buzzfeed--2020-10-07--The News Site Was Bogus. Facebook Still Let It Build A Real Audience.

In early August , the Globe Independent launched a website filled with news stories plagiarized from NBC News , the Washington Post , and other outlets .
By September , the impostor news site had amassed more than 30,000 likes on Facebook thanks to dozens of ads it purchased , some of which were critical of China .
During an election season in which Facebook has promised to stop manipulation of its platform , these unknown purveyors of copy-pasted news violated the social network 's policy against fake accounts , and may have evaded its rules for ads about political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which went unnoticed until BuzzFeed News alerted Facebook , follows other high-profile failures that question the social media company ’ s ability to enforce its policies less than a month before the US election .
The Globe Independent page also unwittingly revealed other , apparently unrelated , inauthentic pages , thanks to Facebook ’ s “ Related Pages ” feature .
Visitors to the Globe Independent ’ s page were suggested pages including “ the Tide Hunter ” and “ the Star Lane.
” Those are part of a network of over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million total likes and are running Facebook ads for what appears to be a cryptocurrency scam .
A Facebook spokesperson told BuzzFeed News there was no connection between the Globe Independent page and the cryptocurrency pages but declined to comment further .
`` Networks like this just show how profitable it can be to traffic in all kinds of online scams , '' said Joan Donovan , the research director of the Shorenstein Center on Media , Politics and Public Policy .
`` In the early phase of a disinformation campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the motives are , but this shows just how crucial it is to use Facebook ads to grow audiences and stage legitimacy before really turning into a full-blown influence operation . ''
It ’ s unclear who was behind the Globe Independent site and Facebook page .
The Globe Independent did not respond to BuzzFeed News ’ emails and Facebook messages .
Last Friday , the Globe Independent website was taken offline .
Facebook removed the page Sept. 29 after BuzzFeed News asked about it .
A spokesperson declined to provide an on-the-record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the page was run by an inauthentic account , Facebook 's term for fake or deceptive activity .
They did not say what made Facebook conclude the account was inauthentic and declined to say how much the page had spent on ads .
Facebook ’ s action came weeks after Twitter suspended the Globe Independent ’ s account .
Twitter declined to comment , but a source with insight into the suspension told BuzzFeed News that the Globe Independent ’ s account violated the company ’ s policies against spam , coordinated activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The source said there did not appear to be evidence it was part of a state-backed operation .
On its site , the Globe Independent claimed to be based in London .
Its Facebook page showed that it was being managed by six accounts located in the US .
None of its articles carried bylines , and all of the content viewed by BuzzFeed News was plagiarized from other news sites .
Registration records for the Globe-Independent.com domain was registered on July 31 and listed Sierra Nevada Corporation , a Nevada-based aerospace company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sierra Nevada ’ s director of strategic communications , told BuzzFeed News it did not own the domain and had no idea why its name was listed in the registration records .
`` Just because Facebook has a transparency page [ listing the location of managers ] does not necessarily stop these cagey actors from covering over their true intentions , be they profit or political , '' Donovan said .
The Globe Independent Facebook page was created on July 29 .
Even though the red flags were obvious and abundant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ads that helped the page grow its follower count to more than 30,000 people .
At its apparent height , the Globe Independent ’ s page had more than 60 active ads on Facebook .
Some of the ads encouraged people to like its page , promising “ exclusive content ” from an “ unbiased , independent news ” source .
Seventeen ads linked to articles that were critical of China 's treatment of Uighurs , the Muslim minority whose people are being imprisoned and tortured by the Chinese government .
At least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to articles in that language .
The articles about Uighurs were copied and pasted from outlets including NBC News , Agence France-Presse , and Radio Free Asia .
While many of its ads focused on China , the site also carried plagiarized content about world affairs , health , technology , and sports .
Along with being misled by the Globe Independent ’ s page , people were funneled to a network of other bogus news pages .
Visitors to the Globe Independent ’ s Facebook page were recommended “ Related Pages ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a network of more than 120 pages that masquerade as news pages in order to run ads for what appears to be a cryptocurrency scam .
The pages have names like “ Path of Words , ” “ the Feedback , ” and “ Main Buzzfeed ” and claim to provide news and information .
“ We deliver exciting news around the world , ” reads the description of a page called “ Fancy Time.
” Unlike the Globe Independent , these pages do not promote plagiarized content .
Instead , they share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ English-language outlets , including BuzzFeed News .
These pages have also purchased Facebook ads to attract likes , gaining more than 1 million total fans in just a few months of operation .
The goal appears to be to grow an audience and then target Facebook users around the world with ads for an apparent cryptocurrency scam .
BuzzFeed News found that at least nine pages in the network have purchased cryptocurrency ads in languages such as English , Danish , and French .
The ads , which featured expensive cars and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get rich by trading cryptocurrency .
It ’ s the same kind of offer as was put forward by an alleged cryptocurrency scam exposed by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project in March .
The pages and some of the cryptocurrency ads are still active as of this writing .
A Facebook spokesperson said they remain `` under review . ''

In early August, the Globe Independent launched a website filled with news stories plagiarized from NBC News, the Washington Post, and other outlets. By September, the impostor news site had amassed more than 30,000 likes on Facebook thanks to dozens of ads it purchased, some of which were critical of China.
During an election season in which Facebook has promised to stop manipulation of its platform, these unknown purveyors of copy-pasted news violated the social network's policy against fake accounts, and may have evaded its rules for ads about political issues. The plagiarized site's activity, which went unnoticed until BuzzFeed News alerted Facebook, follows other high-profile failures that question the social media company’s ability to enforce its policies less than a month before the US election.
The Globe Independent page also unwittingly revealed other, apparently unrelated, inauthentic pages, thanks to Facebook’s “Related Pages” feature. Visitors to the Globe Independent’s page were suggested pages including “the Tide Hunter” and “the Star Lane.” Those are part of a network of over 120 pages, which have more than 1 million total likes and are running Facebook ads for what appears to be a cryptocurrency scam. A Facebook spokesperson told BuzzFeed News there was no connection between the Globe Independent page and the cryptocurrency pages but declined to comment further.
"Networks like this just show how profitable it can be to traffic in all kinds of online scams," said Joan Donovan, the research director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. "In the early phase of a disinformation campaign, it can be difficult to tell what the motives are, but this shows just how crucial it is to use Facebook ads to grow audiences and stage legitimacy before really turning into a full-blown influence operation."
It’s unclear who was behind the Globe Independent site and Facebook page. The Globe Independent did not respond to BuzzFeed News’ emails and Facebook messages. Last Friday, the Globe Independent website was taken offline. Facebook removed the page Sept. 29 after BuzzFeed News asked about it.
A spokesperson declined to provide an on-the-record comment but said an internal investigation found the page was run by an inauthentic account, Facebook's term for fake or deceptive activity. They did not say what made Facebook conclude the account was inauthentic and declined to say how much the page had spent on ads.


buzzfeed--2020-10-07--You Won’t Hear Kamala Harris Saying "Shut Up, Man" In The VP Debate

He called the president a “ fool.
” He complained that no one could hear over “ this clown , ” before dryly correcting himself : “ Excuse me , this person.
” And finally , without hesitation , Joe Biden shouted across the room , “ Will you shut up , man ?
” It only took a few hours , on the night of last week ’ s presidential debate in Cleveland , for the Biden campaign to stamp the phrase on T-shirts .
Aides know that when Sen. Kamala Harris takes the debate stage Wednesday opposite Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not work for a Black woman .
As they prep her in Salt Lake City , Harris ’ s team has shaped a strategy in part around the reality that she is likely to be perceived differently than the white male candidate standing opposite her .
Aides have reviewed studies — including those by the Barbara Lee Family Foundation — about how women candidates pay a high price for negativity and can be harshly punished by voters over issues of honesty , a Biden aide said .
For that reason , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t take on the role of fact-checking Pence , or try to confront him frequently over falsehoods .
Harris and her team are weighing , too , the question of how to deal onstage with stereotypes that paint women , and especially Black women , as angry and overly emotional .
They are especially aware of how that dynamic could play out with Pence , who is so even-tempered that , in his first vice presidential debate in 2016 , he made the mild Sen. Tim Kaine look aggressive .
When Christina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women ’ s group EMILY ’ s List , heard Biden say those five words on TV last Wednesday — “ will you shut up , man ?
” — the first thought that popped into her head was “ Hillary Clinton couldn ’ t have said that.
” The second was : “ I ’ m not positive Barack Obama could have either.
” Biden took some flak for his tone in Cleveland — “ I should have said this is a ‘ clownish undertaking ’ instead of calling him a clown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lester Holt at a town hall on Monday night — but the moment was widely celebrated by his own campaign .
“ There ’ s a certain leeway we give to the candidates we are used to , ” said Reynolds , who served as Clinton ’ s deputy communications director in 2016 .
“ There are things that Mike Pence , Donald Trump , and Joe Biden can do that Kamala Harris can ’ t .
It ’ s hard to imagine that she would say ‘ will you shut up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rallying point.
” The single vice presidential debate is usually nothing more than a footnote to the presidential race , dwarfed in importance by three presidential contests .
But with President Donald Trump infected with the coronavirus , the dynamic has shifted — thrusting Pence , especially , into the spotlight .
It is unclear whether there will be any more presidential debates .
The expectations on Wednesday are high .
In her primary campaign , Democratic voters often said they dreamed of seeing Harris on a debate stage opposite Trump , citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she grilled Trump administration officials .
Sen. Cory Booker , speaking by phone between Zoom meetings on Monday , said he has watched his colleague hone a careful tonal mix in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings : “ She is very respectful and professional , but at the same time hard-hitting .
And she does it in a way that does n't break the formality or the decorum of a moment.
” “ But I 've sat next to her before , where , you know , I 've winced !
” Booker laughed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard.
” Her single most memorable moment of the Democratic primary came in a debate , when she confronted Biden over his record on busing and desegregation — causing her fundraising to skyrocket and her poll numbers to shoot up overnight .
But people close to Harris have sought to manage expectations around the debate , talking about Pence ’ s history of strong debate performances .
So has Harris herself .
“ He ’ s a good debater .
So I ’ m so concerned — like I can only disappoint , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September .

He called the president a “fool.” He complained that no one could hear over “this clown,” before dryly correcting himself: “Excuse me, this person.” And finally, without hesitation, Joe Biden shouted across the room, “Will you shut up, man?”
It only took a few hours, on the night of last week’s presidential debate in Cleveland, for the Biden campaign to stamp the phrase on T-shirts.
Aides know that when Sen. Kamala Harris takes the debate stage Wednesday opposite Vice President Mike Pence, the same strategy will not work for a Black woman.
As they prep her in Salt Lake City, Harris’s team has shaped a strategy in part around the reality that she is likely to be perceived differently than the white male candidate standing opposite her. Aides have reviewed studies — including those by the Barbara Lee Family Foundation — about how women candidates pay a high price for negativity and can be harshly punished by voters over issues of honesty, a Biden aide said. For that reason, a campaign aide said, Harris likely won’t take on the role of fact-checking Pence, or try to confront him frequently over falsehoods.
Harris and her team are weighing, too, the question of how to deal onstage with stereotypes that paint women, and especially Black women, as angry and overly emotional. They are especially aware of how that dynamic could play out with Pence, who is so even-tempered that, in his first vice presidential debate in 2016, he made the mild Sen. Tim Kaine look aggressive.
When Christina Reynolds, a senior official with the women’s group EMILY’s List, heard Biden say those five words on TV last Wednesday — “will you shut up, man?” — the first thought that popped into her head was “Hillary Clinton couldn’t have said that.” The second was: “I’m not positive Barack Obama could have either.”
Biden took some flak for his tone in Cleveland — “I should have said this is a ‘clownish undertaking’ instead of calling him a clown,” he told NBC’s Lester Holt at a town hall on Monday night — but the moment was widely celebrated by his own campaign.
“There’s a certain leeway we give to the candidates we are used to,” said Reynolds, who served as Clinton’s deputy communications director in 2016. “There are things that Mike Pence, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden can do that Kamala Harris can’t. It’s hard to imagine that she would say ‘will you shut up, man’ and it would become a rallying point.”
The single vice presidential debate is usually nothing more than a footnote to the presidential race, dwarfed in importance by three presidential contests. But with President Donald Trump infected with the coronavirus, the dynamic has shifted — thrusting Pence, especially, into the spotlight. It is unclear whether there will be any more presidential debates.
The expectations on Wednesday are high. In her primary campaign, Democratic voters often said they dreamed of seeing Harris on a debate stage opposite Trump, citing her performance in Senate hearings, where she grilled Trump administration officials.
Sen. Cory Booker, speaking by phone between Zoom meetings on Monday, said he has watched his colleague hone a careful tonal mix in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings: “She is very respectful and professional, but at the same time hard-hitting. And she does it in a way that doesn't break the formality or the decorum of a moment.”
“But I've sat next to her before, where, you know, I've winced!” Booker laughed. “Because she's hit so hard.”
Her single most memorable moment of the Democratic primary came in a debate, when she confronted Biden over his record on busing and desegregation — causing her fundraising to skyrocket and her poll numbers to shoot up overnight.
But people close to Harris have sought to manage expectations around the debate, talking about Pence’s history of strong debate performances. So has Harris herself.
“He’s a good debater. So I’m so concerned — like I can only disappoint,” she joked at a fundraiser in September.


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--14 People Shared Photos Of Their Bodies After Giving Birth And It's The Definition Of Beauty And Str

14 People Shared Photos Of Their Bodies After Giving Birth And It's The Definition Of Beauty And Strength

`` Moms , we seriously need to give ourselves more credit ... and grace !
Snapping back is awesome , @ @ @ @ @ body to take its time and heal how it wants to for as long as @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no deadline .
In the meantime , be proud of all it has @ @ @ @ @ human , then birthing that human , then nourishing and sustaining the life of that @ @ @ @ @ is so taboo to talk about , but , I DARE you to change the @ @ @ @ @ rock that FUPA/stretch marks/loose skin with pride .
I know I will !
💪🏾 Ain @ @ @ @ @ to be sucking in all day !
🥴😩🤣 '' You can follow Troy Michel on @ @

8.
"Here I am seven days postpartum with my son. I struggled with the new reality that he wasn’t in my belly. Even though I had him in my arms, I still found myself rubbing my belly, expecting to feel his strong kicks or his little butt nestled in my ribs. For the first time in nine months, my body was 'mine' again — and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. Every day I became more grateful for the soft mom belly that was his cushion as we nursed, and for my sore, painful, and swollen boobs that fed him endlessly. He’s now 15 months old, and I’m still amazed at what my body was able to do and how different every inch of me is to this day."


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--Trump's Doctor Said The President Now Has Antibodies, Leaving Out The Fact That He Was Just Given A

Trump's Doctor Said The President Now Has Antibodies, Leaving Out The Fact That He Was Just Given A High Dose Of Antibodies

President Donald Trump 's physician , Sean Conley , issued the latest notice about his COVID-19 patient 's progress on Wednesday with a positive update : The president 's lab results from Monday indicated that he had `` detectable levels '' of antibodies in his blood .
`` The president this morning says , ' I feel great ! '
'' Conley 's statement said .
But doctors and scientists have since pointed out that the president having detectable antibodies could be meaningless , since he was administered a very high dose of an experimental antibody treatment on Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s deceptive to present it like it is n't , '' Eric Topol , a cardiologist and clinical trial expert at the Scripps Research Translational Institute , told BuzzFeed News .
`` Why would you test for antibodies when you ’ ve given someone such a high dose of antibodies ?
That wouldn ’ t have been a good test to do .
I don ’ t know how much it cost them , but they should get their money back . ''
`` My response after I read that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antibodies — because he was just given a massive infusion of antibodies by his own doctor .
So I would be shocked if he didn ’ t , '' said Megan Ranney , associate professor of emergency medicine and public health at Brown University .
On Friday , Conley reported that Trump received 8 grams of a two-antibody cocktail made by the biotechnology company Regeneron .
The cocktail , which remains an experimental treatment , is comprised of a type of antibody called immunoglobulin G ( or IgG ) typically produced in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president was also given two other drugs , the antiviral drug remdesivir on Friday , and the steroid dexamethasone on Saturday , according to doctors .
The Regeneron synthetic antibodies are `` the same IgG antibodies that patients make on their own , '' Topol said .
`` They ’ ve basically been cloned .
But these are the powerful ones — not the junk or ornamental ones .
These are the most potent neutralizing antibodies . ''
Patients typically start producing IgG antibodies from 7 to 10 days after infection , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people can develop IgG antibodies as early as 2 to 4 days after symptoms first appear .
It is possible that the White House administered a type of antibody test that could distinguish between the antibodies produced by Trump 's immune system and the ones administered via Regeneron 's experimental antibody cocktail , said Angela Rasmussen , a virologist at Columbia University .
The White House did not disclose what type of test it used .
But on Wednesday afternoon , Regeneron released a statement saying that the antibodies detected were most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the standard assays for IgG would not distinguish between endogenous ( self-made ) antibodies and the ones delivered by our therapy .
However , given the volume of IgG antibodies delivered in our therapy , and the timing of these tests , it is likely that the second test is detecting REGN-COV2 antibodies . ''
`` There 's a good chance they are '' from the antibody cocktail , said Rasmussen .
`` My main takeaway is suspicion .
The president 's physician has been releasing information selectively , and has stated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spin on it . ''
She added , `` They have not released other information relevant to his condition , including the results of his chest scans or his viral loads or any other lab results . ''
Conley 's statement added that Trump 's `` physical exam and vital signs , including oxygen saturation and respiratory rate , all remain stable and in normal range .
He 's now been fever-free for more than 4 days , symptom-free for over 24 hours , and has not needed nor received any supplemental oxygen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
But both doctors that BuzzFeed News spoke with warned that the president 's immune response will be important to monitor as he approaches 7 to 10 days after he developed the infection , a dangerous period when a small subset of COVID-19 patients suddenly get very sick after their immune systems go into overdrive , causing organ failure and possible death .
`` The fact that he remains fever-free and feels great are just as likely to be effects of the dexamethasone as they are to be signs that his illness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But the fact that someone has done well up until this point does not necessarily imply that they will continue to do well .
We know that this seven-to-10-day period is when we see the immune system go wild , severe lung problems , strokes , and clotting problems — all of these really well-established serious clinical effects of COVID . ''
Both doctors said that the latest statement from Trump 's physician indicated a continuing lack of transparency that was troubling .
`` It ’ s the rose-colored glasses view of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We don ’ t get the truth , '' said Topol .
`` In his press conferences , there was deception and obfuscation and evasiveness — this one is just fallacy . ''

President Donald Trump's physician, Sean Conley, issued the latest notice about his COVID-19 patient's progress on Wednesday with a positive update: The president's lab results from Monday indicated that he had "detectable levels" of antibodies in his blood.
"The president this morning says, 'I feel great!'" Conley's statement said.
But doctors and scientists have since pointed out that the president having detectable antibodies could be meaningless, since he was administered a very high dose of an experimental antibody treatment on Friday.
"It’s meaningless, and it’s deceptive to present it like it isn't," Eric Topol, a cardiologist and clinical trial expert at the Scripps Research Translational Institute, told BuzzFeed News. "Why would you test for antibodies when you’ve given someone such a high dose of antibodies? That wouldn’t have been a good test to do. I don’t know how much it cost them, but they should get their money back."
"My response after I read that is I am sure he does have detectable antibodies — because he was just given a massive infusion of antibodies by his own doctor. So I would be shocked if he didn’t," said Megan Ranney, associate professor of emergency medicine and public health at Brown University.
On Friday, Conley reported that Trump received 8 grams of a two-antibody cocktail made by the biotechnology company Regeneron. The cocktail, which remains an experimental treatment, is comprised of a type of antibody called immunoglobulin G (or IgG) typically produced in the later course of an infection. The president was also given two other drugs, the antiviral drug remdesivir on Friday, and the steroid dexamethasone on Saturday, according to doctors.
The Regeneron synthetic antibodies are "the same IgG antibodies that patients make on their own," Topol said. "They’ve basically been cloned. But these are the powerful ones — not the junk or ornamental ones. These are the most potent neutralizing antibodies."
Patients typically start producing IgG antibodies from 7 to 10 days after infection, while studies have suggested that in rarer cases, people can develop IgG antibodies as early as 2 to 4 days after symptoms first appear.
It is possible that the White House administered a type of antibody test that could distinguish between the antibodies produced by Trump's immune system and the ones administered via Regeneron's experimental antibody cocktail, said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University. The White House did not disclose what type of test it used.
But on Wednesday afternoon, Regeneron released a statement saying that the antibodies detected were most likely from their treatment: "Most of the standard assays for IgG would not distinguish between endogenous (self-made) antibodies and the ones delivered by our therapy. However, given the volume of IgG antibodies delivered in our therapy, and the timing of these tests, it is likely that the second test is detecting REGN-COV2 antibodies."
"There's a good chance they are" from the antibody cocktail, said Rasmussen. "My main takeaway is suspicion. The president's physician has been releasing information selectively, and has stated that he tries to put a positive spin on it." She added, "They have not released other information relevant to his condition, including the results of his chest scans or his viral loads or any other lab results."
Conley's statement added that Trump's "physical exam and vital signs, including oxygen saturation and respiratory rate, all remain stable and in normal range. He's now been fever-free for more than 4 days, symptom-free for over 24 hours, and has not needed nor received any supplemental oxygen since initial hospitalization," the physician said.
But both doctors that BuzzFeed News spoke with warned that the president's immune response will be important to monitor as he approaches 7 to 10 days after he developed the infection, a dangerous period when a small subset of COVID-19 patients suddenly get very sick after their immune systems go into overdrive, causing organ failure and possible death.
"The fact that he remains fever-free and feels great are just as likely to be effects of the dexamethasone as they are to be signs that his illness is improving," Ranney said. "But the fact that someone has done well up until this point does not necessarily imply that they will continue to do well. We know that this seven-to-10-day period is when we see the immune system go wild, severe lung problems, strokes, and clotting problems — all of these really well-established serious clinical effects of COVID."
Both doctors said that the latest statement from Trump's physician indicated a continuing lack of transparency that was troubling.
"It’s the rose-colored glasses view of how the patient is doing each day. We don’t get the truth," said Topol. "In his press conferences, there was deception and obfuscation and evasiveness — this one is just fallacy."


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--Donald Trump Told His Followers "Don't Be Afraid Of COVID" — And Amanda Kloots Had A Gut-Wrenching R

Donald Trump Told His Followers "Don't Be Afraid Of COVID" — And Amanda Kloots Had A Gut-Wrenching Response

She continued : `` To act like this disease is nothing and you got right over it ?
I 'm @ @ @ @ @ .
Thank god you did .
But guess what ?
There are a lot of @ @ @ @ @ And now , instead of bragging about how wonderful you did , why do n't @ @ @ @ @ now that I 've had this disease , I now can understand a little bit @ @ @ @ @ affected our country and these people .
And what can we do — what can @ @ @ @ @ I have that knowledge ? '
''

She continued: "To act like this disease is nothing and you got right over it? I'm so happy that you did. Thank god you did. But guess what? There are a lot of people who didn't. And now, instead of bragging about how wonderful you did, why don't you say, 'Wow, now that I've had this disease, I now can understand a little bit better how it could have affected our country and these people. And what can we do — what can I do — now that I have that knowledge?'"


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--Kamala Harris And Mike Pence Talked About Everything EXCEPT The Last Six Days

Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence steered clear of the chaos of the past 10 days — avoiding questions about their running mates ’ health and age , and about the president contracting COVID-19 and his hospitalization .
Since the first presidential debate on Tuesday of last week , the United States has been submerged in a nonstop series of events : The president , first lady , top military figures , sitting senators , and at least a dozen people connected to the White House have tested positive for the coronavirus , ultimately sending Trump in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now .
But beyond a brief exchange about the Rose Garden event announcing Amy Coney Barrett ’ s nomination to the Supreme Court , an event which Pence defended , neither candidate addressed much about these current events .
Unlike most vice presidential debates of the modern era , this one featured two candidates who might become president or need to assume the duties of the office — a hard reality of a viral pandemic that has disproportionately affected older men .
At 77 and 74 , respectively , Biden and Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US history ( Ronald Reagan was 73 in 1984 ) .
The delicate nature of their ages has been underlined by the last week , in which Trump entered and exited the hospital with the coronavirus , which has spread rapidly through the White House staff and political Washington .
For days since the last debate , the campaigns have traded arguments about safety precautions for this debate — settling at a 12-foot distance and plexiglass separating the candidates , a visual reminder of the bizarre and terrible time we ’ re living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , nor Harris , 55 , answered very clearly when asked about the potential transfer of power to either of them , nor about the conversations they ’ ve had with their respective running mates .
Harris seemed to deliberately avoid criticizing much about Trump ’ s heath , and the events preceding and following his positive diagnosis — a notably chaotic time in a country that now knows political chaos well .
In fact , the debate spent only 15 minutes specifically focused on the virus that has spread across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The two candidates offered vividly different pictures of the state of the pandemic in the United States .
Harris painted the Trump administration ’ s response to the pandemic as inadequate and repeatedly mentioned the number of Americans who have passed away from COVID-19 and the vice president ’ s role as the chair of the White House ’ s Coronavirus Taskforce .
“ Whatever the vice president is claiming the administration has done , clearly it has n't worked .
When you 're looking at over 210,000 dead bodies in our country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost , families that are grieving that loss , ” Harris said .
Harris repeatedly returned to the timeline that the Trump administration had to respond to the virus , appealing directly to voters about what they could have done if they ’ d had information about the virus sooner than it had been provided by White House officials .
“ Can you imagine if you knew on Jan. 28 , as opposed to March 13 , what they knew , what you might have done to prepare ?
” Harris asked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you had as a parent , if you had as a worker knowing you did n't have enough money saved up and now you 're standing in a food line because of the ineptitude of an administration that was unwilling to speak the truth to the American people , ” she later added .
Pence painted a rosier picture of the administration ’ s response to the virus and glazed over the president ’ s diagnosis and failure to follow his own Centers for Disease Control ’ s recommendations .
“ President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people and their ability to take that information and put it into practice , ” Pence said .
He added that he and the president trusted the American public to follow recommendations and attacked the Biden campaign for suggesting a national mask mandate , a measure that former vice president Joe Biden has repeatedly mentioned that he would have instituted since the start of the pandemic .
Mostly , though , the candidates criticized each other ’ s records , and those of Trump and Biden , sharply but in measured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s nearly incomprehensible debate between Trump and Biden .
They actually have very different views , talking about policing ( Harris argued for reform , Pence defended police ) , fracking ( Pence said Biden would ban fracking , Harris said he wouldn ’ t ) , and climate change ( Pence tersely said the climate was changing , Harris talked about the issue as an existential threat ) .
But in an election where nearly everyone seems to have already decided , the contrast with last week stood out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Susan Page kept trying to cut him off when he went over time , and twice answered the previous question , neither candidate raised their voice in any particular way .
Even when the candidates were ostensibly calling each other liars and criticizing each of their records deep into the past ( on auto bailouts and prosecutions ) , it remained civil .
Even the last question of the debate — a letter from an eighth grader in Utah — gestured at the more subdued event .
“ When I watch the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against citizen , ” the questioner wrote .
“ When I watch the news , all I see is citizen fighting against citizen .
When I watch the news , all I see are two candidates from opposing parties trying to tear each other down .
If our leaders ca n't get along , how are the citizens supposed to get along ?
” In a pool report from one of the reporters covering the event , a University of Utah student noted the distinction : “ It was a lot more muted @ @ @ @ @ @

Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence steered clear of the chaos of the past 10 days — avoiding questions about their running mates’ health and age, and about the president contracting COVID-19 and his hospitalization.
Since the first presidential debate on Tuesday of last week, the United States has been submerged in a nonstop series of events: The president, first lady, top military figures, sitting senators, and at least a dozen people connected to the White House have tested positive for the coronavirus, ultimately sending Trump in and out of Walter Reed between then and now.
But beyond a brief exchange about the Rose Garden event announcing Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court, an event which Pence defended, neither candidate addressed much about these current events.
Unlike most vice presidential debates of the modern era, this one featured two candidates who might become president or need to assume the duties of the office — a hard reality of a viral pandemic that has disproportionately affected older men.
At 77 and 74, respectively, Biden and Donald Trump are already the oldest presidential candidates in US history (Ronald Reagan was 73 in 1984). The delicate nature of their ages has been underlined by the last week, in which Trump entered and exited the hospital with the coronavirus, which has spread rapidly through the White House staff and political Washington. For days since the last debate, the campaigns have traded arguments about safety precautions for this debate — settling at a 12-foot distance and plexiglass separating the candidates, a visual reminder of the bizarre and terrible time we’re living in.
But neither Pence, 61, nor Harris, 55, answered very clearly when asked about the potential transfer of power to either of them, nor about the conversations they’ve had with their respective running mates. Harris seemed to deliberately avoid criticizing much about Trump’s heath, and the events preceding and following his positive diagnosis — a notably chaotic time in a country that now knows political chaos well.
In fact, the debate spent only 15 minutes specifically focused on the virus that has spread across the country and killed more than 210,000 Americans.
The two candidates offered vividly different pictures of the state of the pandemic in the United States. Harris painted the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic as inadequate and repeatedly mentioned the number of Americans who have passed away from COVID-19 and the vice president’s role as the chair of the White House’s Coronavirus Taskforce.
“Whatever the vice president is claiming the administration has done, clearly it hasn't worked. When you're looking at over 210,000 dead bodies in our country, American lives, that have been lost, families that are grieving that loss,” Harris said.
Harris repeatedly returned to the timeline that the Trump administration had to respond to the virus, appealing directly to voters about what they could have done if they’d had information about the virus sooner than it had been provided by White House officials.
“Can you imagine if you knew on Jan. 28, as opposed to March 13, what they knew, what you might have done to prepare?” Harris asked.
“This administration stood on information that if you had as a parent, if you had as a worker knowing you didn't have enough money saved up and now you're standing in a food line because of the ineptitude of an administration that was unwilling to speak the truth to the American people,” she later added.
Pence painted a rosier picture of the administration’s response to the virus and glazed over the president’s diagnosis and failure to follow his own Centers for Disease Control’s recommendations.
“President Trump and I have great confidence in the American people and their ability to take that information and put it into practice,” Pence said.
He added that he and the president trusted the American public to follow recommendations and attacked the Biden campaign for suggesting a national mask mandate, a measure that former vice president Joe Biden has repeatedly mentioned that he would have instituted since the start of the pandemic.
Mostly, though, the candidates criticized each other’s records, and those of Trump and Biden, sharply but in measured, practically dulcet tones compared to last week’s nearly incomprehensible debate between Trump and Biden. They actually have very different views, talking about policing (Harris argued for reform, Pence defended police), fracking (Pence said Biden would ban fracking, Harris said he wouldn’t), and climate change (Pence tersely said the climate was changing, Harris talked about the issue as an existential threat). But in an election where nearly everyone seems to have already decided, the contrast with last week stood out. Although Pence repeatedly continued speaking when moderator Susan Page kept trying to cut him off when he went over time, and twice answered the previous question, neither candidate raised their voice in any particular way. Even when the candidates were ostensibly calling each other liars and criticizing each of their records deep into the past (on auto bailouts and prosecutions), it remained civil.
Even the last question of the debate — a letter from an eighth-grader in Utah — gestured at the more subdued event. “When I watch the news, all I see is citizen fighting against citizen,” the questioner wrote. “When I watch the news, all I see are two candidates from opposing parties trying to tear each other down. If our leaders can't get along, how are the citizens supposed to get along?”
In a pool report from one of the reporters covering the event, a University of Utah student noted the distinction: “It was a lot more muted than the presidential debate.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--Kamala Harris's Response To Pence Interruptions During The Debate Is A New Meme

Sen. Kamala Harris on Wednesday got a lot of attention online for how she reacted to repeated interruptions by her @ @ @ @ @ Mike Pence .
In between all the policy talk , many viewers had one big @ @ @ @ @ when Pence interrupted her is a whole mood .

Sen. Kamala Harris on Wednesday got a lot of attention online for how she reacted to repeated interruptions by her debate opponent, Vice President Mike Pence.
In between all the policy talk, many viewers had one big takeaway: Harris's reaction when Pence interrupted her is a whole mood.


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--There Was A Huge Difference In The Way Kamala Harris And Mike Pence Addressed Healthcare In The Deba

There Was A Huge Difference In The Way Kamala Harris And Mike Pence Addressed Healthcare In The Debate

`` If you have a preexisting condition , heart disease , diabetes , breast cancer , they 're coming for you .
If you love someone with a preexisting condition , they 're coming for you .
If you 're under the age of 26 on your parents ' coverage , they 're coming for you , '' she said .
`` On the other hand , Donald Trump is in court trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act , which means that you will lose protections if you have preexisting conditions , '' she said .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris , the Democratic nominee for vice president , praised the Affordable Care Act , one of the signature policy achievements under the Obama administration .
She pointed out that the ACA provided more than 20 million Americans with healthcare and put in place protections for people with preexisting conditions , and contrasted that with the Trump administration 's repeated efforts at repealing those protections .
Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence drew stark distinctions in tone and substance on the issue of healthcare at the vice presidential debate on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition , the Trump administration is coming for you .
When it was his turn to respond , Pence said he and the president `` have a plan to improve healthcare and protect preexisting conditions for every American , '' in reference to Trump 's plan on healthcare that he unveiled weeks ago .
The plan , which came in the form of an executive order , declared that it is `` the policy of the United States '' to protect people with preexisting conditions , but does not explain how exactly the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which Trump and Republicans have been trying to overturn in court .
`` Senator Harris , you 're entitled to your own opinion , but you 're not entitled to your own facts , '' Pence said , appearing to end his rebuttal on the topic of the administration 's healthcare plan before bringing up fossil fuels .
But the issue came up again later in the night , with Harris bringing up Trump 's effort to repeal the ACA in court amid a pandemic that she said his administration has mishandled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US who have contracted the coronavirus and survived , she added , will likely be considered to have a preexisting condition by health insurance companies .
`` Donald Trump is in court right now trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act .
I said it before , and it bears repeating , '' she said .
`` This means that there will be no more protections , if they win , for people with preexisting conditions .
This means that over 20 million people will lose your coverage . ''
Moderator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a question about the Trump administration 's support for a lawsuit to strike down the ACA to Pence .
`` President Trump says he 's going to protect people with pre-existing conditions , but not how he 's going to do that , '' Page said .
`` How would your administration protect people with pre-existing conditions if the affordable care act is struck down ? ''
For the second time that night , Pence dodged the question , and instead asked Harris whether she and Biden would pack the Supreme Court .

When it was his turn to respond, Pence said he and the president "have a plan to improve healthcare and protect preexisting conditions for every American," in reference to Trump's plan on healthcare that he unveiled weeks ago.
The plan, which came in the form of an executive order, declared that it is "the policy of the United States" to protect people with preexisting conditions, but does not explain how exactly the administration will protect them without the ACA, which Trump and Republicans have been trying to overturn in court.
"Sen. Harris, you're entitled to your own opinion, but you're not entitled to your own facts," Pence said, appearing to end his rebuttal on the topic of the administration's healthcare plan before bringing up fossil fuels.
But the issue came up again later in the night, with Harris bringing up Trump's effort to repeal the ACA in court amid a pandemic that she said his administration has mishandled. The millions of people in the US who have contracted the coronavirus and survived, she added, will likely be considered to have a preexisting condition by health insurance companies.
"Donald Trump is in court right now trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. I said it before, and it bears repeating," she said. "This means that there will be no more protections, if they win, for people with preexisting conditions. This means that over 20 million people will lose your coverage."
Moderator Susan Page of USA Today then directed a question about the Trump administration's support for a lawsuit to strike down the ACA to Pence.
"President Trump says he's going to protect people with preexisting conditions, but not how he's going to do that," Page said. "How would your administration protect people with preexisting conditions if the Affordable Care Act is struck down?"
For the second time that night, Pence dodged the question and instead asked Harris whether she and Biden would pack the Supreme Court.


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--Kamala Harris Said She Wouldn't Take A COVID Vaccine Only Recommended By Trump

Sen. Kamala Harris said during Wednesday 's vice presidential debate that she would take a COVID-19 vaccine only if medical professionals recommended it , not on President Donald Trump 's word alone .
`` If Dr. Fauci , the doctors , tell us that we should take it , I 'll be the first in line to take it , '' Harris said .
`` But if Donald Trump tells us we should take it , I 'm not going to take it . ''
Harris , the Democratic candidate for vice president , has previously told CNN she would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reelection , not public health , would be his motivation .
Trump has repeatedly pushed for a vaccine to be ready by the election , despite the fact that public health experts have said such a timeline is unrealistic to collect sufficient data on safety and efficacy .
He has also undermined his top federal health officials , calling the longer timeline given by his CDC director a “ mistake , ” and calling FDA guidelines for extra safety data a `` political hit job . ''
Public willingness to take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May to 51 % in September , according to polls by the Pew Research Center .
Vice President Mike Pence attacked Harris for her answer , saying the senator was undermining confidence in a vaccine the Trump administration has claimed will soon be ready for mass distribution .
`` I just ask you to stop playing politics with people 's lives , '' Pence said .
`` The fact that you continue to undermine public confidence in a vaccine , if a vaccine emerges in the Trump administration , is unconscionable . ''

Sen. Kamala Harris said during Wednesday's vice presidential debate that she would take a COVID-19 vaccine only if medical professionals recommended it, not on President Donald Trump's word alone.
"If Dr. Fauci, the doctors, tell us that we should take it, I'll be the first in line to take it," Harris said. "But if Donald Trump tells us we should take it, I'm not going to take it."
Harris, the Democratic candidate for vice president, has previously told CNN she would second-guess Trump's recommendation, suggesting politics and reelection, not public health, would be his motivation.
Trump has repeatedly pushed for a vaccine to be ready by the election, despite the fact that public health experts have said such a timeline is unrealistic to collect sufficient data on safety and efficacy. He has also undermined his top federal health officials, calling the longer timeline given by his CDC director a “mistake,” and calling FDA guidelines for extra safety data a "political hit job."
Public willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine dropped from 72% in May to 51% in September, according to polls by the Pew Research Center.
Vice President Mike Pence attacked Harris for her answer, saying the senator was undermining confidence in a vaccine the Trump administration has claimed will soon be ready for mass distribution.
"I just ask you to stop playing politics with people's lives," Pence said. "The fact that you continue to undermine public confidence in a vaccine, if a vaccine emerges in the Trump administration, is unconscionable."


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--Wisconsin Is Opening A 530-Bed Field Hospital As Coronavirus Cases Continue To Surge

Amid a surge in coronavirus cases that has put a strain on health care facilities across Wisconsin , Gov .
Tony Evers announced Wednesday that the state will open a 530-bed field hospital for the first time since the pandemic began .
`` We obviously hoped this day would n't come , but unfortunately Wisconsin is in a much different and more dire place today and our health care systems are being overwhelmed , '' Evers said during a news briefing .
Over the past month , the state 's COVID-19 hospitalizations have nearly tripled — from just 289 Sept. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said .
This week alone , statewide hospitalizations have increased 26 % compared to last week and the number of patients in intensive care units has increased 27 % since last week .
In the Fox Valley , northeast , and southeast regions of the state , hospitals are operating at or above 90 % of their ICU capacity , state Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm said .
The facility at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis outside Milwaukee will be used to treat COVID-19 patients who have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery .
Palm said of the 530 patient spaces , nearly 300 are equipped with inline oxygen , but that the facility , due to open next week , is `` designed for a lower level of care '' and is meant to take pressure off hospitals so they can focus on patients with more severe illness .
Overall , Wisconsin has reported nearly 139,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,415 deaths as of Wednesday , according to DHS data .
The Badger state has emerged as a new hot spot for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during September .
Wisconsin , which has a population of about 5.8 million , currently ranks third behind the Dakotas for the most cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days , according to the New York Times .
On Oct. 3 , the state reported 2,892 new COVID-19 cases — the second record single-day count in as many days ( the state reported 2,887 cases on Oct. 1 ) .
The rapid rise in cases and hospitalizations have also stretched the state 's healthcare workforce and contact tracing efforts , Palm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals reporting `` current or imminent '' staffing shortages due to workers getting sick or having to quarantine because of what she described as `` intense community spread . ''
`` To be clear , this is going to get worse before it gets better , '' Palm said , adding that the need for the alternative care facility is a direct result of the surge in cases and that hospitalizations will continue to rise .
`` We are one of only a few states in the country to need to open an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a list we ever wanted to be on . ''
She and Evers urged individuals to stay home as much as possible , wear face coverings , practice social distancing , and to get tested and quarantine if they experience any symptoms .
`` We 're in crisis in Wisconsin , '' Palm said .
`` A crisis calls for drastic measures and I 'm calling on every single one of us to do all that we can to protect each other . ''
Wednesday 's announcement comes as officials enact new measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Tuesday , Palm issued an emergency order limiting indoor public gatherings in restaurants , bars , and other businesses to no more than 25 % of a room or building ’ s total occupancy beginning Thursday through Nov. 6 .
The order does not apply to child care settings , schools , health care facilities , polling locations , or places of worship .
Evers also announced more than $ 100 million in grants for small businesses and other industries , citing a lack of federal support .
On Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations on a new coronavirus relief bill until after the election .
“ Small businesses , including the tourism and lodging industries , are the backbone of our Wisconsin communities , ” Evers said .
“ Our communities are in desperate need of additional federal support , but we can ’ t wait a moment longer to do what we can here in Wisconsin.
” Statewide efforts to keep the virus at bay have been hamstrung by a Republican-controlled legislature , which has repeatedly challenged efforts by Evers , a Democrat , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In May , the state 's Supreme Court struck down Evers ' statewide stay at home order after Republican lawmakers sued , lifting all restrictions on businesses and gatherings .
A ruling is expected soon on a similar challenge to a statewide mask mandate Evers issued in August , according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel .
The new order on public gatherings is expected to be challenged in court as well .
Regardless of whether that order , which does not apply to private gatherings in people 's homes , will stand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to slow the spread of the coronavirus depend on individuals heeding public health guidance and acting responsibly .
`` People 's lives are at stake here , the ability for healthcare workers to do their work is at stake here , and if we just blatantly ignore that issue we ’ ll still be sitting here counting the numbers and it will get worse and worse , '' Evers said .
`` We need people to respond in the best way possible . ''

Amid a surge in coronavirus cases that has put a strain on health care facilities across Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers announced Wednesday that the state will open a 530-bed field hospital for the first time since the pandemic began.
"We obviously hoped this day wouldn't come, but unfortunately Wisconsin is in a much different and more dire place today and our health care systems are being overwhelmed," Evers said during a news briefing.
Over the past month, the state's COVID-19 hospitalizations have nearly tripled — from just 289 Sept. 7 to 853 as of Tuesday — officials said. This week alone, statewide hospitalizations have increased 26% compared to last week and the number of patients in intensive care units has increased 27% since last week. In the Fox Valley, northeast, and southeast regions of the state, hospitals are operating at or above 90% of their ICU capacity, state Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm said.
The facility at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis outside Milwaukee will be used to treat COVID-19 patients who have been hospitalized but are on their road to recovery. Palm said of the 530 patient spaces, nearly 300 are equipped with inline oxygen, but that the facility, due to open next week, is "designed for a lower level of care" and is meant to take pressure off hospitals so they can focus on patients with more severe illness.
Overall, Wisconsin has reported nearly 139,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,415 deaths as of Wednesday, according to DHS data. The Badger state has emerged as a new hot spot for the virus in recent weeks as cases skyrocketed during September. Wisconsin, which has a population of about 5.8 million, currently ranks third behind the Dakotas for the most cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days, according to the New York Times. On Oct. 3, the state reported 2,892 new COVID-19 cases — the second record single-day count in as many days (the state reported 2,887 cases on Oct. 1).
The rapid rise in cases and hospitalizations have also stretched the state's healthcare workforce and contact tracing efforts, Palm said, noting that every region has hospitals reporting "current or imminent" staffing shortages due to workers getting sick or having to quarantine because of what she described as "intense community spread."
"To be clear, this is going to get worse before it gets better," Palm said, adding that the need for the alternative care facility is a direct result of the surge in cases and that hospitalizations will continue to rise. "We are one of only a few states in the country to need to open an alternative care facility. This is not a list we ever wanted to be on."
She and Evers urged individuals to stay home as much as possible, wear face coverings, practice social distancing, and to get tested and quarantine if they experience any symptoms.
"We're in crisis in Wisconsin," Palm said. "A crisis calls for drastic measures and I'm calling on every single one of us to do all that we can to protect each other."
Wednesday's announcement comes as officials enact new measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus. On Tuesday, Palm issued an emergency order limiting indoor public gatherings in restaurants, bars, and other businesses to no more than 25% of a room or building’s total occupancy beginning Thursday through Nov. 6. The order does not apply to child care settings, schools, health care facilities, polling locations, or places of worship.
Evers also announced more than $100 million in grants for small businesses and other industries, citing a lack of federal support. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he was ending negotiations on a new coronavirus relief bill until after the election.
“Small businesses, including the tourism and lodging industries, are the backbone of our Wisconsin communities,” Evers said. “Our communities are in desperate need of additional federal support, but we can’t wait a moment longer to do what we can here in Wisconsin.”
Statewide efforts to keep the virus at bay have been hamstrung by a Republican-controlled legislature, which has repeatedly challenged efforts by Evers, a Democrat, to slow the spread of the disease.
In May, the state's Supreme Court struck down Evers' statewide stay at home order after Republican lawmakers sued, lifting all restrictions on businesses and gatherings. A ruling is expected soon on a similar challenge to a statewide mask mandate Evers issued in August, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The new order on public gatherings is expected to be challenged in court as well.
Regardless of whether that order, which does not apply to private gatherings in people's homes, will stand, Evers reiterated on Wednesday that any efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus depend on individuals heeding public health guidance and acting responsibly.
"People's lives are at stake here, the ability for healthcare workers to do their work is at stake here, and if we just blatantly ignore that issue we’ll still be sitting here counting the numbers and it will get worse and worse," Evers said. "We need people to respond in the best way possible."


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--Donald Trump Is Canceling TV Ads In Midwest States That Made Him President

President Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign is slashing television spending in the Midwest , canceling millions of dollars in advertising in states that carried him to victory in 2016 .
He ’ s been off the local airwaves completely in Iowa and Ohio .
The campaign also has given up at least $ 2 million worth of reservations in both Michigan and Wisconsin since early September .
And in Minnesota , a state Trump almost won four years ago and has expressed confidence in flipping , his team already has chopped about $ 5 million from its projected fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the media firm Advertising Analytics , reflect a race where Democrat Joe Biden has gained a fundraising advantage over Trump and where polling suggests these states are competitive toss-ups or tipping toward Biden .
The Trump campaign , meanwhile , according to data shared by Democratic ad trackers , has in recent weeks boosted its TV presence in the Sun Belt battlegrounds — Arizona , Florida , and Georgia — and Nevada , a state Trump lost in 2016 .
As Trump ’ s retreat in Iowa and Ohio became more pronounced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a sign of strength , despite polls that show him essentially tied with Biden in both states .
And Biden ’ s campaign has accelerated its advertising in Ohio , which at the beginning of the 2020 cycle many Democrats did not believe would be a top-tier swing state .
“ I don ’ t think the spin is in any way congruent with the reality , ” Nicholas Everhart , an Ohio-based Republican ad maker , told BuzzFeed News .
“ There ’ s no reason why [ Trump ] would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air in those states , particularly Ohio , at this moment .
Clearly there are some unpleasant financial realities impacting the strategic decisions they are making . ''
Biden and the Democratic National Committee outraised Trump and the Republicans by more than $ 150 million in August .
Neither side has yet released September fundraising totals .
Trump still has millions of dollars in TV time reserved for each of the five Midwest battlegrounds through Election Day , but he could cancel those commitments in the remaining three weeks .
He also could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though that ’ s not been the trend .
“ If overspending on TV ads determined the outcome of elections , Hillary Clinton would be president — but it ’ s cute that Joe Biden and his campaign think buying ads in these states makes up for years of Democrats viewing them as flyover country , '' Samantha Zager , the Trump campaign 's deputy national press secretary , said in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
`` Biden can try to buy votes , but President Trump and his campaign will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the airwaves — and come November , we ’ ll be celebrating victory while Biden binge watches his TV ads from his basement.
” Biden ’ s campaign , like Trump ’ s , has shifted money in and out of states to address the changing dynamics of the race .
A Biden spokesperson said the campaign ’ s ad spending has increased overall and in the Midwest but did not disclose where or by how much .
`` We 're building the widest possible path to 270 electoral votes in November , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have been battered by Trump 's historic mishandling of our response to COVID-19 and by his disastrous economic policies that put manufacturing into recession , cost us millions of jobs , and have left working families falling further and further behind , ” said the spokesperson , Mike Gwin , in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
Trump ’ s chances of a second term are trickier without two or more of the Midwest battlegrounds — he ’ d have to make up for losses there by holding the South and perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire .
Losing Iowa or Ohio , in particular , could signal problems in Pennsylvania or Nebraska ’ s 2nd Congressional District , which awards one electoral vote .
The tightened race in Ohio has Biden officials and their allies particularly optimistic that Democrats are well positioned to win back places Hillary Clinton lost in 2016 .
Sen. Sherrod Brown told BuzzFeed News this week that modest late-summer ad buys in Toledo and Youngstown — seen by many at the time as a shrewd move to also reach voters in neighboring Michigan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to expand its effort in the state .
This week , with Trump still off the air there , the campaign placed its largest Ohio ad buy of the fall .
“ They did some experimental TV in Youngstown and Toledo , and I think they saw movement in polls , they saw what we were telling them is actually true — that there is great enthusiasm for Biden , and some Trump voters are regretting their vote , ” Brown , who for weeks had privately been urging Biden to make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a telephone interview .
“ So , the experiment there worked .
It gave them an indication that good things can happen.
” Republicans also see the state as a tipping point .
“ I think Ohio is kind of the head and neck of the Midwest , ” Michael Hartley , a Republican strategist in Ohio , told BuzzFeed News “ In 2016 [ Trump ] won by 8 , and I think there was carryover into neighboring states like Pennsylvania and Michigan .
It ’ s the same type of folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania , Michigan , and Wisconsin have very similar people , particularly when you get into the working class .
Shave a couple percentage points off that , and that could matter .
If I see Trump winning Ohio by 6 to 8 points , then I think it means he ’ s winning nationally .
Obviously if he loses Ohio , it ’ s Bad News Bears all around.
” This story was updated to include the response from the Trump campaign .

President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign is slashing television spending in the Midwest, canceling millions of dollars in advertising in states that carried him to victory in 2016.
He’s been off the local airwaves completely in Iowa and Ohio. The campaign also has given up at least $2 million worth of reservations in both Michigan and Wisconsin since early September. And in Minnesota, a state Trump almost won four years ago and has expressed confidence in flipping, his team already has chopped about $5 million from its projected fall TV budget.
The numbers, confirmed by the media firm Advertising Analytics, reflect a race where Democrat Joe Biden has gained a fundraising advantage over Trump and where polling suggests these states are competitive toss-ups or tipping toward Biden. The Trump campaign, meanwhile, according to data shared by Democratic ad trackers, has in recent weeks boosted its TV presence in the Sun Belt battlegrounds — Arizona, Florida, and Georgia — and Nevada, a state Trump lost in 2016.
As Trump’s retreat in Iowa and Ohio became more pronounced this week, his advisers dismissed it as a sign of strength, despite polls that show him essentially tied with Biden in both states. And Biden’s campaign has accelerated its advertising in Ohio, which at the beginning of the 2020 cycle many Democrats did not believe would be a top-tier swing state.
“I don’t think the spin is in any way congruent with the reality,” Nicholas Everhart, an Ohio-based Republican ad maker, told BuzzFeed News. “There’s no reason why [Trump] would not be wanting to be on the air in those states, particularly Ohio, at this moment. Clearly there are some unpleasant financial realities impacting the strategic decisions they are making."
Biden and the Democratic National Committee outraised Trump and the Republicans by more than $150 million in August. Neither side has yet released September fundraising totals.
Trump still has millions of dollars in TV time reserved for each of the five Midwest battlegrounds through Election Day, but he could cancel those commitments in the remaining three weeks. He also could buy more time in the states, though that’s not been the trend.
“If overspending on TV ads determined the outcome of elections, Hillary Clinton would be president — but it’s cute that Joe Biden and his campaign think buying ads in these states makes up for years of Democrats viewing them as flyover country," Samantha Zager, the Trump campaign's deputy national press secretary, said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. "Biden can try to buy votes, but President Trump and his campaign will continue earning them on the ground and on the airwaves — and come November, we’ll be celebrating victory while Biden binge watches his TV ads from his basement.”
Biden’s campaign, like Trump’s, has shifted money in and out of states to address the changing dynamics of the race. A Biden spokesperson said the campaign’s ad spending has increased overall and in the Midwest but did not disclose where or by how much.
"We're building the widest possible path to 270 electoral votes in November, and that includes states across the Midwest that have been battered by Trump's historic mishandling of our response to COVID-19 and by his disastrous economic policies that put manufacturing into recession, cost us millions of jobs, and have left working families falling further and further behind,” said the spokesperson, Mike Gwin, in a statement to BuzzFeed News.
Trump’s chances of a second term are trickier without two or more of the Midwest battlegrounds — he’d have to make up for losses there by holding the South and perhaps flipping states such as Nevada or New Hampshire. Losing Iowa or Ohio, in particular, could signal problems in Pennsylvania or Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, which awards one electoral vote.
The tightened race in Ohio has Biden officials and their allies particularly optimistic that Democrats are well positioned to win back places Hillary Clinton lost in 2016. Sen. Sherrod Brown told BuzzFeed News this week that modest late-summer ad buys in Toledo and Youngstown — seen by many at the time as a shrewd move to also reach voters in neighboring Michigan and Pennsylvania — helped convince the Biden team to expand its effort in the state. This week, with Trump still off the air there, the campaign placed its largest Ohio ad buy of the fall.
“They did some experimental TV in Youngstown and Toledo, and I think they saw movement in polls, they saw what we were telling them is actually true — that there is great enthusiasm for Biden, and some Trump voters are regretting their vote,” Brown, who for weeks had privately been urging Biden to make a bigger play in Ohio, said in a telephone interview. “So, the experiment there worked. It gave them an indication that good things can happen.”
Republicans also see the state as a tipping point.
“I think Ohio is kind of the head and neck of the Midwest,” Michael Hartley, a Republican strategist in Ohio, told BuzzFeed News “In 2016 [Trump] won by 8, and I think there was carryover into neighboring states like Pennsylvania and Michigan. It’s the same type of folks, the demographics are similar. Western Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin have very similar people, particularly when you get into the working class. Shave a couple percentage points off that, and that could matter. If I see Trump winning Ohio by 6 to 8 points, then I think it means he’s winning nationally. Obviously if he loses Ohio, it’s Bad News Bears all around.”
Kadia Goba contributed reporting.
This story was updated to include the response from the Trump campaign.


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--You Won’t Hear Kamala Harris Saying "Shut Up, Man" In The VP Debate


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--Trump Returned To The White House And Took His Mask Off While Infected With COVID-19

President Donald Trump takes off his face mask after he arrives at the White House upon returning from Walter Reed Medical Center , Oct. 5 , 2020 .
Marine One touched down on the White House 's South Lawn at around 6:54 p.m. , after which Trump walked up the South Portico stairs , removed his face mask , and stood on the balcony overlooking the lawn for photos .
Trump did not respond to questions from reporters as he exited the hospital and got into an SUV , saying only `` thank you very much '' while giving an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the White House on Monday , just hours after doctors admitted they are in `` uncharted territory '' because of the COVID-19 treatments he 's received .
`` I know there 's a risk , there 's a danger , but that 's OK , '' he said .
`` And now I 'm better , and maybe I 'm immune , I do n't know . ''
He also reiterated his message of not letting the coronavirus `` take over your lives '' while defending his decision to relocate to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House , Trump posted a video message on Twitter , insisting , `` I could have left two days ago .
Two days ago I felt great , like better than I have in a long time . ''
Physician Sean Conley , who has delivered a series of muddled and contradictory statements about the president ’ s health in recent days , claimed that his patient “ met or exceeded all standard hospital discharge criteria.
” Trump ’ s doctors justified his departure on Monday after the president tweeted from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people should not “ be afraid of Covid ” or let it “ dominate your life , ” referring to a disease that has killed more than 210,000 Americans and more than 1 million people worldwide .
I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M .
Feeling really good !
Don ’ t be afraid of Covid .
Don ’ t let it dominate your life .
We have developed , under the Trump Administration , some really great drugs & knowledge .
I feel better than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said no doctors caring for the president or White House staffers voiced concerns about Trump returning home on Monday .
At several turns , the physician declined to answer because he said the information was confidential under patient privacy laws — even though he relayed positive updates about the president ’ s health .
Conley ducked questions about whether chest scans showed damage to the president ’ s lungs and when he had last tested negative for COVID-19 , which would help establish where Trump is in the course of his illness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ defy signs that Trump 's case of COVID-19 may in fact be severe .
Over the weekend , Conley disclosed that Trump ’ s oxygen levels had dropped at least twice and that he ’ d been prescribed a steroid that the National Institutes of Health has said is recommended for only severe cases of COVID-19 .
In addition , clinical knowledge suggests that infections can rapidly intensify in the second week of illness .
Brian Garibaldi , another doctor treating Trump , said the president will receive a fourth dose of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discharged and will receive the fifth dose at home , in addition to continuing to receive the steroid , dexamethasone .
For Trump to leave less than 72 hours after being hospitalized runs the risk of being discharged just when his illness could ramp up most dangerously .
Even as Trump was preparing to board Marine One on Monday , he tweeted : `` Will be back on the Campaign Trail soon !
!
! ''
But the CDC has warned that some patients can rapidly deteriorate a week after their illness starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain cautiously optimistic and on guard , because we 're in a bit of uncharted territory when it comes to a patient that received the therapies he has so early in the course , ” said Conley , who said the president would be surrounded by “ 24/7 world-class medical care ” in the White House .
“ We 're looking to this weekend .
If we can get through to Monday with him remaining the same or improving , better yet , then we will all take that final deep sigh of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neurological issues from his illness or medications , Conley denied that there were any , replying , “ He ’ s back.
” Medical experts told BuzzFeed News that even if Trump is feeling well enough right now to go home , that may not last .
Krutika Kuppalli , an infectious diseases physician at the Medical University of South Carolina , said she found the decision to discharge “ curious ” and potentially concerning .
She has had patients with COVID-19 who were seemingly doing well before suddenly deteriorating around day seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he hasn ’ t hit the point in his illness where that could happen , ” she said , conceding that “ this is difficult to know since there is a lot we have not been told about his illness . ''
Megan Ranney , an emergency medicine physician and researcher at Brown University , said that doctors generally try to discharge patients once their vital signs and laboratory tests have normalized .
But that is not normally an option for patients receiving remdesivir , which is administered intravenously .
“ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough judgment call to make , ” she said .
She added that it is uncommon for a person to get sick as quickly as Trump did .
“ The thing that makes me concerned isn ’ t that they ’ re discharging him so quickly — it ’ s that the worst is potentially yet to come , ” she said .
The doctors also noted that , for Trump , going home is by no means equivalent to most people ’ s experience going home from the hospital .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to care and constant monitoring .
As Ranney put it , he is “ having the most VIP of VIP treatments.
” While the president may be clear to go home , that doesn ’ t mean he has a green light health-wise to hit the campaign trail .
“ We need to remember he ’ s still a patient , ” said Carlos del Rio , an infectious disease expert at Emory University .
“ He ’ s still infectious .
He needs to be in isolation for a total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president is one of a growing cluster of at least 14 politicians and White House staffers who were infected with the virus .
Just hours before his tweet , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed she too tested positive for COVID-19 .
Although it is not known when exactly Trump was first infected , he is likely to still be in the earlier stages of the disease , given that he tested positive on Thursday .
Infection from SARS-CoV-2 consists of roughly three stages .
First is the virus ’ s incubation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t show any symptoms , which typically lasts from four to five days but sometimes up to 14 .
Next is the stage in which the virus is detectable and the person experiences symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For those who don ’ t recover at that point , the virus can then cause severe respiratory problems that may require supplemental oxygen or ventilation .
The immune system can go into overdrive , at worst creating a “ cytokine storm ” that spirals out of control and sends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the lungs .
Since checking into Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday night , Trump , his White House staff , and Conley have blanketed the airwaves with contradictory messages about the state of the president ’ s health .
In a series of videos tweeted out from the hospital , Trump has repeatedly insisted that he is doing well .
An anonymous source told reporters Saturday that the president ’ s vitals were “ very concerning ” — and then , when media outlets revealed that source to be White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staffer said on the record that “ doctors are pleased with his vital signs.
” At back-to-back press conferences over the weekend , Conley maintained a relentlessly positive tone as he ducked key questions about his patient ’ s health .
He described Trump on Saturday as having mild symptoms ( “ a mild cough and some nasal congestion and fatigue ” ) , then on Sunday as having “ continued to improve.
” It was then that the president ’ s medical team said that Trump could be discharged as soon as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s cheerful portrayal — an attempt to “ reflect the upbeat attitude ” of the president , Conley admitted under questioning Sunday — there were a few clear signs that Trump ’ s condition was worsening rather than improving .

Brian Garibaldi, another doctor treating Trump, said the president will receive a fourth dose of the antiviral drug remdesivir this evening before being discharged and will receive the fifth dose at home, in addition to continuing to receive the steroid, dexamethasone.
For Trump to leave less than 72 hours after being hospitalized runs the risk of being discharged just when his illness could ramp up most dangerously.
Even as Trump was preparing to board Marine One on Monday, he tweeted: "Will be back on the Campaign Trail soon!!!"
But the CDC has warned that some patients can rapidly deteriorate a week after their illness starts.
“That's why we all remain cautiously optimistic and on guard, because we're in a bit of uncharted territory when it comes to a patient that received the therapies he has so early in the course,” said Conley, who said the president would be surrounded by “24/7 world-class medical care” in the White House. “We're looking to this weekend. If we can get through to Monday with him remaining the same or improving, better yet, then we will all take that final deep sigh of relief.”
Asked whether the president had neurological issues from his illness or medications, Conley denied that there were any, replying, “He’s back.”
Medical experts told BuzzFeed News that even if Trump is feeling well enough right now to go home, that may not last.
Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases physician at the Medical University of South Carolina, said she found the decision to discharge “curious” and potentially concerning. She has had patients with COVID-19 who were seemingly doing well before suddenly deteriorating around day seven. “I would be worried that he hasn’t hit the point in his illness where that could happen,” she said, conceding that “this is difficult to know since there is a lot we have not been told about his illness."
Megan Ranney, an emergency medicine physician and researcher at Brown University, said that doctors generally try to discharge patients once their vital signs and laboratory tests have normalized. But that is not normally an option for patients receiving remdesivir, which is administered intravenously. “This is just an unprecedented situation and a really tough judgment call to make,” she said.
She added that it is uncommon for a person to get sick as quickly as Trump did. “The thing that makes me concerned isn’t that they’re discharging him so quickly — it’s that the worst is potentially yet to come,” she said.
The doctors also noted that, for Trump, going home is by no means equivalent to most people’s experience going home from the hospital. In the White House, he will have unusual access to care and constant monitoring. As Ranney put it, he is “having the most VIP of VIP treatments.”
While the president may be clear to go home, that doesn’t mean he has a green light health-wise to hit the campaign trail.
“We need to remember he’s still a patient,” said Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease expert at Emory University. “He’s still infectious. He needs to be in isolation for a total of 10 days after the diagnosis.”
The president is one of a growing cluster of at least 14 politicians and White House staffers who were infected with the virus. Just hours before his tweet, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed she too tested positive for COVID-19.
Although it is not known when exactly Trump was first infected, he is likely to still be in the earlier stages of the disease, given that he tested positive on Thursday.
Infection from SARS-CoV-2 consists of roughly three stages. First is the virus’s incubation period, in which the infected person doesn’t show any symptoms, which typically lasts from four to five days but sometimes up to 14. Next is the stage in which the virus is detectable and the person experiences symptoms, such as fever and cough.
For those who don’t recover at that point, the virus can then cause severe respiratory problems that may require supplemental oxygen or ventilation. The immune system can go into overdrive, at worst creating a “cytokine storm” that spirals out of control and sends immune cells to attack vital organs such as the lungs.
Since checking into Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday night, Trump, his White House staff, and Conley have blanketed the airwaves with contradictory messages about the state of the president’s health.
In a series of videos tweeted out from the hospital, Trump has repeatedly insisted that he is doing well. An anonymous source told reporters Saturday that the president’s vitals were “very concerning” — and then, when media outlets revealed that source to be White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, the staffer said on the record that “doctors are pleased with his vital signs.”
At back-to-back press conferences over the weekend, Conley maintained a relentlessly positive tone as he ducked key questions about his patient’s health. He described Trump on Saturday as having mild symptoms (“a mild cough and some nasal congestion and fatigue”), then on Sunday as having “continued to improve.” It was then that the president’s medical team said that Trump could be discharged as soon as the following day.
Despite the doctor’s cheerful portrayal — an attempt to “reflect the upbeat attitude” of the president, Conley admitted under questioning Sunday — there were a few clear signs that Trump’s condition was worsening rather than improving.


buzzfeed--2020-10-09--This Dentist Went Viral After Demonstrating How Much Toothpaste You Actually Need When Brushing

We also asked Dr. Gao if all toothpastes were essentially the same or if there is a certain type he @ @ @ @ @ like shampoo .
If you think about it as a product to clean your teeth @ @ @ @ @ your hair — then , yes , all toothpaste serves this purpose .
However , @ @ @ @ @ to treat a specific condition , such as gum disease , then certainly some types @ @ @ @ @ do so more than others by virtue of their ingredients , '' he explained .

We also asked Dr. Gao if all toothpastes were essentially the same or if there is a certain type he recommends. "Toothpaste is like shampoo. If you think about it as a product to clean your teeth — just as shampoo cleans your hair — then, yes, all toothpaste serves this purpose. However, if you’re looking to treat a specific condition, such as gum disease, then certainly some types of toothpastes are able to do so more than others by virtue of their ingredients," he explained.


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--14 People Shared Photos Of Their Bodies After Giving Birth, And It's The Definition Of Beauty And St

14 People Shared Photos Of Their Bodies After Giving Birth, And It's The Definition Of Beauty And Strength

`` Moms , we seriously need to give ourselves more credit ... and grace !
Snapping back is awesome , @ @ @ @ @ body to take its time and heal how it wants to for as long as @ @ @ @ @ ’ s no deadline .
In the meantime , be proud of all it has @ @ @ @ @ human , then birthing that human , then nourishing and sustaining the life of that @ @ @ @ @ is so taboo to talk about , but I DARE you to change the narrative @ @ @ @ @ rock that FUPA/those stretch marks/that loose skin with pride .
I know I will !
@ @ @ @ @ got time to be sucking in all day !
🥴😩🤣 '' You can follow Troy @ @ @ @


buzzfeed--2020-10-08--This Woman With Dyslexia Challenged People On TikTok To Read Like Her And It's Eye Opening

BuzzFeed also spoke to Lindsay , who said that whenever she posts about her dyslexia , her DMs get flooded @ @ @ @ @ she gives them hope .
`` It was clear to me that they feel how @ @ @ @ @ used to think there was no way I could be successful because I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ feel that it is important that I help them , and others , understand how @ @ @ @ @ dyslexic in our school system .
I want to shed light on how resilient and @ @ @ @ @ , '' she explained .

BuzzFeed also spoke to Lindsay, who said that whenever she posts about her dyslexia, her DMs get flooded with people telling her that she gives them hope. "It was clear to me that they feel how I used to — I used to think there was no way I could be successful because I can’t even spell. I feel that it is important that I help them, and others, understand how hard it is to be dyslexic in our school system. I want to shed light on how resilient and successful people with dyslexia are," she explained.


buzzfeed--2020-10-09--"The Vampire Diaries" Stars Paul Wesley And Matthew Davis Debated Politics On Twitter And It Got Ugl

"The Vampire Diaries" Stars Paul Wesley And Matthew Davis Debated Politics On Twitter And It Got Ugly

But it did n't end there .
Matthew then shared screenshots of tweets he 'd been receiving from people who @ @ @ @ @ Wesley fans .
Matthew tagged the Tell Me a Story star in them , with @ @ @ @ @ fans are real class .
You should be proud . ''

But it didn't end there. Matthew then shared screenshots of tweets he'd been receiving from people who he assumed to be Paul Wesley fans. Matthew tagged the Tell Me a Story star in them, with this caption, "Your fans are real class. You should be proud."


buzzfeed--2020-10-09--No, That Trump Video Isn’t Green-Screened

Trump is actually standing outside the White House in his latest video .
On Thursday , President Donald Trump tweeted a video of himself in front of the White House , talking about a variety of topics from the military to how the experimental antibody cocktail he received is a cure for COVID-19 .
The video appears to have been shot in front of the White House , but it also looks unnatural in a way that inspired some to claim it was filmed in front of a green screen .
But that ’ s not the case .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing outside on his own , the White House told BuzzFeed News .
Green screen truthers pointed to the way that the trees behind him moved as evidence of some sort of Weekend at Bernie 's shenanigans .
Instead of smooth , natural movement , the leaves of the trees appear to briefly stop on occasion as though they were part of a video loop .
Suspicious !
But video experts told BuzzFeed News that while the trees behind Trump might appear to be part of a video loop , they probably are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of digital forensics , image analysis , and human perception at UC Berkeley , agreed , telling BuzzFeed News the video does appear to include compression artifacts .
“ Most compression standards employ ‘ predicted ’ frames that use the content and motion from previous frames to encode the data on subsequent frames , ” Farid explained .
“ This saves quite a bit of file/transfer size because not all of the data has to be encoded .
At the same time , these predicted frames tend to be of lower quality because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such , most compression standards interlace the predicted frames with higher-quality non-predicted frames .
This creates occasional perceptual ‘ skips ’ as frames of varying quality are displayed.
” This is why the trees behind Trump might appear to some to be part of a video loop .
Farid and Williams both noted that the crisp shadows in the video appear to be consistent with the movement of the sun .
Reached for comment , a spokesperson for the White House told BuzzFeed News that the video was indeed filmed on the South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to October 2020 , where even the simplest of things — trees blowing in the wind , a hiccup , a walk to a helicopter — raise questions .

Hany Farid, a professor of digital forensics, image analysis, and human perception at UC Berkeley, agreed, telling BuzzFeed News the video does appear to include compression artifacts.
“Most compression standards employ ‘predicted’ frames that use the content and motion from previous frames to encode the data on subsequent frames,” Farid explained. “This saves quite a bit of file/transfer size because not all of the data has to be encoded. At the same time, these predicted frames tend to be of lower quality because the prediction is not perfect. As such, most compression standards interlace the predicted frames with higher-quality non-predicted frames. This creates occasional perceptual ‘skips’ as frames of varying quality are displayed.”
This is why the trees behind Trump might appear to some to be part of a video loop. Farid and Williams both noted that the crisp shadows in the video appear to be consistent with the movement of the sun.
Reached for comment, a spokesperson for the White House told BuzzFeed News that the video was indeed filmed on the South Lawn of the White House.
Welcome to October 2020, where even the simplest of things — trees blowing in the wind, a hiccup, a walk to a helicopter — raise questions.