usatoday--2020-07-27--Opinion: MLB season now in jeopardy after COVID-19 outbreak hits Miami Marlins

It took four months for the Major League Baseball season to start , and now just 72 hours into it , the season could be abruptly ending .
Commissioner Rob Manfred must decide whether to delay the 2020 season , postpone it until further notice or simply hope the Miami Marlins ’ outbreak is an isolated case .
For now , Major League Baseball postponed two games scheduled for Monday night , the Marlins ' home game against the Baltimore Orioles , and New York Yankees ' game in Philadelphia vs. the Phillies .
The Marlins have at least 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 , and the team cancelled their flight home from Philadelphia after playing three games there this weekend .
It ’ s currently unknown how the outbreak occurred with the Marlins , who played exhibition games in Atlanta before traveling to Philadelphia .
As of late Monday morning , the remaining games scheduled for the day were to be played as scheduled , according to a baseball official with knowledge of the MLB 's plans .
The outbreak , particularly this early in the 60-game season , is baseball ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players who tested positive throughout all of baseball the past two weeks , and just 29 players and staff members ( 0.1 % ) have tested positive since baseball re-started , but the litmus test was always going to be how healthy teams could stay once started to travel .
Well , after just three days , the answer is ominous .
The game will go on , for now , but MLB has no choice but to be on high alert and cancel further games if there ’ s even a scent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MLB never should have permitted the Marlins to take the field Sunday against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park after three players tested positive for COVID-19 , just two days after another player tested positive .
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said the team never considered not playing , but it is now clear that was a mistake and has put the entire season in jeopardy .
Now we 'll see if any members of the Phillies test positive after being on the same field at Citizens Bank Park .
“ We sent a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure that they knew what was going on , ’ ’ Phillies manager Joe Girardi said Sunday .
“ We ’ re constantly reminding the guys .
I mean , you have to be safe .
You can ’ t really have a lot of contact with other people because you put everybody in danger.
” No wonder why Phillies star outfielder Bryce Harper wore a mask on the field for the first time .
Certainly , the Marlins ’ outbreak is creating fear throughout the industry .
How many more players will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star Mike Trout , the face of the game , opt out with his wife expecting their first child on Aug. 3 ?
If Trout does n't play , how many will follow ?
“ They can honestly refuse not to play , right ?
’ ’ Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Sunday .
“ Everybody could opt out today .
Again , I think we ’ re getting down the road , but I think there are discussions .
“ I think it ’ s fair to say that guys are concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be heard .
I think it ’ s fair .
We ’ re talking about health , traveling back to their homes and their families and their kids .
It ’ s a reason we want to be safe .
They have a voice.
” You can ’ t blame MLB and the players association for trying .
Everyone wanted to see this work .
The players .
The owners .
The fans .
TV networks .
Yet , no matter how much the safety measures and procedures are followed , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other day , COVID-19 refuses to be stopped .
The baseball season is at a crossroads .
It shouldn ’ t be cancelled yet .
But it ’ s day-to-day .
One more team outbreak , and it may be impossible , if not irresponsible , to continue .
The ugliest words in baseball are now hovering over the entire industry : “ Wait ‘ Til Next Year .
’ ’

Opinion: MLB season now in jeopardy after COVID-19 outbreak hits Miami Marlins
Show Caption Hide Caption Bold predictions for the wildest MLB season ever SportsPulse: This MLB season is going to be unpredictable. Our experts do their best with the boldest predictions for the 60-game sprint. USA TODAY
It took four months for the Major League Baseball season to start, and now just 72 hours into it, the season could be abruptly ending.
Commissioner Rob Manfred must decide whether to delay the 2020 season, postpone it until further notice or simply hope the Miami Marlins’ outbreak is an isolated case.
For now, Major League Baseball postponed two games scheduled for Monday night, the Marlins' home game against the Baltimore Orioles, and New York Yankees' game in Philadelphia vs. the Phillies.
The Marlins have at least 14 players and staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19, and the team cancelled their flight home from Philadelphia after playing three games there this weekend.
It’s currently unknown how the outbreak occurred with the Marlins, who played exhibition games in Atlanta before traveling to Philadelphia.
As of late Monday morning, the remaining games scheduled for the day were to be played as scheduled, according to a baseball official with knowledge of the MLB's plans.
The outbreak, particularly this early in the 60-game season, is baseball’s worst nightmare.
There were only nine players who tested positive throughout all of baseball the past two weeks, and just 29 players and staff members (0.1%) have tested positive since baseball re-started, but the litmus test was always going to be how healthy teams could stay once started to travel.
Well, after just three days, the answer is ominous.
The game will go on, for now, but MLB has no choice but to be on high alert and cancel further games if there’s even a scent of an outbreak.
In hindsight, MLB never should have permitted the Marlins to take the field Sunday against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park after three players tested positive for COVID-19, just two days after another player tested positive.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said the team never considered not playing, but it is now clear that was a mistake and has put the entire season in jeopardy.
Now we'll see if any members of the Phillies test positive after being on the same field at Citizens Bank Park.
“We sent a text out to our players and made sure that they knew what was going on,’’ Phillies manager Joe Girardi said Sunday. “We’re constantly reminding the guys. I mean, you have to be safe. You can’t really have a lot of contact with other people because you put everybody in danger.”
No wonder why Phillies star outfielder Bryce Harper wore a mask on the field for the first time.
Certainly, the Marlins’ outbreak is creating fear throughout the industry. How many more players will now opt-out? Will Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, the face of the game, opt out with his wife expecting their first child on Aug. 3? If Trout doesn't play, how many will follow?
“They can honestly refuse not to play, right?’’ Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Sunday. “Everybody could opt out today. Again, I think we’re getting down the road, but I think there are discussions.
“I think it’s fair to say that guys are concerned about things and they want their feelings to be heard. I think it’s fair. We’re talking about health, traveling back to their homes and their families and their kids. It’s a reason we want to be safe. They have a voice.”
You can’t blame MLB and the players association for trying. Everyone wanted to see this work. The players. The owners. The fans. TV networks.
Yet, no matter how much the safety measures and procedures are followed, no matter how many tests are given every other day, COVID-19 refuses to be stopped.
The baseball season is at a crossroads. It shouldn’t be cancelled yet. But it’s day-to-day. One more team outbreak, and it may be impossible, if not irresponsible, to continue.
The ugliest words in baseball are now hovering over the entire industry: “Wait ‘Til Next Year.’’


usatoday--2020-07-27--Disney World delays some resort hotel reopenings as Florida COVID-19 cases spike

Disney World has delayed the reopening of some of its resort hotels and is keeping others closed that were scheduled to reopen as coronavirus cases continue their upward trend in Florida .
Many Disney resort hotels reopened in June , but others remained closed as the theme park reopened on July 11 .
Disney has since changed the reopening dates for some resort hotels it previously announced .
According to an update on Disney World 's website , the Polynesian Village Resort will reopen on Oct. 4 , and the Art of Animation Resort will reopen on Nov. 1 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen on Aug. 12 .
Disney 's Beach Club Resort and BoardWalk Inn , which were supposed to reopen on Aug. 24 and Oct. 1 , respectively , are to remain closed until further notice .
Disney added that still other Disney resort hotels will remain closed .
`` We will continue to evaluate the situation and reopen more locations when the environment is right to do so , '' the company said .
`` While these plans may evolve , we will be monitoring the constantly changing health environment and its impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find the right time to welcome back even more of our guests . ''
As of Sunday , Florida had recorded more than 432,000 coronavirus cases , more than any other state except California , according to the state Department of Health .
The state has now surpassed New York , the original epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak nationwide .
California 's Disneyland was scheduled to reopen on July 17 , but that was postponed with no new date announced .
California has more than 453,000 coronavirus cases , according to the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week that Disney World ’ s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom started welcoming back visitors in mid-July , occupancy of hotel rooms in the Orlando area was down more than 60 % from the previous year , a much deeper drop than the state as a whole , which declined more than 41 % , according to STR , which tracks hotel data .
Only half of Disney World ’ s 30 onsite hotels currently are back open and several in-park restaurants still are closed , according to The Associated Press .
Less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 43,000 unionized workers have been recalled to their old jobs .
Disney World has an overall workforce of 77,000 employees , the nation ’ s largest single-site labor force .
Union officials estimate the Disney parks are no more than a third full , but that may be more by design to maintain social distancing .
Disney World doesn ’ t release attendance figures , but in pre-pandemic times its four parks and two water parks could host around 150,000 visitors a day .
Cowen Inc. estimated recently that Disney ’ s parks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pre-pandemic profitability until fiscal year 2025 , and there is a “ meaningful ” probability that Disney World could close again because of the pandemic .

Disney World delays some resort hotel reopenings as Florida COVID-19 cases spike
Show Caption Hide Caption Disney World reopens with new safety measures amid COVID concerns As Walt Disney World reopens, here are some new health and safety measures you may see. USA TODAY
Disney World has delayed the reopening of some of its resort hotels and is keeping others closed that were scheduled to reopen as coronavirus cases continue their upward trend in Florida.
Many Disney resort hotels reopened in June, but others remained closed as the theme park reopened on July 11. Disney has since changed the reopening dates for some resort hotels it previously announced.
According to an update on Disney World's website, the Polynesian Village Resort will reopen on Oct. 4, and the Art of Animation Resort will reopen on Nov. 1. Previously, both resorts were scheduled to reopen on Aug. 12.
Disney's Beach Club Resort and BoardWalk Inn, which were supposed to reopen on Aug. 24 and Oct. 1, respectively, are to remain closed until further notice.
Disney added that other Disney resort hotels will still remain closed.
"We will continue to evaluate the situation and reopen more locations when the environment is right to do so," the company said. "While these plans may evolve, we will be monitoring the constantly changing health environment and its impact on the state of Florida as we find the right time to welcome back even more of our guests."
As of Sunday, Florida had recorded more than 432,000 coronavirus cases, more than any other state except California, according to the state Department of Health. The state has now surpassed New York, the original epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak nationwide.
California's Disneyland was scheduled to reopen on July 17, but that was postponed with no new date announced. California has more than 453,000 coronavirus cases, according to the state Department of Public Health.
In the week that Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom started welcoming back visitors in mid-July, occupancy of hotel rooms in the Orlando area was down more than 60% from the previous year, a much deeper drop than the state as a whole, which declined more than 41%, according to STR, which tracks hotel data.
Only half of Disney World’s 30 onsite hotels currently are back open and several in-park restaurants still are closed, according to The Associated Press.
Less than half of Disney World’s 43,000 unionized workers have been recalled to their old jobs. Disney World has an overall workforce of 77,000 employees, the nation’s largest single-site labor force.
Union officials estimate the Disney parks are no more than a third full, but that may be more by design to maintain social distancing. Disney World doesn’t release attendance figures, but in pre-pandemic times its four parks and two water parks could host around 150,000 visitors a day.
Cowen Inc. estimated recently that Disney’s parks and resorts won’t return to pre-pandemic profitability until fiscal year 2025, and there is a “meaningful” probability that Disney World could close again because of the pandemic.
Contributing: The Associated Press


usatoday--2020-07-27--Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson become official citizens of Greece, prime minister announces

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are officially citizens of Greece , the country 's prime minister announced .
The famous couple appeared in an Instagram post from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis , which showed both actors posing with passports alongside Mitsotakis and his wife , Mareva Grabowski .
`` @ ritawilson @ tomhanks are now proud Greek citizens ! ''
the caption read .
Wilson , 63 , is of Greek and Bulgarian ancestry .
She and Hanks , 64 , frequently spend their summer vacations on the Greek island of Antiparos .
USA TODAY has reached out to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last December , Greece ’ s President Prokopis Pavlopoulos signed an honorary naturalization order allowing the actor to claim Greek citizenship , his office told The Associated Press at the time .
Hanks celebrated the news in January , announcing on social media that he was `` starting 2020 as an Honorary citizen of all of Greece ! ''
Under Greek law , honorary naturalization may be granted to people `` who have provided exceptional services to the country or whose naturalization serves the public interest . ''
'Just wear a mask !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'scary ' COVID experience , making music in lockdown Hanks and Wilson have had a roller coaster of a year : After celebrating his honorary citizenship in January , Hanks announced March 11 that he and Wilson had contracted the novel coronavirus while in Australia filming Baz Luhrmann 's Elvis Presley movie .
After two weeks of isolation , the couple was able to return to their home in Los Angeles .
They have since recovered , and Hanks made his first appearance post-coronavirus in April as the first host of a remote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kitchen .
Contributing : Bryan Alexander , USA TODAY and The Associated Press .

Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson get Greek citizenship for wildfire aid, but prime minister is criticized
Show Caption Hide Caption How Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson became Greek citizens Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are now citizens of Greece. On Instagram, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis presented them with new passports. Entertain This!, USA TODAY
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are officially citizens of Greece, the country's prime minister announced, but what would regularly be a cause for celebration was marred with criticism.
The point of pride for Greece was touched by controversy Monday, when the country’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was criticized by an opposition party for using a military helicopter during a trip to celebrate with the famous couple.
Hanks and Wilson appeared in an Instagram post by Mitsotakis, which showed both actors posing with passports alongside the official and his wife, Mareva Grabowski.
"@ritawilson @tomhanks are now proud Greek citizens!" the caption read.
Government spokesman Stelios Petsas told the Associated Press Monday that the prime minister and his wife had used a commercial flight on Saturday to travel to the island of Paros, and then traveled to nearby Antiparos, where Hanks and Wilson have a holiday home. They then used a military helicopter for a trip to the ancient theater of Epidaurus on Sunday to watch a performance of an ancient tragedy.
The main left-wing opposition Syriza party accused the prime minister of using Greece’s military helicopters like a “personal radio taxi.” Petsas argued that Mitsotakis was performing his duties as prime minister by attending an “important cultural event.” Neither Petsas nor Syriza referred to Hanks by name.
Greece offered citizenship to Hanks, Wilson and their two children, in recognition of the family’s help in raising funds for the victims of a deadly wildfire near Athens in 2018.
Wilson, 63, is of Greek and Bulgarian ancestry. She and Hanks, 64, frequently spend their summer vacations on the Greek island of Antiparos. USA TODAY has reached out to the couple's representatives for more information.
Last December, Greece’s President Prokopis Pavlopoulos signed an honorary naturalization order allowing the actor to claim Greek citizenship, his office told The Associated Press at the time.
Hanks last celebrated the citizenship news in January, announcing on social media that he was "starting 2020 as an Honorary citizen of all of Greece!"
Under Greek law, honorary naturalization may be granted to people "who have provided exceptional services to the country or whose naturalization serves the public interest."
'Just wear a mask!': Rita Wilson reflects on her 'scary' COVID experience, making music in lockdown
Hanks and Wilson have had a roller coaster of a year: After celebrating his honorary citizenship in January, Hanks announced March 11 that he and Wilson had contracted the novel coronavirus while in Australia filming Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley movie.
After two weeks of isolation, the couple was able to return to their home in Los Angeles. They have since recovered, and Hanks made his first appearance post-coronavirus in April as the first host of a remote "Saturday Night Live" from his kitchen.
Contributing: Bryan Alexander and The Associated Press.


usatoday--2020-07-27--Rare blue lobster spotted at Red Lobster before being cooked finds home at Ohio zoo

AKRON , Ohio — The newest resident to call the Akron Zoo home is a blue lobster from Red Lobster .
The crustacean was saved from being the catch of the day at an Ohio Red Lobster restaurant when sharp-eyed workers noticed its rare blue color among the live lobster delivery .
The University of Maine Lobster Institute says the likelihood of catching a blue lobster is 1 in 200 million .
The bluish color of the shell is the result of a genetic anomaly .
The restaurant reached out to the Akron Zoo on Friday to place a take-out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoo spokeswoman Elena Bell said a conservation partnership called Seafood Watch run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California helped to coordinate the donation of the rare American lobster .
The lobster has been put into isolation in a so-called `` Man Cave tank '' at the zoo before it can join its new friends .
Because of coronavirus restrictions , the zoo ’ s building that will house the blue lobster is temporarily closed to the public .
But don ’ t fret too much , as American lobsters have been known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And unlike most of its salt-water loving fellow dwellers at the zoo , this blue lobster will have a name .
His name is “ Clawde ” after the famous lobster mascot for the national seafood chain .

Rare blue lobster spotted at Red Lobster before being cooked finds home at Ohio zoo
AKRON, Ohio — The newest resident to call the Akron Zoo home is a blue lobster from Red Lobster.
The crustacean was saved from being the catch of the day at an Ohio Red Lobster restaurant when sharp-eyed workers noticed its rare blue color among the live lobster delivery.
The University of Maine Lobster Institute says the likelihood of catching a blue lobster is 1 in 200 million. The bluish color of the shell is the result of a genetic anomaly.
The restaurant reached out to the Akron Zoo on Friday to place a take-out order to donate the rare find.
Zoo spokeswoman Elena Bell said a conservation partnership called Seafood Watch run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California helped to coordinate the donation of the rare American lobster.
The lobster has been put into isolation in a so-called "Man Cave tank" at the zoo before it can join its new friends.
Because of coronavirus restrictions, the zoo’s building that will house the blue lobster is temporarily closed to the public.
But don’t fret too much, as American lobsters have been known to live up to 100 years.
And unlike most of its salt-water loving fellow dwellers at the zoo, this blue lobster will have a name.
His name is “Clawde” after the famous lobster mascot for the national seafood chain.


usatoday--2020-07-27--Overturned truck in southern Missouri destroys thousands of bottles of whiskey

DES MOINES – Whiskey drinkers might want to look away .
A truck hauling 12,000 bottles of Templeton Rye overturned around 5 a.m. Wednesday on a highway in southern Missouri near the Arkansas border .
News of the wreck , first reported by local media , left Templeton Rye co-founder Keith Kerkhoff asking a question Thursday with a wry laugh , `` It makes you wonder : What else can go wrong in 2020 ? ''
But `` thank God , nobody got hurt , '' Kerkhoff said .
According to Kevin Boersma , Templeton Rye 's processing manager , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a distributor and was picked up Tuesday afternoon in Templeton , Iowa , bound for a warehouse in Fort Smith , Arkansas .
Boersma , who has been with Templeton since 2007 and oversees areas such as bottling , shipping and logistics , said Wednesday 's incident is unlike any he has seen during his tenure .
`` It 's definitely the strangest thing I 've ever had happen with a truckload or shipment , '' he said .
Kerkhoff and Boersma said the early feedback they received from the distributor and trucking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cargo are considered a total loss .
The retail value of the whiskey is north of $ 325,000 .
`` You could see on the ( news ) video that maybe some cases might have made it , '' Boersma said when asked if he knew of any salvageable spirits , `` but I have n't heard anything official . ''
Templeton Rye was introduced to the public in 2006 but traces its roots to the bootleg era when Iowa farmers , like Kerkhoff 's relatives , produced whiskey to supplement their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 35 million distillery in 2018 after years spent sourcing its whiskey from Indiana .

Overturned truck in southern Missouri destroys thousands of bottles of whiskey
DES MOINES – Whiskey drinkers might want to look away.
A truck hauling 12,000 bottles of Templeton Rye overturned around 5 a.m. Wednesday on a highway in southern Missouri near the Arkansas border.
News of the wreck, first reported by local media, left Templeton Rye co-founder Keith Kerkhoff asking a question Thursday with a wry laugh, "It makes you wonder: What else can go wrong in 2020?"
But "thank God, nobody got hurt," Kerkhoff said.
According to Kevin Boersma, Templeton Rye's processing manager, the load of four-year-old whiskey belonged to a distributor and was picked up Tuesday afternoon in Templeton, Iowa, bound for a warehouse in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Boersma, who has been with Templeton since 2007 and oversees areas such as bottling, shipping and logistics, said Wednesday's incident is unlike any he has seen during his tenure.
"It's definitely the strangest thing I've ever had happen with a truckload or shipment," he said.
Kerkhoff and Boersma said the early feedback they received from the distributor and trucking company indicated that the truck, trailer and cargo are considered a total loss. The retail value of the whiskey is north of $325,000.
"You could see on the (news) video that maybe some cases might have made it," Boersma said when asked if he knew of any salvageable spirits, "but I haven't heard anything official."
Templeton Rye was introduced to the public in 2006 but traces its roots to the bootleg era when Iowa farmers, like Kerkhoff's relatives, produced whiskey to supplement their income during Prohibition. The company opened a $35 million distillery in 2018 after years spent sourcing its whiskey from Indiana.


usatoday--2020-07-27--Diabetes highlights two Americas: One where COVID is easily beaten, the other where it's often devas

Dr. Anne Peters splits her mostly virtual workweek between a diabetes clinic on the west side of Los Angeles and one on the east side of the sprawling city .
Three days a week she treats people whose diabetes is well-controlled .
They have insurance , so they can afford the newest medications and blood monitoring devices .
They can exercise and eat well .
Those generally more affluent West L.A. patients who have gotten COVID-19 have developed mild to moderate symptoms – feeling miserable , she said – but treatable , with close follow-up at home .
`` By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and yet most do n't even go to the hospital , '' said Peters , director of the USC Clinical Diabetes Programs .
On the other two days of her workweek , it 's a different story .
In East L.A. , many patients did n't have insurance even before the pandemic .
Now , with widespread layoffs , even fewer do .
They live in `` food deserts , '' lacking a car or gas money to reach a grocery store stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables .
They ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers in grocery stores , health care facilities and delivery services .
And they live in multi-generational homes , so even if older people stay put , they are likely to be infected by a younger relative who ca n't .
They tend to get COVID-19 more often and do worse if they get sick , with more symptoms and a higher likelihood of ending up in the hospital or dying , said Peters , also a member of the leadership council of Beyond Type 1 , a diabetes education and advocacy organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East Side patients are all doomed , '' she emphasized .
But it does suggest COVID-19 has an unequal impact , striking people who are poor and already in ill health far harder than healthier , better off people on the other side of town .
Tracey Brown has known that for years .
`` What the COVID-19 pandemic has done is shined a very bright light on this existing and pervasive problem , '' said Brown , CEO of the American Diabetes Association .
Along with about 32 million others – roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diabetes herself .
`` We 're in 2020 , and every 5 minutes , someone is losing a limb '' to diabetes , she said .
`` Every 10 minutes , somebody is having kidney failure . ''
Americans with diabetes and related health conditions are 12 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than those without such conditions , she said .
Roughly 90 % of Americans who die of COVID-19 have diabetes or other underlying conditions .
And people of color are over-represented among the very sick and the dead .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ diabetes are at increased risk of having a bad case of COVID-19 , and diabetics with poorly controlled blood sugar are at even higher risk , said Liam Smeeth , dean of the faculty of epidemiology and population health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine .
He and his colleagues combed data on 17 million people in the U.K. to come to their conclusions .
Diabetes often comes paired with other health problems – obesity and high blood pressure , for instance .
Add smoking , Smeeth said , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , those can really mount up . ''
People with diabetes are more vulnerable to many types infections , Peters said , because their white blood cells do n't work as well when blood sugar levels are high .
`` In a test tube , you can see the infection-fighting cells working less well if the sugars are higher , '' she said .
Peters recently saw a patient whose diabetes was triggered by COVID-19 , a finding supported by one recent study .
Going into the hospital with any viral illness can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether someone has diabetes or not .
Some medications used to treat serious cases of COVID-19 can `` shoot your sugars up , '' Peters said .
In patients who catch COVID-19 but are n't hospitalized , Peters said , she often has to reduce their insulin to compensate for the fact that they are n't eating as much .
Low income seems to be a risk factor for a bad case of COVID-19 , even independent of age , weight , blood pressure and blood sugar levels , Smeeth said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Some of that is driven by occupational risks , with poorer people unable to work from home or avoid high-risk jobs .
Some is related to housing conditions and crowding into apartments to save money .
And some , may be related to underlying health conditions .
But the connection , he said , is unmistakable .
Peters recently watched a longtime friend lose her husband .
Age 60 and diabetic , he was laid off due to COVID , which cost him his health insurance .
He developed a foot ulcer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ignored it until he could n't stand anymore and then went to the hospital .
After surgery , he was released to a rehabilitation facility where he contracted COVID .
He was transferred back to the hospital , where he died four days later .
`` He died , not because of COVID and not because of diabetes , but because he did n't have access to health care when he needed it to prevent that whole process from happening , '' Peters said , adding that he could n't see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died alone .
`` It just breaks your heart . ''
Now is a great time to improve diabetes control , Peters added .
With many restaurants and most bars closed , people can have more control over what they eat .
No commuting leaves more time for exercise .
That 's what David Miller has managed to do .
Miller , 65 , of Austin , Texas , said he has stepped up his exercise routine , walking for 40 minutes four mornings a week at a nearby high school track .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the track 's not crowded , said Miller , an insurance agent , who has been able to work from home during the pandemic .
`` That 's more consistent exercise than I 've ever done . ''
His blood sugar is still not where he wants it to be , he said , but his new fitness routine has helped him lose a little weight and bring his blood sugar under better control .
Eating less remains a challenge .
`` I 'm one of those middle-aged guys who 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two , '' he said .
`` That can be a hard habit to shake . ''
Miller said he is n't too worried about getting COVID-19 .
`` I 've tried to limit my exposure within reason , '' he said , noting that he wears a mask when he can in public .
`` I honestly do n't feel particularly more vulnerable than anybody else . ''
Smeeth , the British epidemiologist , said even though they 're at higher risk for bad outcomes , people with diabetes should know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditional public health messages – do n't be overweight , give up smoking , keep active – are still valid for COVID , '' he said .
Plus , people with diabetes should prioritize getting a flu vaccine this fall , he said , to avoid compounding their risk .
In Los Angeles , Peters said , the county has made access to diabetes medication much easier for people with low incomes .
They can now get three months of medication , instead of only one .
`` We refill everybody 's medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the tools , '' she said , adding that diabetes advocates are also doing what they can to help people get health insurance .
Controlling blood sugar will help everyone , not just those with diabetes , Peters said .
Someone hospitalized with uncontrolled blood sugar takes up a bed that could otherwise be used for a COVID-19 patient .
Brown , of the American Diabetes Association , has been advocating for those measures on a national level , as well as ramping up testing in low-income communities .
Right now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said , and many are drive-thrus , assuming that everyone who needs testing has a car .
Her organization is also lobbying for continuity of health insurance coverage if someone with diabetes loses their job , as well as legislation to remove co-pays for diabetes medication .
`` The last thing we want to have happen is that during this economically challenged time , people start rationing or skipping their doses of insulin or other prescription drugs , '' Brown said .
That leads to unmanaged diabetes and complications like ulcers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those diseases where you can control it .
You should n't have to suffer and you should n't have to die . ''
Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics , Innovation and Competition in Healthcare .
The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input .

Diabetes highlights two Americas: One where COVID is easily beaten, the other where it's often devastating
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 and diabetes: Know what could be putting you at a higher risk Roughly 90% of Americans who die of COVID-19 have diabetes or other health conditions. Here's what could be putting you at a higher risk for the virus. USA TODAY
Dr. Anne Peters splits her mostly virtual workweek between a diabetes clinic on the west side of Los Angeles and one on the east side of the sprawling city.
Three days a week she treats people whose diabetes is well-controlled. They have insurance, so they can afford the newest medications and blood monitoring devices. They can exercise and eat well. Those generally more affluent West L.A. patients who have gotten COVID-19 have developed mild to moderate symptoms – feeling miserable, she said – but treatable, with close follow-up at home.
"By all rights they should do much worse, and yet most don't even go to the hospital," said Peters, director of the USC Clinical Diabetes Programs.
On the other two days of her workweek, it's a different story.
In East L.A., many patients didn't have insurance even before the pandemic. Now, with widespread layoffs, even fewer do. They live in "food deserts," lacking a car or gas money to reach a grocery store stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables. They can't stay home, because they're essential workers in grocery stores, health care facilities and delivery services. And they live in multi-generational homes, so even if older people stay put, they are likely to be infected by a younger relative who can't.
They tend to get COVID-19 more often and do worse if they get sick, with more symptoms and a higher likelihood of ending up in the hospital or dying, said Peters, also a member of the leadership council of Beyond Type 1, a diabetes education and advocacy organization.
"It doesn't mean my East Side patients are all doomed," she emphasized.
But it does suggest COVID-19 has an unequal impact, striking people who are poor and already in ill health far harder than healthier, better off people on the other side of town.
Tracey Brown has known that for years.
"What the COVID-19 pandemic has done is shined a very bright light on this existing and pervasive problem," said Brown, CEO of the American Diabetes Association. Along with about 32 million others – roughly 1 in 10 Americans – Brown has diabetes herself.
"We're in 2020, and every 5 minutes, someone is losing a limb" to diabetes, she said. "Every 10 minutes, somebody is having kidney failure."
Americans with diabetes and related health conditions are 12 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than those without such conditions, she said. Roughly 90% of Americans who die of COVID-19 have diabetes or other underlying conditions. And people of color are over-represented among the very sick and the dead.
Diabetes increases COVID risk
The data is clear: People with diabetes are at increased risk of having a bad case of COVID-19, and diabetics with poorly controlled blood sugar are at even higher risk, said Liam Smeeth, dean of the faculty of epidemiology and population health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He and his colleagues combed data on 17 million people in the U.K. to come to their conclusions.
Type 2 diabetes often comes paired with other health problems – obesity and high blood pressure, for instance. Add smoking, Smeeth said, and "for someone with diabetes in particular, those can really mount up."
People with diabetes are more vulnerable to many types infections, Peters said, because their white blood cells don't work as well when blood sugar levels are high.
"In a test tube, you can see the infection-fighting cells working less well if the sugars are higher," she said.
Peters recently saw a patient whose diabetes was triggered by COVID-19, a finding supported by one recent study.
Going into the hospital with any viral illness can trigger a spike in blood sugar, whether someone has diabetes or not. Some medications used to treat serious cases of COVID-19 can "shoot your sugars up," Peters said.
In patients who catch COVID-19 but aren't hospitalized, Peters said, she often has to reduce their insulin to compensate for the fact that they aren't eating as much.
Low income seems to be a risk factor for a bad case of COVID-19, even independent of age, weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, Smeeth said. "We see strong links with poverty."
Some of that is driven by occupational risks, with poorer people unable to work from home or avoid high-risk jobs. Some is related to housing conditions and crowding into apartments to save money. And some, may be related to underlying health conditions.
But the connection, he said, is unmistakable.
Peters recently watched a longtime friend lose her husband. Age 60 and diabetic, he was laid off due to COVID, which cost him his health insurance. He developed a foot ulcer that he couldn't afford to treat. He ignored it until he couldn't stand anymore and then went to the hospital.
After surgery, he was released to a rehabilitation facility where he contracted COVID. He was transferred back to the hospital, where he died four days later.
"He died, not because of COVID and not because of diabetes, but because he didn't have access to health care when he needed it to prevent that whole process from happening," Peters said, adding that he couldn't see his family in his final days and died alone. "It just breaks your heart."
Taking action on diabetes– personally and nationally
Now is a great time to improve diabetes control, Peters added. With many restaurants and most bars closed, people can have more control over what they eat. No commuting leaves more time for exercise.
That's what David Miller has managed to do. Miller, 65, of Austin, Texas, said he has stepped up his exercise routine, walking for 40 minutes four mornings a week at a nearby high school track. It's cool enough at that hour, and the track's not crowded, said Miller, an insurance agent, who has been able to work from home during the pandemic. "That's more consistent exercise than I've ever done."
His blood sugar is still not where he wants it to be, he said, but his new fitness routine has helped him lose a little weight and bring his blood sugar under better control. Eating less remains a challenge. "I'm one of those middle-aged guys who's gotten into the habit of eating for two," he said. "That can be a hard habit to shake."
Miller said he isn't too worried about getting COVID-19.
"I've tried to limit my exposure within reason," he said, noting that he wears a mask when he can in public. "I honestly don't feel particularly more vulnerable than anybody else."
Smeeth, the British epidemiologist, said even though they're at higher risk for bad outcomes, people with diabetes should know that they're not helpless.
"The traditional public health messages – don't be overweight, give up smoking, keep active – are still valid for COVID," he said. Plus, people with diabetes should prioritize getting a flu vaccine this fall, he said, to avoid compounding their risk.
(For more practical recommendations for those living with diabetes during the pandemic, go to coronavirusdiabetes.org.)
In Los Angeles, Peters said, the county has made access to diabetes medication much easier for people with low incomes. They can now get three months of medication, instead of only one. "We refill everybody's medicine that we can to make sure people have the tools," she said, adding that diabetes advocates are also doing what they can to help people get health insurance.
Controlling blood sugar will help everyone, not just those with diabetes, Peters said. Someone hospitalized with uncontrolled blood sugar takes up a bed that could otherwise be used for a COVID-19 patient.
Brown, of the American Diabetes Association, has been advocating for those measures on a national level, as well as ramping up testing in low-income communities. Right now, most testing centers are in wealthier neighborhoods, she said, and many are drive-thrus, assuming that everyone who needs testing has a car.
Her organization is also lobbying for continuity of health insurance coverage if someone with diabetes loses their job, as well as legislation to remove co-pays for diabetes medication.
"The last thing we want to have happen is that during this economically challenged time, people start rationing or skipping their doses of insulin or other prescription drugs," Brown said. That leads to unmanaged diabetes and complications like ulcers and amputations. "Diabetes is one of those diseases where you can control it. You shouldn't have to suffer and you shouldn't have to die."
Contact Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com
Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.


usatoday--2020-07-27--7 times military members surprised their dogs

Judging by these wagging tails , dogs miss their military moms and dads just as much as humans do .

7 times military members surprised their dogs
Judging by these wagging tails, dogs miss their military moms and dads just as much as humans do.
Militarykind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-07-28--How to clean wood furniture to make it look new

How to clean your wood furniture without ruining it You can clean your wood furniture with items already in your @ @

How to clean your wood furniture without ruining it
You can clean your wood furniture with items already in your house.
ProblemSolved, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-07-27--Adorable baby takes joy ride on Roomba vacuum

Kenny loves his Roomba ... especially when it spins him in circles .

This baby couldn't resist a joy ride on a Roomba vacuum
Kenny loves his Roomba... especially when it spins him in circles.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-07-28--AG Barr: DOJ has been drawn into 'political maelstrom'; department used as 'political weapon'

WASHINGTON – Attorney General William Barr , facing a hotly anticipated appearance before a House panel Tuesday , offered a forceful defense of his actions as the nation 's chief law enforcement officer , asserting that he has acted apart from the interests of the White House while `` applying a standard of justice without partisan considerations . ''
Even before taking office in 2019 , Barr said he became `` deeply troubled by what I perceived as the increasing use of the criminal justice process as a political weapon and the emergence of two separate standards of justice .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the political maelstrom and was being buffeted on all sides , '' Barr said in an opening statement prepared for delivery Tuesday to the House Judiciary Committee .
When he was asked to consider returning for a second term as attorney general ( following his service in the George H.W .
Bush administration ) , Barr said he did so because `` I revere the Department and believed my independence would allow me to help steer her back to her core mission of applying one standard of justice for everyone and enforcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Of mounting questions about favorable decisions rendered in a series of cases involving President Donald Trump and his allies , Barr said that his actions `` have been my own . ''
`` And they have been made because I believed they were right under the law and principles of justice , '' according to Barr 's statement .
Barr 's long-sought testimony comes as part of House Democrats ' investigation into allegations of political interference at Justice and claims that the attorney general has turned the department into a political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The hearing , billed as an oversight of the Justice Department , will touch on a year 's worth of grievances , from the widely criticized roll-out of the special counsel 's Russia report in 2019 to the deployment of federal agents to Portland .
'What had happened was wrong ' : DOJ lawyers accuse agency leaders of abusing power in Roger Stone case , other probes Unrest in Portland : Portland police detain two suspects after reported shooting near federal courthouse protest site House Democrats are expected to lob questions from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he mischaracterized the findings of former special counsel Robert Mueller 's Russia investigation , interference on the criminal prosecutions of Trump allies , the contentious ouster of Manhattan 's former U.S. attorney , and the federal agents ' use of force to clear Lafayette Square of protesters in Washington D.C. ahead of a presidential photo-op , according to the House committee 's counsel .
In his opening statement , Barr referred to the Russia investigation as `` bogus , '' and that he has paid a political price for his actions since .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I was going to do everything I could to get to the bottom of the grave abuses involved in the bogus “ Russiagate ” scandal , many of the Democrats on this Committee have attempted to discredit me by conjuring up a narrative that I am simply the President ’ s factotum who disposes of criminal cases according to his instructions , '' he said .
`` Judging from the letter inviting me to this hearing , that appears to be your agenda today . ''
Lawmakers also are expected to question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quell rioting in Portland and in support of Operation Legend , a federal crime-fighting initiative that the Justice Department recently expanded to multiple cities amid resistance and skepticism from local officials .
The rioting and demonstrations against police brutality initially prompted by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police have only grown more intense since the deployment of federal officers .
While Barr said that police abuses remain rare , he said Floyd 's death and others like it `` strike a deep chord in the black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the deeper , lingering concern that , in encounters with police , blacks will not be treated even-handedly ; they will not be given the benefit of the doubt ; they will be treated with greater suspicion than a white person would be in the same circumstances . ''
Former US Attorney Geoffrey Berman : AG Barr pressed him to resign to make way for favored candidate '' I think these concerns are legitimate , '' Barr said in the statement , though he suggests that police should n't bear all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be an oversimplification to treat the problem as rooted in some deep-seated racism generally infecting our police departments , '' Barr said .
`` It seems far more likely that the problem stems from a complex mix of factors , which can be addressed with focused attention over time . ''
Republicans have cast the committee 's investigation as a political stunt that distracts from more pressing issues , such as the coronavirus pandemic and racial unrest .
They also have defended Barr , saying his actions at the Justice Department were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous administration .
The hearing , expected to be long and contentious , follows testimony from current and former Justice Department officials who accused the agency 's leadership of impropriety .
Last month , a Justice Department prosecutor said the department 's leadership gave Roger Stone , a longtime friend of the president , `` unprecedentedly favorable treatment '' by pushing for a more lenient prison sentence against the recommendation of career prosecutors .
Aaron Zelinsky told lawmakers he and the other attorneys who prosecuted the GOP operative were pressured to `` cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be fired .
Around the same time , Barr and ousted Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman publicly clashed over control of one of the Justice Department 's most prestigious offices that have investigated and prosecuted Trump 's allies and former associates .
During a chaotic weekend last month , Berman accused Barr of not being truthful after the Justice Department announced – prematurely , according to Berman – that he was leaving his post .
Federal deployments : Mayors see broken trust , political agenda in Trump 's surge of federal officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr repeatedly pressed him to resign to make way for Trump 's desired nominee , telling him he would be fired if he refused to do so and even offering a high-ranking position within the Justice Department .
During the closed-door testimony , Berman said he questioned why he was being asked to leave before a nominee is confirmed and was critical of Barr 's decision to appoint an outsider as a temporary replacement , calling it `` unprecedented , unnecessary and unexplained . ''
Berman declined to speculate on Barr 's motives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's `` irregular and unexplained actions '' were problematic , according to a transcript of the testimony .

Kristine Phillips and Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY

AG Barr: DOJ had been drawn into 'political maelstrom'; department used as 'political weapon'
Show Caption Hide Caption Barr, Nadler clash on federal response to unrest Attorney General William Barr clashed with the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee over the federal response to unrest in U.S. cities. (July 28) AP
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William Barr, facing a hotly anticipated appearance before a House panel Tuesday, offered a forceful defense of his actions as the nation's chief law enforcement officer, asserting that he has acted apart from the interests of the White House while "applying a standard of justice without partisan considerations."
Even before taking office in 2019, Barr said he became "deeply troubled by what I perceived as the increasing use of the criminal justice process as a political weapon and the emergence of two separate standards of justice."
"The Department had been drawn into the political maelstrom and was being buffeted on all sides," Barr said in an opening statement prepared for delivery Tuesday to the House Judiciary Committee.
When he was asked to consider returning for a second term as attorney general (following his service in the George H.W. Bush administration), Barr said he did so because "I revere the Department and believed my independence would allow me to help steer her back to her core mission of applying one standard of justice for everyone and enforcing the law even-handedly, without partisan considerations."
Of mounting questions about favorable decisions rendered in a series of cases involving President Donald Trump and his allies, Barr said that his actions "have been my own."
"And they have been made because I believed they were right under the law and principles of justice," according to Barr's statement.
Barr's long-sought testimony comes as part of House Democrats' investigation into allegations of political interference at Justice and claims that the attorney general has turned the department into a political annex of the Trump White House.
The hearing, billed as an oversight of the Justice Department, will touch on a year's worth of grievances, from the widely criticized roll-out of the special counsel's Russia report in 2019 to the deployment of federal agents to Portland.
'What had happened was wrong': DOJ lawyers accuse agency leaders of abusing power in Roger Stone case, other probes
Unrest in Portland: Portland police detain two suspects after reported shooting near federal courthouse protest site
Nadler calls out Attorney General William Barr for being a no-show Attorney General William Barr made good Thursday on his threat to skip a House hearing into Russian interference in the 2016 election USA TODAY
House Democrats are expected to lob questions from a long list of issues, including whether he mischaracterized the findings of former special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, interference on the criminal prosecutions of Trump allies, the contentious ouster of Manhattan's former U.S. attorney, and the federal agents' use of force to clear Lafayette Square of protesters in Washington D.C. ahead of a presidential photo-op, according to the House committee's counsel.
In his opening statement, Barr referred to the Russia investigation as "bogus," and that he has paid a political price for his actions since.
"Ever since I made it clear that I was going to do everything I could to get to the bottom of the grave abuses involved in the bogus “Russiagate” scandal, many of the Democrats on this Committee have attempted to discredit me by conjuring up a narrative that I am simply the President’s factotum who disposes of criminal cases according to his instructions," he said. "Judging from the letter inviting me to this hearing, that appears to be your agenda today."
Lawmakers also are expected to question Barr about recent federal officer deployments to quell rioting in Portland and in support of Operation Legend, a federal crime-fighting initiative that the Justice Department recently expanded to multiple cities amid resistance and skepticism from local officials.
The rioting and demonstrations against police brutality initially prompted by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police have only grown more intense since the deployment of federal officers.
While Barr said that police abuses remain rare, he said Floyd's death and others like it "strike a deep chord in the black community because they are perceived as manifestation of the deeper, lingering concern that, in encounters with police, blacks will not be treated even-handedly; they will not be given the benefit of the doubt; they will be treated with greater suspicion than a white person would be in the same circumstances."
Former US Attorney Geoffrey Berman: AG Barr pressed him to resign to make way for favored candidate
Geoffrey Berman firing: AG Barr's glowing account of NY prosecutor's work further clouds dismissal
"I think these concerns are legitimate," Barr said in the statement, though he suggests that police shouldn't bear all of the blame.
"I think it would be an oversimplification to treat the problem as rooted in some deep-seated racism generally infecting our police departments," Barr said. "It seems far more likely that the problem stems from a complex mix of factors, which can be addressed with focused attention over time."
Republicans have cast the committee's investigation as a political stunt that distracts from more pressing issues, such as the coronavirus pandemic and racial unrest. They also have defended Barr, saying his actions at the Justice Department were meant to correct the wrongs of the previous administration.
The hearing, expected to be long and contentious, follows testimony from current and former Justice Department officials who accused the agency's leadership of impropriety.
Last month, a Justice Department prosecutor said the department's leadership gave Roger Stone, a longtime friend of the president, "unprecedentedly favorable treatment" by pushing for a more lenient prison sentence against the recommendation of career prosecutors. Aaron Zelinsky told lawmakers he and the other attorneys who prosecuted the GOP operative were pressured to "cut Stone a break," or they could be fired.
Around the same time, Barr and ousted Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman publicly clashed over control of one of the Justice Department's most prestigious offices that have investigated and prosecuted Trump's allies and former associates. During a chaotic weekend last month, Berman accused Barr of not being truthful after the Justice Department announced – prematurely, according to Berman – that he was leaving his post.
'What a disaster': Aggressive federal response in Portland raises legal questions
Federal deployments: Mayors see broken trust, political agenda in Trump's surge of federal officers to US cities
The weekend ended with Berman's firing.
Berman later testified that Barr repeatedly pressed him to resign to make way for Trump's desired nominee, telling him he would be fired if he refused to do so and even offering a high-ranking position within the Justice Department. During the closed-door testimony, Berman said he questioned why he was being asked to leave before a nominee is confirmed and was critical of Barr's decision to appoint an outsider as a temporary replacement, calling it "unprecedented, unnecessary and unexplained."
Berman declined to speculate on Barr's motives, but he said the attorney general's "irregular and unexplained actions" were problematic, according to a transcript of the testimony.


usatoday--2020-07-26--There are 100 days until Election Day. Here's what has defined the campaign and what to expect

WASHINGTON – For nearly two years , dozens of politicians non-politicians alike met with voters , held fundraisers and dedicated much of their lives in an attempt to be their party ’ s nominee .
Now , we 're 100 days out from the general election and two candidates remain .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee , and President Donald Trump will face off in November .
In the past year , Biden competed with one of the largest and most diverse Democratic fields in history and overcame a slow start in the early voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has had his reelection bid challenged by an impeachment trial and a global pandemic , while also seeing long-shot candidates try to convince Republicans that they are the better choice for the party .
Here are some of the top moments that got us to where we are now and what you have to look forward to : In late 2019 , Trump ’ s pending impeachment trial dominated news coverage , leaving pundits and voters alike wondering whether it would hurt or help the president ’ s reelection campaign .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment against Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in December .
He went on to be acquitted by the Senate in early January 2020 .
Amid the trial , Democrats were still campaigning for their presidential primary .
100 days : What can shake things up in the election home stretch ?
Here are 5 possibilities Several candidates took aim at the president for blocking key White House officials from speaking to lawmakers ahead of the trim .
And the scheduling of the trial just before the first-in-the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bernie Sanders , Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar , who were running for president and also were jurors in the impeachment trial .
They sometimes spent their days in Washington and headed out to campaign events elsewhere in the evenings .
But the trial showcased the Republican Party ’ s unity : Nearly all Republican senators continued to support the president and voted to acquit him of the charges .
Trump frequently called the charges and the trial a “ witch hunt ” to keep him from being reelected .
The power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by many as the backbone of the Democratic Party , voters of color flexed their political muscle early on in the primary .
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg started off strong in the early voting states , exceeding expectations in Iowa and New Hampshire .
But throughout the primary season , Buttigieg struggled to gain traction with Black and Latino voters .
As the campaign headed to Nevada , which has a substantial Latino population , and South Carolina , with a large Black population , many pundits predicted he would struggle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernie Sanders won Nevada by a large margin , with Biden in a distant second , followed by Buttigeig .
Sanders credited much of his win to his support from Latino voters .
In South Carolina , the fourth state to vote , Biden ’ s campaign was revived by a blowout victory .
His win is attributed to the large support he received from Black voters .
Shortly after Biden ’ s big win , several presidential contenders , including Buttigieg and Klobuchar , who also struggled with support from voters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary , voters of color solidified their role in making or breaking a presidential candidate ’ s campaign .
Sanders continued to have a strong hold with Latino voters , which helped him win the state of California and other states in the West like Colorado .
But Biden ’ s support among Black voters , along with other key voting blocs like older and suburban voters , helped catapult him to the nomination .
Following Sanders ’ rise in the 2016 Democratic primary , this election brought an increased focus on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is an independent and identifies as a Democratic Socialist , created a following of mostly young voters who supported his signature Medicare For All platform , as well as his calls for free college education and his goals to combat climate change .
When he decided to run for president again in 2020 , the discussion of whether the country and Democrats were ready for a more progressive candidate came to a head once more .
Sanders , as well as Warren , both ran on progressive stances and were at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic field ahead of the early voting states .
'Wake up call ' : Prominent group warns Biden campaign that it 's falling short on outreach to women of color Biden , along with Buttigeig and Klobuchar , instead ran their campaigns in a way appealing to more moderate Democrats .
The divide was most apparent during the primary debates , where large portions were dominated by the discussion of health care .
The divide became even more in focus once the field winnowed to just Sanders and Biden .
The two candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once the field cleared out .
Up until Super Tuesday on March 3 , Sanders was seen as the front-runner , placing in the top two in several early voting states , and putting into question whether Americans really were more on board with a progressive candidate .
But once Biden became the last moderate standing , he consolidated the support of moderates who left the race , and began to rack up primary wins .
Sanders dropped out in early April .
Despite the debate between the two groups of Democrats during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since worked together to create a platform that could appeal to both groups .
The campaign was totally upended by the rise of the coronavirus pandemic early in 2020 .
It ’ s been one of the largest points of contention between Biden and Trump .
Trump in late January played down concerns over the virus .
On Jan. 24 , the president told reporters `` we have it totally under control '' and that it 's `` going to be just fine . ''
But by Jan. 29 , the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was blocking travel from China just one day after the task force was formed .
The president declared a national emergency on March 13 and two days later recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control , called “ 15 Days to Stop the Spread , '' which encouraged social distancing .
During that time , many states implemented stay-at-home orders , with a thousands of businesses closing down or offering limited services .
Unemployment among Americans reached record highs as many across the country lost their job .
Biden has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , releasing his own plan on what should be done to combat the virus and help the economy .
Since the pandemic , Trump ’ s approval rating and standing in polling against Biden has plummeted .
More than half of Americans disapprove of Trump ’ s job as president , in addition to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic , according to a survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project from mid-July .
The coronavirus response and actions by Trump and Biden are expected to dominate the final 100 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s death and the protests against systemic racism George Floyd , a Black Minnesota man , started a movement after his death was recorded in a video showing Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd 's neck for nearly nine minutes .
Floyd ’ s death sparked nationwide protests calling for justice , as well as shining a light on systemic racism .
Trump has become a point of ire among protesters , with many criticizing the president ’ s response to Floyd 's death and the protests .
Trump has repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devolved into violence .
Trump also has denounced one of the key demands of protesters : defunding the police .
That has also become a point of criticism against Biden among young progressive and young Black voters .
Protesters are calling on lawmakers to reallocate funding from police departments to community services .
Biden has said he does not support defunding the police .
'Past time ' : Obama urges Biden to address racial bias in policing in video contrast with Trump Biden has tried to highlight his relationship and history with Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s family ahead of his funeral in Houston , where Floyd was from .
Trump did not meet with the family but briefly spoke on the phone with them .
Since the height of the protests , Biden has also released plans to allocate money to community programs and has released plans to help Black Americans and other people of color .
The movement has continued and has focused on getting justice for many Black men and women who have died in police custody or as a result of police involvement , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The movement has intersectional support from not just Black Americans but white and other ethnic and racial groups .
The questions raised by the movement are expected to be a key theme in the next 100 days .
What to expect in the next 100 days A lot could change in three months .
But there are traditionally key moments in the final 100 days of the presidential campaign that will influence voters : Each party ’ s convention , the debates between the two presidential candidates and quite possibly an October Surprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country also is reeling from the pandemic and nationwide unrest after Floyd 's death .
The typical party conventions , which are flashy affairs that work to generate as much media coverage as possible for the candidates , will largely not be in person .
Three presidential debates are set between Trump and Biden , as well as a vice presidential debate between Pence and Biden ’ s running mate , who has yet to be announced .
The debates will likely focus on each other ’ s ability to run the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s acuity , and the former vice president has criticized the president 's job performance .
In addition , Biden 's vice presidential pick could shake up the race .
Biden has committed to picking a woman as his running mate and has noted that he is considering four Black women , but he has not named them .
Regardless of whom he chooses , it will be a historical choice : Only two women , Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Sarah Palin in 2008 , have been chosen as a running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voters will also likely be faced with questions of how to vote safely , if the pandemic continues without a vaccine .
Although some states expanded absentee voting and vote-by-mail systems for the primary , it ’ s unclear what systems will be in place for the general election .

There are 100 days until Election Day. Here's what has defined the campaign and what to expect
Show Caption Hide Caption Why voter suppression in the US has increased since 2013 Civil rights experts point to long wait times to vote as a sign of growing voter suppression in the U.S. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – For nearly two years, dozens of politicians non-politicians alike met with voters, held fundraisers and dedicated much of their lives in an attempt to be their party’s nominee.
Now, we're 100 days out from the general election and two candidates remain.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, and President Donald Trump will face off in November. In the past year, Biden competed with one of the largest and most diverse Democratic fields in history and overcame a slow start in the early voting states to eventually beat them all. Trump has had his reelection bid challenged by an impeachment trial and a global pandemic, while also seeing long-shot candidates try to convince Republicans that they are the better choice for the party.
Here are some of the top moments that got us to where we are now and what you have to look forward to:
The Trump impeachment trial
In late 2019, Trump’s pending impeachment trial dominated news coverage, leaving pundits and voters alike wondering whether it would hurt or help the president’s reelection campaign.
The House of Representatives approved two counts of impeachment against Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in December. He went on to be acquitted by the Senate in early January 2020.
Amid the trial, Democrats were still campaigning for their presidential primary.
100 days: What can shake things up in the election home stretch? Here are 5 possibilities
Several candidates took aim at the president for blocking key White House officials from speaking to lawmakers ahead of the trim. And the scheduling of the trial just before the first-in-the nation Iowa caucuses caused conflicts for Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, who were running for president and also were jurors in the impeachment trial. They sometimes spent their days in Washington and headed out to campaign events elsewhere in the evenings.
But the trial showcased the Republican Party’s unity: Nearly all Republican senators continued to support the president and voted to acquit him of the charges. Trump frequently called the charges and the trial a “witch hunt” to keep him from being reelected.
The power and influence of voters of color
Seen by many as the backbone of the Democratic Party, voters of color flexed their political muscle early on in the primary.
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg started off strong in the early voting states, exceeding expectations in Iowa and New Hampshire. But throughout the primary season, Buttigieg struggled to gain traction with Black and Latino voters. As the campaign headed to Nevada, which has a substantial Latino population, and South Carolina, with a large Black population, many pundits predicted he would struggle.
The pundits were right.
Sen. Bernie Sanders won Nevada by a large margin, with Biden in a distant second, followed by Buttigeig. Sanders credited much of his win to his support from Latino voters.
In South Carolina, the fourth state to vote, Biden’s campaign was revived by a blowout victory. His win is attributed to the large support he received from Black voters. Shortly after Biden’s big win, several presidential contenders, including Buttigieg and Klobuchar, who also struggled with support from voters of color, dropped out.
Throughout the primary, voters of color solidified their role in making or breaking a presidential candidate’s campaign. Sanders continued to have a strong hold with Latino voters, which helped him win the state of California and other states in the West like Colorado. But Biden’s support among Black voters, along with other key voting blocs like older and suburban voters, helped catapult him to the nomination.
The progressive Democrat vs. moderate Democrat battle
Following Sanders’ rise in the 2016 Democratic primary, this election brought an increased focus on the progressive wing of the party.
Sanders, who is an independent and identifies as a Democratic Socialist, created a following of mostly young voters who supported his signature Medicare For All platform, as well as his calls for free college education and his goals to combat climate change.
When he decided to run for president again in 2020, the discussion of whether the country and Democrats were ready for a more progressive candidate came to a head once more. Sanders, as well as Warren, both ran on progressive stances and were at one point switching off in leading the Democratic field ahead of the early voting states.
'Wake up call': Prominent group warns Biden campaign that it's falling short on outreach to women of color
Biden, along with Buttigeig and Klobuchar, instead ran their campaigns in a way appealing to more moderate Democrats. The divide was most apparent during the primary debates, where large portions were dominated by the discussion of health care.
The divide became even more in focus once the field winnowed to just Sanders and Biden. The two candidates even had a chance to debate one-on-one once the field cleared out.
Up until Super Tuesday on March 3, Sanders was seen as the front-runner, placing in the top two in several early voting states, and putting into question whether Americans really were more on board with a progressive candidate.
But once Biden became the last moderate standing, he consolidated the support of moderates who left the race, and began to rack up primary wins. Sanders dropped out in early April.
Despite the debate between the two groups of Democrats during the primary, Biden and Sanders have since worked together to create a platform that could appeal to both groups.
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
Biden’s and Trump’s coronavirus pandemic response
The campaign was totally upended by the rise of the coronavirus pandemic early in 2020. It’s been one of the largest points of contention between Biden and Trump.
Trump in late January played down concerns over the virus. On Jan. 24, the president told reporters "we have it totally under control" and that it's "going to be just fine." But by Jan. 29, the White House created a coronavirus task force and announced it was blocking travel from China just one day after the task force was formed.
The president declared a national emergency on March 13 and two days later recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, called “15 Days to Stop the Spread," which encouraged social distancing. During that time, many states implemented stay-at-home orders, with a thousands of businesses closing down or offering limited services. Unemployment among Americans reached record highs as many across the country lost their job.
Trump defends his response to coronavirus in Fox News interview President Trump defended his response to coronavirus, including his claims that COVID-19 will "disappear." USA TODAY
Biden has been quick to contrast himself with the president, releasing his own plan on what should be done to combat the virus and help the economy. Since the pandemic, Trump’s approval rating and standing in polling against Biden has plummeted.
More than half of Americans disapprove of Trump’s job as president, in addition to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project from mid-July. The coronavirus response and actions by Trump and Biden are expected to dominate the final 100 days of the campaign.
George Floyd’s death and the protests against systemic racism
George Floyd, a Black Minnesota man, started a movement after his death was recorded in a video showing Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.
Floyd’s death sparked nationwide protests calling for justice, as well as shining a light on systemic racism. Trump has become a point of ire among protesters, with many criticizing the president’s response to Floyd's death and the protests. Trump has repeatedly criticized protesters, especially after some protests devolved into violence. Trump also has denounced one of the key demands of protesters: defunding the police.
That has also become a point of criticism against Biden among young progressive and young Black voters. Protesters are calling on lawmakers to reallocate funding from police departments to community services. Biden has said he does not support defunding the police.
'Past time': Obama urges Biden to address racial bias in policing in video contrast with Trump
Biden has tried to highlight his relationship and history with Black voters. Biden met with Floyd’s family ahead of his funeral in Houston, where Floyd was from. Trump did not meet with the family but briefly spoke on the phone with them. Since the height of the protests, Biden has also released plans to allocate money to community programs and has released plans to help Black Americans and other people of color.
The movement has continued and has focused on getting justice for many Black men and women who have died in police custody or as a result of police involvement, such as Breonna Taylor and Elijah McClain. The movement has intersectional support from not just Black Americans but white and other ethnic and racial groups. The questions raised by the movement are expected to be a key theme in the next 100 days.
What to expect in the next 100 days
A lot could change in three months.
But there are traditionally key moments in the final 100 days of the presidential campaign that will influence voters: Each party’s convention, the debates between the two presidential candidates and quite possibly an October Surprise.
This election is unique in that the country also is reeling from the pandemic and nationwide unrest after Floyd's death.
The typical party conventions, which are flashy affairs that work to generate as much media coverage as possible for the candidates, will largely not be in person.
Congressional upsets: Progressives, candidates of color, and GOP outsiders net primary wins
Three presidential debates are set between Trump and Biden, as well as a vice presidential debate between Pence and Biden’s running mate, who has yet to be announced. The debates will likely focus on each other’s ability to run the country: Trump has repeatedly questioned Biden’s acuity, and the former vice president has criticized the president's job performance.
In addition, Biden's vice presidential pick could shake up the race. Biden has committed to picking a woman as his running mate and has noted that he is considering four Black women, but he has not named them. Regardless of whom he chooses, it will be a historical choice: Only two women, Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Sarah Palin in 2008, have been chosen as a running mate for the two major parties.
Voters will also likely be faced with questions of how to vote safely, if the pandemic continues without a vaccine. Although some states expanded absentee voting and vote-by-mail systems for the primary, it’s unclear what systems will be in place for the general election.


usatoday--2020-07-25--'We can all relate to this.' Why AOC's speech on sexism struck a chord beyond Washington

Nancy Pelosi , the only woman ever to serve as House speaker , called it a “ new dawn ” when she took the gavel in 2019 to lead a Congress that included a record-breaking number of women lawmakers .
To mark the occasion , many female lawmakers , including the speaker , wore shades of red and brought daughters and granddaughters to the House chamber .
One of the women sworn in that day , Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y. , had an iconic moment of her own Thursday , when she rose to the podium in the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yoho , R-Fla. , who accosted her Monday on the Capitol steps and , as they parted ways , called her a “ f -- -- -- b -- -- , ” according to a reporter who overheard the comment .
As she spoke about the confrontation Thursday , Ocasio-Cortez said she had been on the receiving end of disrespectful comments from men before , during her tenure in Congress and in past jobs as a waitress and a bartender .
But she said she decided to speak out , not because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of sexist comments directed at women every day .
“ It is cultural , ” Ocasio-Cortez said .
“ It is a culture of a lack of impunity , of acceptance of violence and violent language against women , an entire structure of power that supports that.
” The speech resonated well beyond the Capitol , becoming a viral sensation on social media and sparking a conversation about the role language plays in reinforcing power imbalances between men and women .
Female lawmakers and experts who have studied the rise of women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # MeToo movement put a spotlight on sexual harassment of women in media , government and Hollywood , many women are reluctant to speak out about sexist comments and behavior .
“ What Alexandria did was very powerful , ” Rep. Judy Chu , D-Calif. , said in an interview Friday .
“ She could have ignored it.
” “ I think that we can all relate to what she experienced , whether it 's in the disparaging remarks people make , that men have made , or the kinds of looks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of several women who stood up on the House floor Thursday to echo Ocasio-Cortez ’ s rebuke of sexism .
“ We can all relate to this , ” Chu told USA TODAY .
Anne Kaiser , a Maryland state legislator who chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee in the House of Delegates , praised Ocasio-Cortez ’ s remarks and told USA TODAY that Yoho ’ s behavior is emblematic of “ systemic sexism that still is a part of our society.
” “ Ask any woman leader out there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply resent women leaders and , truthfully , so do some women , ” said Kaiser , who also is a professor of Women in Leadership at the University of Maryland , College Park .
A record 131 women serve in the current U.S. Congress , with 105 in the House when nonvoting members representing territories and the District of Columbia are included , according to the Congressional Research Service .
Twenty-six members of the Senate are women .
Karen O'Connor , a professor of political science at American University and founder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute , said there have been clear signs of progress for women , including Pelosi ’ s speakership and the fact that women in the House hold a record number of committee chairs .
O ’ Connor said Yoho ’ s conduct toward Ocasio-Cortez mirrored behavior by other men in power , including President Donald Trump .
“ But – and it is a big but – privileged white men , who control the Republican parties in each House , are largely older and believe women such as AOC threaten their power so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as does the president , who routinely tries to diminish women world leaders , governors and mayors , ” O ’ Connor said .
“ Women of color just get a double whammy .
When the president insults and belittles women , he gives other white men tacit approval to do so , ” O ’ Connor added .
Trump has derided female world leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former British Prime Minister Theresa May .
He has ridiculed women such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, and Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president has called Ocasio-Cortez a “ whack job ” and often refers to Pelosi as “ Crazy Nancy.
” Trump also lashes out at plenty of male politicians , including Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif. , Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , and Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , D-N.Y .
The Hill newspaper , which was the first to report the confrontation between Ocasio-Cortez and Yoho , said the Florida lawmaker approached Ocasio-Cortez as she was walking up the steps of the Capitol and told her she was “ disgusting ” for saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise in crime in New York City .
`` You are out of your freaking mind , '' Yoho told the congresswoman , according to Hill reporter Mike Lillis .
Lillis said Ocasio-Cortez told Yoho he was being “ rude ” and said he overheard the congressman say `` f -- -- -- b -- -- '' as he walked away .
Yoho denied that his use of profanity had been directed at Ocasio-Cortez but acknowledged an `` abrupt manner ” in his conversation with her .
`` Having been married for 45 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very cognizant of my language , '' he said on the House floor Wednesday .
`` The offensive name-calling words attributed to me by the press were never spoken to my colleagues , and if they were construed that way , I apologize for their misunderstanding . ''
Ocasio-Cortez said Yoho ’ s decision to invoke his wife and daughters was what prompted her to speak up .
`` I am someone 's daughter too , '' she said .
`` My father , thankfully , is not alive to see how Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got to see Mr. Yoho 's disrespect on the floor of this house towards me on television , and I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men , '' Ocasio-Cortez added .
O ’ Connor noted that in the same week that Ocasio-Cortez pushed back on Yoho ’ s comments , Rep. Liz Cheney , the chair of the House Republican Conference and the highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress , faced attacks from some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioned his reluctance to wear a mask and some of his foreign policy positions .
Trump retweeted a post that called on Cheney , R-Wyo.
, to step down from her leadership post in the House `` or be removed . ''
While there is little indication that the backlash against Cheney is significant enough to put her leadership role at risk , O ’ Connor said the attacks on her by Trump and some of his allies in Congress show a belief that “ she needs to be punished and publicly embarrassed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kelly Dittmar , co-author of a “ A Seat at the Table , ” a book based on interviews with dozens of female members of Congress who served between 2015 and 2017 , said the women she spoke with described unique challenges they faced in an institution long dominated by men .
“ Many of them said , 'Look , it was harder ( for women than men ) to get here .
Then it is harder to be here , as it pertains to sexism , ' ” Dittmar said .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science at Rutgers University , said Ocasio-Cortez ’ s role as a congresswoman gave her a platform to speak out that many women lack .
She said the election of more women to Congress gives them a chance to “ confront norms and dynamics that have long advantaged men.
” “ In Congress , they do potentially have an avenue for some accountability , '' Dittmar said , and Ocasio-Cortez `` in the most overt way that we 've seen a woman do , really leveraged that power by going on the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That 's kind of an interesting and important dynamic in how we see institutions change .
”

Rebecca Morin, Sarah Elbeshbishi and Caren Bohan, USA TODAY

‘We can all relate to this.’ Why AOC’s speech on sexism struck a chord beyond Washington
Show Caption Hide Caption Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez assails men's abusive treatment Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's objections to a Republican lawmaker's verbal assault on her expanded Thursday as she and other Democrats have taken to the House floor. (July 23) AP
Nancy Pelosi, the only woman ever to serve as House speaker, called it a “new dawn” when she took the gavel in 2019 to lead a Congress that included a record-breaking number of women lawmakers.
To mark the occasion, many female lawmakers, including the speaker, wore shades of red and brought daughters and granddaughters to the House chamber.
One of the women sworn in that day, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., had an iconic moment of her own Thursday, when she rose to the podium in the House to rebuke a fellow lawmaker, Ted Yoho, R-Fla., who accosted her Monday on the Capitol steps and, as they parted ways, called her a “f------ b----,” according to a reporter who overheard the comment.
As she spoke about the confrontation Thursday, Ocasio-Cortez said she had been on the receiving end of disrespectful comments from men before, during her tenure in Congress and in past jobs as a waitress and a bartender. But she said she decided to speak out, not because of the one incident involving Yoho, but because of sexist comments directed at women every day.
“It is cultural,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “It is a culture of a lack of impunity, of acceptance of violence and violent language against women, an entire structure of power that supports that.”
Read AOC's speech: 'I am someone's daughter too.'
The speech resonated well beyond the Capitol, becoming a viral sensation on social media and sparking a conversation about the role language plays in reinforcing power imbalances between men and women.
Female lawmakers and experts who have studied the rise of women in Congress said that even after the #MeToo movement put a spotlight on sexual harassment of women in media, government and Hollywood, many women are reluctant to speak out about sexist comments and behavior.
“What Alexandria did was very powerful,” Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., said in an interview Friday. “She could have ignored it.”
“I think that we can all relate to what she experienced, whether it's in the disparaging remarks people make, that men have made, or the kinds of looks of denigration,” said Chu, who was one of several women who stood up on the House floor Thursday to echo Ocasio-Cortez’s rebuke of sexism.
“We can all relate to this,” Chu told USA TODAY.
Do men ‘simply resent’ women leaders?
Anne Kaiser, a Maryland state legislator who chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee in the House of Delegates, praised Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks and told USA TODAY that Yoho’s behavior is emblematic of “systemic sexism that still is a part of our society.”
“Ask any woman leader out there: The fact is that some men simply resent women leaders and, truthfully, so do some women,” said Kaiser, who also is a professor of Women in Leadership at the University of Maryland, College Park.
A record 131 women serve in the current U.S. Congress, with 105 in the House when nonvoting members representing territories and the District of Columbia are included, according to the Congressional Research Service. Twenty-six members of the Senate are women.
Karen O'Connor, a professor of political science at American University and founder of the university’s Women and Politics Institute, said there have been clear signs of progress for women, including Pelosi’s speakership and the fact that women in the House hold a record number of committee chairs.
O’Connor said Yoho’s conduct toward Ocasio-Cortez mirrored behavior by other men in power, including President Donald Trump.
“But – and it is a big but – privileged white men, who control the Republican parties in each House, are largely older and believe women such as AOC threaten their power so they continually seek to minimize women, as does the president, who routinely tries to diminish women world leaders, governors and mayors,” O’Connor said.
“Women of color just get a double whammy. When the president insults and belittles women, he gives other white men tacit approval to do so,” O’Connor added.
Trump has derided female world leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former British Prime Minister Theresa May. He has ridiculed women such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich. The president has called Ocasio-Cortez a “whack job” and often refers to Pelosi as “Crazy Nancy.”
Trump also lashes out at plenty of male politicians, including Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y.
An ‘abrupt manner’
The Hill newspaper, which was the first to report the confrontation between Ocasio-Cortez and Yoho, said the Florida lawmaker approached Ocasio-Cortez as she was walking up the steps of the Capitol and told her she was “disgusting” for saying poverty was the driving force behind a rise in crime in New York City.
"You are out of your freaking mind," Yoho told the congresswoman, according to Hill reporter Mike Lillis. Lillis said Ocasio-Cortez told Yoho he was being “rude” and said he overheard the congressman say "f------ b----" as he walked away.
Yoho denied that his use of profanity had been directed at Ocasio-Cortez but acknowledged an "abrupt manner” in his conversation with her.
"Having been married for 45 years with two daughters, I'm very cognizant of my language," he said on the House floor Wednesday. "The offensive name-calling words attributed to me by the press were never spoken to my colleagues, and if they were construed that way, I apologize for their misunderstanding."
Ocasio-Cortez said Yoho’s decision to invoke his wife and daughters was what prompted her to speak up.
"I am someone's daughter too," she said.
"My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter. My mother got to see Mr. Yoho's disrespect on the floor of this house towards me on television, and I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men," Ocasio-Cortez added.
O’Connor noted that in the same week that Ocasio-Cortez pushed back on Yoho’s comments, Rep. Liz Cheney, the chair of the House Republican Conference and the highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress, faced attacks from some GOP lawmakers and Trump himself after she questioned his reluctance to wear a mask and some of his foreign policy positions.
Trump retweeted a post that called on Cheney, R-Wyo., to step down from her leadership post in the House "or be removed."
While there is little indication that the backlash against Cheney is significant enough to put her leadership role at risk, O’Connor said the attacks on her by Trump and some of his allies in Congress show a belief that “she needs to be punished and publicly embarrassed” for stepping out of line.
Kelly Dittmar, co-author of a “A Seat at the Table,” a book based on interviews with dozens of female members of Congress who served between 2015 and 2017, said the women she spoke with described unique challenges they faced in an institution long dominated by men.
“Many of them said, 'Look, it was harder (for women than men) to get here. Then it is harder to be here, as it pertains to sexism,'” Dittmar said.
But Dittmar, an associate professor of political science at Rutgers University, said Ocasio-Cortez’s role as a congresswoman gave her a platform to speak out that many women lack. She said the election of more women to Congress gives them a chance to “confront norms and dynamics that have long advantaged men.”
“In Congress, they do potentially have an avenue for some accountability," Dittmar said, and Ocasio-Cortez "in the most overt way that we've seen a woman do, really leveraged that power by going on the House floor and calling out Rep. Yoho. That's kind of an interesting and important dynamic in how we see institutions change.”
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Nicholas Wu, John Fritze, Maureen Groppe and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY