usatoday--2020-07-19--Your company gives you an early retirement offer, should you take it?

My employer just came to me with an early retirement offer , as they ’ re struggling due to the economic downturn .
I ’ m 62 years old , while my husband is 63 , and together we have about $ 1.6 million in retirement accounts .
I ’ m the primary breadwinner in my family , and my current income is $ 70,000 of our $ 110,000 household income .
We don ’ t have any debt , and live very frugally .
We need only about $ 3,000 a month , all in .
The offer would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they would pay our health insurance until we ’ re eligible for Medicare .
We ’ re currently not drawing on Social Security retirement yet .
Should I take it and just focus on spending time with the grandkids ?
Early-retirement packages will be all the rage in the coming months , and each one has the ability to convince a person , otherwise unprepared for retirement , that they should retire .
Fortunately , Elizabeth , this is not the case with you .
Between your husband ’ s income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can safely and repeatedly generate from your retirement assets , you could generate somewhere between $ 8,000 to $ 10,000 per month .
Given you ’ re a self-described frugalista , the real key is deciding what sources of income to tap first , and what income sources to save for later .
Set an appointment with a financial planner , and ask her to put together an income strategy based on your health and other factors .
And the fact they ’ re paying for your health care coverage solves yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirement funds : IRS expands criteria to withdraw money from retirement plans for those affected by coronavirus As much as I want to make your question about math , I think the bigger issue for you doesn ’ t involve math .
Why ?
Because the math of your situation has made your situation not about math .
In other words , you can easily retire today , with or without the $ 50,000 early retirement sweetener .
Therefore , the real question is whether you ’ re emotionally and socially prepared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vacation .
It ’ s not a day off followed by several more days off .
It is an entirely different stage of life .
Just like going to college , getting married , having children , and becoming empty-nesters challenge every ounce of your psyche , so does the completion of your work career .
Recognizing the gravity of life change is vital to thriving on the other side of it .
One of the most impactful aspects of America ’ s willingness to discuss and acknowledge mental health over the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of checking in on your own mental health when major life events occur .
Yes , retiring after decades of work is a wonderful and momentous occasion , but it can also play some games with your feelings of self-worth and accomplishment .
The world is your oyster .
You can retire from paid work for good .
You can change careers .
You can work part-time .
You can become a volunteer or even a super volunteer .
Some people wait until they retire to explore these possibilities , but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turning in your retirement paperwork .
It ’ s conceivable for you to be a retiree as long as you were a worker .
This happens all the time for people who retire in their 50s , and it ’ s absolutely possible for those who retire in their early 60s .
Not only should this fact make you look long and hard at the math , but it should also make you look long and hard about your lifestyle plan .
When is the last time you had 168 hours every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to do ?
I ’ ll answer that for you : Probably when you were a teenager .
If you ’ re able to come to terms with what ’ s next , and that reality is more or equally pleasing as your current reality , you will receive $ 50,000 to do something you would/should do for free anyway .
However , if you haven ’ t begun to define what ’ s next possible in the next stage of your life , the $ 50,000 carrot may simply not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not about the math , and that ’ s how you know you did an excellent job planning for retirement .
Now it ’ s time to harness that same diligence to determine what ’ s next .
Peter Dunn is an author , speaker and radio host , and he has a free podcast : `` Million Dollar Plan . ''
Have a question for Pete the Planner ?
Email him at AskPete @ petetheplanner.com .
The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author ’ s and do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Your company gives you an early retirement offer, should you take it?
Show Caption Hide Caption Want to retire early? Set FIRE to your personal finances USA TODAY's Janna Herron explains the theory behind the FIRE movement - Financial Independence, Retire Early USA TODAY
Dear Pete,
My employer just came to me with an early retirement offer, as they’re struggling due to the economic downturn. I’m 62 years old, while my husband is 63, and together we have about $1.6 million in retirement accounts. I’m the primary breadwinner in my family, and my current income is $70,000 of our $110,000 household income. We don’t have any debt, and live very frugally. We need only about $3,000 a month, all in. The offer would pay me $50,000 to retire immediately, and they would pay our health insurance until we’re eligible for Medicare. We’re currently not drawing on Social Security retirement yet. Should I take it and just focus on spending time with the grandkids?
Elizabeth, Detroit
Early-retirement packages will be all the rage in the coming months, and each one has the ability to convince a person, otherwise unprepared for retirement, that they should retire. Fortunately, Elizabeth, this is not the case with you.
Between your husband’s income, Social Security, and the income you can safely and repeatedly generate from your retirement assets, you could generate somewhere between $8,000 to $10,000 per month. Given you’re a self-described frugalista, the real key is deciding what sources of income to tap first, and what income sources to save for later.
Set an appointment with a financial planner, and ask her to put together an income strategy based on your health and other factors. And the fact they’re paying for your health care coverage solves yet another usually tough problem.
Withdrawing from retirement funds: IRS expands criteria to withdraw money from retirement plans for those affected by coronavirus
Putting retirement on hold: How a humble Tennessee scientist became a worldwide hero amid coronavirus pandemic
As much as I want to make your question about math, I think the bigger issue for you doesn’t involve math. Why? Because the math of your situation has made your situation not about math. In other words, you can easily retire today, with or without the $50,000 early retirement sweetener. Therefore, the real question is whether you’re emotionally and socially prepared to retire.
Retirement is not an extended vacation. It’s not a day off followed by several more days off. It is an entirely different stage of life. Just like going to college, getting married, having children, and becoming empty-nesters challenge every ounce of your psyche, so does the completion of your work career.
Recognizing the gravity of life change is vital to thriving on the other side of it.
One of the most impactful aspects of America’s willingness to discuss and acknowledge mental health over the last decade or so has been the normalization of checking in on your own mental health when major life events occur. Yes, retiring after decades of work is a wonderful and momentous occasion, but it can also play some games with your feelings of self-worth and accomplishment.
The world is your oyster. You can retire from paid work for good. You can change careers. You can work part-time. You can become a volunteer or even a super volunteer. Some people wait until they retire to explore these possibilities, but it’s vital to vet different ideas prior to turning in your retirement paperwork.
It’s conceivable for you to be a retiree as long as you were a worker. This happens all the time for people who retire in their 50s, and it’s absolutely possible for those who retire in their early 60s. Not only should this fact make you look long and hard at the math, but it should also make you look long and hard about your lifestyle plan. When is the last time you had 168 hours every week to do whatever it is you want to do? I’ll answer that for you: Probably when you were a teenager.
If you’re able to come to terms with what’s next, and that reality is more or equally pleasing as your current reality, you will receive $50,000 to do something you would/should do for free anyway. However, if you haven’t begun to define what’s next possible in the next stage of your life, the $50,000 carrot may simply not be worth it.
Retirement for you is not about the math, and that’s how you know you did an excellent job planning for retirement. Now it’s time to harness that same diligence to determine what’s next.
Peter Dunn is an author, speaker and radio host, and he has a free podcast: "Million Dollar Plan." Have a question for Pete the Planner? Email him at AskPete@petetheplanner.com. The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.


usatoday--2020-07-19--Randi Weingarten: Teachers want to be in a classroom — Congress must make it safe

We can usually count on a president and Education secretary to prioritize children ’ s and teachers ’ well-being and safety .
That certainly should be the expectation during a pandemic .
But just as President Donald Trump has downplayed the virus from the beginning , now he and Secretary Betsy DeVos have demanded schools reopen regardless of the lack of a thorough plan , the necessary funding , or the safety considerations that scientists and public health experts tell us are needed .
Teachers are not waiting for a vaccine to reopen schools ; they know in-person schooling is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socially and emotionally .
But particularly as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in many states , teachers and our students need both a real plan to reopen safely and the resources to do so .
According to a recent poll of our members , 76 % of educators support going back to school if we have the proper safeguards called for by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other experts — safeguards such as ensuring low community spread ( New York calls for a daily infection rate 5 % or lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of school facilities , physical distancing , masks and other appropriate personal protective equipment , ventilation , and reasonable accommodations for those most at risk .
That means schools this September will look very different than they did last year .
But with the exception of the CDC , which Trump is now pressuring to water down its guidance , there has been zero action by this administration or the Republican Senate .
Trump and DeVos may tweet in full caps and demand that schools open , but they have no plan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once again , the administration 's only response is threatening to cut funding for public schools .
And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided it was more important for him and his colleagues to go on summer break than to pass emergency funding for our schools .
Teachers will always be ready to teach Everyone , from educators to parents to pediatricians to civil rights leaders , has decried the toll that the virus has taken on students and recognized that additional funding is necessary to reopen safely .
Educators tried valiantly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months of the school year .
Some converted their garages into makeshift classrooms .
Others ran science experiments over Skype and turned school parking lots into Wi-Fi hot spots .
Often , lessons were a phone call .
Teachers may now know more about remote technology than Silicon Valley .
Yet they will tell you — by an 86 to 12 split — that it did not work as well as being together in the classroom .
Ralph Nader : Pandemic ca n't stop the greed of college athletic programs , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what teachers are most concerned about is how kids are doing personally — who is feeling is isolated and lonely , who is experiencing trauma from losing loved ones or food insecurity at home .
And they ’ re concerned because they know that the vast majority of students benefit from in-person engagement and socialization with peers and teachers and that they face negative affects without it .
Next year we ’ ll likely see a hybrid of remote , mixed and in-person instruction .
That ’ s because of the physical distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official says are necessary to reduce virus spread .
There is nothing normal about that in school .
But we can help students feel safe to learn and grow by thinking of it as a “ bridge ” year where they can connect with teachers and classmates , beginning with a focus on social , emotional and mental health issues , expanding community schools , and using project-based learning and other projects and exercises to assess where they are in their learning and development .
Teachers and parents know that another year of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s impossible for parents to look after kids and do their jobs — and many of those parents are teachers themselves .
For everyone ’ s sake — particularly for our children and for the health of the economy — school buildings need to reopen in the fall : gradually , carefully , responsibly and , most importantly , safely .
No one can guarantee complete safety , but we can and must mitigate risk .
Schools need more money , not less , to reopen safely .
Think about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure physical distancing , we ’ ll need more teachers .
We ’ ll need regular deep cleaning , reformatted floor plans , appropriate personal protective equipment , like face shields and masks , and some screening processes .
Parents will need before- and after-school care for their children .
Students may need to walk to quarter-full buses in 15-minute shifts , rather than rushing to pack into one as soon as the bell rings .
That ’ s going to require more bus runs , not fewer .
And schools will need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health needs after this period of national upheaval and stress .
Put our money where our priorities are While we agree with the urgency expressed by the nation ’ s pediatricians about the need for kids to return to school , we must also take the necessary steps to protect educators and school staff .
After all , teachers ’ working condition are students ’ learning conditions .
School staff with a higher risk for COVID-19 infections will require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act .
Without that , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the profession , leaving us with an enormous “ brain drain.
” According at an American Federation of Teachers analysis , schools will require an additional 19 % — $ 116.5 billion — from pre-virus funding levels to stabilize budgets and then reopen safely .
The average school will need an additional $ 1.2 million , or $ 2,300 per student , above what we currently spend .
But states and districts are already planning to cut budgets , and if no new federal investment materializes , states will be forced to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimate that already 750,000 education workers have lost their jobs .
I 'm a doctor , and a mom : My children are clearly suffering without school — but socially distancing keeps them safe Our union has always been at the forefront of advocating for health and safety — from the New York asbestos crisis in the 1990s , to the lack of ventilation in schools and the presence of dangerous lead , to this pandemic .
While the administration is repeating its original conduct of downplaying the virus , the AFT has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the well-being of Americans .
We held our first coronavirus press call on Feb. 4 , and we released a science-based , 22-page school reopening plan back in April .
We said we must marry public health concerns with the needs of public education , involve teachers and parents , and secure the funds to pay for it .
We proposed next year as a “ bridge ” to make up for lost learning .
And as America confronts its racial and economic divisions , we ’ re thinking now about how schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , unless we have the resources to reopen , it won ’ t happen .
If there were ever a moment for the federal government to step up to ensure equity and safety and help the nearly 90 % of children who attend public schools , this is it .
But Trump , DeVos and McConnell seem content to essentially abandon our children .
And because of their cruel indifference , a generation of children will suffer .
It is time for action and investment to prevent our schools from being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American Federation of Teachers .
Follow her on Twitter : @ rweingarten

Randi Weingarten: Teachers want to be in a classroom — Congress must make it safe Teachers aren't waiting for a vaccine to reopen schools, but we do need to keep students and educators safe. Where is the support from lawmakers?
Show Caption Hide Caption Teachers' union chief: 'Educators have been heroic' to ensure U.S. can weather pandemic Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, on safest way to reopen schools, including use of protective gear and monetary resources. USA TODAY
We can usually count on a president and Education secretary to prioritize children’s and teachers’ well-being and safety. That certainly should be the expectation during a pandemic. But just as President Donald Trump has downplayed the virus from the beginning, now he and Secretary Betsy DeVos have demanded schools reopen regardless of the lack of a thorough plan, the necessary funding, or the safety considerations that scientists and public health experts tell us are needed.
Teachers are not waiting for a vaccine to reopen schools; they know in-person schooling is really important for kids, academically, socially and emotionally. But particularly as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in many states, teachers and our students need both a real plan to reopen safely and the resources to do so.
According to a recent poll of our members, 76% of educators support going back to school if we have the proper safeguards called for by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other experts — safeguards such as ensuring low community spread (New York calls for a daily infection rate 5% or lower), daily deep cleaning and sanitizing of school facilities, physical distancing, masks and other appropriate personal protective equipment, ventilation, and reasonable accommodations for those most at risk.
That means schools this September will look very different than they did last year. But with the exception of the CDC, which Trump is now pressuring to water down its guidance, there has been zero action by this administration or the Republican Senate. Trump and DeVos may tweet in full caps and demand that schools open, but they have no plan and have offered no resources. Indeed, once again, the administration's only response is threatening to cut funding for public schools. And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided it was more important for him and his colleagues to go on summer break than to pass emergency funding for our schools.
Teachers will always be ready to teach
Everyone, from educators to parents to pediatricians to civil rights leaders, has decried the toll that the virus has taken on students and recognized that additional funding is necessary to reopen safely.
Educators tried valiantly to engage their students remotely over the last three months of the school year. Some converted their garages into makeshift classrooms. Others ran science experiments over Skype and turned school parking lots into Wi-Fi hot spots. Often, lessons were a phone call. Teachers may now know more about remote technology than Silicon Valley. Yet they will tell you — by an 86 to 12 split — that it did not work as well as being together in the classroom.
Ralph Nader: Pandemic can't stop the greed of college athletic programs, but Congress can
But beyond learning loss, what teachers are most concerned about is how kids are doing personally — who is feeling is isolated and lonely, who is experiencing trauma from losing loved ones or food insecurity at home. And they’re concerned because they know that the vast majority of students benefit from in-person engagement and socialization with peers and teachers and that they face negative affects without it.
Next year we’ll likely see a hybrid of remote, mixed and in-person instruction. That’s because of the physical distancing safety guardrails that virtually every public health official says are necessary to reduce virus spread. There is nothing normal about that in school. But we can help students feel safe to learn and grow by thinking of it as a “bridge” year where they can connect with teachers and classmates, beginning with a focus on social, emotional and mental health issues, expanding community schools, and using project-based learning and other projects and exercises to assess where they are in their learning and development.
Teachers and parents know that another year of purely remote learning would be catastrophic. It’s impossible for parents to look after kids and do their jobs — and many of those parents are teachers themselves. For everyone’s sake — particularly for our children and for the health of the economy — school buildings need to reopen in the fall: gradually, carefully, responsibly and, most importantly, safely. No one can guarantee complete safety, but we can and must mitigate risk.
Schools need more money, not less, to reopen safely. Think about it: If we reduce class size to ensure physical distancing, we’ll need more teachers. We’ll need regular deep cleaning, reformatted floor plans, appropriate personal protective equipment, like face shields and masks, and some screening processes. Parents will need before- and after-school care for their children. Students may need to walk to quarter-full buses in 15-minute shifts, rather than rushing to pack into one as soon as the bell rings. That’s going to require more bus runs, not fewer. And schools will need to be prepared to meet students’ mental health needs after this period of national upheaval and stress.
Put our money where our priorities are
While we agree with the urgency expressed by the nation’s pediatricians about the need for kids to return to school, we must also take the necessary steps to protect educators and school staff. After all, teachers’ working condition are students’ learning conditions. School staff with a higher risk for COVID-19 infections will require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Without that, I fear that those at risk will leave the profession, leaving us with an enormous “brain drain.”
According at an American Federation of Teachers analysis, schools will require an additional 19% — $116.5 billion — from pre-virus funding levels to stabilize budgets and then reopen safely. The average school will need an additional $1.2 million, or $2,300 per student, above what we currently spend. But states and districts are already planning to cut budgets, and if no new federal investment materializes, states will be forced to make $200 billion in cuts. We estimate that already 750,000 education workers have lost their jobs.
I'm a doctor, and a mom: My children are clearly suffering without school — but socially distancing keeps them safe
Our union has always been at the forefront of advocating for health and safety — from the New York asbestos crisis in the 1990s, to the lack of ventilation in schools and the presence of dangerous lead, to this pandemic. While the administration is repeating its original conduct of downplaying the virus, the AFT has tried from the earliest days to protect the well-being of Americans.
We held our first coronavirus press call on Feb. 4, and we released a science-based, 22-page school reopening plan back in April. We said we must marry public health concerns with the needs of public education, involve teachers and parents, and secure the funds to pay for it. We proposed next year as a “bridge” to make up for lost learning. And as America confronts its racial and economic divisions, we’re thinking now about how schools can help weave our frayed communities together.
Still, unless we have the resources to reopen, it won’t happen. If there were ever a moment for the federal government to step up to ensure equity and safety and help the nearly 90% of children who attend public schools, this is it. But Trump, DeVos and McConnell seem content to essentially abandon our children. And because of their cruel indifference, a generation of children will suffer.
It is time for action and investment to prevent our schools from being shuttered.
Randi Weingarten is president of the American Federation of Teachers. Follow her on Twitter: @rweingarten


usatoday--2020-07-16--Newlyweds spend wedding money on healthcare heroes

Bride and groom in the Philippines spend wedding money on hospital workers and people in need .

Newlyweds spend wedding money on healthcare heroes
Bride and groom in the Philippines spend wedding money on hospital workers and people in need.
Humankind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-07-19--Coronavirus updates: Congress takes up stimulus checks, $600 weekly jobless benefit; Trump says 'I'l

Worldwide coronavirus infections and deaths continued to mount at an alarming pace Sunday as the World Health Organization again reported a single-day record of new infections .
In the U.S. , Congress this week could decide the fate of proposals that could send out another round of stimulus checks and extend in some way the $ 600 weekly unemployment benefit that runs out next week .
The crucial negotiations come as 16 states and Puerto Rico set one-week records for new cases on Saturday , and the WHO reported 259,848 cases worldwide .
In parts of the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is flooding emergency rooms .
In Texas , Dr. Alison Haddock of the Baylor College of Medicine said the current situation at hospitals is worse than after Hurricane Harvey , which swamped Houston with floodwaters in 2017 .
“ I ’ ve never seen anything like this COVID surge , ” Haddock said .
“ We ’ re doing our best , but we ’ re not an ICU.
” In Florida , 49 of the state 's hospitals with ICU beds were reporting none available , the state 's Agency for Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sunday at 5:30 p.m .
ET .
Nine of those were being reported in Miami-Dade County and five in Broward County .
• Due to `` dangerously hot temperatures , '' Washington , D.C. , has ordered its public COVID-19 testing sites to be closed Monday .
Residents who may need a test are encouraged to call their health care providers .
• The Food and Drug Administration has added to its list of hand sanitizers to avoid because they may contain methanol .
The FDA 's updated chart now includes 75 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed in two Florida counties .
• Another retailing heavyweight weighed in on the national mask-wearing issue : Home Depot will now require all shoppers to wear them .
But grocer Winn Dixie wo n't .
📈 Today 's stats : The U.S. has more than 3.7 million cases and more than 140,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Globally , there have been 14.3 million cases and more than 603,000 deaths .
📰 What we 're reading : Houses of worship are figuring out how to practice their faith safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to outbreaks .
Practices traditional to some religions , such as shaking hands , taking Communion and dipping the host in a chalice with wine , are ideal breeding grounds for the virus .
Trump says he wanted to hold 'big rally ' in Michigan , was told he couldn't President Donald Trump claimed Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer 's administration is keeping measures in place that would keep him from having a `` big rally '' as a way to hurt him politically , rather than an effort to control the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aired Sunday with Chris Wallace on `` Fox News Sunday , '' Trump veered from comments about the economy to say Democrats `` are purposely keeping their schools closed , keeping their states closed '' before making the claim about Michigan .
`` I called Michigan .
I want to have a big rally in Michigan .
Do you know we 're not allowed to have a rally in Michigan ? ''
he said .
`` Do you know we 're not allowed to have a rally in Minnesota ?
Do you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally in Nevada ?
We 're not allowed to have rallies in these Democrat-run states . ''
# WeWantToPlay : NFL stars take to social media to demand clarity on COVID-19 protocols League stars ranging from quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson to defenders J.J. Watt and Richard Sherman joined a persistent chorus demanding the league clarify and strengthen protocols to ensure players ’ health and safety .
“ I am concerned , ” Wilson tweeted amid the blitz .
“ My wife is pregnant .
NFL Training camp is about to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clear Plan on Player Health & Family Safety .
“ We want to play football but we also want to protect our loved ones.
” A spokesperson from the grocery chain 's parent company Southeastern Grocers said it is n't mandating face coverings during the pandemic to avoid `` undue friction '' between customers and staffers .
`` We strongly encourage state officials to lead the way in regulating these type of safety mandates , '' said Joe Caldwell , director of corporate communications at Southeastern Grocers in a statement emailed to USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 efforts : ' I 'll be right eventually' President Donald Trump defended his claims that the coronavirus simply will `` disappear '' in an interview on `` Fox News Sunday . ''
Trump described the increase in COVID-19 cases as `` burning embers '' as the pandemic winds down .
Wallace said it was more like a `` forest fire . ''
Trump reiterated his claims that the number of daily cases is increasing dramatically because of increased testing , though experts say the increased rate of infections far outpaces the increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states reopened , moves encouraged by the president .
`` I 'll be right eventually , '' Trump said .
`` You know , I said , 'It 's going to disappear . '
I 'll say it again . ''
Ohio might require masks amid fears state 'could become Florida' Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine , who has balked at a statewide masks mandate , says more counties likely will be added to the state 's mandatory mask list and that a statewide requirement is possible .
DeWine said he has watched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of new cases and deaths have surged in recent weeks .
`` We are at the point where we could become Florida , '' DeWine , a Republican , said on NBC 's `` Meet the Press . ''
`` When you look at our numbers today versus where Florida was a month ago , we have very similar numbers .
So we 're very , very concerned . ''
More than half of U.S. states now require masks in public , but not without controversy .
DeWine spoke a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ohio Statehouse to protest what they see as overreach by government officials and public health advocates .
They said infection and mortality data are being manipulated and that DeWine is a helicopter parent who ’ s got it all wrong .
“ It ’ s not connecting to the science .
It ’ s propaganda , ” said Cherrelyn Pierson of Marysville , Ohio , who said she works in a health-related field .
“ I trust myself .
I am the science.
” U.S. paying price for rush to reopen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states to follow federal reopening guidelines is a key reason for the boom in new cases across the nation , the director of the National Institutes of Health said Sunday .
Dr. Francis Collins , speaking on `` Meet the Press , '' also called for more rapid testing so people will know whether they are infected and can avoid infecting others .
Patients are waiting up to a week for results in some places , Collins said .
The struggles with testing are contributing to the surge in cases , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the battle can be won , he said .
`` We basically did a good job in New York , New Jersey and Connecticut , '' Collins said .
`` Meanwhile , the rest of the country ... kinda went about their business . ''
A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data shows at least 16 states set records for new cases in one week , while four states had a record number of deaths .
New case records were set in Alabama , Georgia , Kentucky , Mississippi , Missouri , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina , North Dakota , Ohio , Oklahoma , Tennessee , Texas , Washington and Wisconsin , and also Puerto Rico .
Record numbers of deaths were reported in Alabama , Arizona , South Carolina and Texas .
In Texas , an analysis of Johns Hopkins data from late Saturday shows new cases per week leaped to 72,691 , more than 10 times higher than during the worst week this spring .
And deaths per week increased to 801 , more than three times the worst week of the spring .
Pope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global cease-fire to allow governments and their citizens to combat the pandemic .
Francis , speaking from a window overlooking St. Peter 's Square , said the pandemic shows `` no signs of coming to an end . ''
He said his thoughts were with those suffering from the illness and the economic and social repercussions of the pandemic .
`` My thought goes out especially to the populations whose sufferings are heightened due to situations of conflict , '' he said .
`` I renew the appeal for a global and immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety that are indispensable in order to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance . ''
The coronavirus recession has split America in two : those who are still financially intact , and others struggling to survive .
Congress is set to reconvene this week as the $ 600 weekly unemployment benefits under the CARES Act near their expiration .
Policymakers will debate whether more emergency stimulus checks and extra unemployment payments are needed to keep jobless people afloat .
More than two-thirds of Americans say they need a second stimulus check to help make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from tax preparer Jackson-Hewitt .
“ I 'm panicked .
I ’ ve run through my entire savings , ” said Chelsie Caudle , who sublets a spot in a Portland , Oregon , hair salon .
The world hit yet another startling milestone on Saturday as the global death tally surpassed 600,000 , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Of the 188 countries tracked , only 17 have not yet reported a virus-related death .
The U.S. has the highest number of fatalities , the only nation reporting more than 100,000 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubled globally since early June , according to data from the university .
If deaths – which often lag weeks behind cases – follow a similar trend , the virus could become one of the top 10 global causes of death in coming months .
Almost 40 places of worship and religious events have been linked to more than 650 U.S. cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began , according to tracking by the New York Times .
Along with the nationwide surge in infections that has followed the loosening of restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connected to churches have sprouted at several spots .
Those include a Pentecostal church in northeastern Oregon tied to at least 236 positive tests ; five flareups linked to churches in West Virginia , the largest one resulting in 51 infections ; more than 50 cases stemming from an evangelical church outside San Antonio where the pastor sanctioned hugging again ; a large worship service in Cleveland , Tennessee , that appears to have generated at least a dozen cases , including the pastor , who said he stopped counting after 12 ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to shut down after 82 campers , counselors and staffers contracted the virus despite taking a number of precautions .
• Separated by the pandemic , an elderly Florida couple meets for one final farewell • 24 hours in a COVID-19 hot spot leaves no walk of life unscathed • Can kids spread the coronavirus ?
'Without a doubt – yes , ' experts say • A parent 's guide to online school : 9 questions to help vet your back-to-school choices • Shootings are on the rise amid the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Mixed messages from Day One ' : Summer is no barrier to COVID-19 Florida 's former top coronavirus data scientist has filed a whistleblower complaint against the state 's Health Department , accusing the agency of firing her in retaliation for refusing to manipulate data to support the push to reopen Florida after its quarantine .
The complaint by former agency data manager Rebekah Jones targets Gov .
Ron DeSantis directly .
`` These efforts to falsify the numbers are a pattern and practice in Florida government that goes on to this day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson , said in a statement .
`` Ron DeSantis has routinely given false numbers to the press .
His underlings at ( the Health Department ) follow his example and his direction . ''
DeSantis has dismissed the complaint as part of a `` partisan narrative . ''
More on the coronavirus from USA TODAY Where a face mask is required : Many governors are instituting or renewing orders requiring people to wear face coverings in public as cases continue to rise .
Is your state on the list ?
See it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few ways for you to stay informed .
Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here , and come together and share the latest information about the coronavirus , coping with lifestyle changes and more by joining our Facebook group .
Where are states on reopening ?
More than half of all states , including California and Michigan , have paused reopening plans or are taking steps to halt the spread of COVID-19 .
Here 's the list .
What went wrong in Florida ?
Two months after Gov .
Ron DeSantis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flattening the curve and getting COVID-19 under control , Florida has become the state that other states don ’ t want to become .

Coronavirus updates: Congress takes up stimulus checks, $600 weekly jobless benefit; Trump says 'I'll be right eventually' as records fall
Show Caption Hide Caption Explainer: How coronavirus spreads and stays in the air for hours The WHO and over 200 medical experts agree with new research that shows COVID-19 could be carried by cough droplets and travel up 26 feet. Alexis Arnold, USA TODAY
Worldwide coronavirus infections and deaths continued to mount at an alarming pace Sunday as the World Health Organization again reported a single-day record of new infections.
In the U.S., Congress this week could decide the fate of proposals that could send out another round of stimulus checks and extend in some way the $600 weekly unemployment benefit that runs out next week. The crucial negotiations come as 16 states and Puerto Rico set one-week records for new cases on Saturday, and the WHO reported 259,848 cases worldwide.
In parts of the United States, a fast-rising tide of new coronavirus cases is flooding emergency rooms. In Texas, Dr. Alison Haddock of the Baylor College of Medicine said the current situation at hospitals is worse than after Hurricane Harvey, which swamped Houston with floodwaters in 2017.
“I’ve never seen anything like this COVID surge,” Haddock said. “We’re doing our best, but we’re not an ICU.”
In Florida, 49 of the state's hospitals with ICU beds were reporting none available, the state's Agency for Health Care Administration posted on its website as of Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET. Nine of those were being reported in Miami-Dade County and five in Broward County.
Some recent developments:
📈 Today's stats: The U.S. has more than 3.7 million cases and more than 140,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Globally, there have been 14.3 million cases and more than 603,000 deaths.
📰 What we're reading: Houses of worship are figuring out how to practice their faith safely after religious gatherings have been linked repeatedly to outbreaks. Practices traditional to some religions, such as shaking hands, taking Communion and dipping the host in a chalice with wine, are ideal breeding grounds for the virus.
Trump says he wanted to hold 'big rally' in Michigan, was told he couldn't
President Donald Trump claimed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration is keeping measures in place that would keep him from having a "big rally" as a way to hurt him politically, rather than an effort to control the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking in an interview that aired Sunday with Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday," Trump veered from comments about the economy to say Democrats "are purposely keeping their schools closed, keeping their states closed" before making the claim about Michigan.
"I called Michigan. I want to have a big rally in Michigan. Do you know we're not allowed to have a rally in Michigan?" he said. "Do you know we're not allowed to have a rally in Minnesota? Do you know we're not allowed to have a rally in Nevada? We're not allowed to have rallies in these Democrat-run states."
– Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press
#WeWantToPlay: NFL stars take to social media to demand clarity on COVID-19 protocols
Dozens of NFL players blitzed social media Sunday afternoon with a clear message: #WeWantToPlay.
League stars ranging from quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Russell Wilson to defenders J.J. Watt and Richard Sherman joined a persistent chorus demanding the league clarify and strengthen protocols to ensure players’ health and safety.
“I am concerned,” Wilson tweeted amid the blitz. “My wife is pregnant. NFL Training camp is about to start. And there’s still No Clear Plan on Player Health & Family Safety.
“We want to play football but we also want to protect our loved ones.”
– Jori Epstein
'Grim reaper special': People react to Winn Dixie supermarkets not requiring masks
In a retail landscape filled with stores requiring masks, Winn Dixie won't.
A spokesperson from the grocery chain's parent company Southeastern Grocers said it isn't mandating face coverings during the pandemic to avoid "undue friction" between customers and staffers.
"We strongly encourage state officials to lead the way in regulating these type of safety mandates," said Joe Caldwell, director of corporate communications at Southeastern Grocers in a statement emailed to USA TODAY.
– Dalvin Brown
Trump shrugs off criticism of COVID-19 efforts: 'I'll be right eventually'
President Donald Trump defended his claims that the coronavirus simply will "disappear" in an interview on "Fox News Sunday." Trump described the increase in COVID-19 cases as "burning embers" as the pandemic winds down. Wallace said it was more like a "forest fire." Trump reiterated his claims that the number of daily cases is increasing dramatically because of increased testing, though experts say the increased rate of infections far outpaces the increased rate of testing. Increases came after states reopened, moves encouraged by the president.
"I'll be right eventually," Trump said. "You know, I said, 'It's going to disappear.' I'll say it again."
– David Jackson
Ohio might require masks amid fears state 'could become Florida'
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who has balked at a statewide masks mandate, says more counties likely will be added to the state's mandatory mask list and that a statewide requirement is possible. DeWine said he has watched warily the situation in Florida, where the number of new cases and deaths have surged in recent weeks.
"We are at the point where we could become Florida," DeWine, a Republican, said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "When you look at our numbers today versus where Florida was a month ago, we have very similar numbers. So we're very, very concerned."
More than half of U.S. states now require masks in public, but not without controversy. DeWine spoke a day after hundreds of maskless people gathered at the Ohio Statehouse to protest what they see as overreach by government officials and public health advocates. They said infection and mortality data are being manipulated and that DeWine is a helicopter parent who’s got it all wrong.
“It’s not connecting to the science. It’s propaganda,” said Cherrelyn Pierson of Marysville, Ohio, who said she works in a health-related field. “I trust myself. I am the science.”
– Rita Price, The Columbus Dispatch
U.S. paying price for rush to reopen, NIH chief says
The failure of many states to follow federal reopening guidelines is a key reason for the boom in new cases across the nation, the director of the National Institutes of Health said Sunday. Dr. Francis Collins, speaking on "Meet the Press," also called for more rapid testing so people will know whether they are infected and can avoid infecting others. Patients are waiting up to a week for results in some places, Collins said. The struggles with testing are contributing to the surge in cases, he said. But successes in some states show the battle can be won, he said.
"We basically did a good job in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut," Collins said. "Meanwhile, the rest of the country ... kinda went about their business."
Texas sets weekly records for cases, deaths
A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data shows at least 16 states set records for new cases in one week, while four states had a record number of deaths. New case records were set in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin, and also Puerto Rico. Record numbers of deaths were reported in Alabama, Arizona, South Carolina and Texas.
In Texas, an analysis of Johns Hopkins data from late Saturday shows new cases per week leaped to 72,691, more than 10 times higher than during the worst week this spring. And deaths per week increased to 801, more than three times the worst week of the spring.
– Michael Stucka
Pope: Pandemic shows no sign of ending
Pope Francis renewed his plea Sunday for a global cease-fire to allow governments and their citizens to combat the pandemic. Francis, speaking from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square, said the pandemic shows "no signs of coming to an end." He said his thoughts were with those suffering from the illness and the economic and social repercussions of the pandemic.
"My thought goes out especially to the populations whose sufferings are heightened due to situations of conflict," he said. "I renew the appeal for a global and immediate cease-fire that would allow the peace and safety that are indispensable in order to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance."
Congress to decide fate of stimulus checks, unemployment benefit boosts
The coronavirus recession has split America in two: those who are still financially intact, and others struggling to survive. Congress is set to reconvene this week as the $600 weekly unemployment benefits under the CARES Act near their expiration. Policymakers will debate whether more emergency stimulus checks and extra unemployment payments are needed to keep jobless people afloat. More than two-thirds of Americans say they need a second stimulus check to help make ends meet, according to recent data from tax preparer Jackson-Hewitt.
“I'm panicked. I’ve run through my entire savings,” said Chelsie Caudle, who sublets a spot in a Portland, Oregon, hair salon.
– Jessica Menton
Global deaths pass 600,000
The world hit yet another startling milestone on Saturday as the global death tally surpassed 600,000, according to Johns Hopkins University. Of the 188 countries tracked, only 17 have not yet reported a virus-related death. The U.S. has the highest number of fatalities, the only nation reporting more than 100,000 deaths. Confirmed cases of the virus have doubled globally since early June, according to data from the university. If deaths – which often lag weeks behind cases – follow a similar trend, the virus could become one of the top 10 global causes of death in coming months.
– Joel Shannon
As churches reopen, outbreaks are sprouting
Almost 40 places of worship and religious events have been linked to more than 650 U.S. cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic began, according to tracking by the New York Times. Along with the nationwide surge in infections that has followed the loosening of restrictions aimed at combating the virus, outbreaks connected to churches have sprouted at several spots.
Those include a Pentecostal church in northeastern Oregon tied to at least 236 positive tests; five flareups linked to churches in West Virginia, the largest one resulting in 51 infections; more than 50 cases stemming from an evangelical church outside San Antonio where the pastor sanctioned hugging again; a large worship service in Cleveland, Tennessee, that appears to have generated at least a dozen cases, including the pastor, who said he stopped counting after 12; and a Christian camp in Missouri that had to shut down after 82 campers, counselors and staffers contracted the virus despite taking a number of precautions.
– Jorge L. Ortiz
What we're reading
Coronavirus Chronicles: COVID survivors suffer weeks after virus clears COVID survivors' main symptoms can linger for weeks or even months, causing pain, trouble breathing, nightmares and even organ failure. Hannah Gaber, USA TODAY
Ousted Florida scientist files whistleblower complaint
Florida's former top coronavirus data scientist has filed a whistleblower complaint against the state's Health Department, accusing the agency of firing her in retaliation for refusing to manipulate data to support the push to reopen Florida after its quarantine. The complaint by former agency data manager Rebekah Jones targets Gov. Ron DeSantis directly.
"These efforts to falsify the numbers are a pattern and practice in Florida government that goes on to this day," Jones' attorney, Rick Johnson, said in a statement. "Ron DeSantis has routinely given false numbers to the press. His underlings at (the Health Department) follow his example and his direction."
DeSantis has dismissed the complaint as part of a "partisan narrative."
– Chris Persaud, The Palm Beach Post
More on the coronavirus from USA TODAY
Where a face mask is required: Many governors are instituting or renewing orders requiring people to wear face coverings in public as cases continue to rise. Is your state on the list? See it here.
Coronavirus Watch: We have a few ways for you to stay informed. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here, and come together and share the latest information about the coronavirus, coping with lifestyle changes and more by joining our Facebook group.
Where are states on reopening? More than half of all states, including California and Michigan, have paused reopening plans or are taking steps to halt the spread of COVID-19. Here's the list.
What went wrong in Florida? Two months after Gov. Ron DeSantis boasted about proving the experts wrong by flattening the curve and getting COVID-19 under control, Florida has become the state that other states don’t want to become.


usatoday--2020-07-20--3,000 acres and growing: Cottonwood Trail Fire, 4th wildfire in southern Utah in a week, forces evac

A wildfire in southern Utah has forced evacuations in two towns and spread over 3,000 acres – the region 's fourth wildfire in a week .
Two towns , Leeds and Harrisburg , were evacuated Sunday , shortly after the Cottonwood Trail Fire started along Interstate 15 .
A blown tire along the highway caused the blaze , Utah Fire Info said .
A portion of the interstate was closed early Sunday evening .
After a couple of hours , the fire reached 3,000 acres and was growing .
Winds of 15-20 mph pushed the flames , which was threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air tankers and four helicopters from multiple agencies responded to assist in suppressing the fire , according to Utah Fire Info .
The agency first reported the fire at 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time Each of the four fires in Southern Utah over the past week has spread over at least 1,000 acres .
The Turkey Farm Road , West Veyo and Big Summit fires burned through red-flag level heat and windy conditions last week as hundreds of firefighters battled blazes between St. George and Cedar City .
The Turkey Farm Road Fire burning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11,993 acres as of Friday .
The Veyo West Fire had spread to 2,618 acres as of Thursday and forced residents to evacuate their homes .
The Big Summit fire grew over 5,000 acres , forcing Iron County to evacuate 20 homes .

Chris Kwiecinski, St. George Spectrum & Daily News

3,000 acres and growing: Cottonwood Trail Fire, 4th wildfire in southern Utah in a week, forces evacuation
Show Caption Hide Caption Aircraft dump retardant near homes threatened by Utah wildfire Aircraft dumped fire retardant near homes in Washington, Utah, as crews battled a blaze that authorities say was started by teenagers using fireworks. Storyful
A wildfire in southern Utah has forced evacuations in two towns and spread over 3,000 acres – the region's fourth wildfire in a week.
Two towns, Leeds and Harrisburg, were evacuated Sunday, shortly after the Cottonwood Trail Fire started along Interstate 15. A blown tire along the highway caused the blaze, Utah Fire Info said. A portion of the interstate was closed early Sunday evening.
After a couple of hours, the fire reached 3,000 acres and was growing. Winds of 15-20 mph pushed the flames, which was threatening structures.
Thirty engines, three large air tankers and four helicopters from multiple agencies responded to assist in suppressing the fire, according to Utah Fire Info. The agency first reported the fire at 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time
Each of the four fires in Southern Utah over the past week has spread over at least 1,000 acres.
The Turkey Farm Road, West Veyo and Big Summit fires burned through red-flag level heat and windy conditions last week as hundreds of firefighters battled blazes between St. George and Cedar City.
The Turkey Farm Road Fire burning north of St. George was held at 11,993 acres as of Friday. The Veyo West Fire had spread to 2,618 acres as of Thursday and forced residents to evacuate their homes. The Big Summit fire grew over 5,000 acres, forcing Iron County to evacuate 20 homes.
Follow Chris Kwiecinski on Twitter: @OchoK_


usatoday--2020-07-19--Opinion: Mask-less Dwight Howard draws attention to himself with questionable Instagram comments

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard is doing a good deed : he is donating the remainder of his 2019-2020 salary to Breathe Again , a charitable campaign aimed at bridging “ a gap between races and people.
” Howard also wants to keep the focus on important topics outside the bubble , such as Breonna Taylor 's death .
But Howard is also shifting the focus to himself by not wearing a mask inside the NBA ’ s bubble on its Disney campus near Orlando , Florida , and making wild comments , such as he doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Live post on Sunday .
This comes four days after Howard said someone reported him to the campus hotline and he received a warning from the league .
On Sunday , he was on IG Live , walking around in and outside without a mask .
At one point during the video , it appears he answers a question from a fan who posted on IG .
“ Do I believe in vaccinations ?
” Howard said .
“ No , I don ’ t .
That ’ s my personal opinion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Just before that , he said , “ I didn ’ t know that the coronavirus be flying through the air looking for people.
” In a way though , that ’ s exactly what COVID-19 does – searches for a host ( humans in this case ) where it can do its damage and spread .
Later in the video , Howard appears to talk to another person in a laundry room – without a mask , reinforcing thoughts he uttered on Friday : “ I personally do n't see a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time period we are here . ''
More : Cardiac screening crucial for NBA players who tested positive for COVID-19 More : How the NBA bubble has taken shape in Disney World On Friday , Lakers coach Frank Vogel said , “ We all should be wearing masks in and around the hotel lobby .
And the areas that we 're being asked to wear a mask , we should wear a mask .
And he 's doing so now.
” The NBA can issue other penalties .
Each player is required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to all protocols while on campus , according to the NBA ’ s health and safety document .
“ Failure or refusal to comply with the Protocols may subject a player to disciplinary action by the NBA or his team ( but not both for the same act or conduct , pursuant to Article VI , Section 10 of the CBA ) , which may include a warning , fine , suspension , and/or removal from the campus , '' it reads on the document .
`` Repeat offenders may be subject to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disciplinary action shall be made through the Grievance Arbitration process of the CBA . ''
Just because one thing ( bringing those responsible for Breonna Taylor ’ s death to justice ) might be more important doesn ’ t mean another thing ( wearing a mask in public ) isn ’ t important .
The success of the NBA ’ s restart depends on people following guidelines established by health experts .
If he ’ s fined – or worse – that will take away money from the organization he is pledging to @ @

Opinion: Mask-less Dwight Howard draws attention to himself with questionable Instagram comments
Show Caption Hide Caption Inside the NBA bubble: How technology keeps everyone safe SportsPulse: Only two days into his time in the NBA bubble, Mark Media is realizing just how far the league is willing to go in order to ensure safety for not only the players and coaches, but the media as well. USA TODAY
Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard is doing a good deed: he is donating the remainder of his 2019-2020 salary to Breathe Again, a charitable campaign aimed at bridging “a gap between races and people.”
Howard also wants to keep the focus on important topics outside the bubble, such as Breonna Taylor's death.
But Howard is also shifting the focus to himself by not wearing a mask inside the NBA’s bubble on its Disney campus near Orlando, Florida, and making wild comments, such as he doesn’t believe in vaccinations, during an Instagram Live post on Sunday.
This comes four days after Howard said someone reported him to the campus hotline and he received a warning from the league.
On Sunday, he was on IG Live, walking around in and outside without a mask. At one point during the video, it appears he answers a question from a fan who posted on IG.
“Do I believe in vaccinations?” Howard said. “No, I don’t. That’s my personal opinion, but no, I don’t.”
Just before that, he said, “I didn’t know that the coronavirus be flying through the air looking for people.”
In a way though, that’s exactly what COVID-19 does – searches for a host (humans in this case) where it can do its damage and spread.
Howard claims he was joking.
Later in the video, Howard appears to talk to another person in a laundry room – without a mask, reinforcing thoughts he uttered on Friday: “I personally don't see a risk of us getting it during the time period we are here."
More: Cardiac screening crucial for NBA players who tested positive for COVID-19
More: How the NBA bubble has taken shape in Disney World
On Friday, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said, “We all should be wearing masks in and around the hotel lobby. And the areas that we're being asked to wear a mask, we should wear a mask. And he's doing so now.”
The NBA can issue other penalties. Each player is required to certify in writing that he will adhere to all protocols while on campus, according to the NBA’s health and safety document.
“Failure or refusal to comply with the Protocols may subject a player to disciplinary action by the NBA or his team (but not both for the same act or conduct, pursuant to Article VI, Section 10 of the CBA), which may include a warning, fine, suspension, and/or removal from the campus," it reads on the document. "Repeat offenders may be subject to enhanced discipline. Player challenges to any disciplinary action shall be made through the Grievance Arbitration process of the CBA."
Just because one thing (bringing those responsible for Breonna Taylor’s death to justice) might be more important doesn’t mean another thing (wearing a mask in public) isn’t important.
The success of the NBA’s restart depends on people following guidelines established by health experts. If he’s fined – or worse – that will take away money from the organization he is pledging to support.


usatoday--2020-07-19--Trump says he wanted to hold 'big rally' in Michigan, was told he couldn't

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump claimed in an interview aired Sunday he wanted to hold a `` big rally '' in Michigan but was told that he could n't .
He said Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer 's administration is keeping measures in place that would keep him from having such a rally as a way to hurt him politically , rather than being necessary to control the spread of COVID-19 .
Speaking in an interview with Chris Wallace on `` Fox News Sunday , '' Trump veered from comments about the economy to say Democrats `` are purposely keeping their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' before making the claim about Michigan .
`` I called Michigan .
I want to have a big rally in Michigan .
Do you know we 're not allowed to have a rally in Michigan ? ''
he said .
`` Do you know we 're not allowed to have a rally in Minnesota ?
Do you know we 're not allowed to have a rally in Nevada ?
We 're not allowed to have rallies in these Democrat-run states . ''
Wallace pointed out the potential health risks involved with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally held by Trump in Tulsa , Oklahoma , last month may have led to a spike in coronavirus cases in the area .
Trump said `` some people '' believe it would be `` fine '' to hold rallies and claimed he was being victimized by Democratic officials .
`` I guarantee you , if everything was gone 100 % , they still would n't allow it .
They 're not allowing me to do it .
So they 're not — they 're — they 're not allowing me to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tiffany Brown , told the Free Press the office has received no communication from the Trump campaign about its desire to have a rally .
Requests for details or comment on the proposed rally sent to the state Republican Party and the Trump campaign were not immediately answered Sunday afternoon .
Under Whitmer 's executive orders to control the spread of COVID-19 in place at present , though , large gatherings are mostly not permitted across the state .
In lower Michigan , which is the most populous region of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people and indoor ones are limited to 10 .
More : Whitmer ends Michigan 's stay home order , allows bars and restaurants to reopen June 8 In parts of northern Michigan and on the Upper Peninsula , indoor gatherings are limited to no more than 50 people and outdoor ones are restricted to 250 people or less .
While a large rally would violate those limits , it 's not known , however , whether any action would be taken to try to stop such a rally .
Protests held in Lansing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violating those orders without any move to stop those events .
In May , Trump visited a Ford Motor Co. plant in Ypsilanti despite Whitmer 's orders that plant tours and such events were prohibited .
Earlier this month , Whitmer issued new guidelines saying Michiganders must wear face masks in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor public places and that businesses if they can medically tolerate them to combat a recent uptick in cases in the state .
Contact Todd Spangler attspangler @ freepress.com .
Follow him on Twitter @ tsspangler .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for ourelections newsletter .

Trump says he wanted to hold 'big rally' in Michigan, was told he couldn't
Show Caption Hide Caption President Donald Trump wears mask in public for first time President Donald Trump wore a mask in public for the first time while visiting Walter Reed. AP
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump claimed in an interview aired Sunday he wanted to hold a "big rally" in Michigan but was told that he couldn't.
He said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration is keeping measures in place that would keep him from having such a rally as a way to hurt him politically, rather than being necessary to control the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking in an interview with Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday," Trump veered from comments about the economy to say Democrats "are purposely keeping their schools closed, keeping their states closed" before making the claim about Michigan.
"I called Michigan. I want to have a big rally in Michigan. Do you know we're not allowed to have a rally in Michigan?" he said. "Do you know we're not allowed to have a rally in Minnesota? Do you know we're not allowed to have a rally in Nevada? We're not allowed to have rallies in these Democrat-run states."
Wallace pointed out the potential health risks involved with a large rally, noting reports that a rally held by Trump in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last month may have led to a spike in coronavirus cases in the area.
Trump said "some people" believe it would be "fine" to hold rallies and claimed he was being victimized by Democratic officials. "I guarantee you, if everything was gone 100%, they still wouldn't allow it. They're not allowing me to do it. So they're not — they're — they're not allowing me to have rallies."
A spokeswoman for Whitmer, Tiffany Brown, told the Free Press the office has received no communication from the Trump campaign about its desire to have a rally. Requests for details or comment on the proposed rally sent to the state Republican Party and the Trump campaign were not immediately answered Sunday afternoon.
Under Whitmer's executive orders to control the spread of COVID-19 in place at present, though, large gatherings are mostly not permitted across the state. In lower Michigan, which is the most populous region of the state, outdoor gatherings are limited to 100 people and indoor ones are limited to 10.
More: Whitmer ends Michigan's stay home order, allows bars and restaurants to reopen June 8
In parts of northern Michigan and on the Upper Peninsula, indoor gatherings are limited to no more than 50 people and outdoor ones are restricted to 250 people or less.
While a large rally would violate those limits, it's not known, however, whether any action would be taken to try to stop such a rally. Protests held in Lansing against Whitmer's restrictions saw some protesters violating those orders without any move to stop those events. In May, Trump visited a Ford Motor Co. plant in Ypsilanti despite Whitmer's orders that plant tours and such events were prohibited.
Earlier this month, Whitmer issued new guidelines saying Michiganders must wear face masks in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor public places and that businesses if they can medically tolerate them to combat a recent uptick in cases in the state.
Contact Todd Spangler at tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.


usatoday--2020-07-19--Trump's campaign to paint Biden as mentally unfit becomes a gamble

WASHINGTON – Less than four months from the November election , President Donald Trump 's attacks on presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden 's mental fitness are an integral part of the president 's re-election message : the focus of television advertisements , talking points and open challenges from the president .
But analysts have raised questions over whether Trump ’ s strategy of focusing on the former vice president 's age is backfiring with a key demographic – seniors .
Making it an even riskier play , the attacks have heightened expectations for Trump 's debate performances this fall and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The strategy itself has proven difficult to execute as Biden campaigns from his home in Delaware , limiting the gaffe-prone candidate 's opportunities for flubs .
For months , Biden , 77 , has dismissed the name calling and innuendo but more recently he ’ s hitting back more forcefully and trying to turn the argument about mental fitness back on the 74-year-old Trump .
`` This president talks about cognitive capability , '' Biden said during a press conference June 30 .
`` He does n't appear to be cognitively aware of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` Sleepy Joe '' nickname Trump gave Biden and his ads showing Biden stumbling over remarks , polling suggests Biden — not Trump — has the edge on fitness among voters .
As the two septuagenarians battle it out , a poll July 2 from Monmouth University found 52 % of voters saying they believe Biden has the mental and physical stamina to be president versus 45 % for Trump .
More troubling for the president , Biden has moved ahead among voters 65 or older in several national surveys , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University poll released Wednesday , helping propel him to double-digit leads nationally .
Trump won seniors by 7 percentage points in 2016 over Hillary Clinton , according to exit polls , with white senior voters a key part of his coalition .
`` It can certainly backfire among senior voters , and it 's not something you want to do when you 're already starting to lose their votes , '' said Todd Belt , professor and political management program director at George Washington University .
`` We 've seen a big shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is n't a really good strategy to win them back . ''
In a Biden campaign memo earlier this month , deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield sought to debunk each of Trump 's attacks .
Bedingfield said ample polling shows “ voters aren ’ t buying Trump ’ s smear ” and have concerns about Trump ’ s own fitness to lead the country .
`` Trump literally suggested Americans inject disinfectant to cure COVID-19 , '' she said More : Exclusive USA TODAY poll : Biden widens his lead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump pays big for TV ads attacking Biden as 'clearly diminished' Biden 's gains with seniors come as the coronavirus pandemic , which puts seniors disproportionately at risk , has dominated the campaign since March and caused the president to slide in polling .
Trump has pushed for the country to reopen even as more than half of states are experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases .
As Trump wages a culture war seeking to tie Biden to protesters who have targeted Confederate monuments and efforts to `` defund the police , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GOP campaign 's playbook .
More : Trump accuses protesters who tear down statues of wanting to 'wipe out our history ' in Mount Rushmore speech A Trump television ad that aired in 12 states and the District of Columbia shows Biden struggling to finish sentences and forgetting his thoughts .
`` Sometimes I wake up and think it 's 1920 , '' Biden is shown saying in comments that are taken out of context .
The video cuts off Biden before he went on to say that , by 1920 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in politics .
`` Joe Biden is slipping , '' a narrator in the ad says .
`` Now at the age of 77 years old and running for president for the third time , Biden is clearly diminished .
Joe Biden does not have the strength , stamina and mental fortitude required to lead this country . ''
New Trump Ad Attacks Biden 's Mental State : `` Biden Is Clearly Diminished '' In an interview with Fox News that aired Sunday , Trump continued the attack , saying , he does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' but he is `` not competent to be president . ''
The charges mirror those in the 2016 election , when Trump regularly criticized the `` stamina '' and physical health of Clinton .
In past election cycles , such attack ads might come from an outside super PAC unaffiliated with the campaign .
But the Trump campaign paid for the ad .
The Associated Press , citing research from Advertising Analytics , reported the Trump campaign has spent more to air the `` Biden is slipping '' ad – $ 6.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the campaign .
That includes in the battleground states of Arizona and Florida , home to large senior populations .
Peter Kaldes , president and CEO of the American Society on Aging , in a statement on the advertising , said , `` Like racism , ageism devalues human life . ''
He said using `` ageist stereotypes '' is a `` dubious campaign tactic , '' noting that older Americans vote at substantially higher rates than younger adults .
`` Ageist stereotypes in political campaign advertising not only perpetuates the myth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of years they 've been alive , but it implies that there is a shame to being an older adult , '' said Kaldes , who worked as an economic advisor for President Barack Obama .
He said his organization would like to see leaders recognize that aging adults are vital to U.S. democracy , not `` weaponize ageism against them . ''
The AARP , which has 38 million senior members , and the National Council on Aging both declined to comment , citing practices of remaining non-partisan .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee , promoted by Trump on Twitter , depicts a 3 a.m. phone call to the White House and warns , `` Your vote will decide who answers that call . ''
It shows Biden struggling to talk during a press conference and highlights critiques about Biden 's abilities from Democratic Sen. Cory Booker , Democratic strategist David Axelrod and media .
`` Unfit to lead , '' the ad concludes .
`` Stupid , '' said Robert Summers , 81 , a retired attorney from the St. Louis , Missouri , area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything Trump does .
`` I could n't be any more more turned off . ''
Summers , who plans to vote for Biden , called Trump 's strategy `` insulting , '' adding , `` You can get a pretty good idea from watching these people speak if they 're OK or not . ''
He said he has no concerns about Biden 's mental capacity .
That 's not a universal take among seniors , however .
Darcy Jones , a retired computer trainer and Trump supporter near Tampa , Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legitimate issue and she has concerns about his mental fitness .
`` People can see it for themselves , '' she said .
She called it `` obvious , '' pointing to his `` scripted interviews '' and accusing the Biden campaign of `` hiding '' Biden from greater scrutiny .
`` Trump certainly has been criticized by just about everybody for his mental fitness , '' Jones , 67 , said .
`` Even before he was selected as the nominee when he ran in 2016 , people were already talking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think it 's a valid issue . ''
Jeanmarie Meyer , 73 , an attorney and legal consultant in Bend , Oregon , said the ads do n't offend her .
`` They 're really not inconsistent with what I see Joe Biden himself do , '' said Meyer , who also plans to vote for Trump .
`` So I do n't really feel like it 's that much of a distortion .
I do n't think it 's really necessary but it does n't bother me .
Anybody paying attention and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he 's all there . ''
Trump was the oldest president in U.S. history at the time of their inauguration .
Biden , who would claim that distinction if elected , often talks about his lifelong struggle with stuttering .
He has admitted to a penchant for mis-speaking , calling himself a `` gaffe machine . ''
During the Democratic primary , he conflated stories , cited incorrect numbers and mixed up states where he was speaking .
In an appearance on the Sean Hannity show and in tweets , Trump encouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impairment as he accused Biden of hiding his cognitive decline .
`` He can not pass the test I ‘ aced ’ , ” Trump tweeted this month , referring to a cognitive assessment that his physician in 2018 said he received a perfect score on .
“ He should give it a try !
!
!
” But the attacks on Biden have invited skepticism about Trump 's own fitness , particularly after the 74-year-old president walked gingerly down a ramp at U.S. Military Academy at West Point in June and used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water at the same event .
Trump also has his own history of eyebrow-raising remarks .
The Biden campaign does not have any ads targeting Trump 's mental or physical fitness .
But Biden supporters resurfaced a video from 2014 of former President Barack Obama and Biden , then vice president and 73 years old , jogging at the White House .
Allies like The Lincoln Project , led by anti-Trump Republicans , have taken the lead questioning Trump 's wellness in other online videos .
Speaking at a campaign rally last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 14 minutes to defend his awkward ramp walk , explaining it was `` like an ice skating rink . ''
More : 'It 's time to do it ' : Trump vows to put ' a lot of pressure ' on governors to reopen schools this fall Belt said Trump 's fixation on Biden 's cognitive abilities is part of a larger effort to `` throw all the spaghetti against the the wall and see what sticks . ''
The president trails Biden in polling on personal qualities like trustworthiness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hesitation about Biden among voters .
Trump is searching for any way to make the election `` a choice '' between Biden and him , Belt said , rather than a referendum on his presidency .
`` I do n't know that this one is working too much .
I anticipate we will see more on Hunter Biden , Burisma , probably more on China and tying Biden to some Obama policies , '' Belt said .
`` We 're in the pre-stage here where he 's trying to find a successful strategy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' More : ‘ Grim resolve ’ : Biden is up big and the Senate is in sight , but Democrats still haunted by fear of letdown Leslie Sanford , 71 , an accountant from Grand Rapids , Michigan , called Trump 's preoccupation on Biden 's mental capability `` lame . ''
`` I do n't think they have anything really strong to hang their hat on .
I think they 're grasping at straws , '' said Sanford , a self-described independent voter who plans to vote for Biden .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said of her senior status , `` as a group , it is pretty derogatory . ''
Patrick Murray , director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute , said the Trump ' campaign hopes that , because opinions on Biden are n't `` fully formed , '' the strategy can `` plant some doubts '' about him .
But while Trump is overwhelmingly seen as having greater stamina by his political base , he said , the majority of voters disagree .
`` Neither one of these candidates is seen by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the job , but Biden definitely has an edge overall , '' Murray said .
More : Biden in the basement : Can campaigning from home work as Trump starts to travel ?
Biden was asked June 30 whether he 's been tested for cognitive decline during his first news conference in three months following a speech in Wilmington , Delaware .
`` I 've been tested and I 'm constantly tested , '' Biden said .
`` Look , all you got to do is watch me , and I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the cognitive capability of the man I 'm running against . ''
A Biden campaign official clarified to USA TODAY that Biden was referring to the toll of the campaign as being `` constantly tested , '' not a scientific cognitive assessment .
Complicating his pursuit to paint Biden as mentally unfit : the coronavirus pandemic has enabled Biden to run his campaign almost entirely from his home in Wilmington , Delaware , which Murray said has limited the opportunities for gaffes .
His speeches , usually one or two per week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next-door Pennsylvania .
`` Right now it does n't look like it 's particularly working , '' Murray said of Trump 's campaign to cast Biden as too mentally unfit for office , `` and part of it is that we are n't seeing Biden on the trail one way or the other .
So the voters they 're targeting do n't have anything to judge it on , whether it 's true or false .
Therefore it 's just kind of falling flat . ''
If the attack on Biden is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said that opens Trump up to a `` counter charge '' that his campaign must be careful about .
`` That 's the danger here right now ( for Trump ) , '' Murray said .
Richard Diamond , a 68-year-old Biden supporter , who provides equipment services for hair salons in the Atlanta area , said Trump 's attacks are fair game but it `` does n't matter . ''
He defended Biden 's experience and posed the question of fitness back at the president .
`` I think Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president and he 's 74 now and he 's more unfit .
`` With Biden , he 's knows what he 's doing .
If he stumbles on a word or whatever , I do n't think that 's going to make a bit of difference being president of the United States . ''

President Trump's campaign to paint Joe Biden as mentally unfit becomes a gamble
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump changes Tulsa rally date after Juneteenth controversy After days of controversy over Trump's choice to hold his first rally since the coronavirus lockdowns in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it was changed to July 20. USA TODAY, Wochit
WASHINGTON – Less than four months from the November election, President Donald Trump's attacks on presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's mental fitness are an integral part of the president's reelection message: the focus of television advertisements, talking points and open challenges from the president.
But analysts have raised questions over whether Trump’s strategy of focusing on the former vice president's age is backfiring with a key demographic: seniors.
Making it an even riskier play, the attacks have heightened expectations for Trump's debate performances this fall and invited skepticism about his own fitness. The strategy itself has proven difficult to execute as Biden campaigns from his home in Delaware, limiting the gaffe-prone candidate's opportunities for flubs.
For months, Biden, 77, has dismissed the name-calling and innuendo, but more recently he’s hitting back more forcefully and trying to turn the argument about mental fitness back on the 74-year-old Trump.
"This president talks about cognitive capability," Biden said during a news conference June 30. "He doesn't appear to be cognitively aware of what's going on."
Despite the "Sleepy Joe" nickname Trump gave Biden and his ads showing Biden stumbling over remarks, polling suggests Biden – not Trump – has the edge on fitness among voters.
Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
As the two septuagenarians battle it out, a poll July 2 from Monmouth University found 52% of voters said they believe Biden has the mental and physical stamina to be president versus 45% for Trump.
More troubling for the president, Biden has moved ahead among voters 65 or older in several national surveys, including a significant 14-point advantage in a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, helping propel him to double-digit leads nationally. Trump won seniors by 7 percentage points in 2016 over Hillary Clinton, according to exit polls, with white senior voters a key part of his coalition.
"It can certainly backfire among senior voters, and it's not something you want to do when you're already starting to lose their votes," said Todd Belt, professor and political management program director at George Washington University. "We've seen a big shift in the over-65 population moving towards Biden. This isn't a really good strategy to win them back."
In a Biden campaign memo earlier this month, deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield sought to debunk each of Trump's attacks. Bedingfield said ample polling shows “voters aren’t buying Trump’s smear” and have concerns about Trump’s own fitness to lead the country.
"Trump literally suggested Americans inject disinfectant to cure COVID-19," she said
More: Exclusive USA TODAY poll: Biden widens his lead, but Trump keeps the edge on enthusiasm
Trump pays big for TV ads attacking Biden as 'clearly diminished'
Biden's gains with seniors come as the coronavirus pandemic, which puts seniors disproportionately at risk, has dominated the campaign since March and caused the president to slide in polling. Trump has pushed for the country to reopen even as more than half of states are experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases.
As Trump wages a culture war seeking to tie Biden to protesters who have targeted Confederate monuments and efforts to "defund the police," Biden's mental fitness remains part of the GOP campaign's playbook.
More: Trump accuses protesters who tear down statues of wanting to 'wipe out our history' in Mount Rushmore speech
A Trump television ad that aired in 12 states and the District of Columbia shows Biden struggling to finish sentences and forgetting his thoughts. "Sometimes I wake up and think it's 1920," Biden is shown saying in comments that are taken out of context. The video cuts off Biden before he went on to say that by 1920, he meant the way civility has disappeared in politics.
"Joe Biden is slipping," a narrator in the ad says. "Now at the age of 77 years old and running for president for the third time, Biden is clearly diminished. Joe Biden does not have the strength, stamina and mental fortitude required to lead this country."
In an interview with Fox News that aired Sunday, Trump continued the attack, saying he doesn't think Biden is "senile," but he is "not competent to be president."
The charges mirror those in the 2016 election, when Trump regularly criticized the "stamina" and physical health of Clinton.
In past election cycles, such attack ads might come from an outside super PAC unaffiliated with the campaign. But the Trump campaign paid for the ad.
The Associated Press, citing research from Advertising Analytics, reported the Trump campaign has spent more to air the "Biden is slipping" ad – $6.5 million – than any other so far in the campaign. That includes in the battleground states of Arizona and Florida, home to large senior populations.
Senior voters, aging advocacy group weigh in on strategy
Peter Kaldes, president and CEO of the American Society on Aging, in a statement on the advertising said, "Like racism, ageism devalues human life." He said using "ageist stereotypes" is a "dubious campaign tactic," noting that older Americans vote at substantially higher rates than younger adults.
"Ageist stereotypes in political campaign advertising not only perpetuates the myth that you can judge someone just by the number of years they've been alive, but it implies that there is a shame to being an older adult," said Kaldes, who was an economic adviser for President Barack Obama. He said his organization would like to see leaders recognize that aging adults are vital to U.S. democracy, not "weaponize ageism against them."
The AARP, which has 38 million senior members, and the National Council on Aging both declined to comment, citing practices of remaining nonpartisan.
A new digital ad from the Republican National Committee, promoted by Trump on Twitter, depicts a 3 a.m. phone call to the White House and warns, "Your vote will decide who answers that call." It shows Biden struggling to talk during a news conference and highlights critiques about Biden's abilities from Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, Democratic strategist David Axelrod and the media. "Unfit to lead," the ad concludes.
"Stupid," said Robert Summers, 81, a retired attorney from the St. Louis area, who said he objects to about everything Trump does. "I couldn't be any more more turned off."
Summers, who plans to vote for Biden, called Trump's strategy "insulting," adding, "You can get a pretty good idea from watching these people speak if they're OK or not." He said he has no concerns about Biden's mental capacity.
That's not a universal take among seniors, however.
Darcy Jones, a retired computer trainer and Trump supporter near Tampa, Florida, said Biden's age is a legitimate issue and she has concerns about his mental fitness. "People can see it for themselves," she said. She called it "obvious," pointing to his "scripted interviews" and accusing the Biden campaign of "hiding" Biden from greater scrutiny.
"Trump certainly has been criticized by just about everybody for his mental fitness," Jones, 67, said. "Even before he was selected as the nominee when he ran in 2016, people were already talking about him and his mental capacity. I think it's a valid issue."
Jeanmarie Meyer, 73, an attorney and legal consultant in Bend, Oregon, said the ads don't offend her.
"They're really not inconsistent with what I see Joe Biden himself do," said Meyer, who also plans to vote for Trump. "So I don't really feel like it's that much of a distortion. I don't think it's really necessary, but it doesn't bother me. Anybody paying attention and listening to Joe Biden sort of wonders if he's all there."
Fixation on Biden's mental fitness invites own critique
Trump was the oldest president in U.S. history at the time of their inauguration. Biden, who would claim that distinction if elected, often talks about his lifelong struggle with stuttering. He has acknowledged a penchant for misspeaking, calling himself a "gaffe machine." During the Democratic primary, he conflated stories, cited incorrect numbers and mixed up states where he was speaking.
In an appearance on the Sean Hannity show and in tweets, Trump encouraged his opponent to be tested for neurological impairment as he accused Biden of hiding his cognitive decline.
"He cannot pass the test I ‘aced’,” Trump tweeted this month, referring to a cognitive assessment for which his physician in 2018 said he received a perfect score. “He should give it a try!!!”
But the attacks on Biden have invited skepticism about Trump's own fitness, particularly after the president walked gingerly down a ramp at U.S. Military Academy at West Point in June and used both hands to drink a glass of water at the same event. Trump also has his own history of eyebrow-raising remarks.
The Biden campaign does not have any ads targeting Trump's mental or physical fitness.
But Biden supporters resurfaced a video from 2014 of former President Barack Obama and Biden, then vice president and 73 years old, jogging at the White House. Allies like The Lincoln Project, led by anti-Trump Republicans, have taken the lead questioning Trump's wellness in other online videos. Speaking at a campaign rally last month in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Trump devoted more than 14 minutes to defend his awkward ramp walk, explaining it was "like an ice skating rink."
More: 'It's time to do it': Trump vows to put 'a lot of pressure' on governors to reopen schools this fall
Belt said Trump's fixation on Biden's cognitive abilities is part of a larger effort to "throw all the spaghetti against the the wall and see what sticks." The president trails Biden in polling on personal qualities like trustworthiness, raising the stakes for Trump to create hesitation about Biden among voters.
Trump is searching for any way to make the election "a choice" between Biden and him, Belt said, rather than a referendum on his presidency.
"I don't know that this one is working too much. I anticipate we will see more on Hunter Biden, Burisma, probably more on China and tying Biden to some Obama policies," Belt said. "We're in the pre-stage here where he's trying to find a successful strategy that can start turning the tables."
More: ‘Grim resolve’: Biden is up big and the Senate is in sight, but Democrats still haunted by fear of letdown
Leslie Sanford, 71, an accountant from Grand Rapids, Michigan, called Trump's preoccupation on Biden's mental capability "lame."
"I don't think they have anything really strong to hang their hat on. I think they're grasping at straws," said Sanford, a self-described independent voter who plans to vote for Biden. "Being in that category myself," she said of her senior status, "as a group, it is pretty derogatory."
Biden's home-based campaign makes attack harder to land
Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said the Trump' campaign hopes that, because opinions on Biden aren't "fully formed," the strategy can "plant some doubts" about him.
But while Trump is overwhelmingly seen as having greater stamina by his political base, he said, the majority of voters disagree.
"Neither one of these candidates is seen by the vast majority of the public as fit for the job, but Biden definitely has an edge overall," Murray said.
More: Biden in the basement: Can campaigning from home work as Trump starts to travel?
Biden was asked June 30 whether he has been tested for cognitive decline during his first news conference in three months after a speech in Wilmington, Delaware.
"I've been tested and I'm constantly tested," Biden said. "Look, all you got to do is watch me, and I can hardly wait to compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I'm running against."
A Biden campaign official clarified to USA TODAY that Biden was referring to the toll of the campaign as being "constantly tested," not a scientific cognitive assessment.
Complicating his pursuit to paint Biden as mentally unfit: The coronavirus pandemic has enabled Biden to run his campaign almost entirely from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, which Murray said has limited the opportunities for gaffes. His speeches, usually one or two a week, have been confined to Delaware or next-door Pennsylvania.
"Right now it doesn't look like it's particularly working," Murray said of Trump's campaign to cast Biden as mentally unfit for office, "and part of it is that we aren't seeing Biden on the trail one way or the other. So the voters they're targeting don't have anything to judge it on, whether it's true or false. Therefore it's just kind of falling flat."
If the attack on Biden is not supported by events on the campaign trail, he said, that opens Trump up to a "countercharge" that his campaign must be careful about.
"That's the danger here right now (for Trump)," Murray said.
Richard Diamond, 68, a Biden supporter, who provides equipment services for hair salons in the Atlanta area, said Trump's attacks are fair game, but it "doesn't matter."
He defended Biden's experience and posed the question of fitness back at the president.
"I think Donald Trump at 35 was unfit to be president, and he's 74 now and he's more unfit.
"With Biden, he's knows what he's doing. If he stumbles on a word or whatever, I don't think that's going to make a bit of difference being president of the United States."
Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.