hotair--2020-07-19--Guy who attacked NYPD officers released without bail because... New York

On Wednesday , John Sexton discussed the shocking incident in New York City when some thugs attacked several NYPD officers as they escorted a pro-police solidarity march over the Brooklyn Bridge .
There are plenty of photos and video at the link in case you missed the story , but the early reports didn ’ t capture the full extent of the violence .
Not only was Chief of Department Terrence Monahan bloodied in the fray , but Lieutenant Richard Mack was beaten so badly that both of the orbital bones around his eyes were shattered and he required 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suspects caught on video attacking the police was 25-year-old Quran Campbell of the Bronx .
He was arrested , along with another Bronx man , Banks Shaborn , also 25 , and the two were taken downtown for processing as the march continued .
And then , because we ’ re talking about New York City , a very unfunny thing happened on the way to the local jail .
Campbell was released without bail after having been literally caught live on camera viciously assaulting police officers who were doing nothing other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To say that the NYPD was “ disappointed ” would be a grave understatement .
( NY Post ) The Bronx man who allegedly punched NYPD Chief Terence Monahan and two other officers during protests on the Brooklyn Bridge Wednesday has been released without bail .
Quran Campbell , 25 , is accused of socking the highest-ranking uniformed cop several times in the face as Monahan tried to arrest him after Campbell had allegedly punched another NYPD officer and lieutenant near the Manhattan approach to the bridge .
Campbell was arraigned on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was granted supervised release .
The court did somehow manage to hold Shaborn on $ 10,000 bail , possibly because he was found to have both a taser and a knife on him when he was taken into custody .
We should be thankful for small favors , I suppose .
But then the story took yet another turn in an even more bizarre direction .
Mayor Bill de Blasio and members of the City Council came out to condemn the release of Campbell and express their support for the cops .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comings and goings in Gotham when it comes to “ police reform ” and all the rest of these debates , you already know that this is significantly off-brand for Hizzoner .
( Emphasis added ) City officials mount a sharp attacked on the court system after a man accused of attacking several cops – including Chief of Department Terence Monahan — was released without bail .
But court officials are fighting back saying the mayor and the police commissioner are trying to shift blame for failed gun violence policies .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in city crime fighting – when NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan and three other cops were brutally attacked during a Brooklyn Bridge protest , reported CBS2 ’ s Marcia Kramer .
The situation got worse when one of the attackers was freed without Bail , infuriating the mayor and the police commissioner .
The Mayor went on to say , “ Assaulting any police officer is absolutely unacceptable .
There have to be consequences and I say we need to have the court system to be up and running , ” Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who pushed through the “ bail reform ” measures that make it nearly impossible to hold anyone in custody before trial .
He ’ s also been one of the chief drivers of the “ empty the jails ” movement .
On top of that , he signed off on shutting down the city ’ s plainclothes crime unit , a move that was followed almost immediately by a significant spike in shootings , murders and violent crime .
It was obvious to everyone that de Blasio was trying to shift the blame @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pin the fault on the courts .
Those would be the same courts that are now doing precisely what the Mayor and the City Council demanded they do .
Patrick Cullen , the head of the State Court Officers Association , responded rather bluntly , saying “ Mayor de Blasio is a complete moron and I will stand by that statement until he is no longer mayor of the city of New York .
The elimination of the anti-crime unit has caused a major problem… handcuffing the NYPD is really causing major disturbances.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called “ protesters ” violently attacking the police in broad daylight on the streets of New York , but the perpetrators are immediately freed to go forth and cause more mayhem .
This is no way to run an airline , ladies and gentlemen .
People are already fleeing the city in significant numbers .
We should probably expect to see that trend ramping up , at least among those with the financial resources and functional brain cells to do so .

On Wednesday, John Sexton discussed the shocking incident in New York City when some thugs attacked several NYPD officers as they escorted a pro-police solidarity march over the Brooklyn Bridge. There are plenty of photos and video at the link in case you missed the story, but the early reports didn’t capture the full extent of the violence. Not only was Chief of Department Terrence Monahan bloodied in the fray, but Lieutenant Richard Mack was beaten so badly that both of the orbital bones around his eyes were shattered and he required 12 stitches at the hospital.
One of the suspects caught on video attacking the police was 25-year-old Quran Campbell of the Bronx. He was arrested, along with another Bronx man, Banks Shaborn, also 25, and the two were taken downtown for processing as the march continued. And then, because we’re talking about New York City, a very unfunny thing happened on the way to the local jail. Campbell was released without bail after having been literally caught live on camera viciously assaulting police officers who were doing nothing other than escorting some demonstrators across the bridge. To say that the NYPD was “disappointed” would be a grave understatement. (NY Post)
The Bronx man who allegedly punched NYPD Chief Terence Monahan and two other officers during protests on the Brooklyn Bridge Wednesday has been released without bail. Quran Campbell, 25, is accused of socking the highest-ranking uniformed cop several times in the face as Monahan tried to arrest him after Campbell had allegedly punched another NYPD officer and lieutenant near the Manhattan approach to the bridge. Campbell was arraigned on assault charges in Manhattan criminal court and was granted supervised release.
The court did somehow manage to hold Shaborn on $10,000 bail, possibly because he was found to have both a taser and a knife on him when he was taken into custody. We should be thankful for small favors, I suppose.
But then the story took yet another turn in an even more bizarre direction. Mayor Bill de Blasio and members of the City Council came out to condemn the release of Campbell and express their support for the cops. And if you’ve been following the comings and goings in Gotham when it comes to “police reform” and all the rest of these debates, you already know that this is significantly off-brand for Hizzoner. (Emphasis added)
City officials mount a sharp attacked on the court system after a man accused of attacking several cops – including Chief of Department Terence Monahan — was released without bail. But court officials are fighting back saying the mayor and the police commissioner are trying to shift blame for failed gun violence policies. It was a watershed moment – a low point in city crime fighting – when NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan and three other cops were brutally attacked during a Brooklyn Bridge protest, reported CBS2’s Marcia Kramer. The situation got worse when one of the attackers was freed without Bail , infuriating the mayor and the police commissioner.
The Mayor went on to say, “Assaulting any police officer is absolutely unacceptable. There have to be consequences and I say we need to have the court system to be up and running,”
Of course, this is the same Mayor who pushed through the “bail reform” measures that make it nearly impossible to hold anyone in custody before trial. He’s also been one of the chief drivers of the “empty the jails” movement. On top of that, he signed off on shutting down the city’s plainclothes crime unit, a move that was followed almost immediately by a significant spike in shootings, murders and violent crime.
It was obvious to everyone that de Blasio was trying to shift the blame away from his own failed policies and pin the fault on the courts. Those would be the same courts that are now doing precisely what the Mayor and the City Council demanded they do. Patrick Cullen, the head of the State Court Officers Association, responded rather bluntly, saying “Mayor de Blasio is a complete moron and I will stand by that statement until he is no longer mayor of the city of New York. The elimination of the anti-crime unit has caused a major problem… handcuffing the NYPD is really causing major disturbances.”
So now we not only have so-called “protesters” violently attacking the police in broad daylight on the streets of New York, but the perpetrators are immediately freed to go forth and cause more mayhem. This is no way to run an airline, ladies and gentlemen. People are already fleeing the city in significant numbers. We should probably expect to see that trend ramping up, at least among those with the financial resources and functional brain cells to do so.


hotair--2020-07-20--It's pretty clear what today's "Strike for Black Lives" is about

With little in the way of fanfare , it was announced over the weekend that there would be a “ strike ” today by a variety of union members and participants in various social justice groups .
The scare quotes around the word “ strike ” are something of a requirement because not all of the participants will actually be , er… “ striking.
” ( More on that in a moment . )
The stated purpose of this walkout , predicted to include up to “ tens of thousands ” of workers , is to combat racism and police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rationale offered by the organizers is a bit on the sketchy side to say the least , there ’ s probably something else going on here .
Some details from the Associated Press follow .
Organizers of a national workers strike say tens of thousands are set to walk off the job Monday in more than two dozen U.S. cities to protest systemic racism and economic inequality that has only worsened during the coronavirus pandemic .
Dubbed the “ Strike for Black Lives , ” labor unions , along with social and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Los Angeles , will participate in a range of planned actions .
Where work stoppages are not possible for a full day , participants will either picket during a lunch break or observe moments of silence to honor Black lives lost to police violence , organizers said .
“ We are … building a country where Black lives matter in every aspect of society — including in the workplace , ” said Ash-Lee Henderson , an organizer with the Movement for Black Lives , a coalition of over 150 organizations that make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As noted above , not everyone participating in the event will be walking off of their jobs .
Some will picket during their lunch break while others will conduct a “ moment of silence.
” That should teach those oppressive employers a thing or two .
Here are the glaring cracks in the armor of this proposal , just in case they weren ’ t obvious already .
First of all , when workers go on strike , it ’ s done to apply leverage and get something out of the employer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence toward Black suspects , are they implying that the employers are somehow in cahoots with the cops ?
Obviously not .
One of the organizers offers a bit of clarity by describing the strike as “ a moment of reckoning for corporations that have long ignored the concerns of their Black workforce and denied them better working conditions , living wages and healthcare.
” By this point , you should have a light bulb beginning to illuminate over your head .
To fill in the picture more completely , let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations that are putting this shindig together .
They include the SEIU , the Teamsters , the American Federation of Teachers , United Farm Workers and the Fight for $ 15 .
Are you seeing what ’ s going on now ?
Even leaving aside the question of what instances of police brutality have to do with this , the rest of the supposed rationale for this “ strike ” is just as nonsensical .
None of those employers have different pay scales or benefit plans for white workers and their colleagues of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did they would be in jail .
The minimum wage is not $ 15 for white workers and something lower for everyone else .
It ’ s the minimum wage for everyone .
If you want to continue to debate what the minimum wage should be , that ’ s fine .
We can have that debate all day long .
But stop trying to pretend this has something to do with use of force incidents by the police .
This is the usual list of suspects we regularly see fighting against right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced unionization and dues collection .
This “ strike ” has absolutely nothing to do with George Floyd or any sort of police reform or defunding or what have you .
It ’ s the same old song and dance we always hear from the labor unions .
The only difference is that these obvious opportunists are trying to glom onto the backs of the ongoing protests and riots , sensing a “ moment ” where perhaps they can force their agenda forward by draping the Black Lives Matter movement over their collective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like .
It ’ s certainly your right .
But consider calling it what it is .
It ’ s a strike for forced unionization and it has nothing to do with the value placed on Black lives .
The hypocrisy on display here is simply nauseating .

With little in the way of fanfare, it was announced over the weekend that there would be a “strike” today by a variety of union members and participants in various social justice groups. The scare quotes around the word “strike” are something of a requirement because not all of the participants will actually be, er… “striking.” (More on that in a moment.) The stated purpose of this walkout, predicted to include up to “tens of thousands” of workers, is to combat racism and police violence against persons of color. Since the rationale offered by the organizers is a bit on the sketchy side to say the least, there’s probably something else going on here. Some details from the Associated Press follow.
Organizers of a national workers strike say tens of thousands are set to walk off the job Monday in more than two dozen U.S. cities to protest systemic racism and economic inequality that has only worsened during the coronavirus pandemic. Dubbed the “Strike for Black Lives,” labor unions, along with social and racial justice organizations from New York City to Los Angeles, will participate in a range of planned actions. Where work stoppages are not possible for a full day, participants will either picket during a lunch break or observe moments of silence to honor Black lives lost to police violence, organizers said. “We are … building a country where Black lives matter in every aspect of society — including in the workplace,” said Ash-Lee Henderson, an organizer with the Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of over 150 organizations that make up the Black Lives Matter movement.
As noted above, not everyone participating in the event will be walking off of their jobs. Some will picket during their lunch break while others will conduct a “moment of silence.” That should teach those oppressive employers a thing or two.
Here are the glaring cracks in the armor of this proposal, just in case they weren’t obvious already. First of all, when workers go on strike, it’s done to apply leverage and get something out of the employer. If this is a protest against police violence toward Black suspects, are they implying that the employers are somehow in cahoots with the cops? Obviously not. One of the organizers offers a bit of clarity by describing the strike as “a moment of reckoning for corporations that have long ignored the concerns of their Black workforce and denied them better working conditions, living wages and healthcare.”
By this point, you should have a light bulb beginning to illuminate over your head. To fill in the picture more completely, let’s take a look at the list of organizations that are putting this shindig together. They include the SEIU, the Teamsters, the American Federation of Teachers, United Farm Workers and the Fight for $15. Are you seeing what’s going on now?
Even leaving aside the question of what instances of police brutality have to do with this, the rest of the supposed rationale for this “strike” is just as nonsensical. None of those employers have different pay scales or benefit plans for white workers and their colleagues of color. Why? Because if they did they would be in jail. The minimum wage is not $15 for white workers and something lower for everyone else. It’s the minimum wage for everyone. If you want to continue to debate what the minimum wage should be, that’s fine. We can have that debate all day long. But stop trying to pretend this has something to do with use of force incidents by the police.
This is the usual list of suspects we regularly see fighting against right to work laws and in favor of forced unionization and dues collection. This “strike” has absolutely nothing to do with George Floyd or any sort of police reform or defunding or what have you. It’s the same old song and dance we always hear from the labor unions. The only difference is that these obvious opportunists are trying to glom onto the backs of the ongoing protests and riots, sensing a “moment” where perhaps they can force their agenda forward by draping the Black Lives Matter movement over their collective shoulders.
Hold your walkout if you like. It’s certainly your right. But consider calling it what it is. It’s a strike for forced unionization and it has nothing to do with the value placed on Black lives. The hypocrisy on display here is simply nauseating.


hotair--2020-07-20--Video: Federal cops whale on Navy vet protesting in Portland

Imagine having a cop casually break a few bones in your hand and then give you a faceful of pepper spray for the crime of standing stock still in place , and you can ’ t even report him to his superiors because he ’ s unmarked .
No name , no badge .
No face , even , thanks to the gas mask .
Just a man with a baton who thought you didn ’ t move quickly enough when he told you to and decided to send you to the hospital as a lesson .
What happened here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David , claims it went down this way : Just as he was about to leave , David said , the federal officers emerged .
They rushed a line of protesters nearby , knocking them to the ground .
David walked toward a gap in the line , calling out to the officers .
“ Why are you not honoring your oath ?
” he bellowed .
“ Why are you not honoring your oath to the Constitution ?
” An officer trained his weapon on David ’ s chest as several agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But he regained his center and tried again .
Another agent raised his baton and began to beat David , who stood unwavering with his arms at his sides .
Then another officer unloaded a canister of chemical irritant spray into David ’ s face .
David claims he has a broken hand that ’ ll require surgery involving “ pins , screws and plates.
” He also claims , interestingly , that he wasn ’ t moved to come out and protest until he saw the footage circulating last week of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving around Portland with nothing to identify them except a DHS patch on their arms .
DHS says that they have no choice but to be in Portland because the vandalism there won ’ t abate ; local officials counter that the federal presence is antagonizing people with their tactics ( military cosplay , using unmarked vehicles , tear gas ) and bringing more out into the streets , making the situation worse .
If David ’ s telling the truth , he ’ s a small piece of evidence that local officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledges in this story that some demonstrators really are violent and include Antifa , but others include a group of moms wearing helmets calling on the feds to leave .
Are normies starting to demonstrate too ?
The reason the feds are there , ostensibly , is to protect federal property from vandalism .
So why aren ’ t they stationed at those locations , in appropriate police gear like helmets and shields ?
Rand Paul is wondering too ( while citing my post from last week ) : Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in postwar Iraq , wrote this morning that he insisted that Iraqi officers wear police uniforms , not camouflage .
He wanted to highlight three distinctions by doing so .
Police keep the peace and aim to defuse conflict ; soldiers aim to intimidate and to prosecute conflict to victory .
Police need to be visible , as their presence alone can deter confrontation and crime ; soldiers aim to be invisible and blend into their surroundings , to more effectively confront the enemy .
Police need to be trained to be accountable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pairs and can get away more easily with misconduct ; soldiers work as part of a team within a rigid hierarchy and are watched at most times .
Re-watch the video of the feds versus Christopher David .
Which model seems closer to how they approached him ?
Another reason why the feds may be handling their jobs badly in Portland is that they ’ re simply not trained for this type of job .
At least , not the agents who are there right now : The federal agents facing a growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unrest in Portland were not specifically trained in riot control or mass demonstrations , an internal Department of Homeland Security memo warned this week… The memo , seemingly anticipating future encounters with protesters in other cities as the department follows President Trump ’ s guidance to crack down on unrest , warns : “ Moving forward , if this type of response is going to be the norm , specialized training and standardized equipment should be deployed to responding agencies.
” The tactical agents deployed by homeland security include officials from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrol ’ s equivalent of a SWAT team , a highly trained group that normally is tasked with investigating drug smuggling organizations , as opposed to protesters in cities .
A lingering question : Why is DHS involved here at all instead of the Department of Justice ?
Most federal law enforcement , starting with the FBI , operates as part of the DOJ .
What ’ s the Border Patrol doing in the Pacific northwest ?
A recurring debate whenever Trump overreaches with executive power is whether it ’ s a one-off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back once he ’ s met with an outcry or whether it ’ s the start of some ominous new policy that he plans to implement more widely .
The Lafayette Park operation in June seemed like it might be the start of a protracted federal effort to “ get tough ” with protesters , replete with Trump invoking the Insurrection Act , but that never happened .
The same speculation has arisen over the Portland clusterfark , though .
Is this a show of muscle by the president which he ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proved whatever point he ’ s trying to prove or is he planning to send “ federal troops , ” in Rand Paul ’ s phrase , to other cities ?
Hmmm : Maybe DHS was tasked for this job rather than the DOJ because they ’ re a bit more willing to do whatever the president demands , ethical or not .
Whenever the DOJ does something outre , like backing off Roger Stone ’ s sentence , there ’ s a wave of resignations and angry op-eds from within the department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be more … compliant .
Note too that all three top officers at the department are serving in an acting capacity , from Wolf to Ken Cuccinelli to the chief of staff .
That makes them more accountable to Trump personally than they would be if they held their jobs via Senate confirmation .
The Senate could confront Trump about that at any time and demand he submit his appointees for confirmation , but because they ’ re a disgrace and a national embarrassment they ’ re happy to acquiesce in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to indulge in .
As I say , the question now is whether DHS ( and maybe not just DHS ) intends to expand their activity in Portland to other cities — and to other activities .
A piece at Lawfare today reports that a memo from the department ’ s Office of Intelligence & Analysis suggests that they ’ re collecting domestic intel on “ threats targeting monuments , memorials , and statues , ” and not necessarily just federal ones .
Why should a threat to a statue justify a homeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI criminal probe ?
“ The premise is alarming , ” write the authors , “ because it uses the cover of minor property damage , whether to federal property or otherwise , to justify intelligence gathering against ordinary Americans—most of whom have nothing to do with the underlying property damage , and many of whom are engaged in the most American of activities : peacefully protesting their government.
” It ’ s not just DHS either .
The Bulwark reminds readers today about a DEA memo from May that authorizes agents to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , using technical surveillance techniques over crowds of individuals without suspicion of wrongdoing , and otherwise collecting intelligence—covertly—on individuals purposefully exercising their First Amendment rights , ” in the words of author Carrie Cordero .
“ America has never had a purely domestic security service , ” Cordero adds .
Well , we ’ ve never had unidentified cops dressed as soldiers either , as far as I know , but we ’ re doing things very strongly , very powerfully now to protect our statues from , say , Navy veterans who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything else .
Anyway , lawsuits are coming .

Imagine having a cop casually break a few bones in your hand and then give you a faceful of pepper spray for the crime of standing stock still in place, and you can’t even report him to his superiors because he’s unmarked. No name, no badge. No face, even, thanks to the gas mask. Just a man with a baton who thought you didn’t move quickly enough when he told you to and decided to send you to the hospital as a lesson.
The man in this Portland video is Christopher David. A Navy veteran, he tells us he went to the protests for the first time to ask officers about the constitution. He said his fingers are broken and he needs surgery. MORE: https://t.co/W7qAD8R4xJpic.twitter.com/BBZnUZlJyW — Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) July 19, 2020
What happened here? The man, Navy veteran Christopher David, claims it went down this way:
Just as he was about to leave, David said, the federal officers emerged. They rushed a line of protesters nearby, knocking them to the ground. David walked toward a gap in the line, calling out to the officers. “Why are you not honoring your oath?” he bellowed. “Why are you not honoring your oath to the Constitution?” An officer trained his weapon on David’s chest as several agents pushed him, sending David stumbling backward. But he regained his center and tried again. Another agent raised his baton and began to beat David, who stood unwavering with his arms at his sides. Then another officer unloaded a canister of chemical irritant spray into David’s face.
David claims he has a broken hand that’ll require surgery involving “pins, screws and plates.” He also claims, interestingly, that he wasn’t moved to come out and protest until he saw the footage circulating last week of federal agents dressed up as soldiers and moving around Portland with nothing to identify them except a DHS patch on their arms. DHS says that they have no choice but to be in Portland because the vandalism there won’t abate; local officials counter that the federal presence is antagonizing people with their tactics (military cosplay, using unmarked vehicles, tear gas) and bringing more out into the streets, making the situation worse. If David’s telling the truth, he’s a small piece of evidence that local officials are right. Relatedly, The Times acknowledges in this story that some demonstrators really are violent and include Antifa, but others include a group of moms wearing helmets calling on the feds to leave. Are normies starting to demonstrate too?
The reason the feds are there, ostensibly, is to protect federal property from vandalism. So why aren’t they stationed at those locations, in appropriate police gear like helmets and shields? Rand Paul is wondering too (while citing my post from last week):
We cannot give up liberty for security. Local law enforcement can and should be handling these situations in our cities but there is no place for federal troops or unidentified federal agents rounding people up at will. https://t.co/vkSHmlOzDW — Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 20, 2020
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, who helped create a police force in postwar Iraq, wrote this morning that he insisted that Iraqi officers wear police uniforms, not camouflage. He wanted to highlight three distinctions by doing so. Police keep the peace and aim to defuse conflict; soldiers aim to intimidate and to prosecute conflict to victory. Police need to be visible, as their presence alone can deter confrontation and crime; soldiers aim to be invisible and blend into their surroundings, to more effectively confront the enemy. Police need to be trained to be accountable because they often work alone or in pairs and can get away more easily with misconduct; soldiers work as part of a team within a rigid hierarchy and are watched at most times. Re-watch the video of the feds versus Christopher David. Which model seems closer to how they approached him?
Another reason why the feds may be handling their jobs badly in Portland is that they’re simply not trained for this type of job. At least, not the agents who are there right now:
The federal agents facing a growing backlash for their militarized approach to weeks of unrest in Portland were not specifically trained in riot control or mass demonstrations, an internal Department of Homeland Security memo warned this week… The memo, seemingly anticipating future encounters with protesters in other cities as the department follows President Trump’s guidance to crack down on unrest, warns: “Moving forward, if this type of response is going to be the norm, specialized training and standardized equipment should be deployed to responding agencies.” The tactical agents deployed by homeland security include officials from a group known as BORTAC, the Border Patrol’s equivalent of a SWAT team, a highly trained group that normally is tasked with investigating drug smuggling organizations, as opposed to protesters in cities.
A lingering question: Why is DHS involved here at all instead of the Department of Justice? Most federal law enforcement, starting with the FBI, operates as part of the DOJ. What’s the Border Patrol doing in the Pacific northwest? A recurring debate whenever Trump overreaches with executive power is whether it’s a one-off thing from which he’ll shrink back once he’s met with an outcry or whether it’s the start of some ominous new policy that he plans to implement more widely. The Lafayette Park operation in June seemed like it might be the start of a protracted federal effort to “get tough” with protesters, replete with Trump invoking the Insurrection Act, but that never happened. The same speculation has arisen over the Portland clusterfark, though. Is this a show of muscle by the president which he’ll back off from once he’s proved whatever point he’s trying to prove or is he planning to send “federal troops,” in Rand Paul’s phrase, to other cities? Hmmm:
"I don't need invitations by the state, state mayors, or state governors to do our job. We're going to do that, whether they like us there or not.” — acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf pic.twitter.com/Rr2P8q6Ut1 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 20, 2020
Maybe DHS was tasked for this job rather than the DOJ because they’re a bit more willing to do whatever the president demands, ethical or not. Whenever the DOJ does something outre, like backing off Roger Stone’s sentence, there’s a wave of resignations and angry op-eds from within the department that embarrasses the White House. DHS may be more … compliant. Note too that all three top officers at the department are serving in an acting capacity, from Wolf to Ken Cuccinelli to the chief of staff. That makes them more accountable to Trump personally than they would be if they held their jobs via Senate confirmation. The Senate could confront Trump about that at any time and demand he submit his appointees for confirmation, but because they’re a disgrace and a national embarrassment they’re happy to acquiesce in this “acting” charade that Trump continues to indulge in.
As I say, the question now is whether DHS (and maybe not just DHS) intends to expand their activity in Portland to other cities — and to other activities. A piece at Lawfare today reports that a memo from the department’s Office of Intelligence & Analysis suggests that they’re collecting domestic intel on “threats targeting monuments, memorials, and statues,” and not necessarily just federal ones. Why should a threat to a statue justify a homeland security investigation instead of a state or FBI criminal probe? “The premise is alarming,” write the authors, “because it uses the cover of minor property damage, whether to federal property or otherwise, to justify intelligence gathering against ordinary Americans—most of whom have nothing to do with the underlying property damage, and many of whom are engaged in the most American of activities: peacefully protesting their government.”
It’s not just DHS either. The Bulwark reminds readers today about a DEA memo from May that authorizes agents to conduct “physical surveillance without identifying themselves, using technical surveillance techniques over crowds of individuals without suspicion of wrongdoing, and otherwise collecting intelligence—covertly—on individuals purposefully exercising their First Amendment rights,” in the words of author Carrie Cordero. “America has never had a purely domestic security service,” Cordero adds. Well, we’ve never had unidentified cops dressed as soldiers either, as far as I know, but we’re doing things very strongly, very powerfully now to protect our statues from, say, Navy veterans who aren’t actually threatening them or anything else. Anyway, lawsuits are coming.


hotair--2020-07-20--Taibbi: The Left became the Right -- and no one's talking about it

Remember when it was the Right that wanted to get into your bedroom and shut down dissent ?
Good times , good times , Rolling Stone editor Matt Taibbi writes at his eponymous website .
Taibbi overstates the historical case on the Right — somewhat , anyway — but he nails the case on the Left as woke scolds and progressive authoritarians .
Mostly , though , Taibbi wonders why the same media that ridiculed and marginalized conservatives over those tactics haven ’ t done the same with progressives .
Who wants to tell him ?
Fifteen years later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the press response is silence .
This time it ’ s not a few Podunk school boards under assault by junk science and crackpot theologies , but Princeton University , the New York Times , the Smithsonian , and a hundred other institutions .
When the absurdity factor rocketed past Dover levels this week , the nation ’ s leading press organs barely commented , much less laughed .
Doing so would have meant opening the floodgates on a story most everyone in media sees but no one is allowed to comment upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America have traded villainous cultural pathologies .
Things we once despised about the right have been amplified a thousand-fold on the flip .
Conservatives once tried to legislate what went on in your bedroom ; now it ’ s the left that obsesses over sexual codicils , not just for the bedroom but everywhere .
Right-wingers from time to time made headlines campaigning against everything from The Last Temptation of Christ to “ Fuck the Police , ” though we laughed at the idea that Ice Cube made cops literally unsafe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do something fairly ambitious , like piss on a crucifix in public , to get conservative protesters off their couches .
Today Matt Yglesias signing a group letter with Noam Chomsky is considered threatening .
Moreover a lot less than booking a Robert Mapplethorpe exhibit can get you in the soup – a headline , a retweet , even likes are costing people jobs .
Imagine how many movies Milos Forman would have had to make if Jerry Falwell had been able to get people fired this easily .
Did the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Sure , but there was a big difference then ( and now ) .
The media at that point made itself into the defender of First Amendment civil liberties on the basis that free speech mattered .
For an example of this , watch Forman ’ s film The People vs Larry Flynt , which turned a nutcase pornographer into a free-speech hero — and not altogether without merit .
Falwell ’ s lawsuit would have had a devastating impact on criticism of public figures , even if one had sympathy for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first place .
Actually , if you do decide to watch the film , be warned that it earns every bit of its R rating for language , violence , and sexual content .
There is a great deal of scenery chewing from nearly everyone except Edward Norton , and no small end of Flynt ’ s bizarre political thoughts , but the case is interesting enough to make the film worth a watch , if you ’ re inclined to forgive the melodramatics .
That ’ s your choice , as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth noting that voices on the Right did speak out against the authoritarian impulses , and those weren ’ t all Left/Right issues even then .
Taibbi seems to forget about Tipper Gore ’ s crusade against violent video games back in those times .
He also conveniently forgets that the campaign against The Last Temptation of Christ came mainly from the Catholic Church , which is hardly a member of the Right except on abortion .
( Or that Martin Scorcese wisely played it up to boost ticket sales , and succeeded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got checked by groups within its coalition as well as aggressive pushback by the media and cultural establishment .
Contrast that with the current environment , and it ’ s very difficult-to-well-nigh-impossible to conclude that the media ’ s treatment of those impulses were principled .
Instead , it just looks like they were unhappy that the wrong side was in position to apply them .
Taibbi comes close to grasping this but argues that the difference was that the Right “ was too stupid to rule.
” However , he then spends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Left ’ s recent stupidities , including that idiotic Smithsonian Institute graphic on “ whiteness , ” but fails to recognize the parallels — and the key difference .
One side had the cultural and media establishment arrayed against them , and sent reporters like Taibbi to expose and ridicule its extremes ; the other side has assimilated the cultural and media establishment into its movement .
And now that side has finally achieved some cultural supremacy and wants to use it to give full rein to its authoritarian impulses , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they are part of the effort .
Be sure to read it all .
And keep an eye on Taibbi ’ s website ; even when I disagree with his position , he usually has an intriguing argument .
We ’ ll see how long he can offer those until the authoritarians come knocking .

Remember when it was the Right that wanted to get into your bedroom and shut down dissent? Good times, good times, Rolling Stone editor Matt Taibbi writes at his eponymous website. Taibbi overstates the historical case on the Right — somewhat, anyway — but he nails the case on the Left as woke scolds and progressive authoritarians.
Mostly, though, Taibbi wonders why the same media that ridiculed and marginalized conservatives over those tactics haven’t done the same with progressives. Who wants to tell him?
Fifteen years later, America is a thousand Dovers, and the press response is silence. This time it’s not a few Podunk school boards under assault by junk science and crackpot theologies, but Princeton University, the New York Times, the Smithsonian, and a hundred other institutions. When the absurdity factor rocketed past Dover levels this week, the nation’s leading press organs barely commented, much less laughed. Doing so would have meant opening the floodgates on a story most everyone in media sees but no one is allowed to comment upon: that the political right and left in America have traded villainous cultural pathologies. Things we once despised about the right have been amplified a thousand-fold on the flip. Conservatives once tried to legislate what went on in your bedroom; now it’s the left that obsesses over sexual codicils, not just for the bedroom but everywhere. Right-wingers from time to time made headlines campaigning against everything from The Last Temptation of Christ to “Fuck the Police,” though we laughed at the idea that Ice Cube made cops literally unsafe, and it was understood an artist had to do something fairly ambitious, like piss on a crucifix in public, to get conservative protesters off their couches. Today Matt Yglesias signing a group letter with Noam Chomsky is considered threatening. Moreover a lot less than booking a Robert Mapplethorpe exhibit can get you in the soup – a headline, a retweet, even likes are costing people jobs. Imagine how many movies Milos Forman would have had to make if Jerry Falwell had been able to get people fired this easily.
Did the same impulses exist on the Right at times? Sure, but there was a big difference then (and now). The media at that point made itself into the defender of First Amendment civil liberties on the basis that free speech mattered. For an example of this, watch Forman’s film The People vs Larry Flynt, which turned a nutcase pornographer into a free-speech hero — and not altogether without merit. Falwell’s lawsuit would have had a devastating impact on criticism of public figures, even if one had sympathy for his reason for suing Flynt in the first place.
Actually, if you do decide to watch the film, be warned that it earns every bit of its R rating for language, violence, and sexual content. There is a great deal of scenery chewing from nearly everyone except Edward Norton, and no small end of Flynt’s bizarre political thoughts, but the case is interesting enough to make the film worth a watch, if you’re inclined to forgive the melodramatics. That’s your choice, as it should be.
It’s also worth noting that voices on the Right did speak out against the authoritarian impulses, and those weren’t all Left/Right issues even then. Taibbi seems to forget about Tipper Gore’s crusade against violent video games back in those times. He also conveniently forgets that the campaign against The Last Temptation of Christ came mainly from the Catholic Church, which is hardly a member of the Right except on abortion. (Or that Martin Scorcese wisely played it up to boost ticket sales, and succeeded.) Those impulses on the Right got checked by groups within its coalition as well as aggressive pushback by the media and cultural establishment.
Contrast that with the current environment, and it’s very difficult-to-well-nigh-impossible to conclude that the media’s treatment of those impulses were principled. Instead, it just looks like they were unhappy that the wrong side was in position to apply them. Taibbi comes close to grasping this but argues that the difference was that the Right “was too stupid to rule.” However, he then spends quite a bit of time ridiculing the Left’s recent stupidities, including that idiotic Smithsonian Institute graphic on “whiteness,” but fails to recognize the parallels — and the key difference. One side had the cultural and media establishment arrayed against them, and sent reporters like Taibbi to expose and ridicule its extremes; the other side has assimilated the cultural and media establishment into its movement. And now that side has finally achieved some cultural supremacy and wants to use it to give full rein to its authoritarian impulses, and the media won’t report on it because they are part of the effort.
Be sure to read it all. And keep an eye on Taibbi’s website; even when I disagree with his position, he usually has an intriguing argument. We’ll see how long he can offer those until the authoritarians come knocking.


hotair--2020-07-20--Disaster: President Nixon announces that Apollo 11's lunar module has crashed on the moon

To cleanse the palate , via Scientific American , a phenomenal professionally done deepfake … that ’ s not quite a deepfake .
Deepfakes are when one person ’ s face is overlaid on another ’ s .
What you ’ re about to see is called “ video dialogue replacement.
” If I understand it correctly , original footage of Nixon speaking was run through a computer , the computer learned the different ways that his face contorted as he spoke , then it re-created natural-seeming contortions to sync to an entirely new piece of audio .
Which in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A company that specializes in audio mimicry analyzed Nixon ’ s voice , had an actor read some lines , et voila — soon it had “ Nixon ” speaking those same lines .
The result is a piece of alternate-history voodoo titled “ In Event of Moon Disaster , ” which is taken from the title of an actual speech William Safire wrote for Nixon in case the Apollo 11 mission ended badly .
And I do mean badly : Read it and you ’ ll see that it imagines a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aldrin aren ’ t necessarily killed on impact when the lunar module touches down .
They ’ re alive .
They ’ re just stranded , unable to get off the surface and rejoin the command module , and thus doomed .
In reality , thankfully , Safire ’ s speech wasn ’ t needed .
In alternate reality , it was .
And you ’ re about to watch Nixon deliver it to a grieving planet .
One of the things that makes this eerie beyond the skill of the fakery and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the how the older , grainier video format “ disguises ” the deception .
The audio sounds a little hollow at times , the video is a touch jerky on occasion — but it ’ s all too easy to chalk that up to the poor quality of TV transmissions in 1969 and suspend your disbelief .
I ’ d be fascinated to see the results if , say , a thousand Americans were shown the Nixon clip here and told that this was a secret recording he made at the time which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even one of them doubt that what they were seeing is real unless they were primed to doubt by having deepfakes mentioned to them first ?
Someday when this technology is frighteningly ubiquitous there ’ ll be entire TV networks devoted to alternate-history programming and the people who slacked off in class years ago won ’ t have any idea what ’ s true and what ’ s not .
Speaking of which , as a bonus below , here ’ s what the audio mimicry company produced when it matched Safire ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voice and speech patterns .
It ’ s a little rougher ( presumably because they didn ’ t polish it as much as the Nixon audio ) but still impressive .
This comes from an even more radically alternate history in which JFK is still president in 1969 because there was no assassination and we ended up repealing the 22nd Amendment so that the Kennedys could rule us forever .

To cleanse the palate, via Scientific American, a phenomenal professionally done deepfake … that’s not quite a deepfake. Deepfakes are when one person’s face is overlaid on another’s. What you’re about to see is called “video dialogue replacement.” If I understand it correctly, original footage of Nixon speaking was run through a computer, the computer learned the different ways that his face contorted as he spoke, then it re-created natural-seeming contortions to sync to an entirely new piece of audio.
Which in this case also happened to be fake. A company that specializes in audio mimicry analyzed Nixon’s voice, had an actor read some lines, et voila — soon it had “Nixon” speaking those same lines.
The result is a piece of alternate-history voodoo titled “In Event of Moon Disaster,” which is taken from the title of an actual speech William Safire wrote for Nixon in case the Apollo 11 mission ended badly. And I do mean badly: Read it and you’ll see that it imagines a scenario in which Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin aren’t necessarily killed on impact when the lunar module touches down. They’re alive. They’re just stranded, unable to get off the surface and rejoin the command module, and thus doomed. In reality, thankfully, Safire’s speech wasn’t needed.
In alternate reality, it was. And you’re about to watch Nixon deliver it to a grieving planet.
One of the things that makes this eerie beyond the skill of the fakery and the harrowing plausibility of the narrative is the how the older, grainier video format “disguises” the deception. The audio sounds a little hollow at times, the video is a touch jerky on occasion — but it’s all too easy to chalk that up to the poor quality of TV transmissions in 1969 and suspend your disbelief. I’d be fascinated to see the results if, say, a thousand Americans were shown the Nixon clip here and told that this was a secret recording he made at the time which had never aired until now. Would even one of them doubt that what they were seeing is real unless they were primed to doubt by having deepfakes mentioned to them first?
Someday when this technology is frighteningly ubiquitous there’ll be entire TV networks devoted to alternate-history programming and the people who slacked off in class years ago won’t have any idea what’s true and what’s not. Speaking of which, as a bonus below, here’s what the audio mimicry company produced when it matched Safire’s moon speech to JFK’s voice and speech patterns. It’s a little rougher (presumably because they didn’t polish it as much as the Nixon audio) but still impressive. This comes from an even more radically alternate history in which JFK is still president in 1969 because there was no assassination and we ended up repealing the 22nd Amendment so that the Kennedys could rule us forever.


hotair--2020-07-20--People accused a competitive Irish dancer of cultural appropriation because she was black

Like a lot of things the identity politics left has been pushing in the past few years , the claim of cultural appropriation is just dumb .
Here ’ s a case in point .
Since the coronavirus lockdown began a few months ago a 20-year-old Irish dancer named Morgan Bullock who lives in Richmond , Virginia has been posting videos of herself on Tik Tok and other social media sites .
Here she is doing her thing .
At some point in May she started posting videos of herself dancing in traditional Irish style to non-Irish music by artists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ videos got a big response from people around the world , some were viewed over a million times .
Most of the reactions were positive but because Bullock is black a subset of scolds also began saying what she was doing was cultural appropriation of Irish dancing .
I ’ ve posted other TikToks of me dancing to tracks by Drake , Koffee , Doja Cat , Janet Jackson , and Michael Jackson .
The comments have been mostly celebratory , but some people said that , as a black woman , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m passionate about Irish dance , teaching and my identity as a young woman of colour , so the comments about “ cultural appropriation ” were quite hurtful .
I feel like they ’ ve come from people who don ’ t understand the term .
Irish dance is like any other cultural art form , it was created to be shared .
It ’ s a dance that was born out of oppression ; we can ’ t lose sight of that .
For me , as a little black girl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was desperate to be a part of .
I was 10 when I first saw an Irish dancing recital , at the dance school where I was learning tap and ballet .
I was mesmerised .
My mum was a bit incredulous at first , but she let me give it a shot .
I fell in love after my first class .
The point is , there ’ s absolutely nothing to criticize here .
This isn ’ t someone trying to make a mockery of a traditional dance form , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dance so much that she devoted 10 years of her life to mastering it .
But there are a lot of dummies out there who think falling in love with aspects of another culture is somehow disrespectful .
There ’ s a happy ending to this story .
Morgan Bullock go some much attention from the videos that she was invited on a popular Irish radio show .
The show had a surprise guest : I did an interview on Irish radio where they surprised me by having the director of Riverdance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He told me what I was doing was unique and asked me to take part in the touring show .
I would definitely have gone to see it when it came to Virginia ; now I ’ m going to be in it .
For many Irish dancers including Bullock , being a part of the Riverdance touring show is sort of the ultimate goal , a way to do what you love for a large audience .
The show she was invited to be part of was postponed because of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months before it happens but at some point it will happen .
The BBC published this interview with Morgan Bullock Saturday .
In this clip she says , “ It ’ s important for people to recognize that there ’ s a difference between appropriation and appreciation .
I think that people use the term appropriation without knowing what it really means.
” She may have picked up that line from the Irish Embassy which tweeted this earlier this month .

Like a lot of things the identity politics left has been pushing in the past few years, the claim of cultural appropriation is just dumb. Here’s a case in point. Since the coronavirus lockdown began a few months ago a 20-year-old Irish dancer named Morgan Bullock who lives in Richmond, Virginia has been posting videos of herself on Tik Tok and other social media sites. Here she is doing her thing.
Another performance video from March because I’m reminiscing 💕 pic.twitter.com/vPhsnqdqgJ — Morgan Bullock (@Morrghan) July 3, 2020
At some point in May she started posting videos of herself dancing in traditional Irish style to non-Irish music by artists like Beyonce and Michael Jackson. Those videos got a big response from people around the world, some were viewed over a million times. Most of the reactions were positive but because Bullock is black a subset of scolds also began saying what she was doing was cultural appropriation of Irish dancing.
I’ve posted other TikToks of me dancing to tracks by Drake, Koffee, Doja Cat, Janet Jackson, and Michael Jackson. The comments have been mostly celebratory, but some people said that, as a black woman, I’m appropriating Irish culture. I’m passionate about Irish dance, teaching and my identity as a young woman of colour, so the comments about “cultural appropriation” were quite hurtful. I feel like they’ve come from people who don’t understand the term. Irish dance is like any other cultural art form, it was created to be shared. It’s a dance that was born out of oppression; we can’t lose sight of that. For me, as a little black girl, it was a beautiful art I was desperate to be a part of. I was 10 when I first saw an Irish dancing recital, at the dance school where I was learning tap and ballet. I was mesmerised. My mum was a bit incredulous at first, but she let me give it a shot. I fell in love after my first class.
The point is, there’s absolutely nothing to criticize here. This isn’t someone trying to make a mockery of a traditional dance form, this is someone who loves this style of dance so much that she devoted 10 years of her life to mastering it. But there are a lot of dummies out there who think falling in love with aspects of another culture is somehow disrespectful.
There’s a happy ending to this story. Morgan Bullock go some much attention from the videos that she was invited on a popular Irish radio show. The show had a surprise guest:
I did an interview on Irish radio where they surprised me by having the director of Riverdance, Padraic Moyles, on the phone. He told me what I was doing was unique and asked me to take part in the touring show. I would definitely have gone to see it when it came to Virginia; now I’m going to be in it.
For many Irish dancers including Bullock, being a part of the Riverdance touring show is sort of the ultimate goal, a way to do what you love for a large audience. The show she was invited to be part of was postponed because of the virus so it may be a few more months before it happens but at some point it will happen.
The BBC published this interview with Morgan Bullock Saturday. In this clip she says, “It’s important for people to recognize that there’s a difference between appropriation and appreciation. I think that people use the term appropriation without knowing what it really means.” She may have picked up that line from the Irish Embassy which tweeted this earlier this month.


hotair--2020-07-20--Trump: Wearing a mask is patriotic

Trump: Wearing a mask is patriotic

Good tweet , but you know how erratic his messaging can be , especially when he gets an earful from fans .
No worse than 50/50 odds that in his next interview he ’ ll say masks have always struck him as “ a little bit girly ” or whatever .
If it only took four months to get him to clearly endorse masks , I ’ m cautiously optimistic we can get him to clearly endorse more testing before Election Day .
Anyway , masks do seem to work .
A recent study at Florida Atlantic University found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quilting managed to contain aersolized droplets to within two and a half inches of a mannequin ’ s face after they were expelled .
Droplets from a simulated cough by an unmasked mannequin traveled eight feet by comparison .
A different study that ’ s soon to be published suggests that masks are not only effective at protecting others from infection by the masked person but may provide a meaningful degree of protection for the masked person from infection by others .
Which could be important , as one of the theories for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others shake the virus off without a hitch is related to viral load .
*If* your illness will be more severe depending upon how many viral particles you inhale then wearing a mask could be a life-saver even if it doesn ’ t stop you from being infected .
In fact , how ’ s that out for an outside-the-box theory to explain why deaths in America are way down from their April/May peak ?
It may be that we ’ re seeing less severe cases because more people are wearing masks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their way into their noses and throats .
Not so few that they don ’ t get sick , but few enough to keep them out of the morgue .
On the other hand , if more Americans are masked up , how is that we ’ re still seeing exploding case counts while countries where masks are less prevalent are holding the disease at bay ?
The percentage who say they “ always ” wear a mask when leaving home rose among all three partisan groups between the end of June and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still setting daily records for new cases .
Why ?
Maybe masks aren ’ t so great at preventing infection but are pretty good at preventing severe infection .
In fact , the IHME recently modeled how the pandemic might have looked if America had had a national mask mandate in place during April for workers at “ public-facing businesses ” and the mandate had been strictly followed .
Their best guess is that 40,000 lives would have been saved .
On to the big mystery : Why is Trump tweeting about masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about them since March , only to turn around today and designate them as a patriotic response to the epidemic .
My guess is that it has to do with the fact that the reporting on his handling of COVID-19 this past weekend was brutal even by typical media standards .
I quoted this WaPo article in an earlier post , in which a Trump advisor said of the president that he ’ s “ not really working this [ the pandemic ] anymore .
He doesn ’ t want to be distracted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling and asking about data .
He ’ s not worried about cases.
” The Times ran a piece about Republicans “ despairing that he will ever play a constructive role in addressing the crisis ” and beginning to distance themselves from his strange disengagement from the crisis however they can .
An advisor to Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott went on the record to say of the pandemic , “ The president got bored with it , ” and stressed that Abbott now interfaces with Mike Pence when he wants action on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important issue in the country to voters and the biggest health crisis America has faced in ages .
Getting bored with it is like getting bored with a war three months after shooting has started .
Even if that ’ s how you feel , pretend that you care .
Feel the voters ’ pain .
Trump hardly bothers to pretend anymore , occasionally chipping in dismissively that we have more cases because we ’ re doing more tests ( which isn ’ t why we have more cases ) or insisting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own accord someday .
A separate NYT piece claims that , around mid-April , he and his staff became convinced that “ the outbreak was fading , that they had given state governments all the resources they needed to contain its remaining ’ embers ’ and that it was time to ease up on the lockdown.
” They were encouraged in that belief , reportedly , by … Deborah Birx , who believed America was on an Italy track in which we would crush the curve after our terrible first wave but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s push to reopen early and relax social distancing .
The same piece alleges that Mark Meadows has gone so far as to counsel Trump and other deputies to “ avoid drawing attention to the virus , ” as if the public might just forget about it if no one brings it up .
Mid-April does seem to be the point at which Trump more or less ended his participation in the crisis .
Remember that he initially wanted to reopen businesses on Easter ( ! )
, was grudgingly persuaded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began to focus his rhetoric heavily on reopening from that point on .
The last hurrah for the White House on trying to contain the virus were the federal guidelines on reopening in “ stages ” that were released on April 16 .
Hardly any effort was made to get states to follow those guidelines , though ; apart from briefly scolding Brian Kemp in Georgia for reopening places like nail salons a bit too soon , I don ’ t think Trump ’ s ever demanded that a state hew to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s his guidance .
But that ’ s still not the worst of the reporting .
Here ’ s where Republicans get really nervous : The Trump administration is trying to block billions of dollars for states to conduct testing and contact tracing in the upcoming coronavirus relief bill , people involved in the talks said Saturday .
The administration is also trying to block billions of dollars that GOP senators want to allocate for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and billions more for the Pentagon and State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and abroad , the people said .
The administration ’ s posture has angered some GOP senators , the officials said , and some lawmakers are trying to push back and ensure that the money stays in the bill .
The officials , who spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal confidential deliberations , cautioned that the talks were fluid and the numbers were in flux… One person involved in the talks said Senate Republicans were seeking to allocate $ 25 billion for states to conduct testing and contact tracing , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the testing and tracing money entirely .
Some White House officials believe they have already approved billions of dollars in assistance for testing and that some of that money remains unspent .
Being seen as indifferent to an epidemic of which many Americans are terrified is bad politics , and plays right into Biden ’ s strength as an “ empathetic ” figure .
Actually trying to undermine efforts to contain the pandemic by pinching pennies at a moment when America ’ s spending money as never before is politically catastrophic .
Someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a heart-to-heart with Trump this weekend or this morning and gently conveyed the message that you need to pretend that you care .
The GOP is a political party , not a death cult .
And so here ’ s the president finally tweeting out that masks are patriotic and announcing earlier today the return of the daily coronavirus briefing , starting tomorrow afternoon .
The message , in both cases , is that he cares .
Let ’ s hope he doesn ’ t undermine it for awhile .

Good tweet, but you know how erratic his messaging can be, especially when he gets an earful from fans. No worse than 50/50 odds that in his next interview he’ll say masks have always struck him as “a little bit girly” or whatever.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1285299379746811915
If it only took four months to get him to clearly endorse masks, I’m cautiously optimistic we can get him to clearly endorse more testing before Election Day.
Anyway, masks do seem to work. A recent study at Florida Atlantic University found that a basic homemade mask of two-ply cotton quilting managed to contain aersolized droplets to within two and a half inches of a mannequin’s face after they were expelled. Droplets from a simulated cough by an unmasked mannequin traveled eight feet by comparison. A different study that’s soon to be published suggests that masks are not only effective at protecting others from infection by the masked person but may provide a meaningful degree of protection for the masked person from infection by others. Which could be important, as one of the theories for why some people get deathly ill and others shake the virus off without a hitch is related to viral load. *If* your illness will be more severe depending upon how many viral particles you inhale then wearing a mask could be a life-saver even if it doesn’t stop you from being infected.
In fact, how’s that out for an outside-the-box theory to explain why deaths in America are way down from their April/May peak? It may be that we’re seeing less severe cases because more people are wearing masks, which means fewer coronavirus particles are making their way into their noses and throats. Not so few that they don’t get sick, but few enough to keep them out of the morgue.
On the other hand, if more Americans are masked up, how is that we’re still seeing exploding case counts while countries where masks are less prevalent are holding the disease at bay?
The percentage who say they “always” wear a mask when leaving home rose among all three partisan groups between the end of June and last week and yet we’re still setting daily records for new cases. Why? Maybe masks aren’t so great at preventing infection but are pretty good at preventing severe infection. In fact, the IHME recently modeled how the pandemic might have looked if America had had a national mask mandate in place during April for workers at “public-facing businesses” and the mandate had been strictly followed. Their best guess is that 40,000 lives would have been saved.
On to the big mystery: Why is Trump tweeting about masks now? He’s been ambivalent about them since March, only to turn around today and designate them as a patriotic response to the epidemic. My guess is that it has to do with the fact that the reporting on his handling of COVID-19 this past weekend was brutal even by typical media standards. I quoted this WaPo article in an earlier post, in which a Trump advisor said of the president that he’s “not really working this [the pandemic] anymore. He doesn’t want to be distracted by it. He’s not calling and asking about data. He’s not worried about cases.” The Times ran a piece about Republicans “despairing that he will ever play a constructive role in addressing the crisis” and beginning to distance themselves from his strange disengagement from the crisis however they can. An advisor to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott went on the record to say of the pandemic, “The president got bored with it,” and stressed that Abbott now interfaces with Mike Pence when he wants action on something.
It’s the most important issue in the country to voters and the biggest health crisis America has faced in ages. Getting bored with it is like getting bored with a war three months after shooting has started. Even if that’s how you feel, pretend that you care. Feel the voters’ pain. Trump hardly bothers to pretend anymore, occasionally chipping in dismissively that we have more cases because we’re doing more tests (which isn’t why we have more cases) or insisting that the virus will magically go away of its own accord someday. A separate NYT piece claims that, around mid-April, he and his staff became convinced that “the outbreak was fading, that they had given state governments all the resources they needed to contain its remaining ’embers’ and that it was time to ease up on the lockdown.” They were encouraged in that belief, reportedly, by … Deborah Birx, who believed America was on an Italy track in which we would crush the curve after our terrible first wave but was apparently foiled in her expectations by Trump’s push to reopen early and relax social distancing. The same piece alleges that Mark Meadows has gone so far as to counsel Trump and other deputies to “avoid drawing attention to the virus,” as if the public might just forget about it if no one brings it up.
Mid-April does seem to be the point at which Trump more or less ended his participation in the crisis. Remember that he initially wanted to reopen businesses on Easter(!), was grudgingly persuaded that that was too soon, but began to focus his rhetoric heavily on reopening from that point on. The last hurrah for the White House on trying to contain the virus were the federal guidelines on reopening in “stages” that were released on April 16. Hardly any effort was made to get states to follow those guidelines, though; apart from briefly scolding Brian Kemp in Georgia for reopening places like nail salons a bit too soon, I don’t think Trump’s ever demanded that a state hew to their guidance. Even though, technically, it’s his guidance.
But that’s still not the worst of the reporting. Here’s where Republicans get really nervous:
The Trump administration is trying to block billions of dollars for states to conduct testing and contact tracing in the upcoming coronavirus relief bill, people involved in the talks said Saturday. The administration is also trying to block billions of dollars that GOP senators want to allocate for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and billions more for the Pentagon and State Department to address the pandemic at home and abroad, the people said. The administration’s posture has angered some GOP senators, the officials said, and some lawmakers are trying to push back and ensure that the money stays in the bill. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal confidential deliberations, cautioned that the talks were fluid and the numbers were in flux… One person involved in the talks said Senate Republicans were seeking to allocate $25 billion for states to conduct testing and contact tracing, but that certain administration officials want to zero out the testing and tracing money entirely. Some White House officials believe they have already approved billions of dollars in assistance for testing and that some of that money remains unspent.
Being seen as indifferent to an epidemic of which many Americans are terrified is bad politics, and plays right into Biden’s strength as an “empathetic” figure. Actually trying to undermine efforts to contain the pandemic by pinching pennies at a moment when America’s spending money as never before is politically catastrophic. Someone (maybe McConnell?) must have had a heart-to-heart with Trump this weekend or this morning and gently conveyed the message that you need to pretend that you care. The GOP is a political party, not a death cult. And so here’s the president finally tweeting out that masks are patriotic and announcing earlier today the return of the daily coronavirus briefing, starting tomorrow afternoon. The message, in both cases, is that he cares. Let’s hope he doesn’t undermine it for awhile.


hotair--2020-07-20--BLM supporters disrupted a pro-police rally in Denver Sunday, one person was arrested

Earlier I wrote about the vandalism and violence that took place in Seattle yesterday .
In Denver a pro-police rally was set upon by a larger group of counter protesters .
At least one person was arrested .
A group called Pro Police Rally Colorado had planned a three hour rally in the Greek Amphitheater .
The founder , Ron MacLachlan , told Denver7 , “ We ’ ve got to stand with our men and women in law enforcement .
Without them , we are in chaos and anarchy.
” … The Party for Socialism and Liberation , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Afro-Liberation Front , planned a counter-demonstration .
Armed with pots and pans , whistles , hand-held sirens and other noise making gear , they crashed the Pro-Police rally and drowned out those trying to speak .
“ There ’ s not much else to say other than every cop here is a terrorist by association , ” said one Black Lives Matter supporter , who asked that her name not be used .
The anti-police march started at the State Capitol .
This group then walked over to the Amphitheater where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they reached the ampitheater there was a lot of shouting and chanting ( 1st clip below ) and then some scuffles broke out .
The 2nd clip below shows a man getting punched .
You don ’ t actually see the punch but you see him go down and the Denver Post has a photo showing him with a bloody face afterwards .
One scuffle between two women resulted in an arrest which you can see in this first clip .
It ’ s not clear whose side the arestee was on but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as she ’ s led away so I ’ m guessing she might have been one of them .
One of the people who was at this event yesterday was Michelle Malkin .
She livestreamed the entire thing including the moment when some of the socialist BLM people came onto the stage and assaulted someone .
Attorney Randy Corporon who organized the pro-police march said Chief Paul Pazen had asked him to consider moving the march .
“ He was agitated that we ’ re going to get his officers hurt , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My response to him was that he should allow his officers to do their job and if people are down there breaking the law , to stop them .
Because they ’ ll have nothing to fear from us.
” … Corporon said the rally organizers decided not to move or reschedule the event , in part because it ’ s happened annually in Civic Center Park for five years .
“ We ’ re exercising our constitutional right to peacefully assemble , and we have no intention of giving up that ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , referring to the counter-protesters .
He added that he believes Pazen doesn ’ t support his own officers… Lillian House , an organizer for the Party of Socialism and Liberation , said they planned the counter-protest because a celebration of police is “ unacceptable.
” I can appreciate the police chief not wanting to see his officers get hurt , but only one side of these dueling rallies hates the police .
Having the police chief recommend the organizers not hold the rally because of the potential for the socialist mob @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s veto , i.e .
if the mob makes enough threats it ’ s easier to ask the pro-police rally to go away .
You would think that in this case the police would see the value of refusing to give in to the mob .
I ’ m sure many of the officers do but their Chief doesn ’ t seem to get it .

Earlier I wrote about the vandalism and violence that took place in Seattle yesterday. In Denver a pro-police rally was set upon by a larger group of counter protesters. At least one person was arrested.
A group called Pro Police Rally Colorado had planned a three hour rally in the Greek Amphitheater. The founder, Ron MacLachlan, told Denver7, “We’ve got to stand with our men and women in law enforcement. Without them, we are in chaos and anarchy.”… The Party for Socialism and Liberation, and other Black Lives Matter supporters, including the Afro-Liberation Front, planned a counter-demonstration. Armed with pots and pans, whistles, hand-held sirens and other noise making gear, they crashed the Pro-Police rally and drowned out those trying to speak. “There’s not much else to say other than every cop here is a terrorist by association,” said one Black Lives Matter supporter, who asked that her name not be used.
The anti-police march started at the State Capitol. This group then walked over to the Amphitheater where the pro-police march was taking place.
.@DenverPolice said they reached out to organizers of the Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and said they can still proceed with their event but wanted them to know police aren’t asking them to speak up on their behalf. #9NEWS — Jordan Chavez (@Jordan_Chavez) July 19, 2020
Once they reached the ampitheater there was a lot of shouting and chanting (1st clip below) and then some scuffles broke out. The 2nd clip below shows a man getting punched. You don’t actually see the punch but you see him go down and the Denver Post has a photo showing him with a bloody face afterwards.
Tensions are rising between the different groups here. It’s turning into a “keep your head on a swivel” situation now. #9NEWS pic.twitter.com/I5NrF8AKVB — Jordan Chavez (@Jordan_Chavez) July 19, 2020
One scuffle between two women resulted in an arrest which you can see in this first clip. It’s not clear whose side the arestee was on but you can hear the anti-police protesters screaming as she’s led away so I’m guessing she might have been one of them.
Another punch thrown in this video pic.twitter.com/Etw5TucFrG — Shelly Bradbury (@ShellyBradbury) July 19, 2020
One of the people who was at this event yesterday was Michelle Malkin. She livestreamed the entire thing including the moment when some of the socialist BLM people came onto the stage and assaulted someone.
*Law Enforcement Appreciation Day organizer Ron MacLachlan beaten w/longboard & bullhorn by BLM/Antifa.
*BLM/Antifa advance notice to police they intended to "shut" us "down." Police Chief knew. #TheyLetItHappen @denverpolice @jaredpolis @mayorhancock #DenverAnarchoTyranny pic.twitter.com/xHprcnkc0S — Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) July 20, 2020
Attorney Randy Corporon who organized the pro-police march said Chief Paul Pazen had asked him to consider moving the march.
“He was agitated that we’re going to get his officers hurt,” Corporon said before the event. “My response to him was that he should allow his officers to do their job and if people are down there breaking the law, to stop them. Because they’ll have nothing to fear from us.”… Corporon said the rally organizers decided not to move or reschedule the event, in part because it’s happened annually in Civic Center Park for five years. “We’re exercising our constitutional right to peacefully assemble, and we have no intention of giving up that ground to these domestic terrorists,” Corporon said, referring to the counter-protesters. He added that he believes Pazen doesn’t support his own officers… Lillian House, an organizer for the Party of Socialism and Liberation, said they planned the counter-protest because a celebration of police is “unacceptable.”
I can appreciate the police chief not wanting to see his officers get hurt, but only one side of these dueling rallies hates the police. Having the police chief recommend the organizers not hold the rally because of the potential for the socialist mob to get violent is the heckler’s veto, i.e. if the mob makes enough threats it’s easier to ask the pro-police rally to go away. You would think that in this case the police would see the value of refusing to give in to the mob. I’m sure many of the officers do but their Chief doesn’t seem to get it.


hotair--2020-07-20--NY woman solving a problem "without cops" pays the ultimate price

Back at the end of June , New York City was experiencing the usual explosion ( both literally and figuratively ) of illegal , private fireworks that we generally see in the runup to the 4th of July .
Of course , that was the same time period when the city was embroiled in riots and protests , with increasing incidents of violent crime .
At the time , Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams advised Gotham ’ s residents to not call the police when fireworks were being deployed to avoid “ a heavy-handed police response.
” Instead , Adams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their neighbors and work things out peacefully .
Home healthcare worker Shatavia Walls , age 33 , apparently took that message to heart .
While visiting relatives in East New York on Independence Day , she saw a group of young men setting off fireworks in a playground next to their building in close proximity to some children .
She went outside to ask them to please move their celebration away from the park .
One of the men responded by pulling a gun and chasing her , firing a single bullet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped his ID during the chase , so Walls collected that along with a spent cartridge and reported the matter to the cops .
Three days later she saw some other men still firing off rockets in the park and decided to once again confront them herself .
This time things went far worse .
( NY Post ) A Brooklyn woman who followed Borough President Eric Adams ’ advice for New Yorkers to settle disputes neighbor-to-neighbor rather than calling 911 wound up shot dead after she confronted some punks setting off illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mom said .
Shatavia Walls , 33 , was blasted eight times in an East New York public housing complex on July 7 , simply for asking the fiends to take their dangerous display away from a group of playing kids — exactly how Adams had urged constituents to act in the face of the pyrotechnic plague .
“ She watched the news .
Yes , she heard it , ” Helen Testagros , Walls ’ heartbroken mother , told The Post on Sunday , referring to Adams ’ advice .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind.
” The second encounter didn ’ t include the man who had originally shot at her , but one of his buddies quickly ran to get him .
He arrived at a full run , guns blazing .
After striking Walls once , though not fatally , he walked up to her prone form and unloaded the rest of the magazine into her .
This is East New York we ’ re talking about , one of the most dangerous parts of New York City with some of the worst gang activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not unfair to say that Ms .
Walls wasn ’ t showing the best judgment when she set out twice to confront a group of gang bangers .
But that still doesn ’ t excuse what happened .
This grim incident is still another reminder of why you can ’ t simply “ abolish the police ” or outsource their work to civilians .
This is particularly true in larger cities with significant gang violence problems .
Advising a civilian to go out and confront “ their neighbors , ” particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not just irresponsible .
It very likely amounts to a death warrant , just as it turned out to be for Shatavia Walls .
The Borough President ( who is widely expected to run for Mayor ) and the current Mayor should have known better .
Rather than caving in to the demands of the mob and supporting the dangerous and destructive calls to defund the Police Department , they should have applied some common sense to the situation , assuming such a commodity is still present in the Big Apple .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gangs of New York under control under the best of circumstances .
Expecting some home healthcare worker to do their job is an example of criminal insanity .

Back at the end of June, New York City was experiencing the usual explosion (both literally and figuratively) of illegal, private fireworks that we generally see in the runup to the 4th of July. Of course, that was the same time period when the city was embroiled in riots and protests, with increasing incidents of violent crime. At the time, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams advised Gotham’s residents to not call the police when fireworks were being deployed to avoid “a heavy-handed police response.” Instead, Adams advised New Yorkers to just go speak to their neighbors and work things out peacefully.
Home healthcare worker Shatavia Walls, age 33, apparently took that message to heart. While visiting relatives in East New York on Independence Day, she saw a group of young men setting off fireworks in a playground next to their building in close proximity to some children. She went outside to ask them to please move their celebration away from the park. One of the men responded by pulling a gun and chasing her, firing a single bullet that thankfully missed. The shooter somehow dropped his ID during the chase, so Walls collected that along with a spent cartridge and reported the matter to the cops. Three days later she saw some other men still firing off rockets in the park and decided to once again confront them herself. This time things went far worse. (NY Post)
A Brooklyn woman who followed Borough President Eric Adams’ advice for New Yorkers to settle disputes neighbor-to-neighbor rather than calling 911 wound up shot dead after she confronted some punks setting off illegal fireworks, the victim’s grieving mom said. Shatavia Walls, 33, was blasted eight times in an East New York public housing complex on July 7, simply for asking the fiends to take their dangerous display away from a group of playing kids — exactly how Adams had urged constituents to act in the face of the pyrotechnic plague. “She watched the news. Yes, she heard it,” Helen Testagros, Walls’ heartbroken mother, told The Post on Sunday, referring to Adams’ advice. “It was probably in the back of her mind.”
The second encounter didn’t include the man who had originally shot at her, but one of his buddies quickly ran to get him. He arrived at a full run, guns blazing. After striking Walls once, though not fatally, he walked up to her prone form and unloaded the rest of the magazine into her.
This is East New York we’re talking about, one of the most dangerous parts of New York City with some of the worst gang activity. With that in mind, it’s not unfair to say that Ms. Walls wasn’t showing the best judgment when she set out twice to confront a group of gang bangers. But that still doesn’t excuse what happened.
This grim incident is still another reminder of why you can’t simply “abolish the police” or outsource their work to civilians. This is particularly true in larger cities with significant gang violence problems. Advising a civilian to go out and confront “their neighbors,” particularly in a place like East New York is not just irresponsible. It very likely amounts to a death warrant, just as it turned out to be for Shatavia Walls. The Borough President (who is widely expected to run for Mayor) and the current Mayor should have known better. Rather than caving in to the demands of the mob and supporting the dangerous and destructive calls to defund the Police Department, they should have applied some common sense to the situation, assuming such a commodity is still present in the Big Apple.
The NYPD has enough trouble keeping the gangs of New York under control under the best of circumstances. Expecting some home healthcare worker to do their job is an example of criminal insanity.


hotair--2020-07-20--Surgeon General: "We're not trying to take away your freedoms" in "begging" people to wear masks

This PSA brought to you by HHS and … Fox & Friends ?
The strategy here seems very clear — aim at the most resistant demographic to mask-wearing , which right now appear to be Donald Trump supporters .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams and HHS released a straightforward PSA early today urging all Americans to adopt facemasks , arguing that the science shows it to be the best defense against asymptomatic spread of COVID-19 .
“ I ’ m begging you , ” Adams says , “ wear a mask ” when out in public : It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House would target this message to Fox viewers .
The debate over masks owes its genesis to the contradictory claims made by CDC at various points of the pandemic .
Now , however , Adams emphasizes that the difference is the recognition of asymptomatic spread , which makes reopening the American public square nearly impossible without widespread adoption of barriers to transmission : “ I ’ m pleading with your viewers .
I ’ m begging you , ” Adams told the hosts of “ Fox & Friends ” in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not trying to take away your freedoms when we say , ‘ Wear a face covering.
’ ” … “ We were wrong back in February and March based on the fact that we didn ’ t think there would be this high a degree of asymptomatic spread of coronavirus , ” Adams said Monday .
But “ once we realized that the science was different for this virus , we changed our recommendations , ” he continued , adding that “ moving forward , I want people to understand we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The “ take away your freedoms ” line is a specific point .
Resistance to mask-wearing has taken the form of a civil-rights protest , largely from the discussion of mandates on their use .
Had the medical establishment been more honest about masks from the beginning , it ’ s possible that mask usage wouldn ’ t have become so politicized , about which more in a moment .
However , that ’ s the argument that one sees in some conservative circles , and now the medical establishment is trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves .
What might sound surprising is host Steve Doocy ’ s apparent support for a national mask mandate : Adams will get a lot of heat for sounding skeptical of a federal mandate , but he makes a very rational argument against it : who would enforce it ?
We don ’ t have a national police force — the FBI doesn ’ t qualify as one — so we would have to use federal troops to do it .
Mayors in Portland , Seattle , Atlanta , and Minneapolis balked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burning and anarchists were roaming the streets .
Now they want the feds to enforce a mask mandate ?
Suuuure they do .
What they actually want is to pass the buck to Trump rather than handle their own responsibilities .
Of course , Trump could help out by modeling the proper behavior , which he has been loathe to do until now .
Adams emphasizes that Trump is on board now while stepping lightly around his less-than-full embrace of universal use : Yesterday , Trump told Chris Wallace that he now approves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be an individual choice .
He also complained about Adams and Anthony Fauci ’ s about-face on masks , which won ’ t exactly change hearts and minds : So maybe not everyone ’ s exactly “ on the same page , ” but it appears they want to get to that point quickly .
If Trump wants the economy to reopen and stay reopened , his administration has to either start promoting universal mask usage or approve a vaccine for immediate and widespread distribution .
We ’ re coming close on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months out .
And Trump can ’ t afford to see the economy tank on the misdirected belief that masks are intended to oppress Americans rather than protect them .
By that time , it will be too late — electorally speaking , as well as medically speaking .

This PSA brought to you by HHS and … Fox & Friends? The strategy here seems very clear — aim at the most resistant demographic to mask-wearing, which right now appear to be Donald Trump supporters. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and HHS released a straightforward PSA early today urging all Americans to adopt facemasks, arguing that the science shows it to be the best defense against asymptomatic spread of COVID-19.
“I’m begging you,” Adams says, “wear a mask” when out in public:
It’s not much of a surprise that Adams and the White House would target this message to Fox viewers. The debate over masks owes its genesis to the contradictory claims made by CDC at various points of the pandemic. Now, however, Adams emphasizes that the difference is the recognition of asymptomatic spread, which makes reopening the American public square nearly impossible without widespread adoption of barriers to transmission:
“I’m pleading with your viewers. I’m begging you,” Adams told the hosts of “Fox & Friends” in an interview. “Please understand that we are not trying to take away your freedoms when we say, ‘Wear a face covering.’” … “We were wrong back in February and March based on the fact that we didn’t think there would be this high a degree of asymptomatic spread of coronavirus,” Adams said Monday. But “once we realized that the science was different for this virus, we changed our recommendations,” he continued, adding that “moving forward, I want people to understand we’re all on the same page.”
The “take away your freedoms” line is a specific point. Resistance to mask-wearing has taken the form of a civil-rights protest, largely from the discussion of mandates on their use. Had the medical establishment been more honest about masks from the beginning, it’s possible that mask usage wouldn’t have become so politicized, about which more in a moment. However, that’s the argument that one sees in some conservative circles, and now the medical establishment is trying to put out a fire they largely started themselves.
What might sound surprising is host Steve Doocy’s apparent support for a national mask mandate:
On Fox & Friends, the Surgeon General advocates for mask wearing but stops short of calling for a federal mandate, because that would require a "federal enforcement mechanism" that could look like Portland, OR. pic.twitter.com/ktGHa6RmOf — Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) July 20, 2020
Adams will get a lot of heat for sounding skeptical of a federal mandate, but he makes a very rational argument against it: who would enforce it? We don’t have a national police force — the FBI doesn’t qualify as one — so we would have to use federal troops to do it. Mayors in Portland, Seattle, Atlanta, and Minneapolis balked at that option when their cities were literally burning and anarchists were roaming the streets. Now they want the feds to enforce a mask mandate? Suuuure they do. What they actually want is to pass the buck to Trump rather than handle their own responsibilities.
Of course, Trump could help out by modeling the proper behavior, which he has been loathe to do until now. Adams emphasizes that Trump is on board now while stepping lightly around his less-than-full embrace of universal use:
"This whole administration is now supportive of masks." –U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, today, July 20th, 131 days into the pandemic pic.twitter.com/nnWiwHmK5j — The Recount (@therecount) July 20, 2020
Yesterday, Trump told Chris Wallace that he now approves of mask-wearing, but that it should be an individual choice. He also complained about Adams and Anthony Fauci’s about-face on masks, which won’t exactly change hearts and minds:
“Dr. Fauci said, ‘Don’t wear a mask.’ Our surgeon general, terrific guy, said, ‘Don’t wear a mask,’” Trump said in an interview that aired Sunday. “Everybody who was saying, ‘Don’t wear a mask,’ all of a sudden, everybody’s got to wear a mask.”
So maybe not everyone’s exactly “on the same page,” but it appears they want to get to that point quickly. If Trump wants the economy to reopen and stay reopened, his administration has to either start promoting universal mask usage or approve a vaccine for immediate and widespread distribution. We’re coming close on the latter, but still realistically a few months out. And Trump can’t afford to see the economy tank on the misdirected belief that masks are intended to oppress Americans rather than protect them. By that time, it will be too late — electorally speaking, as well as medically speaking.