democracynow--2020-08-17--Rep. Ro Khanna: Trump's Postal Service Changes Are a Deliberate Strategy to Steal the Election

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : All week this week , we are breaking with convention as we cover the Democratic National Convention .
But we begin with the post office .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called lawmakers back from summer recess for an urgent vote this week to stop changes at the U.S .
Postal Service that could interfere with the upcoming election .
President Trump has admitted to working to undermine the Postal Service in order to make it harder to vote by mail in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected a new coronavirus stimulus bill over Democrats ’ demands for funding to bolster election security and $ 25 billion to support the Postal Service .
AMY GOODMAN : Democrats are demanding Postmaster General Louis DeJoy — a major Trump megadonor — and other top officials testify before Congress .
The internal USPS watchdog is reviewing recent policy changes and DeJoy ’ s compliance with ethics rules — that ’ s according to CNN .
Meanwhile , the U.S. Post Office said Friday it would stop removing mailboxes in the run-up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend of these boxes being removed around New York and New Jersey and other parts of the country .
Last week , the Postal Service sent letters to 46 states and Washington , D.C. , warning all mail-in ballots may not get delivered on time .
Vice News reports internal documents show the USPS introduced plans in May to take hundreds of letter-sorting machines out of service .
On Saturday morning , protesters staged a noisy “ wake-up call ” demonstration outside Postmaster DeJoy ’ s Washington , D.C. , home , chanting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOODMAN : Protests also took place Sunday outside the Greensboro , North Carolina , residence of Postmaster DeJoy .
This all comes as the Democratic National Convention kicks off virtually today , supposedly in Milwaukee .
But our next guest , Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna of California , will be voting no on the DNC platform .
We ’ ll find out why , but first Ro Khanna is joining us from Washington , D.C.
He ’ s a member of the House Oversight Committee — that ’ s the Committee on Oversight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeJoy is set to testify a week from today .
Welcome back to Democracy Now !
, Congressmember Khanna .
Why don ’ t you lay out for us the crisis of the post office , with President Trump openly admitting on Fox that he is trying to defund the post office so that people can not mail in their votes , although he and his wife plan to ?
REP. RO KHANNA : Thank you .
Well , it ’ s a very , very serious issue .
And the president has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling that says that the overwhelming of Democrats want to vote by mail , because we ’ ve listened to a lot of the science and people are concerned about the safety on the pandemic , and a lot of the Republicans don ’ t want to vote by mail .
So his postmaster general has taken a deliberate attempt to remove vote sorting machines .
Coincidentally , these vote sorting machines are being removed in battleground states .
There are some reports that they ’ re being removed in areas where Hillary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general has already ordered no overtime , so he ’ s shortening and lessening the staff time , to make it harder for ballots to get delivered on Election Day .
Why does this matter ?
Because in the battleground states , many of the states have a law that if the ballot is not received by Election Day , that ballot doesn ’ t count .
That is the law in Pennsylvania and in Michigan and a number of other states .
So you could see a situation where millions of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even in some cases a week before ; it doesn ’ t get to the election officer by Election Day , and it ’ s discarded .
And that , in my view , is a deliberate strategy to try to disqualify millions of votes and for the president to try to steal this election .
AMY GOODMAN : So , you were all supposed to come back in September .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called you back earlier .
Explain what ’ s going to happen in your committee , Congressman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ REP. RO KHANNA : Well , Amy , my view is we should have never left .
I mean , first of all , we still have the urgent task of getting people resources .
They ’ ve been unemployed .
We don ’ t have the unemployment extension .
We don ’ t have rental assistance .
We don ’ t have a stimulus check .
So we need to be in Washington .
But we need to do a few things as concerns the post office .
First , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point give the post office money .
I mean , DeJoy is not going to spend that money in a way that we can trust .
We need to have very specific legislation that dictates exactly what the post office needs to do — the number of staff members they need , the shifts they need , the mail sorting equipment they need .
It has to be statutorily spelled out .
And I believe there needs to be criminal penalties for the Board of Governors or the postmaster general for not following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absurd is you have the board governor as a former RNC chair who ran Mitch McConnell ’ s super PAC .
It makes absolutely no sense for a mature democracy to have the post office being run currently by political hacks .
And we need to have legislation that basically takes over the administration of the post office until the election .
AMY GOODMAN : Obama ’ s campaign manager , one of them , David Plouffe , tweeted , “ 1 ) Prime time hearings … 2 ) Subpoenas to Trump WH @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RICO case 3 ) Visit local post offices with cameras–show people what is happening .
4 ) Events with those getting Rx late 5 ) Involve governors 5 ) No rest , no vacation .
Go to war for our country.
” So , if you can talk about what he ’ s referring to here , and this issue of getting — veterans and everyone else getting their prescriptions , the question of why Trump would be doing this , when he gets a lot of rural support , and so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the post office is one of the most popular agencies in this country , older than the United States itself , 1775 .
REP. RO KHANNA : Well , David Plouffe is absolutely right , and he ’ s been a very strong voice on this .
And I do think we have to win the narrative to let people know what the president ’ s doing .
And you ’ re absolutely right : It ’ s going to hurt him in rural communities , it ’ s going to hurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted for him , because people are going to realize that it ’ s going to take longer for them to get their medicine , it ’ s going to take longer for them to get essential equipment and packages .
But the challenge is that the president has calculated that that ’ s fine , that he ’ s willing to have that kind of slowdown in order to potentially disenfranchise millions of people .
So , while we have to — I agree with David Plouffe : We have to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know what this president is doing to the post office .
We also need to solve the fundamental problem to make sure that the president can ’ t do it .
And I don ’ t think political demonstration and political outrage is going to be enough .
We ’ ve seen that this president is totally indifferent to public sentiment .
So , how do we get the post office to actually follow regulatory guidelines , with the threat of criminal sanctions , to make sure that they are delivering the mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a large focus on these hearings .
AMY GOODMAN : And the fact that the postmaster general , Louis DeJoy — a megadonor for Trump , headed up funding the Republican National Convention — and his wife are major investors , to the tune of something like $ 75 million , perhaps to $ 100 million , in competitors to the post office and contractors , this didn ’ t come out in Postmaster General Louis DeJoy ’ s release of documents , but in his wife , Wos , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. ambassador to Canada .
REP. RO KHANNA : You ’ re absolutely right .
I mean , they have wanted to privatize the post office for decades .
I mean , as you know , it goes back to 2006 , when they passed a law requiring the post office to put money away for 75 years for people ’ s retirement .
And DeJoy was just selected to further the effort of privatization .
But this is , I think , the great debate in our nation , the erosion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the erosion of public schools , the erosion of the post office , the erosion of the town square with private funding .
The Republican vision for this country is a free market absolutism , where money should dictate , private sector should dictate , in a total erosion of any public commons .
And that is not going to sit well , as you pointed out , Amy , in rural communities and communities across this country that believe that we should have some social fabric .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: All week this week, we are breaking with convention as we cover the Democratic National Convention. But we begin with the post office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called lawmakers back from summer recess for an urgent vote this week to stop changes at the U.S. Postal Service that could interfere with the upcoming election. President Trump has admitted to working to undermine the Postal Service in order to make it harder to vote by mail in November, telling Fox News Thursday Republicans rejected a new coronavirus stimulus bill over Democrats’ demands for funding to bolster election security and $25 billion to support the Postal Service.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Now, they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots. Now, in the meantime, they aren’t getting there. By the way, those are just two items. But if they don’t get those two items, that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting.
AMY GOODMAN: Democrats are demanding Postmaster General Louis DeJoy — a major Trump megadonor — and other top officials testify before Congress. The internal USPS watchdog is reviewing recent policy changes and DeJoy’s compliance with ethics rules — that’s according to CNN.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Post Office said Friday it would stop removing mailboxes in the run-up to the election, even as reports emerged this weekend of these boxes being removed around New York and New Jersey and other parts of the country. Last week, the Postal Service sent letters to 46 states and Washington, D.C., warning all mail-in ballots may not get delivered on time. Vice News reports internal documents show the USPS introduced plans in May to take hundreds of letter-sorting machines out of service.
On Saturday morning, protesters staged a noisy “wake-up call” demonstration outside Postmaster DeJoy’s Washington, D.C., home, chanting and banging pots and pans.
HELEN: This is openly, blatantly attempting to steal an election. OK? We are going to be voting by mail in such high numbers this year. It’s a safe way to vote. People don’t want to go to the polls in a pandemic. And Donald Trump and Louis DeJoy are saying you can’t vote by mail.
AMY GOODMAN: Protests also took place Sunday outside the Greensboro, North Carolina, residence of Postmaster DeJoy.
This all comes as the Democratic National Convention kicks off virtually today, supposedly in Milwaukee. But our next guest, Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna of California, will be voting no on the DNC platform. We’ll find out why, but first Ro Khanna is joining us from Washington, D.C. He’s a member of the House Oversight Committee — that’s the Committee on Oversight and Reform — where Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is set to testify a week from today.
Welcome back to Democracy Now!, Congressmember Khanna. Why don’t you lay out for us the crisis of the post office, with President Trump openly admitting on Fox that he is trying to defund the post office so that people cannot mail in their votes, although he and his wife plan to?
REP. RO KHANNA: Thank you. Well, it’s a very, very serious issue. And the president has seen the polling. He sees the polling that says that the overwhelming of Democrats want to vote by mail, because we’ve listened to a lot of the science and people are concerned about the safety on the pandemic, and a lot of the Republicans don’t want to vote by mail.
So his postmaster general has taken a deliberate attempt to remove vote sorting machines. Coincidentally, these vote sorting machines are being removed in battleground states. There are some reports that they’re being removed in areas where Hillary Clinton had done well.
The postmaster general has already ordered no overtime, so he’s shortening and lessening the staff time, to make it harder for ballots to get delivered on Election Day. Why does this matter? Because in the battleground states, many of the states have a law that if the ballot is not received by Election Day, that ballot doesn’t count. That is the law in Pennsylvania and in Michigan and a number of other states.
So you could see a situation where millions of people vote; their ballot is sent, even in some cases a week before; it doesn’t get to the election officer by Election Day, and it’s discarded. And that, in my view, is a deliberate strategy to try to disqualify millions of votes and for the president to try to steal this election.
AMY GOODMAN: So, you were all supposed to come back in September. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called you back earlier. Explain what’s going to happen in your committee, Congressman Khanna, in the Oversight Committee.
REP. RO KHANNA: Well, Amy, my view is we should have never left. I mean, first of all, we still have the urgent task of getting people resources. They’ve been unemployed. We don’t have the unemployment extension. We don’t have rental assistance. We don’t have a stimulus check. So we need to be in Washington.
But we need to do a few things as concerns the post office. First, it’s not enough to just at this point give the post office money. I mean, DeJoy is not going to spend that money in a way that we can trust. We need to have very specific legislation that dictates exactly what the post office needs to do — the number of staff members they need, the shifts they need, the mail sorting equipment they need. It has to be statutorily spelled out.
And I believe there needs to be criminal penalties for the Board of Governors or the postmaster general for not following that. I mean, what is absurd is you have the board governor as a former RNC chair who ran Mitch McConnell’s super PAC. It makes absolutely no sense for a mature democracy to have the post office being run currently by political hacks. And we need to have legislation that basically takes over the administration of the post office until the election.
AMY GOODMAN: Obama’s campaign manager, one of them, David Plouffe, tweeted, “1) Prime time hearings … 2) Subpoenas to Trump WH and camp officials. This is a RICO case 3) Visit local post offices with cameras–show people what is happening. 4) Events with those getting Rx late 5) Involve governors 5) No rest, no vacation. Go to war for our country.” So, if you can talk about what he’s referring to here, and this issue of getting — veterans and everyone else getting their prescriptions, the question of why Trump would be doing this, when he gets a lot of rural support, and so many people in rural areas — I mean, the post office is one of the most popular agencies in this country, older than the United States itself, 1775.
REP. RO KHANNA: Well, David Plouffe is absolutely right, and he’s been a very strong voice on this. And I do think we have to win the narrative to let people know what the president’s doing. And you’re absolutely right: It’s going to hurt him in rural communities, it’s going to hurt him in a lot of places that voted for him, because people are going to realize that it’s going to take longer for them to get their medicine, it’s going to take longer for them to get essential equipment and packages. But the challenge is that the president has calculated that that’s fine, that he’s willing to have that kind of slowdown in order to potentially disenfranchise millions of people.
So, while we have to — I agree with David Plouffe: We have to be as loud as possible of letting people know what this president is doing to the post office. We also need to solve the fundamental problem to make sure that the president can’t do it. And I don’t think political demonstration and political outrage is going to be enough. We’ve seen that this president is totally indifferent to public sentiment. So, how do we get the post office to actually follow regulatory guidelines, with the threat of criminal sanctions, to make sure that they are delivering the mail? I think that is going to be a large focus on these hearings.
AMY GOODMAN: And the fact that the postmaster general, Louis DeJoy — a megadonor for Trump, headed up funding the Republican National Convention — and his wife are major investors, to the tune of something like $75 million, perhaps to $100 million, in competitors to the post office and contractors, this didn’t come out in Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s release of documents, but in his wife, Wos, who is President Trump’s choice to be the U.S. ambassador to Canada.
REP. RO KHANNA: You’re absolutely right. I mean, they have wanted to privatize the post office for decades. I mean, as you know, it goes back to 2006, when they passed a law requiring the post office to put money away for 75 years for people’s retirement. And DeJoy was just selected to further the effort of privatization.
But this is, I think, the great debate in our nation, the erosion of any sense of public commons, the erosion of public schools, the erosion of the post office, the erosion of the town square with private funding. The Republican vision for this country is a free market absolutism, where money should dictate, private sector should dictate, in a total erosion of any public commons. And that is not going to sit well, as you pointed out, Amy, in rural communities and communities across this country that believe that we should have some social fabric.


democracynow--2020-08-17--Headlines for August 17, 2020

Headlines for August 17, 2020

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called lawmakers back from summer recess for an urgent vote this week to stop changes at the U.S .
Postal Service that could interfere with the upcoming election .
On Thursday , President Trump admitted he ’ s working to undermine the USPS in order to make it harder to vote by mail in November by pushing Republicans to reject a new coronavirus stimulus bill over Democrats ’ demands for funding to bolster election security and $ 25 billion to support the Postal Service .
Democrats are demanding Postmaster General Louis DeJoy — a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testify before Congress .
The internal USPS watchdog is reviewing recent policy changes and DeJoy ’ s compliance with ethics rules , CNN reported Friday .
DeJoy and his wife hold as much as $ 75 million in assets in competitors or contractors of the Postal Service .
And attorneys general from at least six states are considering lawsuits against the Trump administration to prevent it from reducing mail service in the run-up to the elections .
As postal union members and Democratic lawmakers are sounding the alarm over delays in mail and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would stop removing mailboxes in the run-up to the election , though reports emerged this weekend of boxes being removed around New York and New Jersey .
Last week , the Postal Service sent letters to 46 states and Washington , D.C. , warning all mail-in ballots may not get delivered on time .
Meanwhile , Vice News reported internal documents show the USPS introduced plans in May to take hundreds of letter-sorting machines out of service .
On Saturday morning , protesters staged a noisy “ wake-up call ” demonstration outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , chanting and banging pots and pans .
Helen : “ This is openly , blatantly attempting to steal an election .
OK ?
We are going to be voting by mail in such high numbers this year .
It ’ s a safe way to vote .
People don ’ t want to go to the polls in a pandemic .
And Donald Trump and Louis DeJoy are saying you can ’ t vote by mail.
” Protests also took place Sunday outside the Greensboro , North Carolina , residence of @ @ @

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called lawmakers back from summer recess for an urgent vote this week to stop changes at the U.S. Postal Service that could interfere with the upcoming election. On Thursday, President Trump admitted he’s working to undermine the USPS in order to make it harder to vote by mail in November by pushing Republicans to reject a new coronavirus stimulus bill over Democrats’ demands for funding to bolster election security and $25 billion to support the Postal Service. Democrats are demanding Postmaster General Louis DeJoy — a major Trump donor — and other top officials testify before Congress. The internal USPS watchdog is reviewing recent policy changes and DeJoy’s compliance with ethics rules, CNN reported Friday. DeJoy and his wife hold as much as $75 million in assets in competitors or contractors of the Postal Service. And attorneys general from at least six states are considering lawsuits against the Trump administration to prevent it from reducing mail service in the run-up to the elections.
As postal union members and Democratic lawmakers are sounding the alarm over delays in mail and other disruptions, the USPS said Friday it would stop removing mailboxes in the run-up to the election, though reports emerged this weekend of boxes being removed around New York and New Jersey. Last week, the Postal Service sent letters to 46 states and Washington, D.C., warning all mail-in ballots may not get delivered on time. Meanwhile, Vice News reported internal documents show the USPS introduced plans in May to take hundreds of letter-sorting machines out of service.
On Saturday morning, protesters staged a noisy “wake-up call” demonstration outside DeJoy’s Washington, D.C., home, chanting and banging pots and pans.
Helen: “This is openly, blatantly attempting to steal an election. OK? We are going to be voting by mail in such high numbers this year. It’s a safe way to vote. People don’t want to go to the polls in a pandemic. And Donald Trump and Louis DeJoy are saying you can’t vote by mail.”
Protests also took place Sunday outside the Greensboro, North Carolina, residence of Louis DeJoy.


democracynow--2020-08-18--19th Amendment Turns 100: Fight for Voting Rights Builds on Centuries of Struggle Led by Black Women

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
We are breaking with convention .
One hundred years ago today , the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified .
It guaranteed women ’ s right to vote , stating , “ The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
” But the 19th Amendment was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws to continue to deny women the vote , and African American women were subjected to the same Jim Crow laws that had already been used to deny the vote to African American men .
For more on this and how the movement for women ’ s suffrage was connected to the movement to abolish slavery , we ’ re joined by historian Martha Jones , author of the forthcoming book , Vanguard : How Black Women Broke Barriers , Won the Vote , and Insisted on Equality for All .
She recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times headlined “ Tackling a Century-Old Mystery : Did My Grandmother Vote ?
” She is the Society of Black Alumni presidential professor and professor of history at Johns Hopkins University .
Professor , welcome back to Democracy Now !
Did your grandmother vote ?
AMY GOODMAN : Tell us her story and how that fits in to this day , the day of the 100th anniversary of the ratification .
MARTHA JONES : I was finishing Vanguard , and I realized I didn ’ t know my grandmother ’ s story , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new quest .
I looked for her in St. Louis , Missouri , where she lived in 1920 , and Black women were coming to the polls in important numbers to combat the rise of residential segregation in that city .
But I couldn ’ t find her there .
I followed her to Greensboro , North Carolina , where she and my grandfather began a college , Bennett College , for African American women in 1926 .
I couldn ’ t find her there .
The records of women ’ s early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survived , and I couldn ’ t tell that story .
But I followed her until the 1950s and '60s , where I see her alongside the young women at Bennett College , now part of the modern civil rights era , organizing and knocking on doors and getting Black Americans registered to vote as part of that civil rights revolution .
As she put it in an interview in those years , it was “ thrilling.
” And it was thrilling for me to find her there , but it was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women and their history of the vote in 1920 is to miss the important chapter that begins in 1920 and does n't culminate until the Voting Rights Act is adopted in 1965 .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Professor Jones , you write in the book that Black women voting rights activists actually predated the famous white suffragettes .
Could you — why did you title your book Vanguard ?
MARTHA JONES : I titled my book Vanguard because as early as the first decades of the 19th century , Black women are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the United States .
It is a view that says no racism , no sexism in American politics .
For a very long time , African American women are quite alone in carrying those principles forward , holding the bar high for this nation .
I call them the vanguard because , indeed , they lead us to a 21st century in which , I think it ’ s fair to say , that view , while it may not be held by all Americans , certainly has a place , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Black women lead us there .
It is a lonely , lonely trek for much of our history .
But here in the 21st century , when we say no racism and no sexism in politics , it sounds very presentist , but it turns out it ’ s a very old set of ideas .
AMY GOODMAN : And in the last minute and a half we have , Martha Jones , can you tell us some of the early Black suffragists , long before the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 19th Amendment , who are often erased from that history that we learn ?
MARTHA JONES : I want to introduce you to Maria Miller Stewart , who in the early 1830s is in Boston , once an indentured servant , now a free Black woman in that city , who takes first her pen to the pages of William Lloyd Garrison ’ s The Liberator and then to the podiums of Boston , where she makes the case for Black women ’ s place in politics .
She decries the sexism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women like her from shaping the future of their communities and the future of the nation .
Maria Stewart is the very first American woman to speak from a podium about politics .
We don ’ t remember her .
For too long she was eclipsed by the women of Seneca Falls .
But I ’ m very pleased , in this anniversary year , to reintroduce her to American audiences .
AMY GOODMAN : And Septima Clark , in this last 30 seconds ?
MARTHA JONES : Absolutely , right .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who put their bodies , their lives , their families and communities on the line in the modern civil rights era , we would not be in this moment today without that extraordinary vision , but also that extraordinary risk-taking .
The violence was persistent , and the courage was phenomenal .
AMY GOODMAN : Martha Jones , we want to thank you so much for being with us .
There is so much more to talk about .
But August 26 is the actual congressional certification , the 100th anniversary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we ’ ll continue the conversation then .
Martha Jones , author of the forthcoming book , Vanguard : How Black Women Broke Barriers , Won the Vote , and Insisted on Equality for All .
That does it for our broadcast .
Special thanks to Renée Feltz , Mike Burke , Deena Guzder , Libby Rainey , Nermeen Shaikh , María Taracena , Carla Wills , Tami Woronoff .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
Stay safe .
Save lives .
Wear a mask .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. We are breaking with convention.
One hundred years ago today, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified. It guaranteed women’s right to vote, stating, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
But the 19th Amendment was not implemented equally. Many states created laws to continue to deny women the vote, and African American women were subjected to the same Jim Crow laws that had already been used to deny the vote to African American men.
For more on this and how the movement for women’s suffrage was connected to the movement to abolish slavery, we’re joined by historian Martha Jones, author of the forthcoming book, Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. She recently wrote an op-ed in The New York Times headlined “Tackling a Century-Old Mystery: Did My Grandmother Vote?” She is the Society of Black Alumni presidential professor and professor of history at Johns Hopkins University.
Professor, welcome back to Democracy Now! Did your grandmother vote?
MARTHA JONES: Thanks.
AMY GOODMAN: Tell us her story and how that fits in to this day, the day of the 100th anniversary of the ratification.
MARTHA JONES: I was finishing Vanguard, and I realized I didn’t know my grandmother’s story, and this sent me on a whole new quest. I looked for her in St. Louis, Missouri, where she lived in 1920, and Black women were coming to the polls in important numbers to combat the rise of residential segregation in that city. But I couldn’t find her there. I followed her to Greensboro, North Carolina, where she and my grandfather began a college, Bennett College, for African American women in 1926. I couldn’t find her there. The records of women’s early votes in North Carolina haven’t survived, and I couldn’t tell that story.
But I followed her until the 1950s and '60s, where I see her alongside the young women at Bennett College, now part of the modern civil rights era, organizing and knocking on doors and getting Black Americans registered to vote as part of that civil rights revolution. As she put it in an interview in those years, it was “thrilling.” And it was thrilling for me to find her there, but it was a reminder that to look for African American women and their history of the vote in 1920 is to miss the important chapter that begins in 1920 and doesn't culminate until the Voting Rights Act is adopted in 1965.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Professor Jones, you write in the book that Black women voting rights activists actually predated the famous white suffragettes. Could you — why did you title your book Vanguard?
MARTHA JONES: I titled my book Vanguard because as early as the first decades of the 19th century, Black women are developing a political philosophy, a critique of the United States. It is a view that says no racism, no sexism in American politics. For a very long time, African American women are quite alone in carrying those principles forward, holding the bar high for this nation. I call them the vanguard because, indeed, they lead us to a 21st century in which, I think it’s fair to say, that view, while it may not be held by all Americans, certainly has a place, an important place, in our political agenda. Black women lead us there. It is a lonely, lonely trek for much of our history. But here in the 21st century, when we say no racism and no sexism in politics, it sounds very presentist, but it turns out it’s a very old set of ideas.
AMY GOODMAN: And in the last minute and a half we have, Martha Jones, can you tell us some of the early Black suffragists, long before the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, and how they ultimately led toward the 19th Amendment, who are often erased from that history that we learn?
MARTHA JONES: I want to introduce you to Maria Miller Stewart, who in the early 1830s is in Boston, once an indentured servant, now a free Black woman in that city, who takes first her pen to the pages of William Lloyd Garrison’s The Liberator and then to the podiums of Boston, where she makes the case for Black women’s place in politics. She decries the sexism and the racism that keep her and women like her from shaping the future of their communities and the future of the nation. Maria Stewart is the very first American woman to speak from a podium about politics. We don’t remember her. For too long she was eclipsed by the women of Seneca Falls. But I’m very pleased, in this anniversary year, to reintroduce her to American audiences.
AMY GOODMAN: And Septima Clark, in this last 30 seconds?
MARTHA JONES: Absolutely, right. The women of the — the courageous women, who put their bodies, their lives, their families and communities on the line in the modern civil rights era, we would not be in this moment today without that extraordinary vision, but also that extraordinary risk-taking. The violence was persistent, and the courage was phenomenal.
AMY GOODMAN: Martha Jones, we want to thank you so much for being with us. There is so much more to talk about. But August 26 is the actual congressional certification, the 100th anniversary of the Congress certifying the 19th Amendment, and we’ll continue the conversation then. Martha Jones, author of the forthcoming book, Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All.
That does it for our broadcast. Special thanks to Renée Feltz, Mike Burke, Deena Guzder, Libby Rainey, Nermeen Shaikh, María Taracena, Carla Wills, Tami Woronoff. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. Stay safe. Save lives. Wear a mask.


democracynow--2020-08-18--Julián Castro Ran for President on a Police Reform Platform But Wasn't Invited to Give DNC Address

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : As the DNC began the four-day convention Monday night with a focus on racial justice and President Trump ’ s mishandling of the coronavirus crisis , the Democratic Party faced criticism for a lack of diversity in its primetime lineup , with only a handful of Latinx speakers and no Muslim speakers , while Republicans like former Ohio Governor John Kasich were given slots .
The first night was moderated by the actress Eva Longoria .
New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For more , we ’ re joined by former Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro , the only Latinx candidate who was in the race .
Castro served as secretary of housing and urban development under President Obama from 2014 to '17 .
He was not invited to speak in primetime at the DNC , unlike many of his rivals .
He 's joining us from San Antonio , Texas , which may be a battleground state this November .
Secretary Castro , welcome back to Democracy Now !
It ’ s great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condolences on the loss of your stepmother to COVID-19 .
JULIÁN CASTRO : Thank you very much , Amy .
It ’ s good to be with you .
And that testimony that you played , that was shown last night , from Kristin , was just tremendously powerful and , I think , resonates with a lot of people out there .
I know , for me and for my family , we certainly understand the seriousness of this virus and also understand that a lot of this could have been prevented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I wanted to ask you your initial reaction to the first night of the convention .
And especially , many of the speakers were talking about why it was important to vote against Donald Trump , the decency of Joe Biden , and his experience and his respect for science .
But Bernie Sanders was one of the few who actually went into the content of what Joe Biden is standing for , his platform , as well , and why it ’ s important for progressives to vote for him .
JULIÁN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Sanders did a wonderful job .
I think Michelle Obama was very powerful last night .
But you ’ re right with Senator Sanders that — look , one of the things I noticed out there right now is that whether people are liberal or conservative , they ’ re Republican , Democrat , independent , what they want are solutions .
And I think what Bernie did well in highlighting was this is what electing Joe Biden is going to mean for you and your family — raising the minimum wage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things that are going to make people ’ s lives better .
That ’ s what I think people want to know .
You know , how is this person going to make my life and the life of my family and the country better than it is today ?
I think we ’ ve gotten to a point that because there ’ s so much back-and-forth on cable news , because people are so polarized , that folks that don ’ t love politics , that don ’ t follow it all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they tend to shy away from it even more than usual right now , shy away from that conversation .
And the best way , I think , to get their attention is to say , “ OK , well , this is how it ’ s going to be different in a positive way.
” And he did that , which was great .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : I also wanted to ask you — one of the big issues of the night , and obviously of this election season , is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether it ’ s under assault or not , and also the issue of mail-in ballots .
Now , there was a recent poll that shows that in your state of Texas , a majority of Latinos would prefer to vote in person rather than by mail-in ballot .
I ’ m wondering your sense of this issue .
And are there — independently of what you may think of President Trump , are there some concerns about all mail-in ballot in terms of being able to assure the integrity of the vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I believe is that people should have options during this time period .
They should not have to choose between their right to vote and risking their health .
So , universal mail-in ballots should be available .
If there is in-person voting , if that is going to be an option , as well , that that be made as safe as possible , because , you ’ re right , you know , growing up here in a largely Mexican American community in San Antonio , I can tell you , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along the way is , “ Oh , oh , I ’ m not going to vote early .
I ’ m going to vote on Election Day .
I ’ m going to go vote in person.
” And so , this practice kind of precedes the controversy that we ’ re having around mail-in balloting .
At the same time , we can ’ t ignore the fact , of course , that this president is trying to suppress the vote as a strategy to rig this election and win .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a lot more people that want to use the mail to cast their ballot this time .
And there are states like Colorado that rely on universal mail-in balloting as their sole form of the way to vote .
We have to make sure that the post office is well invested in , that it is functioning properly , that it can handle a greater volume than usual of mail-in ballots .
AMY GOODMAN : The brothers of George Floyd led a moment of silence during Monday night ’ s Democratic National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other victims of police violence .
This is Philonise Floyd .
AMY GOODMAN : And with that , they went to a moment of silence at the convention .
Another part of the DNC last night , Joe Biden in conversation with a number of people , including Gwen Carr , the activist and mother of Eric Garner .
This is part of what they said .
AMY GOODMAN : So , that is Joe Biden speaking to Gwen Carr , the mother of Eric Garner .
Julián Castro , I think you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police .
Can you lay that out and what you think the Democratic candidates need to do right now , what Joe Biden needs to do to deal with this critical issue of police brutality ?
JULIÁN CASTRO : Well , I mean , first , Amy , I would say I was very — I was very glad to see that exchange last night and the fact that Vice President Biden and the campaign are dealing squarely with this issue , not shying away from it , not walking away from it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What Gwen said there , that we can ’ t let it settle back down , I thought those were some of the most powerful words in the entire convention from last night , because that ’ s usually what happens .
Fortunately , Vice President Biden , very early on , after the murder of George Floyd , put forth a series of policy proposals , from banning chokeholds to a national use-of-force standard to more transparency , that he called a “ down payment on change.
” Many of those were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that the House of Representatives passed .
On top of that , I ’ m glad to see local communities across the country that are engaging in deeper thinking about investing in mental health counseling , social workers , housing opportunity , because so many of the calls that police officers are asked to respond to are for people that are homeless or have a mental health issue , that they don ’ t need an armed cop .
The vast majority of them are not violent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , so that they can get onto a better life .
And cities across the country , whether we ’ re talking about Los Angeles or San Francisco or Austin , Texas , just up the road from me , recently , are moving in that direction .
And Joe Biden has said that he wants to work with local communities as they do that .
All of that is positive .
And as he said , we need to keep pushing .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Julián Castro , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be reluctant to talk about your own personal role in this , but it must be bittersweet to see all this emphasis now of the national party on the issue of police abuse after the murder of George Floyd , when you were out there early in the campaign raising these issues , and also that you , in a past convention , had been a keynote speaker of the Democratic convention .
Now many Latino leaders feel you ’ ve sort of been slighted in the lineup here of the four days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you have , on that ?
JULIÁN CASTRO : Well , look , I mean , I know they have a very difficult challenge , because the networks condensed the amount of time that they ’ re giving the parties this year , I think , in one or two hours a night .
Usually that ’ s three or four hours .
So , you know , it ’ s understandable that you ’ re going to have a limited number of speakers .
And more importantly than me or any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I really think that you get value , that the voters get value , the people get value , from hearing the powerful stories like Kristin ’ s and like Gwen ’ s , that are first-person stories that really connect why it ’ s important to elect Joe Biden to the lives of everyday people out there .
I think that ’ s the most important thing .
I think that ’ s probably also politically the most effective thing .
So , I know I ’ ll have my time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this show or other shows or other opportunities , but America needs to hear how this president has badly impacted the lives of people around this country , and , more importantly , how Joe Biden is going to make a positive difference for them .
AMY GOODMAN : But even talking about representation on the panel , just following up on what Juan said , I mean , the primetime slots include Bernie Sanders ; of course Kamala Harris , who was one of your rivals but now the vice-presidential candidate ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Yang — not you , though .
Were you asked ?
JULIÁN CASTRO : No , I was not .
No , I was not .
But , look — AMY GOODMAN : And there ’ s been a — go ahead .
JULIÁN CASTRO : Yeah , no , I spoke a few years ago , and I had a wonderful time doing it .
And , you know , I ’ m going to continue to speak out on issues that matter for our country .
And also , most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do my part to help ensure that Joe Biden gets elected and we defeat Donald Trump in November .
I do think — I agree with you on the issue of representation .
You know , last week , I think the count had been that there were 35 primetime speakers , and only three of them were Latinx .
And I raised , you know , a concern about that and also , at that time , a lack of representation among Native Americans and Muslim Americans , because I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that represented the beautiful coalition that Democrats have put together .
Fortunately , in the days since then , over the weekend , there were announcements that were made that were , I think , much more diverse , which is a positive .
And when you actually look at the programming , the nonpoliticians that are speaking , which I think people maybe even pay attention to more , they ’ re very diverse , whether it ’ s the family of George Floyd or Kristin , the young woman who gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s very important .
AMY GOODMAN : But , you know , the polls do show , for example , Texas Hispanics favor Joe Biden , but Donald Trump still leads statewide electorate in presidential race — just one headline .
How should that be addressed , Julián Castro ?
What can Joe Biden do ?
What does he have to watch out for , what he has to make sure he doesn ’ t ignore — for example , like immigration ?
JULIÁN CASTRO : Well , when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that the campaign needs to continue to invest in voter outreach , registration efforts , speak to the issues that matter .
And just recently , the campaign released a Latino agenda for America , which I thought was a good thing to do and will resonate .
But also , you know , all of the issues that people care about — healthcare , about small business , about educational opportunity for their kids , addressing the fact that the Latinx community and other vulnerable communities have been the hardest hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been squarely addressing many of those issues , and I ’ m sure the campaign will continue to do that .
On top of that , it ’ s going to require a lot of other work from the nonprofit organizations that do voter registration , like Voto Latino and a number of others , to get folks out in what is going to be a very unusual year in terms of the mechanics of voting .
AMY GOODMAN : You famously said to Biden , “ I ’ ve learned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ haven ’ t. ” Do you think he has now ?
JULIÁN CASTRO : I ’ ve been pleased with what Vice President Biden has put out in terms of his immigration plan and then also on healthcare .
You know , he and I did have our conversations on the debate stage , and that ’ s the nature of a primary debate , right ?
You ’ re going to go back and forth on how you differ .
And I don ’ t expect that everybody I support is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they agreed with me completely , I would be that candidate , right ?
So , but what I think is important for folks to realize out there — and now I ’ m speaking , you know , directly to the Latinx community — is that it ’ s night and day with Joe Biden versus Donald Trump .
Donald Trump has been the cruelest , most ill-intentioned president when it comes to not only immigrants , migrants , but the broader Latino community , scapegoated the community , otherized the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And Joe Biden is somebody who brings compassion , who brings understanding , and , most importantly — because what you want to judge politicians on is , OK , what are you going to do , and what is your track record — has a track record of expanding opportunity , with Barack Obama .
The Affordable Care Act expanded healthcare to 4 million — more than 4 million Latinx folks in this country .
On educational opportunity , on violence against women , on housing opportunity .
I remember going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was Veterans Day of 2016 — and marking the effective end of veteran homelessness there in Wilmington , and seeing how much that meant to him .
So , this is somebody that is going to work to make life better for everybody in this country , in a way that Donald Trump — as Michelle Obama pointed out , Donald Trump just isn ’ t up to it and doesn ’ t want to do it .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Julián Castro , just in our final few moments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wondering your assessment , going back to Texas , the second most populous state in the nation — your assessment of Governor Greg Abbott ’ s decision to reopen the state early on ?
And also , could you tell us about your thoughts for your future ?
Any possibility of a run for governor at some point ?
JULIÁN CASTRO : Yeah , I mean , Greg Abbott has been in the same boat as Donald Trump and governors like Ducey in Arizona and DeSantis in Florida .
It ’ s this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and science .
So , when he reopened the state in early May , he made three mistakes , reopening too early .
When they reopened , they didn ’ t have the two things in place that public health experts tell us you need to have in place , which was robust testing and robust contact tracing .
In fact , at the time , Texas ranked 48th per capita in terms of the number of tests that were happening .
And then , third , when communities across the state begged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own safety precautions , require masks or do other things , the governor said , “ No , my order supersedes you .
You can ’ t do that , ” opened up the bars and restaurants , and then basically made it worse here in the state of Texas for everybody , and has hurt the economy because of that — and admitted , for instance , that he made a mistake in opening the bars up too early .
So , it ’ s just , you know , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ middle of a global pandemic , you can not rely on people that are putting their own political ideology and interests ahead of basic science and the public health .
That is in nobody ’ s interest .
That ’ s exactly what Greg Abbott has done .
In terms of my future , this is the first time in a long time that I ’ m not aiming for any office .
You know , after I got out of the Obama administration , I pretty much knew that I was going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now I ’ m working on People First Future , which is an effort to support bold , progressive candidates that are running up and down the ballot , from Congress down to school board , to help build a bench of progressives in our country .
And I ’ m going to continue to use my voice to be supportive of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and help get them elected .
And then we ’ ll see what happens , you know , whether a jump back into politics at some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while .
Right now I don ’ t feel compelled necessarily to jump right back in .
AMY GOODMAN : Julián Castro , I want to thank you for being with us , former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate , served as secretary of housing and urban development under President Obama .
Prior to that , he was mayor of San Antonio , where he ’ s speaking to us now .
When we come back , today marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many Black women would not enjoy that right for decades .
Stay with us .
AMY GOODMAN : “ If I Was President ” by Las Cafeteras , performing here at Democracy Now !
, their song featured during the Democratic National Convention ’ s Hispanic Caucus meeting yesterday .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: As the DNC began the four-day convention Monday night with a focus on racial justice and President Trump’s mishandling of the coronavirus crisis, the Democratic Party faced criticism for a lack of diversity in its primetime lineup, with only a handful of Latinx speakers and no Muslim speakers, while Republicans like former Ohio Governor John Kasich were given slots. The first night was moderated by the actress Eva Longoria. New York Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is set to speak tonight for 60 seconds.
For more, we’re joined by former Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro, the only Latinx candidate who was in the race. Castro served as secretary of housing and urban development under President Obama from 2014 to '17. He was not invited to speak in primetime at the DNC, unlike many of his rivals. He's joining us from San Antonio, Texas, which may be a battleground state this November.
Secretary Castro, welcome back to Democracy Now! It’s great to have you with us. Our condolences on the loss of your stepmother to COVID-19.
JULIÁN CASTRO: Thank you very much, Amy. It’s good to be with you.
And that testimony that you played, that was shown last night, from Kristin, was just tremendously powerful and, I think, resonates with a lot of people out there. I know, for me and for my family, we certainly understand the seriousness of this virus and also understand that a lot of this could have been prevented.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Julián Castro, I wanted to ask you your initial reaction to the first night of the convention. And especially, many of the speakers were talking about why it was important to vote against Donald Trump, the decency of Joe Biden, and his experience and his respect for science. But Bernie Sanders was one of the few who actually went into the content of what Joe Biden is standing for, his platform, as well, and why it’s important for progressives to vote for him.
JULIÁN CASTRO: Yeah, I think that Senator Sanders did a wonderful job. I think Michelle Obama was very powerful last night. But you’re right with Senator Sanders that — look, one of the things I noticed out there right now is that whether people are liberal or conservative, they’re Republican, Democrat, independent, what they want are solutions. And I think what Bernie did well in highlighting was this is what electing Joe Biden is going to mean for you and your family — raising the minimum wage, healthcare, a number of other things that are going to make people’s lives better. That’s what I think people want to know. You know, how is this person going to make my life and the life of my family and the country better than it is today?
I think we’ve gotten to a point that because there’s so much back-and-forth on cable news, because people are so polarized, that folks that don’t love politics, that don’t follow it all the time, they sort of — they tend to shy away from it even more than usual right now, shy away from that conversation. And the best way, I think, to get their attention is to say, “OK, well, this is how it’s going to be different in a positive way.” And he did that, which was great.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: I also wanted to ask you — one of the big issues of the night, and obviously of this election season, is the issue of the right to vote, whether it’s under assault or not, and also the issue of mail-in ballots. Now, there was a recent poll that shows that in your state of Texas, a majority of Latinos would prefer to vote in person rather than by mail-in ballot. I’m wondering your sense of this issue. And are there — independently of what you may think of President Trump, are there some concerns about all mail-in ballot in terms of being able to assure the integrity of the vote?
JULIÁN CASTRO: Look, what I believe is that people should have options during this time period. They should not have to choose between their right to vote and risking their health. So, universal mail-in ballots should be available. If there is in-person voting, if that is going to be an option, as well, that that be made as safe as possible, because, you’re right, you know, growing up here in a largely Mexican American community in San Antonio, I can tell you, I mean, what I would hear along the way is, “Oh, oh, I’m not going to vote early. I’m going to vote on Election Day. I’m going to go vote in person.” And so, this practice kind of precedes the controversy that we’re having around mail-in balloting.
At the same time, we can’t ignore the fact, of course, that this president is trying to suppress the vote as a strategy to rig this election and win. And so, there are going to be a lot more people that want to use the mail to cast their ballot this time. And there are states like Colorado that rely on universal mail-in balloting as their sole form of the way to vote. We have to make sure that the post office is well invested in, that it is functioning properly, that it can handle a greater volume than usual of mail-in ballots.
AMY GOODMAN: The brothers of George Floyd led a moment of silence during Monday night’s Democratic National Convention in honor of their brother and other victims of police violence. This is Philonise Floyd.
PHILONISE FLOYD: My brother George was selfless. He always made sacrifices for his family, friends, and even complete strangers. George had a giving spirit, a spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation and around the world — people of all races, all ages, all genders, all backgrounds — peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity.
It’s a fitting legacy for our brother, but George should be alive today. Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. Eric Garner should be alive today. Stephon Clark, Atatiana Jefferson, Sandra Bland, they should all be alive today. So it’s up to us to carry on the fight for justice.
AMY GOODMAN: And with that, they went to a moment of silence at the convention. Another part of the DNC last night, Joe Biden in conversation with a number of people, including Gwen Carr, the activist and mother of Eric Garner. This is part of what they said.
JOE BIDEN: Most cops are good. But the fact is, the bad ones have to be identified and prosecuted and out, period. Gwen, how are you doing?
GWEN CARR: Well, I’m doing pretty well, as well as can be expected.
JOE BIDEN: You know, I’m sure that the words of George Floyd, “I can’t breathe,” were not new to you, and they echo in your mind every single day. It was six years ago when your son died, but we can’t let this keep happening. What do you think the next thing we have to do, Gwen?
GWEN CARR: Well, first of all, I know when my son was murdered, there was a big uprising, but then it settled down. We can’t let things settle down. We have to go to the politicians, and we have to hold their feet to the fire, because, otherwise, the big uprising is not going to mean a lot. So, I’m just asking that if you become the president, that you make sure that we get national law, as well as state and local law, especially when it comes to police brutality, because that has been an age-old problem.
JOE BIDEN: Well, I may be kidding myself, but I think the people are ready. I think people are ready. We’ve just got to keep pushing. We can’t let up.
AMY GOODMAN: So, that is Joe Biden speaking to Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner. Julián Castro, I think you had the earliest plan for dealing with police. Can you lay that out and what you think the Democratic candidates need to do right now, what Joe Biden needs to do to deal with this critical issue of police brutality?
JULIÁN CASTRO: Well, I mean, first, Amy, I would say I was very — I was very glad to see that exchange last night and the fact that Vice President Biden and the campaign are dealing squarely with this issue, not shying away from it, not walking away from it, not letting up on it. What Gwen said there, that we can’t let it settle back down, I thought those were some of the most powerful words in the entire convention from last night, because that’s usually what happens.
Fortunately, Vice President Biden, very early on, after the murder of George Floyd, put forth a series of policy proposals, from banning chokeholds to a national use-of-force standard to more transparency, that he called a “down payment on change.” Many of those were reflected, are reflected, in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that the House of Representatives passed.
On top of that, I’m glad to see local communities across the country that are engaging in deeper thinking about investing in mental health counseling, social workers, housing opportunity, because so many of the calls that police officers are asked to respond to are for people that are homeless or have a mental health issue, that they don’t need an armed cop. The vast majority of them are not violent. What they need is they need services, so that they can get onto a better life. And cities across the country, whether we’re talking about Los Angeles or San Francisco or Austin, Texas, just up the road from me, recently, are moving in that direction. And Joe Biden has said that he wants to work with local communities as they do that. All of that is positive. And as he said, we need to keep pushing.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Julián Castro, I wanted to ask you — you may be reluctant to talk about your own personal role in this, but it must be bittersweet to see all this emphasis now of the national party on the issue of police abuse after the murder of George Floyd, when you were out there early in the campaign raising these issues, and also that you, in a past convention, had been a keynote speaker of the Democratic convention. Now many Latino leaders feel you’ve sort of been slighted in the lineup here of the four days of the convention. Your thoughts, if you have, on that?
JULIÁN CASTRO: Well, look, I mean, I know they have a very difficult challenge, because the networks condensed the amount of time that they’re giving the parties this year, I think, in one or two hours a night. Usually that’s three or four hours. So, you know, it’s understandable that you’re going to have a limited number of speakers.
And more importantly than me or any one person speaking, politician speaking, I really think that you get value, that the voters get value, the people get value, from hearing the powerful stories like Kristin’s and like Gwen’s, that are first-person stories that really connect why it’s important to elect Joe Biden to the lives of everyday people out there. I think that’s the most important thing. I think that’s probably also politically the most effective thing.
So, I know I’ll have my time to speak, whether it’s on this show or other shows or other opportunities, but America needs to hear how this president has badly impacted the lives of people around this country, and, more importantly, how Joe Biden is going to make a positive difference for them.
AMY GOODMAN: But even talking about representation on the panel, just following up on what Juan said, I mean, the primetime slots include Bernie Sanders; of course Kamala Harris, who was one of your rivals but now the vice-presidential candidate; Buttigieg; Klobuchar; Warren; Booker; Yang — not you, though. Were you asked?
JULIÁN CASTRO: To speak in primetime?
AMY GOODMAN: Yes.
JULIÁN CASTRO: No, I was not. No, I was not. But, look —
AMY GOODMAN: And there’s been a — go ahead.
JULIÁN CASTRO: Yeah, no, I spoke a few years ago, and I had a wonderful time doing it. And, you know, I’m going to continue to speak out on issues that matter for our country. And also, most importantly, I’m going to do my part to help ensure that Joe Biden gets elected and we defeat Donald Trump in November.
I do think — I agree with you on the issue of representation. You know, last week, I think the count had been that there were 35 primetime speakers, and only three of them were Latinx. And I raised, you know, a concern about that and also, at that time, a lack of representation among Native Americans and Muslim Americans, because I don’t believe that that represents the — that represented the beautiful coalition that Democrats have put together.
Fortunately, in the days since then, over the weekend, there were announcements that were made that were, I think, much more diverse, which is a positive. And when you actually look at the programming, the nonpoliticians that are speaking, which I think people maybe even pay attention to more, they’re very diverse, whether it’s the family of George Floyd or Kristin, the young woman who gave testimony about her father passing from COVID-19. That’s very important.
AMY GOODMAN: But, you know, the polls do show, for example, Texas Hispanics favor Joe Biden, but Donald Trump still leads statewide electorate in presidential race — just one headline. How should that be addressed, Julián Castro? What can Joe Biden do? What does he have to watch out for, what he has to make sure he doesn’t ignore — for example, like immigration?
JULIÁN CASTRO: Well, when it comes to the Latino community, I think that the campaign needs to continue to invest in voter outreach, registration efforts, speak to the issues that matter. And just recently, the campaign released a Latino agenda for America, which I thought was a good thing to do and will resonate. But also, you know, all of the issues that people care about — healthcare, about small business, about educational opportunity for their kids, addressing the fact that the Latinx community and other vulnerable communities have been the hardest hit during this pandemic — and Joe Biden has been squarely addressing many of those issues, and I’m sure the campaign will continue to do that. On top of that, it’s going to require a lot of other work from the nonprofit organizations that do voter registration, like Voto Latino and a number of others, to get folks out in what is going to be a very unusual year in terms of the mechanics of voting.
AMY GOODMAN: You famously said to Biden, “I’ve learned the lessons of the past, but you haven’t.” Do you think he has now?
JULIÁN CASTRO: I’ve been pleased with what Vice President Biden has put out in terms of his immigration plan and then also on healthcare. You know, he and I did have our conversations on the debate stage, and that’s the nature of a primary debate, right? You’re going to go back and forth on how you differ. And I don’t expect that everybody I support is going to agree with me completely. If they agreed with me completely, I would be that candidate, right?
So, but what I think is important for folks to realize out there — and now I’m speaking, you know, directly to the Latinx community — is that it’s night and day with Joe Biden versus Donald Trump. Donald Trump has been the cruelest, most ill-intentioned president when it comes to not only immigrants, migrants, but the broader Latino community, scapegoated the community, otherized the community, uses it as a political piñata. And Joe Biden is somebody who brings compassion, who brings understanding, and, most importantly — because what you want to judge politicians on is, OK, what are you going to do, and what is your track record — has a track record of expanding opportunity, with Barack Obama. The Affordable Care Act expanded healthcare to 4 million — more than 4 million Latinx folks in this country. On educational opportunity, on violence against women, on housing opportunity. I remember going to Delaware with him — I think it was Veterans Day of 2016 — and marking the effective end of veteran homelessness there in Wilmington, and seeing how much that meant to him. So, this is somebody that is going to work to make life better for everybody in this country, in a way that Donald Trump — as Michelle Obama pointed out, Donald Trump just isn’t up to it and doesn’t want to do it.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Julián Castro, just in our final few moments that we have, I’m wondering your assessment, going back to Texas, the second most populous state in the nation — your assessment of Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to reopen the state early on? And also, could you tell us about your thoughts for your future? Any possibility of a run for governor at some point?
JULIÁN CASTRO: Yeah, I mean, Greg Abbott has been in the same boat as Donald Trump and governors like Ducey in Arizona and DeSantis in Florida. It’s this putting right-wing ideology over the public health and science.
So, when he reopened the state in early May, he made three mistakes, reopening too early. When they reopened, they didn’t have the two things in place that public health experts tell us you need to have in place, which was robust testing and robust contact tracing. In fact, at the time, Texas ranked 48th per capita in terms of the number of tests that were happening. And then, third, when communities across the state begged the governor to be able to tailor their own safety precautions, require masks or do other things, the governor said, “No, my order supersedes you. You can’t do that,” opened up the bars and restaurants, and then basically made it worse here in the state of Texas for everybody, and has hurt the economy because of that — and admitted, for instance, that he made a mistake in opening the bars up too early. So, it’s just, you know, we can’t rely — in the middle of a global pandemic, you cannot rely on people that are putting their own political ideology and interests ahead of basic science and the public health. That is in nobody’s interest. That’s exactly what Greg Abbott has done.
In terms of my future, this is the first time in a long time that I’m not aiming for any office. You know, after I got out of the Obama administration, I pretty much knew that I was going to probably run for president. Right now I’m working on People First Future, which is an effort to support bold, progressive candidates that are running up and down the ballot, from Congress down to school board, to help build a bench of progressives in our country. And I’m going to continue to use my voice to be supportive of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and help get them elected. And then we’ll see what happens, you know, whether a jump back into politics at some point soon or just wait for a while. Right now I don’t feel compelled necessarily to jump right back in.
AMY GOODMAN: Julián Castro, I want to thank you for being with us, former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, served as secretary of housing and urban development under President Obama. Prior to that, he was mayor of San Antonio, where he’s speaking to us now.
When we come back, today marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing women’s right to vote, though many Black women would not enjoy that right for decades. Stay with us.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: “If I Was President” by Las Cafeteras, performing here at Democracy Now!, their song featured during the Democratic National Convention’s Hispanic Caucus meeting yesterday.


democracynow--2020-08-18--"His Only Preexisting Condition Was Trusting Trump": Daughter Speaks at DNC After Dad Dies of COVID

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : We are breaking with convention .
This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González , as we continue to air highlights from the opening night of the virtual Democratic National Convention .
One of the most moving speeches was delivered by a young Mexican American woman whose father died of COVID-19 in June in Arizona .
KRISTIN URQUIZA : I ’ m Kristin Urquiza .
I ’ m one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loved one to COVID .
My dad , Mark Anthony Urquiza , should be here today , but he isn ’ t .
He had faith in Donald Trump .
He voted for him , listened to him , believed him and his mouthpieces when they said that coronavirus was under control and going to disappear , that it was OK to end social distancing rules before it was safe , and that if you had no underlying health conditions , you ’ d probably be fine .
So , in late May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Arizona , my dad went to a karaoke bar with his friends .
A few weeks later , he was put on a ventilator .
And after five agonizing days , he died alone in the ICU with a nurse holding his hand .
My dad was a healthy 65-year-old .
His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump — and for that , he paid with his life .
I am not alone .
Once I told my story , a lot of people reached out to me to share theirs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep their communities safe , especially communities of color , which have been disproportionately affected .
They asked me , a normal person , to help , because Donald Trump won ’ t .
The coronavirus has made it clear that there are two Americas : the America that Donald Trump lives in and the America that my father died in .
Enough is enough .
Donald Trump may not have caused the coronavirus , but his dishonesty and his irresponsible actions made it so much worse .
We need a leader who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to stop this pandemic from claiming more lives and to safely reopen the country .
We need a leader who will step in on day one and do his job , to care .
One of the last things that my father said to me was that he felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump .
And so , when I cast my vote for Joe Biden , I will do it for my dad .
AMY GOODMAN : Kristin Urquiza , speaking at the Democratic National Convention on its kickoff @ @

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: We are breaking with convention. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González, as we continue to air highlights from the opening night of the virtual Democratic National Convention. One of the most moving speeches was delivered by a young Mexican American woman whose father died of COVID-19 in June in Arizona.
KRISTIN URQUIZA: I’m Kristin Urquiza. I’m one of the many who has lost a loved one to COVID. My dad, Mark Anthony Urquiza, should be here today, but he isn’t. He had faith in Donald Trump. He voted for him, listened to him, believed him and his mouthpieces when they said that coronavirus was under control and going to disappear, that it was OK to end social distancing rules before it was safe, and that if you had no underlying health conditions, you’d probably be fine. So, in late May, after the stay-at-home order was lifted in Arizona, my dad went to a karaoke bar with his friends. A few weeks later, he was put on a ventilator. And after five agonizing days, he died alone in the ICU with a nurse holding his hand. My dad was a healthy 65-year-old. His only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump — and for that, he paid with his life.
I am not alone. Once I told my story, a lot of people reached out to me to share theirs. They asked me to help them keep their communities safe, especially communities of color, which have been disproportionately affected. They asked me, a normal person, to help, because Donald Trump won’t.
The coronavirus has made it clear that there are two Americas: the America that Donald Trump lives in and the America that my father died in. Enough is enough. Donald Trump may not have caused the coronavirus, but his dishonesty and his irresponsible actions made it so much worse. We need a leader who has a national, coordinated, data-driven response to stop this pandemic from claiming more lives and to safely reopen the country. We need a leader who will step in on day one and do his job, to care.
One of the last things that my father said to me was that he felt betrayed by the likes of Donald Trump. And so, when I cast my vote for Joe Biden, I will do it for my dad.
AMY GOODMAN: Kristin Urquiza, speaking at the Democratic National Convention on its kickoff night.


democracynow--2020-08-18--Bernie Sanders: 2020 Election Is a Fight Against Trump, Authoritarianism, Greed, Oligarchy & Bigotry

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : Former presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders also assailed Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and much more .
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS : Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment .
We ’ re facing the worst public health crisis in a hundred years and the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression .
We are confronting systemic racism and the enormous threat to our planet of climate change .
And in the midst of all of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only incapable of addressing these crises , but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism .
This election is the most important in the modern history of this country .
In response to the unprecedented crises we face , we need an unprecedented response , a movement like never before of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency , and against greed , oligarchy and bigotry .
And we need Joe Biden as our next president .
Let me take this opportunity to say a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported my campaign this year and in 2016 .
My friends , thank you for your trust , your support , and the love you showed Jane , me and our family .
Together , we have moved this country in a bold new direction , showing that all of us — Black and white , Latino , Native American , Asian American , gay and straight , native-born and immigrant — yearn for a nation based on the principles of justice , love and compassion .
Our campaign ended several months ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting stronger every day .
Many of the ideas we fought for , that just a few years ago were considered radical , are now mainstream .
But let us be clear : If Donald Trump is reelected , all the progress we have made will be in jeopardy .
At its most basic , this election is about preserving our democracy .
During this president ’ s term , the unthinkable has become normal .
He has tried to prevent people from voting , undermined the U.S .
Postal Service , deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters , threatened to delay the election , and suggested that he will not leave office if he loses .
This is not normal , and we must never treat it like it is .
Under this administration , authoritarianism has taken root in our country .
I and my family and many of yours know the insidious way authoritarianism destroys democracy , decency and humanity .
As long as I am here , I will work with progressives , with moderates , and , yes , with conservatives , to preserve this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our heroes fought and died to defeat .
Furthermore , Trump ’ s negligence has exacerbated the economic crisis we are now experiencing .
Since this pandemic began , over 30 million people have lost their jobs , and many have lost their health insurance .
Millions of working families are wondering how they will feed their kids , and they ’ re worried that they will be evicted from their homes .
And how has Trump responded ?
Instead of maintaining the $ 600-a-week unemployment supplement that workers were receiving and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of you received , instead of helping small businesses , Trump concocted fraudulent executive orders that do virtually nothing to address the crisis , while threatening the very future of Social Security and Medicare .
But the truth is that even before Trump ’ s negligent response to this pandemic , too many hard-working families have been caught on an economic treadmill with no hope of ever getting ahead .
Together , we must build a nation that is more equitable , more compassionate and more inclusive .
I know that Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Let me offer you just a few examples of how Joe will move us forward .
Joe supports raising the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour .
This will give 40 million workers a pay raise and push the wage scale up for everyone else .
Joe will also make it easier for workers to join unions , create 12 weeks of paid family leave , fund universal pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds , and make child care affordable for millions of families .
Joe will rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transitioning us to 100 % clean electricity over the next 15 years .
These initiatives will create millions of good-paying jobs all across our country .
As you know , we are the only industrialized nation not to guarantee healthcare for all people .
While Joe and I disagree on the best path to get universal coverage , he has a plan that will greatly expand healthcare and cut the cost of prescription drugs .
Further , he will lower the eligibility age of Medicare from 65 down to 60 .
My friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone who supported other candidates in the primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election , the future of our democracy is at stake .
The future of our economy is at stake .
The future of our planet is at stake .
We must come together , defeat Donald Trump , and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president .
My friends , the price of failure is just too great to imagine .
Thank you .
AMY GOODMAN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , participating in the virtual Democratic national Convention .
When we come back , we ’ ll speak to another former presidential candidate , Julián Castro .
Unlike many of his rivals , he was not given a primetime speaking spot at the convention .
He recently lost his mother to COVID-19 , first — his stepmother to COVID-19 .
But first we ’ ll hear from a young Mexican American woman who did address the convention .
She lost her father to COVID in June .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Former presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders also assailed Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and much more.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment. We’re facing the worst public health crisis in a hundred years and the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. We are confronting systemic racism and the enormous threat to our planet of climate change. And in the midst of all of this, we have a president who is not only incapable of addressing these crises, but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism.
This election is the most important in the modern history of this country. In response to the unprecedented crises we face, we need an unprecedented response, a movement like never before of people who are prepared to stand up and fight for democracy and decency, and against greed, oligarchy and bigotry. And we need Joe Biden as our next president.
Let me take this opportunity to say a word to the millions of people who supported my campaign this year and in 2016. My friends, thank you for your trust, your support, and the love you showed Jane, me and our family. Together, we have moved this country in a bold new direction, showing that all of us — Black and white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, gay and straight, native-born and immigrant — yearn for a nation based on the principles of justice, love and compassion. Our campaign ended several months ago, but our movement continues and is getting stronger every day. Many of the ideas we fought for, that just a few years ago were considered radical, are now mainstream.
But let us be clear: If Donald Trump is reelected, all the progress we have made will be in jeopardy. At its most basic, this election is about preserving our democracy. During this president’s term, the unthinkable has become normal. He has tried to prevent people from voting, undermined the U.S. Postal Service, deployed the military and federal agents against peaceful protesters, threatened to delay the election, and suggested that he will not leave office if he loses. This is not normal, and we must never treat it like it is.
Under this administration, authoritarianism has taken root in our country. I and my family and many of yours know the insidious way authoritarianism destroys democracy, decency and humanity. As long as I am here, I will work with progressives, with moderates, and, yes, with conservatives, to preserve this nation from a threat that so many of our heroes fought and died to defeat.
This president is not just a threat to our democracy, but, by rejecting science, he has put our lives and health in jeopardy. Trump has attacked doctors and scientists trying to protect us from the pandemic, while refusing to take strong action to produce the masks, gowns and gloves our healthcare workers desperately need.
Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Trump golfs. His actions fanned this pandemic, resulting in over 170,000 deaths and a nation still unprepared to protect its people.
Furthermore, Trump’s negligence has exacerbated the economic crisis we are now experiencing. Since this pandemic began, over 30 million people have lost their jobs, and many have lost their health insurance. Millions of working families are wondering how they will feed their kids, and they’re worried that they will be evicted from their homes. And how has Trump responded? Instead of maintaining the $600-a-week unemployment supplement that workers were receiving and the $1,200 emergency checks that many of you received, instead of helping small businesses, Trump concocted fraudulent executive orders that do virtually nothing to address the crisis, while threatening the very future of Social Security and Medicare.
But the truth is that even before Trump’s negligent response to this pandemic, too many hard-working families have been caught on an economic treadmill with no hope of ever getting ahead. Together, we must build a nation that is more equitable, more compassionate and more inclusive. I know that Joe Biden will begin that fight on day one.
Let me offer you just a few examples of how Joe will move us forward. Joe supports raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. This will give 40 million workers a pay raise and push the wage scale up for everyone else. Joe will also make it easier for workers to join unions, create 12 weeks of paid family leave, fund universal pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds, and make child care affordable for millions of families. Joe will rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and fight the threat of climate change by transitioning us to 100% clean electricity over the next 15 years. These initiatives will create millions of good-paying jobs all across our country.
As you know, we are the only industrialized nation not to guarantee healthcare for all people. While Joe and I disagree on the best path to get universal coverage, he has a plan that will greatly expand healthcare and cut the cost of prescription drugs. Further, he will lower the eligibility age of Medicare from 65 down to 60.
To help reform our broken criminal justice system, Joe will end private prisons and detention centers, cash bail and the school-to-prison pipeline. And to heal the soul of our nation, Joe Biden will end the hate and division Trump has created. He will stop the demonization of immigrants, the coddling of white nationalists, the racist dog whistling, the religious bigotry and the ugly attacks on women.
My friends, I say to you, to everyone who supported other candidates in the primary and to those who may have voted for Donald Trump in the last election, the future of our democracy is at stake. The future of our economy is at stake. The future of our planet is at stake. We must come together, defeat Donald Trump, and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our next president and vice president. My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine. Thank you.
AMY GOODMAN: Former presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders, participating in the virtual Democratic national Convention.
When we come back, we’ll speak to another former presidential candidate, Julián Castro. Unlike many of his rivals, he was not given a primetime speaking spot at the convention. He recently lost his mother to COVID-19, first — his stepmother to COVID-19. But first we’ll hear from a young Mexican American woman who did address the convention. She lost her father to COVID in June. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-08-18--"Donald Trump Is the Wrong President for Our Country": Michelle Obama Slams President at DNC

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : Former first lady Michelle Obama and former presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders headlined the opening night of the virtual Democratic National Convention Monday .
The DNC was originally scheduled to be held in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , but it was moved entirely online due to public health concerns .
Michelle Obama gave the keynote address .
MICHELLE OBAMA : When my husband left office with Joe Biden at his side , we had a record-breaking stretch of job creation .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 million people .
We were respected around the world , rallying our allies to confront climate change .
And our leaders had worked hand in hand with scientists to help prevent an Ebola outbreak from becoming a global pandemic .
Four years later , the state of this nation is very different .
More than 150,000 people have died , and our economy is in shambles , because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long .
It has left millions of people jobless .
Too many have lost their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take care of basic necessities like food and rent .
Too many communities have been left in the lurch to grapple with whether and how to open our schools safely .
Internationally , we ’ ve turned our back , not just on agreements forged by my husband , but on alliances championed by presidents like Reagan and Eisenhower .
And here at home , as George Floyd , Breonna Taylor and a never-ending list of innocent people of color continue to be murdered , stating the simple fact that a Black life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s highest office , because whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness , what we get instead is chaos , division and a total and utter lack of empathy .
… So , let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can : Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country .
He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job , but he is clearly in over his head .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ He simply can not be who we need him to be for us .
It is what it is .
Now , I understand that my message won ’ t be heard by some people .
We live in a nation that is deeply divided , and I am a Black woman speaking at the Democratic convention .
But enough of you know me by now .
You know that I tell you exactly what I ’ m feeling .
You know I hate politics .
But you also know that I care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much I care about all of our children .
So , if you take one thing from my words tonight , it is this : If you think things can not possibly get worse , trust me , they can ; and they will , if we don ’ t make a change in this election .
If we have any hope of ending this chaos , we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it .
… And if we want a chance to pursue any of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basic requirements for a functioning society , we have to vote for Joe Biden in numbers that can not be ignored , because right now folks who know they can not win fair and square at the ballot box are doing everything they can to stop us from voting .
They ’ re closing down polling places in minority neighborhoods , they ’ re purging voter rolls , they ’ re sending people out to intimidate voters , and they ’ re lying about the security of our ballots .
AMY GOODMAN : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the virtual Democratic National Convention on the first night .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Former first lady Michelle Obama and former presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders headlined the opening night of the virtual Democratic National Convention Monday. The DNC was originally scheduled to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but it was moved entirely online due to public health concerns. Michelle Obama gave the keynote address.
MICHELLE OBAMA: When my husband left office with Joe Biden at his side, we had a record-breaking stretch of job creation. We’d secured the right to healthcare for 20 million people. We were respected around the world, rallying our allies to confront climate change. And our leaders had worked hand in hand with scientists to help prevent an Ebola outbreak from becoming a global pandemic.
Four years later, the state of this nation is very different. More than 150,000 people have died, and our economy is in shambles, because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long. It has left millions of people jobless. Too many have lost their healthcare. Too many are struggling to take care of basic necessities like food and rent. Too many communities have been left in the lurch to grapple with whether and how to open our schools safely. Internationally, we’ve turned our back, not just on agreements forged by my husband, but on alliances championed by presidents like Reagan and Eisenhower.
And here at home, as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and a never-ending list of innocent people of color continue to be murdered, stating the simple fact that a Black life matters is still met with derision from the nation’s highest office, because whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness, what we get instead is chaos, division and a total and utter lack of empathy. …
So, let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can: Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.
Now, I understand that my message won’t be heard by some people. We live in a nation that is deeply divided, and I am a Black woman speaking at the Democratic convention. But enough of you know me by now. You know that I tell you exactly what I’m feeling. You know I hate politics. But you also know that I care about this nation. You know how much I care about all of our children.
So, if you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this: If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can; and they will, if we don’t make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it. …
And if we want a chance to pursue any of these goals, any of these most basic requirements for a functioning society, we have to vote for Joe Biden in numbers that cannot be ignored, because right now folks who know they cannot win fair and square at the ballot box are doing everything they can to stop us from voting. They’re closing down polling places in minority neighborhoods, they’re purging voter rolls, they’re sending people out to intimidate voters, and they’re lying about the security of our ballots.
AMY GOODMAN: Former first lady Michelle Obama, speaking at the virtual Democratic National Convention on the first night.


democracynow--2020-08-18--Headlines for August 18, 2020

Headlines for August 18, 2020

Former first lady Michelle Obama and former presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders headlined the opening night of a virtual Democratic National Convention on Monday .
Throughout the evening , President Trump was denounced by both Democrats and some former Republican officials , including former Ohio Governor John Kasich .
Michelle Obama urged the nation to vote for Joe Biden .
Michelle Obama : “ So , if you take one thing from my words tonight , it is this : If you think things can not possibly get worse , trust me , they can ; and they will , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change in this election .
If we have any hope of ending this chaos , we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.
” Senator Bernie Sanders , who ran against Biden in the primaries , warned that Trump is leading the nation toward authoritarianism .
Sen. Bernie Sanders : “ We ’ re facing the worst public health crisis in a hundred years and the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression .
We are confronting systemic racism and the enormous threat to our planet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all of this , we have a president who is not only incapable of addressing these crises , but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism.
” The Republican National Convention will take place next week .
Trump says he will give his nomination acceptance speech live from the White House , which some charge is a violation of the Hatch Act .

Former first lady Michelle Obama and former presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders headlined the opening night of a virtual Democratic National Convention on Monday. Throughout the evening, President Trump was denounced by both Democrats and some former Republican officials, including former Ohio Governor John Kasich. Michelle Obama urged the nation to vote for Joe Biden.
Michelle Obama: “So, if you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this: If you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can; and they will, if we don’t make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it.”
Senator Bernie Sanders, who ran against Biden in the primaries, warned that Trump is leading the nation toward authoritarianism.
Sen. Bernie Sanders: “We’re facing the worst public health crisis in a hundred years and the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. We are confronting systemic racism and the enormous threat to our planet of climate change. And in the midst of all of this, we have a president who is not only incapable of addressing these crises, but is leading us down the path of authoritarianism.”
The Republican National Convention will take place next week. Trump says he will give his nomination acceptance speech live from the White House, which some charge is a violation of the Hatch Act.