dailysignal--2020-10-23--8 Highlights From Second Biden-Trump Debate

President Donald Trump and his challenger , former Vice President Joe Biden , clashed Thursday night in the second and final presidential debate before the Nov. 3 election .
Trump and Biden traded boasts and criticisms in a meeting that began at 9 p.m. at Belmont University in Nashville , Tennessee , after officials said both men tested negative for COVID-19 .
What follows are eight highlights from the 90-minute debate moderated by NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker .
The first debate between Trump and Biden took place Sept. 29 .
The Commission on Presidential Debates canceled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set for Oct. 15 , after Trump objected to a format in which the candidates would appear in separate “ town hall ” settings .
The commission announced the change in format Oct. 8 , the day after Vice President Mike Pence and Biden ’ s running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris of California , met in their only debate .
At the time , Trump was recovering from COVID-19 after a three-day stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center .
In their second debate , Republican Trump and Democrat Biden differed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , especially in terms of reopening schools safely as soon as possible .
Trump said that although Americans will continue to deal with COVID-19 , the country can ’ t stay closed and must continue the process of reopening .
“ We can ’ t close up our nation , or you ’ re not going to have a nation , ” Trump said .
Biden said that he did not aim to keep the country shut down .
“ I ’ m going to shut down the virus , not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Biden expressed a greater willingness to keep lockdowns in place until certain needs are met .
“ I ’ m not shutting down today , but look , you need standards , ” Biden said .
“ If you have a [ virus ] reproduction rate above a certain level , everybody says slow down , do not open bars and gymnasiums , until you get this under more control.
” He wants schools to reopen , Biden said , but more needs to be done to get them into a place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilation .
“ Schools , they need a lot of money to open , ” Biden said .
“ They need to deal with smaller classrooms.
” > > > What ’ s the best way for America to reopen and return to business ?
The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission , a project of The Heritage Foundation , assembled America ’ s top thinkers to figure that out .
So far , it has made more than 260 recommendations .
Learn more here .
Biden ’ s reopening plan stipulates : “ Emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools have the resources to reconfigure classrooms , kitchens , and other spaces , improve ventilation , and take other necessary steps to make it easier to physically distance and minimize risk of spread.
” The Trump administration has pushed aggressively for schools to reopen this fall , under the guidance of health officials .
Biden also said Trump had failed to negotiate a new coronavirus relief package with the Democrat-controlled House .
The president countered that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , doesn ’ t want to make a deal before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , willing , and able to do something , ” Trump said .
Trump repeated his prediction that a COVID-19 vaccine will be approved by the end of this year .
Trump said several companies–including Johnson & Johnson , Moderna , and Feiser–are “ doing very well ” in developing a vaccine , adding that the U.S. also is working with European nations to produce a vaccine as quickly as possible .
Welker questioned Trump about his vaccine timeline , noting that his own health officials have said it may be well into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think my timeline is going to be more accurate , ” Trump said , adding : Biden fired back at Trump , criticizing the president ’ s handling of the virus .
“ We are about to go into a dark winter , ” Biden said .
“ And he has no clear plan and there is no prospect that there is going to be a vaccine available for the majority of the American people before the middle of next year.
” Asked to respond , the president said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus and closed down flights from China in January , an action that he says Biden called him “ xenophobic ” for taking .
Biden retorted that Trump had closed the border to China only after other countries already had done so .
Trump said Biden ’ s handling of the H1N1 swine flu was “ a total disaster.
” “ Had that had this kind of numbers , 700,000 people would be dead right now , but [ swine flu ] was a far less lethal disease.
” Trump denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ over soon , ” but said Americans are “ learning to live with it.
” He added : “ We can ’ t lock ourselves up in a basement like Joe does.
” The president said 99 % of those who contract the disease caused by the new coronavirus recover .
“ People are learning to die with it , ” the former vice president fired back , adding that the president has not taken responsibility for the virus .
“ I take full responsibility .
It is not my fault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s China ’ s fault .
And you know what ?
It ’ s not Joe ’ s fault that it came here , either .
It is China ’ s fault , ” Trump said .
Biden also said , referring to COVID-19 , “ Two hundred and twenty thousand Americans dead .
If you hear nothing else I say tonight …anyone who is responsible for that many deaths should not remain as president of the United States.
” When it came to climate change and the energy industry , the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not sacrifice tens of millions of jobs , thousands and thousands of companies , because of the Paris accord , ” Trump said , referring to the international climate agreement the United States joined under President Barack Obama with Biden as vice president .
Six months into his presidency , Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the climate agreement .
“ We have the cleanest air , the cleanest water , and the best carbon emissions standards that we ’ ve seen in many , many years .
And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump said .
He said the climate accord was too easy on nations such as China , Russia , and India that have “ filthy ” air .
“ Climate change , climate warming , global warming is an existential threat to humanity .
We have a moral obligation to deal with it , ” Biden said , adding that it was crucial to act in the next eight to 10 years .
Referring to his climate plan , which includes adding charging machines for electric cars to U.S. highways and retrofitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : “ It will create millions of new , good-paying jobs.
” “ We are energy independent for the first time , ” Trump said .
Fracking was another topic of contention between the two candidates .
“ I have never said I oppose fracking , ” Biden said , accusing Trump of “ lying.
” “ I do rule out banning fracking , ” he said , although he later said he had called for banning fracking on federal lands .
The Trump campaign tweeted this video shortly after Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of color ” are more likely to live near chemical plants and oil refineries , and that Texans living in such areas are concerned the proximity is making them sick .
“ The families that we ’ re talking about are employed heavily and they ’ re making a lot of money , more money than they ’ ve ever made , ” Trump said , noting his administration ’ s record jobs numbers among Hispanic , Asian , and black Americans .
He added , “ I have not heard the numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying , but they ’ re making a tremendous amount of money.
” “ Those frontline communities , it doesn ’ t matter what you ’ re paying them , it matters how you keep them safe , ” Biden said , talking about the need to regulate pollutants .
Trump asked BIden : “ Would you close down the oil industry ?
” Biden responded : “ I would transition from the oil industry , yes … because the oil industry pollutes significantly .
… It has to be replaced by renewable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And I ’ d stop giving to the oil industry , I ’ d stop giving them federal subsidies.
” Trump said that the Affordable Care Act , passed in 2009-10 during the Obama administration , was “ no good.
” He said that ’ s why the law , popularly known as Obamacare , is still being challenged in court .
The president said his administration ended the individual mandate requiring Americans to buy health insurance and is overseeing what remains of Obamacare .
“ We ’ re running it as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s no good , ” he said .
Trump said Biden and the Democrats would push the country toward “ socialized medicine ” and government-run health care , as promoted by Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. Biden said that , unlike all his competitors in the Democrats ’ primary race—a list that included both Sanders and his running mate , Harris—he would not advocate a “ Medicare for All ” plan .
“ He ’ s a very confused guy , ” Biden said .
“ He thinks he ’ s running against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Joe Biden .
I beat all those other people because I disagreed with them.
” Instead , Biden said , he wants “ Bidencare , ” which includes a “ public option ” for health insurance .
A public option is when the government offers subsidized plans that are less expensive than those offered by insurance companies .
Biden said he supports private insurance and insisted that “ not one single person with private insurance would lose their insurance under my plan , nor did they under Obamacare.
” Obama also promised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health insurance under Obamacare , which didn ’ t turn out to be the case .
“ When he says ‘ public option , ’ he ’ s talking about socialized medicine and health care , ” Trump said .
“ When he talks about a public option , he ’ s talking about destroying your Medicare and destroying your Social Security .
This whole country will come down.
” Biden contended that Trump would not make sure that Americans with preexisting health conditions could get insurance coverage , but the president reiterated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s claim that he would not move toward socialized medicine .
“ It ’ s not that he wants it—his vice president , I mean , [ Harris ] is more liberal than Bernie Sanders and wants it even more , ” Trump said .
“ Bernie Sanders wants it .
The Democrats want it .
You ’ re going to have socialized medicine.
” Trump and Biden sparred over America ’ s relationship with Russia and their respective ability to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin .
On the subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is clear that Russia has tried to influence the 2020 election , as it did in 2016 .
The former vice president warned that Russia “ will pay a price if I am elected.
” Biden said that Trump ’ s personal attorney , former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani , “ is being used as a Russian pawn ” : The owner of a computer repair shop that believed he had an unclaimed laptop originally dropped off by Biden ’ s son , Hunter , eventually put it in the hands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hard drive to Giuliani .
He turned it over to the New York Post .
The New York Post last week reported on some of the emails on the laptop , including one suggesting that the elder Biden met Vadym Pozharskyi , an adviser to Burisma , the Ukrainian energy company that at the time reportedly was paying Hunter Biden $ 50,000 a month .
Biden said it is worth asking why Trump has not been tougher on Putin .
“ Joe got three and half million dollars from Russia , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came through Putin , because he was very friendly with the former mayor of Moscow… .
Someday , you are going to have to explain why you got three and a half million dollars.
” Trump ’ s comments appeared to be a reference to a report from Senate Republicans that states : “ On Feb. 14 , 2014 , [ Elena ] Baturina wired $ 3.5 million to a Rosemont Seneca Thornton LLC ( Rosemont Seneca Thornton ) bank account for a “ Consultancy Agreement DD12.02.2014.
” Rosemont Seneca Thornton is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was incorporated on May 28 , 2013 in Wilmington , Del.
” Baturina is married to Yury Luzkhkov , formerly mayor of Moscow .
But George Mesires , a lawyer for Hunter Biden , told PolitiFact in an email : “ Hunter Biden had no interest in and was not a co-founder of Rosemont Seneca Thornton , so the claim that he was paid $ 3.5 million is false.
” PolitiFact said Mesires “ did not respond ” to a request that he “ share documents to show that Hunter Biden was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dramatic moments of the debate came when Bided stated flatly : “ I have not taken a penny from any foreign source ever in my life.
” The president drew a link between Biden and Putin , saying that John Ratcliffe , director of national intelligence , believes the Russian president wants Trump to lose the election because “ there has been nobody tougher on Russia than Donald Trump.
” Trump also criticized Biden for allowing Russia ’ s invasion of Ukraine and its seizing of the Crimea region during his time as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of Biden : ” While he was selling pillows and sheets , I sold tank-busters to Ukraine.
” Trump and Biden had a sharp disagreement about enforcing immigration law , in particular the Trump administration ’ s early policy of separating children from adults when they come across the southern border and placing children in detention centers with “ cages.
” “ The children are brought here by coyotes and lots of bad people , cartels , and they ’ re brought here and they used to use them to get into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We now have as strong a border as we ’ ve ever had .
We ’ re over 400 miles of brand new wall .
You see the numbers .
We let people in , but they have to come in legally , ” Biden said that the policy of separating children from adults who crossed the border “ violates every notion of who we are as a nation.
” He said the policy was used as a disincentive for more illegal immigration .
But Trump said his administration actually inherited the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We changed the policy .
They did it .
We changed—they built the cages , ” Trump said .
“ Who built the cages , Joe ?
” According to The Associated Press , placing migrant children in cages began in 2014 under the Obama administration : Biden admitted that the Obama administration got some things wrong on immigration enforcement , in particular on detaining children , but said his own administration would do better .
“ We made a mistake .
It took too long to get it right , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be president of the United States , not vice president of the United States.
” When the issue of race came up in the debate , Trump defended his reputation , saying , “ I am the least racist person in this room.
” Asked about some of his past comments , including on Black Lives Matter , Trump said : “ The first time I ever heard of Black Lives Matter , they were chanting , ‘ Pigs in a blanket , ’ talking about police … [ chanting ] ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ em like bacon.
’ I said , that ’ s a horrible thing.
” He also referred several times to record low unemployment rates for blacks and Hispanics before the pandemic .
Asked again about his rhetoric on race , Trump said , “ I got criminal justice reform done , and prison reform , and opportunity zones .
I took care of black colleges and universities .
I don ’ t know what to say .
They can say anything … It makes me sad.
” Trump signed the First Step Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , into law at the end of 2018 .
Opportunity zones are designated low-income areas where investors can get certain tax advantages in exchange for investing there .
In remarks in September , Trump noted what his administration had done for historically black colleges and universities , saying , “ Last year … I was proud to highlight an increase of more than 13 % in federal funding for HBCUs under my administration .
In addition , I signed into law the FUTURE Act , which reauthorized more than $ 85 million in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ one of the most racist presidents we ’ ve had in modern history .
He pours fuel on every single racist fire.
” “ This guy is a dog whistle about as big as a foghorn , ” Biden added .
Amid a discussion of the economy and the impact of COVID-19 , Biden argued that the federal minimum wage should be raised from $ 7.25 an hour to $ 15 an hour .
“ People are making six , seven , eight bucks an hour , ” Biden said , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal minimum wage , but “ not to a level that ’ s going to put all these businesses out of business.
” The president went on to argue that the minimum wage should be decided by state governments .
“ Some places , $ 15 is not so bad .
In other places , other states , $ 15 would be ruinous , ” Trump said , referring to restaurants and other businesses .
Katrina Trinko and Ken McIntyre contributed to this report .

President Donald Trump and his challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, clashed Thursday night in the second and final presidential debate before the Nov. 3 election.
Trump and Biden traded boasts and criticisms in a meeting that began at 9 p.m. EDT at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, after officials said both men tested negative for COVID-19.
What follows are eight highlights from the 90-minute debate moderated by NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker.
1. Reopening Schools, Businesses
Republican Trump and Democrat Biden differed on the issue of shutdowns during the pandemic, especially in terms of reopening schools safely as soon as possible.
Trump said that although Americans will continue to deal with COVID-19, the country can’t stay closed and must continue the process of reopening.
“We can’t close up our nation, or you’re not going to have a nation,” Trump said.
Biden said that he did not aim to keep the country shut down.
“I’m going to shut down the virus, not the country,” Biden said.
However, Biden expressed a greater willingness to keep lockdowns in place until certain needs are met.
“I’m not shutting down today, but look, you need standards,” Biden said. “If you have a [virus] reproduction rate above a certain level, everybody says slow down, do not open bars and gymnasiums, until you get this under more control.”
He wants schools to reopen, Biden said, but more needs to be done to get them into a place to do so, such as better ventilation.
“Schools, they need a lot of money to open,” Biden said. “They need to deal with smaller classrooms.”
>>> What’s the best way for America to reopen and return to business? The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, assembled America’s top thinkers to figure that out. So far, it has made more than 260 recommendations. Learn more here.
Biden’s reopening plan stipulates: “Emergency funding needs have been met so that schools have the resources to reconfigure classrooms, kitchens, and other spaces, improve ventilation, and take other necessary steps to make it easier to physically distance and minimize risk of spread.”
The Trump administration has pushed aggressively for schools to reopen this fall, under the guidance of health officials.
Biden also said Trump had failed to negotiate a new coronavirus relief package with the Democrat-controlled House.
The president countered that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., doesn’t want to make a deal before the election.
“We are ready, willing, and able to do something,” Trump said.
2. COVID-19 Vaccine and China
The first debate between Trump and Biden took place Sept. 29. The Commission on Presidential Debates canceled the originally scheduled second of three debates, set for Oct. 15, after Trump objected to a format in which the candidates would appear in separate “town hall” settings.
The commission announced the change in format Oct. 8, the day after Vice President Mike Pence and Biden’s running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, met in their only debate. At the time, Trump was recovering from COVID-19 after a three-day stay at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Thursday night, Trump repeated his prediction that a COVID-19 vaccine will be approved by the end of this year.
Trump said several companies–including Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer–are “doing very well” in developing a vaccine, adding that the U.S. also is working with European nations to produce a vaccine as quickly as possible.
Welker questioned Trump about his vaccine timeline, noting that his own health officials have said it may be well into 2021 before a vaccine is generally available.
“I think my timeline is going to be more accurate,” Trump said, adding:
I don’t know that they [health officials] are counting on the military the way I do, but we have our generals lined up. One in particular that’s the head of logistics, and this is a very easy distribution for him. He is ready to go. As soon as we have the vaccine–and we expect to have 100 million vials–as soon as we have the vaccine, he is ready to go.
Biden fired back at Trump, criticizing the president’s handling of the virus.
“We are about to go into a dark winter,” Biden said. “And he has no clear plan and there is no prospect that there is going to be a vaccine available for the majority of the American people before the middle of next year.”
Asked to respond, the president said he acted quickly in response to the spread of the virus and closed down flights from China in January, an action that he says Biden called him “xenophobic” for taking.
Biden retorted that Trump had closed the border to China only after other countries already had done so.
Trump said Biden’s handling of the H1N1 swine flu was “a total disaster.”
“Had that had this kind of numbers, 700,000 people would be dead right now, but [swine flu] was a far less lethal disease.”
Trump denied saying that the virus is going to be “over soon,” but said Americans are “learning to live with it.” He added: “We can’t lock ourselves up in a basement like Joe does.”
The president said 99% of those who contract the disease caused by the new coronavirus recover.
“People are learning to die with it,” the former vice president fired back, adding that the president has not taken responsibility for the toll taken by the virus.
“I take full responsibility. It is not my fault that it came here. It’s China’s fault. And you know what? It’s not Joe’s fault that it came here, either. It is China’s fault,” Trump said.
Biden also said, referring to COVID-19, “Two hundred and twenty thousand Americans dead. If you hear nothing else I say tonight … anyone who is responsible for that many deaths should not remain as president of the United States.”
3. Fracking, Climate Change, and the Oil Industry
When it came to climate change and the energy industry, the two candidates had notable differences.
“I will not sacrifice tens of millions of jobs, thousands and thousands of companies, because of the Paris accord,” Trump said, referring to the international climate agreement the United States joined under President Barack Obama with Biden as vice president.
Six months into his presidency, Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the climate agreement.
“We have the cleanest air, the cleanest water, and the best carbon emissions standards that we’ve seen in many, many years. And we haven’t destroyed our industries,” Trump said.
He said the climate accord was too easy on nations such as China, Russia, and India that have “filthy” air.
“Climate change, climate warming, global warming is an existential threat to humanity. We have a moral obligation to deal with it,” Biden said, adding that it was crucial to act in the next eight to 10 years.
Referring to his climate plan, which includes adding charging machines for electric cars to U.S. highways and retrofitting buildings to be more energy-efficient, Biden said: “It will create millions of new, good-paying jobs.”
“We are energy independent for the first time,” Trump said.
Fracking was another topic of contention between the two candidates.
“I have never said I oppose fracking,” Biden said, accusing Trump of “lying.”
“I do rule out banning fracking,” he said, although he later said he had called for banning fracking on federal lands.
The Trump campaign tweeted this video shortly after Biden’s remarks:
WATCH: Joe Biden says he's going to ban fracking.
pic.twitter.com/RWaIMjc8wh — Trump War Room – Text TRUMP to 88022 (@TrumpWarRoom) October 20, 2020
Welker said “people of color” are more likely to live near chemical plants and oil refineries, and that Texans living in such areas are concerned the proximity is making them sick.
“The families that we’re talking about are employed heavily and they’re making a lot of money, more money than they’ve ever made,” Trump said, noting his administration’s record jobs numbers among Hispanic, Asian, and black Americans.
He added, “I have not heard the numbers or the statistics that you’re saying, but they’re making a tremendous amount of money.”
“Those frontline communities, it doesn’t matter what you’re paying them, it matters how you keep them safe,” Biden said, talking about the need to regulate pollutants.
Trump asked BIden: “Would you close down the oil industry?”
Biden responded: “I would transition from the oil industry, yes … because the oil industry pollutes significantly. … It has to be replaced by renewable energy over time, over time. And I’d stop giving to the oil industry, I’d stop giving them federal subsidies.”
4. Improving Health Care
Trump said that the Affordable Care Act, passed in 2009-10 during the Obama administration, was “no good.” He said that’s why the law, popularly known as Obamacare, is still being challenged in court.
The president said his administration ended the individual mandate requiring Americans to buy health insurance and is overseeing what remains of Obamacare.
“We’re running it as well as we can, but it’s no good,” he said.
Trump said Biden and the Democrats would push the country toward “socialized medicine” and government-run health care, as promoted by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Biden said that, unlike all his competitors in the Democrats’ primary race—a list that included both Sanders and his running mate, Harris—he would not advocate a “Medicare for All” plan.
“He’s a very confused guy,” Biden said. “He thinks he’s running against somebody else. He’s running against Joe Biden. I beat all those other people because I disagreed with them.”
Instead, Biden said, he wants “Bidencare,” which includes a “public option” for health insurance. Under a public option, the government offers subsidized plans that are less expensive than those offered by insurance companies.
Biden said he supports private insurance and insisted that “not one single person with private insurance would lose their insurance under my plan, nor did they under Obamacare.”
Obama also promised that nobody would lose his or her health insurance under Obamacare, which didn’t turn out to be the case.
“When he says ‘public option,’ he’s talking about socialized medicine and health care,” Trump said. “When he talks about a public option, he’s talking about destroying your Medicare and destroying your Social Security. This whole country will come down.”
Biden contended that Trump would not make sure that Americans with preexisting health conditions could get insurance coverage, but the president reiterated that he would.
Trump also disputed Biden’s claim that he would not move toward socialized medicine.
“It’s not that he wants it—his vice president, I mean, [Harris] is more liberal than Bernie Sanders and wants it even more,” Trump said. “Bernie Sanders wants it. The Democrats want it. You’re going to have socialized medicine.”
5. Who’s Tougher on Russia
Trump and Biden sparred over America’s relationship with Russia and their respective ability to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On the subject of election integrity, Biden said it is clear that Russia has tried to influence the 2020 election, as it did in 2016. The former vice president warned that Russia “will pay a price if I am elected.”
Biden said that Trump’s personal attorney, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, “is being used as a Russian pawn”:
He’s being fed information that is Russian, that is not true. And then what happens? Nothing happens. And then you find out that everything [that] is going on here about Russia is wanting to make sure that I do not get elected the next president of the United States, because they know I know them, and they know me.
The owner of a computer repair shop in Delaware who said he believed he had an unclaimed laptop originally dropped off in April 2019 by Biden’s son, Hunter, eventually put it in the hands of the FBI. He made a copy of the hard drive and gave it to Giuliani, who turned it over to the New York Post.
The New York Post last week reported on some of the emails on the laptop, including one suggesting that the elder Biden met Vadym Pozharskyi, an adviser to Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company that at the time reportedly was paying Hunter Biden $50,000 a month.
Biden said it is worth asking why Trump has not been tougher on Putin.
“Joe got three and half million dollars from Russia,” the president responded. “And it came through Putin, because he was very friendly with the former mayor of Moscow. … Someday, you are going to have to explain why you got three and a half million dollars.”
Trump’s comments appeared to be a reference to a report from Senate Republicans that states: “On Feb. 14, 2014, [Elena] Baturina wired $3.5 million to a Rosemont Seneca Thornton LLC (Rosemont Seneca Thornton) bank account for a ‘Consultancy Agreement DD12.02.2014.’ Rosemont Seneca Thornton is an investment firm co-founded by Hunter Biden that was incorporated on May 28, 2013 in Wilmington, Del.”
Baturina is married to Yury Luzkhkov, formerly mayor of Moscow.
But George Mesires, a lawyer for Hunter Biden, told PolitiFact in an email: “Hunter Biden had no interest in and was not a co-founder of Rosemont Seneca Thornton, so the claim that he was paid $3.5 million is false.”
PolitiFact said Mesires “did not respond” to a request that he “share documents to show that Hunter Biden was not a co-founder.”
One of the most dramatic moments of the debate came when Bided stated flatly: “I have not taken a penny from any foreign source ever in my life.”
The president drew a link between Biden and Putin, saying that John Ratcliffe, director of national intelligence, believes the Russian president wants Trump to lose the election because “there has been nobody tougher on Russia than Donald Trump.”
Trump also criticized Biden for allowing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its seizing of the Crimea region during his time as Obama’s vice president.
Trump said of Biden: ”While he was selling pillows and sheets, I sold tank-busters to Ukraine.”
6. Illegal Immigration and Border Enforcement
Trump and Biden had a sharp disagreement about enforcing immigration law, in particular the Trump administration’s early policy of separating children from adults when they come across the southern border and placing children in detention centers with “cages.”
“The children are brought here by coyotes and lots of bad people, cartels … and they used to use them to get into our country,” Trump said. “We now have as strong a border as we’ve ever had. We’re over 400 miles of brand new wall. You see the numbers. We let people in, but they have to come in legally.”
Biden said that the policy of separating children from adults who crossed the border “violates every notion of who we are as a nation.”
He said the policy was used as a disincentive for more illegal immigration.
But Trump said his administration actually inherited the Obama policy of putting children in cages.
“We changed the policy. They did it. We changed—they built the cages,” Trump said. “Who built the cages, Joe?”
According to The Associated Press, placing migrant children in cages began in 2014 under the Obama administration:
At the height of the controversy over Trump’s zero-tolerance policy at the border, photos that circulated online of children in the enclosures generated great anger. But those photos–by The Associated Press–were taken in 2014 and depicted some of the thousands of unaccompanied children held by President Barack Obama.
Biden admitted that the Obama administration got some things wrong on immigration enforcement, in particular on detaining children, but said his own administration would do better.
“We made a mistake. It took too long to get it right,” Biden said. “I’ll be president of the United States, not vice president of the United States.”
7. Black Lives Matter and Racism
When the issue of race came up in the debate, Trump defended his reputation, saying, “I am the least racist person in this room.”
Asked about some of his past comments, including on Black Lives Matter, Trump said: “The first time I ever heard of Black Lives Matter, they were chanting, ‘Pigs in a blanket,’ talking about police … [chanting] ‘Pigs in a blanket, fry ’em like bacon.’ I said, that’s a horrible thing.”
He also referred several times to record low unemployment rates for blacks and Hispanics before the pandemic.
Asked again about his rhetoric on race, Trump said, “I got criminal justice reform done, and prison reform, and opportunity zones. I took care of black colleges and universities. I don’t know what to say. They can say anything … It makes me sad.”
Trump signed the First Step Act, a major criminal justice reform bill, into law at the end of 2018. Opportunity zones are designated low-income areas where investors can get certain tax advantages in exchange for investing there.
In remarks in September, Trump noted what his administration had done for historically black colleges and universities, saying, “Last year … I was proud to highlight an increase of more than 13% in federal funding for HBCUs under my administration. In addition, I signed into law the FUTURE Act, which reauthorized more than $85 million in funding for HBCUs.”
“Abraham Lincoln over here is one of the most racist presidents we’ve had in modern history,” Biden said, referring to Trump’s repeated line that he probably has done more for black Americans than any president other than Lincoln.
“He pours fuel on every single racist fire,” Biden said. “This guy is a dog whistle about as big as a foghorn.”
8. Increasing the Minimum Wage
Amid a discussion of the economy and the impact of COVID-19, Biden argued that the federal minimum wage should be raised from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour.
“People are making six, seven, eight bucks an hour,” Biden said, adding:
These first responders we all clap for as they come down the street because they have allowed us to make it. What’s happening? They deserve a minimum wage of $15, and anything below that puts you below the poverty level. And there is no evidence that when you raise the minimum wage businesses go out of business. That is simply not true.
Trump said he would consider raising the federal minimum wage, but “not to a level that’s going to put all these businesses out of business.”
The president went on to argue that the minimum wage should be decided by state governments, without a higher federal minimum that always supersedes state decisions.
“Some places, $15 is not so bad. In other places, other states, $15 would be ruinous,” Trump said, referring to restaurants and other businesses.
Katrina Trinko and Ken McIntyre contributed to this report, which has been modified since publication for clarity and detail.


dailysignal--2020-10-23--Vaccine Expected to Be Ready for Vulnerable Population by January, HHS Secretary Says

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Wednesday that he expects a coronavirus vaccine to be available for vulnerable Americans by January 2021 .
The Health and Human Services secretary said vaccines will be immediately offered to seniors , health care workers , and first responders once hospitals are able to administer them , according to The Hill .
Azar ’ s comments came at a press briefing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters .
“ There is hope on the way in the form of safe and effective vaccines in a matter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , The Hill reported .
“ We expect that we would have by end of this year enough vaccine that is FDA-authorized to be able to vaccinate the most vulnerable individuals.
” He continued : “ By end of January , we ’ d expect we ’ d have enough to vaccinate all seniors , as well as our health care workers and first responders.
” Azar added that more Americans will have access to the vaccine by April , according to The Hill .
President Donald Trump has insisted that a vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , in which his handling of the pandemic could be a major issue for voters .
Nine biopharmaceutical executives whose companies are developing coronavirus vaccines signed a joint statement on Sept. 8 reassuring the public of their commitment to producing a safe vaccine .
“ We , the undersigned biopharmaceutical companies , want to make clear our on-going commitment to developing and testing potential vaccines for COVID-19 in accordance with high ethical standards and sound scientific principles , ” the statement said .
The U.S. government has given significant funding and resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Operation Warp Speed , the multiagency effort to produce a coronavirus vaccine quickly .
The goal of the operation has been to produce 300 million doses of “ safe and effective vaccines ” by January 2021 .
Trump declared a national emergency in March as the coronavirus spread rapidly around the world .
HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected ] .

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Wednesday that he expects a coronavirus vaccine to be available for vulnerable Americans by January 2021.
The Health and Human Services secretary said vaccines will be immediately offered to seniors, health care workers, and first responders once hospitals are able to administer them, according to The Hill. Azar’s comments came at a press briefing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters.
“There is hope on the way in the form of safe and effective vaccines in a matter of weeks or months,” Azar said, The Hill reported. “We expect that we would have by end of this year enough vaccine that is FDA-authorized to be able to vaccinate the most vulnerable individuals.”
He continued: “By end of January, we’d expect we’d have enough to vaccinate all seniors, as well as our health care workers and first responders.”
Azar added that more Americans will have access to the vaccine by April, according to The Hill.
President Donald Trump has insisted that a vaccine could be produced before the Nov. 3 election, in which his handling of the pandemic could be a major issue for voters. Nine biopharmaceutical executives whose companies are developing coronavirus vaccines signed a joint statement on Sept. 8 reassuring the public of their commitment to producing a safe vaccine.
“We, the undersigned biopharmaceutical companies, want to make clear our on-going commitment to developing and testing potential vaccines for COVID-19 in accordance with high ethical standards and sound scientific principles,” the statement said.
The U.S. government has given significant funding and resources to pharmaceutical companies since March as part of Operation Warp Speed, the multiagency effort to produce a coronavirus vaccine quickly. The goal of the operation has been to produce 300 million doses of “safe and effective vaccines” by January 2021.
Trump declared a national emergency in March as the coronavirus spread rapidly around the world.
HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities for this original content, email licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


dailysignal--2020-10-26--How ‘Court Packing’ Would Damage Both the Judicial and Legislative Branches

The concept of “ court packing ” has received a lot of attention recently , and rightly so .
That radical move—which Democrats rejected in the 1930s—would permanently damage the independence and impartiality of the judiciary .
But it ’ s even worse than that .
The steps necessary to achieve that goal would also permanently weaken the legislative branch .
America ’ s Founders applied their genius in many ways .
For example , they recognized that government is necessary but that , without limits , it would destroy our liberty .
Those limits include the people setting rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the separation of government power into three branches , and even the division of Congress into two different houses .
These were not random ideas thrown together .
They are parts of a design for government .
Whether by ignorance or intention , some are demanding that we break up this design , eliminate those distinctions , and dismantle this system of government .
Eliminating the legislative filibuster in the Senate is part of that destructive plan .
The House of Representatives and the Senate are both part of the legislative process , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different ways .
The House is designed for legislative action .
Its members have short terms , facing the voters often , and a majority of the House runs everything .
The Senate is designed for legislative deliberation and debate , its members have longer and staggered terms , and Senate rules allow the minority to have more influence .
The best example is that bringing a matter up for a vote requires not just a simple majority , but a supermajority .
Rule 22 requires “ three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 ) to invoke cloture , or end debate .
A group of senators who lack the votes to defeat a bill on its merits , therefore , can prevent its passage by preventing any final vote at all .
A failed attempt to end debate is a filibuster .
The Congressional Research Service describes this ability of the minority to keep debate going as “ the single most defining feature of the Senate as a legislative body.
” As a result , for more than 200 years , the process of considering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the process in the House .
For all that time , the ability of the minority to assert itself that way has frustrated the majority and each political party has been on each side of legislative filibusters .
During the 36 years that Joe Biden served in the Senate , for example , 92 % of the cloture votes were on legislative matters , rather than nominations , and he voted 130 times to filibuster legislation .
Every now and then , someone suggests eliminating the minority ’ s unique role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equalizing the votes needed to end debate and to pass legislation .
In other words , they want to make the Senate a smaller version of the House so that the majority gets it way every time .
They want to destroy what makes the Senate unique as an institution and fundamentally change the way the legislative branch operates .
In January 1995 , for example , as the 104th Congress opened , then-Sen. Tom Harkin , D-Iowa , offered an amendment to a resolution for organizing Senate committees that would have eliminated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important about that .
First , Harkin proposed changing Rule 22 through the process provided by Senate rules , a public process that would involve hearings in the Rules Committee .
Second , under Harkin ’ s proposal , the first vote to invoke cloture would require 60 votes , as Rule 22 requires today .
If that vote failed , the threshold would decline on successive cloture votes to 57 , 54 , and then a simple majority .
Harkin called this a “ new procedure for ending filibusters ” and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ought to be able to end debate and get to the merits of the legislation.
” Third , the Senate overwhelmingly rejected that attempt to abolish the legislative filibuster .
On Jan. 5 , 1995 , the Senate voted 76-19 to table the amendment .
Senators who opposed ending the legislative filibuster included Joe Biden , D-Del.
, as well as Patty Murray , D-Wash. , and Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif. , both of whom still serve in the Senate today .
Fifteen years later , with a Democrat in the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats again talked about eliminating the legislative filibuster so that a simple majority could get its way whenever it wanted .
Then-Sen. Robert Byrd , D-W.Va. , who had served in the Senate for 51 years , wrote a “ Dear Colleague ” letter dated Feb. 23 , 2010 , arguing that any reform to Senate procedures should follow “ the prescribed procedure for amending the rules.
” Efforts to “ change or reinterpret the rules in order to facilitate expeditious action by a simple majority , ” he wrote , are “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few months later , then-Vice President Biden—who ranks 18th on the list of longest-serving senators in history—praised Byrd as one of his “ mentors.
” Those who ( at least today ) want to end the legislative filibuster use more than a little misdirection .
They say , for example , that the filibuster is a “ Jim Crow relic , ” referring to how the filibuster was used by segregationist Democrats to fight civil rights legislation .
But if the filibuster should be abolished because of how it has been sometimes used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long ago .
Both parties have used the filibuster in connection with legislation involving everything from treaties and tariffs to the national debt and the death penalty .
The Senate adopted Rule 22 in 1917 because a small group of senators blocked legislation to protect merchant marine ships from attack .
In 2006 , Democrats used the filibuster to block both the Federal Marriage Amendment and a bill to repeal the estate tax .
The filibuster can apply to any subject , across the ideological spectrum , and it can not only thwart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a filibuster alone can be the only effective incentive for achieving reasonable legislation .
Not all filibusters are created equal .
Democrats in 2013 , for example , ended the filibuster for all nominations except to the Supreme Court .
But only two executive branch nominees had been defeated by a filibuster before Democrats started using the filibuster to target judicial nominations in 2003 .
While the filibuster was never intended to be part of the confirmation process , it had defined the Senate ’ s legislative process since the turn of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identifies the purpose of government as securing our inalienable rights .
The design and operation of government should be evaluated by that standard , rather than the achievement of certain political goals or the relative power of a political party .
Eliminating the legislative filibuster would be a dangerous idea , because it would destroy more of the limits on government that are necessary to protect our liberty .

The concept of “court packing” has received a lot of attention recently, and rightly so.
That radical move—which Democrats rejected in the 1930s—would permanently damage the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. But it’s even worse than that. The steps necessary to achieve that goal would also permanently weaken the legislative branch.
America’s Founders applied their genius in many ways. For example, they recognized that government is necessary but that, without limits, it would destroy our liberty.
Those limits include the people setting rules for government in a written Constitution, the separation of government power into three branches, and even the division of Congress into two different houses.
These were not random ideas thrown together. They are parts of a design for government.
Whether by ignorance or intention, some are demanding that we break up this design, eliminate those distinctions, and dismantle this system of government. Eliminating the legislative filibuster in the Senate is part of that destructive plan.
The House of Representatives and the Senate are both part of the legislative process, but they are designed to participate in different ways.
The House is designed for legislative action. Its members have short terms, facing the voters often, and a majority of the House runs everything. The Senate is designed for legislative deliberation and debate, its members have longer and staggered terms, and Senate rules allow the minority to have more influence.
The best example is that bringing a matter up for a vote requires not just a simple majority, but a supermajority. Rule 22 requires “three-fifths of the Senators duly chosen and sworn” (that’s 60) to invoke cloture, or end debate. A group of senators who lack the votes to defeat a bill on its merits, therefore, can prevent its passage by preventing any final vote at all. A failed attempt to end debate is a filibuster.
The Congressional Research Service describes this ability of the minority to keep debate going as “the single most defining feature of the Senate as a legislative body.”
As a result, for more than 200 years, the process of considering legislation in the Senate has been different from the process in the House. For all that time, the ability of the minority to assert itself that way has frustrated the majority and each political party has been on each side of legislative filibusters.
During the 36 years that Joe Biden served in the Senate, for example, 92% of the cloture votes were on legislative matters, rather than nominations, and he voted 130 times to filibuster legislation.
Every now and then, someone suggests eliminating the minority’s unique role in the Senate’s legislative practice by equalizing the votes needed to end debate and to pass legislation. In other words, they want to make the Senate a smaller version of the House so that the majority gets its way every time.
They want to destroy what makes the Senate unique as an institution and fundamentally change the way the legislative branch operates.
In January 1995, for example, as the 104th Congress opened, then-Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, offered an amendment to a resolution for organizing Senate committees that would have eliminated the legislative filibuster.
Three things are important about that.
First, Harkin proposed changing Rule 22 through the process provided by Senate rules, a public process that would involve hearings in the Rules Committee.
Second, under Harkin’s proposal, the first vote to invoke cloture would require 60 votes, as Rule 22 requires today. If that vote failed, the threshold would decline on successive cloture votes to 57, 54, and then a simple majority. Harkin called this a “new procedure for ending filibusters” and said that “a majority of the Senate ought to be able to end debate and get to the merits of the legislation.”
Third, the Senate overwhelmingly rejected that attempt to abolish the legislative filibuster. On Jan. 5, 1995, the Senate voted 76-19 to table the amendment. Senators who opposed ending the legislative filibuster included Joe Biden, D-Del., as well as Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., both of whom still serve in the Senate today.
Fifteen years later, with a Democrat in the White House and with control of the Senate, Democrats again talked about eliminating the legislative filibuster so that a simple majority could get its way whenever it wanted.
Then-Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., who had served in the Senate for 51 years, wrote a “Dear Colleague” letter dated Feb. 23, 2010, arguing that any reform to Senate procedures should follow “the prescribed procedure for amending the rules.”
Efforts to “change or reinterpret the rules in order to facilitate expeditious action by a simple majority,” he wrote, are “grossly misguided.”
When Byrd died a few months later, then-Vice President Biden—who ranks 18th on the list of longest-serving senators in history—praised Byrd as one of his “mentors.”
Those who (at least today) want to end the legislative filibuster use more than a little misdirection. They say, for example, that the filibuster is a “Jim Crow relic,” referring to how the filibuster was used by segregationist Democrats to fight civil rights legislation.
But if the filibuster should be abolished because of how it has been sometimes used, Congress itself should have been eliminated long ago.
Both parties have used the filibuster in connection with legislation involving everything from treaties and tariffs to the national debt and the death penalty.
The Senate adopted Rule 22 in 1917 because a small group of senators blocked legislation to protect merchant marine ships from attack.
In 2006, Democrats used the filibuster to block both the Federal Marriage Amendment and a bill to repeal the estate tax. The filibuster can apply to any subject, across the ideological spectrum, and it can not only thwart bad legislation, but the threat of a filibuster alone can be the only effective incentive for achieving reasonable legislation.
Not all filibusters are created equal. Democrats in 2013, for example, ended the filibuster for all nominations except to the Supreme Court. But only two executive branch nominees had been defeated by a filibuster before Democrats started using the filibuster to target judicial nominations in 2003.
While the filibuster was never intended to be part of the confirmation process, it had defined the Senate’s legislative process since the turn of the 19th century.
The Declaration of Independence identifies the purpose of government as securing our inalienable rights. The design and operation of government should be evaluated by that standard, rather than the achievement of certain political goals or the relative power of a political party.
Eliminating the legislative filibuster would be a dangerous idea, because it would destroy more of the limits on government that are necessary to protect our liberty.


dailysignal--2020-10-28--White House Official Alyssa Farah Reflects on Key Moments of Trump Presidency

Alyssa Farah , the White House ’ s strategic communications director , joins “ The Daily Signal Podcast ” to discuss President Donald Trump ’ s leadership over the past four years and share some of her experiences working closely with him .
She is proud to serve alongside the commander in chief , Farah says , because she knows that “ every day , President Trump gets up and says , ‘ What can I do to better this country and serve the American people ?
’ ” We also cover these stories : • Trump ’ s political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy Coney Barrett to recuse herself from cases related to the 2020 election .
• Rioters injure 30 police officers in Philadelphia after the fatal shooting by police of Walter Wallace , a 27-year-old black man .
• Activists on the left pressure Democrats to expand the Supreme Court .
“ The Daily Signal Podcast ” is available on Ricochet , Apple Podcasts , Pippa , Google Play , and Stitcher .
All of our podcasts may be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts .
If you like what you hear , please leave a review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message at 202-608-6205 or write us at [ email protected ] Enjoy the show !
Virginia Allen : I am joined by White House Strategic Communications Director Alyssa Farah .
Alyssa , welcome to “ The Daily Signal Podcast.
” Alyssa Farah : Great to be with you .
Thanks so much for having me .
Allen : So , Alyssa , President Donald Trump came into office with a bold plan to strengthen America ’ s economy and cut taxes for all Americans , and of course , COVID-19 has had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re going to talk a little bit more about the virus in just a minute , but up until March of this year , explain what economic development we saw under the Trump administration .
Farah : Yeah , that ’ s a great question .
So , under President Trump , we saw the hottest economy in modern history , and it was a result of a deregulatory agenda , the tax cuts that he and Republicans still helped usher through , as well as just looking at the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re eliminating barriers to business to be able to do their work .
And so , we were in a position where virtually every people group was seeing some of the record low unemployment .
So , women , African-Americans , Hispanics , record low unemployment .
College educated , non-college educated , because of this inclusive economy and diverse economy that was created by this president .
It was also diverse in terms of the industries that were thriving .
So , the previous administration , President [ Barack ] Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wave a wand to bring back manufacturing , ” meaning manufacturing in the U.S. is dead .
It ’ s an outdated industry .
But , in fact , it thrived under President Trump ’ s leadership .
And of course , as you noted , in February of this year , the virus came into the country , and that changed , sort of , our trajectory .
We had to pause and artificially shut down the economy for a period , but what we did … saved countless lives , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most important thing , but then secondarily , we took steps to ensure that once we got the economy back open , which we ’ re doing now , we ’ re in a position to trend toward growth .
Allen : Well , and the president , he did say that that was one of the hardest decisions that he ’ s ever had to make , was that decision to close part of the U.S. economy because of the pandemic .
So , what is it going to take in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place of economic prosperity that we did find ourselves in before the pandemic ?
Farah : Yeah , that ’ s a great question .
Absolutely , it was a very tough decision to make .
The president was faced with the facts of , look , doing a temporary lockdown .
We hate to use that word , but it is what we did , could save American lives .
And with that , he knew that was the right decision to make .
But as we put in place the guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and local authorities sort of provisions to follow to be able to safely open industries , schools , medical facilities , et cetera , we ’ ve started moving toward reopen .
And frankly , a lot of our country is not fully reopened yet .
This is something the president regularly notes .
Pennsylvania , Michigan , for example , are not fully reopened .
So , a lot of the economic national numbers we ’ re seeing will reflect that .
So , we are really hoping to get to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back into the workforce .
If we ’ re doing the mitigation tactics with COVID , if we ’ re wearing masks , we ’ re socially distancing , we ’ re following hygiene protocols , we believe that we should get our country fully reopened and help just stimulate this economy .
I mean , millions of Americans who were impacted by the virus were also impacted by loss of wages , loss of work , or kids out of school .
That requires a parent to stay home and not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the child .
It ’ s really kind of an unprecedented crisis that our country found itself in .
But because of the president ’ s leadership , he ’ s put us on a trajectory where our country is close to fully reopened .
We are rounding the corner on the virus , and we ’ re hoping that , first quarter of next year , will really be a record one in terms of growth , and in terms of low unemployment for Americans .
Allen : If you would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House for a moment .
President Trump has had to make some really challenging decisions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic .
What has it been like to be working in the administration during this time ?
Farah : Yeah , absolutely .
So , to me , one of the most notable moments of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. , and the most significant in terms of the president ’ s leadership , was the early decision to stop travel from China .
So , at that time , I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration .
I was the Pentagon press secretary .
And I remember when we got the notice from the White House that we would be stopping all travel from China , except repatriating U.S. citizens .
People were shocked , four-star generals who have served for decades , because it ’ s really unprecedented for America to do this .
But the president took this decisive action when confronted with the potential loss of life and acted without hesitation .
I genuinely can ’ t think of another living politician who would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life-saving matter as that decision .
But then , moving forward , as you know , we then moved on to stopping some travel from Europe and to putting in place the 15 days to slow the spread , then the 30 days , and a widespread public health awareness campaign to help stop the spread of the virus .
I came over here to serve at the White House , and what I can tell you is the president ’ s sort of businessman ingenuity and enterprise that he thinks through , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is key toward getting our country to where it is now , but to an even better place , looking forward .
So , what I mean by that , for example , [ is ] we set up Operation Warp Speed early on in the virus .
So , what that does is , it basically has the military , the private sector , and our public health officials work together in coordination to safely develop an effective vaccine , and then work with the military to be able to mass-distribute it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the coming weeks , we ’ re optimistic we may have a safe and effective vaccine ready for market .
And because of the efforts of Operation Warp Speed , we ’ ll be able to almost immediately deploy it to about 50 million Americans .
And by early January , likely to 100 million and so on in the month ahead after that .
So , that ’ s a tremendous , just forward-looking sort of unique to Donald Trump way of addressing something like this , that I worry previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have had that forethought , the idea that we should work with the private sector .
So , listen , the country is still in the midst of the pandemic .
We can ’ t get complacent .
We still have to follow protocols , but we are , I can say this , we are in the best place to date to treat people who are affected by it through therapeutics , and soon we ’ ll be in a place where the majority of the population , especially the most vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , so , thank you .
That ’ s great .
I want to shift gears just for a moment and talk a little bit about an issue that we have all been watching unfold in the news over the past couple of weeks , and that is now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett .
And we all saw on Monday night that she was sworn in to become the third Supreme Court justice to be confirmed under President Trump ’ s leadership .
What principles have governed Trump ’ s decision on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great question , and we were all thrilled last night to witness history at the White House , seeing the swearing in of now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett by Justice Clarence Thomas , a hero to many conservatives like myself , both heroes to conservatives like myself , and also kind of a reflection of how the court in many ways is best representative of the American public , as it ever has been .
Having an African-American man swearing in a female jurist , it just shows that sort of diversity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But as far as the president ’ s governing philosophy for justice is , a big part of this president ’ s first-term legacy will be that he really reshaped the judiciary for years to come , having appointed nearly 300 federal judicial appointments , as well as three Supreme Court justices .
He is looking for originalist , textualist jurists , who will be independent , who will interpret the law as written and not legislate from the bench .
And I think that ’ s reflected in the three picks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court .
Justice [ Brett ] Kavanaugh , Justice [ Neil ] Gorsuch , and now Justice Coney Barrett .
And it ’ s actually very contrasted with the Democrats , who are now coming out , saying we need to stack the court , that they want to fill seats on the court and add additional seats because they don ’ t agree with policy positions they perceive Justice Barrett to have .
But the president sees it as jurists are independent .
They ’ re not policymakers .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written and to uphold the Constitution .
It really is the left who sees judges as almost an extension of the legislative branch , and this president has been committed to countering that .
It ’ s not what our Founders intended .
It ’ s not what the courts should be .
There ’ s a reason they ’ re separate but equal branches .
And that ’ s reflected across the board in the judicial appointments he ’ s made .
Allen : Let ’ s chat just for a moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For so many years , we saw presidents say that they would move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem , and no president ever did until President Trump .
So , what process did the president go through in order to finally move that embassy ?
Farah : That ’ s really a highlight of the President ’ s foreign policy , because it ’ s following through not just on a promise he made to the American people , but a decades-long promise that previous politicians had made to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is our commitment to the Israeli people , to the state of Israel , and to that unwavering alliance that we have .
For him , it wasn ’ t really a tough decision to be made .
Something that he ’ s joked , and he said this publicly before is , he immediately saw when coming into office and started discussing making that move that he ’ d hear from other leaders saying , “ Whoa , Whoa , Whoa , you can ’ t do this .
This is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage .
This isn ’ t worth the risk .
Don ’ t do it.
” And the president joked that he just didn ’ t return those calls for a bit while he made the decision , because he was committed to following through on the promise that he made and doing what he thought was right by our ally .
And as you ’ ve seen since then , we ’ ve had three different nations who have not previously had diplomatic relations with Israel come forward striking peace deals with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diplomatic relationships .
So , that ’ s the United Arab Emirates , Bahrain , and then most recently Sudan .
So , we actually show that that bold decision shifted some countries in the Middle East into coming more into the fold .
Allen : Alyssa , before we let you go , I just want to ask .
Very few individuals in America ever have the opportunity that you do to work so closely with a U.S. President .
What do you enjoy most about working with President Trump , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Farah : That ’ s an excellent question .
So , President Trump is one of the most thoughtful , kind , and compassionate people that I ’ ve had just the honor of knowing .
The President Trump that you [ see ] publicly isn ’ t much different than who you see privately , though I will say this : Oftentimes , the big crowd , storytelling President Trump doesn ’ t always mirror the private Trump .
When I ’ m in a room with him , he asks about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ ll survey the room and want to know what everyone thinks .
And then he ’ ll take the best different opinions that he heard , and then formulate what his position is going to be on something .
In moments , he ’ s a quiet listener and leader , but then when the situation requires that , he ’ s bold and he ’ s forward-looking .
He ’ s a fascinating individual .
Something that I ’ m always reminded of is it really is the 1 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this position throughout our history .
And there are people who are truly passionate about our country , who love our country , and I know that every day , President Trump gets up and says , “ What can I do to better this country and serve the American people ?
” And I ’ m extremely proud to work for him .
Allen : Alyssa , thank you so much .
We just really appreciate your time , and you coming on the show today .
FARAH : Absolutely .
Thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Alyssa Farah, the White House’s strategic communications director, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss President Donald Trump’s leadership over the past four years and share some of her experiences working closely with him.
She is proud to serve alongside the commander in chief, Farah says, because she knows that “every day, President Trump gets up and says, ‘What can I do to better this country and serve the American people?’”
We also cover these stories:
Trump’s political opponents call for new Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett to recuse herself from cases related to the 2020 election.
Rioters injure 30 police officers in Philadelphia after the fatal shooting by police of Walter Wallace, a 27-year-old black man.
Activists on the left pressure Democrats to expand the Supreme Court.
“The Daily Signal Podcast” is available on Ricochet, Apple Podcasts, Pippa, Google Play, and Stitcher. All of our podcasts may be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You also may leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at letters@dailysignal.com. Enjoy the show!
Virginia Allen: I am joined by White House Strategic Communications Director Alyssa Farah. Alyssa, welcome to “The Daily Signal Podcast.”
Alyssa Farah: Great to be with you. Thanks so much for having me.
Allen: So, Alyssa, President Donald Trump came into office with a bold plan to strengthen America’s economy and cut taxes for all Americans, and of course, COVID-19 has had a major impact on our economy, and we’re going to talk a little bit more about the virus in just a minute, but up until March of this year, explain what economic development we saw under the Trump administration.
Farah: Yeah, that’s a great question. So, under President Trump, we saw the hottest economy in modern history, and it was a result of a deregulatory agenda, the tax cuts that he and Republicans still helped usher through, as well as just looking at the economy from a free-market perspective, where we’re eliminating barriers to business to be able to do their work.
And so, we were in a position where virtually every people group was seeing some of the record low unemployment. So, women, African-Americans, Hispanics, record low unemployment. College educated, non-college educated, because of this inclusive economy and diverse economy that was created by this president.
It was also diverse in terms of the industries that were thriving. So, the previous administration, President [Barack] Obama famously said, “You have to wave a wand to bring back manufacturing,” meaning manufacturing in the U.S. is dead. It’s an outdated industry.
But, in fact, it thrived under President Trump’s leadership. And of course, as you noted, in February of this year, the virus came into the country, and that changed, sort of, our trajectory. We had to pause and artificially shut down the economy for a period, but what we did … saved countless lives, and that’s always first and foremost the most important thing, but then secondarily, we took steps to ensure that once we got the economy back open, which we’re doing now, we’re in a position to trend toward growth.
Allen: Well, and the president, he did say that that was one of the hardest decisions that he’s ever had to make, was that decision to close part of the U.S. economy because of the pandemic.
So, what is it going to take in order for America to return to the place of economic prosperity that we did find ourselves in before the pandemic?
Farah: Yeah, that’s a great question. Absolutely, it was a very tough decision to make. The president was faced with the facts of, look, doing a temporary lockdown. We hate to use that word, but it is what we did, could save American lives. And with that, he knew that was the right decision to make. But as we put in place the guidelines for reopening America, which gave state and local authorities sort of provisions to follow to be able to safely open industries, schools, medical facilities, et cetera, we’ve started moving toward reopen.
And frankly, a lot of our country is not fully reopened yet. This is something the president regularly notes. Pennsylvania, Michigan, for example, are not fully reopened. So, a lot of the economic national numbers we’re seeing will reflect that. So, we are really hoping to get to a place where we can safely get people back into the workforce.
If we’re doing the mitigation tactics with COVID, if we’re wearing masks, we’re socially distancing, we’re following hygiene protocols, we believe that we should get our country fully reopened and help just stimulate this economy.
I mean, millions of Americans who were impacted by the virus were also impacted by loss of wages, loss of work, or kids out of school. That requires a parent to stay home and not be working because they have to be home with the child. It’s really kind of an unprecedented crisis that our country found itself in.
But because of the president’s leadership, he’s put us on a trajectory where our country is close to fully reopened. We are rounding the corner on the virus, and we’re hoping that, first quarter of next year, will really be a record one in terms of growth, and in terms of low unemployment for Americans.
Allen: If you would just take us inside the walls of the White House for a moment. President Trump has had to make some really challenging decisions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. What has it been like to be working in the administration during this time?
Farah: Yeah, absolutely. So, to me, one of the most notable moments of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., and the most significant in terms of the president’s leadership, was the early decision to stop travel from China.
So, at that time, I was actually serving in a different role in the administration. I was the Pentagon press secretary. And I remember when we got the notice from the White House that we would be stopping all travel from China, except repatriating U.S. citizens.
People were shocked, four-star generals who have served for decades, because it’s really unprecedented for America to do this. But the president took this decisive action when confronted with the potential loss of life and acted without hesitation.
I genuinely can’t think of another living politician who would have been as decisive on such a life-saving matter as that decision.
But then, moving forward, as you know, we then moved on to stopping some travel from Europe and to putting in place the 15 days to slow the spread, then the 30 days, and a widespread public health awareness campaign to help stop the spread of the virus.
I came over here to serve at the White House, and what I can tell you is the president’s sort of businessman ingenuity and enterprise that he thinks through, that lens that he thinks through, is key toward getting our country to where it is now, but to an even better place, looking forward.
So, what I mean by that, for example, [is] we set up Operation Warp Speed early on in the virus. So, what that does is, it basically has the military, the private sector, and our public health officials work together in coordination to safely develop an effective vaccine, and then work with the military to be able to mass-distribute it once we reach one.
So, in the coming weeks, we’re optimistic we may have a safe and effective vaccine ready for market. And because of the efforts of Operation Warp Speed, we’ll be able to almost immediately deploy it to about 50 million Americans. And by early January, likely to 100 million and so on in the month ahead after that.
So, that’s a tremendous, just forward-looking sort of unique to Donald Trump way of addressing something like this, that I worry previous, more bureaucratic administrations wouldn’t have had that forethought, the idea that we should work with the private sector.
So, listen, the country is still in the midst of the pandemic. We can’t get complacent. We still have to follow protocols, but we are, I can say this, we are in the best place to date to treat people who are affected by it through therapeutics, and soon we’ll be in a place where the majority of the population, especially the most vulnerable, can be vaccinated.
Allen: Well, so, thank you. That’s great. I want to shift gears just for a moment and talk a little bit about an issue that we have all been watching unfold in the news over the past couple of weeks, and that is now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett. And we all saw on Monday night that she was sworn in to become the third Supreme Court justice to be confirmed under President Trump’s leadership.
What principles have governed Trump’s decision on his picks?
Farah: That’s a great question, and we were all thrilled last night to witness history at the White House, seeing the swearing in of now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett by Justice Clarence Thomas, a hero to many conservatives like myself, both heroes to conservatives like myself, and also kind of a reflection of how the court in many ways is best representative of the American public, as it ever has been.
Having an African-American man swearing in a female jurist, it just shows that sort of diversity and forward-looking nature that we like to see.
But as far as the president’s governing philosophy for justice is, a big part of this president’s first-term legacy will be that he really reshaped the judiciary for years to come, having appointed nearly 300 federal judicial appointments, as well as three Supreme Court justices.
He is looking for originalist, textualist jurists, who will be independent, who will interpret the law as written and not legislate from the bench. And I think that’s reflected in the three picks he’s made so far to the Supreme Court. Justice [Brett] Kavanaugh, Justice [Neil] Gorsuch, and now Justice Coney Barrett.
And it’s actually very contrasted with the Democrats, who are now coming out, saying we need to stack the court, that they want to fill seats on the court and add additional seats because they don’t agree with policy positions they perceive Justice Barrett to have.
But the president sees it as jurists are independent. They’re not policymakers. They are meant to interpret the law as written and to uphold the Constitution. It really is the left who sees judges as almost an extension of the legislative branch, and this president has been committed to countering that.
It’s not what our Founders intended. It’s not what the courts should be. There’s a reason they’re separate but equal branches. And that’s reflected across the board in the judicial appointments he’s made.
Allen: Let’s chat just for a moment about the president’s foreign policy. For so many years, we saw presidents say that they would move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and no president ever did until President Trump.
So, what process did the president go through in order to finally move that embassy?
Farah: That’s really a highlight of the President’s foreign policy, because it’s following through not just on a promise he made to the American people, but a decades-long promise that previous politicians had made to our Israeli allies. And what it shows is our commitment to the Israeli people, to the state of Israel, and to that unwavering alliance that we have.
For him, it wasn’t really a tough decision to be made. Something that he’s joked, and he said this publicly before is, he immediately saw when coming into office and started discussing making that move that he’d hear from other leaders saying, “Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, you can’t do this. This is going to bother certain players on the world stage. This isn’t worth the risk. Don’t do it.”
And the president joked that he just didn’t return those calls for a bit while he made the decision, because he was committed to following through on the promise that he made and doing what he thought was right by our ally.
And as you’ve seen since then, we’ve had three different nations who have not previously had diplomatic relations with Israel come forward striking peace deals with Israel, and fully restoring political and diplomatic relationships. So, that’s the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and then most recently Sudan.
So, we actually show that that bold decision shifted some countries in the Middle East into coming more into the fold.
Allen: Alyssa, before we let you go, I just want to ask. Very few individuals in America ever have the opportunity that you do to work so closely with a U.S. President. What do you enjoy most about working with President Trump, and what have you learned about him?
Farah: That’s an excellent question. So, President Trump is one of the most thoughtful, kind, and compassionate people that I’ve had just the honor of knowing. The President Trump that you [see] publicly isn’t much different than who you see privately, though I will say this: Oftentimes, the big crowd, storytelling President Trump doesn’t always mirror the private Trump.
When I’m in a room with him, he asks about me. He asks my opinion. He’ll survey the room and want to know what everyone thinks. And then he’ll take the best different opinions that he heard, and then formulate what his position is going to be on something.
In moments, he’s a quiet listener and leader, but then when the situation requires that, he’s bold and he’s forward-looking.
He’s a fascinating individual. Something that I’m always reminded of is it really is the 1% of the 1% that rises to this position throughout our history. And there are people who are truly passionate about our country, who love our country, and I know that every day, President Trump gets up and says, “What can I do to better this country and serve the American people?”
And I’m extremely proud to work for him.
Allen: Alyssa, thank you so much. We just really appreciate your time, and you coming on the show today.
FARAH: Absolutely. Thanks so much. Happy to do it.


dailysignal--2020-10-28--COVID-19 Vaccine Will Be Safe, Operation Warp Speed Leaders Vow

The chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed , the federal government ’ s project to develop a COVID-19 vaccine , said Tuesday he thinks about his own family in giving his assurances that any such vaccine will be safe .
“ Nobody in this organization , in this task force , is going to allow a vaccine to go out to the American people that is not safe and effective , ” Army Gen. Gustave Perna said in a Heritage Foundation virtual event .
“ It would just be shameful if we get a vaccine out to the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take it because there is doubt or concern.
” > > > What ’ s the best way for America to reopen and return to business ?
The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission , a project of The Heritage Foundation , assembled America ’ s top thinkers to figure that out .
So far , it has made more than 260 recommendations .
Learn more here .
Perna said he had 100 % confidence the vaccine will be safe .
“ We will make sure that we will follow the science to that end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not determined safe and effective .
You can take my word for that , ” the general said .
Perna was joined for the event by Dr. Matthew Hepburn , head of vaccine development for Operation Warp Speed , who said the team acknowledges and appreciates the public ’ s concern .
“ This is why we don ’ t cut corners .
This is why we maintain the highest ethical , quality , and regulatory standards , and that we are transparent throughout the process so we can create a sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know is being communicated publicly so that people can make the decision about these vaccines , ” Hepburn said .
He said that after getting the vaccine , people will be checked on for two years .
“ Ultimately , though , we are not only saying we are looking at these vaccines in the short term for clinical trials , but as part of the regulatory process , the Food and Drug Administration is providing guidance in terms of how will we follow these people out for the longer term , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for any other vaccine , we are meeting that highest standard.
” To date , the disease has been responsible for the deaths of more than 226,000 Americans .
The pandemic led to shutting down the U.S. economy and massive government spending .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the vaccine should be ready by January .
The operation is aimed at delivering 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine by January .
Congress allocated $ 10 billion to the effort .
It ’ s a joint effort of the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Services .
The Defense Department is focused on assistance with logistics , contracting , and supply chain management .
Trump called on Perna to be the chief operating officer of the effort when the general was just six months away from retirement .
He leads the effort along with Dr. Moncef Slaoui , the chief scientific adviser .
In response to a question , Perna said that a possible change in administrations in January should not disrupt the work Operation Warp Speed is doing .
The general explained that the government will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for distribution and delivery of the vaccine to customers , with participation from Walmart , CVS , Walgreens , and other retailers that have pharmacies .
“ Let ’ s assume we have quantities of vaccine ready to go upon FDA approval .
What is next ?
It goes without saying that it will be the distribution of vaccines across all of America to include territories , and major cities , large metropolitan areas , ” Perna said .
The clinical trials are large scale , which has allowed the process to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its pharmaceutical partners still need additional volunteers , Hepburn said .
“ These are not small clinical trials .
In a typical product development , you may see a vaccine trial of , let ’ s say , 5,000 volunteers , or maybe 8,000 volunteers .
Our standard has been 30,000 volunteers in our clinical trials , ” he said .
He added that another trial has had almost 40,000 .
“ What that shows you is that , for me , over 60,000 Americans have decided to say , ‘ I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do my part in fighting this pandemic , ’ ” Hepburn said , adding that still other trials “ need another many thousands of volunteers for each one .
”

The chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, the federal government’s project to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, said Tuesday he thinks about his own family in giving his assurances that any such vaccine will be safe.
“Nobody in this organization, in this task force, is going to allow a vaccine to go out to the American people that is not safe and effective,” Army Gen. Gustave Perna said in a Heritage Foundation virtual event. “It would just be shameful if we get a vaccine out to the American people, and people don’t take it because there is doubt or concern.”
>>> What’s the best way for America to reopen and return to business? The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, assembled America’s top thinkers to figure that out. So far, it has made more than 260 recommendations. Learn more here.
Perna said he had 100% confidence the vaccine will be safe.
“We will make sure that we will follow the science to that end. We will not distribute vaccines that are not determined safe and effective. You can take my word for that,” the general said.
>>> Watch the full event here.
Perna was joined for the event by Dr. Matthew Hepburn, head of vaccine development for Operation Warp Speed, who said the team acknowledges and appreciates the public’s concern.
“This is why we don’t cut corners. This is why we maintain the highest ethical, quality, and regulatory standards, and that we are transparent throughout the process so we can create a sense of confidence, so that what we know is being communicated publicly so that people can make the decision about these vaccines,” Hepburn said.
He said that after getting the vaccine, people will be checked on for two years.
“Ultimately, though, we are not only saying we are looking at these vaccines in the short term for clinical trials, but as part of the regulatory process, the Food and Drug Administration is providing guidance in terms of how will we follow these people out for the longer term,” Hepburn said. “That, like for any other vaccine, we are meeting that highest standard.”
To date, the disease has been responsible for the deaths of more than 226,000 Americans. The pandemic led to shutting down the U.S. economy and massive government spending.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the vaccine should be ready by January.
President Donald Trump announced Operation Warp Speed in May.
The operation is aimed at delivering 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine by January. Congress allocated $10 billion to the effort.
It’s a joint effort of the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services. The Defense Department is focused on assistance with logistics, contracting, and supply chain management.
Trump called on Perna to be the chief operating officer of the effort when the general was just six months away from retirement. He leads the effort along with Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific adviser.
In response to a question, Perna said that a possible change in administrations in January should not disrupt the work Operation Warp Speed is doing.
The general explained that the government will be relying heavily on the private sector for distribution and delivery of the vaccine to customers, with participation from Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, and other retailers that have pharmacies.
“Let’s assume we have quantities of vaccine ready to go upon FDA approval. What is next? It goes without saying that it will be the distribution of vaccines across all of America to include territories, and major cities, large metropolitan areas,” Perna said.
It’s just a herculean task on its own. We thought through the process through as many courses of action, but at the end of the day, I’ve made the decision that we were going to utilize the commercial industry that was most capable of implementing this task. There were three large companies, all capable, playing a role in vaccine distribution, as well as therapeutic distribution.
The clinical trials are large scale, which has allowed the process to move so quickly, but the government and its pharmaceutical partners still need additional volunteers, Hepburn said.
“These are not small clinical trials. In a typical product development, you may see a vaccine trial of, let’s say, 5,000 volunteers, or maybe 8,000 volunteers. Our standard has been 30,000 volunteers in our clinical trials,” he said.
He added that another trial has had almost 40,000.
“What that shows you is that, for me, over 60,000 Americans have decided to say, ‘I will volunteer … I’m going to do my part in fighting this pandemic,’” Hepburn said, adding that still other trials “need another many thousands of volunteers for each one.”


dailysignal--2020-10-29--Vimeo Removes Video Showing Ties Between Pro-China Group, Black Lives Matter Founder

A popular video platform has removed a video critical of apparent connections between the Chinese Communist Party and a founder of the Black Lives Matter organization .
New Zealand investigative journalist and author Trevor Loudon said the video was posted on Vimeo for only “ a few hours ” and had about 1,600 viewers before Vimeo took it down .
“ It really touched a nerve for Vimeo to take it down after just a few hours , ” Loudon told The Daily Signal in a phone interview .
The move by the New York-based video hosting and sharing platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Twitter and Facebook restricting or censoring conservative content .
The six-minute video , produced by Choose Freedom , a conservative group with which Loudon is associated , currently is posted and viewable on Rumble .
The video highlights various connections among activists .
One group is Asians for Black Lives , founded by members of the Chinese Progressive Association of San Francisco , a pro-China group with ties to the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party .
The video also underlines connections between the San Francisco-based Chinese Progressive Association and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza .
In an analysis by Mike Gonzalez , a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation and former editorial writer and reporter for The Wall Street Journal , The Daily Signal first reported on the connection between China and the Black Futures Lab , which shares a founder with Black Lives Matter .
Left-leaning media outlets immediately criticized Gonzalez ’ s reporting .
Loudon noted that Kevin Roose , the same reporter for The New York Times who criticized Gonzalez ’ s reporting for The Daily Signal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Epoch Times , a newspaper that covers the Chinese government with a critical eye .
Loudon contributes to The Epoch Times .
Vimeo did not immediately respond to two email inquiries Thursday from The Daily Signal , but did send an automatic response acknowledging receipt of the inquiries .
Loudon said he didn ’ t see how the video fits into any of the categories .
“ They said it violated their community standards , ” Loudon said .
“ I think it upset the [ Chinese ] Communist Party , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vimeo describes itself as a professional video platform and community with more than 200 million members across more than 150 countries .
It is based in New York City and has offices around the world .
Rumble , which now offers the video , doesn ’ t identify itself as conservative platform , but the home page refers to some conservative-themed videos .
Rumble says it has 50 million monthly unique views and 150,000 video creators .

A popular video platform has removed a video critical of apparent connections between the Chinese Communist Party and a founder of the Black Lives Matter organization.
New Zealand investigative journalist and author Trevor Loudon said the video was posted on Vimeo for only “a few hours” and had about 1,600 viewers before Vimeo took it down.
“It really touched a nerve for Vimeo to take it down after just a few hours,” Loudon told The Daily Signal in a phone interview.
The move by the New York-based video hosting and sharing platform follows a pattern of major tech companies such as Twitter and Facebook restricting or censoring conservative content.
The six-minute video, produced by Choose Freedom, a conservative group with which Loudon is associated, currently is posted and viewable on Rumble.
The video highlights various connections among activists. One group is Asians for Black Lives, founded by members of the Chinese Progressive Association of San Francisco, a pro-China group with ties to the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party. The video also underlines connections between the San Francisco-based Chinese Progressive Association and Black Futures Lab, a group started by Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza.
In an analysis by Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation and former editorial writer and reporter for The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Signal first reported on the connection between China and the Black Futures Lab, which shares a founder with Black Lives Matter. Left-leaning media outlets immediately criticized Gonzalez’s reporting.
Loudon noted that Kevin Roose, the same reporter for The New York Times who criticized Gonzalez’s reporting for The Daily Signal, also did a negative piece on The Epoch Times, a newspaper that covers the Chinese government with a critical eye. Loudon contributes to The Epoch Times.
Vimeo did not immediately respond to two email inquiries Thursday from The Daily Signal, but did send an automatic response acknowledging receipt of the inquiries.
Vimeo sent Loudon a message stating:
Your video ‘BLM and Communist China’ has been removed for violating our guidelines. Reason: You cannot upload videos that depict or encourage self-harm, falsely claim that mass tragedies are hoaxes, or perpetuate false or misleading claims about vaccine safety.
Loudon said he didn’t see how the video fits into any of the categories.
“They said it violated their community standards,” Loudon said. “I think it upset the [Chinese] Communist Party, or the local communists, or both.”
Vimeo describes itself as a professional video platform and community with more than 200 million members across more than 150 countries. Although based in New York City, it has offices around the world.
Rumble, which now offers the video, doesn’t identify itself as a conservative platform, but the home page refers to some conservative-themed videos. Rumble says it has 50 million monthly unique views and 150,000 video creators.


dailysignal--2020-10-29--Kevin McCarthy Wants Media to Wait to Call Election Winner ‘Until Every Polling Center Has Closed’

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif. , wants all major media outlets to wait to call the 2020 election winner “ until every polling center has closed , ” McCarthy said in a letter to outlets Wednesday .
“ Americans will be watching their television and monitoring their social media feeds anxiously awaiting the results of the election .
And understandably , the competition within the media to be the first to deliver those results is intense , ” McCarthy wrote .
“ But media bragging rights should not supersede Americans ’ voices .
Any media organization that declares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling centers have closed will unquestionably disenfranchise Americans who have not yet voted , ” he added .
Due to the inability to count important battleground states ’ mail-in ballots until the day of the election , there is a possible situation where the presidential election winner may be unknown until after Nov. 3 , The Hill reported .
McCarthy ’ s letter was addressed to NBC Universal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde , ABC News President James Goldston , and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott , among others .
Content created by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities for this original content , email [ email protected ] .

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., wants all major media outlets to wait to call the 2020 election winner “until every polling center has closed,” McCarthy said in a letter to outlets Wednesday.
“Americans will be watching their television and monitoring their social media feeds anxiously awaiting the results of the election. And understandably, the competition within the media to be the first to deliver those results is intense,” McCarthy wrote.
“But media bragging rights should not supersede Americans’ voices. Any media organization that declares a winner of the presidential election before polling centers have closed will unquestionably disenfranchise Americans who have not yet voted,” he added.
https://twitter.com/GOPLeader/status/1321540696252272641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1321540696252272641%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fdailycallernewsfoundation.org%2F2020%2F10%2F28%2Fkevin-mccarthy-wants-media-to-wait-to-call-election-winner-until-every-polling-center-has-closed%2F
Due to the inability to count important battleground states’ mail-in ballots until the day of the election, there is a possible situation where the presidential election winner may be unknown until after Nov. 3, The Hill reported.
McCarthy’s letter was addressed to NBC Universal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde, ABC News President James Goldston, and Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott, among others.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities for this original content, email licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.