usatoday--2020-07-20--Roger Stone uses racial slur in radio interview about Trump's commutation of his sentence

Roger Stone , whose prison sentence for lying to Congress and witness tampering was commuted this month by President Donald Trump , called a Black radio host a `` Negro '' during a contentious interview Saturday .
During the interview , Morris O ’ Kelly , the host of the Los Angeles-based `` Mo'Kelly Show , '' confronted Stone about Trump 's decision to commute his sentence .
Trump and Stone are longtime friends , and Stone was convicted for obstructing the investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives interfering in the 2016 election .
Critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smacked of corruption , appearing to reward the president 's rally for refusing to cooperate with investigators .
And O'Kelly asked Stone about that appearance of impropriety on Saturday .
Stone insisted he had been convicted by a jury `` of my political opponents '' and not his peers , in what he characterized as a biased trial .
Stone sentence commuted : Trump grants clemency to ally Roger Stone after railing against 'unfair ' conviction , sentencing '' There are thousands of people treated unfairly daily .
How your number just happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am guessing it was more than just luck , Roger , right ? ''
O '' Kelly asked .
`` I do n't really feel like arguing with this Negro , '' Stone appears to say .
That portion of the interview is less clear because Stone does not seem to speak directly into the phone at that moment .
`` I 'm sorry , what was that ?
Roger ? ''
O'Kelly asked during a long period of silence on Stone 's end .
`` Would you not like to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You 're back , '' Stone said after the pause , implying he had lost his connection .
When asked by O'Kelly about his comment , Stone denied it and told the host , `` You 're out of your mind . ''
Later , Stone said Trump 's commutation was `` as an act of compassion '' and `` an act of mercy '' because his `` life was in imminent danger '' from the threat of COVID-19 .
At one time , `` Negro '' was common in the American vernacular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 1960s , however , the word was scorned by activists in favor of such descriptors as `` Black '' .
These days , the antiquated word is widely viewed as derogatory in most uses .
After the interview , Stone variously denied using the term , denied the term was racist and implied the comment had been captured from another conversation as a result of the signal being crossed .
In a statement , Stone said `` I despise racism '' and that O'Kelly `` needs a good peroxide cleaning of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time did I call him a Negro . ''
`` That said , Mr. O ’ Kelly needs to spend a little more time studying black history and institutions .
The word Negro is far from a slur , '' he added , noting the United Negro College Fund continues to use the term .
In a statement to the Christian Broadcasting Network , Stone claimed `` the entire exchange is garbled with cross talk , '' though the audio of the interview is quite clear .
`` I could hear another radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the guy comes up with an accusation , '' Stone said , calling it a `` cheap shot . ''
He pointed to his support for the Voting Rights Act and affirmative action , as well as his opposition to the war on drugs , as evidence that he was not racist .
O'Kelly was not persuaded by Stone 's denials .
`` I heard what I heard .
The audio is the audio , '' O'Kelly tweeted Saturday after the show .
`` Who are you going to believe , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tweet on Sunday night.
`` Are you going to believe the radio host with an impeccable professional history with the rock solid audio ... Or the guy convicted on 7 felony counts of lying to congress and witness tampering ?
Choose wisely . ''

Roger Stone uses racial slur in radio interview about Trump's commutation of his sentence
Show Caption Hide Caption Pres. Trump says he's getting 'rave reviews' for commuting Roger Stone's sentence Pres. Trump says he's getting "rave reviews" for his decision to commute the prison sentence of longtime ally Roger Stone. AP Domestic
Roger Stone, whose prison sentence for lying to Congress and witness tampering was commuted this month by President Donald Trump, called a Black radio host a "Negro" during a contentious interview Saturday.
During the interview, Morris O’Kelly, the host of the Los Angeles-based "Mo'Kelly Show," confronted Stone about Trump's decision to commute his sentence. Trump and Stone are longtime friends, and Stone was convicted for obstructing the investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives interfering in the 2016 election.
Critics said the commutation of Stone's sentence smacked of corruption, appearing to reward the president's rally for refusing to cooperate with investigators. And O'Kelly asked Stone about that appearance of impropriety on Saturday.
Stone insisted he had been convicted by a jury "of my political opponents" and not his peers, in what he characterized as a biased trial.
Stone sentence commuted: Trump grants clemency to ally Roger Stone after railing against 'unfair' conviction, sentencing
Who are you going to believe, who is more credible?
Are you going to believe the radio host with an impeccable professional history with the rock solid audio...
Or the guy convicted on 7 felony counts of lying to congress and witness tampering?
Choose wisely.#RogerStone — Mr. Mo'Kelly 🎙 (@MrMokelly) July 20, 2020
"There are thousands of people treated unfairly daily. How your number just happened to come up in the lottery. I am guessing it was more than just luck, Roger, right?" O"Kelly asked.
"I don't really feel like arguing with this Negro," Stone appears to say. That portion of the interview is less clear because Stone does not seem to speak directly into the phone at that moment.
"I'm sorry, what was that? Roger?" O'Kelly asked during a long period of silence on Stone's end. "Would you not like to continue the conversation, sir?"
"You're back," Stone said after the pause, implying he had lost his connection.
When asked by O'Kelly about his comment, Stone denied it and told the host, "You're out of your mind."
Later, Stone said Trump's commutation was "as an act of compassion" and "an act of mercy" because his "life was in imminent danger" from the threat of COVID-19.
At one time, "Negro" was common in the American vernacular to describe African Americans. By the late 1960s, however, the word was scorned by activists in favor of such descriptors as "Black".
THIS JUST IN: in response to the accusation that #RogerStone used a racial slur during an interview with an African-American Radio Host, Stone tells me, “I said nothing of the kind.” Calls it a, “cheap shot” and a, “smear by a left wing radio host.” Full comments here. pic.twitter.com/klrvWQAnQx — David Brody (@DavidBrodyCBN) July 19, 2020
These days, the antiquated word is widely viewed as derogatory in most uses.
After the interview, Stone variously denied using the term, denied the term was racist and implied the comment had been captured from another conversation as a result of the signal being crossed.
In a statement, Stone said "I despise racism" and that O'Kelly "needs a good peroxide cleaning of the wax in his ears because at no time did I call him a Negro."
"That said, Mr. O’Kelly needs to spend a little more time studying black history and institutions. The word Negro is far from a slur," he added, noting the United Negro College Fund continues to use the term.
In a statement to the Christian Broadcasting Network, Stone claimed "the entire exchange is garbled with cross talk," though the audio of the interview is quite clear.
"I could hear another radio who in my ear and then suddenly the guy comes up with an accusation," Stone said, calling it a "cheap shot."
He pointed to his support for the Voting Rights Act and affirmative action, as well as his opposition to the war on drugs, as evidence that he was not racist.
O'Kelly was not persuaded by Stone's denials.
"I heard what I heard. The audio is the audio," O'Kelly tweeted Saturday after the show.
"I am nobody's NEGRO."
"Who are you going to believe, who is more credible?" O'Kelly asked in a tweet on Sunday night. " Are you going to believe the radio host with an impeccable professional history with the rock solid audio ... Or the guy convicted on 7 felony counts of lying to congress and witness tampering? Choose wisely."
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-07-21--'The timing is right for reparations': Cities propose reparations amid nationwide unrest

WASHINGTON — Against the backdrop of protests across the country over police shootings of unarmed Black people and racial disparities , some mayors and local officials are proposing ways to examine the impact of slavery and help atone for it , including reparations .
From Providence to Asheville , N.C. , local officials have proposed measures to begin to address years of what they call injustices in their communities .
The measures range from resolutions to support studying reparations to proposals funneling more funds into programs for Black communities .
“ It ’ s always the right time to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Jorge Elorza , noting the social unrest sparked by the May death of George Floyd , a Black man in Minneapolis who died in police custody .
“ There is an appetite and an urgency to make the most of this moment and make sure there is real structural change that comes out of it.
” Supporters believe there is some momentum for reparations - at least discussions - in the wake of recent civil unrest , but acknowledge there is fierce opposition .
No country has given monetary compensation to African @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts said .
Opponents of reparations , including some Senate Republicans , argue they would cost too much and determining who would be eligible for payments would be difficult .
They also say Americans should not be held responsible for slavery or its consequences .
Some experts believe the push for reparations may have to come from local leaders .
“ It ’ s really local activists and local actors , members of city councils… who are empowered in ways in their small communities to do things and to act outside of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation would do , '' said Niambi Carter , a political scientist at Howard University .
More : The US is grappling with its history of slavery .
The blueprint for dealing with it ?
Some say Brown University Former Brown University president Ruth Simmons talked with USA TODAY 's Deborah Barfield Berry about slavery 's role in Brown 's history .
Listen below Last week Providence officials pledged some form of reparations for Black people , indigenous people and people of color .
Elorza , Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune and community leaders created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconciliation and municipal reparations.
” The order requires Providence to seek the truth about the city and state ’ s role in slavery ; promote community discussions around racial injustice and determine what policies and programs would reverse the harms of slavery and genocide .
Elorza said officials have not determined what kind of reparations the city will provide , but he ’ s open to ideas .
Still , Elorza said Providence can ’ t bear the entire burden of paying reparations to its Black residents .
He called for all levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials in Asheville have also promised reparations for Black residents .
The city council voted last week to provide reparations by investing in marginalized Black communities .
The city plans to prioritize efforts such as increasing minority home ownership and access to other affordable housing ; increasing minority business ownership and career opportunities ; closing the gap in healthcare , education , employment and pay ; and reforming the criminal justice system so it is equitable .
City leaders say they would like to create paths to generational wealth for Black people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will create a plan for funding these efforts within the next year .
“ I think with every major civil rights movement there has been major laws made and policies created , '' she said .
`` We have to do what 's in our will power and what is imaginable for us to do . ''
The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America praised Asheville and Providence for leading the effort .
Kenniss Henry , the group 's legislative commission co-chair , said the plans are “ long overdue.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach because one of the issues that has to be dealt within the Black community… is that of the wealth gap , it ’ s so wide , ” Henry said .
'Timing is right for reparations' Only a few local governments have passed reparations measures , including the California Assembly which approved a plan last month to create a task force to study how reparations would be implemented .
Officials in Durham , North Carolina recently approved a resolution supporting national action .
In his first act as president of the U.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greg Fischer , who took over July 1 , proposed a resolution to support a reparations bill introduced by Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey .
“ The timing is right for reparations discussions , ’ ’ said Fischer , noting the nation ’ s history of discrimination .
“ So much of it has roots in the history of our country and I ’ m hoping people are starting to grapple with that , white Americans in particular , '' The conference hasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should look like .
“ There should be more interest in this than ever , ” Fischer said .
The push for reparations dates back hundreds of years .
But this most recent push involves more white people and some of them asking specifically what Black people want , said Keneshia Grant , a political scientist at Howard University .
“ Black people are being clear about the things that they want and reparations comes up as a potential catch-all , ’ ’ she said .
Several Democratic presidential candidates touted support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study conducted by the Pew Research Center this year , 63 % of Americans believe the legacy of slavery continues to affect the position of Black people today .
Up until this point in the U.S. , colleges and universities , including Brown University and Georgetown , have led the way in acknowledging their institution ’ s connection to slavery and funding programs to study slavery and its impact .
“ We ’ ve never tried anything that looks like reconciliation , reparation , restitution in this country , never , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States has had over a century and a half to get this done and to make this wrong right - and it hasn ’ t . ''
William Darity , an expert and professor at Duke University , said reparations for Black American descendants of U.S. slavery , should fall to the federal government , which has more resources and has long sanctioned discrimination .
`` The federal government is the culpable party , and as a matter of principle should foot the bill for reparations , '' he wrote in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal government also is the only entity that can meet the bill . ''
Darity said reparations should eliminate the racial wealth gap between Blacks and whites , which he estimates would cost $ 10 trillion to $ 12 trillion .
And while Darity said he does n't oppose local efforts , he does n't think they should be `` piecemeal '' or should be called reparations .
He said officials should form a coalition to push Congress to adopt a comprehensive national plan .
Much of the debate has been over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have pushed for cash payments to descendants of enslaved Africans .
Others have lobbied to put more money into programs that help Black communities .
Much of the resistance has been to cash payments , experts said .
“ We got so caught up with this idea of giving people money and all the ways this could be mishandled and abused and misused that we have not thought broadly enough about the range of possibility , ’ ’ said Carter .
More : Reparations bill gets new attention amid BLM .
Could other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rep. John Conyers , a Democrat from Michigan , had introduced a reparations bill every session since 1989 .
It never passed .
Last spring Jackson Lee and Booker , then a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate , re-introduced legislation to create a commission to study reparation proposals .
It does not propose remedies .
The bill H.R .
40 is named after the “ 40 acres and a mule ’ ’ the federal government 's failed promised to millions of freed men and women .
Jackson Lee said people need to understand “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labor.
’ ’ She called the recent efforts by local officials `` powerful . ''
`` It is government recognizing the failure of government to the descendants of enslaved Africans and taking it upon themselves , as a government , to be the remedy , '' she said .
Last summer the bill was supported by some Democratic Senate leaders .
And for the first time there was a subcommittee hearing on the bill last June .
Ten more Democratic lawmakers recently signed onto the bill .
Jackson Lee is pushing for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House Judiciary Committee .
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said he doesn ’ t think reparations is “ a good idea.
” And President Donald Trump has also said he doesn ’ t see it happening .
Fischer said he hopes members of Congress will act on the reparations bill .
“ If not , they ’ re deaf to what ’ s happening in our country right now , ” he said .
“ If the will of the people changes , a lot of these folks become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hope you have to have with any kind of movement .
”

Deborah Barfield Berry and Nicquel Terry Ellis, USA TODAY

'The timing is right for reparations': Cities propose reparations amid nationwide unrest
Show Caption Hide Caption Could Black Americans get reparations for centuries of slavery? Lawmakers have been trying to pass reparation bills for descendants of slaves. Here's why it's taken so long - and how it might work. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Against the backdrop of protests across the country over police shootings of unarmed Black people and racial disparities, some mayors and local officials propose ways to examine the impact of slavery and help atone for it, including reparations.
From Providence, Rhode Island, to Asheville, North Carolina, officials have proposed measures to begin to address years of what they call injustices in their communities. The measures range from resolutions to support studying reparations to proposals to funnel more funds into programs for Black communities.
“It’s always the right time to do the right thing,” Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza said, noting the social unrest that followed the death of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis who died in police custody May 25. “There is an appetite and an urgency to make the most of this moment and make sure there is real structural change that comes out of it.”
Supporters say there is some momentum for reparations – at least discussions – in the wake of civil unrest, but they acknowledge there is fierce opposition. No country has given monetary compensation to African descendants of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, experts said.
Opponents of reparations, including some Senate Republicans, argue they would cost too much and determining who would be eligible for payments would be difficult. They say Americans should not be held responsible for slavery or its consequences.
Some experts said the push for reparations may have to come from local leaders.
“It’s really local activists and local actors, members of city councils … who are empowered in ways in their small communities to do things and to act outside of what the state would do and even the nation would do,'' said Niambi Carter, a political scientist at Howard University.
The US is grappling with its history of slavery. The blueprint for dealing with it? Some say Brown University
Former Brown University president Ruth Simmons talked with USA TODAY's Deborah Barfield Berry about slavery's role in Brown's history. Listen below
Asheville a model
Last week, Providence officials pledged some form of reparations for Black people, indigenous people and people of color.
Elorza, Councilwoman Nirva LaFortune and community leaders created an executive order promising “truth, reconciliation and municipal reparations.”
The order requires Providence to seek the truth about the city and state’s role in slavery; promote community discussions around racial injustice; and determine what policies and programs would reverse the harms of slavery and genocide.
Elorza said officials have not determined what kind of reparations the city will provide, but he’s open to ideas.
Elorza said Providence can’t bear the entire burden of paying reparations to its Black residents. He called for all levels of government to join the effort.
The Asheville City Council voted last week to provide reparations by investing in marginalized Black communities.
The city plans to prioritize efforts such as increasing minority homeownership and access to other affordable housing; increasing minority business ownership and career opportunities; closing the gap in health care, education, employment and pay; and changing the criminal justice system so it is equitable. City leaders said they would like to create paths to generational wealth for Black people.
City Councilwoman Sheneika Smith said they will create a plan for funding these efforts within the next year.
“I think with every major civil rights movement, there has been major laws made and policies created," she said. "We have to do what's in our willpower and what is imaginable for us to do."
The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America praised Asheville and Providence for leading the effort.
Kenniss Henry, the group's legislative commission co-chair, said the plans are “long overdue.”
“I think Asheville has the right approach because one of the issues that has to be dealt with in the Black community … is that of the wealth gap; it’s so wide,” Henry said.
'Timing is right for reparations'
Only a few local governments have passed reparations measures, including the California Assembly, which approved a plan last month to create a task force to study how reparations would be implemented. Officials in Durham, North Carolina, approved a resolution supporting national action.
In his first act as president of the U. S. Conference of Mayors, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, who took over July 1, proposed a resolution to support a reparations bill introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.
“The timing is right for reparations discussions,’’ Fischer said, noting the nation’s history of discrimination. “So much of it has roots in the history of our country, and I’m hoping people are starting to grapple with that, white Americans in particular."
The conference hasn’t taken a position on what reparations should look like.
“There should be more interest in this than ever,” Fischer said.
Providence mayor launches reparations process Providence, Rhode Island Mayor Jorge Elorza is looking at providing reparations to residents of African and Native American heritage. On Wednesday he signed an executive order that would examine the feasibility of providing such reparations. (July 16) AP
A historic opportunity
The push for reparations dates back hundreds of years.
This most recent push involves more white people, and some of them ask specifically what Black people want, said Keneshia Grant, a political scientist at Howard University.
“Black people are being clear about the things that they want, and reparations comes up as a potential catch-all,” she said.
Several Democratic presidential candidates touted support for reparations last year. According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center this year, 63% of Americans say the legacy of slavery continues to affect the position of Black people.
Up until this point in the USA, colleges and universities, including Brown University and Georgetown, have led the way in acknowledging their institutions' connection to slavery and funding programs to study slavery and its impact.
“We’ve never tried anything that looks like reconciliation, reparation, restitution in this country, never,” Carter said. “Quite frankly, the United States has had over a century and a half to get this done and to make this wrong right – and it hasn’t."
William Darity, a professor at Duke University, said reparations for Black American descendants of U.S. slavery should fall to the federal government, which has more resources and has long sanctioned discrimination.
"The federal government is the culpable party, and as a matter of principle should foot the bill for reparations,'' he wrote in an email to USA TODAY. "But the federal government also is the only entity that can meet the bill."
Darity said reparations should eliminate the racial wealth gap between Blacks and whites, which he estimates would cost $10 trillion to $12 trillion.
Darity said that although he doesn't oppose local efforts, they shouldn't be "piecemeal" or called reparations. He said officials should form a coalition to push Congress to adopt a comprehensive national plan.
Much of the debate has been over what reparations would look like. Some have pushed for cash payments to descendants of enslaved Africans. Others have lobbied to put more money into programs that help Black communities.
Much of the resistance has been to cash payments, experts said.
“We got so caught up with this idea of giving people money and all the ways this could be mishandled and abused and misused that we have not thought broadly enough about the range of possibility,” Carter said.
Reparations bill gets new attention amid BLM. Could other nations provide a blueprint?
‘Stain on its history’
Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., introduced a reparations bill in every session since 1989. It never passed, and Conyers died last October.
In the spring, Jackson Lee and Booker, then a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, reintroduced legislation that would create a commission to study reparation proposals. It does not propose remedies.
The bill H.R. 40 is named after the “40 acres and a mule” the federal government's failed promised to millions of freed men and women.
Jackson Lee said people need to understand “the nation was built on free slave labor.”
More: Ta-Nehisi Coates, Danny Glover call for slavery reparations before Congress
She called the efforts by local officials "powerful."
"It is government recognizing the failure of government to the descendants of enslaved Africans and taking it upon themselves, as a government, to be the remedy,'' she said.
Last summer, the bill was supported by some Democratic Senate leaders. For the first time, there was a subcommittee hearing on the bill last June.
Ten more Democratic lawmakers signed onto the bill. Jackson Lee is pushing for a hearing and a vote on the bill in the House Judiciary Committee.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he doesn’t think reparations are “a good idea.” President Donald Trump said he doesn’t see it happening.
Fischer said he hopes members of Congress will act on the reparations bill.
“If not, they’re deaf to what’s happening in our country right now,” he said. “If the will of the people changes, a lot of these folks become adaptable. That’s the kind of hope you have to have with any kind of movement.”


usatoday--2020-07-21--What we know about Joe Biden's vice presidential running mate announcement

WASHINGTON – As the month begins to wind down , so does Joe Biden ’ s search for a running mate .
The former vice president ’ s search for his own Joe Biden has been underway for several months .
But there have been few updates on the process since he announced his vice presidential selection committee on April 30 .
One thing we do know ?
The running mate will be a woman .
At the final Democratic primary debate between Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders in March , Biden committed to having a woman on the presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had roughly a dozen women the campaign was considering .
Here ’ s what we know about Biden ’ s vice presidential search : Biden has said that he hopes to name his vice presidential running mate around Aug. 1 .
Last week , Biden told an Arizona news station that his team is conducting background checks that should be done in the next week to 10 days .
Biden added he himself plans to interview the remaining candidates .
`` First thing I want to make sure is I have somebody – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capable of being president of the United States if something happens , '' Biden told 12 News , an NBC affiliate based in Phoenix , Arizona .
Biden ’ s pick will likely be announced before the Democratic National Convention scheduled for mid-August .
The Biden campaign declined to offer an update on the timeframe for a decision .
More : Biden says he ’ s had intel briefings , warns of vote meddling Who is still in the running ?
Although there were around a dozen women initially on Biden 's list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has reportedly narrowed .
Several names have come to the forefront over the past couple of weeks as the protests seeking justice for George Floyd , a Minnesota man who died in police custody , have continued across the county .
Sen. Kamala Harris , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , Rep. Val Demings of Florida , former National Security Advisor Susan Rice , Sen. Tammy Duckworth and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham have all been reported as top candidates on the former vice president 's short list .
Biden on Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joy Reid said that there are four Black women are under consideration to be his running mate , but declined to name the women .
He also said that four women have already been vetted and the list will narrow once the process has been completed .
At the same time , several possible candidates have taken their name out of the running .
Poll : Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by 15 points , his widest margin this year Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota in June said she would remove her name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket . ''
`` If you want to heal this nation right now – my party , yes , but our nation – this is sure a hell of a way to do it , '' Klobuchar said on MSNBC .
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada , who was reportedly in Biden 's `` top 3 '' as a running mate , said in late May that she was taking herself out of the running .
“ It is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running mate , but I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration , '' she said in a statement .
Does the running mate choice even matter ?
Vice presidential picks have been often been seen as bringing a strength where the top of the ticket has a weakness , whether that 's influence in a certain battleground state or the ability to attract voters from different age groups .
However , it 's rare that the vice presidential choice is seen as heavily influencing voters .
( Lyndon B. Johnson is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did help the top of the ticket , when John F. Kennedy ended up winning Texas , Johnson 's home state . )
But this year , Biden 's choice for the vice presidential pick is being closely looked at by several different voting blocs .
Biden is being pressed by several groups to choose a running mate who is a woman of color .
Most recently , the advocacy group She The People outlined concerns about Biden 's outreach to women of color , particularly in battleground states .
One way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bloc , was for Biden to pick a woman of color as his running mate , a recent She the People memo stated .
'Wake up call ' : Prominent group warns Biden campaign that it 's falling short on outreach to women of color “ For me , a woman of color is a must , ’ ’ said Aimee Allison , founder and president of She the People .
“ We have a deep bench.
” Black women , in particular , have said they would like to see a Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are historically one of the Democratic Party 's most loyal voting blocs .
`` We are demanding a return on our voting investment in 2020 , '' Glynda Carr , president and CEO of Higher Heights for America , which works to get Black women elected into office , told USA TODAY earlier this year .
`` That is in the form of policies that directly center Black women in our family , and it is about us having seats at all decision-making tables . ''
Biden during Monday 's MSNBC interview did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman as a running mate .
“ I am not committed to naming any but the people I ’ ve named , and among them are four Black women , ” Biden said .
He added that `` Black women have supported me my entire career . ''
“ You all act like all of a sudden there was an epiphany in South Carolina , '' he said , referencing his primary win that revived his campaign and sent him on the path to dominant Super Tuesday .

What we know about Joe Biden's plans to announce his running mate
Show Caption Hide Caption Joe Biden's vice presidential candidate: 6 possibilities The former vice president will soon begin the process of selecting a running mate as the Democratic primary nears its end. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – As the month begins to wind down, so does Joe Biden’s search for a running mate.
The former vice president’s search for his own Joe Biden has been underway for several months. But there have been few updates on the process since he announced his vice presidential selection committee on April 30.
One thing we do know: The running mate will be a woman. At the final Democratic primary debate between Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders in March, Biden committed to having a woman on the presidential ticket, and at one point he reportedly had roughly a dozen women the campaign was considering.
Here’s what we know about Biden’s vice presidential search:
Announcement expected in early August
Biden has said he hopes to name his running mate around Aug. 1.
Last week, Biden told an Arizona news station his team is doing background checks that should be complete in the next week to 10 days. Biden added he himself plans to interview the remaining candidates.
"First thing I want to make sure is I have somebody – and I think they all are – capable of being president of the United States if something happens," Biden told 12 News, an NBC affiliate based in Phoenix.
Biden’s pick will likely be announced before the Democratic National Convention scheduled for mid-August.
The Biden campaign declined to offer an update on the time frame for a decision.
More: Biden says he’s had intel briefings, warns of vote meddling
Who is still in the running?
Although there were about a dozen women initially on Biden's list of possible running mates, that list has reportedly narrowed. Several names have come to the forefront over the past couple of weeks as the protests seeking justice for George Floyd, a Minnesota man who died in police custody, have continued across the county.
Sen. Kamala Harris, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Rep. Val Demings of Florida, former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Sen. Tammy Duckworth and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham have been reported as top candidates on the former vice president's short list.
Monday evening during an interview with MSNBC's Joy Reid, Biden said four Black women are under consideration, but he declined to name the women.
He also said four women have already been vetted, and the list will narrow once the process has been completed.
At the same time, several possible candidates have taken their name out of the running.
Poll: Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by 15 points, his widest margin this year
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said in June that she would remove her name from consideration, saying "I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket."
"If you want to heal this nation right now – my party, yes, but our nation – this is sure a hell of a way to do it," Klobuchar said on MSNBC.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, who was reportedly in Biden's "top 3" as a running mate, said in late May that she was taking herself out of the running.
“It is an honor to be considered as a potential running mate, but I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration," she said in a statement.
Biden pitches agenda to Black trade unions Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden laid out his agenda for racial and economic justice during an online event with Black trade unionists, telling them "you'll never have a more union friendly president, if I get elected." (July 15) AP
Does the running mate choice even matter?
Vice presidential picks have been often been seen as bringing a strength where the top of the ticket has a weakness, whether that's influence in a certain battleground state or the ability to attract voters from different age groups. However, it's rare that the vice presidential choice is seen as heavily influencing voters. (Lyndon B. Johnson is often cited as a running mate who did help the top of the ticket when John F. Kennedy ended up winning Texas, Johnson's home state.)
But this year, Biden's choice is being closely examined by several voting blocs.
Biden is being pressed by several groups to choose a running mate who is a woman of color. Most recently, the advocacy group She The People outlined concerns about Biden's outreach to women of color, particularly in battleground states. One way to help gain support among the crucial voting bloc was for Biden to pick a woman of color as his running mate, a recent She the People memo stated.
'Wake up call': Prominent group warns Biden campaign that it's falling short on outreach to women of color
“For me, a woman of color is a must,’’ said Aimee Allison, founder and president of She the People. “We have a deep bench.”
Black women, in particular, have said they would like to see a Black woman as vice president. Black women are historically one of the Democratic Party's most loyal voting blocs.
"We are demanding a return on our voting investment in 2020," Glynda Carr, president and CEO of Higher Heights for America, which works to get Black women elected into office, told USA TODAY earlier this year. "That is in the form of policies that directly center Black women in our family, and it is about us having seats at all decision-making tables."
During Monday's MSNBC interview, Biden didn't fully commit to picking a Black woman as a running mate.
“I am not committed to naming any but the people I’ve named, and among them are four Black women,” Biden said.
He added that "Black women have supported me my entire career."
“You all act like all of a sudden there was an epiphany in South Carolina," he said, referencing his primary win that revived his campaign and sent him on the path to dominate Super Tuesday.


usatoday--2020-07-21--Fall without football would cost billions to colleges, NFL, TV networks, local economies

All this week , USA TODAY Sports will examine the possibility of a fall without football , and what that would mean in a country where the sport is king .
In the world of sports , there is simply no cash cow like football .
At the professional and major college level , it is the fulcrum upon which tens of billions of dollars shift , churning out revenue for NFL owners , athletic departments , television partners , sports books and more .
In some instances , the sport can serve as a seasonal engine for an entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to that economic machinery if football could n't be played in the fall ?
For NFL teams and major college athletics departments , the financial implications of such a move would be staggering , far-reaching and compounded by unknowns .
If COVID-19 wiped out play in the fall , could the season take place in the spring ?
How would a fall without football impact television partners and corporate sponsors ?
And how do you maintain operations when cash is only flowing out ?
For Power Five athletics directors like Washington State 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far-fetched .
`` In this COVID environment , the world seems to change every 24 , 48 hours – definitely week by week , '' Chun said .
`` There are so many hard decisions , and so many layers to every decision you make . ''
While a fall without football would have multi-billion dollar impacts for the NFL , television networks and sponsors , among other entities , the potential ripple effects at the college level are more complex .
In the Football Bowl Subdivision , the absence of a fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an abbreviated spring season , or no season at all .
Athletics directors must be prepared for either eventuality .
So , too , do local college towns , where multiple sectors of the economy might rely upon football Saturdays .
In a recent survey funded by the Texas A & M provost ’ s office and conducted by the university ’ s Private Enterprise Research Center and the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce , for example , just over half of responding businesses said more than 20 % of their current revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students , events or activities .
“ I will tell you anecdotally that if you move football to ( this ) spring , while it may look the same on a one-year financial statement , there will be people not in business by spring , ” Chamber president and CEO Glen Brewer said .
“ It will put people out of business .
That is not an exaggeration .
There ’ s no doubt about it.
” According to a USA TODAY Sports analysis of schools ' financial reports to the NCAA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Five conferences have at least $ 4.1 billion in fiscal-year revenue tied to football -- which is more than 60 % of their athletics departments ' combined total annual operating revenues , based on amounts reported for the 2019 fiscal year .
Unlike professional franchises with mega-rich owners , college athletics departments are parts of universities that are in the midst of massive financial problems caused by the pandemic .
Some athletics departments have reserve funds that can help them get by for a while .
But a survey this spring by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the NCAA ’ s 130 Football Bowl Subdivision Schools – found that 54 of 95 respondents said their departments do not have such funds .
Borrowing money is a possibility , but athletics debt loads already are significant .
Among Power Five public school programs , the median athletically-related facilities debt service payment was $ 10.6 million in fiscal 2019 , according to school financial reports to the NCAA that USA TODAY Sports compiled in partnership with Syracuse University ’ s S.I .
Newhouse School of Public Communications .
Ultimately this means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` everything 's on the table as far as expense mitigation , '' according to Houston athletics director Chris Pezman .
`` We want to take care of our student-athletes and support services for them from all aspects , from academics to nutrition to training to sports medicine , '' he said .
`` But less active areas of our department would have to be looked at .
More administrative and operational areas that do n't affect our student-athletes are all going to be under review . ''
For some athletics departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off employees .
It could mean negotiating , or extending , temporary pay reductions for well-paid coaches .
And in some cases , it could mean eliminating entire sports .
If football can not be played this fall , it is all but certain that schools would make an attempt to stage a season in the spring .
But a spring season would likely create hiccups in cash flow , among other issues .
Schools would likely not play a full 12-game regular season in the spring , for a variety of reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other commercial contracts .
Games in the spring would be less valuable to advertisers , who use the third and fourth quarters of the year to build promotions and momentum for the holiday shopping season , according to AJ Maestas , the CEO of Navigate , a Chicago-based firm that specializes in college and professional sports rights valuations .
In separate interviews , Boise State AD Curt Apsey , Colorado AD Rick George and Kansas State AD Gene Taylor each cited uncertainty about football TV-revenue impacts as a major difficulty in trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We are so used to having that revenue kind of already in the bank , '' Taylor explained .
There 's also attendance to consider .
Even in a spring scenario , stadium capacities might be heavily limited by social-distancing considerations .
At present , schools are holding hundreds of millions of dollars in football season-ticket money and seating-rights payments .
During the 2019 fiscal year , FBS public schools had nearly $ 1.1 billion in total football ticket sales , according to school financial reports .
`` In our case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been renewed and 80 % of our annual giving has already been received , '' Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione said .
`` The question is , what do those donors or ticket holders want in terms of their commitment in regards to those gifts or pledges ?
” OU is among many schools that are , or will be , asking customers to leave their money where it is , either as credit toward next season or as an outright donation .
Meanwhile , any discussion of no college football this fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no basketball during the fall semester – or perhaps until January .
While men ’ s basketball does not have nearly the financial impact that football does , it is athletics departments ’ other primary revenue source .
The NFL generates far more annual revenue than its major college counterparts , to the tune of approximately $ 16 billion last year , according to The Wall Street Journal .
While there 's more money at stake in the pros , sports economist and Smith College professor Andrew Zimbalist said the potential impact of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite as dramatic for NFL owners as it would be for college athletic departments – namely because owners have more money to cushion the blows .
According to Forbes , NFL teams carry valuations of $ 1.9 billion to $ 5.5 billion , and half of NFL owners have a personal net worth of $ 2.1 billion or more .
`` The problem ’ s not as bad because you ’ ve got a lot of very wealthy owners that are sitting on assets , '' Zimbalist said .
`` So if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one fall , they lose $ 300 million in a year , but they ’ ll be able to survive . ''
The math is slightly different for players , however – many of whom navigate injuries with each season , and are unable to amass wealth over the course of a long career .
That ’ s one of the reasons why the NFL and the NFL Players Association already have been engaged in negotiations about a wide range of issues , from health protocols to the potential impact of a decline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While their discussions have been rooted in the assumption that games will be played this season , they also could be viewed through the lens of what could happen if training camps begin but then a season does not .
“ If we had our preference , we would never want the players of this year – and to a certain extent next year – ( to ) unfairly bear the brunt of a massive decrease in revenue in football , ” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said in a conference call with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other major sports , depends on television deals for a substantial chunk of its revenue .
The league 's current deals with Fox , CBS , NBC and ESPN each bring in nine- or ten-figure sums annually .
And those networks , in turn , depend on NFL football for a substantial portion of their ad sales .
According to estimates from advertising measurement firm iSpot , NFL broadcasters sold more than $ 4.5 billion in ads during regular-season games last year alone .
The absence of a season , therefore , could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be nice short-term cash savings from eliminating annual rights payments , the hit to ratings , advertising and , thus , cord-cutting would be massively damaging , '' Michael Nathanson , a founding partner at research firm MoffettNathanson , wrote in a note to investors earlier this year .
`` We equated this trade-off to saving money on your next water bill as you watch your house burn down . ''
'Who knows what the new normal looks like ? '
Football 's influence extends across a wide range of business sectors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food and beverage , advertising , and , of course , gambling .
In towns like Green Bay , Wisconsin and Tuscaloosa , Alabama , a football-filled weekend is , in many ways , at the center of the local economy .
`` What an Alabama game brings to Tuscaloosa , it ’ s in the millions of dollars for that weekend alone , '' said David Carter , an associate professor of sports business at Southern California .
The loss of a fall football season could potentially have longer-term implications for businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the primary entities at every level .
The NFL and its television partners would feel the residual effects of a lost season not just this year , but for years to come .
At the college level , Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby ’ s worries not only about the fall , but also about the rest of the school year .
`` Nobody 's given us any assurances that this is a one-year problem , '' Bowlsby said .
`` All of our scientists and doctors are telling us that it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next 12 months – that the virus is going to be with us for a period of time and we 're going to have to learn to coexist .
And so , you know , who knows what the new normal looks like ?
” The NCAA and its member schools also remain under pressure from antitrust lawsuits pertaining to compensation limits for athletes .
In addition , they are trying to figure out – and bargain with state lawmakers and Congress about – rules changes regarding athletes ’ ability to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likeness .
A fall without football could give university administrators a preview of how their sports program fare when they simply can not spend as much as they have in recent years .
“ I think what ’ s going to happen is that athletic directors and college presidents are going to realize that there ’ s a lot of fat in these programs , ” Zimbalist said .
“ There ’ s a lot of waste .
And they ’ re going to try to clean it up .
...
So I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accelerate some of the changes that were in the pipeline anyways.
” Follow the reporters on Twitter at @ ByBerkowitz and @ Tom_Schad .

Steve Berkowitz and Tom Schad, USA TODAY

Fall without football would cost billions to colleges, NFL, TV networks, local economies
Show Caption Hide Caption Is football even possible during a pandemic? Is it worth it? SportsPulse: Between the huddles and collisions there's no escaping the fact that football is a sport that can't avoid close contact. We discuss if the sport is even feasible during a pandemic. USA TODAY
All this week, USA TODAY Sports will examine the possibility of a fall without football, and what that would mean in a country where the sport is king.
In the world of sports, there is simply no cash cow like football.
At the professional and major college level, it is the fulcrum upon which tens of billions of dollars shift, churning out revenue for NFL owners, athletic departments, television partners, sports books and more. In some instances, the sport can serve as a seasonal engine for an entire local economy.
But what would happen to that economic machinery if football couldn't be played in the fall?
For NFL teams and major college athletics departments, the financial implications of such a move would be staggering, far-reaching and compounded by unknowns. If COVID-19 wiped out play in the fall, could the season take place in the spring? How would a fall without football impact television partners and corporate sponsors? And how do you maintain operations when cash is only flowing out?
For Power Five athletics directors like Washington State's Pat Chun, such questions are hardly far-fetched.
"In this COVID environment, the world seems to change every 24, 48 hours – definitely week by week," Chun said. "There are so many hard decisions, and so many layers to every decision you make."
While a fall without football would have multi-billion dollar impacts for the NFL, television networks and sponsors, among other entities, the potential ripple effects at the college level are more complex.
In the Football Bowl Subdivision, the absence of a fall football season would likely translate either to an abbreviated spring season, or no season at all. Athletics directors must be prepared for either eventuality.
So, too, do local college towns, where multiple sectors of the economy might rely upon football Saturdays.
In a recent survey funded by the Texas A&M provost’s office and conducted by the university’s Private Enterprise Research Center and the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce, for example, just over half of responding businesses said more than 20% of their current revenue is related to Texas A&M students, events or activities.
“I will tell you anecdotally that if you move football to (this) spring, while it may look the same on a one-year financial statement, there will be people not in business by spring,” Chamber president and CEO Glen Brewer said. “It will put people out of business. That is not an exaggeration. There’s no doubt about it.”
'Everything's on the table'
According to a USA TODAY Sports analysis of schools' financial reports to the NCAA, the 50-plus public schools in the Power Five conferences have at least $4.1 billion in fiscal-year revenue tied to football -- which is more than 60% of their athletics departments' combined total annual operating revenues, based on amounts reported for the 2019 fiscal year.
Unlike professional franchises with mega-rich owners, college athletics departments are parts of universities that are in the midst of massive financial problems caused by the pandemic. Some athletics departments have reserve funds that can help them get by for a while. But a survey this spring by the LEAD1 Association – which represents athletic directors at the NCAA’s 130 Football Bowl Subdivision Schools – found that 54 of 95 respondents said their departments do not have such funds.
Borrowing money is a possibility, but athletics debt loads already are significant. Among Power Five public school programs, the median athletically-related facilities debt service payment was $10.6 million in fiscal 2019, according to school financial reports to the NCAA that USA TODAY Sports compiled in partnership with Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Ultimately this means that, in a fall without football, "everything's on the table as far as expense mitigation," according to Houston athletics director Chris Pezman.
"We want to take care of our student-athletes and support services for them from all aspects, from academics to nutrition to training to sports medicine," he said. "But less active areas of our department would have to be looked at. More administrative and operational areas that don't affect our student-athletes are all going to be under review."
For some athletics departments, this could mean furloughing or laying off employees. It could mean negotiating, or extending, temporary pay reductions for well-paid coaches. And in some cases, it could mean eliminating entire sports.
If football cannot be played this fall, it is all but certain that schools would make an attempt to stage a season in the spring. But a spring season would likely create hiccups in cash flow, among other issues.
Schools would likely not play a full 12-game regular season in the spring, for a variety of reasons – which would impact payouts from TV and other commercial contracts. Games in the spring would be less valuable to advertisers, who use the third and fourth quarters of the year to build promotions and momentum for the holiday shopping season, according to AJ Maestas, the CEO of Navigate, a Chicago-based firm that specializes in college and professional sports rights valuations.
In separate interviews, Boise State AD Curt Apsey, Colorado AD Rick George and Kansas State AD Gene Taylor each cited uncertainty about football TV-revenue impacts as a major difficulty in trying to make budget decisions for fiscal 2021.
"We are so used to having that revenue kind of already in the bank," Taylor explained.
There's also attendance to consider.
Even in a spring scenario, stadium capacities might be heavily limited by social-distancing considerations. At present, schools are holding hundreds of millions of dollars in football season-ticket money and seating-rights payments. During the 2019 fiscal year, FBS public schools had nearly $1.1 billion in total football ticket sales, according to school financial reports.
"In our case, about 80% of our tickets have been renewed and 80% of our annual giving has already been received," Oklahoma AD Joe Castiglione said. "The question is, what do those donors or ticket holders want in terms of their commitment in regards to those gifts or pledges?”
OU is among many schools that are, or will be, asking customers to leave their money where it is, either as credit toward next season or as an outright donation.
Meanwhile, any discussion of no college football this fall also has to include the prospect of no basketball during the fall semester – or perhaps until January. While men’s basketball does not have nearly the financial impact that football does, it is athletics departments’ other primary revenue source.
An NFL trickle-down
The NFL generates far more annual revenue than its major college counterparts, to the tune of approximately $16 billion last year, according to The Wall Street Journal.
While there's more money at stake in the pros, sports economist and Smith College professor Andrew Zimbalist said the potential impact of a fall without football wouldn't be quite as dramatic for NFL owners as it would be for college athletic departments – namely because owners have more money to cushion the blows.
According to Forbes, NFL teams carry valuations of $1.9 billion to $5.5 billion, and half of NFL owners have a personal net worth of $2.1 billion or more.
"The problem’s not as bad because you’ve got a lot of very wealthy owners that are sitting on assets," Zimbalist said. "So if they can’t play football in the one fall, they lose $300 million in a year, but they’ll be able to survive."
The math is slightly different for players, however – many of whom navigate injuries with each season, and are unable to amass wealth over the course of a long career.
That’s one of the reasons why the NFL and the NFL Players Association already have been engaged in negotiations about a wide range of issues, from health protocols to the potential impact of a decline in revenue on future salary caps.
While their discussions have been rooted in the assumption that games will be played this season, they also could be viewed through the lens of what could happen if training camps begin but then a season does not.
“If we had our preference, we would never want the players of this year – and to a certain extent next year – (to) unfairly bear the brunt of a massive decrease in revenue in football,” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said in a conference call with reporters Friday.
The NFL, like other major sports, depends on television deals for a substantial chunk of its revenue. The league's current deals with Fox, CBS, NBC and ESPN each bring in nine- or ten-figure sums annually. And those networks, in turn, depend on NFL football for a substantial portion of their ad sales.
According to estimates from advertising measurement firm iSpot, NFL broadcasters sold more than $4.5 billion in ads during regular-season games last year alone. The absence of a season, therefore, could have dire consequences.
"While there could be nice short-term cash savings from eliminating annual rights payments, the hit to ratings, advertising and, thus, cord-cutting would be massively damaging," Michael Nathanson, a founding partner at research firm MoffettNathanson, wrote in a note to investors earlier this year.
"We equated this trade-off to saving money on your next water bill as you watch your house burn down."
'Who knows what the new normal looks like?'
Football's influence extends across a wide range of business sectors, including retail merchandise, travel, food and beverage, advertising, and, of course, gambling.
In towns like Green Bay, Wisconsin and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a football-filled weekend is, in many ways, at the center of the local economy.
"What an Alabama game brings to Tuscaloosa, it’s in the millions of dollars for that weekend alone," said David Carter, an associate professor of sports business at Southern California.
The loss of a fall football season could potentially have longer-term implications for businesses in those communities, as well as the primary entities at every level.
The NFL and its television partners would feel the residual effects of a lost season not just this year, but for years to come. At the college level, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby’s worries not only about the fall, but also about the rest of the school year.
"Nobody's given us any assurances that this is a one-year problem," Bowlsby said. "All of our scientists and doctors are telling us that it's going to be a bumpy road in the next 12 months – that the virus is going to be with us for a period of time and we're going to have to learn to coexist. And so, you know, who knows what the new normal looks like?”
The NCAA and its member schools also remain under pressure from antitrust lawsuits pertaining to compensation limits for athletes. In addition, they are trying to figure out – and bargain with state lawmakers and Congress about – rules changes regarding athletes’ ability to make money from their name, images and likeness.
A fall without football could give university administrators a preview of how their sports program fare when they simply cannot spend as much as they have in recent years.
“I think what’s going to happen is that athletic directors and college presidents are going to realize that there’s a lot of fat in these programs,” Zimbalist said. “There’s a lot of waste. And they’re going to try to clean it up. ... So I do think that (this) could accelerate some of the changes that were in the pipeline anyways.”
Contributing: Nate Davis and Dan Wolken
Follow the reporters on Twitter at @ByBerkowitz and @Tom_Schad.


usatoday--2020-07-21--'It's affecting every single bit of my job': Coronavirus, police reform create hurdle in race for co

'It's affecting every single bit of my job': Coronavirus, police reform create hurdle in race for control of House

WASHINGTON – Rich McCormick is balancing two different crises .
He spends his nights as an emergency room doctor , intubating patients as his hospital and others across the nation continue to feel the wrath of COVID-19 .
During the day , he make his pitch to voters in the suburbs of Atlanta , hoping to hold a House seat for Republicans in what had been rated one of the most competitive races in the country .
Republicans are banking on candidates like McCormick to take back the House from Democrats but a barrage of crises have made the path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only a few months ago that Republicans were bullish on their chances of retaking the House .
Sen. Bernie Sanders , a progressive boogeyman that Republicans hoped could help their hand , was ahead in the presidential primary race .
The economy was expanding , and unemployment rates were falling to all-time lows .
And House Democrats were focused on impeachment , an act that led to one member changing parties to become a Republican .
But less than four months until November , a lot has changed .
The dozen or so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority appear to be falling further from their grasp as coronavirus continues to spread across the globe and a host of polls show President Donald Trump struggling against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden amid a national reckoning with racism and policing .
Republicans have their sights specifically set on 54 House seats across the country .
The districts include about 30 that were won by Trump in 2016 but turned blue in the midterms .
Democrats currently control 233 seats out of the chamber ’ s 435 .
Over the months , crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its politics , forcing political newcomers and incumbents in swing districts to adapt .
Challengers are struggling to break out in while they campaign via town halls recorded in their homes , and incumbents in swing districts are walking a tightrope on addressing some of the most controversial political issues , including Trump 's performance .
`` It ’ s almost like the perfect storm , '' said Dennis Goldford , a political science professor at Drake University in Des Moines .
`` The economy , the virus , the police issue all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Election lawsuits : Record pace of lawsuits amid COVID-19 pandemic as results decide who votes and how Nov. 3 Economic downturn : There are two COVID Americas .
One hopes for an extension of federal unemployment and stimulus .
The other is saving and spending .
In early spring , Rep. Cindy Axne , D-Iowa , called around to small businesses in her district eager to hear how they were coping as the coronavirus pandemic closed businesses across the country .
One shuttered restaurant owner in Des Moines was having trouble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head of the state ’ s Small Business Administration .
The three worked it out together on the phone .
“ I said , ‘ We 're going to solve this right now.
’ And so that 's how you get things done .
You do n't ever drop the ball for your constituents , especially when we 're going through a time like this , ” Axne told USA TODAY .
Axne was part of the `` blue wave '' in 2018 that allowed Democrats to take control of the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Young , who is now running again to reclaim his seat .
For Axne and other swing-district Democrats fighting to keep their seats , coronavirus has created an unusual situation .
And for freshmen lawmakers , the first re-election battle is often the hardest .
The election marks the first time freshman incumbents have to defend their record , proving their victory was not a fluke and they have real staying power .
But honing in on those constituent connections has been particularly difficult this year with the elimination of traditional in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers have handled the series of crises gripping the nation .
“ It 's absolutely shifted so much of my life in this position , from the work and how we conduct work on the official side , to campaigning , ” Axne said .
“ It 's affecting every single bit of my job as I represent Iowans and as I go out to try and earn their votes this fall.
” Throughout the pandemic , like much of her time in Congress , Axne has attempted to appeal to both partisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticized Iowa ’ s Republican Gov .
Kim Reynolds for not declaring a stay-at-home order and has spoken out about concerning coronavirus outbreaks at meatpacking plants .
But she has also put herself at odds with fellow Democrats , voting against a Democratic-led COVID-19 emergency package that she argued would “ waste taxpayer dollars.
” “ This virus issue complicates the landscape for people like Axne , ” said Goldford .
“ It basically complicates what is already a complicated re-election bid.
” Goldford explained that in times of crisis , typically the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to even more partisan lines being drawn , a problem for those in swing districts where hardline partisanship doesn ’ t play well .
Politicization is only one of the extra hurdles facing frontline members as campaigning has been turned upside down .
Rep. Cheri Bustos , D-Ill. — the chairwoman of Democrats ’ House campaign arm — noted they have shifted their hiring to focus on digital and virtual outreach .
`` I think things are very different now .
We have to campaign in a different way .
And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a different way '' she said in an interview .
She noted efforts to mobilize volunteers working from home and mobile director hires dispatched to campaigns across the country in hopes of increasing virtual efforts .
`` We know this moment that we are living in right now and we ’ re adjusting to it , '' Bustos added .
She said the virus has opened a door for Democrats to focus even more heavily on health care – an issue the party credits with helping them gain the majority in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're the party that is fighting for health care while they become this party encouraging drinking bleach .
I mean , there 's just this clear , clear contrast . ''
Portland protests : Portland protests spur House Democrats to call for probe into use of federal officers against protesters COVID-19 vaccine development : At least 120,000 Americans are needed to test COVID-19 vaccines .
A 'very encouraging ' 107,000 are so far signed up .
It 's not just incumbents who are finding campaigning difficult .
Candidates trying to knock out incumbents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The battleground districts of 2020 vary significantly from the last cycle .
Democrats won many of the seats considered the most competitive in 2018 , so this time , many Democrats are aiming to win seats in redder territory .
But Democrats also are on the defensive in many House districts .
Only three congressional districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016 are represented by Republicans , and 31 districts won by Trump are represented by Democrats .
More:24 hours in a COVID-19 hot spot leaves no walk of life unscathed .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's crucial for the GOP to break out in these races .
McCormick , the emergency room doctor running in the Atlanta suburbs , says he has resumed some in-person campaign events and meetings , albeit socially distanced .
`` Different people take risks all the time , '' he said .
His campaign was holding events based on the level of comfort people had .
`` We really tried to adapt to every situation given each individual .
What we 've tried to do is also accommodate people in their own environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meant going to a synagogue and handing out masks before an event , or holding events through Zoom for those who were uncomfortable with in-person events .
While Republicans are battling an uphill road in races across the country , some have expressed optimism after a surprise win in California 's 25th district in a May special election — the first time the GOP has turned a California district from blue to red in more than 20 years .
Rep. Tom Emmer , R-Minn. , and chairman of House Republicans ' campaign arm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said there were dozens of districts where Republicans appear even better positioned to take back seats .
`` After a win in California 's 25th District , which is the suburbs of Los Angeles , I would tell you two things : If we can win in the suburbs of Los Angeles , we can and will win everywhere we need to in the fall , '' he said .
`` In fact , we now have 43 Democrats sitting in seats that are actually better positioned for Republican candidates than California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment with coronavirus continuing to hit states and the heightened tensions over race and the president 's response but said Republicans were adjusting .
He attacked Democrats ' plans to focus on health care , saying that the party has done `` nothing '' over the last two years to act on their promises .
`` I hope they 've run on their lack of achievement in not only health care but everything else , because all they 've ever done for the last three years plus is try to impeach this president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied Democrats to the push to defund the police in the aftermath of George Floyd 's death in Minneapolis .
`` I do think that 's going to be on the ballot because I do think the majority of Americans , if not all of us , want to be safe and secure in our home , '' Emmer said .
Sri Kulkarni , a Democrat running in Texas ' 22nd Congressional District , which sits in the south-central suburbs of Houston , said in an interview that he is relying on `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social networks , repeating strategies from his previous run for the seat in 2018 .
The district is seen by Democrats as a pickup opportunity as the district has become more racially diverse and affluent .
The retiring incumbent , Rep. Pete Olson , only won by five percentage points in 2018 when Trump won by 8 points in 2016 , and Romney won nearly two-thirds of the vote in 2012 .
Kulkarni 's campaign has not yet returned in-person events as coronavirus cases spiked in the Houston area , so every Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign academy '' to learn how to leverage their own tightly-knit networks , like Vietnamese or Chinese immigrants , Gujarati speakers , or Sunni Muslims .
Other candidates are looking on the bright side of virtual campaigning .
Carolyn Bourdeaux , a college professor running against McCormick as a Democrat in the for the Georgia U.S. House seat , said the pandemic gave her campaign an opportunity to reach out to more young people as internships and summer work dried up .
Bourdeaux ran for the seat in 2018 and only lost by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she was confident she could close the gap .
The young people working with her campaign helped her launch an app called `` Electify '' to help people get involved with the campaign through their smartphones , and she launched a weekly Facebook Live show over Zoom called `` Carolyn 's Corner '' featuring conversations with local leaders and constituents .
`` We have over 40 interns , fellows , and organizers , and they help with really massive outreach effort , '' she said .

Christal Hayes and Nicholas Wu, USA TODAY

'It's affecting every single bit of my job': Coronavirus, police reform create hurdles in race for control of House
Show Caption Hide Caption 3 million COVID-19 cases isn't stopping US from reopening Managing pandemic has become a political issue, as US struggles to keep cases from growing. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Rich McCormick is balancing two different crises.
He spends his nights as an emergency room doctor, intubating patients as his hospital and others across the nation continue to feel the wrath of COVID-19. During the day, he make his pitch to voters in the suburbs of Atlanta, hoping to hold a House seat for Republicans in what had been rated one of the most competitive races in the country.
Republicans are banking on candidates like McCormick to take back the House from Democrats, but a barrage of crises have made the path to victory increasingly difficult.
It was only a few months ago that Republicans were bullish on their chances of retaking the House. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a progressive boogeyman that Republicans hoped could help their hand, was ahead in the presidential primary race. The economy was expanding, and unemployment rates were falling to all-time lows. And House Democrats were focused on impeachment, an act that led to one member changing parties to become a Republican.
But less than four months until November, a lot has changed.
The dozen or so seats Republicans need to take the House majority appear to be falling further from their grasp as the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe and a host of polls show President Donald Trump struggling against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden amid a national reckoning with racism and policing.
Republicans have their sights specifically set on 54 House seats across the country. The districts include about 30 that were won by Trump in 2016 but turned blue in the midterms. Democrats now control 233 seats out of the chamber’s 435.
Over the months, crisis after crisis has rattled the country and its politics, forcing political newcomers and incumbents in swing districts to adapt. Challengers are struggling to break out in while they campaign via town halls recorded in their homes, and incumbents in swing districts are walking a tightrope on addressing some of the most controversial political issues, including Trump's performance.
"It’s almost like the perfect storm," said Dennis Goldford, a political science professor at Drake University in Des Moines. "The economy, the virus, the police issue all leading up to one very important election."
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Virus 'complicates' incumbent races
In early spring, Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, called around to small businesses in her district eager to hear how they were coping as the coronavirus pandemic closed businesses across the country. One shuttered restaurant owner in Des Moines was having trouble accessing a loan, so Axne dialed up the head of the state’s Small Business Administration. The three worked it out together on the phone.
“I said, ‘We're going to solve this right now.’ And so that's how you get things done. You don't ever drop the ball for your constituents, especially when we're going through a time like this,” Axne told USA TODAY.
Axne was part of the "blue wave" in 2018 that allowed Democrats to take control of the House. She beat out Republican incumbent Rep. David Young, who is running again to reclaim his seat.
For Axne and other swing-district Democrats fighting to keep their seats, the coronavirus has created an unusual situation. And for freshmen lawmakers, the first reelection battle is often the hardest. The election marks the first time freshman incumbents have to defend their record, proving their victory was not a fluke and they have real staying power.
But honing in on those constituent connections has been particularly difficult this year with the elimination of traditional in-person campaigning and a bright spotlight on how lawmakers have handled the upheaval gripping the nation.
“It's absolutely shifted so much of my life in this position, from the work and how we conduct work on the official side, to campaigning,” Axne said. “It's affecting every single bit of my job as I represent Iowans and as I go out to try and earn their votes this fall.”
Throughout the pandemic, like much of her time in Congress, Axne has tried to appeal to both partisan branches of her constituency. She frequently criticized Iowa’s Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds for not declaring a stay-at-home order and has spoken out about coronavirus outbreaks at meatpacking plants. But she has also put herself at odds with fellow Democrats, voting against a Democratic-led COVID-19 emergency package she argued would “waste taxpayer dollars.”
“This virus issue complicates the landscape for people like Axne,” Goldford said. “It basically complicates what is already a complicated reelection bid.”
Goldford explained that in times of crisis, typically the country comes together. But the coronavirus has led to even more partisan lines being drawn, a problem for those in swing districts where hardline partisanship doesn’t play well.
Politicization is only one of the extra hurdles facing front-line members as campaigning has been turned upside down. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., chairwoman of the Democrats’ House campaign arm, noted they have shifted their hiring to focus on digital and virtual outreach.
"I think things are very different now. We have to campaign in a different way. And we have to communicate with people we represent in a different way" she said in an interview.
She noted efforts to mobilize volunteers working from home and mobile director hires dispatched to campaigns across the country in hopes of increasing virtual efforts.
"We know this moment that we are living in right now and we’re adjusting to it," Bustos added. She said the virus has opened a door for Democrats to focus even more heavily on health care – an issue the party credits with helping them gain the majority in the House two years ago. "We're the party that is fighting for health care while they become this party encouraging drinking bleach. I mean, there's just this clear, clear contrast."
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Political newcomers work to break out
It's not just incumbents who are finding campaigning difficult. Candidates trying to knock out incumbents are also facing an unprecedented challenge.
The battleground districts of 2020 vary significantly from the last cycle. Democrats won many of the seats considered the most competitive in 2018, so this time, many Democrats are aiming to win seats in redder territory.
But Democrats also are on the defensive in many House districts. Only three congressional districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016 are represented by Republicans, and 31 districts won by Trump are represented by Democrats.
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It's crucial for the GOP to break out in these races.
McCormick, the emergency room doctor running in the Atlanta suburbs, says he has resumed some in-person campaign events and meetings, albeit socially distanced.
"Different people take risks all the time," he said. His campaign was holding events based on the level of comfort people had.
"We really tried to adapt to every situation given each individual. What we've tried to do is also accommodate people in their own environment," he said, whether that meant going to a synagogue and handing out masks before an event, or holding events through Zoom for those who were uncomfortable with in-person events.
While Republicans are battling an uphill road in races across the country, some have expressed optimism after a surprise win in California's 25th district in a May special election – the first time the GOP has turned a California district from blue to red in more than 20 years. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and chairman of House Republicans' campaign arm, touted the win in an interview and said there were dozens of districts where Republicans appear even better positioned to take back seats.
"After a win in California's 25th District, which is the suburbs of Los Angeles, I would tell you two things: If we can win in the suburbs of Los Angeles, we can and will win everywhere we need to in the fall," he said. "In fact, we now have 43 Democrats sitting in seats that are actually better positioned for Republican candidates than California 25.”
Emmer acknowledged the shifting campaign environment with the coronavirus continuing to hit states and the heightened tensions over race and the president's response but said Republicans were adjusting.
He attacked Democrats' plans to focus on health care, saying that the party has done "nothing" over the past two years to act on their promises. "I hope they've run on their lack of achievement in not only health care but everything else, because all they've ever done for the last three years plus is try to impeach this president," Emmer said.
Emmer also tied Democrats to the push to defund the police in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. "I do think that's going to be on the ballot because I do think the majority of Americans, if not all of us, want to be safe and secure in our home," Emmer said.
Sri Kulkarni, a Democrat running in Texas' 22nd Congressional District, which sits in the south-central suburbs of Houston, said in an interview that he is relying on "relational organizing" among volunteers' own social networks, repeating strategies from his previous run for the seat in 2018.
The district is seen by Democrats as a pickup opportunity as the district has become more racially diverse and affluent. The retiring incumbent, Rep. Pete Olson, only won by five percentage points in 2018 when Trump won by 8 points in 2016, and Romney won nearly two-thirds of the vote in 2012.
Kulkarni's campaign has not yet returned in-person events as coronavirus cases spiked in the Houston area, so every Sunday, his campaign holds a "virtual campaign academy" to learn how to leverage their own tightly-knit networks, like Vietnamese or Chinese immigrants, Gujarati speakers, or Sunni Muslims.
Other candidates are looking on the bright side of virtual campaigning. Carolyn Bourdeaux, a college professor running against McCormick as a Democrat in the for the Georgia U.S. House seat, said the pandemic gave her campaign an opportunity to reach out to more young people as internships and summer work dried up.
Bourdeaux ran for the seat in 2018 and only lost by about 400 votes. But this time, she was confident she could close the gap.
The young people working with her campaign helped her launch an app called "Electify" to help people get involved with the campaign through their smartphones, and she launched a weekly Facebook Live show over Zoom called "Carolyn's Corner" featuring conversations with local leaders and constituents.
"We have over 40 interns, fellows, and organizers, and they help with really massive outreach effort," she said.