seven bullets that the Black man was hit with by police in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
The WNBA and its players have dedicated this season to social justice .
Players have been wearing the name of Breonna Taylor on the back of the uniforms all season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season players have worn warmup shirts that read “ Black Lives Matter ” on the front and “ Say Her Name ” on the back .
The phrase “ Black Lives Matter ” is featured prominently on the courts where the teams play .
Three MLB games between the Cincinnati Reds and Brewers in Milwaukee , Seattle Mariners and Padres in San Diego , and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Giants in San Francisco were called off hours before they were set to begin .
“ There are serious issues in this country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted .
“ For me , and for many of my teammates , the injustices , violence , death and systemic racism is deeply personal .
This is impacting not only my community , but very directly my family and friends .
Our team voted unanimously not to play tonight.
” Other MLB games had finished , were in progress or just about to start as the announcements were made .
Some players , such as outfielders Jason Heyward of the Cubs and Matt Kemp of the Rockies , sat out while their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be made up as doubleheaders Thursday .
There was the possibility , too , that other games around the majors could affected – two days before MLB was set to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day .
“ Given the pain in the communities of Wisconsin and beyond following the shooting of Jacob Blake , we respect the decisions of a number of players not to play tonight .
Major League Baseball remains united for change in our society and we will be allies in the fight to end racism and injustice , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players ’ union head Tony Clark : “ At this critical time , players have been deeply affected by the recent events in Wisconsin and by similar events in other parts of the country .
We are proud of the stand that our players have taken , and we remain committed to supporting their efforts to effect change in MLB communities and beyond.
” Brewers star Christian Yelich said he exchanged texts with Bucks guard Pat Connaughton to let him know they wouldn ’ t be playing at Miller Park and that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in what they started.
” Brewers player representative Brent Suter said he informed Cincinnati ’ s Mike Moustakas and pitcher Wade Miley – both former Brewers – of the decision .
“ They just said flat out , ‘ We support you guys no matter what .
Whatever you decide to do , we ’ re all in favor .
We want to follow your lead , ’ ” Mr. Suter said .
“ So that was a great comfort for us going to the meeting.
” Dodgers star Mookie Betts , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was sitting out and they backed him .
“ For me , I think no matter what , I wasn ’ t going to play tonight , ” Mr. Betts said .
“ I have to use my platform to at least get the ball rolling , ” he said .
Once Mr. Betts made his decision , the Dodgers stood by him , ace Clayton Kershaw said .
“ More than anything as a teammate of Mookie ’ s , as a member of this team ... as a white player on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support ?
What ’ s something tangible that we can do to help our black brothers on this team ?
” Mr. Kershaw said .
Toronto slugger Rowdy Tellez said the Blue Jays would meet Thursday to decide a course of action .
“ It ’ s going to be a great team discussion and probably a very emotional one for a lot of guys that know what it ’ s like , ” he said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP Writers Tim Reynolds in Miami , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feinberg contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

NBA players didn’t come to Disney solely for a restart. They wanted social reform.
The Milwaukee Bucks showed how far they’re willing to go to get it by opting not to play in their playoff game Wednesday. Two more games were postponed later in the day, the second time this season NBA basketball came to an immediate halt.
Other sports followed, just as they did in March when the season was suspended for four months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
This time, the players will decide how long the stoppage lasts.
“The biggest thing that we all understand is if we’re not playing, what are we doing? What are we doing to show and to help what’s going on outside this bubble?” Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams said, shortly before the Bucks were scheduled to tip off their game against the Orlando Magic.
Instead, the Bucks players remained in the locker room, finally emerging hours later to read a statement demanding action from lawmakers and encouraging voting by citizens.
They changed the narrative across the entire sports landscape, putting the focus squarely on social justice reform in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, while three of his children in his car looked on.
While players and teams from baseball, the WNBA, MLS, and tennis sat out their competitions Wednesday night, NBA players and coaches met for nearly three hours in a Disney hotel to determine next steps, including whether the season should continue. They did not come to a consensus, a person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details weren’t revealed publicly.
The NBA’s board of governors will meet Thursday morning and likely address whether the playoff games scheduled for that day will be played. The Western & Southern Open won’t be, with the U.S. Tennis Association, along with the ATP and WTA Tours, announcing play would be paused after two-time Grand Slam women’s champion Naomi Osaka had already said she wouldn’t play her semifinal match.
“I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction,” Ms. Osaka tweeted. “Watching the continued genocide of Black people at the hand of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach.”
More lost NBA games would be another punishing financial blow in a season in which the league was already headed to losses of hundreds of million of dollars, potentially leading to ramifications that would be felt in future years.
Before coming to Disney, many NBA players wrestled for weeks about whether it was even right to play, fearing that a return to games would take attention off the deaths of, among others, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in recent months.
They ultimately decided coming to the bubble and playing televised games would give them the largest platform, though now at least some are wondering if that’s still true. Toronto coach Nick Nurse said he’s heard some players on his team say they were thinking about going home.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers hopes they won’t.
His players considered boycotting a playoff game in 2014 after audio tapes featuring former owner Donald Sterling were revealed. He said this time is different because it’s the whole league, rather than one team, weighing the decision.
“I think every team has to decide what they want to do and honestly I hope everyone plays,” Mr. Rivers said. “I just think showing the excellence in doing your job, there’s nothing wrong with that, but also fighting for what’s right is important as well.”
It certainly is for the Bucks, who play about 40 miles from Kenosha. Sterling Brown, one of the players to read the statement, has a federal lawsuit pending against the city of Milwaukee alleging he was targeted because he was Black and that his civil rights were violated in January 2018 when officers used a stun gun on him after a parking violation.
And it is for the Raptors, whose team president, Masai Ujiri, had an altercation with an Oracle Arena security guard after Game 6 of last year’s NBA Finals. A video of it released recently appears to show an Alameda County sheriff’s deputy initially shoved Mr. Ujiri, who is Black, twice.
They are scheduled to open the second round Thursday against Boston, but Mr. Nurse said his players were already having discussions about not playing.
“Boycotting the game has come up for them and again, as a way to try to demand a little more action and I think that’s really what they want,” Mr. Nurse said.
“I think there’s enough attention and there’s not quite enough action and I think that’s what I can sense from the discussion. Their disappointment of man, how can we get something to change?”
It probably starts with actions like the Bucks took. Mr. Rivers and LeBron James had passionately described the emotions the NBA community felt after seeing the video of Mr. Blake’s shooting.
But it’s going to take more than players sitting out NBA games.
“It’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values,” former President Barack Obama tweeted, commending the NBA and WNBA players while posting a link to Rivers’ comments from earlier this week.
The WNBA also postponed its three games Wednesday night, just hours after the NBA.
”We know it’s a very emotional time for our players. They are struggling with what’s been happening in this country for months, if not years,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who said the league supports its players decision to not play Wednesday night.
In Bradenton, Florida, in the WNBA bubble, Washington was set to play Atlanta, Minnesota was going to face Los Angeles, and Connecticut was going to meet Phoenix.
All four teams took a knee at center court right before leaving the court.
Atlanta Dream player Elizabeth Williams read a statement on ESPN saying that the “consensus is not to play in tonight’s games.”
“We stand in solidarity with our brothers in the NBA, and will continue this conversation with our brothers and sisters across all leagues and look to take collective action,” said Ms. Williams, the secretary of the players’ union.
The Mystics came into the arena wearing shirts that spelled out Mr. Blake’s name on the front and had holes in the back to signify the seven bullets that the Black man was hit with by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The WNBA and its players have dedicated this season to social justice. Players have been wearing the name of Breonna Taylor on the back of the uniforms all season long.
Over the course of the season players have worn warmup shirts that read “Black Lives Matter” on the front and “Say Her Name” on the back. The phrase “Black Lives Matter” is featured prominently on the courts where the teams play.
Three MLB games between the Cincinnati Reds and Brewers in Milwaukee, Seattle Mariners and Padres in San Diego, and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Giants in San Francisco were called off hours before they were set to begin.
“There are serious issues in this country,” Seattle’s Dee Gordon tweeted. “For me, and for many of my teammates, the injustices, violence, death and systemic racism is deeply personal. This is impacting not only my community, but very directly my family and friends. Our team voted unanimously not to play tonight.”
Other MLB games had finished, were in progress or just about to start as the announcements were made. Some players, such as outfielders Jason Heyward of the Cubs and Matt Kemp of the Rockies, sat out while their teams played.
All three postponed games will be made up as doubleheaders Thursday. There was the possibility, too, that other games around the majors could affected – two days before MLB was set to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day.
“Given the pain in the communities of Wisconsin and beyond following the shooting of Jacob Blake, we respect the decisions of a number of players not to play tonight. Major League Baseball remains united for change in our society and we will be allies in the fight to end racism and injustice,” MLB said in a statement.
Said players’ union head Tony Clark: “At this critical time, players have been deeply affected by the recent events in Wisconsin and by similar events in other parts of the country. We are proud of the stand that our players have taken, and we remain committed to supporting their efforts to effect change in MLB communities and beyond.”
Brewers star Christian Yelich said he exchanged texts with Bucks guard Pat Connaughton to let him know they wouldn’t be playing at Miller Park and that “we wanted to be united with them in what they started.”
Brewers player representative Brent Suter said he informed Cincinnati’s Mike Moustakas and pitcher Wade Miley – both former Brewers – of the decision.
“They just said flat out, ‘We support you guys no matter what. Whatever you decide to do, we’re all in favor. We want to follow your lead,’” Mr. Suter said. “So that was a great comfort for us going to the meeting.”
Dodgers star Mookie Betts, who is Black, told his teammates he was sitting out and they backed him.
“For me, I think no matter what, I wasn’t going to play tonight,” Mr. Betts said.
“I have to use my platform to at least get the ball rolling,” he said.
Once Mr. Betts made his decision, the Dodgers stood by him, ace Clayton Kershaw said.
“More than anything as a teammate of Mookie’s, as a member of this team ... as a white player on this team is how do we show support? What’s something tangible that we can do to help our black brothers on this team?” Mr. Kershaw said.
Toronto slugger Rowdy Tellez said the Blue Jays would meet Thursday to decide a course of action.
“It’s going to be a great team discussion and probably a very emotional one for a lot of guys that know what it’s like,” he said.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP Writers Tim Reynolds in Miami, Steve Megargee in Milwaukee, and Doug Feinberg contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-26--Last man standing: How Pence’s loyalty helped him survive

“ Mike Pence has probably been the most consistent member of the Trump administration , ” says Kurt Luidhardt , an Indiana-based Republican strategist .
“ I think Pence will have earned the right , whether Trump wins or loses , to be a top candidate for president in 2024.
” And as the vice president formally accepts his party ’ s nomination again on Wednesday , some say he ’ s playing the long game .
His political future was always going to be tied to the administration ’ s record , for better or worse .
But among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump mantle in 2024 , Mr. Pence could wind up better positioned than most – having established himself as the staunchest of allies , while maintaining a persona distinct from the president ’ s more controversial one .
Through it all , Mr. Pence has presented a picture of steadfast support – always on message , never contradicting his boss , rarely allowing a crack of daylight between the two .
Vice President Mike Pence is one of the few original Team Trump members still around , in an administration marked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s survived despite persistent rumors that the president might replace him with a more exciting candidate , such as former U.N .
Ambassador Nikki Haley or South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem .
When Donald Trump tapped Mike Pence to be his running mate in 2016 , it seemed an unlikely pairing .
One was a thrice-married former reality TV star ; the other a devout Evangelical who made it a policy never to be alone in a room with a woman who was not his wife .
The brash New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run for public office ; the governor of Indiana had spent a dozen years as a congressman , and was known for a placid demeanor that even allies admitted could come across as dull .
Yet in Mr. Pence , Mr. Trump may have spotted a quality that he is frequently said to prize above all others : loyalty .
Four years later , the vice president is one of the few original Team Trump members who ’ s still around , in an administration marked by record turnover – even longtime aide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the month – and endless drama .
He ’ s survived despite persistent rumors that the president might replace him with a more exciting candidate , such as former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley or South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem .
Through it all , Mr. Pence has presented a picture of steadfast support – always on message , never contradicting his boss .
Not only has he never attempted to carve out a distinct political identity apart from Mr. Trump , he seems to have made the decision not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the two .
But as the vice president formally accepts his party ’ s nomination again in a speech at Fort McHenry in Baltimore on Wednesday , some say he ’ s playing the long game .
His political future was always going to be tied to the administration ’ s record , for better or worse .
But among the many candidates angling to pick up the Trump mantle in 2024 , Mr. Pence could wind up better positioned than most – having established himself as the staunchest of allies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s more controversial one .
“ Mike Pence has probably been the most consistent member of the Trump administration , ” says Kurt Luidhardt , an Indiana-based Republican strategist who has worked in the same political circles as the former Indiana governor .
“ I think Pence will have earned the right , whether Trump wins or loses , to be a top candidate for president in 2024.
” An odd couple for the ages Despite their differences , the Trump-Pence partnership made sense for both men in 2016 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tough reelection race that some pundits suspected he would lose .
A place on the presidential ticket gave him the opportunity to boost his national profile while evading a loss that could end his political career .
Mr. Trump , for his part , had a relatively small pool of candidates to choose from , as many GOP officials had publicly criticized him .
In Mr. Pence he found not only a willing partner , but someone who could help shore up white Evangelicals , a critical Republican voting bloc .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose , ” says Frances FitzGerald , author of “ The Evangelicals : The Struggle to Shape America.
” “ He wanted to reassure them that even if he wasn ’ t going to church , his vice president was.
” Mr. Pence ’ s solid conservative credentials may also have sent a message of reassurance to Republican voters unsure about Mr. Trump ’ s ideological leanings .
The vice president – who famously introduced himself at the 2016 Republican National Convention as “ a Christian , a conservative , and a Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the most conservative voting records during his six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives .
Former Mississippi Rep. Gregg Harper , who served alongside Mr. Pence in the House , says he considered Mr. Pence his “ bell cow ” – a term for the lead cow of a herd that shows the others where to go .
“ If I wanted to be sure I voted right , I ’ d look up at his vote , ” says Mr. Harper .
“ I had that level of trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested almost immediately in the 2016 campaign , after an audiotape from “ Access Hollywood ” was leaked to the press in which Mr. Trump could be heard boasting in crude terms about his ability to force himself on women .
Mr. Pence reportedly considered leaving the ticket , as a parade of Republican officials denounced their party ’ s nominee , who was down in the polls just weeks before the election .
Yet in the end , Mr. Pence made the pivotal decision to stick by Mr. Trump .
Four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need of Mr. Pence ’ s political help with the base – having satisfied many conservatives with his record on everything from tax cuts to deregulation .
For white Evangelicals , the president has “ done everything he ’ s promised them , from Jerusalem to the Supreme Court , ” notes Ms. FitzGerald , referring to Mr. Trump ’ s decision to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem , a long-held conservative dream .
She adds : “ And you would not think this is true , but a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They like the idea of turning the world upside down.
” Yet while the president may not need Mr. Pence as much from a political standpoint , allies say he would be hard-pressed to find a more faithful governing partner .
Much of the credit for the relationship , observers suggest , goes to the vice president – his willingness to toe the line , and cede the spotlight entirely to his boss .
“ I ’ ve always found [ Mr. Pence ] , personally , to be a really humble guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some people can ’ t handle being second in command , but I don ’ t think that ’ s ever been his problem.
” Loyalty taken to a new level John Nance Garner , Franklin D. Roosevelt ’ s running mate on the 1932 Democratic ticket , described the vice presidency as “ the spare tire on the automobile of government , ” and , more famously , as “ not worth a bucket of warm spit.
” Most vice presidents are loyal and supportive , says law professor Joel Goldstein .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says , “ seems to have taken it to a new level.
” Mr. Pence has maintained this steadfast posture in an administration marked by an unusual level of turmoil .
Vice presidents often want to be “ in the room where it happens , to borrow the line from ‘ Hamilton , ’ ” says Mr. Goldstein , author of the book “ The White House Vice Presidency : The Path to Significance , Mondale to Biden.
” But that ’ s much more difficult when policies are being made in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And there are some times when you don ’ t want to be in the room.
” On the few occasions when Mr. Pence has even slightly diverged from the president , he ’ s done it in the mildest of ways .
Ahead of the 2018 midterms , when Mr. Trump endorsed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore , despite allegations of sexual misconduct , Mr. Pence chose to stay silent on the issue .
The vice president attended the funeral of Georgia Rep. John Lewis while Mr. Trump , who had feuded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event .
Most recently , Mr. Pence called QAnon a “ conspiracy theory , ” while Mr. Trump has seemed to court QAnon believers .
Still , Mr. Pence waited to comment on the death of Mr. Lewis , whom he considered “ a colleague and a friend , ” until after the White House had issued its own statement .
And last week , he claimed he “ didn ’ t hear anything ” about the president embracing QAnon .
Perhaps the most high-stakes example of Mr. Pence ’ s deft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House coronavirus task force , a politically risky role that his staff was reportedly hesitant for him to accept .
Early on , the president took charge of the task force ’ s public briefings – which led to some politically damaging moments , such as when Mr. Trump suggested that an “ injection inside ” the body of disinfectants could be explored as a possible treatment for COVID-19 .
After the president said that he was taking the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to prevent COVID-19 , Mr. Pence told reporters he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own physician had not recommended it for him .
Still , he added : “ I would never begrudge any American taking the advice of their physician.
” The vice president is frequently seen wearing a mask when out in public , while Mr. Trump initially refused to wear one and still rarely does .
During a visit to the Mayo Clinic in May , Mr. Pence drew criticism for not wearing a face covering – a move for which he later publicly apologized .
His role on the coronavirus task force underscores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wind up taking on much of the baggage of Trump administration failures – especially if the U.S. continues to struggle to get the virus under control and Mr. Trump loses his bid for reelection .
“ Because [ Mr. Pence ] has embraced this role as Trump ’ s champion so enthusiastically , it ’ s hard to see him as having a separate identity , ” says Mr. Goldstein .
“ In 2024 , a lot of people in the Republican Party who are going to run for president are going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t he do this or that with COVID-19 ?
’ ” In contrast to other recent vice presidents , Gallup found that just as many Americans have an unfavorable view of Mr. Pence as those with a favorable view , perhaps reflecting how much his identity is linked to Mr. Trump ’ s .
Still , a recent poll by Echelon Insights found that while a plurality of Republican voters – almost 30 % – are unsure as to whom they will support in four years , Mr. Pence was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Donald Trump Jr. came in third , with 12 % ) .
The vice president has traveled quite a bit on behalf of the Trump administration , even in the pandemic era .
Following the conclusion of the Republican National Convention , he plans to travel to three Midwestern battleground states , visiting Michigan and Minnesota on Friday before delivering a commencement speech in Wisconsin on Saturday .
And while he may be campaigning in a Trump-Pence 2020 bus , the undercurrents of his own political ambitions are just beneath the surface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best himself , during his first RNC speech back in 2016 .
“ Now , if you know anything about Hoosiers ... we play to win , ” said Mr. Pence to a cheering crowd in Cleveland .
“ That ’ s why I joined this campaign in a heartbeat .
”

“Mike Pence has probably been the most consistent member of the Trump administration,” says Kurt Luidhardt, an Indiana-based Republican strategist. “I think Pence will have earned the right, whether Trump wins or loses, to be a top candidate for president in 2024.”
And as the vice president formally accepts his party’s nomination again on Wednesday, some say he’s playing the long game. His political future was always going to be tied to the administration’s record, for better or worse. But among the many candidates angling to pick up the Trump mantle in 2024, Mr. Pence could wind up better positioned than most – having established himself as the staunchest of allies, while maintaining a persona distinct from the president’s more controversial one.
President Trump may no longer need the evangelical Midwesterner to shore up the GOP base. But allies say he’d be hard-pressed to find a more faithful governing partner – or one as willing to cede the spotlight to the boss.
Through it all, Mr. Pence has presented a picture of steadfast support – always on message, never contradicting his boss, rarely allowing a crack of daylight between the two.
Vice President Mike Pence is one of the few original Team Trump members still around, in an administration marked by record turnover and endless drama. He’s survived despite persistent rumors that the president might replace him with a more exciting candidate, such as former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley or South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.
When Donald Trump tapped Mike Pence to be his running mate in 2016, it seemed an unlikely pairing. One was a thrice-married former reality TV star; the other a devout Evangelical who made it a policy never to be alone in a room with a woman who was not his wife. The brash New York real estate mogul was making his first run for public office; the governor of Indiana had spent a dozen years as a congressman, and was known for a placid demeanor that even allies admitted could come across as dull.
Yet in Mr. Pence, Mr. Trump may have spotted a quality that he is frequently said to prize above all others: loyalty.
Four years later, the vice president is one of the few original Team Trump members who’s still around, in an administration marked by record turnover – even longtime aide Kellyanne Conway will step down at the end of the month – and endless drama. He’s survived despite persistent rumors that the president might replace him with a more exciting candidate, such as former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley or South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.
Why We Wrote This President Trump may no longer need the evangelical Midwesterner to shore up the GOP base. But allies say he’d be hard-pressed to find a more faithful governing partner – or one as willing to cede the spotlight to the boss.
Through it all, Mr. Pence has presented a picture of steadfast support – always on message, never contradicting his boss. Not only has he never attempted to carve out a distinct political identity apart from Mr. Trump, he seems to have made the decision not to allow even a crack of daylight between the two.
But as the vice president formally accepts his party’s nomination again in a speech at Fort McHenry in Baltimore on Wednesday, some say he’s playing the long game. His political future was always going to be tied to the administration’s record, for better or worse. But among the many candidates angling to pick up the Trump mantle in 2024, Mr. Pence could wind up better positioned than most – having established himself as the staunchest of allies, while maintaining a private persona distinct from the president’s more controversial one.
“Mike Pence has probably been the most consistent member of the Trump administration,” says Kurt Luidhardt, an Indiana-based Republican strategist who has worked in the same political circles as the former Indiana governor. “I think Pence will have earned the right, whether Trump wins or loses, to be a top candidate for president in 2024.”
An odd couple for the ages
Despite their differences, the Trump-Pence partnership made sense for both men in 2016.
Mr. Pence was in the middle of a tough reelection race that some pundits suspected he would lose. A place on the presidential ticket gave him the opportunity to boost his national profile while evading a loss that could end his political career.
Mr. Trump, for his part, had a relatively small pool of candidates to choose from, as many GOP officials had publicly criticized him. In Mr. Pence he found not only a willing partner, but someone who could help shore up white Evangelicals, a critical Republican voting bloc.
“Trump selected an evangelical vice president on purpose,” says Frances FitzGerald, author of “The Evangelicals: The Struggle to Shape America.” “He wanted to reassure them that even if he wasn’t going to church, his vice president was.”
Mr. Pence’s solid conservative credentials may also have sent a message of reassurance to Republican voters unsure about Mr. Trump’s ideological leanings. The vice president – who famously introduced himself at the 2016 Republican National Convention as “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order” – had one of the most conservative voting records during his six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Former Mississippi Rep. Gregg Harper, who served alongside Mr. Pence in the House, says he considered Mr. Pence his “bell cow” – a term for the lead cow of a herd that shows the others where to go.
“If I wanted to be sure I voted right, I’d look up at his vote,” says Mr. Harper. “I had that level of trust with him.”
The Trump-Pence relationship was tested almost immediately in the 2016 campaign, after an audiotape from “Access Hollywood” was leaked to the press in which Mr. Trump could be heard boasting in crude terms about his ability to force himself on women. Mr. Pence reportedly considered leaving the ticket, as a parade of Republican officials denounced their party’s nominee, who was down in the polls just weeks before the election. Yet in the end, Mr. Pence made the pivotal decision to stick by Mr. Trump.
Four years later, the president seems less in need of Mr. Pence’s political help with the base – having satisfied many conservatives with his record on everything from tax cuts to deregulation. For white Evangelicals, the president has “done everything he’s promised them, from Jerusalem to the Supreme Court,” notes Ms. FitzGerald, referring to Mr. Trump’s decision to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a long-held conservative dream. She adds: “And you would not think this is true, but a lot of them like his style. ... They like the idea of turning the world upside down.”
Yet while the president may not need Mr. Pence as much from a political standpoint, allies say he would be hard-pressed to find a more faithful governing partner. Much of the credit for the relationship, observers suggest, goes to the vice president – his willingness to toe the line, and cede the spotlight entirely to his boss.
“I’ve always found [Mr. Pence], personally, to be a really humble guy,” says Mr. Luidhardt. “Some people can’t handle being second in command, but I don’t think that’s ever been his problem.”
Loyalty taken to a new level
John Nance Garner, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s running mate on the 1932 Democratic ticket, described the vice presidency as “the spare tire on the automobile of government,” and, more famously, as “not worth a bucket of warm spit.”
Most vice presidents are loyal and supportive, says law professor Joel Goldstein. “But Vice President Pence,” he says, “seems to have taken it to a new level.”
Mr. Pence has maintained this steadfast posture in an administration marked by an unusual level of turmoil. Vice presidents often want to be “in the room where it happens, to borrow the line from ‘Hamilton,’” says Mr. Goldstein, author of the book “The White House Vice Presidency: The Path to Significance, Mondale to Biden.” But that’s much more difficult when policies are being made in late-night tweets, he notes. “And there are some times when you don’t want to be in the room.”
On the few occasions when Mr. Pence has even slightly diverged from the president, he’s done it in the mildest of ways. Ahead of the 2018 midterms, when Mr. Trump endorsed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, despite allegations of sexual misconduct, Mr. Pence chose to stay silent on the issue. The vice president attended the funeral of Georgia Rep. John Lewis while Mr. Trump, who had feuded with the civil rights icon, skipped the event. Most recently, Mr. Pence called QAnon a “conspiracy theory,” while Mr. Trump has seemed to court QAnon believers.
Still, Mr. Pence waited to comment on the death of Mr. Lewis, whom he considered “a colleague and a friend,” until after the White House had issued its own statement. And last week, he claimed he “didn’t hear anything” about the president embracing QAnon.
Perhaps the most high-stakes example of Mr. Pence’s deft balancing act has been his leadership of the White House coronavirus task force, a politically risky role that his staff was reportedly hesitant for him to accept. Early on, the president took charge of the task force’s public briefings – which led to some politically damaging moments, such as when Mr. Trump suggested that an “injection inside” the body of disinfectants could be explored as a possible treatment for COVID-19.
After the president said that he was taking the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to prevent COVID-19, Mr. Pence told reporters he would not follow suit, as his own physician had not recommended it for him. Still, he added: “I would never begrudge any American taking the advice of their physician.”
The vice president is frequently seen wearing a mask when out in public, while Mr. Trump initially refused to wear one and still rarely does. During a visit to the Mayo Clinic in May, Mr. Pence drew criticism for not wearing a face covering – a move for which he later publicly apologized.
His role on the coronavirus task force underscores the ways in which Mr. Pence could wind up taking on much of the baggage of Trump administration failures – especially if the U.S. continues to struggle to get the virus under control and Mr. Trump loses his bid for reelection.
“Because [Mr. Pence] has embraced this role as Trump’s champion so enthusiastically, it’s hard to see him as having a separate identity,” says Mr. Goldstein. “In 2024, a lot of people in the Republican Party who are going to run for president are going to attack Pence and say, ‘Why didn’t he do this or that with COVID-19?’”
In contrast to other recent vice presidents, Gallup found that just as many Americans have an unfavorable view of Mr. Pence as those with a favorable view, perhaps reflecting how much his identity is linked to Mr. Trump’s.
Still, a recent poll by Echelon Insights found that while a plurality of Republican voters – almost 30% – are unsure as to whom they will support in four years, Mr. Pence was the top choice for 26% of them (Donald Trump Jr. came in third, with 12%).
The vice president has traveled quite a bit on behalf of the Trump administration, even in the pandemic era. Following the conclusion of the Republican National Convention, he plans to travel to three Midwestern battleground states, visiting Michigan and Minnesota on Friday before delivering a commencement speech in Wisconsin on Saturday.
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And while he may be campaigning in a Trump-Pence 2020 bus, the undercurrents of his own political ambitions are just beneath the surface. Mr. Pence may have said it best himself, during his first RNC speech back in 2016.
“Now, if you know anything about Hoosiers ... we play to win,” said Mr. Pence to a cheering crowd in Cleveland. “That’s why I joined this campaign in a heartbeat.”


csmonitor--2020-08-26--Did Republicans violate the Hatch Act? Do voters care?

Dear reader : “ Nobody outside the Beltway really cares , ” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Wednesday .
Mr. Meadows was dismissing critics who 've accused the Trump administration of violating a venerable federal law , the Hatch Act , by using the White House as a backdrop for Republican National Convention activities .
He may be right .
The Hatch Act is meant to prevent federal employees from engaging in overt electioneering while at work .
The president and vice president are largely exempt , though .
The statute was originally passed in 1939 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve heard of it at all , might view it as a fusty relic .
But some watchdog groups are complaining that President Donald Trump has knocked down another political norm by erasing the line between governing and running for office .
And you know who does care about the Hatch Act ?
The numerous lower-level government employees who are disciplined for violating it every year .
In late July , for instance , a Food and Drug Administration employee was suspended for 120 days , without pay , for violating the Hatch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political donations .
Among other things , he allowed his name and photo to be used for fundraising on social media .
In June , a U.S .
Postal Service sales associate in California was suspended for 10 days for making a political statement while working , another potential Hatch Act violation .
( The employee told a customer that it costs 71 cents to mail a ballot , but “ five bucks if you ’ re a Democrat.
” ) Also in June , a Federal Aviation Administration employee was suspended for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posts from his government computer in support of Democratic candidates and in opposition to Republicans .
And so on .
Most federal workers can ’ t wear campaign buttons at work .
They ’ re prohibited from even “ liking ” partisan social media content when they ’ re on duty .
Executive branch departments routinely send out ethics reminders outlining these limits .
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel , the investigative and prosecutorial agency which oversees the Hatch Act , has reprimanded at least 11 top Trump administration officials for violations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far as to send a letter to President Trump recommending that presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway be fired as a repeat offender .
The White House declined , saying among other things that her alleged offenses represented constitutionally-protected free speech .
Let us know what you ’ re thinking at csmpolitics @ csmonitor.com .

Dear reader:
“Nobody outside the Beltway really cares,” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Wednesday.
Mr. Meadows was dismissing critics who've accused the Trump administration of violating a venerable federal law, the Hatch Act, by using the White House as a backdrop for Republican National Convention activities.
He may be right. The Hatch Act is meant to prevent federal employees from engaging in overt electioneering while at work. The president and vice president are largely exempt, though. The statute was originally passed in 1939 and many voters, if they’ve heard of it at all, might view it as a fusty relic.
But some watchdog groups are complaining that President Donald Trump has knocked down another political norm by erasing the line between governing and running for office.
And you know who does care about the Hatch Act? The numerous lower-level government employees who are disciplined for violating it every year.
In late July, for instance, a Food and Drug Administration employee was suspended for 120 days, without pay, for violating the Hatch Act’s prohibition against personally soliciting political donations. Among other things, he allowed his name and photo to be used for fundraising on social media.
In June, a U.S. Postal Service sales associate in California was suspended for 10 days for making a political statement while working, another potential Hatch Act violation. (The employee told a customer that it costs 71 cents to mail a ballot, but “five bucks if you’re a Democrat.”)
Also in June, a Federal Aviation Administration employee was suspended for 30 days for making multiple social media posts from his government computer in support of Democratic candidates and in opposition to Republicans.
And so on. Most federal workers can’t wear campaign buttons at work. They’re prohibited from even “liking” partisan social media content when they’re on duty. Executive branch departments routinely send out ethics reminders outlining these limits.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the investigative and prosecutorial agency which oversees the Hatch Act, has reprimanded at least 11 top Trump administration officials for violations. In 2019 the O.S.C. went so far as to send a letter to President Trump recommending that presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway be fired as a repeat offender.
The White House declined, saying among other things that her alleged offenses represented constitutionally-protected free speech.
Let us know what you’re thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.
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csmonitor--2020-08-26--‘He will not give up’: First lady casts Trump in forgiving light

First lady Melania Trump portrayed her husband as an authentic , uncompromising leader in a Rose Garden address as President Donald Trump turned to family , farmers , and the trappings of the presidency to boost his reelection chances on the second night of the scaled-down Republican National Convention .
Mrs. Trump offered a polished portrait of Mr. Trump 's presidency Tuesday night that was often at odds with the crises , division , and unforgiving actions of his administration .
But it was part of a broader effort to show a more forgiving side of a combative president who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first lady 's remarks , Mr. Trump pardoned a reformed felon and oversaw a naturalization ceremony for several immigrants in the midst of the program , though he frequently states his vigorous opposition to more immigration , legal as well as illegal .
“ In my husband , you have a president who will not stop fighting for you and your families , ” said Mrs. Trump , an immigrant herself .
“ He will not give up.
” “ Immigrants and Latinos are not props , and these empty gestures won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s failures , ” said the Biden campaign 's Latino media director , Jennifer Molina .
Mrs. Trump and two of the president 's five children led a diverse collection of supporters , including a convicted bank robber , calling for Mr. Trump ’ s reelection on a night that featured a distinctly more positive tone than the night before .
Mr. Trump has ground to make up .
Most polls report that Democratic rival Mr. Biden has a significant advantage in terms of raw support ; the former vice president also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and likability .
That makes character assessments such as the one Mrs. Trump provided on Tuesday important if the president hopes to win back voters – particularly women – who have strayed amid the pandemic , economic collapse , and a reckoning on racism .
In a particularly emotional moment , Mr. Trump showed a video of himself signing a pardon for Jon Ponder , a man from Nevada who has founded an organization that helps prisoners reintegrate into society .
“ We live in a nation of second chances , ” Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Jon ’ s life is a beautiful testament to the power of redemption , ” Mr. Trump said before he signed the pardon .
The lineup also had a Maine lobsterman , a Wisconsin farmer , and a Native American leader .
Social conservatives were represented by an anti-abortion activist and Billy Graham ’ s granddaughter .
The convention also featured a Kentucky high school student whose interaction last year with Native Americans became a flashpoint in the nation ’ s culture wars .
With Election Day just 10 weeks off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Trump is under increasing pressure to reshape the contours of the campaign .
But as he struggles to contain the pandemic and the related economic devastation , Republicans have yet to identify a consistent political message arguing for his reelection .
Mrs. Trump noted that the lives of Americans changed “ drastically ” in March with the onset of the coronavirus .
But other speakers made little mention of the pandemic even as it remains a dominant issue for voters .
The COVID-19 death toll surged past 178,000 on Tuesday , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there is no sign of slowing .
The nation ’ s unemployment rate still exceeds 10 % , which is higher than it was during the Great Recession .
And more than 100,000 businesses are feared closed forever .
At the same time , the White House seems to have abandoned efforts to negotiate another federal rescue package with Congress .
There were fierce attacks on Mr. Biden throughout the night , although the lineup generally maintained a positive tone – in part due to some last-minute changes .
Mary Ann Mendoza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a police officer , was killed in 2014 in a car accident involving an immigrant in the country illegally , was pulled from the program minutes before the event began .
She had directed her Twitter followers to a series of anti-Semitic , conspiratorial messages .
There were also barrier breakers featured like Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron , the first African American to hold statewide office in Kentucky , and Florida Lt. Gov .
Jeanette Nunez , the first Latina to hold that office in her state .
And the convention featured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robert Vlaisavljevich , the mayor of Eveleth , Minnesota , who praised Mr. Trump ’ s support for his state ’ s mining industry in particular .
“ President Trump is fighting for all of us .
He delivered the best economy in our history and he will do it again , ” Mr. Vlaisavljevich said .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressed the convention and the nation during an official overseas trip in Israel .
“ President Trump has put his America First vision into action , '' Mr. Pompeo said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular in every foreign capital , but it ’ s worked.
” Mr. Pompeo 's taped appearance broke with decades of tradition of secretaries of state avoiding the appearance of involving themselves in domestic politics .
That his video was filmed in Jerusalem , where he was on an official foreign trip , raised additional questions of propriety .
Still Mrs. Trump was the intended star of the night .
Out of the public view for much of the year , she stepped into the spotlight while avoiding the missteps that marred her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At her 2016 convention speech , she included passages similar to what former first lady Michelle Obama had said in her first convention speech .
A speechwriter for the Trump Organization later took the blame .
Only the second foreign-born first lady in United States history , Mrs. Trump is a native of Slovenia , a former communist country in eastern Europe .
She became Mr. Trump 's third wife in 2005 and gave birth to their son , Barron , in 2006 – the year she became a naturalized U.S. citizen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renovated Rose Garden , despite questions about using the White House for a political convention .
She addressed an in-person group of around 50 people , including her husband .
“ Whether you like it or not , you always know what he ’ s thinking .
And that is because he ’ s an authentic person who loves this country and its people and wants to continue to make it better , ” Mrs. Trump said .
“ He wants nothing more than for this country to prosper and he doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Kevin Freking and Zeke Miller in Washington and Dave Bauder in New York contributed .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Steve Peoples, Michelle L. Price, and Darlene Superville

First lady Melania Trump portrayed her husband as an authentic, uncompromising leader in a Rose Garden address as President Donald Trump turned to family, farmers, and the trappings of the presidency to boost his reelection chances on the second night of the scaled-down Republican National Convention.
Mrs. Trump offered a polished portrait of Mr. Trump's presidency Tuesday night that was often at odds with the crises, division, and unforgiving actions of his administration.
But it was part of a broader effort to show a more forgiving side of a combative president who will soon face the voters. Beyond the first lady's remarks, Mr. Trump pardoned a reformed felon and oversaw a naturalization ceremony for several immigrants in the midst of the program, though he frequently states his vigorous opposition to more immigration, legal as well as illegal.
“In my husband, you have a president who will not stop fighting for you and your families,” said Mrs. Trump, an immigrant herself. “He will not give up.”
Democrat Joe Biden's camp was not impressed.
“Immigrants and Latinos are not props, and these empty gestures won’t make us forget Donald Trump’s failures,” said the Biden campaign's Latino media director, Jennifer Molina.
Mrs. Trump and two of the president's five children led a diverse collection of supporters, including a convicted bank robber, calling for Mr. Trump’s reelection on a night that featured a distinctly more positive tone than the night before.
Mr. Trump has ground to make up. Most polls report that Democratic rival Mr. Biden has a significant advantage in terms of raw support; the former vice president also leads on character issues such as trustworthiness and likability. That makes character assessments such as the one Mrs. Trump provided on Tuesday important if the president hopes to win back voters – particularly women – who have strayed amid the pandemic, economic collapse, and a reckoning on racism.
In a particularly emotional moment, Mr. Trump showed a video of himself signing a pardon for Jon Ponder, a man from Nevada who has founded an organization that helps prisoners reintegrate into society.
“We live in a nation of second chances,” Mr. Ponder said, standing alongside Mr. Trump.
“Jon’s life is a beautiful testament to the power of redemption,” Mr. Trump said before he signed the pardon.
The lineup also had a Maine lobsterman, a Wisconsin farmer, and a Native American leader. Social conservatives were represented by an anti-abortion activist and Billy Graham’s granddaughter. The convention also featured a Kentucky high school student whose interaction last year with Native Americans became a flashpoint in the nation’s culture wars.
With Election Day just 10 weeks off and early voting beginning much sooner, Mr. Trump is under increasing pressure to reshape the contours of the campaign. But as he struggles to contain the pandemic and the related economic devastation, Republicans have yet to identify a consistent political message arguing for his reelection.
Mrs. Trump noted that the lives of Americans changed “drastically” in March with the onset of the coronavirus. But other speakers made little mention of the pandemic even as it remains a dominant issue for voters.
The COVID-19 death toll surged past 178,000 on Tuesday, by far the highest in the world, and there is no sign of slowing. The nation’s unemployment rate still exceeds 10%, which is higher than it was during the Great Recession. And more than 100,000 businesses are feared closed forever.
At the same time, the White House seems to have abandoned efforts to negotiate another federal rescue package with Congress.
There were fierce attacks on Mr. Biden throughout the night, although the lineup generally maintained a positive tone – in part due to some last-minute changes.
Mary Ann Mendoza, an Arizona woman whose son, a police officer, was killed in 2014 in a car accident involving an immigrant in the country illegally, was pulled from the program minutes before the event began. She had directed her Twitter followers to a series of anti-Semitic, conspiratorial messages.
There were also barrier breakers featured like Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, the first African American to hold statewide office in Kentucky, and Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, the first Latina to hold that office in her state.
And the convention featured a Democrat for the second night: Robert Vlaisavljevich, the mayor of Eveleth, Minnesota, who praised Mr. Trump’s support for his state’s mining industry in particular.
“President Trump is fighting for all of us. He delivered the best economy in our history and he will do it again,” Mr. Vlaisavljevich said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressed the convention and the nation during an official overseas trip in Israel.
“President Trump has put his America First vision into action," Mr. Pompeo said. "It may not have made him popular in every foreign capital, but it’s worked.”
Mr. Pompeo's taped appearance broke with decades of tradition of secretaries of state avoiding the appearance of involving themselves in domestic politics. That his video was filmed in Jerusalem, where he was on an official foreign trip, raised additional questions of propriety.
Still Mrs. Trump was the intended star of the night.
Out of the public view for much of the year, she stepped into the spotlight while avoiding the missteps that marred her introduction to the nation four years ago.
At her 2016 convention speech, she included passages similar to what former first lady Michelle Obama had said in her first convention speech. A speechwriter for the Trump Organization later took the blame.
Only the second foreign-born first lady in United States history, Mrs. Trump is a native of Slovenia, a former communist country in eastern Europe. She became Mr. Trump's third wife in 2005 and gave birth to their son, Barron, in 2006 – the year she became a naturalized U.S. citizen.
The first lady spoke from the renovated Rose Garden, despite questions about using the White House for a political convention. She addressed an in-person group of around 50 people, including her husband.
“Whether you like it or not, you always know what he’s thinking. And that is because he’s an authentic person who loves this country and its people and wants to continue to make it better,” Mrs. Trump said. “He wants nothing more than for this country to prosper and he doesn’t waste time playing politics.”
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Kevin Freking and Zeke Miller in Washington and Dave Bauder in New York contributed.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-25--GOP convention: Optimism, diversity, and warnings of socialism

A rising generation of Republican stars offered an optimistic and empathetic view of President Donald Trump 's leadership .
But other speakers on the opening night of the GOP 's scaled-back convention issued dark warnings about the country 's future and distorted the president 's record , particularly on the coronavirus pandemic .
As Mr. Trump faces pressure to expand his appeal beyond his loyal supporters , Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina , the Senate ’ s sole Black Republican , and former U.N .
Ambassador Nikki Haley , the daughter of Indian immigrants , sought to cast the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite the party ’ s overwhelmingly white leadership and voting base .
“ I was a brown girl in a Black and white world , ” Ms. Haley said Monday night , noting that she faced discrimination but rejecting the idea that “ America is a racist country.
” She also gave a nod to the Black Lives Matter movement , saying “ of course we know that every single Black life is valuable.
” But the prime-time convention proceedings , which featured a blend of taped and live speeches , focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr. Trump ’ s Democratic challenger in the November election .
Speakers ominously warned that electing Mr. Biden would lead to violence in American cities spilling into the suburbs , a frequent Trump campaign message with racist undertones .
One speaker called Mr. Trump the “ bodyguard of Western civilization . ''
Seeking to find a message that sticks , Mr. Trump ’ s team tried out multiple themes and tactics over the course of the night .
They featured optimism from those who could represent the GOP ’ s future , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vessel for socialists and far-left Democrats despite his moderate record , and humanizing stories about the man who sits in the Oval Office .
Mr. Trump and a parade of fellow Republicans misrepresented Mr. Biden ’ s agenda through the evening , falsely accusing him of proposing to defund police , ban oil fracking , take over health care , open borders , and raise taxes on most Americans .
They tried to assign positions of the Democratic left to a middle-of-the-road candidate who explicitly rejected many of the party ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first night of the four-day convention reflected the rising urgency fueling Mr. Trump ’ s push to reshape a presidential contest that polls show him trailing , at least for now , with Election Day just 10 weeks away .
It will continue Tuesday , when first lady Melania Trump will deliver remarks from the White House .
Mr. Biden and his running mate , California Sen. Kamala Harris , are keeping a relatively low profile this week .
In a tweet Monday night , Mr. Biden told supporters to “ stay focused.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's convention was an acknowledgement he must expand his coalition beyond his largely white base .
Polling shows that Black Americans continue to be overwhelmingly negative in their assessments of the president ’ s performance , with his approval hovering around 1 in 10 over the course of his presidency , according to Gallup polling .
One of several African Americans on Monday night 's schedule , former football star Herschel Walker , defended the president against those who call him a racist .
“ It hurts my soul to hear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Walker said .
“ The worst one is ‘ racist.
’ I take it as a personal insult that people would think I would have a 37-year friendship with a racist.
” But that emphasis clashed with Mr. Trump 's instinct to energize his die-hard loyalists .
He featured , for example , Mark and Patricia McCloskey , the St. Louis couple charged with felonies for pointing guns at what prosecutors deemed non-violent Black Lives Matter protesters marching past their home .
“ What you saw happen to us could just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are watching from quiet neighborhoods around our country , ” Patricia McCloskey said , sitting on a couch in a wood-paneled room .
“ They ’ ve actually charged us with felonies for daring to defend our home , ” her husband said .
And Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida said Democrats will `` disarm you , empty the prisons , lock you in your home , and invite MS-13 to live next door.
” Mr. Trump 's political future may depend on his ability to convince voters that America is on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus death toll exceeds 177,000 and pandemic-related job losses also reach into the millions .
A deep sense of pessimism has settled over the electorate .
Just 23 % of Americans think the country is heading in the right direction , according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research .
Mr. Trump and his supporters touted his response to the pandemic while standing alongside front-line workers in the White House , although he glossed over the mounting death toll , the most in the world , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease .
Organizers also repeatedly sought to cast Mr. Trump as an empathetic figure , borrowing a page from the Democrats ' convention playbook a week ago that effectively highlighted Mr. Biden 's personal connection to voters .
Those cheering Mr. Trump ’ s leadership on the pandemic included a coronavirus patient , a small business owner from Montana , and a nurse practitioner from Virginia .
“ As a healthcare professional , I can tell you without hesitation , Donald Trump ’ s quick action and leadership saved thousands of lives during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a registered nurse who was deployed to New York and Texas to fight the coronavirus .
The first day of the 2020 Republican convention began early in the day as Mr. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were renominated by delegates who gathered in Charlotte , the city originally selected to host the convention before the pandemic struck .
Mr. Trump paid a surprise visit to the city , where he warned delegates that `` the only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Americans ’ expected reliance on mail voting during the pandemic .
Experts say mail voting has proven remarkably secure .
The fact the Republicans gathered at all stood in contrast to the Democrats , who held an all-virtual convention last week .
The Democratic programming included a well-received roll call video montage featuring diverse officials from across the nation .
The Republicans spoke from the ballroom in Charlotte and were overwhelmingly white before the proceedings moved to Washington for prime-time .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charlotte , North Carolina .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Steve Peoples, Michelle L. Price, and Zeke Miller

A rising generation of Republican stars offered an optimistic and empathetic view of President Donald Trump's leadership. But other speakers on the opening night of the GOP's scaled-back convention issued dark warnings about the country's future and distorted the president's record, particularly on the coronavirus pandemic.
As Mr. Trump faces pressure to expand his appeal beyond his loyal supporters, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the Senate’s sole Black Republican, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, sought to cast the GOP as welcoming to Americans of color, despite the party’s overwhelmingly white leadership and voting base.
“I was a brown girl in a Black and white world,” Ms. Haley said Monday night, noting that she faced discrimination but rejecting the idea that “America is a racist country.” She also gave a nod to the Black Lives Matter movement, saying “of course we know that every single Black life is valuable.”
But the prime-time convention proceedings, which featured a blend of taped and live speeches, focused largely on dire talk about Joe Biden, Mr. Trump’s Democratic challenger in the November election. Speakers ominously warned that electing Mr. Biden would lead to violence in American cities spilling into the suburbs, a frequent Trump campaign message with racist undertones. One speaker called Mr. Trump the “bodyguard of Western civilization."
Seeking to find a message that sticks, Mr. Trump’s team tried out multiple themes and tactics over the course of the night. They featured optimism from those who could represent the GOP’s future, attempts to characterize Mr. Biden as a vessel for socialists and far-left Democrats despite his moderate record, and humanizing stories about the man who sits in the Oval Office.
Mr. Trump and a parade of fellow Republicans misrepresented Mr. Biden’s agenda through the evening, falsely accusing him of proposing to defund police, ban oil fracking, take over health care, open borders, and raise taxes on most Americans. They tried to assign positions of the Democratic left to a middle-of-the-road candidate who explicitly rejected many of the party’s most liberal positions through the primaries.
The first night of the four-day convention reflected the rising urgency fueling Mr. Trump’s push to reshape a presidential contest that polls show him trailing, at least for now, with Election Day just 10 weeks away. It will continue Tuesday, when first lady Melania Trump will deliver remarks from the White House.
Mr. Biden and his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, are keeping a relatively low profile this week. In a tweet Monday night, Mr. Biden told supporters to “stay focused.”
The emphasis on diversity at Mr. Trump's convention was an acknowledgement he must expand his coalition beyond his largely white base. Polling shows that Black Americans continue to be overwhelmingly negative in their assessments of the president’s performance, with his approval hovering around 1 in 10 over the course of his presidency, according to Gallup polling.
One of several African Americans on Monday night's schedule, former football star Herschel Walker, defended the president against those who call him a racist.
“It hurts my soul to hear the terrible names that people call Donald,” Mr. Walker said. “The worst one is ‘racist.’ I take it as a personal insult that people would think I would have a 37-year friendship with a racist.”
But that emphasis clashed with Mr. Trump's instinct to energize his die-hard loyalists.
He featured, for example, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple charged with felonies for pointing guns at what prosecutors deemed non-violent Black Lives Matter protesters marching past their home.
“What you saw happen to us could just as easily happen to any of you who are watching from quiet neighborhoods around our country,” Patricia McCloskey said, sitting on a couch in a wood-paneled room.
“They’ve actually charged us with felonies for daring to defend our home,” her husband said.
And Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida said Democrats will "disarm you, empty the prisons, lock you in your home, and invite MS-13 to live next door.”
Mr. Trump's political future may depend on his ability to convince voters that America is on the right track, even as the coronavirus death toll exceeds 177,000 and pandemic-related job losses also reach into the millions.
A deep sense of pessimism has settled over the electorate. Just 23% of Americans think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Mr. Trump and his supporters touted his response to the pandemic while standing alongside front-line workers in the White House, although he glossed over the mounting death toll, the most in the world, and his administration's struggle to control the disease.
Organizers also repeatedly sought to cast Mr. Trump as an empathetic figure, borrowing a page from the Democrats' convention playbook a week ago that effectively highlighted Mr. Biden's personal connection to voters.
Those cheering Mr. Trump’s leadership on the pandemic included a coronavirus patient, a small business owner from Montana, and a nurse practitioner from Virginia.
“As a healthcare professional, I can tell you without hesitation, Donald Trump’s quick action and leadership saved thousands of lives during COVID-19,” said Amy Ford, a registered nurse who was deployed to New York and Texas to fight the coronavirus.
The first day of the 2020 Republican convention began early in the day as Mr. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were renominated by delegates who gathered in Charlotte, the city originally selected to host the convention before the pandemic struck.
Mr. Trump paid a surprise visit to the city, where he warned delegates that "the only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election,” raising anew his unsupported concerns about Americans’ expected reliance on mail voting during the pandemic. Experts say mail voting has proven remarkably secure.
The fact the Republicans gathered at all stood in contrast to the Democrats, who held an all-virtual convention last week. The Democratic programming included a well-received roll call video montage featuring diverse officials from across the nation.
The Republicans spoke from the ballroom in Charlotte and were overwhelmingly white before the proceedings moved to Washington for prime-time.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Jill Colvin and Darlene Superville contributed from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-08-28--Points of Progress: New penguin colonies discovered, and more

Tens of thousands of formerly incarcerated people – also known as returning citizens – have had their voting rights restored by an executive order of Iowa Gov .
Kim Reynolds .
Iowa was the last state in the U.S. that still banned all people with felony convictions from voting .
The order restores voting rights for returning citizens who have discharged their sentences , including any parole or probation .
Restitution payments related to felony convictions do not have to be fully paid back to vote .
About 52,000 Iowans – including 10 % of the state ’ s African @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state because of past felony convictions , according to a 2016 report by The Sentencing Project .
After years advocating for the restoration of voting rights , the NAACP will now focus on educating and registering returning citizens ahead of the Nov. 3 election .
( Des Moines Register , The Guardian ) A record-breaking 130 Black women are running for Congress in 2020 , including 117 House candidates and 13 aiming for the Senate .
This figure is up from 87 candidates in 2018 , and includes women who may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women make up 4.3 % of Congress , but nearly 8 % of the total U.S. population .
Historically , most Black women have been elected to majority-Black districts , but many of this cycle ’ s candidates are running for office in predominantly white or mixed areas .
“ People are becoming more comfortable with seeing different kinds of people in Congress .
You don ’ t know what it looks like to have powerful Black women in Congress until you see powerful Black women in Congress , ” said Pam Keith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won the Democratic primary for a Florida congressional seat .
( Reuters ) By using excess wind power to produce eco-friendly hydrogen fuel , the Orkney Islands in northern Scotland have become an unlikely leader in the renewable energy field .
The islands have powered themselves with wind farms and tidal turbines for years .
In fact , these methods were so successful that local electrical grids couldn ’ t handle the amount of power being generated every day .
To keep the turbines running , officials have started redirecting the surplus energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ producing carbon-neutral hydrogen fuel .
Although hydrogen fuel has zero carbon emissions , it ’ s typically made through fossil fuel extraction .
Orkadians are focused on the use of electric currents to separate hydrogen from water molecules , a process that allows them to store additional energy and pave the way for scalable technologies that could reduce the world ’ s reliance on fossil fuels .
( CNN , Orkney Islands Council ) With new satellite images of Antarctica ’ s coastline , scientists have identified 11 new emperor penguin colonies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the continent .
The 61 confirmed colonies hold about 270,000 pairs of breeding penguins .
Emperor penguins prefer to breed on sea ice , making them vulnerable to rising global temperatures .
“ Whilst it ’ s good news that we ’ ve found these new colonies , ” said Phil Trathan , who has studied penguins for the last three decades , “ the breeding sites are all in locations where recent [ climate change ] model projections suggest emperors will decline.
” The remote and frigid breeding sites make penguins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the European Commission ’ s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite mission have provided researchers with an important benchmark to monitor the species .
( Science Daily ) A record number of women are throwing their hat into the first general election since Bougainville voted to seek full independence from Papua New Guinea in a nonbinding referendum held in December last year .
Representatives from the autonomous region of Bougainville must work with the PNG government to negotiate the terms of the separation .
PNG is one of only three countries with no women in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gains in women ’ s political participation since its decadeslong civil war ended in 1998 .
Women have been leaders in the peacemaking process and three seats in the House of Representatives are reserved for women .
In 2015 , Bougainville made headlines when a woman won an open seat for the first time .
This year , 14 women are vying for open seats , 27 are aiming for reserved spots , and two are running for president .
( Thomson Reuters Foundation ) With the Kingdom of Tonga ’ s signoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention against the worst forms of child labor has become the first United Nations labor treaty to achieve universal ratification .
Around the world , the number of child laborers has declined by 94 million since 2000 , but progress has slowed in recent years .
Many advocates are concerned that the pandemic will push more families into poverty , and more children into forced labor .
First introduced in 1999 and now supported by all 187 member states , the convention aims to protect children from sexual exploitation , armed conflict , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ reflects a global commitment that the worst forms of child labor ... have no place in our society , ” ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said in a statement .
( Reuters )

1. United States
Tens of thousands of formerly incarcerated people – also known as returning citizens – have had their voting rights restored by an executive order of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. Iowa was the last state in the U.S. that still banned all people with felony convictions from voting.
Charlie Neibergall/AP View caption Hide caption Gov. Kim Reynolds grants Iowans who were incarcerated with felony convictions the right to vote on Aug. 5, 2020.
The order restores voting rights for returning citizens who have discharged their sentences, including any parole or probation. Restitution payments related to felony convictions do not have to be fully paid back to vote. About 52,000 Iowans – including 10% of the state’s African American adults – could not vote in the state because of past felony convictions, according to a 2016 report by The Sentencing Project. After years advocating for the restoration of voting rights, the NAACP will now focus on educating and registering returning citizens ahead of the Nov. 3 election. (Des Moines Register, The Guardian)
Why We Wrote This This is more than feel-good news – it's where the world is making concrete progress. A roundup of positive stories to inspire you.
2. United States
A record-breaking 130 Black women are running for Congress in 2020, including 117 House candidates and 13 aiming for the Senate. This figure is up from 87 candidates in 2018, and includes women who may have already lost their local primaries. Black women make up 4.3% of Congress, but nearly 8% of the total U.S. population. Historically, most Black women have been elected to majority-Black districts, but many of this cycle’s candidates are running for office in predominantly white or mixed areas. “People are becoming more comfortable with seeing different kinds of people in Congress. You don’t know what it looks like to have powerful Black women in Congress until you see powerful Black women in Congress,” said Pam Keith, a Navy veteran and attorney who won the Democratic primary for a Florida congressional seat. (Reuters)
3. Scotland
By using excess wind power to produce eco-friendly hydrogen fuel, the Orkney Islands in northern Scotland have become an unlikely leader in the renewable energy field. The islands have powered themselves with wind farms and tidal turbines for years. In fact, these methods were so successful that local electrical grids couldn’t handle the amount of power being generated every day. To keep the turbines running, officials have started redirecting the surplus energy into various green energy projects, namely producing carbon-neutral hydrogen fuel. Although hydrogen fuel has zero carbon emissions, it’s typically made through fossil fuel extraction. Orkadians are focused on the use of electric currents to separate hydrogen from water molecules, a process that allows them to store additional energy and pave the way for scalable technologies that could reduce the world’s reliance on fossil fuels. (CNN, Orkney Islands Council)
4. Antarctica
With new satellite images of Antarctica’s coastline, scientists have identified 11 new emperor penguin colonies, 20% more than researchers thought existed on the continent. The 61 confirmed colonies hold about 270,000 pairs of breeding penguins. Emperor penguins prefer to breed on sea ice, making them vulnerable to rising global temperatures.
Copernicus Sentinel-2/ESA/AP/File View caption Hide caption A patch of guano captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite helped scientists find new emperor penguin colonies.
“Whilst it’s good news that we’ve found these new colonies,” said Phil Trathan, who has studied penguins for the last three decades, “the breeding sites are all in locations where recent [climate change] model projections suggest emperors will decline.” The remote and frigid breeding sites make penguins difficult to study, but the images from the European Commission’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite mission have provided researchers with an important benchmark to monitor the species. (Science Daily)
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
5. Bougainville
A record number of women are throwing their hat into the first general election since Bougainville voted to seek full independence from Papua New Guinea in a nonbinding referendum held in December last year. Representatives from the autonomous region of Bougainville must work with the PNG government to negotiate the terms of the separation.
Calvin Caspar/The Bougainvillean/Reuters View caption Hide caption Voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Arawa, Bougainville, during the presidential elections on Aug. 12, 2020. This year, 43 women are running for office in Bougainville.
PNG is one of only three countries with no women in parliament, but Bougainville has made steady gains in women’s political participation since its decadeslong civil war ended in 1998. Women have been leaders in the peacemaking process and three seats in the House of Representatives are reserved for women. In 2015, Bougainville made headlines when a woman won an open seat for the first time. This year, 14 women are vying for open seats, 27 are aiming for reserved spots, and two are running for president. (Thomson Reuters Foundation)
Worldwide
With the Kingdom of Tonga’s signoff, the International Labor Organization’s convention against the worst forms of child labor has become the first United Nations labor treaty to achieve universal ratification. Around the world, the number of child laborers has declined by 94 million since 2000, but progress has slowed in recent years. Many advocates are concerned that the pandemic will push more families into poverty, and more children into forced labor. First introduced in 1999 and now supported by all 187 member states, the convention aims to protect children from sexual exploitation, armed conflict, and other illicit work. Universal ratification “reflects a global commitment that the worst forms of child labor ... have no place in our society,” ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said in a statement. (Reuters)