hotair--2020-07-29--Concession? Team Trump stops buying TV ads in Michigan -- for now

We ’ re only three months out from Election Day so you can ’ t fault them for beginning to think strategically .
Every dollar that ’ s wasted on a state that ’ s a lost cause is a dollar that can ’ t be spent in a state that isn ’ t .
But remember , Trump has a huge fundraising advantage over Biden by dint of his incumbency and his ability to raise money for the general election while Sleepy Joe was still bogged down in primaries .
If he ’ s backing away from a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s because he ’ s in a deep enough hole nationally that every last dollar might be needed to successfully perform electoral-college triage .
He ’ s not getting 306 electoral votes this time .
It ’ s unlikely , although not impossible , that he ’ ll flip any Hillary 2016 states from blue to red .
The game in 2020 is simple : Get to 270 by hook or by crook .
If that means cutting Michigan loose and spending all of the money allocated for it on must-win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He can afford to concede Michigan plus 20 more electoral votes to Biden and still win a second term ( coincidentally , Pennsylvania has exactly 20 electoral votes ) but it ’ s a psychological blow to see the campaign temporarily retreat from the site of one of Trump ’ s most stunning upsets four years ago .
Per the Times , they still have $ 11 million in ads tentatively reserved for September , so maybe they ’ ll be back .
For the moment , though , they ’ re fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of June , Mr. Trump has spent more money on ads in 10 other states — with Michigan falling behind even much smaller states like Iowa and Nevada — and in recent days , Mr. Trump ’ s campaign stopped buying ads in Michigan entirely… Mr. Trump faces a trifecta of troubles in Michigan , according to political strategists and state polling : reduced support among less educated white voters in a contest against Mr. Biden compared with Hillary Clinton ; motivated Black voters in the state ’ s urban centers ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s divisive brand of politics… There are uniquely local factors hampering the president , too : Mr. Trump ’ s unprovoked and unfulfilled threat this spring to “ hold up funding ” to the state because election officials planned to send absentee ballot applications to voters , as well as his loud sparring with Michigan ’ s Democratic governor , Gretchen Whitmer , over her response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Voters now consistently rate her performance on the issue positively and his unfavorably… Bradley Beychok , the president of American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has made Michigan a major focus , argued that the ad spending disparity was a sign that “ Trump is conceding part of the battleground.
” If it holds , he said , “ this is a big , seismic event.
” The campaign hasn ’ t bought a TV ad in Michigan since July 3 .
They ’ re still organizing in the state and pro-Trump Super PACs are set to start spending there soon in hopes of keeping Biden ’ s lead manageable in case events this fall give Trump some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy to see why Team Trump might back away now .
Biden leads by 8.0 points in the RCP average , his biggest margin in any battleground state .
Within the past week he ’ s flirted with topping 50 percent on average whereas Trump hasn ’ t managed to top 42 percent in any poll taken this month .
Until this morning ’ s Change Research survey , which put him ahead by four points , Sleepy Joe hadn ’ t led by less than six in Michigan since June .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year ’ s primary results as well .
One of the earliest hints of Clinton ’ s weakness in 2016 came from the Michigan Democratic primary , when Bernie Sanders pulled the upset of the year — until November 8 — by winning by a point and a half : Sanders hoped Michigan would deliver for him again this year and blunt the Joementum that Biden had picked up with his string of wins on Super Tuesday .
The good news for him is that he got nearly as many votes this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 577,000 versus 595,000 ) .
The bad news is , uh… Biden got 838,000 votes and won by nearly 17 points .
There ’ s good reason to believe he ’ s considerably stronger in Michigan than Hillary was , and even a weak Clinton managed to come within 11,000 votes of beating Trump .
Imagine what suckers Team Trump would be if they poured cash into Michigan to make a likely defeat there seem close-ish while Biden is threatening to pull off a momentous , election-ending upset in Ohio across the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor and Trump nemesis Gretchen Whitmer has managed to sustain a positive job approval rating even as other governors have seen their numbers slip lately .
A survey published earlier this month found that “ the average governor has experienced a 10-point decline in approval between April and June.
” Whitmer was one of only five whose ratings had actually improved during that period .
Likewise , in this morning ’ s Change Research battleground poll , she tied for the highest approval rating among the six governors tested at 55/45 .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Michigan by singling her out early for her draconian lockdown measures .
Hope springs eternal that the polls in Michigan and beyond are wrong and that “ shy Trump voters ” are a hidden force that ’ ll once again deliver an incredible shock on Election Night .
Three smart poll analysts coincidentally have analyses of that theory out today and all three are skeptical that hidden Trumpers are being missed in the data .
Conservative Henry Olsen argues in WaPo that the shift against Trump among independents lately seems real , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent decline .
Not only that , Olsen adds , but the “ shy Trump ” effect four years ago was really more of a “ late deciders ” effect , as people who didn ’ t make up their minds until the final few weeks of the race broke heavily for the challenger — as tends to happen in elections .
Trump isn ’ t the challenger this year , he ’ s the incumbent .
He can ’ t count on that same late windfall .
Meanwhile , HuffPost ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories for how Trump voters were supposedly missed last time have already been tested and found wanting : If support for Trump was uniquely stigmatized , you ’ d expect him to outperform his polls more than other Republican candidates did theirs .
An analysis of 24 live-caller surveys in the AAPOR report , however , found Trump outperformed his estimates by an average 1.4 percentage points in 2016 , compared with a virtually identical 1.3 points for GOP Senate candidates Under the shy Trump voter theory , you ’ d also expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s numbers were affected by the mode in which a poll was conducted .
Specifically , his support should have been consistently lower in polls that used live interviewers ( in which Trump voters would need to admit their support out loud to another person ) and higher in those conducted online or using automated phone calls ( in which Trump voters merely had to click a button ) .
This , however , didn ’ t happen .
Nor was there any evidence of a relationship in the polls between support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying they were undecided or were refusing to answer .
It ’ s possible , said Edwards-Levy , that Trump voters are being honest about their support for him when answering polls but that they ’ re less likely to answer polls in the first place , which might lead to them being underrepresented in samples .
But Nate Cohn of the Times says there ’ s no evidence for that in this year ’ s data .
If anything , Trumpers might be overrepresented : But perhaps surprisingly , registered Republicans were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to the Times/Siena survey .
Over all , telephone calls to registered Republicans or those who participated in a recent Republican primary were about 12 percent likelier to yield a completed interview than calls to Democrats were .
This seemingly noteworthy difference can be explained by well-known demographic biases in polling : Older , rural and white voters are likelier than young , urban and nonwhite voters to respond to surveys .
After these factors were controlled for , Republicans were no likelier than Democrats to respond to the survey .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to surveys as Democrats , there ’ s little reason to believe that they ’ re vastly underrepresented in political surveys .
When the Times polled six battleground states recently , the members of their sample who voted in 2016 said they favored Trump by a margin of 2.5 points — which is *greater* than Trump ’ s actual margin in those states four years ago .
If the polls are missing “ hidden Trumpers , ” shouldn ’ t the 2016 margin among that sample have skewed towards Clinton ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Trumpers are being undercounted because it ’ s starting to look hairy downballot too .

We’re only three months out from Election Day so you can’t fault them for beginning to think strategically. Every dollar that’s wasted on a state that’s a lost cause is a dollar that can’t be spent in a state that isn’t.
But remember, Trump has a huge fundraising advantage over Biden by dint of his incumbency and his ability to raise money for the general election while Sleepy Joe was still bogged down in primaries. If he’s backing away from a major Rust Belt state in late July, it’s because he’s in a deep enough hole nationally that every last dollar might be needed to successfully perform electoral-college triage. He’s not getting 306 electoral votes this time. It’s unlikely, although not impossible, that he’ll flip any Hillary 2016 states from blue to red. The game in 2020 is simple: Get to 270 by hook or by crook. If that means cutting Michigan loose and spending all of the money allocated for it on must-win Florida and Arizona instead, hey.
He can afford to concede Michigan plus 20 more electoral votes to Biden and still win a second term (coincidentally, Pennsylvania has exactly 20 electoral votes) but it’s a psychological blow to see the campaign temporarily retreat from the site of one of Trump’s most stunning upsets four years ago. Per the Times, they still have $11 million in ads tentatively reserved for September, so maybe they’ll be back. For the moment, though, they’re fighting a defensive action.
Since the end of June, Mr. Trump has spent more money on ads in 10 other states — with Michigan falling behind even much smaller states like Iowa and Nevada — and in recent days, Mr. Trump’s campaign stopped buying ads in Michigan entirely… Mr. Trump faces a trifecta of troubles in Michigan, according to political strategists and state polling: reduced support among less educated white voters in a contest against Mr. Biden compared with Hillary Clinton; motivated Black voters in the state’s urban centers; and suburban voters who continue to flee Mr. Trump’s divisive brand of politics… There are uniquely local factors hampering the president, too: Mr. Trump’s unprovoked and unfulfilled threat this spring to “hold up funding” to the state because election officials planned to send absentee ballot applications to voters, as well as his loud sparring with Michigan’s Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, over her response to the coronavirus pandemic. Voters now consistently rate her performance on the issue positively and his unfavorably… Bradley Beychok, the president of American Bridge, a Democratic super PAC that has made Michigan a major focus, argued that the ad spending disparity was a sign that “Trump is conceding part of the battleground.” If it holds, he said, “this is a big, seismic event.”
The campaign hasn’t bought a TV ad in Michigan since July 3. They’re still organizing in the state and pro-Trump Super PACs are set to start spending there soon in hopes of keeping Biden’s lead manageable in case events this fall give Trump some traction nationally, but it’s easy to see why Team Trump might back away now. Biden leads by 8.0 points in the RCP average, his biggest margin in any battleground state. Within the past week he’s flirted with topping 50 percent on average whereas Trump hasn’t managed to top 42 percent in any poll taken this month. Until this morning’s Change Research survey, which put him ahead by four points, Sleepy Joe hadn’t led by less than six in Michigan since June.
The Trump campaign is probably paying attention to this year’s primary results as well. One of the earliest hints of Clinton’s weakness in 2016 came from the Michigan Democratic primary, when Bernie Sanders pulled the upset of the year — until November 8 — by winning by a point and a half:
Sanders hoped Michigan would deliver for him again this year and blunt the Joementum that Biden had picked up with his string of wins on Super Tuesday. The good news for him is that he got nearly as many votes this year as he did in 2016 (577,000 versus 595,000). The bad news is, uh…
Biden got 838,000 votes and won by nearly 17 points. There’s good reason to believe he’s considerably stronger in Michigan than Hillary was, and even a weak Clinton managed to come within 11,000 votes of beating Trump. Imagine what suckers Team Trump would be if they poured cash into Michigan to make a likely defeat there seem close-ish while Biden is threatening to pull off a momentous, election-ending upset in Ohio across the border.
To make matters worse, Michigan governor and Trump nemesis Gretchen Whitmer has managed to sustain a positive job approval rating even as other governors have seen their numbers slip lately. A survey published earlier this month found that “the average governor has experienced a 10-point decline in approval between April and June.” Whitmer was one of only five whose ratings had actually improved during that period. Likewise, in this morning’s Change Research battleground poll, she tied for the highest approval rating among the six governors tested at 55/45. Trump probably didn’t help his cause in Michigan by singling her out early for her draconian lockdown measures.
Hope springs eternal that the polls in Michigan and beyond are wrong and that “shy Trump voters” are a hidden force that’ll once again deliver an incredible shock on Election Night. Three smart poll analysts coincidentally have analyses of that theory out today and all three are skeptical that hidden Trumpers are being missed in the data. Conservative Henry Olsen argues in WaPo that the shift against Trump among independents lately seems real, and that it explains much of his recent decline. Not only that, Olsen adds, but the “shy Trump” effect four years ago was really more of a “late deciders” effect, as people who didn’t make up their minds until the final few weeks of the race broke heavily for the challenger — as tends to happen in elections. Trump isn’t the challenger this year, he’s the incumbent. He can’t count on that same late windfall.
Meanwhile, HuffPost’s Ariel Edwards-Levy points out that the traditional theories for how Trump voters were supposedly missed last time have already been tested and found wanting:
If support for Trump was uniquely stigmatized, you’d expect him to outperform his polls more than other Republican candidates did theirs. An analysis of 24 live-caller surveys in the AAPOR report, however, found Trump outperformed his estimates by an average 1.4 percentage points in 2016, compared with a virtually identical 1.3 points for GOP Senate candidates Under the shy Trump voter theory, you’d also expect to see a pattern in how Trump’s numbers were affected by the mode in which a poll was conducted. Specifically, his support should have been consistently lower in polls that used live interviewers (in which Trump voters would need to admit their support out loud to another person) and higher in those conducted online or using automated phone calls (in which Trump voters merely had to click a button). This, however, didn’t happen. Nor was there any evidence of a relationship in the polls between support for Trump and the rates of voters saying they were undecided or were refusing to answer.
It’s possible, said Edwards-Levy, that Trump voters are being honest about their support for him when answering polls but that they’re less likely to answer polls in the first place, which might lead to them being underrepresented in samples. But Nate Cohn of the Times says there’s no evidence for that in this year’s data. If anything, Trumpers might be overrepresented:
But perhaps surprisingly, registered Republicans were actually more likely than registered Democrats to respond to the Times/Siena survey. Over all, telephone calls to registered Republicans or those who participated in a recent Republican primary were about 12 percent likelier to yield a completed interview than calls to Democrats were. This seemingly noteworthy difference can be explained by well-known demographic biases in polling: Older, rural and white voters are likelier than young, urban and nonwhite voters to respond to surveys. After these factors were controlled for, Republicans were no likelier than Democrats to respond to the survey. And if Republicans are just as likely to respond to surveys as Democrats, there’s little reason to believe that they’re vastly underrepresented in political surveys.
When the Times polled six battleground states recently, the members of their sample who voted in 2016 said they favored Trump by a margin of 2.5 points — which is *greater* than Trump’s actual margin in those states four years ago. If the polls are missing “hidden Trumpers,” shouldn’t the 2016 margin among that sample have skewed towards Clinton?
I hope for the GOP’s sake that Trumpers are being undercounted because it’s starting to look hairy downballot too.


hotair--2020-07-29--Uncertainty over the Dakota Access Pipeline's future has oil producers in 'holding pattern'

The Dakota Access Pipeline is the major means used to transport oil produced in the Bakken region of North Dakota to an existing pipeline in Illinois which can take the oil to Texas and the Gulf of Mexico .
Earlier this month a judge ordered the Dakota Access Pipeline to cease operating so that a new environmental review , which could take a year or more , could be conducted .
Fortunately , the U.S. Court of Appears for the District of Columbia has issued a stay of that ruling , at least while the appeals court reviews it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to give the court sufficient opportunity to consider the emergency motion for stay and should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of that motion , ” the court said in the order… North Dakota Republican U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer hailed the order as “ common sense.
” A decision from the appeals court could be coming soon but in the meantime , the uncertainty over the pipeline ’ s future has already put a damper on the return of oil production in Bakken shale region : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second largest U.S. shale field , cut May output by about 500,000 barrels per day after U.S. prices tumbled in March on the heels of global coronavirus shutdowns .
They were slowly restarting some wells when the court ruled the region ’ s main pipeline must face a new environmental review that could halt its operation for a year… Producers will not be willing to commit to reopening closed wells or drilling news ones “ unless they know more ” on the pipeline ’ s future , said Nicholas O ’ Grady , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gas Inc , which has invested in about 7,000 wells in North Dakota ’ s Williston Basin… “ Right now , we just don ’ t have all the information .
We are in a holding pattern , ” said J.R. Reger , whose company Iron Oil suspended drilling and completing new Bakken wells in March .
The pipeline isn ’ t the only option for moving oil from the Bakken region south .
Producers can ship the oil by rail , but the cost of doing so is $ 3 to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the price of oil currently already slightly below the break even point for producers tacking on additional costs doesn ’ t make sense .
So for now , the region is in a holding pattern waiting to see what happens with the pipeline .
But that ’ s not the only threat oil producers are facing .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who was one of the people protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline before she became a congresswoman , has proposed an amendment which , if passed , would prevent the Army Corps of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waterways : An amendment Ocasio-Cortez proposed for the next budget bill would prohibit the nation ’ s main infrastructure-building agency from using federal money to issue permits under the Section 404 of the Clean Water Act “ for the discharge of dredged or fill material resulting from an activity to construct a pipeline for the transportation of oil or gas.
” That would prevent the Army Corps from constructing , repairing or working on roughly 8,000 projects per year involving oil and gas pipelines that cross waterways… Ocasio-Cortez ’ s amendment could , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from issuing a new permit to restart the 570,000-barrel-per-day pipeline once it ’ s drained .
The Army Corps ’ s website lists the Section 404 permit among those for which the court required verification .
We ’ ll see if this goes anywhere but at the moment the future of the pipeline is in doubt and that is already having real consequences for the oil field it serves .
Here ’ s a video published by Time about AOC ’ s trip to the Standing Rock protest camp and how it influenced @ @ @ @ @ @

The Dakota Access Pipeline is the major means used to transport oil produced in the Bakken region of North Dakota to an existing pipeline in Illinois which can take the oil to Texas and the Gulf of Mexico. Earlier this month a judge ordered the Dakota Access Pipeline to cease operating so that a new environmental review, which could take a year or more, could be conducted. Fortunately, the U.S. Court of Appears for the District of Columbia has issued a stay of that ruling, at least while the appeals court reviews it.
“The purpose of this administrative stay is to give the court sufficient opportunity to consider the emergency motion for stay and should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of that motion,” the court said in the order… North Dakota Republican U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer hailed the order as “common sense.”
A decision from the appeals court could be coming soon but in the meantime, the uncertainty over the pipeline’s future has already put a damper on the return of oil production in Bakken shale region:
Oil producers in the Bakken, the second largest U.S. shale field, cut May output by about 500,000 barrels per day after U.S. prices tumbled in March on the heels of global coronavirus shutdowns. They were slowly restarting some wells when the court ruled the region’s main pipeline must face a new environmental review that could halt its operation for a year… Producers will not be willing to commit to reopening closed wells or drilling news ones “unless they know more” on the pipeline’s future, said Nicholas O’Grady, chief executive officer at Northern Oil and Gas Inc, which has invested in about 7,000 wells in North Dakota’s Williston Basin… “Right now, we just don’t have all the information. We are in a holding pattern,” said J.R. Reger, whose company Iron Oil suspended drilling and completing new Bakken wells in March.
The pipeline isn’t the only option for moving oil from the Bakken region south. Producers can ship the oil by rail, but the cost of doing so is $3 to $6 more per barrel. And with the price of oil currently already slightly below the break even point for producers tacking on additional costs doesn’t make sense. So for now, the region is in a holding pattern waiting to see what happens with the pipeline.
But that’s not the only threat oil producers are facing. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was one of the people protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline before she became a congresswoman, has proposed an amendment which, if passed, would prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from issuing permits for pipelines crossing waterways:
An amendment Ocasio-Cortez proposed for the next budget bill would prohibit the nation’s main infrastructure-building agency from using federal money to issue permits under the Section 404 of the Clean Water Act “for the discharge of dredged or fill material resulting from an activity to construct a pipeline for the transportation of oil or gas.” That would prevent the Army Corps from constructing, repairing or working on roughly 8,000 projects per year involving oil and gas pipelines that cross waterways… Ocasio-Cortez’s amendment could, in theory, prevent the Army Corps from issuing a new permit to restart the 570,000-barrel-per-day pipeline once it’s drained. The Army Corps’s website lists the Section 404 permit among those for which the court required verification.
We’ll see if this goes anywhere but at the moment the future of the pipeline is in doubt and that is already having real consequences for the oil field it serves. Here’s a video published by Time about AOC’s trip to the Standing Rock protest camp and how it influenced her brand of far-left politics.


hotair--2020-07-29--Flashback - Biden to oil and gas industry workers: Learn to code

Now that Joe Biden has emerged from his basement and finally taken some questions from reporters , it almost feels as if we ’ re getting back into more of a “ normal ” presidential election cycle , at least for a moment .
( Or as close as anything gets to normal these days , anyway . )
The questions Uncle Joe took this week were primarily softballs , of course , but it reminded me of the heated days during the primary when reporters were actually asking him and the rest of the candidates about serious policy issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a look back at when such inquiries were taking place on a semi-regular basis .
I was reminded this morning of one Q & A session back in February when a student at a CNN town hall for Biden and several other Democratic candidates had the temerity to ask Joe about his massive , liberal green energy plans that would essentially wipe out the entire fossil fuel industry in the United States .
The student quoted Biden back to himself , reminding him that he had said workers in the oil and gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s that video clip courtesy of the RNC Research YouTube feed .
Trevor McAden : Vice President Biden .
You suggest that American fossil fuel workers learn how to code .
What do you say to many of the baby boomer generation who are too young to retire but feel they are too old to embrace drastic career change at this stage in their life ?
Joe Biden : What I say is that we ’ re going to provide significant opportunities .
We ’ re gon na create six million new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be green .
For example , we ’ re going to be able to place 500,000 new charging stations along every new highway we build .
We can afford to do that and it ’ s easy… The transition will be made for people who are in the business now , who are in the fossil fuel business as well .
To be able to move to other incomes that can make a significant amount of money but it takes some retraining .
It ’ s gon na have to happen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ salad where Biden began stuttering , talking about unions who endorsed him and how America was going to own the electric car market .
The point here is that the question was relatively straightforward .
What do you tell all of the people working in the oil and gas industry who you plan to put out of work and are too old to learn an entirely new career in a different industry ?
And in the end , what did Biden come up with for an answer ?
It ’ s a transition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some retraining .
It ’ s gon na have to happen .
In other words , suck it up , buttercup .
Your jobs are going away so I can go and rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and you ’ re either going to learn to code or be left behind .
And how many people are we talking about ?
In 2017 more than 1.1 million Americans worked in the traditional coal , oil and gas industry .
That number has only gone up since then after we took over the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the planet over the past few years .
That surge not only gave us more independence from foreign suppliers but fueled much of the economic rebound we have been enjoying .
And Joe Biden has promised to shut it all down after the economy has already taken a massive punch in the gut from the pandemic .
So tell us , Joe .
Are you seriously saying you can create more than a million jobs for people installing electric charging stations by the side of the road ?
And that people from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to qualify and take those jobs “ with a little retraining ?
” These are green-fueled pipe dreams .
And all of those millions of workers and their families need to know what ’ s coming if Biden is elected and gets his way .
This is especially true in states like Pennsylvania , Ohio and Texas where much of this energy extraction takes place and where our refineries operate .
Biden ’ s promised plan would devastate a huge swath of the economy and rob us of the energy independence we only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the thumbs of Saudi Arabia and the Russians .
And to top it all of , his plan would fail .
Without the full support of both the private sector and the public who consume the energy , this can ’ t be done .
It ’ s not a “ top-down , shovel ready ” project that can be mandated from on high .
It would become another massive , expensive boondoggle and yet another example of a failed wishlist item of liberals .
If the country falls for this hoax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the bill comes due .
But this may also be the worst campaign misstep since Hillary Clinton promised to eliminate all of the coal jobs in 2016 .
And while we ’ re on the subject , I seem to recall that saying “ learn to code ” was offensive language on par with racial slurs .
You could get kicked off Twitter for saying that , right ?
So why does Joe Biden get a pass ?
Oh , wait .
We all know why already .
Move along .
Nothing @ @ @ @

Now that Joe Biden has emerged from his basement and finally taken some questions from reporters, it almost feels as if we’re getting back into more of a “normal” presidential election cycle, at least for a moment. (Or as close as anything gets to normal these days, anyway.) The questions Uncle Joe took this week were primarily softballs, of course, but it reminded me of the heated days during the primary when reporters were actually asking him and the rest of the candidates about serious policy issues.
Today, let’s take a look back at when such inquiries were taking place on a semi-regular basis. I was reminded this morning of one Q&A session back in February when a student at a CNN town hall for Biden and several other Democratic candidates had the temerity to ask Joe about his massive, liberal green energy plans that would essentially wipe out the entire fossil fuel industry in the United States. The student quoted Biden back to himself, reminding him that he had said workers in the oil and gas industry should learn to code. Here’s that video clip courtesy of the RNC Research YouTube feed.
Trevor McAden: Vice President Biden. You suggest that American fossil fuel workers learn how to code. What do you say to many of the baby boomer generation who are too young to retire but feel they are too old to embrace drastic career change at this stage in their life? Joe Biden: What I say is that we’re going to provide significant opportunities. We’re gonna create six million new jobs… Every new plan we have has to be green. For example, we’re going to be able to place 500,000 new charging stations along every new highway we build. We can afford to do that and it’s easy… The transition will be made for people who are in the business now, who are in the fossil fuel business as well. To be able to move to other incomes that can make a significant amount of money but it takes some retraining. It’s gonna have to happen.
I cut out some of the word salad where Biden began stuttering, talking about unions who endorsed him and how America was going to own the electric car market. The point here is that the question was relatively straightforward. What do you tell all of the people working in the oil and gas industry who you plan to put out of work and are too old to learn an entirely new career in a different industry?
And in the end, what did Biden come up with for an answer? It’s a transition. It’s gonna take some retraining. It’s gonna have to happen.
In other words, suck it up, buttercup. Your jobs are going away so I can go and rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and you’re either going to learn to code or be left behind. And how many people are we talking about? In 2017 more than 1.1 million Americans worked in the traditional coal, oil and gas industry. That number has only gone up since then after we took over the top spot in oil and gas production on the planet over the past few years. That surge not only gave us more independence from foreign suppliers but fueled much of the economic rebound we have been enjoying.
And Joe Biden has promised to shut it all down after the economy has already taken a massive punch in the gut from the pandemic. So tell us, Joe. Are you seriously saying you can create more than a million jobs for people installing electric charging stations by the side of the road? And that people from the oil and gas industry will be able to qualify and take those jobs “with a little retraining?”
These are green-fueled pipe dreams. And all of those millions of workers and their families need to know what’s coming if Biden is elected and gets his way. This is especially true in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas where much of this energy extraction takes place and where our refineries operate. Biden’s promised plan would devastate a huge swath of the economy and rob us of the energy independence we only recently gained, leaving us once again under the thumbs of Saudi Arabia and the Russians.
And to top it all of, his plan would fail. Without the full support of both the private sector and the public who consume the energy, this can’t be done. It’s not a “top-down, shovel ready” project that can be mandated from on high. It would become another massive, expensive boondoggle and yet another example of a failed wishlist item of liberals. If the country falls for this hoax, we have only ourselves to blame when the bill comes due. But this may also be the worst campaign misstep since Hillary Clinton promised to eliminate all of the coal jobs in 2016.
And while we’re on the subject, I seem to recall that saying “learn to code” was offensive language on par with racial slurs. You could get kicked off Twitter for saying that, right? So why does Joe Biden get a pass? Oh, wait. We all know why already. Move along. Nothing to see here.


hotair--2020-07-29--Gohmert aide, Republican staffers tell Politico they've been pressured not to wear masks at work

I ’ d love to be skeptical about this but the same nonsense appeared from within the Trump campaign a few weeks ago .
It ’ s not that Trump himself was pressuring staff to go maskless , it ’ s that the moronic floomerist contrarianism that ’ s spread among parts of the Republican base was destined to filter up and infect Team Trump too even if it didn ’ t filter down from the top .
Politico reported in early July that basic precautions weren ’ t being taken at Trump 2020 HQ in Arlington : But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep cleaning in weeks after a senior campaign official tested positive for the virus .
The decision to conduct the cleaning came after two months of flouting the Trump administration ’ s own public health guidance : There are no face coverings or temporary barriers between desks at headquarters , and leaders have limited efforts to implement social distancing… Facing no threat of enforcement , the Trump campaign has continued to make its own rules on coronavirus protections , said the individuals , who requested anonymity to speak freely .
For instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the office , in case they ’ re spotted by reporters , but they ’ ve been instructed that it ’ s acceptable to remove them in the office , the individuals said , adding that staff also publicly joke about the risk of coronavirus and play down the pandemic ’ s threat .
“ You get made fun of , if you wear a mask , ” said one person .
“ There ’ s social pressure not to do it.
” Case in point , here ’ s one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insisting a few days ago that ( a ) the jury is still out on masks , which isn ’ t really true and becomes less true by the day , and ( b ) he ’ s only following the left ’ s edict of “ my body , my choice , ” which makes no sense in the context of putting someone else at risk through your behavior .
Why the hostility to masks persists among populists , or pretend populists , would take a team of psychologists to dissect .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a libertarian impulse , however lame and self-defeating .
Your freedom *is* being very mildly infringed by mask rules , although no more so than by rules preventing you from walking around in public naked .
A less charitable take is that it ’ s a show of spite by people who have underestimated the threat from the virus since the beginning and , rather than admit that they got it wrong , prefer to double down with dopey “ f*** your mask ” invective .
Which is consistent , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never , ever admitting fault .
Better to get sick and to get other people sick than do something that suggests your opponents were right .
My theory is that it ’ s another manifestation of the mindless contrarianism that now defines the GOP .
It ’ s not that Republicans are “ anti-mask.
” It ’ s that they ’ re anti-left , and the left is all-in on masks .
That also explains why it was so easy for Trump to coopt the party in 2016 and turn it into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empty vessel which he was able to fill with his own persona .
Just as tea-party fervor for smaller government and less spending melted away upon his inauguration and is now rightly seen as anti-Obamaism decked out in ideological grandeur , the great mask debate boils down to taking whatever side is opposite the left in America ’ s newest culture war and turning it into something about liberty or thoughtful skepticism about scientific methods or whatever .
The haughtier and more insistent liberals are that everyone follow their new orthodoxy , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition become .
So go figure that staffers in Gohmert ’ s office , and apparently not just in Gohmert ’ s office , are whispering today to Politico that they ’ ve been discouraged from doing the one thing they can realistically do at work to function while keeping those around them a bit safer than they ’ d otherwise be : Damon Linker , a columnist for The Week , can ’ t figure this out : The right doesn ’ t have “ elites , ” though , per populist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , denoting an enemy of the people .
Only Democrats and RINOs are truly elite .
The president , a billionaire celebrity who lived in a gilded apartment before being elected , can ’ t qualify , nor can anyone aligned with him like Gohmert .
If you assume that the point of righty populism isn ’ t to actually advance a policy agenda ( apart from immigration ) but to spite the left , then making staffers take off their masks makes sense .
“ The country needs better elites ” just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governing class sucks and thus we ’ re entitled to own them as irresponsibly as we like.
” I repeat what I said a week ago : The GOP isn ’ t a political party anymore in any meaningful sense .
It ’ s purpose isn ’ t to govern , it ’ s to give ambitious narcissists a platform to posture and perform the real-world equivalent of sh*tposting .
Making staffers at risk of disease take off their masks to own the libs is in line with that , if an especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here ’ s Gohmert earlier today speculating that he finally got COVID because he wore a mask .
In a healthy political culture , this would be a moment to say , “ I don ’ t know if not wearing a mask had anything to do with my infection but I wish I ’ d done it sooner and hope everyone watching will take precautions to keep the people around them safe.
” But because our ethos now is “ never admit fault , ” he ’ d rather use the occasion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discourage masks instead of acknowledging that alarmists might have had a point .
Perfect ending .

I’d love to be skeptical about this but the same nonsense appeared from within the Trump campaign a few weeks ago. It’s not that Trump himself was pressuring staff to go maskless, it’s that the moronic floomerist contrarianism that’s spread among parts of the Republican base was destined to filter up and infect Team Trump too even if it didn’t filter down from the top. Politico reported in early July that basic precautions weren’t being taken at Trump 2020 HQ in Arlington:
But the office was shut down for its first deep cleaning in weeks after a senior campaign official tested positive for the virus. The decision to conduct the cleaning came after two months of flouting the Trump administration’s own public health guidance: There are no face coverings or temporary barriers between desks at headquarters, and leaders have limited efforts to implement social distancing… Facing no threat of enforcement, the Trump campaign has continued to make its own rules on coronavirus protections, said the individuals, who requested anonymity to speak freely. For instance, staff have been told to wear masks outside the office, in case they’re spotted by reporters, but they’ve been instructed that it’s acceptable to remove them in the office, the individuals said, adding that staff also publicly joke about the risk of coronavirus and play down the pandemic’s threat. “You get made fun of, if you wear a mask,” said one person. “There’s social pressure not to do it.”
Case in point, here’s one of the most influential young right-wingers in America insisting a few days ago that (a) the jury is still out on masks, which isn’t really true and becomes less true by the day, and (b) he’s only following the left’s edict of “my body, my choice,” which makes no sense in the context of putting someone else at risk through your behavior.
This person runs the most influential youth conservative organization if you are looking for a reason to be pessimistic about the future of the right. pic.twitter.com/PJINBMLLVt — Tim Miller (@Timodc) July 27, 2020
Why the hostility to masks persists among populists, or pretend populists, would take a team of psychologists to dissect. The most charitable take is that it’s a libertarian impulse, however lame and self-defeating. Your freedom *is* being very mildly infringed by mask rules, although no more so than by rules preventing you from walking around in public naked. A less charitable take is that it’s a show of spite by people who have underestimated the threat from the virus since the beginning and, rather than admit that they got it wrong, prefer to double down with dopey “f*** your mask” invective. Which is consistent, at least, with the Trumpist ethos of never, ever admitting fault. Better to get sick and to get other people sick than do something that suggests your opponents were right.
My theory is that it’s another manifestation of the mindless contrarianism that now defines the GOP. It’s not that Republicans are “anti-mask.” It’s that they’re anti-left, and the left is all-in on masks. That also explains why it was so easy for Trump to coopt the party in 2016 and turn it into a personality cult: It was a fundamentally empty vessel which he was able to fill with his own persona. Just as tea-party fervor for smaller government and less spending melted away upon his inauguration and is now rightly seen as anti-Obamaism decked out in ideological grandeur, the great mask debate boils down to taking whatever side is opposite the left in America’s newest culture war and turning it into something about liberty or thoughtful skepticism about scientific methods or whatever. The haughtier and more insistent liberals are that everyone follow their new orthodoxy, the louder and more strident the yelps of opposition become.
So go figure that staffers in Gohmert’s office, and apparently not just in Gohmert’s office, are whispering today to Politico that they’ve been discouraged from doing the one thing they can realistically do at work to function while keeping those around them a bit safer than they’d otherwise be:
PLAYBOOK PM: After we reported that @replouiegohmert was positive, we got an email from a Gohmert aide. pic.twitter.com/x31CSOdkLf — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) July 29, 2020
Ever since PM came out, Ive gotten a flood of emails from republican staffers who say they too are being forced to come to the hill without a mask now. If you’re one of those people, email me or dm me. — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) July 29, 2020
Damon Linker, a columnist for The Week, can’t figure this out:
Funny how the right likes to say the country needs better elites — while its own elites make their staff go to work without masks during a pandemic, blame masks for getting the virus, and the president defers to someone who talks of demon sperm and alien DNA. — Damon Linker (@DamonLinker) July 29, 2020
The right doesn’t have “elites,” though, per populist politics. “Elite” is pejorative, denoting an enemy of the people. Only Democrats and RINOs are truly elite. The president, a billionaire celebrity who lived in a gilded apartment before being elected, can’t qualify, nor can anyone aligned with him like Gohmert. If you assume that the point of righty populism isn’t to actually advance a policy agenda (apart from immigration) but to spite the left, then making staffers take off their masks makes sense. “The country needs better elites” just means “the country’s left-leaning governing class sucks and thus we’re entitled to own them as irresponsibly as we like.”
I repeat what I said a week ago: The GOP isn’t a political party anymore in any meaningful sense. It’s purpose isn’t to govern, it’s to give ambitious narcissists a platform to posture and perform the real-world equivalent of sh*tposting. Making staffers at risk of disease take off their masks to own the libs is in line with that, if an especially disgusting example.
True to form, here’s Gohmert earlier today speculating that he finally got COVID because he wore a mask. In a healthy political culture, this would be a moment to say, “I don’t know if not wearing a mask had anything to do with my infection but I wish I’d done it sooner and hope everyone watching will take precautions to keep the people around them safe.” But because our ethos now is “never admit fault,” he’d rather use the occasion of him getting the virus to further discourage masks instead of acknowledging that alarmists might have had a point. Perfect ending.


hotair--2020-07-29--Louie Gohmert tests positive for coronavirus, denied flight on Air Force One

The mask wars take another victim .
President Trump is visiting Texas today to talk about the energy industry and Rep. Louie Gohmert was to tag along on Air Force One .
He ’ s stuck in Washington , though , because he tested positive for the coronavirus .
Gohmert was sporting a bandana face mask Tuesday during the House Judicial Committee hearing with Attorney General Barr .
It ’ s been announced , however , that since Gohmert tested positive today , the attorney general will also be tested , just to be safe .
He is on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not so inclined to wear a face mask .
In June he said on CNN , “ If I get it , you ’ ll never see me without a mask.
” Too bad he had to find out the hard way that he likely wouldn ’ t have tested positive if he had worn a mask more often around other people .
Ironically , yesterday during the House hearing with Barr , Chairman Jerry Nadler reprimanded several Republican committee members for not wearing their masks but Gohmert wasn ’ t one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wasn ’ t wearing his face mask while he targeted the Republicans for not doing so .
Well , from what I see , Gohmert was walking behind the attorney general , not standing next to him without social distancing in place , but you get the picture the critics are painting .
They are having a field day on Twitter over the news .
This sort of news brings out the worst in people on social media .
Wishing ill of a person who contracts a potentially deadly virus is regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gohmert is 66 years old and should have been taking precautions regularly , especially while working around so many colleagues in Washington , D.C. , to protect himself and his health .
Mock me all you want but I ’ m am still firmly in the face mask-wearing camp .
I do the same for other mitigation measures , too – frequent hand washing ( though that was my habit anyway ) and social distancing in public when venturing out .
I came down on the side of caution early on when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-risk category .
I ’ d rather wear a face mask than be put on a ventilator , thank you very much .
People don ’ t have to be jerks about wearing masks , though , as Nadler was during the hearing Tuesday .
Democrats love to release their inner authoritarian .
No coffee ?
Nadler also first denied Barr a 5-minute recess when he requested one as the hearing was winding down .
Then he allowed it when Barr reminded him that he had waited for Nadler to arrive at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hadn ’ t even had a lunch break during his testimony .
Some in leadership positions in Congress are now re-thinking regular testing of members .
So far Pelosi and McConnell have turned down White House offers for rapid testing for members of Congress .
With more members testing positive , the writing is on the wall .
The pre-screening process used at the White House before Gohmert was to board Air Force One is how his infection was detected .
Gohmert has been in the news lately .
Last week he introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers to ban the Democrat Party among other organizations and political groups that previously supported the Confederacy and slavery in the United States .
Gohmert is being challenged by Hank Gilbert , a Tyler Democrat , and longtime rancher and small businessman .
Sunday afternoon a group of Gilbert supporters showed up in downtown Tyler for a protest against the federal agents in Portland .
Gilbert scheduled his protest for 2:00 p.m. A counterprotest was scheduled for 12:30 p.m. by Back the Blue .
One report from the event has been filed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and robbery , according to department Public Information Officer Jenny Wells .
No arrests have been made , and an investigation is underway , she said .
Gilbert ’ s campaign manager , Ryan Miller , was assaulted by at least four members of the counterprotest and had his phone stolen , according to a statement from Gilbert ’ s campaign .
Wells said Gilbert ’ s campaign reserved the space for its protest through Smith County , while the counterprotesters did not have a reservation but were still allowed to gather .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally by shouting , ‘ Louie !
Louie !
Louie !
’ repeatedly , including while Miller was being brutally attacked , ” the statement said .
Miller “ sustained blows to the head and other parts of his body , as well as a large gash under his eye , ” and a police report has been filed with the Tyler Police Department over the incident , according to the release .
Naturally , Gilbert drags President Trump ’ s name into his complaint that Louie ’ s supporters turned up .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vitriol ” for violence all he wants , but the fact is that Black Lives Matter protests were turning into riots with the help of Antifa and other agitators as far back as when BLM began in 2013 .
Did the Democrats hold President Obama responsible for that violence due to his vitriol ?
That ’ s a rhetorical question .
Also , it strikes me as odd that Gilbert has a 21-year-old “ college kid ” as his campaign manager .
So , now Gohmert will have to self-quarantine .
He already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his office and informing his staff that he tested positive instead of just heading to wherever he ’ ll self-quarantine .

The mask wars take another victim. President Trump is visiting Texas today to talk about the energy industry and Rep. Louie Gohmert was to tag along on Air Force One. He’s stuck in Washington, though, because he tested positive for the coronavirus.
Gohmert was sporting a bandana face mask Tuesday during the House Judicial Committee hearing with Attorney General Barr. It’s been announced, however, that since Gohmert tested positive today, the attorney general will also be tested, just to be safe. He is on the record, however, as a person not so inclined to wear a face mask. In June he said on CNN, “If I get it, you’ll never see me without a mask.” Too bad he had to find out the hard way that he likely wouldn’t have tested positive if he had worn a mask more often around other people. Ironically, yesterday during the House hearing with Barr, Chairman Jerry Nadler reprimanded several Republican committee members for not wearing their masks but Gohmert wasn’t one of them. Nadler, by the way, wasn’t wearing his face mask while he targeted the Republicans for not doing so.
I want to wish @replouiegohmert a full & speedy recovery. When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk. I’ve regularly instructed all Members to wear their masks and hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues. https://t.co/WstJuAW9BG — Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) July 29, 2020
“Gohmert attended Tuesday's hearing with William Barr in person, where lawmakers were seated at some distance from one another. But footage from before the hearing shows Gohmert and Barr walking together in close contact, with neither wearing a mask.”https://t.co/6gS7gd7vYF — Vicky Ward (@VickyPJWard) July 29, 2020
Well, from what I see, Gohmert was walking behind the attorney general, not standing next to him without social distancing in place, but you get the picture the critics are painting. They are having a field day on Twitter over the news. This sort of news brings out the worst in people on social media. Wishing ill of a person who contracts a potentially deadly virus is regular behavior if political points can be scored.
ACTUALLY… here is a video of AG Barr and Gohmert. While Barr arrived with a mask, it was off when he walked into the hearing room, so both men were not wearing masks at this time. pic.twitter.com/xm6wuq6QvW — Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) July 29, 2020
Gohmert is 66 years old and should have been taking precautions regularly, especially while working around so many colleagues in Washington, D.C., to protect himself and his health. Mock me all you want but I’m am still firmly in the face mask-wearing camp. I do the same for other mitigation measures, too – frequent hand washing (though that was my habit anyway) and social distancing in public when venturing out. I came down on the side of caution early on when I realized I’m in a high-risk category. I’d rather wear a face mask than be put on a ventilator, thank you very much.
People don’t have to be jerks about wearing masks, though, as Nadler was during the hearing Tuesday. Democrats love to release their inner authoritarian.
“I would remind Mr. Jordan, Mr. Biggs, and Mr. Johnson to stop violating the rules of the committee,” Nadler said, referring to Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs and Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson, three GOP lawmakers. “To stop violating the safety of the members of the committee. To stop holding themselves out as not caring by refusing to wear their masks.” “Is it permissible to drink a sip of coffee?” one of the members asked. “It is not permissible,” replied Nadler.
No coffee? Nadler also first denied Barr a 5-minute recess when he requested one as the hearing was winding down. Then he allowed it when Barr reminded him that he had waited for Nadler to arrive at the hearing for an hour that morning and hadn’t even had a lunch break during his testimony.
Some in leadership positions in Congress are now re-thinking regular testing of members. So far Pelosi and McConnell have turned down White House offers for rapid testing for members of Congress. With more members testing positive, the writing is on the wall. The pre-screening process used at the White House before Gohmert was to board Air Force One is how his infection was detected.
This is a key point here — PGA Tour caddies face a stricter testing regime than members of Congress.
After Gohmert news, Hoyer told reporters he's willing to reconsider some mandatory testing: "This is a moment where we ought to discuss it again." https://t.co/XrSNkiD5FZ — Paul Kane (@pkcapitol) July 29, 2020
Gohmert has been in the news lately. Last week he introduced a resolution in the House calling on lawmakers to ban the Democrat Party among other organizations and political groups that previously supported the Confederacy and slavery in the United States.
“A great portion of the history of the Democratic Party is filled with racism and hatred. Since people are demanding we rid ourselves of the entities, symbols, and reminders of the repugnant aspects of our past, then the time has come for Democrats to acknowledge their party’s loathsome and bigoted past, and consider changing their party name to something that isn’t so blatantly and offensively tied to slavery, Jim Crow, discrimination, and the Ku Klux Klan,” Gohmert said in a statement. The resolution is co-sponsored by GOP Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Jody Hice (Ga.), Randy Weber (Texas) and Andy Harris (Md.)
Gohmert is being challenged by Hank Gilbert, a Tyler Democrat, and longtime rancher and small businessman. Sunday afternoon a group of Gilbert supporters showed up in downtown Tyler for a protest against the federal agents in Portland. Gilbert scheduled his protest for 2:00 p.m. A counterprotest was scheduled for 12:30 p.m. by Back the Blue.
One report from the event has been filed with the Tyler Police Department detailing an assault and robbery, according to department Public Information Officer Jenny Wells. No arrests have been made, and an investigation is underway, she said. Gilbert’s campaign manager, Ryan Miller, was assaulted by at least four members of the counterprotest and had his phone stolen, according to a statement from Gilbert’s campaign. Wells said Gilbert’s campaign reserved the space for its protest through Smith County, while the counterprotesters did not have a reservation but were still allowed to gather. “Gohmert’s supporters disrupted the rally by shouting, ‘Louie! Louie! Louie!’ repeatedly, including while Miller was being brutally attacked,” the statement said. Miller “sustained blows to the head and other parts of his body, as well as a large gash under his eye,” and a police report has been filed with the Tyler Police Department over the incident, according to the release.
Naturally, Gilbert drags President Trump’s name into his complaint that Louie’s supporters turned up.
“Louie Gohmert needs to immediately denounce the violence that occurred in his name in downtown Tyler today,” Gilbert said in a statement following the incident. “When your armed thugs are shouting your name as they beat the hell out of a 21-year-old political operative, you need to get your people under control. Gohmert also needs to get his disgusting rhetoric under control, because, just like Donald Trump, the vitriol that spills out of his mouth leads to violence. This time, against a 21-year-old college kid.”
Gilbert can blame Trump’s “vitriol” for violence all he wants, but the fact is that Black Lives Matter protests were turning into riots with the help of Antifa and other agitators as far back as when BLM began in 2013. Did the Democrats hold President Obama responsible for that violence due to his vitriol? That’s a rhetorical question. Also, it strikes me as odd that Gilbert has a 21-year-old “college kid” as his campaign manager.
So, now Gohmert will have to self-quarantine. He already made additional waves by going back to his office and informing his staff that he tested positive instead of just heading to wherever he’ll self-quarantine.


hotair--2020-07-29--NY Times: The place where George Floyd died has become a police no-go zone and a place of nightly vi

NY Times: The place where George Floyd died has become a police no-go zone and a place of nightly violence

The NY Times reports that the area in Minneapolis where George Floyd was killed has become a memorial of sorts for people from all over the country who come to pay their respects .
Because of the obvious tension with police , it has also become a no-go zone for the cops .
And that has been fine during the day when things remain peaceful , but at night it becomes a different story : Two months after the police killing of George Floyd , the four-block area of South Minneapolis where he gasped his last breaths remains a sacred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There is a neatly trimmed garden , anchored by a sculpture of a raised fist .
There are colorful murals and the words “ I can ’ t breathe ” painted across the pavement , as well as the names of dozens of other Black people killed by the police .
At night , though , the space is increasingly a battleground , with shootings and drug overdoses .
The area has had an uptick in gun violence similar to what other cities have seen in the wake of protests… “ What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who live there are having a very , very challenging time from the unlawfulness that is occurring after the sun goes down , ” said Andrea Jenkins , a member of the City Council whose district includes the memorial space .
“ There are constant gunshots every night .
Emergency vehicles can ’ t get in .
Disabled people are not able to access their medications , their appointments , their food deliveries , et cetera .
It ’ s a very challenging situation.
” A woman named Ms. Dawkins who lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine during the day but at night , she ’ s afraid of the violence and is aware that calling the police is no longer an option : “ But when the other crowd comes at night , I can ’ t call the police , and that scares the hell out of me , ” she said .
Ms. Dawkins pointed to a gunshot in the windshield of her car , a gold sedan .
“ We have kids in this home , so I do want police to protect families , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a hard balance .
I ’ m happy this incident brought change , but I want to feel safe.
” This story reminded me of what happened at the site where Rayshard Brooks was killed by police in Atlanta .
After Brooks death , people responded by burning down the Wendys and then a group of protesters took up residence in the parking lot and demanded the site become a “ peace center.
” At the same time , another group of armed people began blocking off the street near the Wendy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and who could not .
They even stopped an Atlanta City Councilwoman .
The area became a police no-go zone after an officer was assaulted .
But plenty of other people were showing up in the area and over two consecutive nights there were two shootings .
Those shootings , on top of complaints from people in the neighborhood , should have prompted police to clear the area and end the roadblocks but it didn ’ t .
And that ’ s when an 8-year-old girl named Secoriea Turner was killed .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soda and were stopped at one of the barricades .
Turner ’ s mother apparently attempted to get away by driving into a parking lot and two people opened fire on the car , killing the innocent little girl .
After this tragedy , the protesters at the “ peace center ” claimed they didn ’ t know anything about the people blocking the streets and said it was unfair to blame them for what had happened .
But the city , including the mayor , were outraged and police were finally sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order .
Police free zones don ’ t work .
In Seattle , we wound up with two dead teenagers .
In Atlanta we had two people shot and one girl killed .
The area where George Floyd died can not become a no go zone for police because eventually someone will die .
In fact someone already has .
Earlier this month a pregnant woman was killed .
At the time , it was reported her baby had been delivered and survived .
Still , that won ’ t be the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs .
But it ’ s not hard to understand why they would be wary of going into the area at night .
Update : Ed reminded me that City Council member Andrea Jenkins , quoted above , is one of people pushing hard to disband the police .
Jenkins is also one of three council members who hired private security for themselves last month at a cost of $ 4,500 a day .

The NY Times reports that the area in Minneapolis where George Floyd was killed has become a memorial of sorts for people from all over the country who come to pay their respects. Because of the obvious tension with police, it has also become a no-go zone for the cops. And that has been fine during the day when things remain peaceful, but at night it becomes a different story:
Two months after the police killing of George Floyd, the four-block area of South Minneapolis where he gasped his last breaths remains a sacred space, a no-go zone for officers. There is a neatly trimmed garden, anchored by a sculpture of a raised fist. There are colorful murals and the words “I can’t breathe” painted across the pavement, as well as the names of dozens of other Black people killed by the police. At night, though, the space is increasingly a battleground, with shootings and drug overdoses. The area has had an uptick in gun violence similar to what other cities have seen in the wake of protests… “What people aren’t recognizing is that people who live there are having a very, very challenging time from the unlawfulness that is occurring after the sun goes down,” said Andrea Jenkins, a member of the City Council whose district includes the memorial space. “There are constant gunshots every night. Emergency vehicles can’t get in. Disabled people are not able to access their medications, their appointments, their food deliveries, et cetera. It’s a very challenging situation.”
A woman named Ms. Dawkins who lives in the neighborhood agreed that things are fine during the day but at night, she’s afraid of the violence and is aware that calling the police is no longer an option:
“But when the other crowd comes at night, I can’t call the police, and that scares the hell out of me,” she said. Ms. Dawkins pointed to a gunshot in the windshield of her car, a gold sedan. “We have kids in this home, so I do want police to protect families,” she said. “It’s a hard balance. I’m happy this incident brought change, but I want to feel safe.”
This story reminded me of what happened at the site where Rayshard Brooks was killed by police in Atlanta. After Brooks death, people responded by burning down the Wendys and then a group of protesters took up residence in the parking lot and demanded the site become a “peace center.”
At the same time, another group of armed people began blocking off the street near the Wendy’s and deciding who could enter and who could not. They even stopped an Atlanta City Councilwoman. The area became a police no-go zone after an officer was assaulted.
But plenty of other people were showing up in the area and over two consecutive nights there were two shootings. Those shootings, on top of complaints from people in the neighborhood, should have prompted police to clear the area and end the roadblocks but it didn’t. And that’s when an 8-year-old girl named Secoriea Turner was killed. She and her mother had gone out for soda and were stopped at one of the barricades. Turner’s mother apparently attempted to get away by driving into a parking lot and two people opened fire on the car, killing the innocent little girl.
After this tragedy, the protesters at the “peace center” claimed they didn’t know anything about the people blocking the streets and said it was unfair to blame them for what had happened. But the city, including the mayor, were outraged and police were finally sent in to clear the area and restore order.
Police free zones don’t work. In Seattle, we wound up with two dead teenagers. In Atlanta we had two people shot and one girl killed. The area where George Floyd died cannot become a no go zone for police because eventually someone will die. In fact someone already has. Earlier this month a pregnant woman was killed. At the time, it was reported her baby had been delivered and survived. Still, that won’t be the last death if police fail to do their jobs. But it’s not hard to understand why they would be wary of going into the area at night.
Update: Ed reminded me that City Council member Andrea Jenkins, quoted above, is one of people pushing hard to disband the police. Jenkins is also one of three council members who hired private security for themselves last month at a cost of $4,500 a day.


hotair--2020-07-29--BoJo to Britons: You fat people are making the pandemic recession worse

Across the pond in Great Briton , the country is struggling with many of the same concerns arising from the novel coronavirus pandemic as the United States and other nations .
In addition to a crushing recession , their public healthcare system is under enormous pressure from all of the COVID-19 patients requiring care .
( And if you know anything about Britain ’ s National Health Service , you know that it wasn ’ t all that robust to begin with . )
With this in mind , Prime Minister Boris Johnson is outlining a plan to address this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that obesity is too much of an issue for his countrymen and they ’ re going to have to start losing some weight so they don ’ t continue to burden the available healthcare resources .
( Boston Globe ) Britain will crack down on junk food advertising and introduce calorie counts on menus in an effort to tackle obesity and ease the pressure on the country ’ s National Health Service amid the coronavirus pandemic , the government said Monday .
For the British prime minister , Boris Johnson , the intersection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Johnson was , by his own admission , “ way overweight ” when he was admitted to the hospital after becoming ill with COVID-19 this year , and his health deteriorated to such an extent that at one point he needed intensive care .
Studies have linked obesity to a greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 .
It sounds to me as if BoJo is internalizing his own bout with COVID-19 a bit too much here .
While it ’ s true that the Brits have a growing obesity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the connection between that trend and the outcomes of COVID-19 infections seems a bit tenuous .
Obviously , if you have any underlying health issues , you ’ re going to be more at risk from the novel coronavirus , and being overweight is clearly one of those factors .
It can ’ t help to be overweight when fighting the virus .
But there are plenty of other factors as well .
When Johnson was hospitalized he was definitely a bit on the heavy side , though I wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost a lot of weight while in the hospital , so he now actually looks better than when he went in .
But let ’ s accept for the moment that having fewer obese people is generally a good thing with or without a pandemic raging .
How does Johnson propose to address this health crisis ?
He ’ s calling for a ban on all television advertising for “ any food high in fat , sugar , or salt ” until 9 pm .
That way , fewer children will be as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s also considering a ban of online ads for junk food .
Proposals such as these are always problematic from the start .
What will qualify as “ junk food ” for the purposes of these advertisements ?
Breakfast cereals with any sugar in them ?
Soda ?
How about fast-food restaurants ?
( Not much of their menus consist of anything you ’ d describe as being particularly healthy . )
The other problem is that he ’ s not talking about banning the actual foods in question .
Only the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular , aren ’ t going to forget those foods exist just because the advertisements go away .
They ’ ll still be pestering their parents to buy them .
And children aren ’ t really the biggest part of this problem , by the way .
Adult obesity is a far bigger issue , and adults tend to be less physically active than children , particularly if they have office/desk jobs .
It sounds like all BoJo is planning to do here is cut significantly into the BBC ’ s ad revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect .
And going out in public and calling all of your citizens a bunch of fatties probably isn ’ t going to do much for his popularity , either .

Across the pond in Great Briton, the country is struggling with many of the same concerns arising from the novel coronavirus pandemic as the United States and other nations. In addition to a crushing recession, their public healthcare system is under enormous pressure from all of the COVID-19 patients requiring care. (And if you know anything about Britain’s National Health Service, you know that it wasn’t all that robust to begin with.) With this in mind, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is outlining a plan to address this problem. He’s pointing out that obesity is too much of an issue for his countrymen and they’re going to have to start losing some weight so they don’t continue to burden the available healthcare resources. (Boston Globe)
Britain will crack down on junk food advertising and introduce calorie counts on menus in an effort to tackle obesity and ease the pressure on the country’s National Health Service amid the coronavirus pandemic, the government said Monday. For the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, the intersection of obesity and the coronavirus is personal. Johnson was, by his own admission, “way overweight” when he was admitted to the hospital after becoming ill with COVID-19 this year, and his health deteriorated to such an extent that at one point he needed intensive care. Studies have linked obesity to a greater risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19.
It sounds to me as if BoJo is internalizing his own bout with COVID-19 a bit too much here. While it’s true that the Brits have a growing obesity problem on par with America’s, the connection between that trend and the outcomes of COVID-19 infections seems a bit tenuous. Obviously, if you have any underlying health issues, you’re going to be more at risk from the novel coronavirus, and being overweight is clearly one of those factors. It can’t help to be overweight when fighting the virus. But there are plenty of other factors as well.
When Johnson was hospitalized he was definitely a bit on the heavy side, though I wouldn’t have called him obese. And he lost a lot of weight while in the hospital, so he now actually looks better than when he went in. But let’s accept for the moment that having fewer obese people is generally a good thing with or without a pandemic raging. How does Johnson propose to address this health crisis?
He’s calling for a ban on all television advertising for “any food high in fat, sugar, or salt” until 9 pm. That way, fewer children will be as likely to see the ads. He’s also considering a ban of online ads for junk food.
Proposals such as these are always problematic from the start. What will qualify as “junk food” for the purposes of these advertisements? Breakfast cereals with any sugar in them? Soda? How about fast-food restaurants? (Not much of their menus consist of anything you’d describe as being particularly healthy.)
The other problem is that he’s not talking about banning the actual foods in question. Only the advertising for them. Children, in particular, aren’t going to forget those foods exist just because the advertisements go away. They’ll still be pestering their parents to buy them. And children aren’t really the biggest part of this problem, by the way. Adult obesity is a far bigger issue, and adults tend to be less physically active than children, particularly if they have office/desk jobs.
It sounds like all BoJo is planning to do here is cut significantly into the BBC’s ad revenue stream while not producing much of an effect. And going out in public and calling all of your citizens a bunch of fatties probably isn’t going to do much for his popularity, either.


hotair--2020-07-29--Today's hot topics on Relevant Radio®: Baseball blues, constitutional order, The Socialist Temptatio

Today's hot topics on Relevant Radio®: Baseball blues, constitutional order, The Socialist Temptation, Fatima, and more!

Once again , I get to step outside the box and guest host the Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio® from 3-6 ET today !
The Catholic talk-radio network is heard nationwide on the air , as well as online and through their free mobile app that plays live and podcast shows .
• Salena Zito joins us to tell us how minor-league baseball is filling the gap in the pandemic , and about her recent interviews with Donald Trump and Mike Pence • Do governors have limits to their emergency powers ?
Pacific Legal Foundation ’ s Luke Wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has socialism made such a comeback just a generation after its collapse in Russia and eastern Europe ?
Iain Murray ’ s The Socialist Temptation , new this week from Regnery ( also a Salem Media Group unit ) warns of the ideology ’ s seductiveness , and how to rebut it .
• Next month , a new film version of the story of Fatima will open .
I ’ ve seen it , and it ’ s terrific — and we ’ ll talk with producer Dick Lyles about it and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the screen .
• Should social media platforms have squelched the group America ’ s Frontline Doctors and their advocacy of hydroxychloroquine , zinc , and azithromycin as a COVID-19 “ cure ” ?
Dr. Robert Tiballi joins us !
• And more to come … stay tuned !
We may add more before the show starts today , plus we will have the chaplet of Divine Mercy in the second hour .
We will also take your calls at 1-888-914-9149 .
You can also listen on the Relevant Radio® app no matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so download it now .
I ’ ll look forward to talking with you !

Once again, I get to step outside the box and guest host the Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio® from 3-6 ET today! The Catholic talk-radio network is heard nationwide on the air, as well as online and through their free mobile app that plays live and podcast shows.
Today’s Relevant Radio® show includes:
Salena Zito joins us to tell us how minor-league baseball is filling the gap in the pandemic, and about her recent interviews with Donald Trump and Mike Pence
Do governors have limits to their emergency powers? Pacific Legal Foundation’s Luke Wake joins us to discuss.
How has socialism made such a comeback just a generation after its collapse in Russia and eastern Europe? Iain Murray’s The Socialist Temptation, new this week from Regnery (also a Salem Media Group unit) warns of the ideology’s seductiveness, and how to rebut it.
Next month, a new film version of the story of Fatima will open. I’ve seen it, and it’s terrific — and we’ll talk with producer Dick Lyles about it and the struggles to bring the miracle to the screen.
Should social media platforms have squelched the group America’s Frontline Doctors and their advocacy of hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and azithromycin as a COVID-19 “cure”? Dr. Robert Tiballi joins us!
And more to come … stay tuned!
We may add more before the show starts today, plus we will have the chaplet of Divine Mercy in the second hour. We will also take your calls at 1-888-914-9149. You can also listen on the Relevant Radio® app no matter where you are in the world, so download it now. I’ll look forward to talking with you!


hotair--2020-07-29--"Do not hold grudges": Biden about to pick Kamala Harris for running mate?

Joe Biden might or might not be a politician voters would want to have a beer with , but he suuuure passes the poker test .
Who wouldn ’ t want to play a few hands with someone who holds his cards this far away from the vest ?
According to a photo taken at an appearance on Tuesday , Biden carried notes outlining his strategy for talking up Kamala Harris — including the reminder , “ Do not hold grudges ” : “ Do not hold grudges.
” “ Campaigned with me & Jill.
” “ Talented.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect for her.
” The notes about Ms. Harris — which were captured by photographers and reported by The Associated Press — indicate that he was prepared to field questions about her .
Or that he had trouble remembering who she is .
But I digress … .
The impression that Biden is strategizing around Harris got a boost when Politico reported that he had already picked her for the slot .
This report came from four days in the future , apparently — not even enough time to get betting information on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alas : Politico explained that the report had gone out in error , an explanation at which some scoffed but is likely true .
Politico probably has several of these in the can ready to go out as soon as Biden makes his choice official .
The text has just been massaged a bit from the site ’ s VP Tracker analysis , which makes these easy to produce .
Think of it like an obituary — which is a fairly appropriate analogy to becoming someone else ’ s running mate .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are coming up Kamala .
Why else would Biden need to remind himself , “ Do not hold grudges ” ?
Harris tried calling Biden a racist in the first primary debate and got a lot of traction from it … for a very short period of time .
However , Harris got humiliated not once but twice by Tulsi Gabbard over it and utterly bombed as a campaigner .
Harris proved herself weak in competitive politics , which means about the only thing she brings to the ticket is California … which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Perhaps , though , better clues can be found in the second set of notes on Biden ’ s notepad .
Those read : That sounds as though Biden has Harris in mind for another job entirely — Attorney General .
A VP would have little or nothing to do with the issues outlined in that section of Biden ’ s Kamala flashcard set .
Whether that accurately describes Harris ’ record as California ’ s AG is a matter of debate , but that appears to be what Biden has in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s strategy for not naming Harris as his running mate — that it ’ s not a “ grudge , ” that he values her assistance on the campaign trail , but that she ’ s better suited to carry out his policies at the DoJ .
So who will be Biden ’ s running mate ?
NPR thinks two governors are rising in the ranks , thanks at least in part to the COVID-19 pandemic : It also previewed an ongoing theme of this pandemic — a debate over who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
Now , Whitmer and another governor confronting the pandemic at the state level , Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico , are two of the candidates reportedly said to be on Joe Biden ’ s vice presidential shortlist .
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said Tuesday that he plans to announce his pick next week .
Lujan Grisham was New Mexico ’ s health secretary before three terms in Congress , where she was chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus , and then became governor in 2019 .
Lujan Grisham had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary , and so she started preparing for the coronavirus when it spread abroad in January , rushing to secure testing supplies .
She also issued early lockdown orders when there were just a few cases in New Mexico .
Whitmer fumbled the ball with her arbitrary edicts , which led to widespread protests — back when protests were bad , of course .
Besides , Biden has already pledged to choose a woman of color , and Whitmer only qualifies as a sort of ivory in that regard .
Lujan Grisham is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be good enough for African-American voters , but will allow Biden to claim that he kept his word .
Her experience on health issues and epidemics would make her a solid choice — especially since Lujan Grisham has executive experience , a quality lacking in almost all of the other veepstakes candidates mentioned as Biden shortlisters .

Joe Biden might or might not be a politician voters would want to have a beer with, but he suuuure passes the poker test. Who wouldn’t want to play a few hands with someone who holds his cards this far away from the vest? According to a photo taken at an appearance on Tuesday, Biden carried notes outlining his strategy for talking up Kamala Harris — including the reminder, “Do not hold grudges”:
"Do not hold grudges." A photo of Joe Biden’s handwritten notes revealed his talking points on Senator Kamala Harris, a potential pick for vice president. https://t.co/WZIoI6hAI1 pic.twitter.com/WMdx8SLRW1 — The New York Times (@nytimes) July 29, 2020
“Do not hold grudges.” “Campaigned with me & Jill.” “Talented.” “Great help to campaign.” “Great respect for her.” The notes about Ms. Harris — which were captured by photographers and reported by The Associated Press — indicate that he was prepared to field questions about her.
Or that he had trouble remembering who she is. But I digress ….
That may not mean anything about her likelihood (or not) of being picked. Mr. Biden — who is often quite fond of talking — had relatively little to say when asked on Tuesday about his vice-presidential search. But he did tell reporters one thing: He will make his selection next week.
The impression that Biden is strategizing around Harris got a boost when Politico reported that he had already picked her for the slot. This report came from four days in the future, apparently — not even enough time to get betting information on the NFL’s opening day, alas:
Huh? Politico labeled Sen. Kamala Harris as Biden's running mate… that he chose on August 1 (4 days from now).https://t.co/M3dhmIwZ7o pic.twitter.com/99GDHzWPnL — Mark Bednar (@MarkBednar) July 28, 2020
Politico explained that the report had gone out in error, an explanation at which some scoffed but is likely true. Politico probably has several of these in the can ready to go out as soon as Biden makes his choice official. The text has just been massaged a bit from the site’s VP Tracker analysis, which makes these easy to produce. Think of it like an obituary — which is a fairly appropriate analogy to becoming someone else’s running mate.
So it does look like the tea leaves are coming up Kamala. Why else would Biden need to remind himself, “Do not hold grudges”? Harris tried calling Biden a racist in the first primary debate and got a lot of traction from it … for a very short period of time. However, Harris got humiliated not once but twice by Tulsi Gabbard over it and utterly bombed as a campaigner. Harris proved herself weak in competitive politics, which means about the only thing she brings to the ticket is California … which Biden should already have in the bag.
Perhaps, though, better clues can be found in the second set of notes on Biden’s notepad. Those read:
Dept of Justice Reform
The peoples [sic] lawyer not presidents [sic] lawyer
Highest qualifications
Decisions on law and fact
That sounds as though Biden has Harris in mind for another job entirely — Attorney General. A VP would have little or nothing to do with the issues outlined in that section of Biden’s Kamala flashcard set. Whether that accurately describes Harris’ record as California’s AG is a matter of debate, but that appears to be what Biden has in mind for Harris. This might be Biden’s strategy for not naming Harris as his running mate — that it’s not a “grudge,” that he values her assistance on the campaign trail, but that she’s better suited to carry out his policies at the DoJ.
So who will be Biden’s running mate? NPR thinks two governors are rising in the ranks, thanks at least in part to the COVID-19 pandemic:
It also previewed an ongoing theme of this pandemic — a debate over who should take the lead in managing the crisis. Now, Whitmer and another governor confronting the pandemic at the state level, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, are two of the candidates reportedly said to be on Joe Biden’s vice presidential shortlist. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said Tuesday that he plans to announce his pick next week. Lujan Grisham was New Mexico’s health secretary before three terms in Congress, where she was chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and then became governor in 2019. Lujan Grisham had dealt with a flu outbreak as health secretary, and so she started preparing for the coronavirus when it spread abroad in January, rushing to secure testing supplies. She also issued early lockdown orders when there were just a few cases in New Mexico.
Whitmer fumbled the ball with her arbitrary edicts, which led to widespread protests — back when protests were bad, of course. Besides, Biden has already pledged to choose a woman of color, and Whitmer only qualifies as a sort of ivory in that regard. Lujan Grisham is Hispanic, which likely won’t be good enough for African-American voters, but will allow Biden to claim that he kept his word. Her experience on health issues and epidemics would make her a solid choice — especially since Lujan Grisham has executive experience, a quality lacking in almost all of the other veepstakes candidates mentioned as Biden shortlisters.


hotair--2020-07-29--Oregon Governor: Feds have agreed to withdraw 'occupying force' from Portland

There was a report Tuesday evening that the Trump administration was in talks about the possibility of drawing down the number of federal police in Portland .
Today , Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced on Twitter that , after discussions with “ VP Pence and others , ” federal officers will be withdrawn from Portland .
Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf put out a statement of his own which framed the situation somewhat differently .
According to Wolf , federal officers will remain in Portland until they are confident that Oregon state police can defend the courthouse which has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Department will continue to maintain our current , augmented federal law enforcement personnel in Portland until we are assured that the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other federal properties will no longer be attacked and that the seat of justice in Portland will remain secure.
” So it sounds like the federal officers will still be there in a reserve/advisory capacity for the time being .
That seemed to be President Trump ’ s understanding of the situation as well this morning , i.e .
no one is actually leaving until it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : So has anything really changed as far as the nightly rioters are concerned ?
I guess we ’ ll find out later tonight .
But I already see some people online declaring victory .
On one hand , the “ protesters ” could claim this is a victory and either stay home or hold a perfectly peaceful protest tonight to show what model citizens they are when they get their way .
If the organizers are smart they ’ ll try to do that for a night to get some positive press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move a step closer to having the feds leave town .
On the other hand , getting rid of federal officers was never really the point .
These nightly protests/riots were happening for weeks before the federal reinforcements showed up .
In fact , the feds showed up because of the nightly violence .
So having the feds leave ( eventually ) doesn ’ t mean this is over .
These were never pro-federalism protests they were anti-police protests .
Replacing federal police with state police shouldn ’ t make much difference to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police .
As I suggested yesterday , I think this is probably a good move .
The feds did their job under impossible circumstances while the Mayor and the Governor sat back and sided with the rioters and complained .
Now it ’ s on them to protect the courthouse and they have no one else to blame .
The city of Portland has been demanding that the metal fence erected around the building be removed .
They were assessing a $ 500 fine for every 15 minutes it remained up .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they remove the fence or leave it up ?
It ’ s not a small decision .
If they remove it that makes it a lot easier for rioters to swarm the outside of the building and start fires .
What do they do if that happens ?
Will they order Oregon police to disperse a violent crowd with gas ?
Or will they ask state police to take a beating the way the feds have been ?
It ’ s Gov .
Brown ’ s and Mayor Wheeler ’ s problem now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and play critic .

There was a report Tuesday evening that the Trump administration was in talks about the possibility of drawing down the number of federal police in Portland. Today, Oregon Governor Kate Brown announced on Twitter that, after discussions with “VP Pence and others,” federal officers will be withdrawn from Portland.
Our local Oregon State Police officers will be downtown to protect Oregonians' right to free speech and keep the peace. Let's center the Black Lives Matter movement's demands for racial justice and police accountability. It's time for bold action to reform police practices. — Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) July 29, 2020
Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf put out a statement of his own which framed the situation somewhat differently. According to Wolf, federal officers will remain in Portland until they are confident that Oregon state police can defend the courthouse which has been the focus of protests for weeks.
“The Department will continue to maintain our current, augmented federal law enforcement personnel in Portland until we are assured that the Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other federal properties will no longer be attacked and that the seat of justice in Portland will remain secure.”
So it sounds like the federal officers will still be there in a reserve/advisory capacity for the time being. That seemed to be President Trump’s understanding of the situation as well this morning, i.e. no one is actually leaving until it’s clear the courthouse is secure:
Trump on Portland: "We're not leaving until they secure their city … if they don't secure their city soon, we have no choice — we're gonna have to go in and clean it out." pic.twitter.com/y9xg1fhnnO — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 29, 2020
So has anything really changed as far as the nightly rioters are concerned? I guess we’ll find out later tonight. But I already see some people online declaring victory.
On one hand, the “protesters” could claim this is a victory and either stay home or hold a perfectly peaceful protest tonight to show what model citizens they are when they get their way. If the organizers are smart they’ll try to do that for a night to get some positive press out of it. That would also move a step closer to having the feds leave town.
On the other hand, getting rid of federal officers was never really the point. These nightly protests/riots were happening for weeks before the federal reinforcements showed up. In fact, the feds showed up because of the nightly violence. So having the feds leave (eventually) doesn’t mean this is over.
These were never pro-federalism protests they were anti-police protests. Replacing federal police with state police shouldn’t make much difference to people whose stated goal is to defund police.
As I suggested yesterday, I think this is probably a good move. The feds did their job under impossible circumstances while the Mayor and the Governor sat back and sided with the rioters and complained. Now it’s on them to protect the courthouse and they have no one else to blame.
Let’s start with the fence.
The city of Portland has been demanding that the metal fence erected around the building be removed. They were assessing a $500 fine for every 15 minutes it remained up. Now that this is their show, will they remove the fence or leave it up? It’s not a small decision. If they remove it that makes it a lot easier for rioters to swarm the outside of the building and start fires. What do they do if that happens? Will they order Oregon police to disperse a violent crowd with gas? Or will they ask state police to take a beating the way the feds have been? It’s Gov. Brown’s and Mayor Wheeler’s problem now. Now President Trump can sit back and play critic.