usatoday--2020-08-18--Michelle Obama says Trump is the 'wrong president for our country'

Former first lady Michelle Obama delivered a powerful rebuke of President Donald Trump in a 19-minute speech that declared him unfit for the job and encouraged people to vote as if their lives depended on it .
She capped the first day of speeches , songs and videos spanned 50 states and seven territories for a virtual Democratic National Convention by saying the presidential election would reveal who we are as a country .
“ Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country , ” Obama said .
“ He has had more than enough time to prove that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is clearly in over his head .
He can not meet this moment .
He simply can not be who we need him to be for us .
It is what it is.
” She said voters must support Biden with overwhelming support , to prevent a corruption of the results .
“ We ’ ve got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it , ” added Obama , whose necklace spelled out “ vote.
” Not sure if you ’ re registered to vote ?
: Check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150,000 Americans have died in the pandemic , that economy is in shambles that left millions jobless and she said Trump downplayed the crisis for too long .
But she said Trump isn ’ t qualified for the job because it is hard and requires clear-headed judgment , a devotion to facts and history , a moral compass , with an ability to listen .
“ You simply can not fake your way through this job , ” Obama said .
Racial justice protests erupted nationwide after the death of George Floyd in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Obama noted that his death and the message that Black lives matter was met with derision , while children watch in horror .
“ That ’ s not just disappointing , but downright infuriating , ” Obama said .
“ They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages , and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protestors for a photo-op.
” When she urges supporters to go high rather than low , Obama said that means avoiding dehumanizing and degrading tactics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty.
” “ Going high means taking the harder path .
It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountain top , ” Obama said .
“ Going high means standing fierce against hatred while remembering that we are one nation under God , and if we want to survive , we ’ ve got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences.
” She encouraged voters to support Biden as a profoundly decent man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empathetic with the people he represents .
“ He will tell the truth and trust science , ” Obama said .
“ His life is a testament to getting back up , and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up , to help us heal and guide us forward.
” To listen to an audio version of the story , click 'play ' below .
Sen. Bernie Sanders delivered an impassioned plea Monday for his supporters to back Joe Biden for the president in November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help unite a party that has been divided in the past between liberals and centrists .
“ Our campaign ended several months ago but our movement continues and is getting stronger every day , ” Sanders said , standing in front of a backdrop of chopped firewood .
“ If Donald Trump is reelected , all the progress that we have made will be in jeopardy.
” Sanders noted that Biden supports raising the minimum wage , unionizing workers and transitioning the nation to clean power over the next five decades .
Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the first night of the Democratic National Convention , intended to signal a bridge between the left and centrist wings of the party .
Some Sanders voters were miffed at Hillary Clinton ’ s nomination in 2016 and Biden and Sanders have sought to avoid a similar split this year .
Doing so will be critical for Biden ’ s success in November : In an election that will hang on turnout , the former vice president needs to energize all corners of the party to ensure they turn out to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the last standing primary opponent to Biden , holding out until April following a spirited campaign that drew particular energy from young voters .
Throughout the primary , Sanders was one of several candidates who frequently criticized the Obama-Biden administration for not being progressive enough in its policies .
Nowhere was the divide as stark as on health care , where Sanders became a standard-bearer for a Medicare-for-All health care system that Biden regularly countered would be too expensive and not as effective as the 2009 Obamacare law .
Sanders flicked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While Joe and I disagree on the best path to get universal coverage , he has a plan that will greatly expand health care ” and lower drug prices , Sanders asserted .
Since Sanders dropped out , the two former Senate colleagues have worked together to craft a platform for the party that President Donald Trump has criticized as too far left for the nation – regularly painting the ideas as the “ Biden-Sanders ” agenda .
“ The future of our democracy is at stake , ” Sanders said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great to imagine.
” Former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s rivals in the contentious primaries gathered virtually Monday to support the presumptive Democratic nominee .
“ Unity isn ’ t about settling , ” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar , D-Minn. “ We need a president for all of America.
” Former presidential candidates talked about why they ran , what they were fighting for and why they believe Biden will bring the nation together .
Sen. Kamala Harris , D-Calif. ; Sen. Cory Booker , D-N.J. ; Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand , D-N.Y. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klobuchar , Rep. Seth Moulton , D-Mass .
; former Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke of Texas ; Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang .
“ You have the most destructive , hateful , racist president in the history of this country who is literally tearing apart the fabric of the United States of America , ” Booker said .
Gillibrand said as she watched Trump divide the country , she asked herself what she was willing to do to stop him .
“ Donald Trump does not understand who we are as Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accepting the nomination as Biden ’ s running mate is scheduled Wednesday .
Democrats have been ramping up their criticism of President Donald Trump ’ s remarks on mail-in voting and his decision to appoint an ally as postmaster general for weeks .
And so it was little surprise the issue came up front and center during the first night of the party ’ s virtual convention .
The first spokesperson on the issue was Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto , who represents Nevada – a state the Trump campaign sued this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of mail-in ballots .
“ He ’ s challenged us in court with a meritless lawsuit , ” Cortez Masto said .
“ And now he ’ s putting the lives of Nevada ’ s seniors at risk.
” “ Nevada is not intimated by you , ” she added .
Top U.S .
Postal Service officials will testify before Congress next week amid increasing scrutiny of changes at the agency Democrats worry may hinder the elections in November .
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and Chairman of the U.S .
Postal Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testify before the House Oversight Committee on Aug. 24 , Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , announced Monday .
House Democrats are set to return to Washington to approve a bill providing additional funding for the U.S. Trump has criticized Democrats ’ desire to include $ 25 billion for the Postal Service in their latest coronavirus stimulus package , arguing that broader use of vote by mail will increase the likelihood of fraud .
On the one hand , Trump and other Republicans have claimed they are mostly about states that will automatically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But there is a relatively small number of states planning to take that action in November .
Meanwhile , Trump has criticized states like Virginia , that have a similar ballot system to states such as Florida , which he has praised .
Running against President Donald Trump in the Republican primaries wasn ’ t enough for former Ohio Gov .
John Kasich .
He joined three Republicans in blasting Trump from the virtual stage of the Democratic National Convention .
“ In normal times , something like this would probably never happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Kasich said of prioritizing his country ahead of his party .
“ Yes , there are areas where Joe and I absolutely disagree .
But that ’ s OK because that ’ s America .
Because whatever our differences , we respect one another as human beings , each of us searching for justice and for purpose.
” Trump derided Kasich while flying back to Washington from campaign events in Minnesota and Wisconsin .
“ He was a loser as a Republican and he ’ ll be a loser as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Trump said .
“ People don ’ t like him , people don ’ t trust him , his healthcare in Ohio was a disaster .
He hasn ’ t done too well with Trump .
He ’ s been easy pickings.
” One of the Biden campaign ’ s co-chairmen , Rep. Cedric Richmond , D-La.
, said Republicans were invited to speak to demonstrate the variety of support for the former vice president .
“ I call them the silent voters , which are those Republicans that feel bullied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be isolated if they support Biden , and that they will be picked on , ” Richmond said .
Other Republicans who spoke at the convention were former New Jersey Gov .
Christine Todd Whitman ; former Rep. Susan Molinari , R-N.Y. ; and Quibi CEO Meg Whitman , who ran for governor of California as a Republican .
Todd Whitman , a lifelong Republican whose parents were introduced at a convention , said Biden is decent enough , stable enough and strong enough to get the economy on track .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can work with members of both parties to unite the country .
“ Donald Trump isn ’ t that person , ” she said .
“ Joe Biden is.
” Meg Whitman said as a CEO she wasn ’ t impressed with Trump ’ s resume .
“ Let me tell you , Donald Trump has no clue about how to run a business , let alone an economy , ” she said .
“ For me , the choice is simple .
I ’ m with Joe.
” Michigan Gov .
Gretchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be Biden ’ s running mate , used her time to remind Michiganders of Biden ’ s role in helping the auto industry .
Speaking from a union hall , Whitmer referred to the Obama administration ’ s help for automakers after the 2008 recession .
She said Obama and Biden saved the livelihoods of autoworkers who now are doing their part to save American lives by making protective equipment .
“ With a lot of help from auto workers and too little help from the White House , we executed our plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has referred to her as “ that woman from Michigan.
” “ We saved thousands of lives.
” She said Biden will use “ science , not politics or ego ” to drive his decisions .
Narrow wins by Trump in Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin gave him the votes he needed in the electoral college to overcome Hillary Clinton ’ s lead in the popular vote .
Biden is leading Trump by more than six percentage points , according to an average of recent polls by Real Clear Politics .
Clyburn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s campaign Rep. James Clyburn , the South Carolina Democrat who revived Biden ’ s campaign , spoke from Charleston where he said the endorsement that powered Biden ’ s South Carolina victory was a decision made with his feet “ firmly planted in this community.
” Clyburn referenced the community ’ s history of slavery and the 2015 mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church .
He added , however , that the city has also removed a statue honoring an early advocate for slavery and is building an African @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our feet is seeded with pain that is both old and new , but from that soil , we always find a way to grow together , ” he said .
“ We are stepping out from the shadows of our past and beginning to lay the groundwork for a more just future.
” Clyburn said the nation needs a president “ who understands both profound loss and what it takes to bounce back.
” “ But more important than his firsthand experience with loss , and hardship is his ability to translate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Clyburn said .
“ That 's why I stand with Joe , and why he will always be an adopted son of South Carolina.
” Gwen Carr , an author whose son died while being held in a chokehold by a New York police officer , urged former Vice President Joe Biden to change national policy to fight police brutality .
Carr said there was a major uprising after her son Eric Garner died in July 2014 , but interest subsided .
She urged action against “ an age-old problem.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there was a big uprising , ” Carr said .
“ We have to hold their feet to the fire.
” Biden held a conversation with Carr and others to chat about the priorities for racial justice .
The exchange illustrated how Biden will pop up occasionally during the week for appearances during the convention .
Biden noted that most police officers are good , but that the bad ones must be punished .
“ Most cops are good , but the fact is that the bad ones have to be identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Biden said .
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said police officers were shocked at the death of George Floyd .
Acevedo said police want a change in national policy about the use of force and against chokeholds , rather than separate policies among 18,000 police departments .
“ Police officers were shocked .
Police officers have spoken out .
We 're hopeful that we 'll have some national standards , '' Acevedo said .
`` This is a watershed moment and we can ’ t lose this moment . ''
Jamira Burley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said people need access to education , and they need to know their differences will be celebrated and protected under law .
“ We have a responsibility to ensuring that they ’ re safe , ” she said .
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot told Biden that economic empowerment is key to tackling systemic racism .
“ If people are lifted out of poverty and given a stake in their own future , that goes a long way , ” she said .
NAACP President Derrick Johnson public discourse around voting as a civic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He urged the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act .
“ It should be seen as a democratic thing to do , the most patriotic thing we can do and not a partisan exercise , ” Johnson said .
A woman whose father voted for President Donald Trump , but who also died from COVID-19 , offered blistering criticism of the president ’ s management of the health crisis .
Mark Anthony Urquiza died June 30 after three weeks of battling the respiratory illness .
In his obituary in the Arizona Republic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death was due to the carelessness of politicians unwilling or unable to give clear and decisive direction .
“ My dad was a healthy 65-year-old .
His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump , and for that , he paid with his life , ” Urquiza told the convention .
“ The coronavirus has made it clear that there are two Americas : the America that Donald Trump lives in and the America that my father died in.
” Biden has accused Trump of mismanagement during the crisis .
Biden called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hire 100,000 workers to trace the contacts of people who become infected .
Trump said he ’ s done “ really well ” combating the virus by supporting the most testing in the world and by spurring the manufacture of thousands of ventilators to help the sick .
“ We 're very close to the vaccine and therapeutics , ” Trump told a crowd Monday in Mankato , Minn. We 've done ventilators to a level that we 're helping the rest of the world with the ventilators .
And we 've done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andre Cuomo led off a segment on the coronavirus by arguing that the pandemic showed Americans why picking the right leader is important .
“ We have seen in this crisis the truth : that government matters and leadership matters , ” Cuomo said .
“ And it determines whether we thrive and grow , or whether we live or die.
” He accused the administration of having been fixated on China while the European version of the virus was invading the Northeast .
“ Today we trail the world in defeating COVID @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Pence , who has been the leadership ’ s liaison with governors on the coronavirus , made an unusual – for him – public attack on Cuomo ’ s handling of the virus earlier this month .
“ Our hearts grieve for the fact that one in five of all the American lives that have been lost in the coronavirus pandemic were lost in the State of New York and some of that was because of poor decisions by the state and by Governor Cuomo , ” Pence tweeted .
The tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation needed a reset to end the confusion and chaos , and the reset should start with Trump .
In his convention remarks , Cuomo said only a strong body can fight off the virus , and America ’ s body politic has been weakened by division “ Donald Trump didn ’ t create the initial division , ” Cuomo said .
“ The division created Trump ; he only made it worse.
” First night of the virtual convention ?
Lots of videos Democrats are test driving a virtual nominating convention for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .
So what does that look like ?
The first moments of the convention on Monday have provided a sense of what voters will see as they tune in over the next two weeks : Highly produced videos featuring voters , Zoom-meeting like speeches from politicians and a moderator moving quickly from segment to segment .
The first minutes of the Democratic National Convention , which largely abandoned its physical events in Milwaukee , included a national anthem sung by children from several states , the family of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a performance by Leon Bridges and a discussion Biden moderated with racial justice activists .
Traditional conventions often included similar videos and musical performances between keynote speakers , but cable and broadcast networks often used that time to offer commentary on the upcoming speakers .
So far , cable networks covering the DNC have run it in its entirety – giving the party an uninterrupted platform to show not just high-profile remarks but also the ad-like videos accompanying them .
Washington , D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser kicked off a segment on “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s handling of the protests against excessive law enforcement .
“ While we were peacefully protesting , Donald Trump was plotting , ” Bowser said .
She said he used a church by the White House as a photo op , sent troops in camouflage into the streets and tear gas into the air .
“ I knew if he did this to D.C. , ” Bowser said , “ he would do it to your city or your town.
” In June , Trump called Bowser “ incompetent ” after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military troops against protesters .
During the protests , Bowser had city workers paint “ Black Lives Matter ” in huge yellow letters on the street leading up to the White House “ as a place where we could come together to say , ` enough.
’ Activists added the words “ Defund the Police.
” At the convention , Bowser said every American has to do something – “ each and every one of us ” – to “ turn this reckoning into a reimaging of a nation where ` We The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” She introduced family members of George Floyd , who was killed this year when a Minneapolis police officer held a knee to his neck for at least eight minutes .
“ George should be alive today , ” said Philonise Floyd , Floyd 's brother .
“ It ’ s up to us to carry on the fight for justice.
” Signaling the emphasis Democrats expect to place on the nation ’ s latest reckoning with racism , Democrats called for a moment of silence at the beginning of their nominating convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed this year when a Minneapolis police officer held a knee to his neck for at least eight minutes .
The moment of silence was proceeded by a video showing Black Live Matters protests from across the country and remarks from Floyd 's family .
`` It 's up to use to carry on the fight for justice , '' said Philonise Floyd , Floyd 's brother .
The incident sparked weeks of protests and violence in some cities , an outpouring of peaceful demonstrations and also unrest that prompted calls for police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Donald Trump criticized the officers involved in the incident , but he ’ s also conflated peaceful protests – including those outside the White House – with looting and violence that took place in some parts of the country .
Trump ’ s march across Lafayette Square near the White House in June became a central image underscoring the tension .
The park was cleared of peaceful protesters ahead the city ’ s curfew just minutes before Trump stood in front of a historic church and held a Bible aloft for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden accused Trump of “ preening and sweeping away all the guardrails that have long protected our democracy.
” First a star , then 'real people ' – plus Biden Democrats ’ tapped the star power of actress Eva Longoria to open the first night of their virtual national convention before turning the spotlight over to “ everyday Americans.
” Longoria , best known for her roles in the television show “ Desperate Housewives ” and the soap opera “ The Young and the Restless , ” said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a nation diminished and divided.
” “ And yet , in the middle of the fear and sorrow and the uncertainty , people have come together , ” she said , “ because they know we are better than this.
” Democrats ’ theme for the first of the four nights of speeches , videos and musical performances is “ We the People.
” After Longoria spoke , Americans from around the country – activists , lawmakers , veterans , a woman identified as “ Rosie the Riveter ” as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the preamble to the Constitution before Rep. Bennie Thompson , the chair of the convention officially gaveled open the event .
“ We the people call … the Democratic National Convention to order , ” he said .
Longoria , who spoke at the last two Democratic conventions and was the emcee for Monday night , said in an interview after the 2016 election that she stayed in bed for almost two days after because she was so upset about Trump ’ s election .
She has said her political involvement began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 1992 campaign as a senior in high school .
Several progressive leaders voted no against the Democratic National Committee 's platform because it did not support Medicare for All .
Both Rep. Ro Khanna , D-Calif. , and Cori Bush , the Democratic nominee for Missouri 's 1st congressional district who delivered a stunning upset against incumbent Rep. William Lacy Clay , were among those who voted against the platform .
`` I am very enthusiastic about supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to defeat Donald Trump , but I can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have universal healthcare as a right , '' Khanna told Democracy Now !
on Monday .
Bush also told Democracy Now that she stands with other aspects of the platform , such as the climate change platforms and supporting the voting rights act .
However , she said that more needs to be done in terms of health care .
`` We have to do better for our people , '' she said .
`` We can not allow people to die . ''
Medicare for All , which calls for a single-payer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top issue for progressive candidates , such as Sen. Bernie Sanders .
Michelle Obama will describe presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden as a “ profoundly decent man '' during her keynote address Monday night at the party ’ s national convention .
`` I know Joe .
He is a profoundly decent man guided by faith .
He was a terrific vice president , '' the former first lady will say of the former vice president , according to excerpts of her remarks released by the party Monday .
`` He knows what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat back a pandemic and lead our country . ''
Michelle Obama will also praise Biden as someone who `` listens.
” Former President Barack Obama will address the virtual convention on Wednesday .
Democrats released excerpts of remarks from Sen. Bernie Sanders , the Vermont independent who was Biden ’ s last-standing primary challenger , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , Washington , D.C. , Mayor Muriel Bowser , and Ohio Gov .
John Kasich , a Republican .
`` The future of our democracy is at stake , ” Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his remarks .
“ We must come together , defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president .
My friends , the price of failure is just too great to imagine . ''
A Democratic super PAC launched Monday an ad featuring Kristin Urquiza , a woman who lost her father to COVID-19 and who is also telling that story on the first night of the convention .
Urquiza says in the ad by American Bridge 21st Century that her father was a Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration that downplayed the virus .
“ He basically told me he felt betrayed , ” she says in the ad .
“ We ’ re told to follow leaders in times of crisis .
That ’ s what my father did , and it cost him his life.
” American Bridge said the ad is the first to draw “ a direct line between Trump ’ s misinformation and downplaying of the coronavirus with the death of a Trump supporter.
” The group said it ’ s running the ad on digital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Late night programming may never be the same : Donald Trump 's campaign is producing an online program every night this week to critique events at the Democratic convention .
It will be a less-than-neutral analysis .
Entitled `` The Real Joe Biden , '' the program that airs at 11 p.m .
ET is part of a counter-convention project that includes web ads , television hits , guest appearances , and the president 's own national tour of battleground states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania .
As part of a multi-million dollar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to take over the YouTube masthead from Tuesday through Friday .
Pro-Trump and anti-Biden ads will find their way to news site web pages , including the Wall Street Journal , Washington Post and Fox News .
Trump strategic adviser Boris Epshteyn described this year 's DNC as a `` socialist meetup '' and said the Trump campaign would `` expose '' the candidates for the `` radical , leftist politicians that they are . ''
Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said Trump and his allies are trying to cover up their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 167,000 COVID deaths and `` one of the worst recessions on record . ''
Trump campaigning in four battleground states – Wisconsin , Minnesota , Arizona and Pennsylvania – as Democratic delegates formally nominate Biden and running mate Sen. Kamala Harris during the Democratic National Convention .
Biden cued up standards from his stump speech , including the need for infrastructure spending and investment in clean energy .
Pelosi said that , ultimately , “ everything needs to be about jobs.
” But Biden assured King she was on his playlist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ optimistic message during troubled times .
“ A lot of people are feeling anxious and depressed in this time of , you know , unprecedented cruelty and chaos and willful incompetence , ” King said .
“ If we all persist with love , hope and belief in the power of all of us , we will bring about better times and it 's Joe says build back better .
We will get through this .
And we will win.
” King played piano and sang : “ I Feel the Earth Move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Friend.
” The event with nearly 900 attendees raised more than $ 4 million , according to co-host Alex Mehran , chairman of Sunset Development Co. Will 2020 be the last of the caucuses ?
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez told the Associated Press on Monday that 2020 should be the last year of presidential caucuses for Democrats .
Perez , whose term will end before the next presidential cycle , said he would use his stature in the party to push for change , planning to `` use the bully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure we continue the progress , '' he told the AP .
The call , while new for Perez , is n't exactly a surprise .
Iowa ’ s first-in-the-nation caucuses in February spurred widespread calls for the end of the practice , with some calling for changes on what state should get the first chance to make their presidential selections , though Perez did not specifically point the finger at the state .
Former Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was dubbed the winner in Iowa officially several days after the contest , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden placed fourth in the state , which is predominately white .
But the final results were n't available for weeks due to inconsistencies in data from some precincts and a new app that was supposed to make the process smoother but instead created a headache .
The contest is often looked to as taking temperature for how the rest of the primary cycle might go .
It can help bolster candidates ahead of contests in a slew of states .
Four GOPers to speak at the DNC Former Ohio Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who will speak during the Democratic National Convention .
The outspoken critic of President Donald Trump will be joined by another former governor and a former GOP lawmaker from New York .
Democrats announced the GOP lineup on the first day of their virtual convention .
In addition to Kasich , who had previously been announced , former Rep. Susan Molinari , R-N.Y. , former New Jersey Gov .
Christine Todd Whitman and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman are also scheduled to address the convention .
The four Republicans will give remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The People Putting Country Over Party . ''
They have all been openly critical of Trump .
Meg Whitman gave $ 500,000 to the Biden Victory Fund this year , campaign records show .

Maureen Groppe, John Fritze and Bart Jansen, USA TODAY

Michelle Obama says Trump is the 'wrong president for our country'
Show Caption Hide Caption Michelle Obama, wearing 'VOTE' necklace, calls Trump 'wrong president' Michelle Obama called President Donald Trump the "wrong president for our country" during her speech at the Democratic National Convention. Associated Press, USA TODAY
Former first lady Michelle Obama delivered a powerful rebuke of President Donald Trump in a 19-minute speech that declared him unfit for the job and encouraged people to vote as if their lives depended on it.
She capped the first day of speeches, songs and videos spanned 50 states and seven territories for a virtual Democratic National Convention by saying the presidential election would reveal who we are as a country.
“Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” Obama said. “He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”
She said voters must support Biden with overwhelming support, to prevent a corruption of the results.
“We’ve got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it,” added Obama, whose necklace spelled out “vote.”
Not sure if you’re registered to vote?: Check your status
Obama noted that more than 150,000 Americans have died in the pandemic, that economy is in shambles that left millions jobless and she said Trump downplayed the crisis for too long. But she said Trump isn’t qualified for the job because it is hard and requires clear-headed judgment, a devotion to facts and history, a moral compass, with an ability to listen.
“You simply cannot fake your way through this job,” Obama said.
Racial justice protests erupted nationwide after the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. Obama noted that his death and the message that Black lives matter was met with derision, while children watch in horror.
“That’s not just disappointing, but downright infuriating,” Obama said. “They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages, and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protestors for a photo-op.”
When she urges supporters to go high rather than low, Obama said that means avoiding dehumanizing and degrading tactics, but doesn’t “mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty.”
“Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountain top,” Obama said. “Going high means standing fierce against hatred while remembering that we are one nation under God, and if we want to survive, we’ve got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences.”
Michelle Obama: Trump wrong president for U.S. 'It is what it is' Former first lady Michelle Obama headlines the first night of the Democratic National Convention and offers a rebuke of President Donald Trump. USA TODAY
She encouraged voters to support Biden as a profoundly decent man who is guided by faith and is empathetic with the people he represents.
“He will tell the truth and trust science,” Obama said. “His life is a testament to getting back up, and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up, to help us heal and guide us forward.”
— Bart Jansen
To listen to an audio version of the story, click 'play' below.
Sanders encourages supporters to back Biden
Sen. Bernie Sanders delivered an impassioned plea Monday for his supporters to back Joe Biden for the president in November, a key address Democrats hope will help unite a party that has been divided in the past between liberals and centrists.
“Our campaign ended several months ago but our movement continues and is getting stronger every day,” Sanders said, standing in front of a backdrop of chopped firewood. “If Donald Trump is reelected, all the progress that we have made will be in jeopardy.”
Sanders noted that Biden supports raising the minimum wage, unionizing workers and transitioning the nation to clean power over the next five decades.
Sanders’ remarks were among the most important at the first night of the Democratic National Convention, intended to signal a bridge between the left and centrist wings of the party. Some Sanders voters were miffed at Hillary Clinton’s nomination in 2016 and Biden and Sanders have sought to avoid a similar split this year.
Doing so will be critical for Biden’s success in November: In an election that will hang on turnout, the former vice president needs to energize all corners of the party to ensure they turn out to the polls or vote by mail.
Sanders was the last standing primary opponent to Biden, holding out until April following a spirited campaign that drew particular energy from young voters. Throughout the primary, Sanders was one of several candidates who frequently criticized the Obama-Biden administration for not being progressive enough in its policies.
Nowhere was the divide as stark as on health care, where Sanders became a standard-bearer for a Medicare-for-All health care system that Biden regularly countered would be too expensive and not as effective as the 2009 Obamacare law.
Sanders flicked at that divide in his remarks.
“While Joe and I disagree on the best path to get universal coverage, he has a plan that will greatly expand health care” and lower drug prices, Sanders asserted.
Since Sanders dropped out, the two former Senate colleagues have worked together to craft a platform for the party that President Donald Trump has criticized as too far left for the nation – regularly painting the ideas as the “Biden-Sanders” agenda.
“The future of our democracy is at stake,” Sanders said. “The price of failure is just too great to imagine.”
— John Fritze
Former rivals support Biden
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s rivals in the contentious primaries gathered virtually Monday to support the presumptive Democratic nominee.
“Unity isn’t about settling,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. “We need a president for all of America.”
Former presidential candidates talked about why they ran, what they were fighting for and why they believe Biden will bring the nation together.
Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Washington Gov. Jay Inslee; Klobuchar, Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass.; former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas; Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang.
“You have the most destructive, hateful, racist president in the history of this country who is literally tearing apart the fabric of the United States of America,” Booker said.
Gillibrand said as she watched Trump divide the country, she asked herself what she was willing to do to stop him.
“Donald Trump does not understand who we are as Americans,” said Harris, whose speech accepting the nomination as Biden’s running mate is scheduled Wednesday.
— Bart Jansen
Post office woes raised at convention
Democrats have been ramping up their criticism of President Donald Trump’s remarks on mail-in voting and his decision to appoint an ally as postmaster general for weeks.
And so it was little surprise the issue came up front and center during the first night of the party’s virtual convention.
The first spokesperson on the issue was Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who represents Nevada – a state the Trump campaign sued this year in an effort to block the widespread use of mail-in ballots.
“He’s challenged us in court with a meritless lawsuit,” Cortez Masto said. “And now he’s putting the lives of Nevada’s seniors at risk.”
“Nevada is not intimated by you,” she added.
Top U.S. Postal Service officials will testify before Congress next week amid increasing scrutiny of changes at the agency Democrats worry may hinder the elections in November.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and Chairman of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors Robert Duncan agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Aug. 24, Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., announced Monday. House Democrats are set to return to Washington to approve a bill providing additional funding for the U.S.
Trump has criticized Democrats’ desire to include $25 billion for the Postal Service in their latest coronavirus stimulus package, arguing that broader use of vote by mail will increase the likelihood of fraud.
On the one hand, Trump and other Republicans have claimed they are mostly about states that will automatically mail ballots to every registered voter. But there is a relatively small number of states planning to take that action in November. Meanwhile, Trump has criticized states like Virginia, that have a similar ballot system to states such as Florida, which he has praised.
— John Fritze, Nicholas Wu
GOP at the DNC
Running against President Donald Trump in the Republican primaries wasn’t enough for former Ohio Gov. John Kasich. He joined three Republicans in blasting Trump from the virtual stage of the Democratic National Convention.
“In normal times, something like this would probably never happen, but these are not normal times,” Kasich said of prioritizing his country ahead of his party. “Yes, there are areas where Joe and I absolutely disagree. But that’s OK because that’s America. Because whatever our differences, we respect one another as human beings, each of us searching for justice and for purpose.”
Trump derided Kasich while flying back to Washington from campaign events in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“He was a loser as a Republican and he’ll be a loser as a Democrat. Major loser as a Republican,” Trump said. “People don’t like him, people don’t trust him, his healthcare in Ohio was a disaster. He hasn’t done too well with Trump. He’s been easy pickings.”
One of the Biden campaign’s co-chairmen, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., said Republicans were invited to speak to demonstrate the variety of support for the former vice president.
“I call them the silent voters, which are those Republicans that feel bullied, those Republicans that feel that they will be isolated if they support Biden, and that they will be picked on,” Richmond said.
Other Republicans who spoke at the convention were former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman; former Rep. Susan Molinari, R-N.Y.; and Quibi CEO Meg Whitman, who ran for governor of California as a Republican.
Todd Whitman, a lifelong Republican whose parents were introduced at a convention, said Biden is decent enough, stable enough and strong enough to get the economy on track. She said the country needs a person who can work with members of both parties to unite the country.
“Donald Trump isn’t that person,” she said. “Joe Biden is.”
Meg Whitman said as a CEO she wasn’t impressed with Trump’s resume.
“Let me tell you, Donald Trump has no clue about how to run a business, let alone an economy,” she said. “For me, the choice is simple. I’m with Joe.”
— Bart Jansen
Whitmer brings up auto workers
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, one of the finalists to be Biden’s running mate, used her time to remind Michiganders of Biden’s role in helping the auto industry.
Speaking from a union hall, Whitmer referred to the Obama administration’s help for automakers after the 2008 recession. She said Obama and Biden saved the livelihoods of autoworkers who now are doing their part to save American lives by making protective equipment.
“With a lot of help from auto workers and too little help from the White House, we executed our plan,” she said of Trump, who has referred to her as “that woman from Michigan.” “We saved thousands of lives.”
She said Biden will use “science, not politics or ego” to drive his decisions.
Narrow wins by Trump in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin gave him the votes he needed in the electoral college to overcome Hillary Clinton’s lead in the popular vote.
Biden is leading Trump by more than six percentage points, according to an average of recent polls by Real Clear Politics.
— Maureen Groppe
Clyburn explains endorsement that turned around Biden’s campaign
Rep. James Clyburn, the South Carolina Democrat who revived Biden’s campaign, spoke from Charleston where he said the endorsement that powered Biden’s South Carolina victory was a decision made with his feet “firmly planted in this community.”
Clyburn referenced the community’s history of slavery and the 2015 mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
He added, however, that the city has also removed a statue honoring an early advocate for slavery and is building an African American museum.
“The ground beneath our feet is seeded with pain that is both old and new, but from that soil, we always find a way to grow together,” he said. “We are stepping out from the shadows of our past and beginning to lay the groundwork for a more just future.”
Clyburn said the nation needs a president “who understands both profound loss and what it takes to bounce back.”
“But more important than his firsthand experience with loss, and hardship is his ability to translate that perspective into policy and solutions,” Clyburn said. “That's why I stand with Joe, and why he will always be an adopted son of South Carolina.”
— Maureen Groppe
Officials, activists discuss racial justice
Gwen Carr, an author whose son died while being held in a chokehold by a New York police officer, urged former Vice President Joe Biden to change national policy to fight police brutality.
Carr said there was a major uprising after her son Eric Garner died in July 2014, but interest subsided. She urged action against “an age-old problem.”
“I know when my son was murdered, there was a big uprising,” Carr said. “We have to hold their feet to the fire.”
Biden held a conversation with Carr and others to chat about the priorities for racial justice. The exchange illustrated how Biden will pop up occasionally during the week for appearances during the convention. Biden noted that most police officers are good, but that the bad ones must be punished.
“Most cops are good, but the fact is that the bad ones have to be identified and prosecuted and out – period,” Biden said.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said police officers were shocked at the death of George Floyd. Acevedo said police want a change in national policy about the use of force and against chokeholds, rather than separate policies among 18,000 police departments.
“Police officers were shocked. Police officers have spoken out. We're hopeful that we'll have some national standards," Acevedo said. "This is a watershed moment and we can’t lose this moment."
Jamira Burley, an activist for racial justice, said people need access to education, and they need to know their differences will be celebrated and protected under law.
“We have a responsibility to ensuring that they’re safe,” she said.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot told Biden that economic empowerment is key to tackling systemic racism.
“If people are lifted out of poverty and given a stake in their own future, that goes a long way,” she said.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson public discourse around voting as a civic duty rather than a partisan exercise. He urged the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act.
“It should be seen as a democratic thing to do, the most patriotic thing we can do and not a partisan exercise,” Johnson said.
— Bart Jansen
Devastated by COVID-19
A woman whose father voted for President Donald Trump, but who also died from COVID-19, offered blistering criticism of the president’s management of the health crisis.
Mark Anthony Urquiza died June 30 after three weeks of battling the respiratory illness. In his obituary in the Arizona Republic, his daughter Kristin Urquiza wrote that his death was due to the carelessness of politicians unwilling or unable to give clear and decisive direction.
“My dad was a healthy 65-year-old. His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that, he paid with his life,” Urquiza told the convention. “The coronavirus has made it clear that there are two Americas: the America that Donald Trump lives in and the America that my father died in.”
Biden has accused Trump of mismanagement during the crisis. Biden called for a nationwide testing program, proposed to hire 100,000 workers to trace the contacts of people who become infected.
Trump said he’s done “really well” combating the virus by supporting the most testing in the world and by spurring the manufacture of thousands of ventilators to help the sick.
“We're very close to the vaccine and therapeutics,” Trump told a crowd Monday in Mankato, Minn. We've done ventilators to a level that we're helping the rest of the world with the ventilators. And we've done really well.”
— Bart Jansen
Cuomo: COVID-19 shows why leadership matters
New York Gov. Andre Cuomo led off a segment on the coronavirus by arguing that the pandemic showed Americans why picking the right leader is important.
“We have seen in this crisis the truth: that government matters and leadership matters,” Cuomo said. “And it determines whether we thrive and grow, or whether we live or die.”
He accused the administration of having been fixated on China while the European version of the virus was invading the Northeast.
“Today we trail the world in defeating COVID,” he said.
Vice President Mike Pence, who has been the leadership’s liaison with governors on the coronavirus, made an unusual – for him – public attack on Cuomo’s handling of the virus earlier this month.
“Our hearts grieve for the fact that one in five of all the American lives that have been lost in the coronavirus pandemic were lost in the State of New York and some of that was because of poor decisions by the state and by Governor Cuomo,” Pence tweeted.
The tweet followed Cuomo’s comments that the nation needed a reset to end the confusion and chaos, and the reset should start with Trump.
In his convention remarks, Cuomo said only a strong body can fight off the virus, and America’s body politic has been weakened by division
“Donald Trump didn’t create the initial division,” Cuomo said. “The division created Trump; he only made it worse.”
— Maureen Groppe
First night of the virtual convention? Lots of videos
Democrats are test driving a virtual nominating convention for the first time in history because of the coronavirus pandemic.
So what does that look like? The first moments of the convention on Monday have provided a sense of what voters will see as they tune in over the next two weeks: Highly produced videos featuring voters, Zoom-meeting like speeches from politicians and a moderator moving quickly from segment to segment.
The first minutes of the Democratic National Convention, which largely abandoned its physical events in Milwaukee, included a national anthem sung by children from several states, the family of George Floyd, a conversation with small business owners, a performance by Leon Bridges and a discussion Biden moderated with racial justice activists.
Traditional conventions often included similar videos and musical performances between keynote speakers, but cable and broadcast networks often used that time to offer commentary on the upcoming speakers. So far, cable networks covering the DNC have run it in its entirety – giving the party an uninterrupted platform to show not just high-profile remarks but also the ad-like videos accompanying them.
— John Fritze
D.C. Mayor hits Trump over Lafayette Square protests
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser kicked off a segment on “demanding racial justice” by criticizing Donald Trump’s handling of the protests against excessive law enforcement.
“While we were peacefully protesting, Donald Trump was plotting,” Bowser said. She said he used a church by the White House as a photo op, sent troops in camouflage into the streets and tear gas into the air.
“I knew if he did this to D.C.,” Bowser said, “he would do it to your city or your town.”
In June, Trump called Bowser “incompetent” after she challenged his attempt to use active-duty military troops against protesters.
During the protests, Bowser had city workers paint “Black Lives Matter” in huge yellow letters on the street leading up to the White House “as a place where we could come together to say, `enough.’ Activists added the words “Defund the Police.”
At the convention, Bowser said every American has to do something – “each and every one of us” – to “turn this reckoning into a reimaging of a nation where `We The People,’ means all the people.”
She introduced family members of George Floyd, who was killed this year when a Minneapolis police officer held a knee to his neck for at least eight minutes.
“George should be alive today,” said Philonise Floyd, Floyd's brother. “It’s up to us to carry on the fight for justice.”
— Maureen Groppe
Convention holds moment of silence for Floyd
Signaling the emphasis Democrats expect to place on the nation’s latest reckoning with racism, Democrats called for a moment of silence at the beginning of their nominating convention to honor George Floyd.
Floyd was killed this year when a Minneapolis police officer held a knee to his neck for at least eight minutes.
The moment of silence was proceeded by a video showing Black Live Matters protests from across the country and remarks from Floyd's family.
"It's up to use to carry on the fight for justice," said Philonise Floyd, Floyd's brother.
The incident sparked weeks of protests and violence in some cities, an outpouring of peaceful demonstrations and also unrest that prompted calls for police reform and fundamentally changed the presidential election.
President Donald Trump criticized the officers involved in the incident, but he’s also conflated peaceful protests – including those outside the White House – with looting and violence that took place in some parts of the country.
Trump’s march across Lafayette Square near the White House in June became a central image underscoring the tension. The park was cleared of peaceful protesters ahead the city’s curfew just minutes before Trump stood in front of a historic church and held a Bible aloft for news photographers.
In response, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden accused Trump of “preening and sweeping away all the guardrails that have long protected our democracy.”
— John Fritze
First a star, then 'real people' – plus Biden
Democrats’ tapped the star power of actress Eva Longoria to open the first night of their virtual national convention before turning the spotlight over to “everyday Americans.”
Longoria, best known for her roles in the television show “Desperate Housewives” and the soap opera “The Young and the Restless,” said the past four years “have left us as a nation diminished and divided.”
“And yet, in the middle of the fear and sorrow and the uncertainty, people have come together,” she said, “because they know we are better than this.”
Democrats’ theme for the first of the four nights of speeches, videos and musical performances is “We the People.”
After Longoria spoke, Americans from around the country – activists, lawmakers, veterans, a woman identified as “Rosie the Riveter” as well as Biden himself – took turns reading parts of the preamble to the Constitution before Rep. Bennie Thompson, the chair of the convention officially gaveled open the event.
“We the people call … the Democratic National Convention to order,” he said.
Longoria, who spoke at the last two Democratic conventions and was the emcee for Monday night, said in an interview after the 2016 election that she stayed in bed for almost two days after because she was so upset about Trump’s election.
She has said her political involvement began when she volunteered for Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign as a senior in high school.
— Maureen Groppe
Progressives voted against DNC platform
Several progressive leaders voted no against the Democratic National Committee's platform because it did not support Medicare for All.
Both Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Cori Bush, the Democratic nominee for Missouri's 1st congressional district who delivered a stunning upset against incumbent Rep. William Lacy Clay, were among those who voted against the platform.
"I am very enthusiastic about supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to defeat Donald Trump, but I cannot vote for this platform that does not have universal healthcare as a right," Khanna told Democracy Now! on Monday.
Bush also told Democracy Now that she stands with other aspects of the platform, such as the climate change platforms and supporting the voting rights act. However, she said that more needs to be done in terms of health care.
"We have to do better for our people," she said. "We cannot allow people to die."
Medicare for All, which calls for a single-payer health care system, has become a top issue for progressive candidates, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders.
— Rebecca Morin
Michelle Obama: Biden is 'profoundly decent'
Michelle Obama will describe presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden as a “profoundly decent man" during her keynote address Monday night at the party’s national convention.
"I know Joe. He is a profoundly decent man guided by faith. He was a terrific vice president," the former first lady will say of the former vice president, according to excerpts of her remarks released by the party Monday. "He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic and lead our country."
Michelle Obama will also praise Biden as someone who "listens.” Former President Barack Obama will address the virtual convention on Wednesday.
Democrats released excerpts of remarks from Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who was Biden’s last-standing primary challenger, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican.
"The future of our democracy is at stake,” Sanders will say, according to excerpts of his remarks. “We must come together, defeat Donald Trump and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president. My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine."
— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY
New ad features daughter of COVID-19 victim
A Democratic super PAC launched Monday an ad featuring Kristin Urquiza, a woman who lost her father to COVID-19 and who is also telling that story on the first night of the convention.
Urquiza says in the ad by American Bridge 21st Century that her father was a Trump supporter who took his cues from an administration that downplayed the virus.
“He basically told me he felt betrayed,” she says in the ad. “We’re told to follow leaders in times of crisis. That’s what my father did, and it cost him his life.”
American Bridge said the ad is the first to draw “a direct line between Trump’s misinformation and downplaying of the coronavirus with the death of a Trump supporter.”
The group said it’s running the ad on digital platforms and during the Republican National Convention.
— Maureen Groppe
Trump offers counter-message
Late night programming may never be the same: Donald Trump's campaign is producing an online program every night this week to critique events at the Democratic convention.
It will be a less-than-neutral analysis.
Entitled "The Real Joe Biden," the program that airs at 11 p.m. ET is part of a counter-convention project that includes web ads, television hits, guest appearances, and the president's own national tour of battleground states like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
As part of a multi-million dollar digital ad buy, the Trump campaign plans to take over the YouTube masthead from Tuesday through Friday. Pro-Trump and anti-Biden ads will find their way to news site web pages, including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Fox News.
Trump strategic adviser Boris Epshteyn described this year's DNC as a "socialist meetup" and said the Trump campaign would "expose" the candidates for the "radical, leftist politicians that they are."
Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said Trump and his allies are trying to cover up their own "appalling failed leadership" that includes more than 167,000 COVID deaths and "one of the worst recessions on record."
Trump campaigning in four battleground states – Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arizona and Pennsylvania – as Democratic delegates formally nominate Biden and running mate Sen. Kamala Harris during the Democratic National Convention.
– David Jackson
‘I Feel the Earth Move’
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden hosted a virtual fundraiser Monday afternoon with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and singer-songwriter Carole King.
Biden cued up standards from his stump speech, including the need for infrastructure spending and investment in clean energy. Pelosi said that, ultimately, “everything needs to be about jobs.”
But Biden assured King she was on his playlist. King thanked him for offering an optimistic message during troubled times.
“A lot of people are feeling anxious and depressed in this time of, you know, unprecedented cruelty and chaos and willful incompetence,” King said. “If we all persist with love, hope and belief in the power of all of us, we will bring about better times and it's Joe says build back better. We will get through this. And we will win.”
King played piano and sang: “I Feel the Earth Move” and “You’ve Got a Friend.”
The event with nearly 900 attendees raised more than $4 million, according to co-host Alex Mehran, chairman of Sunset Development Co.
— Bart Jansen
Will 2020 be the last of the caucuses?
Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez told the Associated Press on Monday that 2020 should be the last year of presidential caucuses for Democrats.
Perez, whose term will end before the next presidential cycle, said he would use his stature in the party to push for change, planning to "use the bully pulpit as a former chair to make sure we continue the progress," he told the AP.
The call, while new for Perez, isn't exactly a surprise. Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses in February spurred widespread calls for the end of the practice, with some calling for changes on what state should get the first chance to make their presidential selections, though Perez did not specifically point the finger at the state.
Former Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was dubbed the winner in Iowa officially several days after the contest, with Sen. Bernie Sanders in a close second. Biden placed fourth in the state, which is predominately white. But the final results weren't available for weeks due to inconsistencies in data from some precincts and a new app that was supposed to make the process smoother but instead created a headache.
The contest is often looked to as taking temperature for how the rest of the primary cycle might go. It can help bolster candidates ahead of contests in a slew of states.
— Christal Hayes
Four GOPers to speak at the DNC
Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich isn't the only Republican who will speak during the Democratic National Convention. The outspoken critic of President Donald Trump will be joined by another former governor and a former GOP lawmaker from New York.
Democrats announced the GOP lineup on the first day of their virtual convention. In addition to Kasich, who had previously been announced, former Rep. Susan Molinari, R-N.Y., former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman are also scheduled to address the convention.
More: Three Republicans join Kasich to speak at Democratic National Convention
The four Republicans will give remarks during a segment billed as "We The People Putting Country Over Party." They have all been openly critical of Trump. Meg Whitman gave $500,000 to the Biden Victory Fund this year, campaign records show.
– Nicholas Wu


usatoday--2020-08-06--Podcast: Inside Coaches Poll

Podcast: Inside Coaches Poll

The decision by the Big 10 and Pac 12 to not play this fall has come under heavy criticism. Did the leagues act too early? Dan Wolken and Paul Myerberg discuss the confusion and uncertainty around whether college football will happen this fall, testing developments and the effect of regular students coming back to campus. They also visit with former Georgia and Miami coach Mark Richt as well as Ryan Aber of the Oklahoman.