usatoday--2020-08-19--Joe Biden defined: The key issues and events that made Delaware's favorite son

Through a half-century of life in public service , from his shocking upset of a Republican incumbent in his first Senate run to his years as Barack Obama 's right-hand man , Joe Biden has helped reshape Delaware politics , while playing a significant role in the course of the nation at-large .
Biden 's lengthy track record reveals several gaffes that have drawn attacks from rivals throughout the election cycle .
But it also shows many significant achievements , including the highest award a civilian can obtain .
Here is a look at the key issues and events that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the years .
Biden 's political life has been bookmarked by personal tragedy .
Just weeks before he was sworn in as a U.S. senator in 1972 , his wife Neilia and his daughter Naomi died in a car accident .
As Biden interviewed potential staffers in Washington , D.C. , Neilia and their three children were Christmas shopping in Delaware .
The family 's Chevrolet station wagon collided with a tractor-trailer loaded with corncobs at Limestone and Valley Roads in Hockessin .
Neilia died at the age of 30 , Naomi was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hunter were severely injured , requiring an extended hospital stay .
Biden family tree : An introduction to Delaware 's most famous family Biden wrote in his 2007 memoir `` Promises to Keep '' that he felt `` trapped in a constant twilight of vertigo . ''
`` Most of all I was numb , but there were moments when the pain cut through like a shard of broken glass , '' he wrote .
`` I began to understand how despair let people to just cash it in ; how suicide was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option . ''
More than four decades later , the then-vice president mourned the loss of his oldest son Beau .
Delaware 's former attorney general , who many thought would one day be governor , died from brain cancer at age 46 in 2015 .
The former Delaware Army National Guard major was first diagnosed in 2013 .
Beau 's death ultimately diverted Biden 's plans to run for president in 2016 .
As the race began , Biden said he was still grieving Beau 's death and `` time had run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden 's political life has been bookmarked by tragedy Since the 1970s , Biden has opposed mandatory busing of students to integrate public schools .
He adopted the stance as a freshman Delaware senator when Wilmington 's school desegregation plan was being fought out in federal court , saying he believed in equal educational opportunities but disagreed that busing was the way to offer them .
In a 1975 interview unearthed last year by the Washington Post , Biden suggested government-backed integration plans would hold white people back , `` to even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ philosophically opposed to quota systems , '' he said of school desegregation plans in that interview .
`` They insure mediocrity . ''
Biden 's busing stance received renewed attention after attacks from his now running mate Kamala Harris during the Democratic presidential debates .
Harris said she did n't think Biden was a racist , but told a story of a girl who was part of mandatory busing to desegregate schools in the 1970s .
`` That little girl was me , '' Harris said in the June 2019 debate .
Overnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her campaign .
As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991 , Biden presided over the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in which Anita Hill , an African-American law professor , said Thomas sexually harassed her .
Biden has been criticized for his part in the all-white , all-male committee that grilled Hill in excruciating detail during her testimony before a national audience .
Critics say he should have done more to defend Hill as Republicans sought to discredit her .
He has also been criticized for not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share their stories about Thomas .
Before launching his 2020 presidential campaign , Biden called Hill to apologize for the way she was treated .
`` I can not be satisfied by simply saying , ' I 'm sorry for what happened to you , ' '' Hill told The New York Times in April 2019 .
`` I will be satisfied when I know that there is real change and real accountability and real purpose . ''
To quash criticisms that Democrats were `` soft on crime , '' Biden 26 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law Enforcement Act , now known as the 1994 crime law .
The law , which became central to attacks on Biden 's criminal justice record during the Democratic primary race , contained several now-controversial provisions including tougher prison sentences at the federal level , funding for 100,000 more police officers and backing for grant programs that encouraged officers to carry out more drug-related arrests .
It also included elements considered more progressive today , namely the Violence Against Women Act that provided more resources to combat domestic violence and rape , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many say state policies were more to blame than the 1994 crime law for the increase in mass incarceration over the past few decades , but criminal justice advocates still take issue with the intent behind the law .
For years , Biden defended at least some of the law — his 2008 presidential campaign heralded it as `` the Biden Crime Bill . ''
In Jan. 2019 at a breakfast honoring Martin Luther King Jr. , he called it a big mistake , adding that he has n't `` always gotten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always tired . ''
Life lessons : What Joe Biden learned from his life-threatening brain aneurysms Biden served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for three decades .
In 1991 , he voted against the first Gulf War , which quickly pushed Iraqi forces from Kuwait , but a few years later urged President Bill Clinton to take military action in the Balkans .
He voted in favor of the Iraq War in 2003 , but later became a vocal critic of the war and President George W. Bush , particularly after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Obama chose Biden , in part , for his foreign-policy experience .
Biden led the administration 's Iraqi policy during Obama 's first term and played large roles in other international conflicts as vice president .
Twelve years ago , the center of the American political world was in Delaware — as it , in many ways , is now — when Biden was announced as Obama 's running mate .
The media swarmed his Greenville home as he prepared to leave for the airport , as neighbors and supporters lined Barley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glimpse .
Biden went on to serve two terms as vice president , the highest-ranking federal office ever reached by a Delawarean .
As The News Journal editorial about his selection put it , `` A nomination for vice president is quite an honor for the senator , and , by reflected glory , for our small state .
`` Sen. Biden now has a chance to influence American history the way no Delawarean has since 1801 when Rep. James A. Baynard chose principle over party by helping break an election deadlock and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over Aaron Burr . ''
Dive deeper : Biden 's pick as VP in 2008 was prideful for Delawareans As they were leaving office in 2017 , Obama bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Biden , calling him `` the best vice president America has ever had . ''
Only two others have received it for service as vice presidents .
President Gerald Ford gave it to his vice president , Nelson Rockefeller in 1977 , and President Jimmy Carter gave it to Lyndon Johnson 's vice president , Hubert Humphrey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
After two failed campaigns , separated by two decades , Biden , at age 77 , is now the Democratic party 's choice to run for the White House .
Biden 's first run in 1987 was derailed by charges he had plagiarized a speech by British politician Neil Kinnock .
He withdrew after more allegations related to past law school plagiarism surfaced .
Biden 's 2008 run never gained momentum , failing to separate from a deep field of Democratic contenders including Obama and Hillary Clinton .
A look back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How the primary started and ended in Delaware In a video in April 2019 , Biden announced his 2020 candidacy , saying he would help repair the soul of the nation as president .
The crowded Democratic race ended a year later when his last challenger , Sen. Bernie Sanders , dropped out .
Because of the coronavirus pandemic , Biden has largely campaigned for the highest office in the land from his Greenville home .

Joe Biden defined: The key issues and events that shaped Delaware's favorite son
Show Caption Hide Caption Joe Biden and Kamala Harris make first public remarks as running mates Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden made his first joint appearance with his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris. USA TODAY, Associated Press
Through a half-century of life in public service, from his shocking upset of a Republican incumbent in his first Senate run to his years as President Barack Obama's right-hand man, Joe Biden has helped reshape Delaware politics while playing a significant role in the course of the nation at large.
Biden's lengthy track record reveals several gaffes that have drawn attacks from rivals throughout the election cycle. But it also shows many significant achievements, including the highest award a civilian can obtain.
Here is a look at the key issues and events that have defined Delaware's favorite son over the years.
Family tragedy
Biden's political life has been bookmarked by personal tragedy. Just weeks before he was sworn in as a U.S. senator in 1972, his wife, Neilia, and his daughter Naomi died in a car accident.
As Biden interviewed potential staffers in Washington, D.C., Neilia and their three children were Christmas shopping in Delaware. The family's Chevrolet station wagon collided with a tractor-trailer loaded with corncobs in Hockessin.
Neilia was 30; Naomi was 1 year old. Toddlers Beau and Hunter were severely injured.
Biden family tree: An introduction to Delaware's most famous family
Biden wrote in his 2007 memoir "Promises to Keep" that he felt "trapped in a constant twilight of vertigo."
"Most of all I was numb, but there were moments when the pain cut through like a shard of broken glass," he wrote. "I began to understand how despair led people to just cash it in; how suicide wasn't just an option but a rational option."
More than four decades later, the then-vice president mourned the loss of his oldest son, Beau.
Delaware's former attorney general, who many thought would one day be governor, died from brain cancer at age 46 in 2015. The former Delaware Army National Guard major was first diagnosed in 2013.
Beau's death ultimately diverted Biden's plans to run for president in 2016. As the race began, Biden said he was still grieving his son's death and "time had run out."
Dive deeper: How Joe Biden's political life has been bookmarked by tragedy
Complicated opposition to busing
Since the 1970s, Biden has opposed mandatory busing of students to integrate public schools.
He adopted the stance as a freshman Delaware senator when Wilmington's school desegregation plan was being fought out in federal court, saying he believed in equal educational opportunities but disagreed that busing was the way to offer them.
In a 1975 interview unearthed last year by The Washington Post, Biden suggested government-backed integration plans would hold white people back, "to even the race."
"I am philosophically opposed to quota systems," he said of school desegregation plans in that interview. "They insure mediocrity."
In Democratic debate 2019, Harris and Biden have heated exchange In night two of the Democratic debate, candidates bore down into issues, and each other. Kamala Harris went after Joe Biden for his past on busing. USA TODAY
Biden's busing stance received renewed attention after attacks from Kamala Harris, now his running mate, during the Democratic presidential debates. Harris said she didn't think Biden was a racist, but she told a story of a girl who was part of mandatory busing to desegregate schools in the 1970s.
"That little girl was me," Harris said in the June 2019 debate. Overnight, the line became a rallying cry for her campaign.
Dive deeper: Joe Biden's complicated opposition to busing for school desegregation
Anita Hill testimony against Clarence Thomas
As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991, Biden presided over the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in which Anita Hill, an African-American law professor, said Thomas sexually harassed her.
Biden has been criticized for his part in the all-white, all-male committee that grilled Hill in excruciating detail during her testimony before a national audience. Critics say he should have done more to defend Hill as Republicans sought to discredit her. He has also been criticized for not taking testimony from others who offered to share their stories about Thomas.
Before launching his 2020 presidential campaign, Biden called Hill to apologize for the way she was treated.
"I cannot be satisfied by simply saying, 'I'm sorry for what happened to you,'" Hill told The New York Times in April 2019. "I will be satisfied when I know that there is real change and real accountability and real purpose."
The controversial crime law Biden helped write
To quash criticisms that Democrats were "soft on crime," Biden 26 years ago wrote the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, now known as the 1994 crime law.
The law, which became central to attacks on Biden's criminal justice record during the Democratic primary race, contained several now-controversial provisions including tougher prison sentences at the federal level, funding for 100,000 more police officers and backing for grant programs that encouraged officers to carry out more drug-related arrests.
It also included elements considered more progressive today, namely the Violence Against Women Act that provided more resources to combat domestic violence and rape, and funding for background checks for gun owners.
Many say state policies were more to blame than the 1994 crime law for the increase in mass incarceration over the past few decades, but criminal justice advocates still take issue with the intent behind the law.
For years, Biden defended at least some of the law – his 2008 presidential campaign heralded it as "the Biden Crime Bill." In January 2019 at a breakfast honoring Martin Luther King Jr., he called it a big mistake, adding that he hasn't "always gotten things right" but has "always tried."
Life lessons: What Joe Biden learned from his life-threatening brain aneurysms
Foreign affairs and the Iraq War
Biden served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for three decades.
In 1991, he voted against the first Gulf War, which quickly pushed Iraqi forces from Kuwait, but a few years later urged President Bill Clinton to take military action in the Balkans.
He voted in favor of the Iraq War in 2003, but later became a vocal critic of the war and President George W. Bush, particularly after the U.S. began deploying more troops in 2007.
Obama chose Biden, in part, for his foreign-policy experience. Biden led the administration's Iraqi policy during Obama's first term and played large roles in other international conflicts as vice president.
The highest office for a Delawarean
Twelve years ago, the center of the American political world was in Delaware – as it, in many ways, is now – when Biden was announced as Obama's running mate.
The media swarmed his Greenville home as he prepared to leave for the airport, and neighbors and supporters lined Barley Mill Road trying to get their own glimpse.
Biden went on to serve two terms as vice president, the highest-ranking federal office ever reached by a Delawarean.
As The News Journal editorial about his selection put it, "A nomination for vice president is quite an honor for the senator, and, by reflected glory, for our small state.
"Sen. Biden now has a chance to influence American history the way no Delawarean has since 1801 when Rep. James A. Baynard chose principle over party by helping break an election deadlock and put Thomas Jefferson in the White House over Aaron Burr."
Dive deeper: Biden's pick as VP in 2008 was prideful for Delawareans
As they were leaving office in 2017, Obama bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Biden, calling him "the best vice president America has ever had."
Only two others have received it for service as vice presidents. President Gerald Ford gave it to his vice president, Nelson Rockefeller, in 1977, and President Jimmy Carter awarded it to Lyndon Johnson's vice president, Hubert Humphrey, in 1980, two years after his death.
Running for president
Third time's a charm?
After two failed campaigns separated by two decades, Biden, at age 77, is now the Democratic Party's choice to run for the White House.
Biden's first run in 1987 was derailed by charges he had plagiarized a speech by British politician Neil Kinnock. He withdrew after more allegations related to past law school plagiarism surfaced.
Biden's 2008 run never gained momentum and failed to separate him from a deep field of Democratic contenders, including Obama and Hillary Clinton.
A look back at Joe Biden's run for president: How the primary started and ended in Delaware
In a video in April 2019, Biden announced his 2020 candidacy, saying he would help repair the soul of the nation as president. The crowded Democratic race ended a year later when his last challenger, Sen. Bernie Sanders, dropped out.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Biden has largely campaigned for the highest office in the land from his home in Greenville.
Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @holveck_brandon.


usatoday--2020-08-19--Krispy Kreme to open NYC flagship location next month with world's largest 'Hot Light' after COVID-1

Krispy Kreme to open NYC flagship location next month with world's largest 'Hot Light' after COVID-19 delay

Krispy Kreme is getting ready to turn on the world 's largest `` Hot Light '' and glaze waterfall .
After pushing back the opening of its first flagship location in New York City 's Times Square for several months amid the coronavirus pandemic , the 4,500-square-foot doughnut shop is scheduled to open Sept. 15 .
In an interview with USA TODAY , CEO Michael Tattersfield said the location at Broadway and 48th Street will serve more guests annually than any of its nearly 1,400 stores in the world , which includes nearly 400 U.S. shops .
“ When we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have anticipated three-mile lines , ” Tattersfield said .
With COVID-19 , “ we wouldn ’ t want to have that happen so we will have a very disciplined approach.
” Payless comeback : Payless is back with new website , plans to open new stores but it drops 'ShoeSource ' from name New Girl Scout cookie flavor : Girl Scouts announce new Toast-Yay !
cookies coming in 2021 , online sales expected to continue amid COVID-19 To control crowds , the shop will use `` remote queueing '' and allow consumers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Times Square flagship was first announced in June 2019 and will showcase the doughnut-making process featuring a glaze waterfall and have an outside walk-up window and `` grab-and-go '' counter that is open 24 hours a day .
It will also sell a special commemorative “ Big Apple Doughnut '' inspired by candy apples sold at Coney Island .
The shop has two production lines that can make up to 380 dozen fresh , hot doughnuts per hour .
Krispy Kreme launched nationwide delivery Feb. 29 before the pandemic led to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brand also started selling new Doughnut Bites and Mini Crullers at Walmart stores nationwide in June .
`` We ca n't keep up with demand , '' Tattersfield said .
`` We 're looking at how do we expand more product lines to Walmart . ''
The company has opened more than 150 locations over the past two years and plans to add 450 shops by the end of 2022 .
The expansion plans come at a time when others have announced permanent closings .
McDonald 's is closing 200 of its 14,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 450 locations by the end of 2020 and Starbucks plans to close up to 400 company-owned locations over the next 18 months .

Krispy Kreme to open NYC flagship location next month with world’s largest 'Hot Light' after COVID-19 delay
Show Caption Hide Caption Krispy Kreme opening flagship store in Times Square Krispy Kreme will open the "first-of-its-kind flagship" in Times Square in early 2020. Buzz60
Krispy Kreme is getting ready to turn on the world's largest "Hot Light" and glaze waterfall.
After pushing back the opening of its first flagship location in New York City's Times Square for several months amid the coronavirus pandemic, the 4,500-square-foot doughnut shop is scheduled to open Sept. 15.
In an interview with USA TODAY, CEO Michael Tattersfield said the location at Broadway and 48th Street will serve more guests annually than any of its nearly 1,400 stores in the world, which includes nearly 400 U.S. shops.
“When we first thought about opening this up we would have anticipated three-mile lines,” Tattersfield said. With COVID-19, “we wouldn’t want to have that happen so we will have a very disciplined approach.”
Payless comeback: Payless is back with new website, plans to open new stores but it drops 'ShoeSource' from name
New Girl Scout cookie flavor: Girl Scouts announce new Toast-Yay! cookies coming in 2021, online sales expected to continue amid COVID-19
To control crowds, the shop will use "remote queueing" and allow consumers to reserve a time to visit.
The Times Square flagship was first announced in June 2019 and will showcase the doughnut-making process featuring a glaze waterfall and have an outside walk-up window and "grab-and-go" counter that is open 24 hours a day. It will also sell a special commemorative “Big Apple Doughnut" inspired by candy apples sold at Coney Island.
The shop has two production lines that can make up to 380 dozen fresh, hot doughnuts per hour.
Krispy Kreme launched nationwide delivery Feb. 29 before the pandemic led to a temporary switch to drive-thru only. The brand also started selling new Doughnut Bites and Mini Crullers at Walmart stores nationwide in June.
"We can't keep up with demand," Tattersfield said. "We're looking at how do we expand more product lines to Walmart."
The company has opened more than 150 locations over the past two years and plans to add 450 shops by the end of 2022. The expansion plans come at a time when others have announced permanent closings.
McDonald's is closing 200 of its 14,000 U.S. locations, Dunkin' is closing 450 locations by the end of 2020 and Starbucks plans to close up to 400 company-owned locations over the next 18 months.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko


usatoday--2020-08-19--Fawn stuck deep in drainage pipe rescued by fire department in eastern Massachusetts

A six-foot hook was used to slide the fawn out of a drainage pipe .

Fire department rescues fawn trapped in drainage pipe in Massachusetts
A six-foot hook was used to slide the fawn out of a drainage pipe.
USA TODAY, Storyful


usatoday--2020-08-19--Laura Loomer, with Roger Stone in tow, wins Florida House Republican primary. She'll face Lois Frank

Incumbent Lois Frankel and social media firebrand Laura Loomer won their respective primaries Tuesday , setting the tone for what will be a fiery , nationally watched congressional election in November .
Frankel , a former West Palm Beach mayor seeking her fifth term in U.S. House District 21 , beat newcomer Guido Weiss by a landslide to win the Democratic nomination .
Frankel captured 86.40 % of the votes to Weiss ’ 13.60 % .
“ Every election night is exciting , no matter how many times you are in it , ” Frankel said Tuesday night from her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frankel was celebrating her quick win , Loomer was surrounded by an all-star cast of conservative and far-right leaders toasting her win in the GOP primary .
Among those gathering to watch returns with Loomer were political strategist Roger Stone , British writer Milo Yiannopoulos and Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes .
Even President Donald Trump weighed in on Loomer ’ s victory via Twitter .
“ Great going Laura , ” he wrote .
“ You have a great chance against a Pelosi puppet !
” The praise from the right kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know it yet , but she is going to get Laura Loomered , ” said Stone , who just had a prison sentence commuted by Trump .
Stone called Loomer the “ Joan of Arc of the conservative movement.
” Loomer vowed to win the race in November , despite competing in a heavily Democratic seat — Democrats outnumber Republicans by 40 % — occupied by a well-known incumbent .
“ I ’ m going to need all of you to win in November , ” she told the crowd at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that banned her from social media .
Then she noted that Trump on Tuesday announced he would pardon suffragette Susan B. Anthony on the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote .
Susan B. Anthony : Trump honors 100th anniversary of 19th Amendment by announcing pardon for Susan B. Anthony “ Which proves what I have always believed , that well behaved women never make history , ” she said .
Frankel , who also served in the Florida House of Representatives , was facing her first primary opponent since winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ran unopposed in the 2018 general election .
Frankel said she knows she will have a different kind of fight on her hands .
Far-right Republican Loomer has outraised Frankel by about $ 300,000 .
“ I can tell you her values do not reflect the values of this district , ” Frankel said of Loomer .
“ I have lived here over 40 years , and the people here stand up against white supremacy .
She ’ ll have to disguise herself if she ’ s going to get votes.
” Loomer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a victory that saw her take about 42 % of the votes .
Despite the pandemic , Loomer hosted a blow-out election night watch party for several hundred people at the Hilton Hotel by the West Palm Beach Airport .
The party was replete with a coffee bar , appetizers , glittery hats and purses for sale , and life-size cutouts of Loomer and Trump with which guests could pose for pictures .
Jill Biden : Jill Biden talks of Joe Biden 's 'unstoppable ' will amid grief : Takeaways from night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ master of ceremonies , streaming the event live on YouTube to the delight of around 2,000 viewers , most of whom posted words of support .
A former Breitbart editor , Yiannopoulos resigned in 2017 after speaking out in favor of same-sex pedophilia .
Yiannopoulos told the crowd that Loomer is an “ extraordinary woman ” who has gone from “ hell-raising activist ” to political figure .
“ She has forged herself into a true political phenomenon , ” he said .
McInnes founded the Proud Boys , an organization the Southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationalist , anti-Muslim , misogynistic hate group .
The center said the Proud Boys are responsible for countless incidents of violence and aggression , including at the Charlottesville riots .
McInnes talked of how Loomer has persevered despite the bans from social media and financial networks , which he said have cost her .
“ She takes it on the chin but keeps getting up , ” he said .
“ That ’ s what inspires us.
” Obama at DNC : Obama to counter Trump 's vote-by-mail criticism in highly anticipated convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , firing up supporters on the alt-right social media platform Parler by saying : “ Democrats want to make Sharia Law mainstream here in America ” and that they want “ hate crimes against Jews and Christians to become the new normal.
” The self-described “ Most Banned Woman on the Planet ” has been permanently barred from sites such as Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Uber , Lyft , Paypal and Venmo , accused of using hate speech and being non-compliant with site rules .
Long critical and even threatening on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the widespread firing of Muslims and for Muslim congressional members to be jailed .
But in a day and age where social media is the go-to place for political news , Loomer got the last laugh Tuesday , trouncing her opponents and taking home the nomination .
And , Loomer told her supporters , Ronna McDaniel , chair of the Republican National Committee , called just before Loomer ’ s acceptance speech to tell her she was a “ political rock star.
” AOC at DNC : Here 's why Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez nominated @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Laura Loomer, with Roger Stone in tow, wins Florida House Republican primary. She'll face Lois Frankel in November
Show Caption Hide Caption How the DNC changed its rules since Sanders, Clinton in 2016 The primaries are here! How does one get elected in the first place and what is in store for the Democratic National Convention in 2020? We explain. Just the FAQs
Incumbent Lois Frankel and social media firebrand Laura Loomer won their respective primaries Tuesday, setting the tone for what will be a fiery, nationally watched congressional election in November.
Frankel, a former West Palm Beach mayor seeking her fifth term in U.S. House District 21, beat newcomer Guido Weiss by a landslide to win the Democratic nomination. Frankel captured 86.40% of the votes to Weiss’ 13.60%.
“Every election night is exciting, no matter how many times you are in it,” Frankel said Tuesday night from her home in West Palm Beach.
While Frankel was celebrating her quick win, Loomer was surrounded by an all-star cast of conservative and far-right leaders toasting her win in the GOP primary.
Among those gathering to watch returns with Loomer were political strategist Roger Stone, British writer Milo Yiannopoulos and Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes.
Even President Donald Trump weighed in on Loomer’s victory via Twitter.
“Great going Laura,” he wrote. “You have a great chance against a Pelosi puppet!”
Great going Laura. You have a great chance against a Pelosi puppet! https://t.co/pKZp35dUYr — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2020
The praise from the right kept flowing.
“Lois Frankel doesn’t know it yet, but she is going to get Laura Loomered,” said Stone, who just had a prison sentence commuted by Trump. Stone called Loomer the “Joan of Arc of the conservative movement.”
Loomer vowed to win the race in November, despite competing in a heavily Democratic seat — Democrats outnumber Republicans by 40% — occupied by a well-known incumbent.
“I’m going to need all of you to win in November,” she told the crowd at the party.
Loomer also blasted tech giants that banned her from social media. Then she noted that Trump on Tuesday announced he would pardon suffragette Susan B. Anthony on the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote.
Susan B. Anthony: Trump honors 100th anniversary of 19th Amendment by announcing pardon for Susan B. Anthony
“Which proves what I have always believed, that well behaved women never make history,” she said.
Frankel, who also served in the Florida House of Representatives, was facing her first primary opponent since winning her first term in 2012. She ran unopposed in the 2018 general election.
Frankel said she knows she will have a different kind of fight on her hands. Far-right Republican Loomer has outraised Frankel by about $300,000.
“I can tell you her values do not reflect the values of this district,” Frankel said of Loomer. “I have lived here over 40 years, and the people here stand up against white supremacy. She’ll have to disguise herself if she’s going to get votes.”
Loomer, 27, beat five other candidates for a victory that saw her take about 42% of the votes.
Despite the pandemic, Loomer hosted a blow-out election night watch party for several hundred people at the Hilton Hotel by the West Palm Beach Airport. The party was replete with a coffee bar, appetizers, glittery hats and purses for sale, and life-size cutouts of Loomer and Trump with which guests could pose for pictures.
Jill Biden: Jill Biden talks of Joe Biden's 'unstoppable' will amid grief: Takeaways from night 2 of the DNC
Yiannopoulos served as master of ceremonies, streaming the event live on YouTube to the delight of around 2,000 viewers, most of whom posted words of support. A former Breitbart editor, Yiannopoulos resigned in 2017 after speaking out in favor of same-sex pedophilia.
Yiannopoulos told the crowd that Loomer is an “extraordinary woman” who has gone from “hell-raising activist” to political figure.
“She has forged herself into a true political phenomenon,” he said.
McInnes founded the Proud Boys, an organization the Southern Poverty Law Center described as a white nationalist, anti-Muslim, misogynistic hate group. The center said the Proud Boys are responsible for countless incidents of violence and aggression, including at the Charlottesville riots.
McInnes talked of how Loomer has persevered despite the bans from social media and financial networks, which he said have cost her.
“She takes it on the chin but keeps getting up,” he said. “That’s what inspires us.”
Obama at DNC: Obama to counter Trump's vote-by-mail criticism in highly anticipated convention speech
Loomer began her Election Day early, firing up supporters on the alt-right social media platform Parler by saying: “Democrats want to make Sharia Law mainstream here in America” and that they want “hate crimes against Jews and Christians to become the new normal.”
The self-described “Most Banned Woman on the Planet” has been permanently barred from sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Uber, Lyft, Paypal and Venmo, accused of using hate speech and being non-compliant with site rules.
Long critical and even threatening on social media, Loomer has called for the widespread firing of Muslims and for Muslim congressional members to be jailed.
But in a day and age where social media is the go-to place for political news, Loomer got the last laugh Tuesday, trouncing her opponents and taking home the nomination. And, Loomer told her supporters, Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, called just before Loomer’s acceptance speech to tell her she was a “political rock star.”
AOC at DNC: Here's why Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez nominated Bernie Sanders during the Democratic National Convention


usatoday--2020-08-19--Democratic Convention video: John McCain

Cindy McCain voices a video about the decades-long friendship between Joe Biden and her late husband , Sen. John McCain @

Democratic Convention video: John McCain
Cindy McCain voices a video about the decades-long friendship between Joe Biden and her late husband, Sen. John McCain.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-19--Democratic Convention speaker: Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell

Democratic Convention speaker : Former U.S. Sec .
of State Colin Powell Former Secretary of State Colin Powell delivers remarks @ @ @ @ @ about national security and a strong commander-in-chief .

Democratic Convention speaker: Former U.S. Sec. of State Colin Powell
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell delivers remarks to the Democratic National Convention about national security and a strong commander-in-chief.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-19--Democratic Convention speaker: Former Sec. of State, presidential candidate John Kerry

Former Massachusetts senator and former Democratic presidential nominee in 2004 , John Kerry addresses the Democratic National Convention .

Democratic Convention speaker: Former Secretary of State John Kerry
Former Massachusetts senator and former Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, John Kerry addresses the Democratic National Convention.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-19--Democratic Convention speaker: Jill Biden

Dr. Jill Biden delivers a speech from a school in Wilmington , Delaware about COVID and closed schools for the @ @ @ @

Democratic Convention speaker: Jill Biden
Dr. Jill Biden delivers a speech from a school in Wilmington, Delaware about COVID and closed schools for the Democratic National Convention.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-19--Democratic Convention: Former president Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter

Democratic Convention speakers: Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter
Former President Jimmy Carter and former fist lady Rosalynn Carter discuss Joe Biden for the Democratic National Convention
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-19--Obama to counter Trump's vote-by-mail criticism in highly anticipated convention speech

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama , who burst into national politics with a memorable convention speech in 2004 , will use remarks Wednesday to slam a `` cynical '' effort by his successor to limit mail-in voting and will argue that the nation 's democracy itself is on the line in the November presidential election .
Obama 's highly anticipated address , to be delivered live on the third night of the Democratic party 's virtual convention , will outline why Biden possesses `` the experience and character '' to lead the country through dueling economic and public health crises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration has blundered into , '' an aide said .
`` President Obama will highlight the cynical moves by the current administration and the Republican Party to discourage Americans from voting , '' Obama spokeswoman Katie Hill said , referring to President Donald Trump 's criticism of states that are expanding vote-by-mail in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` He ’ ll make a pointed case that democracy itself is on the line – along with the chance to create a better version of it . ''
Obama will speak to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ET hour Wednesday , two nights after former first lady Michelle Obama .
Party insiders hope that the former president – among the most popular politicos in America – will fill the role of validator-in-chief for his former No .
2 , reassuring voters that Biden will usher in a sense of `` normalcy '' after four years of Trump .
`` Right now President Obama 's role , primarily , is to remind Americans what a stable and thoughtful administration looks like , '' said Rep. John Yarmuth , D-Ky. Obama is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the format and venue .
He arrived on the same stage in 2004 as fresh-faced Senate candidate from Illinois who delivered one of that convention 's more memorable speeches .
The event established him as one of the nation 's great orators and helped catapult him to the White House four years later .
But he now faces a different task : Holding together a leftward lurching Democratic Party while selling the country on the stability of a Biden presidency at a time of national crisis .
He also has to be careful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats said .
'Not a good picture : ' The DNC and RNC may further complicate stimulus talks More : Trump to campaign in battleground states as Democrats embrace Joe Biden '' The first thing in this convention is to not hand them something , '' said former Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh , who also made Obama ’ s short list of potential running mates in 2008 .
`` I would be surprised if President Obama did anything that really became a lightning rod . ''
Hill said the former president 's remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's role as vice president during the administration , including his oversight of the 2009 stimulus that helped lift the U.S. out of the Great Recession and his work on expanding health care insurance through Obamacare .
Trump , who votes absentee himself , has railed against states embracing universal mail ballots – that is , automatically sending a ballot to every registered voter .
But only a small number of states use that approach , and Trump has repeatedly conflated that system with those in use in states like Michigan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt about the election results .
Democrats are road testing an unprecedented national convention this week as the coronavirus pandemic curbs the pomp and sense of excitement campaigns usually build around the formal nomination of a presidential candidate .
Though the glitzy stage performances and balloon drops of past years aremissing , the event will nevertheless steer the party 's path as the Democratic faithful coalesce around Biden .
Michelle Obama may have set the tone with her blistering review of Trump 's first term during her address on the convention 's first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong president for our country , '' she said in an address that Trump later mocked because it was taped rather than delivered live .
`` He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job , but he is clearly in over his head .
He can not meet this moment . ''
Obama left office in 2017 with an almost 60 % approval rating , and he has maintained his appeal on the left as Trump slams him nearly every day .
When asked which president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job , 44 % of Americans chose Obama as their first or second pick compared with 33 % for Bill Clinton and 32 % for Ronald Reagan , according to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey .
A CBS News/YouGov poll this week found 92 % of Democrats are eager to hear Obama at the convention , compared with 91 % who said the same of Biden or his running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris .
The same CBS survey found 63 % of Democrats want to hear liberal superstar Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % who said the same of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton .
Yarmuth , chairman of the House Budget Committee , said the party must use this week 's convention to calm anxieties about what Democrats plan to do if they prevail in the fall .
Are you registered to vote ?
: Check your status or register online now '' I 'm not sure I want everybody out there talking about Green New Deals , and that type of thing , but if we take over the government this is where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` We 're going to be under a lot of pressure to talk about reparations , universal basic income ( and ) Medicare for all , '' he added .
`` And what Obama can do is , ironically , reassure people we are not going to go off the rails – even though we may . ''
Obama , party leaders say , must demonstrate Democrats can still connect with Rust Belt voters even as the convention is likely to elevate debates around liberal demands : From looser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address climate change .
That ’ s part of the reason Democratic operatives predict Obama will look to deliver an aspirational address , touting Biden as a traditional candidate who can dial back the drama of the past four years , inch the party toward a more progressive path and begin to heal racial wounds that have continued to resurface during the Trump presidency .
In other words , Democrat strategists say , classic Obama .
`` He ’ s not an attack dog .
I would leave that to another night and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazile , who has worked on many presidential campaigns .
“ The former president can help set the first few pages in a new era by highlighting why America can not afford four more years of disruption , diversion and deceit . ''
But Hill promised that Obama 's speech wo n't spare Trump , and that the former president , `` will highlight the cynical moves by the current administration and the Republican Party '' to thwart Americans from voting .
`` He ’ ll make a pointed case that democracy itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chance to create a better version of it , '' she added .
Obama will carry forward how urgent the fall election is but also seek to contrast with the current White House occupant in terms of calling on all Americans who believe in a more generous and more just country , Hill said .
Democrats have long framed the Biden-Obama relationship as something like the Hollywood formula for the buddy cop movie : An interracial pair with noticeably different temperaments and styles forging a friendship as they move through a thickening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messages to different constituencies .
That was evidenced in a video released by the Biden campaign last month that featured the two palling around before launching into a `` socially distanced '' conversation in which they accused Trump of refusing to take responsibility for anything during the pandemic .
“ We were different in age , different in background , his politics were a little bit different than mine , but it was precisely those differences that I thought made him ideal , ” Obama said during a recent podcast interview with former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared ( were ) some core beliefs .
... And as a result , I had a basic trust in him . ''
Despite the affection , which former aides say is genuine , there have been cracks in the bromance , some of which have been brought back to the fore in recent weeks .
Biden 's description of Obama in 2007 as the `` first sort of mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean '' is the kind of racial gaffe that has hounded him for years – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drawn fire for his insensitive comments at a time when the nation is grappling with the death of George Floyd , protests and violence in major U.S. cities and Trump 's remarks supporting symbols of the Confederacy .
More : 'Are you a junkie ? '
Biden bristles when reporter asks him about cognitive test Others have pointed to Obama 's relatively quick embrace of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the 2016 presidential race , musing aloud in June of that year whether anyone had ever been `` so qualified '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Obama has kept mostly out of view , and that has meant a less visible role for him on the Biden campaign trail , even before the coronavirus pandemic struck .
Obama aides have said the former president has remained less visible in part to avoid creating a target for Trump .
Antoine Banks , a University of Maryland political scientist , predicted that Obama 's role in the 2020 campaign will be the most consequential for a former president .
But there 's a risk with the approach , Banks warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass appeal with the party too much could mean overshadowing the current candidates .
`` Trump will criticize him and say , 'he 's not on the ticket ' so they have to balance this where they get people mobilized but still understand Biden and Harris are the candidates , '' Banks said .
Trump and other Republicans have been eager to suggest a rift between the two men , while at the same time painting Biden with Obama 's more controversial moves .
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh pointed to a report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , citing anonymous sources , asserted Obama had told Biden he did n't have to run for president if he did n't want to .
Murtaugh argued that the speech would `` just remind everyone that Obama and Biden presided over the slowest economic recovery since the Great Depression . ''
That 's a line Trump has used frequently , dating back to before the 2016 election .
Independent fact checkers have found there is data to back up the claim , when measured by the average rate of annual economy growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the recovery that began under Obama was the longest in modern U.S. history .
Biden aides , meanwhile , disputed the Trump campaign 's characterization of the record .
`` The Obama-Biden Administration took the reins during what was , until recently , the worst downturn since the Great Depression – and turned it into the longest streak of private sector job growth on record , '' said Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates .
`` Trump 's failed leadership has plunged the strong , growing economy he inherited into the deepest recession in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives , '' he added .
Democrats insist that the party 's internal ideological squabbles over health care , immigration and the environment will be eclipsed by a shared determination to deny Trump a second term .
If that 's true , several said , the most important thing Obama can confer on Biden during the convention and in the weeks ahead is a sense that the former vice president would restore comity to American politics .
`` President Obama is still widely viewed as the most gifted messenger of the Democratic agenda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joel Payne , who worked on Clinton 's 2016 campaign .
`` The most important thing he can do in this moment is remind voters of contrast between his presidency and the first four years of the Trump presidency . ''
Another benefit Obama could provide is to remind people of the work Biden undertook on the administration 's behalf for eight years .
Voters know who Biden is but they may not know Obama tapped him to administer the 2009 Recovery Act , which helped stimulate the economic recovery .
Obama also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep friendships on both sides of the aisle after nearly four decades in the Senate , to close major deals with Republicans .
“ So this is one of the best chances of the cycle to give people some color and dimension as to who Joe Biden is and what he stands for , all from the mouth of the most trusted character witness on the planet , ” said Teddy Goff , a Democratic strategist who ran Obama ’ s digital operation in 2012 .
A clear split emerged during the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren , D-Mass.
, and Sanders , who pressed Biden to defend healthcare and immigration policies espoused by the Obama administration .
Banks , the political scientist , noted that most voters are n't as focused on nuanced policy debates and argued that Obama 's speech would likely play well in both wings of the party .
`` Obama is able to craft a message to make people feel comfortable that he cares about these groups and these issues , but he is n't going to be pushing these far-left issues , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about looking to the future and lifting up all boats . ''

John Fritze and Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY

Obama to counter Trump's vote-by-mail criticism in highly anticipated convention speech
Show Caption Hide Caption 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
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama, who burst into national politics with a memorable convention speech in 2004, will use remarks Wednesday to slam a "cynical" effort by his successor to limit mail-in voting and will argue that the nation's democracy itself is on the line in the November presidential election.
Obama's highly anticipated address, to be delivered live on the third night of the Democratic party's virtual convention, will outline why Biden possesses "the experience and character" to lead the country through dueling economic and public health crises that he will argue "the current administration has blundered into," an aide said.
"President Obama will highlight the cynical moves by the current administration and the Republican Party to discourage Americans from voting," Obama spokeswoman Katie Hill said, referring to President Donald Trump's criticism of states that are expanding vote-by-mail in response to the coronavirus pandemic. "He’ll make a pointed case that democracy itself is on the line – along with the chance to create a better version of it."
Obama will speak to the pared-down convention in the 10 p.m. ET hour Wednesday, two nights after former first lady Michelle Obama. Party insiders hope that the former president – among the most popular politicos in America – will fill the role of validator-in-chief for his former No. 2, reassuring voters that Biden will usher in a sense of "normalcy" after four years of Trump.
Barack Obama says America 'was built by John Lewises' Former President Barack Obama gave an emotional speech as he remembered his "hero" John Lewis. Associated Press, USA TODAY
"Right now President Obama's role, primarily, is to remind Americans what a stable and thoughtful administration looks like," said Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky.
Obama is, of course, no stranger to the format and venue. He arrived on the same stage in 2004 as fresh-faced Senate candidate from Illinois who delivered one of that convention's more memorable speeches.
The event established him as one of the nation's great orators and helped catapult him to the White House four years later. But he now faces a different task: Holding together a leftward lurching Democratic Party while selling the country on the stability of a Biden presidency at a time of national crisis.
He also has to be careful to not give Trump any ammunition, Democrats said.
'Not a good picture:' The DNC and RNC may further complicate stimulus talks
More: Trump to campaign in battleground states as Democrats embrace Joe Biden
"The first thing in this convention is to not hand them something," said former Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, who also made Obama’s short list of potential running mates in 2008. "I would be surprised if President Obama did anything that really became a lightning rod."
Hill said the former president's remarks would take listeners through firsthand accounts of Biden's role as vice president during the administration, including his oversight of the 2009 stimulus that helped lift the U.S. out of the Great Recession and his work on expanding health care insurance through Obamacare.
Trump, who votes absentee himself, has railed against states embracing universal mail ballots – that is, automatically sending a ballot to every registered voter. But only a small number of states use that approach, and Trump has repeatedly conflated that system with those in use in states like Michigan.
Democrats accuse Trump of trying to sow doubt about the election results.
Democrats are road testing an unprecedented national convention this week as the coronavirus pandemic curbs the pomp and sense of excitement campaigns usually build around the formal nomination of a presidential candidate. Though the glitzy stage performances and balloon drops of past years are missing, the event will nevertheless steer the party's path as the Democratic faithful coalesce around Biden.
Michelle Obama may have set the tone with her blistering review of Trump's first term during her address on the convention's first night.
"Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country," she said in an address that Trump later mocked because it was taped rather than delivered live. "He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment."
Ushering in a 'new era'
Obama left office in 2017 with an almost 60% approval rating, and he has maintained his appeal on the left as Trump slams him nearly every day. When asked which president in their lifetimes has done the best job, 44% of Americans chose Obama as their first or second pick compared with 33% for Bill Clinton and 32% for Ronald Reagan, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey.
A CBS News/YouGov poll this week found 92% of Democrats are eager to hear Obama at the convention, compared with 91% who said the same of Biden or his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris. The same CBS survey found 63% of Democrats want to hear liberal superstar Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., compared to roughly 58% who said the same of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
Yarmuth, chairman of the House Budget Committee, said the party must use this week's convention to calm anxieties about what Democrats plan to do if they prevail in the fall.
Are you registered to vote?: Check your status or register online now
"I'm not sure I want everybody out there talking about Green New Deals, and that type of thing, but if we take over the government this is where the country needs a comfort level," he said.
"We're going to be under a lot of pressure to talk about reparations, universal basic income (and) Medicare for all," he added. "And what Obama can do is, ironically, reassure people we are not going to go off the rails – even though we may."
Obama, party leaders say, must demonstrate Democrats can still connect with Rust Belt voters even as the convention is likely to elevate debates around liberal demands: From looser immigration rules to tighter environmental controls to address climate change.
That’s part of the reason Democratic operatives predict Obama will look to deliver an aspirational address, touting Biden as a traditional candidate who can dial back the drama of the past four years, inch the party toward a more progressive path and begin to heal racial wounds that have continued to resurface during the Trump presidency.
In other words, Democrat strategists say, classic Obama.
"He’s not an attack dog. I would leave that to another night and speaker,” said veteran Democrat Donna Brazile, who has worked on many presidential campaigns. “The former president can help set the first few pages in a new era by highlighting why America cannot afford four more years of disruption, diversion and deceit."
But Hill promised that Obama's speech won't spare Trump, and that the former president, "will highlight the cynical moves by the current administration and the Republican Party" to thwart Americans from voting.
"He’ll make a pointed case that democracy itself is on the line — along with the chance to create a better version of it," she added.
Obama will carry forward how urgent the fall election is but also seek to contrast with the current White House occupant in terms of calling on all Americans who believe in a more generous and more just country, Hill said.
Reigniting the bromance
Democrats have long framed the Biden-Obama relationship as something like the Hollywood formula for the buddy cop movie: An interracial pair with noticeably different temperaments and styles forging a friendship as they move through a thickening plot.
Together they carry closely synced messages to different constituencies. That was evidenced in a video released by the Biden campaign last month that featured the two palling around before launching into a "socially distanced" conversation in which they accused Trump of refusing to take responsibility for anything during the pandemic.
“We were different in age, different in background, his politics were a little bit different than mine, but it was precisely those differences that I thought made him ideal,” Obama said during a recent podcast interview with former adviser David Plouffe. “What we shared (were) some core beliefs. ... And as a result, I had a basic trust in him."
Despite the affection, which former aides say is genuine, there have been cracks in the bromance, some of which have been brought back to the fore in recent weeks.
Biden's description of Obama in 2007 as the "first sort of mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean" is the kind of racial gaffe that has hounded him for years – including this year, when he has drawn fire for his insensitive comments at a time when the nation is grappling with the death of George Floyd, protests and violence in major U.S. cities and Trump's remarks supporting symbols of the Confederacy.
More: 'Are you a junkie?' Biden bristles when reporter asks him about cognitive test
Others have pointed to Obama's relatively quick embrace of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the 2016 presidential race, musing aloud in June of that year whether anyone had ever been "so qualified" for the job. Since leaving office, Obama has kept mostly out of view, and that has meant a less visible role for him on the Biden campaign trail, even before the coronavirus pandemic struck.
Obama aides have said the former president has remained less visible in part to avoid creating a target for Trump.
Antoine Banks, a University of Maryland political scientist, predicted that Obama's role in the 2020 campaign will be the most consequential for a former president. But there's a risk with the approach, Banks warned: Relying on Obama's popularity and mass appeal with the party too much could mean overshadowing the current candidates.
"Trump will criticize him and say, 'he's not on the ticket' so they have to balance this where they get people mobilized but still understand Biden and Harris are the candidates," Banks said.
Trump and other Republicans have been eager to suggest a rift between the two men, while at the same time painting Biden with Obama's more controversial moves. Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh pointed to a report in The New York Times last year that, citing anonymous sources, asserted Obama had told Biden he didn't have to run for president if he didn't want to.
Murtaugh argued that the speech would "just remind everyone that Obama and Biden presided over the slowest economic recovery since the Great Depression."
That's a line Trump has used frequently, dating back to before the 2016 election. Independent fact checkers have found there is data to back up the claim, when measured by the average rate of annual economy growth. But economists also point out that the recovery that began under Obama was the longest in modern U.S. history.
Biden aides, meanwhile, disputed the Trump campaign's characterization of the record.
"The Obama-Biden Administration took the reins during what was, until recently, the worst downturn since the Great Depression – and turned it into the longest streak of private sector job growth on record," said Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates.
"Trump's failed leadership has plunged the strong, growing economy he inherited into the deepest recession in generations and cost nearly 170,000 Americans their lives," he added.
Return to normal
Democrats insist that the party's internal ideological squabbles over health care, immigration and the environment will be eclipsed by a shared determination to deny Trump a second term.
If that's true, several said, the most important thing Obama can confer on Biden during the convention and in the weeks ahead is a sense that the former vice president would restore comity to American politics.
"President Obama is still widely viewed as the most gifted messenger of the Democratic agenda in America," said Democratic strategist Joel Payne, who worked on Clinton's 2016 campaign. "The most important thing he can do in this moment is remind voters of contrast between his presidency and the first four years of the Trump presidency."
Another benefit Obama could provide is to remind people of the work Biden undertook on the administration's behalf for eight years.
Voters know who Biden is but they may not know Obama tapped him to administer the 2009 Recovery Act, which helped stimulate the economic recovery. Obama also frequently turned to Biden, who had deep friendships on both sides of the aisle after nearly four decades in the Senate, to close major deals with Republicans.
“So this is one of the best chances of the cycle to give people some color and dimension as to who Joe Biden is and what he stands for, all from the mouth of the most trusted character witness on the planet,” said Teddy Goff, a Democratic strategist who ran Obama’s digital operation in 2012.
A clear split emerged during the Democratic primary between candidates such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sanders, who pressed Biden to defend healthcare and immigration policies espoused by the Obama administration. Banks, the political scientist, noted that most voters aren't as focused on nuanced policy debates and argued that Obama's speech would likely play well in both wings of the party.
"Obama is able to craft a message to make people feel comfortable that he cares about these groups and these issues, but he isn't going to be pushing these far-left issues," he predicted. "Obama is all about looking to the future and lifting up all boats."


usatoday--2020-08-19--Democratic Convention speakers: Future leaders, Stacey Abrams

DNC speakers: Future party leaders, Stacey Abrams
Future leaders of the Democratic Party deliver a message together to the Democratic National Convention
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-08-19--Democratic Convention speaker: Former U.S. president Bill Clinton

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton speaks at the Democratic Convention Former President Bill Clinton addresses the Democratic National Convention to @ @ @ @ @ President Trump and what Joe Biden offers .

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton speaks at the Democratic Convention
Former President Bill Clinton addresses the Democratic National Convention to talk about the dangers of President Trump and what Joe Biden offers.
USA TODAY