cnbc--2020-08-21--Read Joe Biden's full 2020 Democratic National Convention speech

Joe Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday night , capping an unprecedented virtual event with a message of hope and unity .
In his remarks , the former vice president eviscerated President Donald Trump for his failure to contain the coronavirus pandemic and face the country 's reckoning over systemic racism .
He called for a sweeping response , similar to the New Deal , to combat the economic and health-care crises created by the outbreak .
Biden said he hoped history would `` be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light joined in the battle for the soul of the nation . ''
Good evening .
Ella Baker , a giant of the civil rights movement , left us with this wisdom : Give people light and they will find a way .
Give people light .
Those are words for our time .
The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long .
Too much anger .
Too much fear .
Too much division .
Here and now , I give you my word : If you entrust me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the best of us not the worst .
I will be an ally of the light not of the darkness .
It 's time for us , for We the People , to come together .
For make no mistake .
United we can , and will , overcome this season of darkness in America .
We will choose hope over fear , facts over fiction , fairness over privilege .
I am a proud Democrat and I will be proud to carry the banner of our party into the general election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor and humility that I accept this nomination for President of the United States of America .
But while I will be a Democratic candidate , I will be an American president .
I will work as hard for those who did n't support me as I will for those who did .
That 's the job of a president .
To represent all of us , not just our base or our party .
This is not a partisan moment .
This must be an American moment .
It 's a moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love .
Hope for our futures , light to see our way forward , and love for one another .
America is n't just a collection of clashing interests of Red States or Blue States .
We 're so much bigger than that .
We 're so much better than that .
Nearly a century ago , Franklin Roosevelt pledged a New Deal in a time of massive unemployment , uncertainty , and fear .
Stricken by disease , stricken by a virus , FDR insisted that he would recover and prevail and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And he did .
And so can we .
This campaign is n't just about winning votes .
It 's about winning the heart , and yes , the soul of America .
Winning it for the generous among us , not the selfish .
Winning it for the workers who keep this country going , not just the privileged few at the top .
Winning it for those communities who have known the injustice of the `` knee on the neck '' .
For all the young people who have known only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity .
They deserve to experience America 's promise in full .
No generation ever knows what history will ask of it .
All we can ever know is whether we 'll be ready when that moment arrives .
And now history has delivered us to one of the most difficult moments America has ever faced .
Four historic crises .
All at the same time .
A perfect storm .
The worst pandemic in over 100 years .
The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression .
The most compelling call for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And the undeniable realities and accelerating threats of climate change .
So , the question for us is simple : Are we ready ?
I believe we are .
We must be .
All elections are important .
But we know in our bones this one is more consequential .
America is at an inflection point .
A time of real peril , but of extraordinary possibilities .
We can choose the path of becoming angrier , less hopeful , and more divided .
A path of shadow and suspicion .
Or we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together , take this chance to heal , to be reborn , to unite .
A path of hope and light .
This is a life-changing election that will determine America 's future for a very long time .
Character is on the ballot .
Compassion is on the ballot .
Decency , science , democracy .
They are all on the ballot .
Who we are as a nation .
What we stand for .
And , most importantly , who we want to be .
That 's all on the ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clearer .
No rhetoric is needed .
Just judge this president on the facts .
5 million Americans infected with COVID-19 .
More than 170,000 Americans have died .
By far the worst performance of any nation on Earth .
More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year .
More than 10 million people are going to lose their health insurance this year .
Nearly one in 6 small businesses have closed this year .
If this president is re-elected we know what will happen .
Cases and deaths will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pop businesses will close their doors for good .
Working families will struggle to get by , and yet , the wealthiest one percent will get tens of billions of dollars in new tax breaks .
And the assault on the Affordable Care Act will continue until its destroyed , taking insurance away from more than 20 million people – including more than 15 million people on Medicaid – and getting rid of the protections that President Obama and I passed for people who suffer from a pre-existing condition .
And speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was honored to serve alongside for 8 years as Vice President .
Let me take this moment to say something we do n't say nearly enough .
Thank you , Mr. President .
You were a great president .
A president our children could – and did – look up to .
No one will say that about the current occupant of the office .
What we know about this president is if he 's given four more years he will be what he 's been the last four years .
A president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead , blames others , cozies up to dictators , and fans the flames of hate and division .
He will wake up every day believing the job is all about him .
Never about you .
Is that the America you want for you , your family , your children ?
I see a different America .
One that is generous and strong .
Selfless and humble .
It 's an America we can rebuild together .
As president , the first step I will take will be to get control of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
Because I understand something this president does n't .
We will never get our economy back on track , we will never get our kids safely back to school , we will never have our lives back , until we deal with this virus .
The tragedy of where we are today is it did n't have to be this bad .
Just look around .
It 's not this bad in Canada .
Or Europe .
Or Japan .
Or almost anywhere else in the world .
The President keeps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappear .
He keeps waiting for a miracle .
Well , I have news for him , no miracle is coming .
We lead the world in confirmed cases .
We lead the world in deaths .
Our economy is in tatters , with Black , Latino , Asian American , and Native American communities bearing the brunt of it .
And after all this time , the president still does not have a plan .
Well , I do .
If I 'm president on day one we 'll implement the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
We 'll develop and deploy rapid tests with results available immediately .
We 'll make the medical supplies and protective equipment our country needs .
And we 'll make them here in America .
So we will never again be at the mercy of China and other foreign countries in order to protect our own people .
We 'll make sure our schools have the resources they need to be open , safe , and effective .
We 'll put the politics aside and take the muzzle off our experts so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deserve .
The honest , unvarnished truth .
They can deal with that .
We 'll have a national mandate to wear a mask-not as a burden , but to protect each other .
It 's a patriotic duty .
In short , I will do what we should have done from the very beginning .
Our current president has failed in his most basic duty to this nation .
He failed to protect us .
He failed to protect America .
And , my fellow Americans , that is unforgivable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this promise : I will protect America .
I will defend us from every attack .
Seen .
And unseen .
Always .
Without exception .
Every time .
Look , I understand it 's hard to have hope right now .
On this summer night , let me take a moment to speak to those of you who have lost the most .
I know how it feels to lose someone you love .
I know that deep black hole that opens up in your chest .
That you feel your whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes .
But I 've learned two things .
First , your loved ones may have left this Earth but they never leave your heart .
They will always be with you .
And second , I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose .
As God 's children each of us have a purpose in our lives .
And we have a great purpose as a nation : To open the doors of opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To be a light to the world once again .
To finally live up to and make real the words written in the sacred documents that founded this nation that all men and women are created equal .
Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights .
Among them life , liberty , and the pursuit of happiness .
You know , my Dad was an honorable , decent man .
He got knocked down a few times pretty hard , but always got up .
He worked hard and built a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He used to say , `` Joey , I do n't expect the government to solve my problems , but I expect it to understand them . ''
And then he would say : `` Joey , a job is about a lot more than a paycheck .
It 's about your dignity .
It 's about respect .
It 's about your place in your community .
It 's about looking your kids in the eye and say , honey , it 's going to be okay . ''
I 've never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my economic plan is all about jobs , dignity , respect , and community .
Together , we can , and we will , rebuild our economy .
And when we do , we 'll not only build it back , we 'll build it back better .
With modern roads , bridges , highways , broadband , ports and airports as a new foundation for economic growth .
With pipes that transport clean water to every community .
With 5 million new manufacturing and technology jobs so the future is made in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that lowers premiums , deductibles , and drug prices by building on the Affordable Care Act he 's trying to rip away .
With an education system that trains our people for the best jobs of the 21st century , where cost does n't prevent young people from going to college , and student debt does n't crush them when they get out .
With child care and elder care that make it possible for parents to go to work and for the elderly to stay in their homes with dignity .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reflects our values .
With newly empowered labor unions .
With equal pay for women .
With rising wages you can raise a family on .
Yes , we 're going to do more than praise our essential workers .
We 're finally going to pay them .
We can , and we will , deal with climate change .
It 's not only a crisis , it 's an enormous opportunity .
An opportunity for America to lead the world in clean energy and create millions of new good-paying jobs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for these investments by ending loopholes and the president 's $ 1.3 trillion tax giveaway to the wealthiest 1 percent and the biggest , most profitable corporations , some of which pay no tax at all .
Because we do n't need a tax code that rewards wealth more than it rewards work .
I 'm not looking to punish anyone .
Far from it .
But it 's long past time the wealthiest people and the biggest corporations in this country paid their fair share .
For our seniors , Social Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promise made .
The current president is threatening to break that promise .
He 's proposing to eliminate the tax that pays for almost half of Social Security without any way of making up for that lost revenue .
I will not let it happen .
If I 'm your president , we 're going to protect Social Security and Medicare .
You have my word .
One of the most powerful voices we hear in the country today is from our young people .
They 're speaking to the inequity and injustice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economic injustice .
Racial injustice .
Environmental injustice .
I hear their voices and if you listen , you can hear them too .
And whether it 's the existential threat posed by climate change , the daily fear of being gunned down in school , or the inability to get started in their first job — it will be the work of the next president to restore the promise of America to everyone .
I wo n't have to do it alone .
Because I will have a great Vice President at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She is a powerful voice for this nation .
Her story is the American story .
She knows about all the obstacles thrown in the way of so many in our country .
Women , Black women , Black Americans , South Asian Americans , immigrants , the left-out and left-behind .
But she 's overcome every obstacle she 's ever faced .
No one 's been tougher on the big banks or the gun lobby .
No one 's been tougher in calling out this current administration for its extremism , its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its failure to simply tell the truth .
Kamala and I both draw strength from our families .
For Kamala , it 's Doug and their families .
For me , it 's Jill and ours .
No man deserves one great love in his life .
But I 've known two .
After losing my first wife in a car accident , Jill came into my life and put our family back together .
She 's an educator .
A mom .
A military Mom .
And an unstoppable force .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just get out of the way .
Because she 's going to get it done .
She was a great Second Lady and she will make a great First Lady for this nation , she loves this country so much .
And I will have the strength that can only come from family .
Hunter , Ashley and all our grandchildren , my brothers , my sister .
They give me courage and lift me up .
And while he is no longer with us , Beau inspires me every day .
Beau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decorated Iraq war veteran .
So I take very personally the profound responsibility of serving as Commander in Chief .
I will be a president who will stand with our allies and friends .
I will make it clear to our adversaries the days of cozying up to dictators are over .
Under President Biden , America will not turn a blind eye to Russian bounties on the heads of American soldiers .
Nor will I put up with foreign interference in our most sacred democratic exercise – voting .
I will stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dignity .
And I will work in common purpose for a more secure , peaceful , and prosperous world .
History has thrust one more urgent task on us .
Will we be the generation that finally wipes the stain of racism from our national character ?
I believe we 're up to it .
I believe we 're ready .
Just a week ago yesterday was the third anniversary of the events in Charlottesville .
Remember seeing those neo-Nazis and Klansmen and white supremacists coming out of the fields with lighted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same anti-Semitic bile heard across Europe in the '30s ?
Remember the violent clash that ensued between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it ?
Remember what the president said ?
There were quote , `` very fine people on both sides . ''
It was a wake-up call for us as a country .
And for me , a call to action .
At that moment , I knew I 'd have to run .
My father taught us that silence was complicity .
And I could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , I said we were in a battle for the soul of this nation .
And we are .
One of the most important conversations I 've had this entire campaign is with someone who is too young to vote .
I met with six-year old Gianna Floyd , a day before her Daddy George Floyd was laid to rest .
She is incredibly brave .
I 'll never forget .
When I leaned down to speak with her , she looked into my eyes and said `` Daddy , changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep into my heart .
Maybe George Floyd 's murder was the breaking point .
Maybe John Lewis ' passing the inspiration .
However it has come to be , America is ready to in John 's words , to lay down `` the heavy burdens of hate at last '' and to do the hard work of rooting out our systemic racism .
America 's history tells us that it has been in our darkest moments that we 've made our greatest progress .
That we 've found the light .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are poised to make great progress again .
That we can find the light once more .
I have always believed you can define America in one word : Possibilities .
That in America , everyone , and I mean everyone , should be given the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them .
We can never lose that .
In times as challenging as these , I believe there is only one way forward .
As a united America .
United in our pursuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our dreams of a better future for us and for our children .
United in our determination to make the coming years bright .
Are we ready ?
I believe we are .
This is a great nation .
And we are a good and decent people .
This is the United States of America .
And there has never been anything we 've been unable to accomplish when we 've done it together .
The Irish poet Seamus Heaney once wrote : '' History says , Do n't hope on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , once in a lifetime The longed-for tidal wave Of justice can rise up , And hope and history rhyme '' This is our moment to make hope and history rhyme .
With passion and purpose , let us begin – you and I together , one nation , under God – united in our love for America and united in our love for each other .
For love is more powerful than hate .
Hope is more powerful than fear .
Light is more powerful than dark .
This is our moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight as love and hope and light joined in the battle for the soul of the nation .
And this is a battle that we , together , will win .
I promise you .
Thank you .
And may God bless you .
And may God protect our troops .

Joe Biden accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday night, capping an unprecedented virtual event with a message of hope and unity.
In his remarks, the former vice president eviscerated President Donald Trump for his failure to contain the coronavirus pandemic and face the country's reckoning over systemic racism. He called for a sweeping response, similar to the New Deal, to combat the economic and health-care crises created by the outbreak.
Biden said he hoped history would "be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight as love and hope and light joined in the battle for the soul of the nation."
Read Biden's full remarks below:
Good evening.
Ella Baker, a giant of the civil rights movement, left us with this wisdom: Give people light and they will find a way.
Give people light.
Those are words for our time.
The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long. Too much anger. Too much fear. Too much division.
Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us not the worst. I will be an ally of the light not of the darkness.
It's time for us, for We the People, to come together.
For make no mistake. United we can, and will, overcome this season of darkness in America. We will choose hope over fear, facts over fiction, fairness over privilege.
I am a proud Democrat and I will be proud to carry the banner of our party into the general election. So, it is with great honor and humility that I accept this nomination for President of the United States of America.
But while I will be a Democratic candidate, I will be an American president. I will work as hard for those who didn't support me as I will for those who did.
That's the job of a president. To represent all of us, not just our base or our party. This is not a partisan moment. This must be an American moment.
It's a moment that calls for hope and light and love. Hope for our futures, light to see our way forward, and love for one another.
America isn't just a collection of clashing interests of Red States or Blue States.
We're so much bigger than that.
We're so much better than that.
Nearly a century ago, Franklin Roosevelt pledged a New Deal in a time of massive unemployment, uncertainty, and fear.
Stricken by disease, stricken by a virus, FDR insisted that he would recover and prevail and he believed America could as well.
And he did.
And so can we.
This campaign isn't just about winning votes.
It's about winning the heart, and yes, the soul of America.
Winning it for the generous among us, not the selfish. Winning it for the workers who keep this country going, not just the privileged few at the top. Winning it for those communities who have known the injustice of the "knee on the neck". For all the young people who have known only an America of rising inequity and shrinking opportunity.
They deserve to experience America's promise in full.
No generation ever knows what history will ask of it. All we can ever know is whether we'll be ready when that moment arrives.
And now history has delivered us to one of the most difficult moments America has ever faced.
Four historic crises. All at the same time. A perfect storm.
The worst pandemic in over 100 years. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
The most compelling call for racial justice since the 60's. And the undeniable realities and accelerating threats of climate change.
So, the question for us is simple: Are we ready?
I believe we are.
We must be.
All elections are important. But we know in our bones this one is more consequential.
America is at an inflection point. A time of real peril, but of extraordinary possibilities.
We can choose the path of becoming angrier, less hopeful, and more divided.
A path of shadow and suspicion.
Or we can choose a different path, and together, take this chance to heal, to be reborn, to unite. A path of hope and light.
This is a life-changing election that will determine America's future for a very long time.
Character is on the ballot. Compassion is on the ballot. Decency, science, democracy.
They are all on the ballot.
Who we are as a nation. What we stand for. And, most importantly, who we want to be.
That's all on the ballot.
And the choice could not be clearer.
No rhetoric is needed.
Just judge this president on the facts.
5 million Americans infected with COVID-19.
More than 170,000 Americans have died.
By far the worst performance of any nation on Earth.
More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year.
More than 10 million people are going to lose their health insurance this year.
Nearly one in 6 small businesses have closed this year.
If this president is re-elected we know what will happen.
Cases and deaths will remain far too high.
More mom and pop businesses will close their doors for good.
Working families will struggle to get by, and yet, the wealthiest one percent will get tens of billions of dollars in new tax breaks.
And the assault on the Affordable Care Act will continue until its destroyed, taking insurance away from more than 20 million people – including more than 15 million people on Medicaid – and getting rid of the protections that President Obama and I passed for people who suffer from a pre-existing condition.
And speaking of President Obama, a man I was honored to serve alongside for 8 years as Vice President. Let me take this moment to say something we don't say nearly enough.
Thank you, Mr. President. You were a great president. A president our children could – and did – look up to.
No one will say that about the current occupant of the office.
What we know about this president is if he's given four more years he will be what he's been the last four years.
A president who takes no responsibility, refuses to lead, blames others, cozies up to dictators, and fans the flames of hate and division.
He will wake up every day believing the job is all about him. Never about you.
Is that the America you want for you, your family, your children?
I see a different America.
One that is generous and strong.
Selfless and humble.
It's an America we can rebuild together.
As president, the first step I will take will be to get control of the virus that's ruined so many lives.
Because I understand something this president doesn't.
We will never get our economy back on track, we will never get our kids safely back to school, we will never have our lives back, until we deal with this virus.
The tragedy of where we are today is it didn't have to be this bad.
Just look around.
It's not this bad in Canada. Or Europe. Or Japan. Or almost anywhere else in the world.
The President keeps telling us the virus is going to disappear. He keeps waiting for a miracle. Well, I have news for him, no miracle is coming.
We lead the world in confirmed cases. We lead the world in deaths.
Our economy is in tatters, with Black, Latino, Asian American, and Native American communities bearing the brunt of it.
And after all this time, the president still does not have a plan.
Well, I do.
If I'm president on day one we'll implement the national strategy I've been laying out since March.
We'll develop and deploy rapid tests with results available immediately.
We'll make the medical supplies and protective equipment our country needs. And we'll make them here in America. So we will never again be at the mercy of China and other foreign countries in order to protect our own people.
We'll make sure our schools have the resources they need to be open, safe, and effective.
We'll put the politics aside and take the muzzle off our experts so the public gets the information they need and deserve. The honest, unvarnished truth. They can deal with that.
We'll have a national mandate to wear a mask-not as a burden, but to protect each other.
It's a patriotic duty.
In short, I will do what we should have done from the very beginning.
Our current president has failed in his most basic duty to this nation.
He failed to protect us.
He failed to protect America.
And, my fellow Americans, that is unforgivable.
As president, I will make you this promise: I will protect America. I will defend us from every attack. Seen. And unseen. Always. Without exception. Every time.
Look, I understand it's hard to have hope right now.
On this summer night, let me take a moment to speak to those of you who have lost the most.
I know how it feels to lose someone you love. I know that deep black hole that opens up in your chest. That you feel your whole being is sucked into it. I know how mean and cruel and unfair life can be sometimes.
But I've learned two things.
First, your loved ones may have left this Earth but they never leave your heart. They will always be with you.
And second, I found the best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose.
As God's children each of us have a purpose in our lives.
And we have a great purpose as a nation: To open the doors of opportunity to all Americans. To save our democracy. To be a light to the world once again.
To finally live up to and make real the words written in the sacred documents that founded this nation that all men and women are created equal. Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. Among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
You know, my Dad was an honorable, decent man.
He got knocked down a few times pretty hard, but always got up.
He worked hard and built a great middle-class life for our family.
He used to say, "Joey, I don't expect the government to solve my problems, but I expect it to understand them."
And then he would say: "Joey, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It's about your dignity. It's about respect. It's about your place in your community. It's about looking your kids in the eye and say, honey, it's going to be okay."
I've never forgotten those lessons.
That's why my economic plan is all about jobs, dignity, respect, and community. Together, we can, and we will, rebuild our economy. And when we do, we'll not only build it back, we'll build it back better.
With modern roads, bridges, highways, broadband, ports and airports as a new foundation for economic growth. With pipes that transport clean water to every community. With 5 million new manufacturing and technology jobs so the future is made in America.
With a health care system that lowers premiums, deductibles, and drug prices by building on the Affordable Care Act he's trying to rip away.
With an education system that trains our people for the best jobs of the 21st century, where cost doesn't prevent young people from going to college, and student debt doesn't crush them when they get out.
With child care and elder care that make it possible for parents to go to work and for the elderly to stay in their homes with dignity. With an immigration system that powers our economy and reflects our values. With newly empowered labor unions. With equal pay for women. With rising wages you can raise a family on. Yes, we're going to do more than praise our essential workers. We're finally going to pay them.
We can, and we will, deal with climate change. It's not only a crisis, it's an enormous opportunity. An opportunity for America to lead the world in clean energy and create millions of new good-paying jobs in the process.
And we can pay for these investments by ending loopholes and the president's $1.3 trillion tax giveaway to the wealthiest 1 percent and the biggest, most profitable corporations, some of which pay no tax at all.
Because we don't need a tax code that rewards wealth more than it rewards work. I'm not looking to punish anyone. Far from it. But it's long past time the wealthiest people and the biggest corporations in this country paid their fair share.
For our seniors, Social Security is a sacred obligation, a sacred promise made. The current president is threatening to break that promise. He's proposing to eliminate the tax that pays for almost half of Social Security without any way of making up for that lost revenue.
I will not let it happen. If I'm your president, we're going to protect Social Security and Medicare. You have my word.
One of the most powerful voices we hear in the country today is from our young people. They're speaking to the inequity and injustice that has grown up in America. Economic injustice. Racial injustice. Environmental injustice.
I hear their voices and if you listen, you can hear them too. And whether it's the existential threat posed by climate change, the daily fear of being gunned down in school, or the inability to get started in their first job — it will be the work of the next president to restore the promise of America to everyone.
I won't have to do it alone. Because I will have a great Vice President at my side. Senator Kamala Harris. She is a powerful voice for this nation. Her story is the American story. She knows about all the obstacles thrown in the way of so many in our country. Women, Black women, Black Americans, South Asian Americans, immigrants, the left-out and left-behind.
But she's overcome every obstacle she's ever faced. No one's been tougher on the big banks or the gun lobby. No one's been tougher in calling out this current administration for its extremism, its failure to follow the law, and its failure to simply tell the truth.
Kamala and I both draw strength from our families. For Kamala, it's Doug and their families.
For me, it's Jill and ours.
No man deserves one great love in his life. But I've known two. After losing my first wife in a car accident, Jill came into my life and put our family back together.
She's an educator. A mom. A military Mom. And an unstoppable force. If she puts her mind to it, just get out of the way. Because she's going to get it done. She was a great Second Lady and she will make a great First Lady for this nation, she loves this country so much.
And I will have the strength that can only come from family. Hunter, Ashley and all our grandchildren, my brothers, my sister. They give me courage and lift me up.
And while he is no longer with us, Beau inspires me every day.
Beau served our nation in uniform. A decorated Iraq war veteran.
So I take very personally the profound responsibility of serving as Commander in Chief.
I will be a president who will stand with our allies and friends. I will make it clear to our adversaries the days of cozying up to dictators are over.
Under President Biden, America will not turn a blind eye to Russian bounties on the heads of American soldiers. Nor will I put up with foreign interference in our most sacred democratic exercise – voting.
I will stand always for our values of human rights and dignity. And I will work in common purpose for a more secure, peaceful, and prosperous world.
History has thrust one more urgent task on us. Will we be the generation that finally wipes the stain of racism from our national character?
I believe we're up to it.
I believe we're ready.
Just a week ago yesterday was the third anniversary of the events in Charlottesville.
Remember seeing those neo-Nazis and Klansmen and white supremacists coming out of the fields with lighted torches? Veins bulging? Spewing the same anti-Semitic bile heard across Europe in the '30s?
Remember the violent clash that ensued between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it?
Remember what the president said?
There were quote, "very fine people on both sides."
It was a wake-up call for us as a country.
And for me, a call to action. At that moment, I knew I'd have to run. My father taught us that silence was complicity. And I could not remain silent or complicit.
At the time, I said we were in a battle for the soul of this nation.
And we are.
One of the most important conversations I've had this entire campaign is with someone who is too young to vote.
I met with six-year old Gianna Floyd, a day before her Daddy George Floyd was laid to rest.
She is incredibly brave.
I'll never forget.
When I leaned down to speak with her, she looked into my eyes and said "Daddy, changed the world."
Her words burrowed deep into my heart.
Maybe George Floyd's murder was the breaking point.
Maybe John Lewis' passing the inspiration.
However it has come to be, America is ready to in John's words, to lay down "the heavy burdens of hate at last" and to do the hard work of rooting out our systemic racism.
America's history tells us that it has been in our darkest moments that we've made our greatest progress. That we've found the light. And in this dark moment, I believe we are poised to make great progress again. That we can find the light once more.
I have always believed you can define America in one word: Possibilities.
That in America, everyone, and I mean everyone, should be given the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them.
We can never lose that. In times as challenging as these, I believe there is only one way forward. As a united America. United in our pursuit of a more perfect Union. United in our dreams of a better future for us and for our children. United in our determination to make the coming years bright.
Are we ready?
I believe we are.
This is a great nation.
And we are a good and decent people.
This is the United States of America.
And there has never been anything we've been unable to accomplish when we've done it together.
The Irish poet Seamus Heaney once wrote:
"History says,
Don't hope on this side of the grave,
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up,
And hope and history rhyme"
This is our moment to make hope and history rhyme.
With passion and purpose, let us begin – you and I together, one nation, under God – united in our love for America and united in our love for each other.
For love is more powerful than hate.
Hope is more powerful than fear.
Light is more powerful than dark.
This is our moment.
This is our mission.
May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight as love and hope and light joined in the battle for the soul of the nation.
And this is a battle that we, together, will win.
I promise you.
Thank you.
And may God bless you.
And may God protect our troops.


cnbc--2020-08-21--Iran unveils new missiles as tensions between Washington and Tehran mount over arms embargo

A missile unveiled by Iran is launched in an unknown location in Iran in this picture received by Reuters on August 20 , 2020 .
WASHINGTON — Iran unveiled a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Thursday , a move likely to peeve Washington as the Trump administration attempts to rein in the regime 's missile and nuclear weapon ambitions .
Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said in a televised address that the missile has a range of approximately 870 miles and is named after Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani , who was killed in an U.S. strike in Iraq in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new cruise missile boasting a range more than 620 miles and was named after Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , who also was killed in the strike .
Hatami added that the new missiles `` will further strengthen Iran 's deterrence power . ''
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani described the new missiles as important for defense .
`` Missiles and particularly cruise missiles are very important for us .
...
The fact that we have increased the range from 300 to 1,000 [ kilometers ] in less than two years is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Our military might and missile programs are defensive , '' he added .

A missile unveiled by Iran is launched in an unknown location in Iran in this picture received by Reuters on August 20, 2020.
WASHINGTON — Iran unveiled a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Thursday, a move likely to peeve Washington as the Trump administration attempts to rein in the regime's missile and nuclear weapon ambitions.
Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said in a televised address that the missile has a range of approximately 870 miles and is named after Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in an U.S. strike in Iraq in January. Hatami also said the regime had a new cruise missile boasting a range more than 620 miles and was named after Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who also was killed in the strike.
Hatami added that the new missiles "will further strengthen Iran's deterrence power."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani described the new missiles as important for defense.
"Missiles and particularly cruise missiles are very important for us. ... The fact that we have increased the range from 300 to 1,000 [kilometers] in less than two years is a great achievement," Rouhani said. "Our military might and missile programs are defensive," he added.


cnbc--2020-08-21--Here are the speakers for the final night of the Democratic National Convention

Former Vice President Joe Biden , Democratic presidential nominee , left , and wife Jill Biden stand on stage during @ @ @ @ @ the Chase Center in Wilmington , Delaware , U.S. , on Wednesday , Aug. 19 @ @ @ @ @ President Joe Biden will officially accept his party 's nomination on the final night of @ @ @ @ @ tell voters why they should chose him over four more years of President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ , Kamala Harris , accepted the vice presidential nomination Wednesday in an evening that also @ @ @ @ @ President Barack Obama and former Rep. Gabby Giffords .
Speakers for the fourth and final @ @ @ @ @ which is being held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic , are set to begin @ @ @ @ @ ET .

Former Vice President Joe Biden, Democratic presidential nominee, left, and wife Jill Biden stand on stage during the Democratic National Convention at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020.
Former Vice President Joe Biden will officially accept his party's nomination on the final night of the Democratic National Convention and tell voters why they should chose him over four more years of President Donald Trump.
Biden's running mate, Kamala Harris, accepted the vice presidential nomination Wednesday in an evening that also included impassioned speeches from former President Barack Obama and former Rep. Gabby Giffords.
(Here are the highlights from the first, second and third nights of the DNC.)
Speakers for the fourth and final night of the convention, which is being held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, are set to begin Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.


cnbc--2020-08-21--Judge denies Trump's bid for a stay of subpoena in Manhattan DA's tax records case

Earlier in the day , U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero wrote in his order that Trump `` has not demonstrated that he will suffer irreparable harm '' if the subpoena is enforced .
Later Friday , that appeals court denied the request for an immediate `` administrative stay , '' but said that another motion for a stay pending the appeal will be argued before a three-judge panel on Sept. 1 .
Trump 's lawyers on Thursday had filed a request for an emergency stay pending an appeal of that ruling .
On Friday , after the judge denied their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to delay the release of Trump 's records – this time in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit .
The decision came a day after the judge rejected Trump 's latest attempt to stop the Manhattan District Attorney 's office from enforcing a subpoena issued to his accounting firm .
A federal judge on Friday denied President Donald Trump 's bid to temporarily block a ruling allowing a subpoena for his tax returns and other financial records .
`` The Court notes that its views remain unchanged with respect to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the merits , '' Marrero added , `` particularly given the concerns addressed in the August 20 Decision regarding the effect of further delay on the grand jury 's investigation . ''
The subpoena from D.A .
Cyrus Vance Jr. , directed to the president 's longtime accounting firm Mazars USA , seeks the president 's personal and business records , including tax returns , dating to 2011 .
Last month , the Supreme Court rejected the president 's claims that he was immune from state criminal subpoenas in the New York case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That 7-2 decision left open the possibility for Trump to argue that the subpoena should be thrown out , or limited , on other grounds .
Less than three weeks later , Trump 's lawyers filed a new effort in Manhattan federal court to quash Vance 's subpoena .
The second complaint argued that the subpoena is `` wildly overbroad '' and `` amounts to harassment of the President in violation of his legal rights . ''
Marrero , in his ruling Thursday , sided with Vance .
The district attorney is known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money payments to two women who allege they had affairs with Trump years before he ran for president .
Trump has denied the alleged affairs .
The payments were facilitated by Trump 's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen shortly before the 2016 presidential election .
Cohen , who in 2018 pleaded guilty to campaign finance crimes related to those payments , has said that he made the payments at Trump 's direction in order to influence the outcome of the election .
In a court filing earlier this month , Vance 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more broad .
The filing noted that the office is seeking the years of financial records to see if they contain evidence of other `` potentially improper financial transactions by a variety of individuals and entities over a period of years . ''
Trump in the 2016 election broke with decades of tradition among presidential candidates by refusing to release his income tax returns to the public .

Earlier in the day, U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero wrote in his order that Trump "has not demonstrated that he will suffer irreparable harm" if the subpoena is enforced.
Later Friday, that appeals court denied the request for an immediate "administrative stay," but said that another motion for a stay pending the appeal will be argued before a three-judge panel on Sept. 1.
Trump's lawyers on Thursday had filed a request for an emergency stay pending an appeal of that ruling. On Friday, after the judge denied their request, the lawyers filed another request to delay the release of Trump's records – this time in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
The decision came a day after the judge rejected Trump's latest attempt to stop the Manhattan District Attorney's office from enforcing a subpoena issued to his accounting firm .
A federal judge on Friday denied President Donald Trump 's bid to temporarily block a ruling allowing a subpoena for his tax returns and other financial records.
"The Court notes that its views remain unchanged with respect to the President's likelihood of success on the merits," Marrero added, "particularly given the concerns addressed in the August 20 Decision regarding the effect of further delay on the grand jury's investigation."
The subpoena from D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr., directed to the president's longtime accounting firm Mazars USA, seeks the president's personal and business records, including tax returns, dating to 2011.
Last month, the Supreme Court rejected the president's claims that he was immune from state criminal subpoenas in the New York case, ruling in Vance's favor. That 7-2 decision left open the possibility for Trump to argue that the subpoena should be thrown out, or limited, on other grounds.
Less than three weeks later, Trump's lawyers filed a new effort in Manhattan federal court to quash Vance's subpoena. The second complaint argued that the subpoena is "wildly overbroad" and "amounts to harassment of the President in violation of his legal rights."
Marrero, in his ruling Thursday, sided with Vance.
The district attorney is known to be investigating issues related to hush money payments to two women who allege they had affairs with Trump years before he ran for president. Trump has denied the alleged affairs.
The payments were facilitated by Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Cohen, who in 2018 pleaded guilty to campaign finance crimes related to those payments, has said that he made the payments at Trump's direction in order to influence the outcome of the election.
In a court filing earlier this month, Vance's office suggested that its investigation could be much more broad. The filing noted that the office is seeking the years of financial records to see if they contain evidence of other "potentially improper financial transactions by a variety of individuals and entities over a period of years."
Trump in the 2016 election broke with decades of tradition among presidential candidates by refusing to release his income tax returns to the public.


cnbc--2020-08-21--U.S. prepared to enforce sweeping UN sanctions on Iran, Pompeo says

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses the media at a joint news conference with the Czech prime minister , at the start of a four-nation tour of Europe , in Prague , Czech Republic August 12 , 2020 .
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted Friday that the U.S. would enforce sweeping sanctions on Iran , even though the United Nations Security Council voted to not extend an arms embargo on the rogue regime .
Pompeo , who addressed the 15 member nations of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday , reiterated that the Trump administration will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rein in Tehran 's missile and nuclear weapons programs .
`` I have not had a single world leader or one of my counterparts tell me that they think it makes any sense at all for the Iranians to be able to purchase and sell high-end weapons systems , which is what will happen on Oct. 18 of this year , absent the actions that we took at the United Nations yesterday , '' Pompeo told CNBC .
`` We 're not going to let them have a nuclear weapon , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of billions of dollars in wealth from selling weapons systems .
Every leader around the world knows it 's a bad idea , '' he said , calling Iran `` the world 's largest state sponsor of terror . ''
The Trump administration has previously pushed members of the Security Council to extend a U.N.-imposed arms embargo on Iran .
The embargo is currently set to end in October under the 2015 nuclear deal brokered , in part , by the Obama administration .
Last week , the Security Council voted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran , a decision that prompted Pompeo to formally notify the group on Thursday of the U.S. intention to `` snap back '' or restore , all U.N. sanctions on Iran .
Thirty days after Pompeo 's notification , a range of U.N. sanctions will be restored , including the requirement that Iran suspends all uranium enrichment-related activities .
The snapback will also extend the 13-year arms embargo on Iran .

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses the media at a joint news conference with the Czech prime minister, at the start of a four-nation tour of Europe, in Prague, Czech Republic August 12, 2020.
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted Friday that the U.S. would enforce sweeping sanctions on Iran, even though the United Nations Security Council voted to not extend an arms embargo on the rogue regime.
Pompeo, who addressed the 15 member nations of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, reiterated that the Trump administration will continue its maximum pressure campaign in order to rein in Tehran's missile and nuclear weapons programs.
"I have not had a single world leader or one of my counterparts tell me that they think it makes any sense at all for the Iranians to be able to purchase and sell high-end weapons systems, which is what will happen on Oct. 18 of this year, absent the actions that we took at the United Nations yesterday," Pompeo told CNBC.
"We're not going to let them have a nuclear weapon, we're not going to let them have hundreds of billions of dollars in wealth from selling weapons systems. Every leader around the world knows it's a bad idea," he said, calling Iran "the world's largest state sponsor of terror."
The Trump administration has previously pushed members of the Security Council to extend a U.N.-imposed arms embargo on Iran. The embargo is currently set to end in October under the 2015 nuclear deal brokered, in part, by the Obama administration.
Last week, the Security Council voted to not extend the international arms embargo on Iran, a decision that prompted Pompeo to formally notify the group on Thursday of the U.S. intention to "snap back" or restore, all U.N. sanctions on Iran.
Thirty days after Pompeo's notification, a range of U.N. sanctions will be restored, including the requirement that Iran suspends all uranium enrichment-related activities. The snapback will also extend the 13-year arms embargo on Iran.


cnbc--2020-08-21--USPS chief Louis Dejoy says there's 'no intention to' bring back removed mail-sorting machines

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy , under fire for his changes to the U.S .
Postal Service ahead of the 2020 election , said Friday that there are no plans to reinstall mail-sorting machines that have recently been removed from service .
`` There 's no intention to do that , they 're not needed , sir , '' DeJoy said when asked by Sen. Gary Peters , D-Mich. , whether the machines removed under his watch would be brought back .
The remarks came at a virtual hearing before the Republican-majority Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioned his overhaul of the government agency .
Since DeJoy started his role in mid-June , the USPS has been plagued by reports of widespread mail delays , which postal workers ' advocates have attributed directly to the cost-cutting changes put in place by the former supply chain CEO .
Those changes reportedly include cracking down on late delivery trips and overtime for workers .
Critics have also raised concerns amid reports of mail-sorting machines across the country being removed from facilities .
Lawmakers from both parties have called on DeJoy to reverse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised alarms that the mail delays could impact the 2020 presidential election in November , where the coronavirus pandemic is expected to prompt more Americans than ever to vote by mail .
President Donald Trump in recent months has frequently tried to sow doubt about the security of widespread mail-in voting , claiming without evidence that the efforts in some states to expand access to voting by mail will lead to massive amounts of fraud .
DeJoy , a major donor to Republicans and committees supporting Trump 's reelection , admitted in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowdown in the mail when our production did not meet the schedule . ''
But he maintained that USPS will be able to handle an influx in election mail in the fall .
He also pushed back on the conspiracy theory that his changes at the agency were politically motivated in order to boost Trump 's chances against Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
Recent polls show Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to cast their ballots for president by mail .
In prepared remarks , DeJoy said `` a false narrative has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post office `` are somehow designed to harm the ability of voters to use the mail to vote . ''
In the hearing , DeJoy reiterated that many of the changes under the most intense scrutiny at USPS predated his tenure .
He said that he has implemented just two major changes since taking over : working within the agency to find ways to improve operations , and cutting back on late deliveries .
He also said that the removal of mail-sorting machines and mail collection receptacles – known as `` blue boxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' that has been around for years .
DeJoy had assured in a statement Tuesday that `` mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will remain where they are '' until after the 2020 election .
At the hearing Friday , DeJoy testified that `` since my arrival we removed about 700 collection boxes , of which I had no idea that that was a process . ''
`` When I found out about it , '' he said , `` we looked at the excitement it was creating so I decided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up after the election . ''
He likewise said that he was `` unaware '' of the process of removing mail-sorting machines .
`` It 's been around for a couple of years now .
We evaluate our machine capacity , '' Dejoy said .
`` The mail volume is dropping very rapidly especially during the Covid crisis , and package volume is growing ... we really are moving these machines out to make room to process packages . ''
`` This has been going in every election year , in every year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, under fire for his changes to the U.S. Postal Service ahead of the 2020 election, said Friday that there are no plans to reinstall mail-sorting machines that have recently been removed from service.
"There's no intention to do that, they're not needed, sir," DeJoy said when asked by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., whether the machines removed under his watch would be brought back.
The remarks came at a virtual hearing before the Republican-majority Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where DeJoy faced a grilling from Democrats who questioned his overhaul of the government agency.
Since DeJoy started his role in mid-June, the USPS has been plagued by reports of widespread mail delays, which postal workers' advocates have attributed directly to the cost-cutting changes put in place by the former supply chain CEO.
Those changes reportedly include cracking down on late delivery trips and overtime for workers. Critics have also raised concerns amid reports of mail-sorting machines across the country being removed from facilities.
Lawmakers from both parties have called on DeJoy to reverse the changes. Democrats in particular have raised alarms that the mail delays could impact the 2020 presidential election in November, where the coronavirus pandemic is expected to prompt more Americans than ever to vote by mail.
President Donald Trump in recent months has frequently tried to sow doubt about the security of widespread mail-in voting, claiming without evidence that the efforts in some states to expand access to voting by mail will lead to massive amounts of fraud.
DeJoy, a major donor to Republicans and committees supporting Trump's reelection, admitted in the hearing that "certainly there was a slowdown in the mail when our production did not meet the schedule." But he maintained that USPS will be able to handle an influx in election mail in the fall.
He also pushed back on the conspiracy theory that his changes at the agency were politically motivated in order to boost Trump's chances against Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Recent polls show Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to cast their ballots for president by mail.
In prepared remarks, DeJoy said "a false narrative has developed" that his changes at the post office "are somehow designed to harm the ability of voters to use the mail to vote."
In the hearing, DeJoy reiterated that many of the changes under the most intense scrutiny at USPS predated his tenure. He said that he has implemented just two major changes since taking over: working within the agency to find ways to improve operations, and cutting back on late deliveries.
He also said that the removal of mail-sorting machines and mail collection receptacles – known as "blue boxes" – is a "normal process" that has been around for years.
DeJoy had assured in a statement Tuesday that "mail processing equipment and blue collection boxes will remain where they are" until after the 2020 election.
At the hearing Friday, DeJoy testified that "since my arrival we removed about 700 collection boxes, of which I had no idea that that was a process."
"When I found out about it," he said, "we looked at the excitement it was creating so I decided to stop it and we'll pick it up after the election."
He likewise said that he was "unaware" of the process of removing mail-sorting machines.
"It's been around for a couple of years now. We evaluate our machine capacity," Dejoy said. "The mail volume is dropping very rapidly especially during the Covid crisis, and package volume is growing ... we really are moving these machines out to make room to process packages."
"This has been going in every election year, in every year for that matter," DeJoy added.


cnbc--2020-08-21--GOP pollster gives Biden high marks on speech — 'challenges for Donald Trump are significant'

Longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz on Friday complimented Joe Biden 's Democratic National Convention acceptance speech , saying the former vice president succeeded in changing the narrative and toeing the line between both ideological factions of his party .
`` The Democrats are trying to make this a referendum on Donald Trump , not his policies , not the issues , but on Donald Trump himself , '' Luntz said on CNBC 's `` Squawk Box . ''
Luntz said Biden exits the four-day party convention , which concluded Thursday night , in a strong position compared to President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP nomination next week at the Republican National Convention .
`` I do believe that Joe Biden is ahead , and I do believe the challenges for Donald Trump are significant , '' said Luntz , who noted that public opinion polls do show some tightening between the two candidates .
Biden has a 7.6 percentage point lead over Trump , based on an average of national polls compiled by RealClearPolitics .
Specifically , Luntz said Trump will have to focus on the particulars of Biden 's stances on issues such as taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area of emphasis throughout the Democratic convention .
Luntz said he was `` a little bit surprised that it was relatively light on issues and substance and very strong on unity . ''
`` [ Trump ] needs to make it a referendum on Joe Biden 's policies because his persona is very positive , '' Luntz said .
However , Trump will need to make draw attention to Biden 's stances carefully , according to Luntz .
There is a risk in going too far with `` over-caffeinated rhetoric , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and maybe the 'Bernie Sanders ' bros ' did n't like it because he was n't progressive enough , '' Luntz said , referring to the ardent supporters of the far-left Vermont senator who twice unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020 .
Sanders has endorsed Biden .
`` Trump , if he speaks to his base , is going to lose the center , '' Luntz added .
`` If he speaks to the people who are really strong towards him , he loses that essential six or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that does n't like Donald Trump personally , does n't like Joe Biden 's policies .
So they have to choose between Trump , who they agree with in terms of issues but disagrees with his personality , or Joe Biden , who they like but do n't agree with what he wants to do . ''
`` That is a very tough choice , '' Luntz said .
Ken Farnaso , deputy national press secretary for the Trump campaign , said in a statement to CNBC that `` the choice could n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In an email , he criticized Biden 's economic policies as being crafted by `` the radical left . ''

Longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz on Friday complimented Joe Biden's Democratic National Convention acceptance speech, saying the former vice president succeeded in changing the narrative and toeing the line between both ideological factions of his party.
"The Democrats are trying to make this a referendum on Donald Trump, not his policies, not the issues, but on Donald Trump himself," Luntz said on CNBC's "Squawk Box."
Luntz said Biden exits the four-day party convention, which concluded Thursday night, in a strong position compared to President Donald Trump, who will officially accept the GOP nomination next week at the Republican National Convention.
"I do believe that Joe Biden is ahead, and I do believe the challenges for Donald Trump are significant," said Luntz, who noted that public opinion polls do show some tightening between the two candidates. Biden has a 7.6 percentage point lead over Trump, based on an average of national polls compiled by RealClearPolitics.
Specifically, Luntz said Trump will have to focus on the particulars of Biden's stances on issues such as taxes, even though it was not an area of emphasis throughout the Democratic convention. Luntz said he was "a little bit surprised that it was relatively light on issues and substance and very strong on unity."
"[Trump] needs to make it a referendum on Joe Biden's policies because his persona is very positive," Luntz said.
However, Trump will need to make draw attention to Biden's stances carefully, according to Luntz. There is a risk in going too far with "over-caffeinated rhetoric," he said.
"Biden toned it down, and maybe the 'Bernie Sanders' bros' didn't like it because he wasn't progressive enough," Luntz said, referring to the ardent supporters of the far-left Vermont senator who twice unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 and 2020. Sanders has endorsed Biden.
"Trump, if he speaks to his base, is going to lose the center," Luntz added. "If he speaks to the people who are really strong towards him, he loses that essential six or seven percent right in the middle, that doesn't like Donald Trump personally, doesn't like Joe Biden's policies. So they have to choose between Trump, who they agree with in terms of issues but disagrees with his personality, or Joe Biden, who they like but don't agree with what he wants to do."
"That is a very tough choice," Luntz said.
Ken Farnaso, deputy national press secretary for the Trump campaign, said in a statement to CNBC that "the choice couldn't be more clear in November." In an email, he criticized Biden's economic policies as being crafted by "the radical left."


cnbc--2020-08-21--Pompeo vows a tough U.S. stance on China but is open to talks

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to reporters following a meeting with members of the U.N. Security Council about Iran 's alleged non-compliance with a nuclear deal and calling for the restoration of sanctions against Iran at United Nations hradquarters in New York , U.S. , August 20 , 2020 .
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday addressed a slew of issues lingering over the United States and China , ranging from strained trade relations to national security threats to the November presidential election .
When asked in a CNBC interview whether the relationship between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restored , he said the Trump administration is open to talks with Beijing .
Yet he added that the U.S. would maintain its tough stance in the interest of American national security .
`` This is a serious effort , this is a serious risk and President Trump is serious about protecting our information , our networks and the American people , '' Pompeo said in the `` Squawk Box '' interview .
When asked about the Chinese-owned TikTok , Pompeo would not discuss specifics of a U.S. tech firm acquiring the platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a sale in order to protect personal American data .
`` I predict that TikTok will no longer share its private information that belongs to the American people to the Chinese Communist Party , I 'm confident that they wo n't be doing that , '' Pompeo said of the potential U.S. acquisition .
`` I promise you when we get to the end of this that wo n't be happening , '' he added .
Pompeo also vowed to `` continue to go after '' China if the country presses a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beholden to their security apparatus . ''
Earlier this month , the Trump administration announced that it would remove `` untrusted '' Chinese tech apps like TikTok and WeChat from U.S. app stores .
Pompeo detailed the new five-pronged `` Clean Network '' effort aimed at curbing potential national security risks .
`` With parent companies based in China , apps like TikTok and WeChat and others , are significant threats to personal data of American citizens , not to mention tools for Chinese Communist Party content censorship , '' Pompeo said during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have long complained that Chinese intellectual property theft has cost the American economy billions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs and threatens national security .
Beijing maintains it does not engage in intellectual property theft .
Pompeo added that the State Department would work with the Commerce and Defense Departments to limit the ability of Chinese cloud service providers to collect , store and process data in the United States .

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to reporters following a meeting with members of the U.N. Security Council about Iran's alleged non-compliance with a nuclear deal and calling for the restoration of sanctions against Iran at United Nations hradquarters in New York, U.S., August 20, 2020.
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday addressed a slew of issues lingering over the United States and China, ranging from strained trade relations to national security threats to the November presidential election.
When asked in a CNBC interview whether the relationship between the world's two largest economies could be restored, he said the Trump administration is open to talks with Beijing. Yet he added that the U.S. would maintain its tough stance in the interest of American national security.
"This is a serious effort, this is a serious risk and President Trump is serious about protecting our information, our networks and the American people," Pompeo said in the "Squawk Box" interview.
When asked about the Chinese-owned TikTok, Pompeo would not discuss specifics of a U.S. tech firm acquiring the platform. He did reiterate the importance of such a sale in order to protect personal American data.
"I predict that TikTok will no longer share its private information that belongs to the American people to the Chinese Communist Party, I'm confident that they won't be doing that," Pompeo said of the potential U.S. acquisition.
"I promise you when we get to the end of this that won't be happening," he added.
Pompeo also vowed to "continue to go after" China if the country presses a policy that all Chinese companies are "beholden to their security apparatus."
Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that it would remove "untrusted" Chinese tech apps like TikTok and WeChat from U.S. app stores. Pompeo detailed the new five-pronged "Clean Network" effort aimed at curbing potential national security risks.
"With parent companies based in China, apps like TikTok and WeChat and others, are significant threats to personal data of American citizens, not to mention tools for Chinese Communist Party content censorship," Pompeo said during an Aug. 5 press briefing.
U.S. officials have long complained that Chinese intellectual property theft has cost the American economy billions of dollars in revenue and thousands of jobs and threatens national security. Beijing maintains it does not engage in intellectual property theft.
Pompeo added that the State Department would work with the Commerce and Defense Departments to limit the ability of Chinese cloud service providers to collect, store and process data in the United States.


cnbc--2020-08-24--Trump aide Kellyanne Conway to leave White House as she cites need to focus on her family

Kellyanne Conway , senior advisor to President Donald Trump , will leave the White House at the end of the month , saying she wants to spend more time with her children .
An administration official told NBC News that Conway told Trump about her decision Sunday evening in the Oval Office .
The official said the president expressed support for her decision .
`` This is completely my choice and my voice , '' Conway said in a statement .
`` In time , I will announce future plans .
For now , and for my beloved children , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mama . ''
Conway , who has four children , is one of Trump 's longest-serving senior advisors , serving as his campaign manager in 2016 .
Her husband , George Conway , is also leaving his role at The Lincoln Project , a group run by Republican operatives who oppose Trump .
He also emphasized his desire to `` devote more time to family matters , '' while reiterating his support for the organization .
George Conway , a frequent vocal critic of the president , also said he would be taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first reported the news .
The announcements come on the eve of the Republican National Convention and a little more than two months before the presidential election .
The administration official and another source familiar with the matter told NBC News that Kellyanne Conway is still expected to speak at the RNC on Wednesday as scheduled .
While George has persistently condemned Trump on Twitter , Kellyanne has been one of the president 's most ardent defenders .
The couple 's contrasting views have often become the subject of media attention .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ united on what matters most : the kids ... As millions of parents nationwide know , kids 'doing school from home ' requires a level of attention and vigilance that is as unusual as these times , '' Kellyanne Conway said in her statement .
Earlier Sunday , the couple 's 15-year-old daughter , Claudia , said she was `` devastated '' that her mother will be speaking at the RNC .
In a flurry of tweets criticizing her parents , she also said she and her father `` agree on absolutely nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be taking a mental health break from social media .

White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway and her husband George Conway arrive for a candlelight dinner at Union Station on the eve of the 58th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2017.
Kellyanne Conway, senior advisor to President Donald Trump, will leave the White House at the end of the month, saying she wants to spend more time with her children.
An administration official told NBC News that Conway told Trump about her decision Sunday evening in the Oval Office. The official said the president expressed support for her decision.
"This is completely my choice and my voice," Conway said in a statement. "In time, I will announce future plans. For now, and for my beloved children, it will be less drama, more mama."
Conway, who has four children, is one of Trump's longest-serving senior advisors, serving as his campaign manager in 2016.
Her husband, George Conway, is also leaving his role at The Lincoln Project, a group run by Republican operatives who oppose Trump. He also emphasized his desire to "devote more time to family matters," while reiterating his support for the organization.
George Conway, a frequent vocal critic of the president, also said he would be taking a Twitter hiatus.
The Washington Post first reported the news.
The announcements come on the eve of the Republican National Convention and a little more than two months before the presidential election.
The administration official and another source familiar with the matter told NBC News that Kellyanne Conway is still expected to speak at the RNC on Wednesday as scheduled.
While George has persistently condemned Trump on Twitter, Kellyanne has been one of the president's most ardent defenders. The couple's contrasting views have often become the subject of media attention.
"We disagree about plenty but we are united on what matters most: the kids ... As millions of parents nationwide know, kids 'doing school from home' requires a level of attention and vigilance that is as unusual as these times," Kellyanne Conway said in her statement.
Earlier Sunday, the couple's 15-year-old daughter, Claudia, said she was "devastated" that her mother will be speaking at the RNC. In a flurry of tweets criticizing her parents, she also said she and her father "agree on absolutely nothing" politically, before announcing she would be taking a mental health break from social media.


cnbc--2020-08-23--House passes bill to put $25 billion into USPS and reverse changes amid uproar

Democratic U.S .
Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Dan Kildee rally in support of the United States Postal Service ( USPS ) outside of a post office in Southfield , Michigan , U.S. August 18 , 2020 .
The House passed a bill Saturday to inject emergency funding into the U.S .
Postal Service and reverse changes that have hampered mail delivery .
The measure passed in a 257-150 vote .
Twenty-six House Republicans supported the bill .
The legislation approved by the Democratic-held chamber would put $ 25 billion into the cash-crunched post office .
It would also roll back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as limits on overtime and reductions of facility hours , that Democrats worry will hinder the processing of an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic .
As Republicans oppose the proposal , it has little chance of getting through the GOP-controlled Senate .
However , a group of Republican and Democratic senators have proposed a plan to put $ 25 billion into the postal service .
It is unclear if or when the chamber will try to pass the measure .
On Sunday White House Chief of Staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Week '' that the House measure would not mend the postal system and is `` going nowhere . ''
`` The postal system is not sustainable the way it is now , '' Meadows said .
`` When you look at the bill that was passed yesterday that bill was not a serious bill .
It 's $ 25 billion , it does n't do anything to sustain the postal system long term , '' he said , adding that lawmakers should have also tackled a slew of more issues .
House Speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House back from its August recess to pass the bill .
The move followed an uproar over widespread mail slowdowns resulting from DeJoy 's efforts to cut costs for the postal service .
DeJoy , a Republican donor , said this week that he would reverse some changes made to the postal service to avoid an appearance of trying to influence the election .
In Friday testimony before a Senate panel sparked by concerns the Trump administration changes would slow essential mail delivery or even stifle voting rights , he said the post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail sorting machines it has already removed .
The postmaster general said USPS will be able to process the flurry of mail-in ballots in November 's election .
But Trump , who has repeatedly made unfounded claims that voting by mail leads to rampant fraud , has said that a lack of postal service funds `` means you ca n't have universal mail-in voting . ''
Democrats have pushed to give the postal service a lifeline as part of a fifth coronavirus aid package Congress has struggled to reach .
While Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into USPS , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said this week that the president would be `` open to looking at '' that much funding .
Pelosi faced calls from about half of her caucus to pass a bill to reinstate the $ 600 per week enhanced unemployment insurance when the House returned to approve the postal service measure .
The extra benefit , which buoyed millions of people as businesses shut down during the pandemic , expired at the end of July .
The speaker shot down those requests in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She has repeatedly said she would not pass a bill that takes a narrow approach to combating the coronavirus , even though she reconvened the House to vote only on the postal service bill .
`` The ideas Members have put forth have been excellent and I have shared them with the Chairs of the committees of jurisdiction to be part of our legislative agenda , '' she wrote .
`` However , we must consider their timing and strategic value .
They can not come at the expense of addressing the priorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our heroes in state and local government and education , who are in crisis . ''
Amanda Macias contributed to this report from Washington .

Democratic U.S. Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Dan Kildee rally in support of the United States Postal Service (USPS) outside of a post office in Southfield, Michigan, U.S. August 18, 2020.
The House passed a bill Saturday to inject emergency funding into the U.S. Postal Service and reverse changes that have hampered mail delivery.
The measure passed in a 257-150 vote. Twenty-six House Republicans supported the bill.
The legislation approved by the Democratic-held chamber would put $25 billion into the cash-crunched post office. It would also roll back recent overhauls under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, such as limits on overtime and reductions of facility hours, that Democrats worry will hinder the processing of an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic.
As Republicans oppose the proposal, it has little chance of getting through the GOP-controlled Senate. However, a group of Republican and Democratic senators have proposed a plan to put $25 billion into the postal service. It is unclear if or when the chamber will try to pass the measure.
On Sunday White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told ABC's "This Week" that the House measure would not mend the postal system and is "going nowhere."
"The postal system is not sustainable the way it is now," Meadows said. "When you look at the bill that was passed yesterday that bill was not a serious bill. It's $25 billion, it doesn't do anything to sustain the postal system long term," he said, adding that lawmakers should have also tackled a slew of more issues.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the House back from its August recess to pass the bill. The move followed an uproar over widespread mail slowdowns resulting from DeJoy's efforts to cut costs for the postal service.
DeJoy, a Republican donor, said this week that he would reverse some changes made to the postal service to avoid an appearance of trying to influence the election. In Friday testimony before a Senate panel sparked by concerns the Trump administration changes would slow essential mail delivery or even stifle voting rights, he said the post office would not replace collection boxes and mail sorting machines it has already removed.
The postmaster general said USPS will be able to process the flurry of mail-in ballots in November's election. But Trump, who has repeatedly made unfounded claims that voting by mail leads to rampant fraud, has said that a lack of postal service funds "means you can't have universal mail-in voting."
Democrats have pushed to give the postal service a lifeline as part of a fifth coronavirus aid package Congress has struggled to reach. While Trump has previously opposed putting $25 billion more into USPS, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said this week that the president would be "open to looking at" that much funding.
Pelosi faced calls from about half of her caucus to pass a bill to reinstate the $600 per week enhanced unemployment insurance when the House returned to approve the postal service measure. The extra benefit, which buoyed millions of people as businesses shut down during the pandemic, expired at the end of July.
The speaker shot down those requests in a letter to House Democrats on Thursday. She has repeatedly said she would not pass a bill that takes a narrow approach to combating the coronavirus, even though she reconvened the House to vote only on the postal service bill.
"The ideas Members have put forth have been excellent and I have shared them with the Chairs of the committees of jurisdiction to be part of our legislative agenda," she wrote. "However, we must consider their timing and strategic value. They cannot come at the expense of addressing the priorities of the Heroes Act — particularly support for our heroes in state and local government and education, who are in crisis."
Amanda Macias contributed to this report from Washington.


cnbc--2020-08-24--What to watch for on the first night of the Republican National Convention

WASHINGTON — Republicans launch the first night of their nominating convention Monday , with speeches expected from Donald Trump Jr. , Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina , former South Carolina Gov .
Nikki Haley , and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana .
Two of President Donald Trump 's most ardent supporters in the House , Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Jim Jordan of Ohio , are also slated to speak .
Here 's what we 'll be watching for .
After Trump panned the Democratic convention on Friday as `` the darkest and angriest and gloomiest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's campaign advisors promised that the GOP would offer something very different this week .
`` You 're going to see a great , uplifting message from the president and from our allies , '' said Jason Miller , a senior Trump campaign advisor on NBC 's `` Meet the Press . ''
But anyone who has watched Trump give a campaign speech in the past three years knows that uplifting messages are not the president 's preferred way to rally support from voters .
Rather , Trump relies on ginning up fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more recently , protestors and election fraud — and then paints himself as the last bulwark standing between his supporters and their fears .
The question for convention speakers will be whether to mimic Trump 's rhetorical style , which worked for him in 2016 , or to try to paint a rosier picture of America instead .
This brings us directly to the next big question of the night , which is how Haley , a leading 2024 presidential hopeful , will position herself vis-a-vis Trump .
There are two broad factions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they roughly represent the two potential outcomes of this November 's election .
If Trump wins reelection , then the most promising GOP presidential candidates in 2024 will be Trump loyalists such as Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo .
But if Trump loses to Biden , then Republicans who have positioned themselves to lead a post-Trump Republican Party out of the proverbial wreckage of November will suddenly have the upper hand in 2024 .
And no one so far has built a more viable post-Trump profile than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Nations , who speaks on Monday night .
Haley resigned from the Trump administration on good terms in late 2018 , and the following year she wrote a political memoir , `` With All Due Respect , '' in which she claimed that former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told her that he resisted implementing some of Trump 's policies because , if he had n't , `` people would die . ''
Haley rejected the idea of working from the inside to thwart Trump .
Nonetheless , Haley has carefully created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president 's .
She has even publicly called Trump out on occasion , like she did in August of last year after Trump insulted then-Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland .
With tweets like these , Haley captured the mood of a significant chunk of the Republican electorate , especially pre-coronavirus , who generally approved of Trump 's policies but not necessarily his conduct .
When she speaks Monday , watch to see how well Haley continues to toe this line between supporting Trump and not condoning his behavior , especially now that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Does Haley go all in for her former boss ?
Or does she hint at the fact that Trump , currently the underdog in his own reelection fight , may someday be little more than a bad memory for the Republican Party ?
Nearly every American has been affected in the past eight months by the deadly coronavirus , which has infected more than 5.5 million people in this country and killed more than 175,000 .
With the United States still leading the world in both deaths and confirmed cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic is a stain on the president 's record .
The question this week for Republicans , then , is how to talk about the pandemic and in some cases whether to talk about it at all .
Do they tout the limited successes the White House has had , such as the relatively fast ramping-up of ventilator production this spring ?
Or the strategically timed announcement on Sunday that the Food and Drug Administration issued emergency approval for a plasma treatment for Covid-19 ?
The obvious risk is that talking about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on which polls show Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump 's handling .
Alternatively , Republicans could follow Trump 's lead .
Instead of focusing on his response to the pandemic , the president prefers to talk about the record-setting economy he oversaw right before the virus hit in January .
Often , Trump then jumps directly from January to June and takes credit for the `` return '' of jobs that were furloughed or suspended during nationwide lockdowns and quarantines this spring .
He conveniently omits the part where the United States experienced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to this day , in the form of 10.2 % unemployment nationwide .
The question Monday will be how much speakers focus on the virus and its impact , and how much they can get away with ignoring it .
Who is the intended audience ?

Nikki Haley, Governor, South Carolina Getty Images
WASHINGTON — Republicans launch the first night of their nominating convention Monday, with speeches expected from Donald Trump Jr., Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana. Two of President Donald Trump's most ardent supporters in the House, Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Jim Jordan of Ohio, are also slated to speak. Here's what we'll be watching for.
An optimistic tone?
After Trump panned the Democratic convention on Friday as "the darkest and angriest and gloomiest convention in American history," Trump's campaign advisors promised that the GOP would offer something very different this week. "You're going to see a great, uplifting message from the president and from our allies," said Jason Miller, a senior Trump campaign advisor on NBC's "Meet the Press." But anyone who has watched Trump give a campaign speech in the past three years knows that uplifting messages are not the president's preferred way to rally support from voters. Rather, Trump relies on ginning up fears — of crime and immigrants, or more recently, protestors and election fraud — and then paints himself as the last bulwark standing between his supporters and their fears. The question for convention speakers will be whether to mimic Trump's rhetorical style, which worked for him in 2016, or to try to paint a rosier picture of America instead. This brings us directly to the next big question of the night, which is how Haley, a leading 2024 presidential hopeful, will position herself vis-a-vis Trump.
Nikki Haley's post-Trump GOP
There are two broad factions of potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates, and they roughly represent the two potential outcomes of this November's election. If Trump wins reelection, then the most promising GOP presidential candidates in 2024 will be Trump loyalists such as Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. But if Trump loses to Biden, then Republicans who have positioned themselves to lead a post-Trump Republican Party out of the proverbial wreckage of November will suddenly have the upper hand in 2024. And no one so far has built a more viable post-Trump profile than Haley, a former ambassador to the United Nations, who speaks on Monday night. Haley resigned from the Trump administration on good terms in late 2018, and the following year she wrote a political memoir, "With All Due Respect," in which she claimed that former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told her that he resisted implementing some of Trump's policies because, if he hadn't, "people would die." Haley rejected the idea of working from the inside to thwart Trump. Nonetheless, Haley has carefully created some space between her own positions and the president's. She has even publicly called Trump out on occasion, like she did in August of last year after Trump insulted then-Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland. HALEY TWEET With tweets like these, Haley captured the mood of a significant chunk of the Republican electorate, especially pre-coronavirus, who generally approved of Trump's policies but not necessarily his conduct. When she speaks Monday, watch to see how well Haley continues to toe this line between supporting Trump and not condoning his behavior, especially now that more than 175,000 Americans have died from coronavirus. Does Haley go all in for her former boss? Or does she hint at the fact that Trump, currently the underdog in his own reelection fight, may someday be little more than a bad memory for the Republican Party?
How large will coronavirus loom?
Nearly every American has been affected in the past eight months by the deadly coronavirus, which has infected more than 5.5 million people in this country and killed more than 175,000. With the United States still leading the world in both deaths and confirmed cases, the Trump administration's response to the pandemic is a stain on the president's record. The question this week for Republicans, then, is how to talk about the pandemic and in some cases whether to talk about it at all. Do they tout the limited successes the White House has had, such as the relatively fast ramping-up of ventilator production this spring? Or the strategically timed announcement on Sunday that the Food and Drug Administration issued emergency approval for a plasma treatment for Covid-19? The obvious risk is that talking about the pandemic means drawing attention to an issue on which polls show Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump's handling. Alternatively, Republicans could follow Trump's lead. Instead of focusing on his response to the pandemic, the president prefers to talk about the record-setting economy he oversaw right before the virus hit in January. Often, Trump then jumps directly from January to June and takes credit for the "return" of jobs that were furloughed or suspended during nationwide lockdowns and quarantines this spring. He conveniently omits the part where the United States experienced a historic and unprecedented economic collapse that continues to this day, in the form of 10.2% unemployment nationwide. The question Monday will be how much speakers focus on the virus and its impact, and how much they can get away with ignoring it.
Who is the intended audience?


cnbc--2020-08-25--Michael Cohen cuts anti-Trump attack ad to run during GOP convention

Michael Cohen , the former lawyer for U.S. President Donald Trump , arrives back at home after being released from prison during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) in New York City , New York , U.S. , May 21 , 2020 .
Michael Cohen , the former personal lawyer and fixer for President Donald Trump , slammed his former boss as a liar while appearing in a pro-Democrat group 's attack ad that is set to air during this week 's Republican National Convention .
`` For more than a decade , I was President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I was complicit in helping conceal the real Donald Trump .
I was part of creating an illusion , '' Cohen said in a 99-second video that the group , American Bridge 21st Century , posted on social media just a few hours before the first night of the RNC was set to kick off .
`` Later this week , he 's going to stand up and blatantly lie to you , '' Cohen said .
`` I 'm here to tell you he ca n't be trusted and you should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Cohen is set to appear in multiple ads for the progressive super PAC , which is focusing on key swing states as it works to help elect Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
The ads will air digitally starting Monday night and will appear on television starting Wednesday – in time for the final two nights of the GOP convention .
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to CNBC 's request for comment on the new ad .
But in a statement to CNN , which first reported on the video , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If you believe anything Michael Cohen says , I have a basement in Delaware to sell you . ''
Cohen , 53 , had spent years as one of Trump 's closest , and most loyal , subordinates .
But after the FBI raided Cohen 's office and residence in April 2018 , the relationship between the president and his fixer began to fray .
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to multiple crimes , some of which related to Trump .
Before he entered prison in 2019 , Cohen testified before Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a `` con man . ''
Cohen was released from prison to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under home confinement .
In the ad for American Bridge , Cohen delivers a warning directly to viewers of the Republican National Convention .
`` When the president gets in front of the cameras this week , remember that he thinks we 're all gullible , a bunch of fools .
I was a part of it , and I fell for it , '' Cohen said .
`` You do n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listen to me , '' he said .
`` When you watch the president this week , remember this : If he says something is huge , it 's probably small .
If he says something will work , it probably wo n't .
And if he says he cares about you and your family , he certainly does not , '' Cohen said .
`` He 's going to tell you that if you reelect him , the economy will bounce back , that only he can get us out of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , '' Cohen added .
`` But if you think he cares about working-class Americans , you 're dead wrong . ''
`` The president is going to talk to you about law order .
That 's laughable , '' Cohen said .
`` Virtually everyone who worked for his campaign has been convicted of a crime or is under indictment – myself included . ''
American Bridge is not the only anti-Trump group trying to undercut the GOP 's messaging during the week of the convention .
The Lincoln Project , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack ads is set to launch a $ 4 million ad blitz this week , targeting voters in a series of key swing states .

Michael Cohen, the former lawyer for U.S. President Donald Trump, arrives back at home after being released from prison during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City, New York, U.S., May 21, 2020.
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for President Donald Trump, slammed his former boss as a liar while appearing in a pro-Democrat group's attack ad that is set to air during this week's Republican National Convention.
"For more than a decade, I was President Trump's right-hand man, fixer and confidant. I was complicit in helping conceal the real Donald Trump. I was part of creating an illusion," Cohen said in a 99-second video that the group, American Bridge 21st Century, posted on social media just a few hours before the first night of the RNC was set to kick off.
"Later this week, he's going to stand up and blatantly lie to you," Cohen said. "I'm here to tell you he can't be trusted and you shouldn't believe a word he utters."
American Bridge TWEET
Cohen is set to appear in multiple ads for the progressive super PAC, which is focusing on key swing states as it works to help elect Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
The ads will air digitally starting Monday night and will appear on television starting Wednesday – in time for the final two nights of the GOP convention.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the new ad. But in a statement to CNN, which first reported on the video, Trump campaign spokesman Matt Wolking said, "If you believe anything Michael Cohen says, I have a basement in Delaware to sell you."
Cohen, 53, had spent years as one of Trump's closest, and most loyal, subordinates. But after the FBI raided Cohen's office and residence in April 2018, the relationship between the president and his fixer began to fray.
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to multiple crimes, some of which related to Trump. Before he entered prison in 2019, Cohen testified before Congress that Trump was a "racist" and a "con man."
Cohen was released from prison to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under home confinement.
In the ad for American Bridge, Cohen delivers a warning directly to viewers of the Republican National Convention.
"When the president gets in front of the cameras this week, remember that he thinks we're all gullible, a bunch of fools. I was a part of it, and I fell for it," Cohen said.
"You don't have to like me, but please, listen to me," he said.
"When you watch the president this week, remember this: If he says something is huge, it's probably small. If he says something will work, it probably won't. And if he says he cares about you and your family, he certainly does not," Cohen said.
"He's going to tell you that if you reelect him, the economy will bounce back, that only he can get us out of this economic crisis. Maybe for those like him," Cohen added. "But if you think he cares about working-class Americans, you're dead wrong."
"The president is going to talk to you about law order. That's laughable," Cohen said. "Virtually everyone who worked for his campaign has been convicted of a crime or is under indictment – myself included."
American Bridge is not the only anti-Trump group trying to undercut the GOP's messaging during the week of the convention. The Lincoln Project, which has produced a series of stinging attack ads is set to launch a $4 million ad blitz this week, targeting voters in a series of key swing states.