alternet--2020-10-09--How Congress could decide the 2020 election

by Donald Brand , College of the Holy Cross If the the 2020 U.S. presidential election is contested , both campaigns are preparing to take the matter to court .
But the Founding Fathers meant for Congress to be the backup plan if the Electoral College did not produce a winner .
Generally , the framers sought to avoid congressional involvement in presidential elections .
They wanted an independent executive who could resist ill-considered legislation and would not care about currying favor with members of Congress , as James Ceaser explained in his definitive 1980 text , “ Presidential Selection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Electoral College , assigning to state legislatures the responsibility for choosing “ electors '' who then determine the president .
But the framers could foresee circumstances – namely , a fragmented race between little-known politicians – where no presidential candidate would secure an Electoral College majority .
Reluctantly , they assigned the House of Representatives to step in if that happened – presumably because as the institution closest to the people , it could bestow some democratic legitimacy on a “ contingent election . ''
The founders proved prescient : The elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winners in the Electoral College and were decided by the House .
Thomas Jefferson was chosen in 1800 and John Quincy Adams in 1824 .
Over time , the development of a two-party system with national nominating conventions – which allows parties to broker coalitions and unite behind a single presidential candidate – has basically ensured that the Electoral College produces a winner .
Though the Electoral College has changed significantly since the 18th century , it has mostly kept Congress out of presidential selection .
As a professor who has taught courses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , I can see scenarios in which Congress gets involved in the 2020 election .
A tie in the Electoral College remains a possibility , however remote .
There are 538 electors , so a minimum majority to win is 270 .
The website 270toWin lists 64 hypothetical scenarios in which both Joe Biden and Donald Trump could get 269 electors .
That would throw the election to the House .
Though the House has a Democratic majority , such an outcome would almost certainly benefit Trump .
Here 's why : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their voices would be marginalized if the House was called upon to choose the president , the founders gave only one vote to each state .
House delegations from each state meet to decide how to cast their single vote .
That voting procedure gives equal representation to California – population 40 million – and Wyoming , population 600,000 .
Currently , this arrangement favors the Republicans .
The GOP dominates the delegations from 26 states – exactly the number required to reach a majority under the rules of House presidential selection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would decide a contested 2020 election .
It is the newly elected House that would choose the president .
So the outcome depends on congressional races .
One more caveat : Split decisions are considered abstentions , so states that can not reach an agreement would be counted out .
Another way Congress could become involved in the 2020 election is if there are disputes about the vote totals in various states .
Given the spike in mail-in voting during the pandemic , threats of foreign interference and controversies over voter suppression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Perhaps the most relevant precedent for that scenario is the 1876 election between Democrat Samuel Tilden and Republican Rutherford B. Hayes .
That election saw disputed returns in four states – Florida , South Carolina , Louisiana and Oregon – with a total of 20 electoral votes .
Excluding those 20 disputed electors , Tilden had 184 pledged electors of the 185 needed for victory in the Electoral College ; Hayes had 165 .
Tilden was clearly the front-runner – but Hayes would win if all the contested votes went for him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing Congress – read , Northern Republicans worried about Black voter suppression – to dispute the vote count in Southern states and bypass local courts , Congress established a commission to resolve the disputed 1876 returns .
As Michael Holt writes in his examination of the 1876 election , the 15-member commission had five House representatives , five senators and five Supreme Court justices .
Fourteen of the commissioners had identifiable partisan leanings : seven Democrats and seven Republicans .
The 15th member was a justice known for his impartiality .
Hope of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one impartial commissioner resigned and was replaced by a Republican judge .
The commission voted along party lines to give all 20 disputed electors to Hayes .
To prevent the Democratic-dominated Senate from derailing Hayes ' single-vote triumph over Tilden by refusing to confirm its decision , Republicans were forced to make a deal : Abandon Reconstruction , their policy of Black political and economic inclusion in the post-Civil War South .
This paved the way for Jim Crow segregation .
The 2000 election offers the only modern precedent for contested vote returns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued for a month over Bush 's slim , 327-vote advantage in Florida 's second machine recount .
After a lawsuit in state courts , this political and legal battle was decided by the Supreme Court in December 2000 , in Bush v. Gore .
But Bush v. Gore was never intended to set a precedent .
In it , the justices explicitly stated “ our consideration is limited to the present circumstances . ''
Indeed , the court could have concluded that the issues presented were political , not legal , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter . ]
In that case , the House would have decided the 2000 election .
The Electoral College must cast its ballots on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December – this year , Dec. 14 .
If disputed state vote totals are not resolved by six days prior to that date , Congress can step in , under the 1887 Electoral Account Act .
This could have happened in 2000 , and it is an imaginable outcome in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy , history shows , is a clear and decisive victory in the Electoral College , as the framers intended .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

by Donald Brand, College of the Holy Cross
If the the 2020 U.S. presidential election is contested, both campaigns are preparing to take the matter to court. But the Founding Fathers meant for Congress to be the backup plan if the Electoral College did not produce a winner.
Generally, the framers sought to avoid congressional involvement in presidential elections. They wanted an independent executive who could resist ill-considered legislation and would not care about currying favor with members of Congress, as James Ceaser explained in his definitive 1980 text, “Presidential Selection."
That's why they created the Electoral College, assigning to state legislatures the responsibility for choosing “electors" who then determine the president.
But the framers could foresee circumstances – namely, a fragmented race between little-known politicians – where no presidential candidate would secure an Electoral College majority. Reluctantly, they assigned the House of Representatives to step in if that happened – presumably because as the institution closest to the people, it could bestow some democratic legitimacy on a “contingent election."
Tied or contested election
The founders proved prescient: The elections of 1800 and 1824 did not produce winners in the Electoral College and were decided by the House. Thomas Jefferson was chosen in 1800 and John Quincy Adams in 1824.
Over time, the development of a two-party system with national nominating conventions – which allows parties to broker coalitions and unite behind a single presidential candidate – has basically ensured that the Electoral College produces a winner. Though the Electoral College has changed significantly since the 18th century, it has mostly kept Congress out of presidential selection.
As a professor who has taught courses on presidential elections for two decades, however, I can see scenarios in which Congress gets involved in the 2020 election.
A tie in the Electoral College remains a possibility, however remote. There are 538 electors, so a minimum majority to win is 270. The website 270toWin lists 64 hypothetical scenarios in which both Joe Biden and Donald Trump could get 269 electors. That would throw the election to the House.
Though the House has a Democratic majority, such an outcome would almost certainly benefit Trump.
Here's why: In a concession to small states concerned their voices would be marginalized if the House was called upon to choose the president, the founders gave only one vote to each state. House delegations from each state meet to decide how to cast their single vote.
That voting procedure gives equal representation to California – population 40 million – and Wyoming, population 600,000.
Currently, this arrangement favors the Republicans. The GOP dominates the delegations from 26 states – exactly the number required to reach a majority under the rules of House presidential selection. But it's not the current House that would decide a contested 2020 election. It is the newly elected House that would choose the president. So the outcome depends on congressional races.
One more caveat: Split decisions are considered abstentions, so states that cannot reach an agreement would be counted out.
Congressional commission
Another way Congress could become involved in the 2020 election is if there are disputes about the vote totals in various states. Given the spike in mail-in voting during the pandemic, threats of foreign interference and controversies over voter suppression, uncertainty after Nov. 3 seems likely.
Perhaps the most relevant precedent for that scenario is the 1876 election between Democrat Samuel Tilden and Republican Rutherford B. Hayes. That election saw disputed returns in four states – Florida, South Carolina, Louisiana and Oregon – with a total of 20 electoral votes.
Excluding those 20 disputed electors, Tilden had 184 pledged electors of the 185 needed for victory in the Electoral College; Hayes had 165. Tilden was clearly the front-runner – but Hayes would win if all the contested votes went for him.
Because of a post-Civil War rule allowing Congress – read, Northern Republicans worried about Black voter suppression – to dispute the vote count in Southern states and bypass local courts, Congress established a commission to resolve the disputed 1876 returns.
As Michael Holt writes in his examination of the 1876 election, the 15-member commission had five House representatives, five senators and five Supreme Court justices. Fourteen of the commissioners had identifiable partisan leanings: seven Democrats and seven Republicans. The 15th member was a justice known for his impartiality.
Hope of a nonpartisan outcome was dashed when the one impartial commissioner resigned and was replaced by a Republican judge. The commission voted along party lines to give all 20 disputed electors to Hayes.
To prevent the Democratic-dominated Senate from derailing Hayes' single-vote triumph over Tilden by refusing to confirm its decision, Republicans were forced to make a deal: Abandon Reconstruction, their policy of Black political and economic inclusion in the post-Civil War South. This paved the way for Jim Crow segregation.
Bush v. Gore
The 2000 election offers the only modern precedent for contested vote returns.
George W. Bush and Al Gore argued for a month over Bush's slim, 327-vote advantage in Florida's second machine recount. After a lawsuit in state courts, this political and legal battle was decided by the Supreme Court in December 2000, in Bush v. Gore.
But Bush v. Gore was never intended to set a precedent. In it, the justices explicitly stated “our consideration is limited to the present circumstances." Indeed, the court could have concluded that the issues presented were political, not legal, and declined to hear the case.
[Deep knowledge, daily.Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]
In that case, the House would have decided the 2000 election. The Electoral College must cast its ballots on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December – this year, Dec. 14. If disputed state vote totals are not resolved by six days prior to that date, Congress can step in, under the 1887 Electoral Account Act. This could have happened in 2000, and it is an imaginable outcome in 2020.
The best bet for American democracy, history shows, is a clear and decisive victory in the Electoral College, as the framers intended.
Donald Brand, Professor, College of the Holy Cross
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-10-09--A Michigan sheriff defends men accused of plotting to kidnap the governor: 'They want her arrested'

On Thursday , the FBI announced that six men were facing federal charges in connection with an alleged plot to kidnap and possibly kill Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer .
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that seven of their allies were facing weapons charges at the state level .
And in a new local sheriff who had appeared at a rally with some of the suspects made an awkward effort to defend them , implying that perhaps they were merely trying to `` arrest '' Whitmer rather than kidnap her .
According to the FBI , far-right extremists ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a militia group ) planned to kidnap Whitmer and take her to Wisconsin , where they would conduct a `` trial '' for treason .
The militia members were furious with Whitmer for the social distancing restrictions that she ordered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
And if they found Whitmer guilty of treason , the FBI said , she would be executed .
But when Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf was interviewed by Fox 17 ( a Fox affiliate in Grand Rapids , Michigan ) , he implied that what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorist plot , but merely a citizens ' arrest .
Two of the men facing charges are brothers Michael and William Null , who have been accused of providing support for terrorist acts .
Fox 17 aired video that showed Leaf standing alongside William Null at a demonstration in Grand Rapids , Michigan , where both of them protested against Whitmer 's stay-at-home order .
Leaf was a guest speaker at that event .
Leaf , discussing the Null brothers , told Fox 17 , `` We ca n't convict them in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a right to a fair trial . ''
Leaf was asked if he had any `` regrets '' about standing alongside a man who is `` now being charged in a plot to kidnap the governor . ''
He responded , `` Well , it 's just a charge .
And they say a plot to kidnap , and you got ta remember : are they trying to kidnap — because a lot of people are angry with the governor , and they want her arrested .
So , are they trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt ?
Because in Michigan , if it 's a felony , you can make a felony arrest . ''
Leaf added , `` It does n't say , if you 're elected to office , that you 're exempt from that arrest .
I have to look at it from that angle , and I 'm hoping that 's more what it is .
In fact , these guys are innocent until proven guilty .
So , I 'm not even sure if they had any part in it . ''
Leaf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responses on social media .
Twitter user George Schwab , @ CpkGeo , posted , `` That sheriff needs to go NOW !
, '' and another Twitter user , Eric Brown , @ EricBrown1911 , wrote , `` Words can not describe the lengths at which people go through to justify ignorance and stupidity . ''
Detroit-based attorney William Maze , @ TheDUILawyer , tweeted , `` Insane .
But Sheriff Dar Leaf is a member of the far right Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association ( CSPOA ) and has links @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which can only refer to the right wing hate group Posse Comitatus . ''

On Thursday, the FBI announced that six men were facing federal charges in connection with an alleged plot to kidnap and possibly kill Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that seven of their allies were facing weapons charges at the state level.
And in a new local sheriff who had appeared at a rally with some of the suspects made an awkward effort to defend them, implying that perhaps they were merely trying to "arrest" Whitmer rather than kidnap her.
According to the FBI, far-right extremists (including members of the Wolverine Watchmen, a militia group) planned to kidnap Whitmer and take her to Wisconsin, where they would conduct a "trial" for treason. The militia members were furious with Whitmer for the social distancing restrictions that she ordered in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And if they found Whitmer guilty of treason, the FBI said, she would be executed.
But when Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf was interviewed by Fox 17 (a Fox affiliate in Grand Rapids, Michigan), he implied that what the extremists had in mind was not a terrorist plot, but merely a citizens' arrest.
Two of the men facing charges are brothers Michael and William Null, who have been accused of providing support for terrorist acts. Fox 17 aired video that showed Leaf standing alongside William Null at a demonstration in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where both of them protested against Whitmer's stay-at-home order. Leaf was a guest speaker at that event.
Leaf, discussing the Null brothers, told Fox 17, "We can't convict them in the news media here. They do have a right to a fair trial."
Leaf was asked if he had any "regrets" about standing alongside a man who is "now being charged in a plot to kidnap the governor."
He responded, "Well, it's just a charge. And they say a plot to kidnap, and you gotta remember: are they trying to kidnap — because a lot of people are angry with the governor, and they want her arrested. So, are they trying to arrest, or was it a kidnapping attempt? Because in Michigan, if it's a felony, you can make a felony arrest."
Leaf added, "It doesn't say, if you're elected to office, that you're exempt from that arrest. I have to look at it from that angle, and I'm hoping that's more what it is. In fact, these guys are innocent until proven guilty. So, I'm not even sure if they had any part in it."
Leaf's comments are drawing a lot of responses on social media. Twitter user George Schwab, @CpkGeo, posted, "That sheriff needs to go NOW!," and another Twitter user, Eric Brown, @EricBrown1911, wrote, "Words cannot describe the lengths at which people go through to justify ignorance and stupidity."
Detroit-based attorney William Maze, @TheDUILawyer, tweeted, "Insane. But Sheriff Dar Leaf is a member of the far right Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) and has links on his page to 'Posse,' which can only refer to the right wing hate group Posse Comitatus."


alternet--2020-10-09--Trump intends to cling to power at all costs

From the very beginning of his presidency , Donald Trump was pushing every boundary , violating the Constitution , and breaking rules and norms .
But during this past year , he has escalated his attacks on the nation enough that we are at a point where the American president is waging war on the nation—even if many of us do n't yet realize it .
Tweeting from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center while battling the coronavirus , Trump posted a message to Twitter recruiting loyal soldiers .
His post featured a photo of himself and the words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was linked to a page called `` ArmyforTrump.com . ''
Trump 's campaign for reelection launched that website in March 2020 and sent out fundraising emails to `` PATRIOTS ONLY , '' telling them they would `` make an excellent addition to the Trump Army . ''
Taking the theme of war even further , the campaign promised to send out camouflage hats with Trump 's campaign slogan in exchange for donations , saying , `` The President wants YOU and every other member of our exclusive Trump Army to have something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as soldiers might sport identifying insignia or uniforms .
And , according to the campaign message , Trump 's supporters are expected to be `` the President 's first line of defense when it comes to fighting off the liberal MOB . ''
If such language were not disturbing enough , it is important to note that Trump has at his beck and call any number of loyal armed right-wing groups ready for actual combat on his behalf .
During his first debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , Trump hesitated only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that was when moderator Chris Wallace asked him to unequivocally denounce white supremacy .
When Wallace named the group Proud Boys , Trump first said they should `` stand back , '' but then simply could n't resist adding , `` and stand by , '' which by any definition is a signal to be ready in case their help is needed .
The fact that Trump felt comfortable and familiar enough with the Proud Boys to issue commands ought to be deeply disturbing considering that the group is comprised of white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even though Trump suddenly remembered a day after the debate that he apparently did n't know who the Proud Boys were , the group immediately announced it would be delighted to serve him , and issued a new logo reflecting their new marching orders from the president .
If such a scenario were playing out in another nation , the U.S. State Department and American media outlets would be referring to the Proud Boys as an `` armed right-wing paramilitary '' group that the nation 's leader is calling up in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump returned to the White House , he remained ill but apparently still wanted to proceed with an in-person debate with Biden scheduled for October 15 .
When the Commission on Presidential Debates announced the debate would be held virtually due to concerns about the coronavirus , Trump balked , saying in a Fox Business interview , `` I 'm not going to waste my time on a virtual debate . ''
He accused the commission of `` trying to protect Biden . ''
Indeed , in this scenario Trump has presented himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and his own staff members and secret service agents are `` collateral damage '' in the wake of his premature departure from the hospital and return to the White House while he was taking powerful steroids .
Trump seems to treat any perceived demurral from Biden as an opportunity to tout his strength against his rival 's ( legitimate ) fear of a deadly disease .
Perhaps lulled by polls from state after state that indicate Biden 's popularity rising higher and higher , many Americans might be relying on defeating Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could rely on a president and a party that play by the rules of a democracy , then this would be sufficient .
But to Trump , `` The only poll that matters is the poll on Election Day at your polling place . ''
In repeatedly denouncing poll results as `` fake '' ( here and here , and many other places ) , and lying repeatedly about nonexistent `` voter fraud , '' he is laying the groundwork among his army of supporters to become motivated by a false belief that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win and charge to defend him on Election Day .
Taking no chances , Trump is furiously working to ensure through his greatest enabler , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , that he has a conservative super-majority on the Supreme Court .
Responding to a tweet from one of his supporters about how the next Supreme Court justice will `` likely help pick the next president , '' Trump affirmed the notion with a retweet and delighted in his power , saying the effort to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett would be , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Truthout , law professor Marjorie Cohn accurately referred to Trump 's intentions as an `` attempted coup . ''
But her candidness is rare , and among those reporting in mainstream media outlets , there is little indication of the seriousness of Trump 's war on us .
Words like `` coup '' and `` paramilitaries '' are reserved for other nations , for so-called failed states .
But the time has arrived in the United States when such designations are more apt than ever .
Indeed , the Democrats , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in government against Trump 's dictatorial mania , are predictably not treating the election battle as seriously as they ought to .
When given the chance to thwart McConnell 's timeline to confirm Barrett , senators from the Democratic Party caved and gave him the `` unanimous consent '' he needed to adjourn the Senate for two weeks ahead of the nomination .
There were any number of ways in which Democrats could have stymied McConnell 's agenda , but they chose not to .
The Democrats appear to not notice or perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ readying an illegitimate takeover of government .
How can Americans who are worried about Trump 's war fight back ?
Faced with a nation awash in guns , most of them concentrated in the hands of those who celebrate the Second Amendment , is there a way to win back the nation from a president and his armed paramilitaries ?
Some on the left have begun to arm themselves as well , but this can only end in more violence .
In Lacey , Washington , Michael Reinoehl , who was suspected of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he shot defensively , was approached and immediately killed by federal troops during an arrest in what might be described as an assassination .
Trump reveled in the extrajudicial killing ( that has gotten far too little attention ) by saying , `` there has to be retribution . ''
There are nonviolent ways to battle Trump and his army that are political , legal , and cultural .
Sadly , Democratic Party lawmakers do not have the stomach to fight politically .
But numerous legal fights to protect voting have borne some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection ( ICAP ) have created helpful fact sheets for voters in all 50 states about their rights when faced with armed poll watchers .
For the first time , the ACLU has gotten seriously involved in the U.S. presidential election , `` because the stakes are incredibly high for civil rights and civil liberties issues in America . ''
On the cultural front , effective nonviolent means of battle include using humor to deflate the power of groups like the Proud Boys , as activist and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LGBTQ couples to take over their hashtag .
And just acknowledging that the nation is in a war being waged from the White House against the rest of us is an important step toward fighting back .
The president is not even attempting to hide his intentions .
Media outlets , liberal pundits , and political figures need to broadcast the urgency that we are on the precipice of an insurrection .
Far too many Americans who hope to defeat Trump at the polls may be blissfully unaware of just how far he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power , having been lulled by years of rhetoric from liberal leaders that simply voting is a good enough substitute for sustained political organizing .
It is not , and we may find out on Election Day just how inadequate a defense it is against Trump 's power grab .
Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder , host and executive producer of `` Rising Up With Sonali , '' a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations .
This article was produced by Economy for All

From the very beginning of his presidency, Donald Trump was pushing every boundary, violating the Constitution, and breaking rules and norms. But during this past year, he has escalated his attacks on the nation enough that we are at a point where the American president is waging war on the nation—even if many of us don't yet realize it.
Tweeting from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center while battling the coronavirus, Trump posted a message to Twitter recruiting loyal soldiers. His post featured a photo of himself and the words, "Fight for President Trump!" It was linked to a page called "ArmyforTrump.com." Trump's campaign for reelection launched that website in March 2020 and sent out fundraising emails to "PATRIOTS ONLY," telling them they would "make an excellent addition to the Trump Army." Taking the theme of war even further, the campaign promised to send out camouflage hats with Trump's campaign slogan in exchange for donations, saying, "The President wants YOU and every other member of our exclusive Trump Army to have something to identify yourselves with," just as soldiers might sport identifying insignia or uniforms. And, according to the campaign message, Trump's supporters are expected to be "the President's first line of defense when it comes to fighting off the liberal MOB."
If such language were not disturbing enough, it is important to note that Trump has at his beck and call any number of loyal armed right-wing groups ready for actual combat on his behalf. During his first debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, Trump hesitated only once during the entire 90 minutes, and that was when moderator Chris Wallace asked him to unequivocally denounce white supremacy. When Wallace named the group Proud Boys, Trump first said they should "stand back," but then simply couldn't resist adding, "and stand by," which by any definition is a signal to be ready in case their help is needed. The fact that Trump felt comfortable and familiar enough with the Proud Boys to issue commands ought to be deeply disturbing considering that the group is comprised of white supremacist, misogynist, and well-armed men.
Even though Trump suddenly remembered a day after the debate that he apparently didn't know who the Proud Boys were, the group immediately announced it would be delighted to serve him, and issued a new logo reflecting their new marching orders from the president. If such a scenario were playing out in another nation, the U.S. State Department and American media outlets would be referring to the Proud Boys as an "armed right-wing paramilitary" group that the nation's leader is calling up in order to threaten a coup.
The day Trump returned to the White House, he remained ill but apparently still wanted to proceed with an in-person debate with Biden scheduled for October 15. When the Commission on Presidential Debates announced the debate would be held virtually due to concerns about the coronavirus, Trump balked, saying in a Fox Business interview, "I'm not going to waste my time on a virtual debate." He accused the commission of "trying to protect Biden." Indeed, in this scenario Trump has presented himself rather like a biological weapon against Biden, and his own staff members and secret service agents are "collateral damage" in the wake of his premature departure from the hospital and return to the White House while he was taking powerful steroids. Trump seems to treat any perceived demurral from Biden as an opportunity to tout his strength against his rival's (legitimate) fear of a deadly disease.
Perhaps lulled by polls from state after state that indicate Biden's popularity rising higher and higher, many Americans might be relying on defeating Trump only via voting. If the nation could rely on a president and a party that play by the rules of a democracy, then this would be sufficient. But to Trump, "The only poll that matters is the poll on Election Day at your polling place."
In repeatedly denouncing poll results as "fake" (here and here, and many other places), and lying repeatedly about nonexistent "voter fraud," he is laying the groundwork among his army of supporters to become motivated by a false belief that their president is being denied a legitimate win and charge to defend him on Election Day.
Taking no chances, Trump is furiously working to ensure through his greatest enabler, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, that he has a conservative super-majority on the Supreme Court. Responding to a tweet from one of his supporters about how the next Supreme Court justice will "likely help pick the next president," Trump affirmed the notion with a retweet and delighted in his power, saying the effort to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett would be, "fast and easy!"
Writing on Truthout, law professor Marjorie Cohn accurately referred to Trump's intentions as an "attempted coup." But her candidness is rare, and among those reporting in mainstream media outlets, there is little indication of the seriousness of Trump's war on us. Words like "coup" and "paramilitaries" are reserved for other nations, for so-called failed states. But the time has arrived in the United States when such designations are more apt than ever.
Indeed, the Democrats, who are supposed to be the main bulwark in government against Trump's dictatorial mania, are predictably not treating the election battle as seriously as they ought to. When given the chance to thwart McConnell's timeline to confirm Barrett, senators from the Democratic Party caved and gave him the "unanimous consent" he needed to adjourn the Senate for two weeks ahead of the nomination. There were any number of ways in which Democrats could have stymied McConnell's agenda, but they chose not to. The Democrats appear to not notice or perhaps don't care enough that Trump is readying an illegitimate takeover of government.
How can Americans who are worried about Trump's war fight back? Faced with a nation awash in guns, most of them concentrated in the hands of those who celebrate the Second Amendment, is there a way to win back the nation from a president and his armed paramilitaries? Some on the left have begun to arm themselves as well, but this can only end in more violence. In Lacey, Washington, Michael Reinoehl, who was suspected of killing a Trump supporter whom he said he shot defensively, was approached and immediately killed by federal troops during an arrest in what might be described as an assassination. Trump reveled in the extrajudicial killing (that has gotten far too little attention) by saying, "there has to be retribution."
There are nonviolent ways to battle Trump and his army that are political, legal, and cultural. Sadly, Democratic Party lawmakers do not have the stomach to fight politically. But numerous legal fights to protect voting have borne some fruit, and lawyers at Georgetown Law's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) have created helpful fact sheets for voters in all 50 states about their rights when faced with armed poll watchers. For the first time, the ACLU has gotten seriously involved in the U.S. presidential election, "because the stakes are incredibly high for civil rights and civil liberties issues in America."
On the cultural front, effective nonviolent means of battle include using humor to deflate the power of groups like the Proud Boys, as activist and actor George Takei has done in encouraging LGBTQ couples to take over their hashtag. And just acknowledging that the nation is in a war being waged from the White House against the rest of us is an important step toward fighting back.
The president is not even attempting to hide his intentions. Media outlets, liberal pundits, and political figures need to broadcast the urgency that we are on the precipice of an insurrection. Far too many Americans who hope to defeat Trump at the polls may be blissfully unaware of just how far he is willing to go to cling to power, having been lulled by years of rhetoric from liberal leaders that simply voting is a good enough substitute for sustained political organizing. It is not, and we may find out on Election Day just how inadequate a defense it is against Trump's power grab.
Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of "Rising Up With Sonali," a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations.


alternet--2020-10-09--Here are 7 ridiculous moments from Trump's wacky and nonsensical remarks

President Donald Trump 's antics have gotten progressively worse over the last week , and his interviews have been littered with epic blunders that have raised more questions about his mental capacity amid his battle with COVID-19 .
When Trump appeared on Fox News Thursday morning , he claimed to have beaten Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in the first and second debates .
However , there is one glaring problem with Trump 's remarks : the second debate has not occurred yet and likely will not because the president refuses to commit to participating virtually despite being COVID-positive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) 's proposed Green New Deal , Trump claimed the Democrats ' plan focused on replacing regular sized-windows with tiny ones .
`` They literally want to take buildings down and rebuild them ... with tiny little windows .
Tiny little windows so you ca n't see the light , '' Trump told Hannity during a phone interview on Thursday evening .
It 's not clear at all what he was talking about .
Diving further into the abyss of baselessness , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Deal where California is concerned .
Trump falsely claimed Biden and Harris want to use millions of gallons of water to care for `` certain little tiny fish . ''
`` California is gon na have to ration water .
You wan na know why ?
Because they send millions of gallons of water out to sea , out to the Pacific .
Because they want to take care of certain little tiny fish , that are n't doing very well without water.
`` He also offered a suggestion for his climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] should let water come down from the north , and accept it instead of throwing it out to the Pacific .
But you always have to have forest management . ''
Again , the question must be asked : `` What ? ''
When asked about his last negative COVID test , Trump pivoted without answering the question .
The president moved on to ranting and boasting about his alleged improved health as he claimed COVID has made him `` better . ''
5 .
Little to No COVID Infection When he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday , he claimed doctors `` found very little infection or virus , if any . ''
`` The test will be tomorrow ... because there 's no reason to test all the time , but they found very little infection or virus , if any .
I do n't know that they found any , I did n't go into it greatly with the doctors , '' Trump told Hannity , seeming to suggest he was not infected with COVID-19 .
That blunder garnered reactions from two different perspectives .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ever had coronavirus , others believe he accidentally admitted that he is still infectious .
Just hours later after insisting COVID has made him better , Trump switched gears as he contradicted himself during an interview with Rush Limbaugh on Friday .
Although Trump has widely declared that he has defeated COVID while promoting `` Trump defeats COVID '' pins through the White House gift shop , the president admitted there is a `` lingering thing '' from coronavirus .
The president dismissed speculation about his health despite him clearly being heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview with Hannity just hours earlier .
Trump 's coughing spell came just hours after White House physician Sean Conley actually cleared the president to resume with public events starting Saturday .
On Friday morning , Trump waded further into unconfirmed waters dangerously describing the Regeneron cocktail he was administered as treatment for coronavirus .
Despite vastly limited clinical trials and no Federal Drug Administration ( FDA ) -approved emergency use authorization for the drug , which reportedly derives from the cells of aborted fetal tissue , Trump insists it is a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm telling you we have a cure -- more than just a therapeutic , we have a cure . ''
Trump 's antics have influenced conversations about the invocation of the 25th Amendment .
Multiple times this week , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) has raised concerns about Trump 's health and his ability to govern amid his bout with coronavirus as he is reportedly still taking medications for the illness .

President Donald Trump's antics have gotten progressively worse over the last week, and his interviews have been littered with epic blunders that have raised more questions about his mental capacity amid his battle with COVID-19.
1. The Nonexistent 'Second Debate' Victory
When Trump appeared on Fox News Thursday morning, he claimed to have beaten Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in the first and second debates. However, there is one glaring problem with Trump's remarks: the second debate has not occurred yet and likely will not because the president refuses to commit to participating virtually despite being COVID-positive.
2. 'Tiny Windows'
When asked about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.)'s proposed Green New Deal, Trump claimed the Democrats' plan focused on replacing regular sized-windows with tiny ones.
"They literally want to take buildings down and rebuild them... with tiny little windows. Tiny little windows so you can't see the light," Trump told Hannity during a phone interview on Thursday evening.
It's not clear at all what he was talking about.
3. Rationing Water for 'Little Tiny Fish':
Diving further into the abyss of baselessness, Trump also offered his take on the Green New Deal where California is concerned. Trump falsely claimed Biden and Harris want to use millions of gallons of water to care for "certain little tiny fish."
"California is gonna have to ration water. You wanna know why? Because they send millions of gallons of water out to sea, out to the Pacific. Because they want to take care of certain little tiny fish, that aren't doing very well without water. "
"California is gonna have to ration water. You wanna know why? Because they send millions of gallons of water out to sea, out to the Pacific. Because they want to take care of certain little tiny fish, that aren't doing very well without water." -- Trump pic.twitter.com/g0PrXZRgOq
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 9, 2020
He also offered a suggestion for his climate change plan saying, "[California] should let water come down from the north, and accept it instead of throwing it out to the Pacific. But you always have to have forest management."
Again, the question must be asked: "What?"
4. COVID made me 'Better'
When asked about his last negative COVID test, Trump pivoted without answering the question. The president moved on to ranting and boasting about his alleged improved health as he claimed COVID has made him "better."
5. Little to No COVID Infection
When he confirmed that he would be tested again on Friday, he claimed doctors "found very little infection or virus, if any."
"The test will be tomorrow...because there's no reason to test all the time, but they found very little infection or virus, if any. I don't know that they found any, I didn't go into it greatly with the doctors," Trump told Hannity, seeming to suggest he was not infected with COVID-19.
That blunder garnered reactions from two different perspectives. While some Twitter users are wondering if the president ever had coronavirus, others believe he accidentally admitted that he is still infectious.
6. The 'Lingering Thing':
Just hours later after insisting COVID has made him better, Trump switched gears as he contradicted himself during an interview with Rush Limbaugh on Friday. Although Trump has widely declared that he has defeated COVID while promoting "Trump defeats COVID" pins through the White House gift shop, the president admitted there is a "lingering thing" from coronavirus.
The president dismissed speculation about his health despite him clearly being heard coughing his way through the Fox News interview with Hannity just hours earlier. Trump's coughing spell came just hours after White House physician Sean Conley actually cleared the president to resume with public events starting Saturday.
7. The 'Cure' for COVID
On Friday morning, Trump waded further into unconfirmed waters dangerously describing the Regeneron cocktail he was administered as treatment for coronavirus. Despite vastly limited clinical trials and no Federal Drug Administration (FDA)-approved emergency use authorization for the drug, which reportedly derives from the cells of aborted fetal tissue, Trump insists it is a "cure" for coronavirus.
"I'm telling you we have a cure -- more than just a therapeutic, we have a cure."
Trump's antics have influenced conversations about the invocation of the 25th Amendment. Multiple times this week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has raised concerns about Trump's health and his ability to govern amid his bout with coronavirus as he is reportedly still taking medications for the illness.


alternet--2020-10-09--White House aides fear Trump's drugs have triggered manic behavior: report

A stunning report in the New York Times Thursday night described President Donald Trump lashing out and demanding his own appointees prosecute his enemies , an egregious breach of norms and real and present danger to American democracy .
Most shocking of all was the fact that this largely was n't some anonymously sourced bombshell — most of the comments the Times ' report was based on Trump made publicly But far down in the report was a notable nugget about the White House that was n't based on publicly available information .
According to the Times reporters , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manic and erratic public behavior this week may be a result of his illness and the medications he 's been taking : White House aides privately expressed concern about whether the president 's animated mood in recent days stemmed from the dexamethasone .
Doctors not involved with the president 's care said it could have a significant effect on a patient 's behavior .
As I 've reported , the president 's public behavior since taking the steroid dexamethasone has genuinely seemed even more heightened and frantic than is typical for him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the president 's temperament , none of which are particularly comforting .
Unfortunately , the president 's physician , Dr. Sean Conley , has proven utterly unreliable about Trump 's health .
He 's refused to answer many questions and admitted to skirting the truth in order to provide an `` upbeat '' picture of the president 's condition .
But the Times 's report suggested experts and those around the president are highlighting the possibility that the steroids could be significantly altering his mood : Dr. Negin Hajizadeh , a pulmonary/critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the majority of Covid patients receiving dexamethasone are on mechanical ventilation and in a state of induced coma , so they do not exhibit any behavioral side effects .
But , she said , large studies show that generally 28 to 30 percent of patients will exhibit mild to moderate psychiatric side effects like anxiety , insomnia , mania or delirium after receiving steroid treatments , and about 6 percent may develop psychosis .
`` When we prescribe steroids we warn our patients : 'This may cause you to feel jittery , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' '' Dr. Hajizadeh said .
`` We will tell family members , especially for our older patients , 'This may cause insomnia , this may cause changes in eating habits and , in extreme cases , mania and impaired decision making . '
'' It 's hard to overstate how serious this is .
In addition to the usual national security concerns that arise when the stability of the president 's mental state is in question , he currently has the power to impact people 's lives in myriad ways .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic opponent Joe Biden , trying to set up new campaign events while he may still be infectious , and he 's thrown discussions about a potential second stimulus package into chaos .
The president is hardly the picture of stability under normal circumstances , but the prospect that drug-induced mania may be affecting his decision-making at this time is unacceptable .
That 's why many have argued he should have already invoked the 25th Amendment to transfer power to Vice President Mike Pence until it 's clear he 's through his case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties unimpeded by the infection or its treatment .
In light of his behavior and his own aides ' reported concerns , it should be a much bigger deal that the president has refused to relinquish control his office .

A stunning report in the New York Times Thursday night described President Donald Trump lashing out and demanding his own appointees prosecute his enemies, an egregious breach of norms and real and present danger to American democracy. Most shocking of all was the fact that this largely wasn't some anonymously sourced bombshell — most of the comments the Times' report was based on Trump made publicly
But far down in the report was a notable nugget about the White House that wasn't based on publicly available information. According to the Times reporters, Trump's own aides are worried that his manic and erratic public behavior this week may be a result of his illness and the medications he's been taking:
White House aides privately expressed concern about whether the president's animated mood in recent days stemmed from the dexamethasone. Doctors not involved with the president's care said it could have a significant effect on a patient's behavior.
As I've reported, the president's public behavior since taking the steroid dexamethasone has genuinely seemed even more heightened and frantic than is typical for him. I argued that there are multiple explanations for the president's temperament, none of which are particularly comforting.
Unfortunately, the president's physician, Dr. Sean Conley, has proven utterly unreliable about Trump's health. He's refused to answer many questions and admitted to skirting the truth in order to provide an "upbeat" picture of the president's condition. But the Times's report suggested experts and those around the president are highlighting the possibility that the steroids could be significantly altering his mood:
Dr. Negin Hajizadeh, a pulmonary/critical care physician at Northwell Health, noted that the majority of Covid patients receiving dexamethasone are on mechanical ventilation and in a state of induced coma, so they do not exhibit any behavioral side effects. But, she said, large studies show that generally 28 to 30 percent of patients will exhibit mild to moderate psychiatric side effects like anxiety, insomnia, mania or delirium after receiving steroid treatments, and about 6 percent may develop psychosis.
"When we prescribe steroids we warn our patients: 'This may cause you to feel jittery, might cause you to feel irritable,'" Dr. Hajizadeh said. "We will tell family members, especially for our older patients, 'This may cause insomnia, this may cause changes in eating habits and, in extreme cases, mania and impaired decision making.'"
It's hard to overstate how serious this is. In addition to the usual national security concerns that arise when the stability of the president's mental state is in question, he currently has the power to impact people's lives in myriad ways. He's negotiating future plans for debating his Democratic opponent Joe Biden, trying to set up new campaign events while he may still be infectious, and he's thrown discussions about a potential second stimulus package into chaos. The president is hardly the picture of stability under normal circumstances, but the prospect that drug-induced mania may be affecting his decision-making at this time is unacceptable.
That's why many have argued he should have already invoked the 25th Amendment to transfer power to Vice President Mike Pence until it's clear he's through his case of COVID-19 and can carry out his duties unimpeded by the infection or its treatment. In light of his behavior and his own aides' reported concerns, it should be a much bigger deal that the president has refused to relinquish control his office.


alternet--2020-10-09--Trump's support is collapsing — but there are 7 reasons why Dems shouldn't get too comfortable

The run of strong polls for the Biden campaign over the last week – including both national polls with eye-popping leads and swing state results with growing margins – has led to some cognitive dissonance .
On one hand , the sheer volume of promising results has launched a streak of `` it 's obvious that President Donald Trump is going to lose '' analysis from influential outlets like The Washington Post , The New York Times , and Politico .
When added to other factors like the drumbeat of bad news for the president , the shrinking calendar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state TV advertising , confident Democratic whispers have been spreading .
On the other hand , many remain haunted by 2016 .
All this year , each fresh piece of encouraging news has had an almost perverse effect , as Democrats now harbor Pavlovian expectations of letdowns , like a never-ending `` Debbie Downer '' skit on Saturday Night Live .
The dilemma is that accepting recent evidence at face value feels jinx-y and complacent .
Ignoring it feels oblivious and obstinate .
But there is a coherent middle ground to stand on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Biden 's position is strong , and yet that lingering pitfalls ahead – especially given the astronomical stakes involved – are grounds for caution .
Here are seven reasons that Democrats can feel justified to tap the brakes on their optimism without feeling like they are being hopelessly paranoid .
1 ) The way people respond to polls could make recent results more blip than bump .
Big news events can make members of one party more likely to respond to polls , introducing a temporary bias .
This could very well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of revelations about Trump 's taxes , Covid diagnosis , and wild first debate performance .
Even if it is limited , this bias does n't have to be much to account for recent results .
Biden 's margin in polling averages ( a far better measure of where things stand than individual polls ) has actually increased only two or three points , well within the range of quirky polling effects .
His average margin in the swing states has only increased by a point .
This is why Democratic operatives feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling leads up to now , but are not too enthusiastic about the recent surges .
When a series of gaudy Quinnipiac state results emerged on Wednesday , Priorities USA Chair Guy Cecil took to twitter to call shenanigans : `` I…will chime in here to simply say we are not up 11 in Florida and 13 in Pennsylvania . ''
2 ) Tightening down the stretch could still put key swing states within reach There is a long-held belief that high-profile races tend to get closer at the end , as wavering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base .
The evidence is inconclusive : the fact that almost all presidential elections since 1980 have ended up tighter down the stretch is an indication , but hardly dispositive .
The more pertinent factor is that the a comparison of polling averages in top battleground states between 2020 and 2016 shows that Trump 's deficit right now is basically where it was four years ago .
Biden 's average advantage is 4.7 points .
Clinton 's was 4.8 .
Biden is in a much stronger position than Clinton was in many ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably made it less likely that there are systematic errors masking Trump strength .
But still , even a couple points of tightening ( especially from a possibly temporarily inflated average – since the margin was only 3.7 a week ago ) would bring a number of swing states into real palm sweat territory .
If the swing state margin ends up closer to 3 or 4 points , we start to enter `` The Suppression Zone '' : a range where determined Republican efforts to undermine the Election Day vote could tilt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Democrats are generally a lot more likely than Republicans to vote by mail this year , two-thirds of African American voters prefer to vote in-person .
At the same time , this will be the first Presidential election since 1980 where Republicans have been freed from a legal consent decree preventing them from , among other things , `` seeking to discourage African-Americans from voting through targeted mailings warning about penalties for violating election laws and by posting armed , off-duty law enforcement officers at the polls in minority neighborhoods . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ these kinds of activities ( following explicit , albeit slightly more subtle , efforts to `` suppress '' black votes in 2016 ) , but his Russian allies are actively trying to bolster his efforts by once again targeting racial divides .
In 2016 , Hillary Clinton 's underperformance in just 10 majority-black zip codes in Wisconsin cost 24,000 votes in a state Trump won by 23,000 .
Targeted Election Day vote suppression aimed at key African American majority precincts could easily close moderate swing state polling gaps this year .
Already , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeted removal of ( disproportionately Black ) voters from voting rolls , and elimination of ballot drop-off locations are disrupting the ability of Black Americans to vote .
Matters are far from smooth on the mail-in voting side either .
Given that absentee ballot requests from Democrats are outpacing Republicans ' in swing states by as much as 3 to 1 , Democrats are right to be concerned about the craggy landscape of state counting rules .
Democratic attorneys have mounted a robust legal effort to protect mailed votes , but many lawsuits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' New rulings portend serious problems : in Pennsylvania , for example , a state Supreme Court decision discounting so-called `` naked ballots '' puts more than 100,000 votes at risk .
The vote-by-mail proposition has always been fraught .
Back in 2008 , experts estimated that `` 3.9 million requested ballots were never received ; 2.9 million ballots mailed to voters were never returned ; and 800,000 returned ballots were rejected . ''
People who vote from home are also more likely to make mistakes , and signature mismatches remain a significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been working hard to improve their ability to process the vastly higher volume of mailed votes this year – and mitigate the kinds of problems that go with them – many remain hamstrung by rules that will add confusion and conflict .
A number of key states such as Iowa , Michigan , and New Hampshire only start to process mailed ballots a few days before Election Day ; Wisconsin and Pennsylvania do not start until November 3rd itself .
Delays , confusion , challenges , and the inevitable wave of post-election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for in order to shave down Democratic vote margins or create a contested election adjudicated by federal courts .
This is such a longstanding and well-plumbed source of Democratic stress , with a few significant new pieces emerging in recent weeks .
The current 5-3 Republican-appointed Court seems to be leaning toward applying the `` Purcell Principle '' to various state voting disputes , which holds that courts should avoid last-minute changes to election laws that could introduce confusion .
It 's a reasonable proposition , but the problem is that without such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to fix problems that will lead to even greater voter confusion and wrongly-discarded votes .
Already , the Court has reinstated a South Carolina ballot witness requirement on these grounds , and it seems poised for similar vote-limiting rulings in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
There is also justifiable worry about what a Justice Amy Coney Barret would do in a contested election : there are certainly a number of realistic scenarios where the Supreme Court could get involved to resolve the outcome , and she has refused to recuse herself .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the Constitution places a heavy thumb on the scale toward counting every vote… [ and ] there is no legitimate role for the Department of Justice during an election contest , '' there is little indication either that the current Attorney General will apply the law evenhandedly or that the Supreme Court will faithfully interpret the Constitution .
The 2000 Bush v. Gore case put an end to the quaint idea that the Supreme Court would not employ tortured logic to deliver a partisan outcome .
The presidency delivers an awesome degree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way people usually think ) .
So a Biden win is critical , especially compared to the alternative .
But a Senate majority would give Democrats a real chance at instituting badly-needed pro-democracy reforms that could save our entire system of government , and then passing actual policy through legislation .
And the race for the Senate is poised on a knife 's edge .
Between the Cal Cunningham `` scandal '' in North Carolina , close polls in key states , and Georgia 's unusual primary system -- and the possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is good reason to feel that no amount of Democratic surge is too much , especially since these races will be subject to all of the same potential for suppression , confusion , and delay as the presidential race .
7 ) 270 is not enough As I 've argued previously , thinking of the presidential contest as merely being about achieving 270 Electoral Votes is no longer sufficient .
Given the surprisingly high chance of a complete collapse of the American system of government following a close election this year , Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' worth of Electoral Votes for Americans to feel reasonably sure they 've averted a catastrophe .
In sum , politics is hardly a predictive science .
So it is still entirely possible that Biden and Senate Democrats will win in a romp , and if that happens , plenty of pundits will say that the signs were there all along .
But there are also some darker linings to the past week 's worth of silver clouds .
Democrats certainly have plenty of firm evidence to feel good .
They are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The run of strong polls for the Biden campaign over the last week – including both national polls with eye-popping leads and swing state results with growing margins – has led to some cognitive dissonance.
On one hand, the sheer volume of promising results has launched a streak of "it's obvious that President Donald Trump is going to lose" analysis from influential outlets like The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Politico. When added to other factors like the drumbeat of bad news for the president , the shrinking calendar, and a mounting Democratic advantage in swing state TV advertising, confident Democratic whispers have been spreading.
On the other hand, many remain haunted by 2016. All this year, each fresh piece of encouraging news has had an almost perverse effect, as Democrats now harbor Pavlovian expectations of letdowns, like a never-ending "Debbie Downer" skit on Saturday Night Live.
The dilemma is that accepting recent evidence at face value feels jinx-y and complacent. Ignoring it feels oblivious and obstinate.
But there is a coherent middle ground to stand on: it is reasonable to believe both that Biden's position is strong, and yet that lingering pitfalls ahead – especially given the astronomical stakes involved – are grounds for caution.
Here are seven reasons that Democrats can feel justified to tap the brakes on their optimism without feeling like they are being hopelessly paranoid.
1) The way people respond to polls could make recent results more blip than bump.
Big news events can make members of one party more likely to respond to polls, introducing a temporary bias. This could very well be happening right now in the wake of revelations about Trump's taxes, Covid diagnosis, and wild first debate performance.
Even if it is limited, this bias doesn't have to be much to account for recent results. Biden's margin in polling averages (a far better measure of where things stand than individual polls) has actually increased only two or three points, well within the range of quirky polling effects. His average margin in the swing states has only increased by a point. This is why Democratic operatives feel good about the consistency of Biden's polling leads up to now, but are not too enthusiastic about the recent surges. When a series of gaudy Quinnipiac state results emerged on Wednesday, Priorities USA Chair Guy Cecil took to twitter to call shenanigans: "I…will chime in here to simply say we are not up 11 in Florida and 13 in Pennsylvania."
2) Tightening down the stretch could still put key swing states within reach
There is a long-held belief that high-profile races tend to get closer at the end, as wavering partisans drift back to their political home base. The evidence is inconclusive: the fact that almost all presidential elections since 1980 have ended up tighter down the stretch is an indication, but hardly dispositive.
The more pertinent factor is that the a comparison of polling averages in top battleground states between 2020 and 2016 shows that Trump's deficit right now is basically where it was four years ago. Biden's average advantage is 4.7 points. Clinton's was 4.8. Biden is in a much stronger position than Clinton was in many ways, and methodology adjustments from pollsters have probably made it less likely that there are systematic errors masking Trump strength. But still, even a couple points of tightening (especially from a possibly temporarily inflated average – since the margin was only 3.7 a week ago) would bring a number of swing states into real palm sweat territory.
3) The skullduggery factor
If the swing state margin ends up closer to 3 or 4 points, we start to enter "The Suppression Zone": a range where determined Republican efforts to undermine the Election Day vote could tilt the outcome. As an example, while Democrats are generally a lot more likely than Republicans to vote by mail this year, two-thirds of African American voters prefer to vote in-person. At the same time, this will be the first Presidential election since 1980 where Republicans have been freed from a legal consent decree preventing them from, among other things, "seeking to discourage African-Americans from voting through targeted mailings warning about penalties for violating election laws and by posting armed, off-duty law enforcement officers at the polls in minority neighborhoods." Not only has Trump pledged to resume these kinds of activities (following explicit, albeit slightly more subtle, efforts to "suppress" black votes in 2016), but his Russian allies are actively trying to bolster his efforts by once again targeting racial divides.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton's underperformance in just 10 majority-black zip codes in Wisconsin cost 24,000 votes in a state Trump won by 23,000. Targeted Election Day vote suppression aimed at key African American majority precincts could easily close moderate swing state polling gaps this year. Already, stunningly long lines for early voting, targeted removal of (disproportionately Black) voters from voting rolls, and elimination of ballot drop-off locations are disrupting the ability of Black Americans to vote.
4) Counting rules
Matters are far from smooth on the mail-in voting side either. Given that absentee ballot requests from Democrats are outpacing Republicans' in swing states by as much as 3 to 1, Democrats are right to be concerned about the craggy landscape of state counting rules. Democratic attorneys have mounted a robust legal effort to protect mailed votes, but many lawsuits have ended with "mixed results." New rulings portend serious problems: in Pennsylvania, for example, a state Supreme Court decision discounting so-called "naked ballots" puts more than 100,000 votes at risk.
The vote-by-mail proposition has always been fraught. Back in 2008, experts estimated that "3.9 million requested ballots were never received; 2.9 million ballots mailed to voters were never returned; and 800,000 returned ballots were rejected." People who vote from home are also more likely to make mistakes, and signature mismatches remain a significant source of rejected ballots.
While states have been working hard to improve their ability to process the vastly higher volume of mailed votes this year – and mitigate the kinds of problems that go with them – many remain hamstrung by rules that will add confusion and conflict. A number of key states such as Iowa, Michigan, and New Hampshire only start to process mailed ballots a few days before Election Day; Wisconsin and Pennsylvania do not start until November 3rd itself. Delays, confusion, challenges, and the inevitable wave of post-election lawsuits are exactly what Trump is hoping for in order to shave down Democratic vote margins or create a contested election adjudicated by federal courts.
5) The Supreme Court
This is such a longstanding and well-plumbed source of Democratic stress, with a few significant new pieces emerging in recent weeks. The current 5-3 Republican-appointed Court seems to be leaning toward applying the "Purcell Principle" to various state voting disputes, which holds that courts should avoid last-minute changes to election laws that could introduce confusion. It's a reasonable proposition, but the problem is that without such changes this year, it will be hard to fix problems that will lead to even greater voter confusion and wrongly-discarded votes. Already, the Court has reinstated a South Carolina ballot witness requirement on these grounds, and it seems poised for similar vote-limiting rulings in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. There is also justifiable worry about what a Justice Amy Coney Barret would do in a contested election: there are certainly a number of realistic scenarios where the Supreme Court could get involved to resolve the outcome, and she has refused to recuse herself.
While some experts have downplayed this danger because "the Constitution places a heavy thumb on the scale toward counting every vote…[and] there is no legitimate role for the Department of Justice during an election contest," there is little indication either that the current Attorney General will apply the law evenhandedly or that the Supreme Court will faithfully interpret the Constitution. The 2000 Bush v. Gore case put an end to the quaint idea that the Supreme Court would not employ tortured logic to deliver a partisan outcome.
6) The Senate
The presidency delivers an awesome degree of power (though not quite in the way people usually think). So a Biden win is critical, especially compared to the alternative. But a Senate majority would give Democrats a real chance at instituting badly-needed pro-democracy reforms that could save our entire system of government, and then passing actual policy through legislation. And the race for the Senate is poised on a knife's edge. Between the Cal Cunningham "scandal" in North Carolina, close polls in key states, and Georgia's unusual primary system--and the possibility of Democrats stumbling over themselves--there is good reason to feel that no amount of Democratic surge is too much, especially since these races will be subject to all of the same potential for suppression, confusion, and delay as the presidential race.
7) 270 is not enough
As I've argued previously, thinking of the presidential contest as merely being about achieving 270 Electoral Votes is no longer sufficient. Given the surprisingly high chance of a complete collapse of the American system of government following a close election this year, Biden likely needs to win by multiple states' worth of Electoral Votes for Americans to feel reasonably sure they've averted a catastrophe.
In sum, politics is hardly a predictive science. So it is still entirely possible that Biden and Senate Democrats will win in a romp, and if that happens, plenty of pundits will say that the signs were there all along. But there are also some darker linings to the past week's worth of silver clouds. Democrats certainly have plenty of firm evidence to feel good. They are also well-justified to continue to feel uneasy.


alternet--2020-10-09--NBC reporter skewers Trump spokesman as he squirms and dodges over the president's COVID status

Earlier this week , President Donald Trump returned to the White House after being hospitalized at Walter Reed Military Medical Center for COVID-19 .
Reporters have had many questions about Trump 's health , but his allies have been less than straight-forward — including White House Deputy Press Secretary Brian Morgenstern .
On Friday , he refused to give NBC News reporter Hallie Jackson an answer when asked when Trump last tested negative for coronavirus .
Jackson was persistent , and Morgenstern was evasive — telling the reporter , `` Just because he is president does n't mean he shares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But we do share enough information , certainly , for public health purposes . ''
Jackson , in response , asked Morgenstern , `` Why not be more transparent with people about this last negative test ?
You know there is a public health reason for this , and it impacts the people who were potentially exposed to the virus before the president was diagnosed .
Why not be transparent about that specific , very specific , piece of information ? ''
Morgenstern responded that there will be `` further updates from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been `` extremely transparent '' about Trump 's health — and Jackson stressed , `` But you 're not , not about this piece of information . ''
The White House deputy press secretary continued to dodge Jackson 's question and never told her when Trump last tested negative for COVID-19 , and Jackson concluded the interview by stressing that he had refused to give her a `` critical piece of information . ''

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump returned to the White House after being hospitalized at Walter Reed Military Medical Center for COVID-19. Reporters have had many questions about Trump's health, but his allies have been less than straight-forward — including White House Deputy Press Secretary Brian Morgenstern. On Friday, he refused to give NBC News reporter Hallie Jackson an answer when asked when Trump last tested negative for coronavirus.
Jackson was persistent, and Morgenstern was evasive — telling the reporter, "Just because he is president doesn't mean he shares every single detail of his entire life. But we do share enough information, certainly, for public health purposes."
Jackson, in response, asked Morgenstern, "Why not be more transparent with people about this last negative test? You know there is a public health reason for this, and it impacts the people who were potentially exposed to the virus before the president was diagnosed. Why not be transparent about that specific, very specific, piece of information?"
Morgenstern responded that there will be "further updates from the doctors," claiming that he has been "extremely transparent" about Trump's health — and Jackson stressed, "But you're not, not about this piece of information."
The White House deputy press secretary continued to dodge Jackson's question and never told her when Trump last tested negative for COVID-19, and Jackson concluded the interview by stressing that he had refused to give her a "critical piece of information."


alternet--2020-10-09--Ted Cruz fears Republicans are facing a 'bloodbath' at the polls

Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) is warning that Republicans could face a `` bloodbath '' in the coming elections if American voters remain unhappy with the state of the economy and the novel coronavirus pandemic .
During an appearance on CNBC 's `` Squawk Box , '' Cruz said that Republicans could win the election `` if people are going back to work , if they 're optimistic , if they 're positive about the future . ''
However , the senator warned that the opposite scenario could also come to pass .
`` But I also think if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they 've given up hope and they 're depressed , which is what Pelosi , and Schumer want them to be , I think it could be a terrible election , '' he warned .
`` I think we could lose the White House and both houses of Congress , that it could be a bloodbath of Watergate proportions . ''
Cruz then falsely blamed Pelosi for holding up a relief aid deal , despite the fact that President Donald Trump was the one who unilaterally called off negotiations just this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke with the president earlier this week and claimed that he 's now changed his mind and wants to make a deal after all .

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is warning that Republicans could face a "bloodbath" in the coming elections if American voters remain unhappy with the state of the economy and the novel coronavirus pandemic.
During an appearance on CNBC's "Squawk Box," Cruz said that Republicans could win the election "if people are going back to work, if they're optimistic, if they're positive about the future."
However, the senator warned that the opposite scenario could also come to pass.
"But I also think if on Election Day, people are angry and they've given up hope and they're depressed, which is what Pelosi, and Schumer want them to be, I think it could be a terrible election," he warned. "I think we could lose the White House and both houses of Congress, that it could be a bloodbath of Watergate proportions."
Cruz then falsely blamed Pelosi for holding up a relief aid deal, despite the fact that President Donald Trump was the one who unilaterally called off negotiations just this week.
However, Cruz said that he spoke with the president earlier this week and claimed that he's now changed his mind and wants to make a deal after all.


alternet--2020-10-09--Expert on extremists: the plot against Whitmer won’t be the last white nationalist terror threat

Once again , the ludicrous claim that radical Islamists have the market cornered on terrorism — and that far-right white nationalists and extremist militia groups do n't pose a major threat in the United States — has been exploded by the cold , hard facts .
The Federal Bureau of Investigation , this week , announced that six members of a far-right militia group , the Wolverine Watchmen , had been arrested in connection with an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer and possibly murder her .
Kathleen Belew , a University of Chicago history professor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a dire warning in an op-ed for the Washington Post : the U.S. can expect similar plots in the months ahead .
Belew , author of the book `` Bring the War Home : The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America , '' explains , `` This is n't just a one-off event or the work of a few mad actors — it 's part of a rising tide of white power activity , one that poses an imminent danger to American democracy .
The Department of Homeland Security 's threat assessment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long wait , made that clear : white power movement violence and affiliated extremism is , by far , the greatest terrorist threat to our nation . ''
That is n't to say that the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should n't keep a close eye on far-right Islamists like ISIS ( Islamic State , Iraq and Syria ) .
The deadliest terror attack in U.S. history , the 9/11 attacks of September 2001 , was carried out by members of al-Qaeda .
But the second deadliest , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the white nationalist/white supremacist side of terrorism .
And Belew points out that in 2020 , white nationalist terrorism has posed a greater threat than radical Islam in the U.S. '' Not only does this kind of extremist violence outstrip any violence carried out by what President Trump has referred to as 'Antifa and the left , ' but white power violence now also exceeds the threat of radical Islamist terror , '' Belew emphasizes .
`` The DHS assessment makes clear that '2019 was the most lethal year for extremism in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bombing in 1995 . '
'' Islamophobes like Pamela Gellar and Jihad Watch 's Robert B. Spencer have repeatedly made the false claim that there is something uniquely violent about Islam , which is nonsense — most Muslims do n't embrace far-right jihadist ideology .
And Islamophobes typically downplay the terrorist threat posed by white supremacists and white nationalists , trying to paint Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh as a `` lone wolf . ''
But as Belew stresses , the Oklahoma City attack was by no means an anomaly .
`` That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on mainland American soil between Pearl Harbor and 9/11 , is still not well understood by Americans , '' Belew explains .
`` People still think of it as the work of lone wolves or a few bad apples .
But the Oklahoma City bombing , which killed 168 people — including 19 young children — was the work of the white power movement , a coordinated social network that brought together Klansmen , neo-Nazis , skinheads , militiamen , radical tax resisters , separatists and others in outright war on the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of this movement is extensive and irrefutable . ''
Belew goes on to warn that having `` studied the earlier white power movement for more than a decade , '' she is `` very concerned that more violence is imminent . ''
`` The evidence is there , but it 's easy to overlook if you do n't connect the various alarming details , '' Belew explains .
`` The attempted kidnapping of Whitmer is linked to the call to arms of the Proud Boys , the underground training of other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boogaloo Boys on the march and the string of mass shooters motivated by this ideology . ''
Belew adds , `` In the new Michigan case , the FBI 's transcripts reveal a highly volatile set of plots that included bombings of multiple targets and a coded reference to attempted murder .
In white power discourse , kidnapping people for 'trial ' is often followed by references to lynching .
Whitmer might easily have been assassinated by this group . ''
According to Belew , the COVID-19 pandemic is making white nationalists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more unhinged .
`` We now encounter a new urgency among white power activists , who have capitalized upon the Trump Administration 's many green lights , the anti-mask movement and the social anxieties of pandemic and racial justice protest to launch new campaigns of violence , '' Belew warns .
`` This is a movement expressly dedicated to the violent overthrow of the United States and the destruction of democracy and its institutions .
We have to stand against it . ''

Once again, the ludicrous claim that radical Islamists have the market cornered on terrorism — and that far-right white nationalists and extremist militia groups don't pose a major threat in the United States — has been exploded by the cold, hard facts. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, this week, announced that six members of a far-right militia group, the Wolverine Watchmen, had been arrested in connection with an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and possibly murder her. Kathleen Belew, a University of Chicago history professor and an expert on far-right white nationalists, has a dire warning in an op-ed for the Washington Post: the U.S. can expect similar plots in the months ahead.
Belew, author of the book "Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America," explains, "This isn't just a one-off event or the work of a few mad actors — it's part of a rising tide of white power activity, one that poses an imminent danger to American democracy. The Department of Homeland Security's threat assessment report, released earlier this week after a long wait, made that clear: white power movement violence and affiliated extremism is, by far, the greatest terrorist threat to our nation."
That isn't to say that the FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security shouldn't keep a close eye on far-right Islamists like ISIS (Islamic State, Iraq and Syria). The deadliest terror attack in U.S. history, the 9/11 attacks of September 2001, was carried out by members of al-Qaeda. But the second deadliest, the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995, came from the white nationalist/white supremacist side of terrorism. And Belew points out that in 2020, white nationalist terrorism has posed a greater threat than radical Islam in the U.S.
"Not only does this kind of extremist violence outstrip any violence carried out by what President Trump has referred to as 'Antifa and the left,' but white power violence now also exceeds the threat of radical Islamist terror," Belew emphasizes. "The DHS assessment makes clear that '2019 was the most lethal year for extremism in the United States since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.'"
Islamophobes like Pamela Gellar and Jihad Watch's Robert B. Spencer have repeatedly made the false claim that there is something uniquely violent about Islam, which is nonsense — most Muslims don't embrace far-right jihadist ideology. And Islamophobes typically downplay the terrorist threat posed by white supremacists and white nationalists, trying to paint Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh as a "lone wolf." But as Belew stresses, the Oklahoma City attack was by no means an anomaly.
"That bombing, the largest deliberate mass casualty on mainland American soil between Pearl Harbor and 9/11, is still not well understood by Americans," Belew explains. "People still think of it as the work of lone wolves or a few bad apples. But the Oklahoma City bombing, which killed 168 people — including 19 young children — was the work of the white power movement, a coordinated social network that brought together Klansmen, neo-Nazis, skinheads, militiamen, radical tax resisters, separatists and others in outright war on the federal government. The evidence of the bombing as part of this movement is extensive and irrefutable."
Belew goes on to warn that having "studied the earlier white power movement for more than a decade," she is "very concerned that more violence is imminent."
"The evidence is there, but it's easy to overlook if you don't connect the various alarming details," Belew explains. "The attempted kidnapping of Whitmer is linked to the call to arms of the Proud Boys, the underground training of other white power groups, the militias and Boogaloo Boys on the march and the string of mass shooters motivated by this ideology."
Belew adds, "In the new Michigan case, the FBI's transcripts reveal a highly volatile set of plots that included bombings of multiple targets and a coded reference to attempted murder. In white power discourse, kidnapping people for 'trial' is often followed by references to lynching. Whitmer might easily have been assassinated by this group."
According to Belew, the COVID-19 pandemic is making white nationalists, white supremacists and white militia groups even more unhinged.
"We now encounter a new urgency among white power activists, who have capitalized upon the Trump Administration's many green lights, the anti-mask movement and the social anxieties of pandemic and racial justice protest to launch new campaigns of violence," Belew warns. "This is a movement expressly dedicated to the violent overthrow of the United States and the destruction of democracy and its institutions. We have to stand against it."


alternet--2020-10-09--These MAGA retirees considered COVID-19 a hoax — until Trump himself was infected: report

Despite the fact that the coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 1 million people worldwide and over 212,800 in the United States — according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore — many Republican supporters of President Donald Trump continue to insist that the threat is being exaggerated by the mainstream media .
Journalists Francisco Alvarado and Kelly Weill , in an article published in the Daily Beast on October 9 , take a look at a Florida retirement community in which the pandemic was widely regarded as a Democratic hoax — that is , until Trump himself was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
And now , some of the retirees are worried about a visit from Vice President Mike Pence .
This Saturday , October 10 , Pence is scheduled to visit The Villages , a retirement community in Sumpter County , Florida .
Pence , who debated former Vice President Joe Biden 's running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , on October 7 , has not tested positive for COVID-19 .
But Alvarado and Weill stress that in light of Trump 's illness , some of the retirees are afraid to be around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Villages Democratic Club , told the Beast , `` The virus was a hoax here until Trump got it .
The other night , they did a prayer vigil — and for the first time , they posted in a big font , 'You must wear a mask . '
I looked on the webcam and did n't see many wearing masks , but they now seem to be accepting this is not a Democrat hoax at all . ''
Alvarado and Weill note that at The Villages , an `` overwhelming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , conservative voters . ''
Judy Pristaw , another member of The Villages Democratic Club , told the Beast , `` A couple restaurants told me that the day he tested positive , restaurants were n't as crowded that night , but I think people who like Trump are just as excited about him as we are about electing Joe Biden . ''
Florida , which has 29 electoral votes , is among the key swing states where Trump and Biden will be campaigning aggressively between now and Election Day : Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown the presidential race to be tight in Florida , with Biden ahead by single digits .
Polls released in October have shown Biden leading by 4 % ( CNBC/Change Research and Reuters/Ipsos ) or 6 % ( University of North Florida ) .
However , a Quinnipiac poll released on October 7 found Biden ahead by 11 % — and on the other hand , a Fox 35 Orlando/Insider Advantage poll released the following day found Trump ahead by 3 % .
Trump is hardly the only Republican in Trumpworld who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Others have included First Lady Melania Trump , White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany , long-time Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway , former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , Republican National Committee Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel and Trump 's campaign manager , Bill Stepien , among many others .
And the fact that so many Trump allies have been infected with COVID-19 is n't lost on retirees at The Villages .
Robin Viger , a Villages Democratic Club volunteer , told the Beast that she wishes Pence would n't visit the retirement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Viger declared .
`` I do n't want him here .
I do n't want the virus . ''

Despite the fact that the coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 1 million people worldwide and over 212,800 in the United States — according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore — many Republican supporters of President Donald Trump continue to insist that the threat is being exaggerated by the mainstream media. Journalists Francisco Alvarado and Kelly Weill, in an article published in the Daily Beast on October 9, take a look at a Florida retirement community in which the pandemic was widely regarded as a Democratic hoax — that is, until Trump himself was hospitalized after testing positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. And now, some of the retirees are worried about a visit from Vice President Mike Pence.
This Saturday, October 10, Pence is scheduled to visit The Villages, a retirement community in Sumpter County, Florida. Pence, who debated former Vice President Joe Biden's running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, on October 7, has not tested positive for COVID-19. But Alvarado and Weill stress that in light of Trump's illness, some of the retirees are afraid to be around Pence.
Chris Stanley, president of The Villages Democratic Club, told the Beast, "The virus was a hoax here until Trump got it. The other night, they did a prayer vigil — and for the first time, they posted in a big font, 'You must wear a mask.' I looked on the webcam and didn't see many wearing masks, but they now seem to be accepting this is not a Democrat hoax at all."
Alvarado and Weill note that at The Villages, an "overwhelming majority of the 132,000 residents are white, conservative voters."
Judy Pristaw, another member of The Villages Democratic Club, told the Beast, "A couple restaurants told me that the day he tested positive, restaurants weren't as crowded that night, but I think people who like Trump are just as excited about him as we are about electing Joe Biden."
Florida, which has 29 electoral votes, is among the key swing states where Trump and Biden will be campaigning aggressively between now and Election Day: Tuesday, November 3. Many recent polls have shown the presidential race to be tight in Florida, with Biden ahead by single digits. Polls released in October have shown Biden leading by 4% (CNBC/Change Research and Reuters/Ipsos) or 6% (University of North Florida). However, a Quinnipiac poll released on October 7 found Biden ahead by 11% — and on the other hand, a Fox 35 Orlando/Insider Advantage poll released the following day found Trump ahead by 3%.
Trump is hardly the only Republican in Trumpworld who has recently tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. Others have included First Lady Melania Trump, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, long-time Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel and Trump's campaign manager, Bill Stepien, among many others. And the fact that so many Trump allies have been infected with COVID-19 isn't lost on retirees at The Villages.
Robin Viger, a Villages Democratic Club volunteer, told the Beast that she wishes Pence wouldn't visit the retirement community.
"I'm opposed," Viger declared. "I don't want him here. I don't want the virus."


alternet--2020-10-09--McConnell confesses GOP candidates are overwhelmed as Election Day approaches

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) admitted many Republican electoral candidates , including lawmakers facing re-election , are financially overwhelmed as the fight uphill campaign battles due to all that has transpired over the last week surrounding President Donald Trump .
As Trump continues with his damaging rhetoric and reckless behavior , he is not only endangering his own chances of re-election but also the re-elections of his Senate Republican colleagues which jeopardizes them maintaining control of the Senate floor .
Many Republican candidates are now faced with financial concerns as they try to push back and stabilize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published by The New York Times , details about McConnell 's recent conversation during a conference call shed light on his concerns about Senate candidates .
According to McConnell , Republicans , many of whom are being outraised by their Democratic opponents , are `` financially overwhelmed . ''
`` On Thursday , in a conference call with a group of lobbyists , Mr. McConnell vented that the party 's Senate candidates are being financially overwhelmed because of small-dollar contributions to ActBlue , the online liberal fund-raising hub . ''
The reports about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks after top-ranking Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) admitted that he was overwhelmed due to accelerated support for his Democratic opponent Jamie Harrison .
During a Fox News interview , Graham , also chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee , appealed to the network 's viewers to donate to his re-election campaign .
`` I 'm getting overwhelmed , '' Graham said to conservative Fox talk-show host Sean Hannity .
`` LindseyGraham.com .
Help me .
They 're killing me , money-wise .
Help me .
You helped me last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Lindsey Graham : I 'm getting overwhelmed ... help me , they 're killing me moneywise .
Help me Although South Carolina is typically a conservative state , Harrison turned heads less than a month ago when he defied fundraising odds , raising more than $ 1 million for two consecutive days in a row .
The surge in donations brought Harrison 's fundraising amount to more than $ 30 million , according to Politico .
Over the last two weeks , there has also been a significant shift in the presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential debate he and Republican lawmakers torpedoed in the polls .
Republicans also found themselves at the center of controversy with Trump testing positive for COVID , in addition to the massive White House outbreak that led to more than 30 officials and aides also testing positive .
The odds are stacking against Republicans as Election Day approaches .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) admitted many Republican electoral candidates, including lawmakers facing re-election, are financially overwhelmed as the fight uphill campaign battles due to all that has transpired over the last week surrounding President Donald Trump.
As Trump continues with his damaging rhetoric and reckless behavior, he is not only endangering his own chances of re-election but also the re-elections of his Senate Republican colleagues which jeopardizes them maintaining control of the Senate floor. Many Republican candidates are now faced with financial concerns as they try to push back and stabilize their campaigns.
According to a report published by The New York Times, details about McConnell's recent conversation during a conference call shed light on his concerns about Senate candidates. According to McConnell, Republicans, many of whom are being outraised by their Democratic opponents, are "financially overwhelmed."
"On Thursday, in a conference call with a group of lobbyists, Mr. McConnell vented that the party's Senate candidates are being financially overwhelmed because of small-dollar contributions to ActBlue, the online liberal fund-raising hub."
The reports about McConnell's concerns come less than two weeks after top-ranking Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) admitted that he was overwhelmed due to accelerated support for his Democratic opponent Jamie Harrison. During a Fox News interview, Graham, also chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, appealed to the network's viewers to donate to his re-election campaign.
"I'm getting overwhelmed," Graham said to conservative Fox talk-show host Sean Hannity. "LindseyGraham.com. Help me. They're killing me, money-wise. Help me. You helped me last week — help me again. LindseyGraham.com."
Lindsey Graham: I'm getting overwhelmed... help me, they're killing me moneywise. Help me www.youtube.com
Although South Carolina is typically a conservative state, Harrison turned heads less than a month ago when he defied fundraising odds, raising more than $1 million for two consecutive days in a row. The surge in donations brought Harrison's fundraising amount to more than $30 million, according to Politico.
Over the last two weeks, there has also been a significant shift in the presidential race. Following Trump's disastrous first presidential debate he and Republican lawmakers torpedoed in the polls. Republicans also found themselves at the center of controversy with Trump testing positive for COVID, in addition to the massive White House outbreak that led to more than 30 officials and aides also testing positive.
The odds are stacking against Republicans as Election Day approaches.