buzzfeed--2020-10-23--Trump Called The $10 Million A Loan. His Campaign Called It A Donation. Who Paid It Back, And How?

“ If this was a loan , it should have been reported as a loan , ” said Brendan Fischer , director of federal reform at the Campaign Legal Center , which monitors money in politics .
If it were a loan , he said , the transaction should also have been recorded on financial disclosures Trump was required to file , along with details of how the money was repaid .
“ If there is some off-the-books mechanism that Trump is using to get repaid for his loans , that should be disclosed , ” Fischer added .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to requests for comment on this story , the president and his advisers have always maintained his finances are above board .
But now , with his 2020 run under fire for a lack of financial transparency , and once again short on cash , significant questions remain about the mysterious 4-year-old loan and what it might say about the frothy final days of the 2016 election .
But nothing is known about whether the $ 10 million loan — which the campaign however appears to have reported as a contribution — was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , and whether it would even be legal to do so .
The very existence of the loan was a closely guarded secret until this month , when a newly unsealed document indicated that Trump ’ s closest advisers convinced him to let the campaign borrow the money from him after he refused to just write a check .
Speculation has swirled around the source of that money , with one report suggesting Trump might have gotten the funds from a casino magnate looking for help building a bullet train from Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed to the possibility of a shadowy foreign donation funneled through an Egyptian bank .
As the 2020 presidential campaign hurtles toward a close , questions remain about a last-minute $ 10 million lifeline Trump threw to his previous campaign , the one that catapulted him into the presidency .
It was late in the second presidential debate , and Trump was on the back foot .
In the wake of the Access Hollywood tape , released just three days earlier , he was forced to defend what he referred to as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledging that he did not pay income tax .
But he found something to brag about when it came to campaign financing .
Unlike Hillary Clinton , he said , he couldn ’ t be bought by powerful corporate interests , because he was using his own money rather than taking big donations .
“ By the time it ’ s finished , I ’ ll have more than $ 100 million invested , ” he claimed , adding that the campaign by that point was “ pretty much self-funding.
” Federal Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump had by then put up barely half that amount — $ 56.1 million .
Records show that the campaign would return more than $ 12 million through payments for use of Trump ’ s hotels , restaurants , golf resorts , and an airline he owns , and also through reimbursements to his children for their travel during the campaign .
Meanwhile , the campaign had been vastly outspent by Clinton , who was leading in most opinion polls .
In the face of so many challenges , it was proving increasingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise funds , and it was spending money far faster than it could raise it .
By the third debate , on Oct. 19 , his war chest had dwindled to just $ 16 million , less than half of what it had been at the beginning of the month .
That day , Reuters released data suggesting that Clinton had a 95 % chance of winning the electoral college .
Despite all that , a few hours before the debate , Steve Bannon , the campaign ’ s CEO , said Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really , really thinks he ’ s going to win.
” But behind the scenes , Bannon would later tell the FBI , the campaign was imploding .
Not long after the debate , Bannon , Jeff DeWit , the campaign ’ s chief operating officer ; Brad Parscale , its digital media director ; and Jared Kushner , Trump ’ s son-in-law , put their heads together to discuss finances , according to the FBI ’ s account of a 2018 interview with Bannon that BuzzFeed News published this month .
Bannon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the campaign was going to make it over the finish line , Trump was going to have to write a very big check .
Kushner said “ that was not going to happen , ” according to the account of Bannon ’ s interview .
Trump liked to back winners , Bannon recalled Kushner saying , adding that his father-in-law was “ a probability guy ” who “ was not a guy who while six to eight points down , was going to write $ 25 million checks.
” Bannon said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least allow them to get out the final television advertisement they had planned .
That ’ s when , Bannon said , Steve Mnuchin , the former Goldman Sachs banker who was then Trump ’ s national finance chair , put forward a novel solution .
In a meeting in the 26th-floor offices of the Trump Tower in Manhattan , Mnuchin proposed that Trump put forward $ 10 million immediately .
The campaign could repay him down the line with the small donations that were still coming in .
It would be structured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a term sheet .
According to the FBI document , “ Mnuchin called it a cash advance.
” Federal records show that Trump had made his first loan to the campaign in April 2015 , several months before he formally declared his candidacy .
Eventually , he loaned a total of $ 47.5 million to the effort .
But in July 2016 , at almost the same time he accepted the Republican nomination for president , he formally forgave all those previous loans , converting them to outright donations .
At $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was being asked to make would be the single largest chunk of money he ’ d put into his campaign , and , based on Bannon ’ s recollections , the candidate was far from convinced .
Although federal campaign finance laws put strict limits on how much individuals can donate to politicians , there are no such caps for candidates who choose to donate to their own campaigns .
By the time billionaire Michael Bloomberg dropped out of the Democratic primary this past March , he had contributed nearly $ 900 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , putting him atop a long list of self-funded efforts that fell short .
Candidates are also free to loan money to their campaigns , and many do .
But there are more stringent rules about those transactions when it comes to repayment , particularly for loans that come late in the campaign cycle .
Campaign finance law states that such loans may be repaid only with campaign contributions made on or before Election Day , and that any contributions coming in after the election can be used to pay only up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond that is considered a donation .
According to Bannon , he , Mnuchin , and Kushner had a five-hour conversation with Trump that started in the Trump Tower and continued onto the Boeing 757 , dubbed “ Trump Force One , ” that he flew to campaign stops .
“ They kept working on Trump until he couldn ’ t take it anymore , ” investigators said that Bannon told them .
Finally Trump agreed to the plan .
Mnuchin had prepared the documents in advance and pulled them out as soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a term sheet and information on how to wire the money into the campaign ’ s accounts , the FBI document says .
Last week , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin acknowledged the loan had been made and the fact that he helped convince Trump to execute it , but provided no other details and did not respond to a request for comment .
“ Trump was convinced the cash would be there , ” the FBI document continues .
“ Trump understood the logic of it.
” During the final 20 days of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are required to file notice of any contributions or other deposits of $ 1,000 or more within 48 hours of receiving the funds .
So on Oct. 28 , 2016 , just 11 days before the election , the $ 10 million was duly reported to the Federal Election Commission — but not as a loan .
It was reported as a “ candidate contribution.
” To Fischer , of the Campaign Law Center , the idea that Trump would write a large check , sign documents characterizing it as a loan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donation , “ just doesn ’ t add up.
” One of the people present during the negotiations with Trump who agreed to speak to BuzzFeed News only on condition of anonymity said it wasn ’ t until after the election that Trump was persuaded to forgive the loan .
( According to this source , his advisers told him “ it would look bad ” to insist on repayment . )
If so , Trump waited at least two weeks to reverse course and donate the money , which would mean that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the $ 10 million donation should still have been characterized as a loan .
On the same day the money was reported to election officials , Trump appeared on Fox News and mentioned the $ 10 million .
When asked whether he ’ d come through with his pledge to put a total of $ 100 million into the race , he hedged .
“ We ’ ll see what ’ s needed , ” he said .
Other than some in-kind contributions for rent and payroll , records show Trump did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributions for the cycle fell about $ 33 million short of his pledge .
Bannon , who was indicted on fraud and money laundering charges in August , did not respond to requests for comment on the loan , and the White House referred requests to the campaign , which did not respond to multiple messages seeking clarification .
Meanwhile , the most recent filings from the 2020 race show that Trump — once again lagging in the polls — has taken a different approach this time around .
Other than a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in October 2017 , he hasn ’ t donated or loaned a dime .
“ I would raise a billion dollars in one day , if I wanted to , ” said Trump , campaigning Monday in Prescott , Arizona .
“ I don ’ t want to do that , I do n't want to do it .
I put in a lot of money when I ran originally , I put in a lot of money into this campaign , my primary campaign .
And I never thought it was appreciated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” ●

AN URGENT REQUEST
It was late in the second presidential debate, and Trump was on the back foot. In the wake of the Access Hollywood tape, released just three days earlier, he was forced to defend what he referred to as “locker room talk,” while separately acknowledging that he did not pay income tax. But he found something to brag about when it came to campaign financing.
Unlike Hillary Clinton, he said, he couldn’t be bought by powerful corporate interests, because he was using his own money rather than taking big donations.
“By the time it’s finished, I’ll have more than $100 million invested,” he claimed, adding that the campaign by that point was “pretty much self-funding.”
Federal Election Commission data, however, shows that Trump had by then put up barely half that amount — $56.1 million. Records show that the campaign would return more than $12 million through payments for use of Trump’s hotels, restaurants, golf resorts, and an airline he owns, and also through reimbursements to his children for their travel during the campaign.
Meanwhile, the campaign had been vastly outspent by Clinton, who was leading in most opinion polls. In the face of so many challenges, it was proving increasingly difficult for Trump’s campaign to raise funds, and it was spending money far faster than it could raise it. By the third debate, on Oct. 19, his war chest had dwindled to just $16 million, less than half of what it had been at the beginning of the month. That day, Reuters released data suggesting that Clinton had a 95% chance of winning the electoral college.
Despite all that, a few hours before the debate, Steve Bannon, the campaign’s CEO, said Trump was confident: “Right now he really, really thinks he’s going to win.”
But behind the scenes, Bannon would later tell the FBI, the campaign was imploding.
Not long after the debate, Bannon, Jeff DeWit, the campaign’s chief operating officer; Brad Parscale, its digital media director; and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, put their heads together to discuss finances, according to the FBI’s account of a 2018 interview with Bannon that BuzzFeed News published this month. Bannon told investigators that it became apparent that if the campaign was going to make it over the finish line, Trump was going to have to write a very big check.
Kushner said “that was not going to happen,” according to the account of Bannon’s interview. Trump liked to back winners, Bannon recalled Kushner saying, adding that his father-in-law was “a probability guy” who “was not a guy who while six to eight points down, was going to write $25 million checks.”
Bannon said they figured that $10 million would at least allow them to get out the final television advertisement they had planned.
That’s when, Bannon said, Steve Mnuchin, the former Goldman Sachs banker who was then Trump’s national finance chair, put forward a novel solution. In a meeting in the 26th-floor offices of the Trump Tower in Manhattan, Mnuchin proposed that Trump put forward $10 million immediately. The campaign could repay him down the line with the small donations that were still coming in. It would be structured like a loan, complete with paperwork like a term sheet. According to the FBI document, “Mnuchin called it a cash advance.”
Federal records show that Trump had made his first loan to the campaign in April 2015, several months before he formally declared his candidacy. Eventually, he loaned a total of $47.5 million to the effort. But in July 2016, at almost the same time he accepted the Republican nomination for president, he formally forgave all those previous loans, converting them to outright donations.
At $10 million, the new loan Trump was being asked to make would be the single largest chunk of money he’d put into his campaign, and, based on Bannon’s recollections, the candidate was far from convinced.
Although federal campaign finance laws put strict limits on how much individuals can donate to politicians, there are no such caps for candidates who choose to donate to their own campaigns. By the time billionaire Michael Bloomberg dropped out of the Democratic primary this past March, he had contributed nearly $900 million of his own money to his campaign, putting him atop a long list of self-funded efforts that fell short.
Candidates are also free to loan money to their campaigns, and many do. But there are more stringent rules about those transactions when it comes to repayment, particularly for loans that come late in the campaign cycle.
Campaign finance law states that such loans may be repaid only with campaign contributions made on or before Election Day, and that any contributions coming in after the election can be used to pay only up to $250,000 of the loan. Anything beyond that is considered a donation.
According to Bannon, he, Mnuchin, and Kushner had a five-hour conversation with Trump that started in the Trump Tower and continued onto the Boeing 757, dubbed “Trump Force One,” that he flew to campaign stops. “They kept working on Trump until he couldn’t take it anymore,” investigators said that Bannon told them. Finally Trump agreed to the plan.
Mnuchin had prepared the documents in advance and pulled them out as soon as he got a yes — including a term sheet and information on how to wire the money into the campaign’s accounts, the FBI document says. Last week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin acknowledged the loan had been made and the fact that he helped convince Trump to execute it, but provided no other details and did not respond to a request for comment.
“Trump was convinced the cash would be there,” the FBI document continues. “Trump understood the logic of it.”
During the final 20 days of a race for federal office, campaigns are required to file notice of any contributions or other deposits of $1,000 or more within 48 hours of receiving the funds. So on Oct. 28, 2016, just 11 days before the election, the $10 million was duly reported to the Federal Election Commission — but not as a loan. It was reported as a “candidate contribution.”
To Fischer, of the Campaign Law Center, the idea that Trump would write a large check, sign documents characterizing it as a loan, then almost immediately recast it as a donation, “just doesn’t add up.”
One of the people present during the negotiations with Trump who agreed to speak to BuzzFeed News only on condition of anonymity said it wasn’t until after the election that Trump was persuaded to forgive the loan. (According to this source, his advisers told him “it would look bad” to insist on repayment.)
If so, Trump waited at least two weeks to reverse course and donate the money, which would mean that at the time the campaign reported it, the $10 million donation should still have been characterized as a loan.
On the same day the money was reported to election officials, Trump appeared on Fox News and mentioned the $10 million. When asked whether he’d come through with his pledge to put a total of $100 million into the race, he hedged. “We’ll see what’s needed,” he said. Other than some in-kind contributions for rent and payroll, records show Trump did not donate again, meaning his total contributions for the cycle fell about $33 million short of his pledge.
Bannon, who was indicted on fraud and money laundering charges in August, did not respond to requests for comment on the loan, and the White House referred requests to the campaign, which did not respond to multiple messages seeking clarification.
Meanwhile, the most recent filings from the 2020 race show that Trump — once again lagging in the polls — has taken a different approach this time around. Other than a $5,000 donation to his own super PAC in October 2017, he hasn’t donated or loaned a dime.
“I would raise a billion dollars in one day, if I wanted to,” said Trump, campaigning Monday in Prescott, Arizona. “I don’t want to do that, I don't want to do it. I put in a lot of money when I ran originally, I put in a lot of money into this campaign, my primary campaign. And I never thought it was appreciated. They never gave me credit for it.” ●


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--Remdesivir Just Became The First Drug Approved By The FDA To Treat COVID-19

Remdesivir is the first drug to gain FDA approval as a COVID-19 treatment , the agency announced on Thursday .
The drug was approved for all hospitalized COVID-19 patients age 12 and over who weigh at least 88 pounds .
`` Today ’ s approval is supported by data from multiple clinical trials that the agency has rigorously assessed and represents an important scientific milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic , '' said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn .
`` As part of the FDA ’ s Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program , the agency will to continue to help move new medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while at the same time determining whether they are effective and if their benefits outweigh their risks.
” Remdesivir , which works by interfering with the reproduction of viruses in cells , was granted emergency authorization by the FDA in May following a drug trial led by the National Institutes of Health that showed a decrease in hospital stays following treatment .
The drug was not shown to be effective at reducing deaths .
But doctors stressed that the approval should not be taken as a sign that the drug is super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blockbuster drug or a miracle drug , '' said Megan Ranney , associate professor of emergency medicine and public health at Brown University .
`` We give it to hospitalized COVID patients because we don ’ t have anything better , which is frustrating . ''
A large international study published last week by the World Health Organization found that that remdesivir had no effect on the length of hospital stays , as well as no effect on deaths .
The findings have yet to be peer reviewed or published in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO study , which enrolled 12,000 patients in hundreds of hospitals across the world , saying the treatments were likely too varied to draw definitive conclusions .
The study also included patients with varying degrees of illness , making it harder to know if the drug is more effective for a certain subset .
`` It ’ s a good thing it was done in so many countries — it means it ’ s generalizable , but it means there were a lot of different treatments given to people at the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that study goes along with the fact that this is not something that is going to absolutely transform the outcome for many COVID patients .
It goes along with the fact that if there is an effect , there is a small effect . ''
The antiviral drug , originally developed as a treatment for Ebola and hepatitis C , has nevertheless become widely used as a treatment for hospitalized patients , often given early in a patient 's hospitalization .
And unlike many other drugs , Ranney said , it 's relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncommon and easy to spot .
That makes the potential benefit clearly outweigh the potential for harm .
Another drug , the steroid dexamethasone , has been shown to decrease the likelihood of deaths , but is only recommended for use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe illness in need of oxygen .
Last month , President Donald Trump was given remdesivir , dexamethasone , and an antibody cocktail to treat his coronavirus infection .
The drug 's manufacturer , Gilead , celebrated the FDA 's announcement as a victory in the international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than one year , the world has moved from a sense of desperation to understand an unknown disease spreading all too quickly and taking lives , to one of hope that we now have enough knowledge and a growing set of tools to help fight COVID-19 , '' said Gilead CEO Merdad Parsey .
`` With today ’ s FDA approval , and regulatory approvals or temporary authorizations in approximately 50 additional countries around the world , Veklury® ( remdesivir ) is one of the tools available today . ''
Gilead has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remdesivir driven in part by high demand as well as the patent held by the pharmaceutical company .
In contrast , dexamethasone is cheap and widely available because it is an old drug .
Earlier this month , Gilead sent thousands of doses of the drug to the EU to help manage the drug shortages .
`` It ’ s a huge win for Gilead to have it FDA approved .
But whether it ’ s actually going to help patients is TBD , '' Ranney said .
`` None of us think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she added .
`` It may be that we stop using it .
But we just don ’ t have anything else right now .

Remdesivir is the first drug to gain FDA approval as a COVID-19 treatment, the agency announced on Thursday.
The drug was approved for all hospitalized COVID-19 patients age 12 and over who weigh at least 88 pounds.
"Today’s approval is supported by data from multiple clinical trials that the agency has rigorously assessed and represents an important scientific milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic," said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn. "As part of the FDA’s Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program, the agency will to continue to help move new medical products to patients as soon as possible, while at the same time determining whether they are effective and if their benefits outweigh their risks.”
Remdesivir, which works by interfering with the reproduction of viruses in cells, was granted emergency authorization by the FDA in May following a drug trial led by the National Institutes of Health that showed a decrease in hospital stays following treatment. The drug was not shown to be effective at reducing deaths.
But doctors stressed that the approval should not be taken as a sign that the drug is super effective.
"It is absolutely not a blockbuster drug or a miracle drug," said Megan Ranney, associate professor of emergency medicine and public health at Brown University. "We give it to hospitalized COVID patients because we don’t have anything better, which is frustrating."
A large international study published last week by the World Health Organization found that that remdesivir had no effect on the length of hospital stays, as well as no effect on deaths. The findings have yet to be peer reviewed or published in a scientific journal.
Health experts criticized the WHO study, which enrolled 12,000 patients in hundreds of hospitals across the world, saying the treatments were likely too varied to draw definitive conclusions. The study also included patients with varying degrees of illness, making it harder to know if the drug is more effective for a certain subset.
"It’s a good thing it was done in so many countries — it means it’s generalizable, but it means there were a lot of different treatments given to people at the same time," Ranney said. "But that study goes along with the fact that this is not something that is going to absolutely transform the outcome for many COVID patients. It goes along with the fact that if there is an effect, there is a small effect."
The antiviral drug, originally developed as a treatment for Ebola and hepatitis C, has nevertheless become widely used as a treatment for hospitalized patients, often given early in a patient's hospitalization. And unlike many other drugs, Ranney said, it's relatively well-tolerated and has side effects that are uncommon and easy to spot. That makes the potential benefit clearly outweigh the potential for harm.
Another drug, the steroid dexamethasone, has been shown to decrease the likelihood of deaths, but is only recommended for use in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe illness in need of oxygen.
Last month, President Donald Trump was given remdesivir, dexamethasone, and an antibody cocktail to treat his coronavirus infection.
The drug's manufacturer, Gilead, celebrated the FDA's announcement as a victory in the international fight against the pandemic.
"In less than one year, the world has moved from a sense of desperation to understand an unknown disease spreading all too quickly and taking lives, to one of hope that we now have enough knowledge and a growing set of tools to help fight COVID-19," said Gilead CEO Merdad Parsey. "With today’s FDA approval, and regulatory approvals or temporary authorizations in approximately 50 additional countries around the world, Veklury® (remdesivir) is one of the tools available today."
Gilead has been criticized for a global shortage of remdesivir driven in part by high demand as well as the patent held by the pharmaceutical company. In contrast, dexamethasone is cheap and widely available because it is an old drug. Earlier this month, Gilead sent thousands of doses of the drug to the EU to help manage the drug shortages.
"It’s a huge win for Gilead to have it FDA approved. But whether it’s actually going to help patients is TBD," Ranney said.
"None of us think that remdesivir is like this magical pharmaceutical," she added. "It may be that we stop using it. But we just don’t have anything else right now."


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--The Presidential Debates Gave People Of Color Old Fights Over The Past And Little Insight Into The F

The Presidential Debates Gave People Of Color Old Fights Over The Past And Little Insight Into The Future

Again , the conversation on race stalled on finger pointing and claims about each candidate ’ s track record , rather than offering up a roadmap for how they would address police brutality and racial tension .
He didn ’ t talk about the historic protests against police brutality that swept through the nation this summer , under his presidency , though during the first debate he pointed to protests in Ferguson , Oakland , and Baltimore under the Obama administration as signs of “ tremendous division.
” He referred to Black Lives Matter just to tie the movement to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to opportunity zones — a tax break program that is supposed to help disadvantaged communities but has also been used by wealthy Republican donors — and repeated his exaggerated claims about having rescued HBCUs .
Trump did not even attempt to address what the future looks like for people of color in the US , instead reverting to accusations against Biden about his history with crime legislation and a claim that “ Nobody has done more for the Black community than Donald Trump.
” While the second debate on Thursday took a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inequities in the US , neither candidate offered up a clear vision that addressed the specific and pressing issues facing people of color in their daily lives .
Questions about the issues Black and brown people deal with devolved into finger pointing about the term “ superpredators , ” what each candidate has said and done in the past to hurt people of color , and , somehow , foreign influence in the election .
Instead , the debates , which each featured sections on race , took on a familiar pattern of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country — in platitudes and broad statements — with just days left to go now until voting ends .
This year 's two presidential debates gave people of color little idea of how either candidate would shape policy that directly affects their lives , even as disproportionate numbers of Black and brown Americans die from COVID-19 , suffer the economic fallout of the pandemic , and continue to be targeted for police violence .
During the beginning of the segment , Trump pushed at a point that he ’ s made over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden of doing nothing for the Black community aside from pushing the 1994 crime bill , which disproportionately led to the mass incarceration of Black Americans .
“ They were called and he called them superpredators and he said that .
He said it .
Superpredators .
And they have never lived that down , ” Trump said nearly repeating the exact lines he said during the first presidential debate .
Biden never called Black Americans “ superpredators ” while leading the push for the crime bill , but said that “ predators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pale ” during a 1993 speech on the Senate floor .
Biden , who has spoken broadly about the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 and police brutality on people of color , said on Thursday that he thinks institutional racism exists in the US , and acknowledged the shortcomings of the ‘ 94 crime bill , calling it “ a mistake.
” “ We can deal with the systemic racism , ” he said at the end of the debate , when asked how he would address Americans as president .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents who worry about their children being attacked by police , and acknowledged that he never had to worry about that with his own children .
Trump , when asked if he empathizes with those parents , said , “ Yes , I do , ” before immediately switching to attack Biden again on the crime bill .
But on the debate stages there were few substantive explanations from Biden either on what exactly he would do as president to address those inequities , though he has released policy plans that detail some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the economy , education , policing , and how Native American tribes are treated by the government .
At one point during the section on “ race in America , ” Trump once again turned the conversation to Biden ’ s son Hunter and his work in Ukraine .
`` President Trump , we 're talking about race right now , and I do want to stay on the issue of race , '' moderator Kristen Welker interrupted , trying to return to the subject .
After the first debate skipped the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on issues of immigration , in which Biden briefly shaded former President Barack Obama ’ s deportation policies and promised a pathway to citizenship for undocumented people within the US while again mostly sticking to attacks on Trump ’ s record .
Trump , for his part , blamed Obama and Biden for the plight of immigrants in the country , including the children separated from their parents under his administration ’ s policies .
Later in the debate , the president was asked about his negative rhetoric about the protest movements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer as white nationalist paramilitary groups showed up at demonstrations across the country and clashed with protesters .
The president told the moderator that he didn ’ t “ know what to say ” about his comments and pointed to the criminal justice reform initiatives and funding for HBCUs as examples of what he ’ s done for Black communities during his presidency .
“ I am the least racist person .
I ca n't even see the audience because it 's so dark , but I do n't care who 's in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking out into a crowd that included members of the Biden and Trump families .
“ I 'm the least racist person in this room .
”

This year's two presidential debates gave people of color little idea of how either candidate would shape policy that directly affects their lives, even as disproportionate numbers of Black and brown Americans die from COVID-19, suffer the economic fallout of the pandemic, and continue to be targeted for police violence.
Instead, the debates, which each featured sections on race, took on a familiar pattern of how politicians speak about race-related issues in this country — in platitudes and broad statements — with just days left to go now until voting ends.
Questions about the issues Black and brown people deal with devolved into finger-pointing about the term “superpredators,” what each candidate has said and done in the past to hurt people of color, and, somehow, foreign influence in the election.
While the second debate on Thursday took a more informed approach to police violence and racial inequities in the US, neither candidate offered up a clear vision that addressed the specific and pressing issues facing people of color in their daily lives.
Trump did not even attempt to address what the future looks like for people of color in the US, instead reverting to accusations against Biden about his history with crime legislation and a claim that “Nobody has done more for the Black community than Donald Trump.”
The president pointed to opportunity zones — a tax break program that is supposed to help disadvantaged communities but has also been used by wealthy Republican donors — and repeated his exaggerated claims about having rescued HBCUs.
He didn’t talk about the historic protests against police brutality that swept through the nation this summer, under his presidency, though during the first debate he pointed to demonstrations in Ferguson, Oakland, and Baltimore under the Obama administration as signs of “tremendous division.” He referred to Black Lives Matter just to tie the movement to an anti-police chant.
Again, the conversation on race stalled on finger-pointing and claims about each candidate’s track record, rather than offering up a road map for how they would address police brutality and racial tension.


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--Trump's Final Campaign Strategy Is To Spread A Bunch Of Misinformation About Joe Biden, His Son, And

Trump's Final Campaign Strategy Is To Spread A Bunch Of Misinformation About Joe Biden, His Son, And Ukraine

President Donald Trump , behind in the polls and running out of time and opportunities to directly hit his challenger Joe Biden , resorted to a convoluted tale of misinformation and baseless conspiracy theories at Thursday night ’ s debate involving the former vice president ’ s record on Ukraine and his son ’ s work with an energy company there .
For two weeks Trump and his supporters have latched onto the narrative with new vigor — enabled in part by the opinion sections of Rupert Murdoch ’ s two main US newspapers — that involves stolen emails and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provenance .
To give an idea of just how confused the narrative is , hours after the Wall Street Journal ’ s op-ed section published a piece blasting Biden Thursday night , its news division essentially published a debunk .
One would need to live in the minute-to-minute nitty gritty and questionable details — spread mostly on Twitter and on far-right websites — to make any sense of the allegations .
Trump , however , tried to mainstream the claims during the final presidential debate of 2020 , using the accusations to insinuate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The claims are a hallmark of Trump ’ s political style : they take accusations frequently lobbed at him ( in this case , corruption ) and flip them onto his opponent , while serving as a distraction from reality ( in this case , his administration ’ s failure to contain the coronavirus pandemic ) .
Trump has seen millions of dollars flow into his companies from those effectively lobbying him , as reported by the New York Times , something there ’ s no comparable evidence for with Biden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ playbook against Hillary Clinton and her emails in 2016 , but with a narrative that didn ’ t require a character map to begin to understand .
Still , Trump ’ s strategy of going after Biden via his son has not worked beyond his base , despite his best efforts over the past year and a half and despite early concerns from Democratic voters that this could turn into the “ Lock Her Up ” of 2020 .
The stories have gained little traction outside the far-right bubble , and the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the summer .
On Thursday , Trump again claimed Biden , as vice president , fired the prosecutor general of Ukraine in order to save his son Hunter and the Ukrainian energy company , Burisma , from legal troubles .
He blamed the Obama-Biden administration for Ukraine losing the Crimean Peninsula to Russia .
And he stated that he had been tougher on Russia than any prior president .
Trump said that Burisma , the Ukrainian energy company on whose board Hunter sat , does not have the best reputation in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there : The company has faced allegations of corruption for years .
But he ’ s very wrong in claiming that Biden ordered then-Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko to fire then prosecutor general Viktor Shokin in order to keep Burisma and Hunter from facing corruption charges .
In fact , in addition to Biden , the rest of the US political establishment , the European Union , the International Monetary Fund , Ukrainian anti-corruption organizations — and just about every civil society organization working on pro-democracy reforms — wanted Shokin , who served from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As Daria Kaleniuk , executive director of Ukraine ’ s Anticorruption Action Center ( AntAC ) , and former Ukrainian prosecutors have pointed out , investigations into Burisma and its owner Mykola Zlochevsky were actually obstructed and shelved by Shokin .

President Donald Trump, behind in the polls and running out of time and opportunities to directly hit his challenger Joe Biden, resorted to a convoluted tale of misinformation and baseless conspiracy theories at Thursday night’s debate involving the former vice president’s record on Ukraine and his son’s work with an energy company there.
For two weeks Trump and his supporters have latched on with new vigor to the narrative — enabled in part by the opinion sections of Rupert Murdoch’s two main US newspapers — that involves stolen emails and screenshots of DMs of questionable provenance. To give an idea of just how confused the narrative is, hours after the Wall Street Journal’s op-ed section published a piece blasting Biden Thursday night, its news division essentially published a debunk.
One would need to live in the minute-to-minute nitty-gritty and questionable details — spread mostly on Twitter and on far-right websites — to make any sense of the allegations. Trump, however, tried to mainstream the claims during the final presidential debate of 2020, using the accusations to insinuate that the Biden family is deeply corrupt.
The claims are a hallmark of Trump’s political style: They take accusations frequently lobbed at him (in this case, corruption) and flip them onto his opponent, while serving as a distraction from reality (in this case, his administration’s failure to contain the coronavirus pandemic).
Trump has seen millions of dollars flow into his companies from those effectively lobbying him, as reported by the New York Times, something there’s no comparable evidence for with Biden. Trump and his allies ran a similar playbook against Hillary Clinton and her emails in 2016, but with a narrative that didn’t require a character map to begin to understand.
Still, Trump’s strategy of going after Biden via his son has not worked beyond his base, despite his best efforts over the past year and a half and despite early concerns from Democratic voters that this could turn into the “lock her up” of 2020. The stories have gained little traction outside the far-right bubble, and the Trump campaign itself veered away from these attacks over the summer.
On Thursday, Trump again claimed Biden, as vice president, fired the prosecutor general of Ukraine in order to save his son Hunter and the Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, from legal troubles. He blamed the Obama–Biden administration for Ukraine losing the Crimean Peninsula to Russia. And he stated that he had been tougher on Russia than any prior president.
Trump's attacks are false.
Trump said that Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company on whose board Hunter sat, does not have the best reputation in the world — and he’s right there: The company has faced allegations of corruption for years. But he’s very wrong in claiming that Biden ordered then–Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko to fire then–prosecutor general Viktor Shokin in order to keep Burisma and Hunter from facing corruption charges. In fact, in addition to Biden, the rest of the US political establishment, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, Ukrainian anti-corruption organizations — and just about every civil society organization working on pro-democracy reforms — wanted Shokin, who served from February 2015 to March 2016, fired.
As Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of Ukraine’s Anticorruption Action Center (AntAC), and former Ukrainian prosecutors have pointed out, investigations into Burisma and its owner Mykola Zlochevsky were actually obstructed and shelved by Shokin.


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--Trump Once Again Mischaracterized The Black Lives Matter Movement By Falsely Linking It To An Anti-P

Trump Once Again Mischaracterized The Black Lives Matter Movement By Falsely Linking It To An Anti-Police Chant

President Donald Trump falsely linked the Black Lives Matter movement to an anti-police chant , `` Pigs in a blanket , fry ‘ em like bacon , '' during the final presidential debate on Thursday .
Moderator Kristen Welker , who is Black , asked Trump whether his language describing Black Lives Matter as a symbol of hate , contributed `` to a climate of hate and racial strife . ''
In response , Trump brought up an anti-police chant that he and his campaign have frequently used , without context , to malign and criticize the Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tens of thousands of largely peaceful and decentralized demonstrations for racial justice and against police brutality .
`` The first time I ever heard of Black Lives Matter , they were chanting 'pigs in a blanket ' talking about police , '' Trump said .
`` Pigs , talking about our police .
'Pigs in a blanket , fry them like bacon . '
I said that 's a horrible thing .
And they were marching down the street .
That was my first glimpse of Black Lives Matter . ''
Trump then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the least racist person in this room . ''
In a July tweet criticizing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for painting a Black Lives Matter sign on 5th Avenue , Trump referred to the `` horrible BLM chant , 'Pigs In A Blanket , Fry ‘ Em Like Bacon . '
'' As CNN reported in July , those words were chanted at a 2015 protest march held by a group in St. Paul , Minnesota , that was independent of , and not affiliated with , the national Black Lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizer of the protest , told the St. Paul Pioneer Press at the time that the chant was not promoting violence against police , but to express that police who kill Black people should `` fry '' as other murderers do .
The chant lasted about 30 seconds during the hours-long march , protesters told the paper .
A police field supervisor overseeing the protest reportedly commented after the chant , `` Everybody likes bacon .
I think we can all get behind that . ''
CNN 's fact-checkers reported that they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Black Lives Matter national organization or by BLM activists outside Minnesota .
Since the 2015 protest , there have been thousands of Black Lives Matter protests , many of which are organized by independent groups or individuals who align themselves with the movement 's call for racial justice , but who are not affiliated with the national organization .
So , while CNN could not say for certain that this particular chant had never been used at any other protests , it is definitely not an official chant or slogan used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement .
In a year marked by anti-racism protests over the police killings and shootings of Black people , Trump and his campaign have constantly mischaracterized these protesters as violent , while using dog whistles and overt appeals to far-right violent groups and white supremacists .
During the first presidential debate , Trump told the Proud Boys , a far-right men ’ s organization with a history of instigating violence , to `` stand back and stand by , '' prompting celebration among members who heeded it as a call to action .

President Donald Trump falsely linked the Black Lives Matter movement to an anti-police chant, "Pigs in a blanket, fry ‘em like bacon," during the final presidential debate on Thursday.
Moderator Kristen Welker, who is Black, asked Trump whether his language describing Black Lives Matter as a symbol of hate contributed "to a climate of hate and racial strife."
In response, Trump brought up an anti-police chant that he and his campaign have frequently used, without context, to malign and criticize the Black Lives Matter movement, which for years has mobilized tens of thousands of largely peaceful and decentralized demonstrations for racial justice and against police brutality.
"The first time I ever heard of Black Lives Matter, they were chanting 'pigs in a blanket' talking about police," Trump said. "Pigs, talking about our police. 'Pigs in a blanket, fry them like bacon.' I said that's a horrible thing. And they were marching down the street. That was my first glimpse of Black Lives Matter."
Trump then went on to say he was "the least racist person in this room."
In a July tweet criticizing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for painting a Black Lives Matter sign on 5th Avenue, Trump referred to the "horrible BLM chant, 'Pigs In A Blanket, Fry ‘Em Like Bacon.'"
As CNN reported in July, those words were chanted at a 2015 protest march held by a group in St. Paul, Minnesota, that was independent of, and not affiliated with, the national Black Lives Matter organization.
Rashad Turner, the organizer of the protest, told the St. Paul Pioneer Press at the time that the chant was not promoting violence against police, but to express that police who kill Black people should "fry" as other murderers do.
The chant lasted about 30 seconds during the hourslong march, protesters told the paper.
A police field supervisor overseeing the protest reportedly commented after the chant, "Everybody likes bacon. I think we can all get behind that."
CNN's fact-checkers reported that they could find no evidence that chant was used by the Black Lives Matter national organization or by BLM activists outside Minnesota.
Since the 2015 protest, there have been thousands of Black Lives Matter protests, many of which are organized by independent groups or individuals who align themselves with the movement's call for racial justice, but who are not affiliated with the national organization.
So, while CNN could not say for certain that this particular chant had never been used at any other protests, it is definitely not an official chant or slogan used or endorsed by the Black Lives Matter movement.
In a year marked by anti-racism protests over the police killings and shootings of Black people, Trump and his campaign have constantly mischaracterized these protesters as violent, while using dog whistles and overt appeals to far-right violent groups and white supremacists.
During the first presidential debate, Trump told the Proud Boys, a far-right men’s organization with a history of instigating violence, to "stand back and stand by," prompting celebration among members who heeded it as a call to action.


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--Trump Said At The Debate That Immigrant Children Detained In Cages Were “So Well Taken Care Of”

President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during the final presidential debate on Oct. 22 , 2020 .
`` They are so well taken care of .
They 're in facilities that were so clean , ” Trump said Thursday night .
A year later , through messages collected by attorneys , immigrant children detainees described being cold and hungry while crowded into cages with little or no access to showers , clean clothes , places to sleep .
Teen mothers also said they had struggled to keep their babies clean and warm .
The comments come more than two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the Trump administration announced the so-called “ zero tolerance policy ” that targeted those who crossed the border without authorization .
President Donald Trump said in Thursday ’ s final presidential debate that immigrant children who were separated from their parents were in facilities that “ were so clean ” and were well “ taken care of.
” A year after the policy was implemented , in June 2019 , inspectors evaluating border facilities found many problems .
The inspectors visited several border facilities in the Rio Grande Valley and found adults @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many adults only fed bologna sandwiches , and detainees banging on cell windows — desperately pressing notes to the windows of their cells that detailed their time in custody .
Some adults were held in standing room only conditions for a week .
There was little access to hot showers or hot food for families and children in some facilities .
Some kids were being held in closed cells .
Earlier this week , lawyers tasked with locating immigrant families who were separated by the Trump administration reported in court that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 545 children .
Since 2018 , Department of Homeland Security inspectors have found that the government lacked the technology to track all the immigrant families who were separated at the southern border .
Elsewhere , dozens of families and children , including one as young as 5 months old , were separated at US ports of entry in 2018 after seeking asylum , despite assurances from senior Homeland Security officials that immigrants who fit their profile would n't be , according to inspectors evaluating the policy .
During the debate on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy and the inability to track down the parents of the children “ criminal.
” “ It 's criminal .
It 's criminal , ” he said .
Trump then asked Biden “ who built the cages ?
” in an apparent reference to border facilities that were built during the Obama administration .
Former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said in an interview with the Aspen Institute that the concept of “ cages ” predated the Trump administration .
`` Chain-link barriers , partitions , fences , cages — whatever you want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jan. 20 , 2017 , '' he said , according to USA Today .
However , Trump ’ s policy of prosecuting those who were crossing the border illegally , including families , which lead to separations , was apart from a previous approach of separating relatives only in specific instances .

A year after the policy was implemented, in June 2019, inspectors evaluating border facilities found many problems.
The inspectors visited several border facilities in the Rio Grande Valley and found adults and minors with no access to showers, many adults only fed bologna sandwiches, and detainees banging on cell windows — desperately pressing notes to the windows of their cells that detailed their time in custody.
Some adults were held in standing-room-only conditions for a week. There was little access to hot showers or hot food for families and children in some facilities. Some kids were being held in closed cells.
Earlier this week, lawyers tasked with locating immigrant families who were separated by the Trump administration reported in court that they have been unable to reach the parents of 545 children.
Since 2018, Department of Homeland Security inspectors have found that the government lacked the technology to track all the immigrant families who were separated at the southern border.
Elsewhere, dozens of families and children, including one as young as 5 months old, were separated at US ports of entry in 2018 after seeking asylum, despite assurances from senior Homeland Security officials that immigrants who fit their profile wouldn't be, according to inspectors evaluating the policy.
During the debate on Thursday, Biden called the result of the policy and the inability to track down the parents of the children “criminal.”
“It's criminal. It's criminal,” he said.
Trump then asked Biden “Who built the cages?” in an apparent reference to border facilities that were built during the Obama administration. Former DHS secretary Jeh Johnson said in an interview with the Aspen Institute that the concept of “cages” predated the Trump administration.
"Chain-link barriers, partitions, fences, cages — whatever you want to call them — were not invented on Jan. 20, 2017," he said, according to USA Today.
However, Trump’s policy of prosecuting those who were crossing the border illegally, including families, which lead to separations, was apart from a previous approach of separating relatives only in specific instances.


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--No, Trump Didn't Say "Good" In Response To A Question About Kids Separated From Their Parents At The

No, Trump Didn't Say "Good" In Response To A Question About Kids Separated From Their Parents At The Border

According to the ACLU , the Trump administration has n't been able to find the families of 545 children separated from their parents .
Biden brought up that statistics — and misstated the number — just as the segment was ending .
The exchange happened near the end of the segment on immigration , during which the two presidential candidates argued about children who were separated from their parents at the border .
President Donald Trump did not respond with the word `` good '' following a comment from Democratic nominee Joe Biden about children separated from their parents at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said `` go ahead '' not `` good '' here '' But we don ’ t have to worry about it because I terminated it .
So we don ’ t have to worry about it , '' Trump said referring to the catch and release policy .
`` Let ’ s move on to the next section , '' said debate moderator Kristen Welker .
`` And you have 525 kids not knowing where in God ’ s name they ’ re going to be and lost their parents , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was trying to interject , and said , `` Go ahead . ''
Many people who watched the debate misinterpreted what the president was saying , falsely claiming that his response was `` good '' instead of `` go ahead . ''
But a replay of the moment clearly shows Trump said `` go ahead '' to Welker .
The ACLU said this week they haven ’ t been able to find the parents of 545 children separated from their parents under the Trump administration .

"But we don’t have to worry about it because I terminated it. So we don’t have to worry about it," Trump said referring to the catch and release policy.
"Let’s move on to the next section," said debate moderator Kristen Welker.
"And you have 525 kids not knowing where in God’s name they’re going to be and lost their parents," said Biden.
Trump then pointed to Welker, who was trying to interject, and said, "Go ahead."
Many people who watched the debate misinterpreted what the president was saying, falsely claiming that his response was "good" instead of "go ahead." But a replay of the moment clearly shows Trump said "go ahead" to Welker.
The ACLU said this week they haven’t been able to find the parents of 545 children separated from their parents under the Trump administration.


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--"We're Learning To Live With It": Trump Dismissed The Virus That's Killed 220,000 Americans And Put

"We're Learning To Live With It": Trump Dismissed The Virus That's Killed 220,000 Americans And Put Him In The Hospital

When Biden challenged Trump to take responsibility for the pandemic 's devastating impact on the country , Trump responded : `` I take full responsibility . ''
Seconds later , he said : `` It 's not my fault it came here . ''
“ We 're rounding the corner .
It 's going away , ” Trump said on Thursday night , despite the fact that cases are now surging in most states in the US .
“ I say we 're learning to live with it , ” he added .
Just weeks after being hospitalized with COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downplaying a pandemic that has killed more than 220,000 people in the US , criticizing his own scientific advisors , and making misleading and contradictory statements about attempts to control the spread of the virus now sweeping the country in a “ third wave.
” Only three weeks ago , Trump was hospitalized for COVID-19 .
“ I can tell you from personal experience that I was in the hospital .
I had it .
And I got better , ” Trump said .
While he was infected , his oxygen levels dropped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with several serious drugs , including an experimental antibody cocktail not yet available to the public , the antiviral drug remdesivir , and the steroid dexamethasone , recommended for hospitalized patients with severe illness .
During the debate , Trump said that he was treated with a therapeutic that he called a “ cure , ” most likely the antibody therapy that he has previously referred to as a cure , but there is still no known cure for COVID-19 .
The president also claimed to be immune to the coronavirus , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the new pathogen might last .
Moreover , Trump said without evidence : “ We have a vaccine that ’ s coming .
It ’ s ready .
It ’ s going to be announced within weeks.
” But when pressed by debate moderator Kristen Welker of NBC News on whether he could guarantee this , Trump backpedalled : “ It 's not a guarantee…There are two companies I think within a matter of weeks .
And it will be distributed very quickly.
” In reality , multiple companies are racing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their late-stage clinical trials , all of which are being tested in tens of thousands of people .
And one of the companies that Trump name dropped on the debate stage as a leading contender , Johnson and Johnson , recently underwent a routine pause to investigate an unexplained illness in a trial participant .
An FDA science advisory meeting about vaccine development on Thursday did not discuss a single clear vaccine contender , since all the trials are still underway .
The advisory committee recommended that the FDA collect more safety data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for emergency approval , a step that would add even more time until a vaccine was ready for public use .
`` We 're about to go into a dark winter .
A dark winter , '' said Biden .
`` And he has no clear plan .
And there 's no prospect that there 's going to be a vaccine available for the majority of the American people before the middle of next year . ''
New cases are currently averaging about 60,000 a day over the last week in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the same period .

Only three weeks ago, Trump was hospitalized for COVID-19. “I can tell you from personal experience that I was in the hospital. I had it. And I got better,” Trump said. While he was infected, his oxygen levels dropped multiple times, and he was treated with several serious drugs, including an experimental antibody cocktail not yet available to the public, the antiviral drug remdesivir, and the steroid dexamethasone, recommended for hospitalized patients with severe illness.
During the debate, Trump said he was treated with a therapeutic that he called a “cure,” most likely the antibody therapy that he has previously referred to as a cure, but there is still no known cure for COVID-19. The president also claimed to be immune to the coronavirus, but it is still unknown how long immunity to the new pathogen might last.
Moreover, Trump said without evidence: “We have a vaccine that’s coming. It’s ready. It’s going to be announced within weeks.” But when pressed by debate moderator Kristen Welker of NBC News on whether he could guarantee this, Trump backpedaled: “It's not a guarantee … There are two companies I think within a matter of weeks. And it will be distributed very quickly.”
In reality, multiple companies are racing to produce a vaccine, but none have finished their late-stage clinical trials, all of which are being tested in tens of thousands of people. And one of the companies that Trump name-dropped on the debate stage as a leading contender, Johnson & Johnson, recently underwent a routine pause to investigate an unexplained illness in a trial participant.
An FDA science advisory meeting about vaccine development on Thursday did not discuss a single clear vaccine contender, since all the trials are still underway. The advisory committee recommended that the FDA collect more safety data on the vaccine candidates before authorizing them for emergency approval, a step that would add even more time until a vaccine was ready for public use.
"We're about to go into a dark winter. A dark winter," said Biden. "And he has no clear plan. And there's no prospect that there's going to be a vaccine available for the majority of the American people before the middle of next year."
New cases are currently averaging about 60,000 a day over the last week in the US, with around 750 deaths a day for the same period.
Peter Aldhous contributed reporting for this story.


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--The Unique Way This Teacher Demonstrates Childbirth To Her Students Has Gone Viral On TikTok

Brooke , who is currently pregnant with her third child , said childbirth is important for all of her students @ @ @ @ @ a natural part of life .
`` My husband had no idea how a baby @ @ @ @ @ pregnant with my first child .
He did not believe me when I told him @ @ @ @ @ a baby , even though he took a child development class in high school .
@ @ @ @ @ provide basic knowledge to my students now , I am providing them with the tools @ @ @ @ @ and confident if they do get pregnant one day .
I am also teaching them @ @ @ @ @ for someone who is having a baby , '' she added .

Brooke, who is currently pregnant with her third child, said childbirth is important for all of her students to learn because it's a natural part of life. "My husband had no idea how a baby was born when I was pregnant with my first child. He did not believe me when I told him what all goes into having a baby, even though he took a child development class in high school. So, if I can provide basic knowledge to my students now, I am providing them with the tools and knowledge to feel comfortable and confident if they do get pregnant one day. I am also teaching them to be great support systems for someone who is having a baby," she added.


buzzfeed--2020-10-24--This Nurse's Method On How To Properly Shave Your Pubic Hair Is Going Viral

BuzzFeed spoke to Heather , who said part of her job is providing annual exams to women — such as @ @ @ @ @ , family planning , etc .
`` It ’ s not uncommon for women to @ @ @ @ @ bump of some sort on their lady bits .
This leads to questions like , @ @ @ @ @ this herpes ? '
or 'How can I avoid getting razor burn ? '
It @ @ @ @ @ culture to shave our pubic hair , but no one really talks about how to @ @ @ @ @ troubleshoot doing it , '' she explained .

BuzzFeed spoke to Heather, who said part of her job is providing annual exams to women — such as pap smears, pelvic exams, family planning, etc. "It’s not uncommon for women to come in with a new bump of some sort on their lady bits. This leads to questions like, 'What is this — is this herpes?' or 'How can I avoid getting razor burn?' It’s common in our culture to shave our pubic hair, but no one really talks about how to do it or how to troubleshoot doing it," she explained.


buzzfeed--2020-10-24--The Trump Campaign Has Sued To Stop Mail-In Ballot Counting In Nevada's Biggest County

The Trump campaign and the Nevada Republican Party sued to stop election officials from counting mail-in ballots in the state 's most populous county Friday until a `` meaningful '' election observation plan can be put in place .
The lawsuit , first reported by the Nevada Independent , requests a temporary restraining order to bar election officials from `` separating or counting ballots '' in Clark County , which includes Las Vegas and is home to more than 1.2 million registered voters and over 70 % of the state 's population .
The lawsuit also asks a judge to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that `` assures immediate , meaningful observation '' of the counting of ballots .
Carson City District Court Judge James Wilson denied the request Friday afternoon , but scheduled an evidentiary hearing on the case for next week , according to the Independent .
As of Friday morning , more than 190,000 mail-in ballots have been returned to election officials in Clark County , according to the Nevada secretary of state 's office .
Election officials in the state can begin counting absentee ballots 15 days before Election Day , which is less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is strong public interest in this case and as the election is upon us and ballot processing has already begun , no adequate remedy exists for Petitioners to seek relief other than to request the Court 's assistance , '' the complaint reads .
The complaint , which names Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske and Clark County Registrar Joseph Gloria as defendants , comes days after a law firm representing the president 's reelection campaign and the state GOP sent a letter to the secretary of state , claiming that Clark County officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accommodate election observers during the processing and counting of ballots as required by Nevada law .
The complaint is also filed on behalf of Fred Kraus , a registered voter in Clark County who has volunteered as a poll watcher .
`` One would hope that this is not a calculated attempt to allow Clark County to obstruct the observation process , '' attorney Brian R. Hardy wrote on behalf of Trump 's campaign and the state Republican Party .
`` However , given recent complaints , observations and rejected accommodations , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In a statement to BuzzFeed News , Clark County Election Department spokesperson Dan Kulin said the lawsuit includes `` many misleading or inaccurate claims , '' adding that the department `` has gone above and beyond to provide access to observers . ''
`` While ensuring observers can be at the polling places and other locations as required by law , we have also created additional observation areas so the observers may see even more of our process , '' Kulin said .
`` We have met with representatives from both parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the changes they have requested , and we will continue to work with them . ''
He added that during Friday 's hearing the judge overseeing the case said the department was in compliance with the state statute on observation requirements .
The legal action is the latest of several cases that have been filed by the Trump campaign challenging pandemic-related mail-in voting plans .
Last month , a US district judge dismissed a case challenging a law adopted by the Nevada state legislature this year directing local election officials to send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic .
Judge James Mahan found that the Trump campaign 's claims that the state ’ s plan would lead to voter fraud were not only speculative but also not specific to the Republican challengers .
Friday 's complaint alleges that Gloria has deemed certain areas where ballots are being handled as `` off limits , '' that his actions `` severely restricted election observers ' freedom of movement , '' and that he positioned them `` in such a manner that they can not meaningfully observe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are often restricted to locations more than 25 feet away from certain processes , from which they can not see the computer screens or monitors of individual workers or observe calls made relative to the cure processes . ''
Among the lawsuit ’ s complaints are that observers have been barred from entering a call center where election officials contact voters about issues with signatures on their ballots .
Nevada requires that a voter 's signature on their ballot matches the one on their voter registration , and the state allows voters to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it does not .
Kulin told BuzzFeed News that no ballots are brought into the call center and that no counting occurs there either , noting that staff in the center “ may be discussing personal information , such as birth date and the last four numbers of their social security number , with the voter on the phone . ''
`` Legally , we must prevent the public from being able to collect that personal information , '' he said .
A spokesperson for the Nevada secretary of state declined to @ @ @ @ @

The Trump campaign and the Nevada Republican Party sued to stop election officials from counting mail-in ballots in the state's most populous county Friday until a "meaningful" election observation plan can be put in place.
The lawsuit, first reported by the Nevada Independent, requests a temporary restraining order to bar election officials from "separating or counting ballots" in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas and is home to more than 1.2 million registered voters and over 70% of the state's population. The lawsuit also asks a judge to order county officials to issue a plan that "assures immediate, meaningful observation" of the counting of ballots.
Carson City District Court Judge James Wilson denied the request Friday afternoon, but scheduled an evidentiary hearing on the case for next week, according to the Independent.
As of Friday morning, more than 190,000 mail-in ballots have been returned to election officials in Clark County, according to the Nevada secretary of state's office. Election officials in the state can begin counting absentee ballots 15 days before Election Day, which is less than two weeks away.
"There is strong public interest in this case and as the election is upon us and ballot processing has already begun, no adequate remedy exists for Petitioners to seek relief other than to request the Court's assistance," the complaint reads.
The complaint, which names Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske and Clark County Registrar Joseph Gloria as defendants, comes days after a law firm representing the president's reelection campaign and the state GOP sent a letter to the secretary of state, claiming that Clark County officials had failed to submit a plan to accommodate election observers during the processing and counting of ballots as required by Nevada law. The complaint is also filed on behalf of Fred Kraus, a registered voter in Clark County who has volunteered as a poll watcher.
"One would hope that this is not a calculated attempt to allow Clark County to obstruct the observation process," attorney Brian R. Hardy wrote on behalf of Trump's campaign and the state Republican Party. "However, given recent complaints, observations and rejected accommodations, the reality in Clark County is obstruction."
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, Clark County Election Department spokesperson Dan Kulin said the lawsuit includes "many misleading or inaccurate claims," adding that the department "has gone above and beyond to provide access to observers."
"While ensuring observers can be at the polling places and other locations as required by law, we have also created additional observation areas so the observers may see even more of our process," Kulin said. "We have met with representatives from both parties to discuss this issue and made some of the changes they have requested, and we will continue to work with them."
He added that during Friday's hearing the judge overseeing the case said the department was in compliance with the state statute on observation requirements.
The legal action is the latest of several cases that have been filed by the Trump campaign challenging pandemic-related mail-in voting plans. Last month, a US district judge dismissed a case challenging a law adopted by the Nevada state legislature this year directing local election officials to send ballots to all active registered voters due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
Judge James Mahan found that the Trump campaign's claims that the state’s plan would lead to voter fraud were not only speculative but also not specific to the Republican challengers.
Friday's complaint alleges that Gloria has deemed certain areas where ballots are being handled as "off limits," that his actions "severely restricted election observers' freedom of movement," and that he positioned them "in such a manner that they cannot meaningfully observe."
The complaint states, "Observers are often restricted to locations more than 25 feet away from certain processes, from which they cannot see the computer screens or monitors of individual workers or observe calls made relative to the cure processes."
Among the lawsuit’s complaints are that observers have been barred from entering a call center where election officials contact voters about issues with signatures on their ballots. Nevada requires that a voter's signature on their ballot matches the one on their voter registration, and the state allows voters to fix or "cure" those ballots if it does not. Kulin told BuzzFeed News that no ballots are brought into the call center and that no counting occurs there either, noting that staff in the center “may be discussing personal information, such as birth date and the last four numbers of their social security number, with the voter on the phone."
"Legally, we must prevent the public from being able to collect that personal information," he said.
A spokesperson for the Nevada secretary of state declined to comment on the lawsuit.


buzzfeed--2020-10-23--Mitch McConnell's Hand Is Discolored But He Swears Nothing Is Wrong

Viral photos show McConnell picking up a face mask , revealing his right hand to be much darker than the rest of his body , as well as a bandaged thumb .
Mitch McConnell , the 78-year-old Senate Majority Leader currently running for reelection , is denying any health issues despite photos showing his hand bandaged and severely discolored .
On Wednesday , photos went viral of McConnell bending down to pick up a dropped face mask on Capitol Hill the day prior , revealing his right hand to be much darker than the rest of his body and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office did not respond to numerous requests for comment from BuzzFeed News about the health of the top Senate Republican , who is up for reelection in Kentucky in just under two weeks .
However , when asked by a reporter on Thursday about his health and the concerning photos of his hand , McConnell denied there was an issue .
`` Do you have some kind of health issue ? ''
asked Politico reporter John Bresnahan .
`` Everyone been 's talking about your hands . ''
`` I 've been worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are you feeling ? ''
replied McConnell , using the reporter 's nickname .
`` But I 'm serious , is there anything going on we should know about ? ''
asked Bresnahan .
`` Of course not , '' replied McConnell .
However , the discoloration and bandages were still somewhat visible in C-SPAN video of McConnell speaking on the Senate floor on Thursday morning .
On Thursday afternoon , another reporter tried to ask McConnell about his hands .
`` You have a bruise or something , sir .
Everything ok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Take a look at Bres , '' McConnell replied , referring to the Politico reporter .
`` So , no concerns ? ''
the CNN reporter continued .
The reporter then asked if McConnell had sought medical treatment for the issue and the senator ignored the question .
McConnell 's health may be a relevant issue for voters in Kentucky , where early voting began on Oct. 13 .
`` It 's understandable that Senator McConnell might not want to discuss questions about his health so close to an election , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kentucky Democratic Party .
`` But as Senate Majority Leader , he is a public figure which requires more disclosure and transparency than just the average private person . ''
McNee also noted that McConnell has spoken openly in the past about his medical care , such as undergoing surgery following a shoulder fracture .
`` It 's not clear why he 's suddenly become so secretive , but we certainly wish him well and hope he is okay , '' said McNee .
In most photos taken of McConnell in recent days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand hidden in his suit pocket .
The health of the country 's aging politicians has been brought into sharp focus in recent weeks , particularly after President Donald Trump , 74 , was hospitalized for several days and received experimental drug treatments after testing positive for COVID-19 .
If elected president , Joe Biden will become the oldest person to ever lead the nation , at 77 .
At the beginning of the current Congress in 2018 , the average age of a US senator was 61.8 years .
They are `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' according to an analysis by the Congressional Research Service .
McConnell leads a Senate that includes multiple octogenarians and which is currently working to confirm Amy Coney Barrett , 48 , to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court less than two weeks out from an election .
McConnell previously led the charge to stop former president Barack Obama from nominating a justice to the court in the final year of his presidency .
On Thursday , Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to approve Judge Barrett 's nomination to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling it `` illegitimate , '' but a vote to finalize her nomination will take place on Monday .
Recently concerns were raised about Dianne Feinstein 's capabilities due to her age — the Californian senator is 87 — during the hearings for a new SCOTUS appointee , where she is the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee .
When other senators were asked if they believed her age was affecting her job , Politico quoted Sen. Chuck Grassley responding : `` She ’ s only three months older than I am , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not running for reelection . ''

Mitch McConnell, the 78-year-old Senate Majority Leader currently running for reelection, is denying any health issues despite photos showing his hand bandaged and severely discolored.
On Wednesday, photos went viral of McConnell bending down to pick up a dropped face mask on Capitol Hill the day prior, revealing his right hand to be much darker than the rest of his body and that his thumb is bandaged.
McConnell's office did not respond to numerous requests for comment from BuzzFeed News about the health of the top Senate Republican, who is up for reelection in Kentucky in just under two weeks.
However, when asked by a reporter on Thursday about his health and the concerning photos of his hand, McConnell denied there was an issue.