msnbc--2020-10-10--The hunt for Michigan's lost Democrats: Can Biden lure them back?

Proffer is one of those Richfield Township voters who comes from generations of Democrats .
Her father was named after Woodrow Wilson , she said .
`` We were a Democratic family . ''
But as she and her adult son pulled into the parking lot of Richfield Township Hall in search of absentee ballots last week , she said she now views Democrats as `` corrupt '' and plans to vote only for Republicans from now on .
`` I like a man that speaks the truth and does n't fluff it up , '' she said .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year .
Gerri Arndt , 56 , of nearby Davison , voted for Obama twice before backing Trump in 2016 .
`` I thought he was a very good businessman and would stand up for what was right , '' she said .
Since then , however , she 's been dismayed by the president 's behavior .
`` His temper tantrums , him doing things to get even with other people , not willing to listen to anybody . ''
Even though she 's not impressed with Biden , she plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he 'll surround himself with smart advisers .
`` I think he 'll listen , '' she said .
`` Trump never listened . ''
David McKarnen , 79 , a retired autoworker and committed Democrat who dropped his Biden ballot into a box in front of Township Hall last week , said the people he knows who supported Trump in the last election are evenly split this time .
McKarnen thinks the increase in Trump signs this year does n't necessarily mean that Trump has more support — just that his backers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , they were afraid to put a Trump sign in their yard , because they did n't want to be ridiculed , '' McKarnen said .
`` This time , they feel emboldened , and they think Trump 's going to win . ''
It 's a different story on the north side of Flint , where few homes sport political signs but the vast majority of voters consistently back Democrats .
Most residents of the north side are Black , and many are poor .
The median household income for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here say they think Trump is racist .
They think he 's mishandled the Covid-19 pandemic , and they 're determined to see him lose .
Yvonne Gaither , 78 , who takes an exercise class at the Hasselbring Senior Center on Flint 's north side , said everybody she knows says they 're going to vote Trump out of office .
`` After we done got our behinds sorely kicked by the president , they say they 're voting for anybody but him , '' she said .
The senior center is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city 's biggest drop-off in Democratic votes from 2012 to 2016 .
Clinton handily won the precinct , where just 15 votes were cast for Trump , but the 835 votes she got was significantly below the 1,101 votes Obama won in 2012 .
For more of NBC News ' in-depth reporting , download the NBC News app The eight seniors who joined a Hasselbring exercise class last week all said they voted for Clinton .
Most fought for voting rights during the civil rights movement in the 1960s and said they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have friends and relatives , mostly from younger generations , who they know stayed home in 2016 .
`` My grandson and a lot of his friends wanted uncle Bernie , '' said Geraldine Wilburn , 79 , referring to Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. `` I told him that he should vote because that was his duty as a citizen , but he said he could n't vote for Hillary and was n't going to vote for Trump . ''
This year , however , Wilburn 's grandson told her he 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Him and all his homies are voting because they do n't want four more years of Trump . ''
Bryant Nolden , a Democratic county commissioner who runs the historic Berston Field House recreation center in Flint , said he 's hearing a lot more enthusiasm about voting from people in the community than he did four years ago .
Back then , he heard a lot of cynicism about politicians , especially in the wake of the Flint water crisis .
The city became a national symbol of government neglect in 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supply had been tainted with dangerously high lead levels .
`` There was a lot of voter distrust of the government , '' Nolden said .
`` It was the government that actually poisoned the residents of Flint . ''
There were other reasons to distrust the government , as well , Bullock said .
She did n't vote in 2016 because she was n't sure her vote would really be counted — and she doubted that any of the candidates would make much change .
`` Sometimes they trick up the vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two jobs as a home health care aide .
`` They can say a lot of things , but we do n't know what 's going to happen . ''
She plans to vote this year because she wants to see Trump lose .
`` I do n't think he 's really fit for running the country , '' she said .
`` Sometimes he does n't know what he 's saying . ''
Local Democratic officials say Clinton 's campaign was doomed in part because she took some voters for granted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , young voters and white suburbanites would come out for her in similar numbers .
`` The campaign was very heavily decided out of Brooklyn , with very little Michigan input , '' said Jim Ananich , the Democratic minority leader of the state Senate , who represents Flint and surrounding areas .
`` When we were knocking on doors , we were walking by a lot of doors .
They had a metric , a computer formula based on certain demographics , and they undertargeted , in my opinion . ''
Ananich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Biden campaign , which is doing a better job of listening to local experts .
He hopes the results will be different this time , especially because voting in Michigan is easier than it was four years ago .
Thanks to a referendum in 2018 , people can now vote absentee for any reason , and they can register to vote on the same day they cast their ballots .
That , plus enthusiasm from voters who either love or despise the president , already led to record turnout across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters ' fears of contracting Covid-19 .
`` We 're not taking anything for granted , '' Eric Hyers , the state director for the Biden campaign , said as he listed efforts to boost turnout from traditional Democratic voters and to bring back Obama voters who supported Trump in 2016 .
`` The energy on our side is so different than what people who were here four years ago say it was like , '' Hyers said .
Republicans say their side is also fired up .
Trump campaign spokeswoman Samantha Zager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 victory had `` sparked a realignment '' of American voters who would come out again for the president .
`` We know which voters to contact with the right message to turn them out to vote for President Trump this November , '' she said .
But in a state where Democrats have long outnumbered Republicans , a win for Biden could come down to turnout in cities like Flint , and party leaders here say they 're hopeful that fewer people will stay home .
People in Flint really dislike Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory four years ago showed how even a small number of votes can make a big difference .
`` People 's eyes are wide open now , '' he said .
Angelette Moore , 57 , a retired autoworker from Flint , stayed home in 2016 because she thought her vote `` was n't going to matter , '' she said .
`` They 're going to do what they 're going to do anyway .
Who cares ? ''
she said .
But , this year , Moore said , she has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's got to go , '' she said .
`` He 's the devil . ''

Proffer is one of those Richfield Township voters who comes from generations of Democrats. Her father was named after Woodrow Wilson, she said. "We were a Democratic family."
But as she and her adult son pulled into the parking lot of Richfield Township Hall in search of absentee ballots last week, she said she now views Democrats as "corrupt" and plans to vote only for Republicans from now on.
"I like a man that speaks the truth and doesn't fluff it up," she said.
Other Trump supporters are making a different choice this year.
Gerri Arndt, 56, of nearby Davison, voted for Obama twice before backing Trump in 2016.
"I thought he was a very good businessman and would stand up for what was right," she said.
Since then, however, she's been dismayed by the president's behavior. "His temper tantrums, him doing things to get even with other people, not willing to listen to anybody."
Even though she's not impressed with Biden, she plans to vote for him in hopes that he'll surround himself with smart advisers. "I think he'll listen," she said. "Trump never listened."
David McKarnen, 79, a retired autoworker and committed Democrat who dropped his Biden ballot into a box in front of Township Hall last week, said the people he knows who supported Trump in the last election are evenly split this time.
McKarnen thinks the increase in Trump signs this year doesn't necessarily mean that Trump has more support — just that his backers are now more open.
"Last time, they were afraid to put a Trump sign in their yard, because they didn't want to be ridiculed," McKarnen said. "This time, they feel emboldened, and they think Trump's going to win."
'It wasn't going to matter'
It's a different story on the north side of Flint, where few homes sport political signs but the vast majority of voters consistently back Democrats. Most residents of the north side are Black, and many are poor. The median household income for the city is $28,000.
Many voters here say they think Trump is racist. They think he's mishandled the Covid-19 pandemic, and they're determined to see him lose.
Yvonne Gaither, 78, who takes an exercise class at the Hasselbring Senior Center on Flint's north side, said everybody she knows says they're going to vote Trump out of office.
"After we done got our behinds sorely kicked by the president, they say they're voting for anybody but him," she said.
The senior center is home to the precinct that had the city's biggest drop-off in Democratic votes from 2012 to 2016. Clinton handily won the precinct, where just 15 votes were cast for Trump, but the 835 votes she got was significantly below the 1,101 votes Obama won in 2012.
For more of NBC News' in-depth reporting, download the NBC News app
The eight seniors who joined a Hasselbring exercise class last week all said they voted for Clinton. Most fought for voting rights during the civil rights movement in the 1960s and said they would never miss an election. But they have friends and relatives, mostly from younger generations, who they know stayed home in 2016.
"My grandson and a lot of his friends wanted uncle Bernie," said Geraldine Wilburn, 79, referring to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. "I told him that he should vote because that was his duty as a citizen, but he said he couldn't vote for Hillary and wasn't going to vote for Trump."
This year, however, Wilburn's grandson told her he's definitely voting, she said. "Him and all his homies are voting because they don't want four more years of Trump."
Bryant Nolden, a Democratic county commissioner who runs the historic Berston Field House recreation center in Flint, said he's hearing a lot more enthusiasm about voting from people in the community than he did four years ago.
Back then, he heard a lot of cynicism about politicians, especially in the wake of the Flint water crisis.
The city became a national symbol of government neglect in 2015, when residents discovered that their water supply had been tainted with dangerously high lead levels.
"There was a lot of voter distrust of the government," Nolden said. "It was the government that actually poisoned the residents of Flint."
There were other reasons to distrust the government, as well, Bullock said.
She didn't vote in 2016 because she wasn't sure her vote would really be counted — and she doubted that any of the candidates would make much change.
"Sometimes they trick up the vote," said Bullock, who works two jobs as a home health care aide. "They can say a lot of things, but we don't know what's going to happen."
She plans to vote this year because she wants to see Trump lose.
"I don't think he's really fit for running the country," she said. "Sometimes he doesn't know what he's saying."
'We're not taking anything for granted'
Local Democratic officials say Clinton's campaign was doomed in part because she took some voters for granted, assuming the Obama coalition of Black voters, young voters and white suburbanites would come out for her in similar numbers.
"The campaign was very heavily decided out of Brooklyn, with very little Michigan input," said Jim Ananich, the Democratic minority leader of the state Senate, who represents Flint and surrounding areas. "When we were knocking on doors, we were walking by a lot of doors. They had a metric, a computer formula based on certain demographics, and they undertargeted, in my opinion."
Ananich said he's seen a different approach by the Biden campaign, which is doing a better job of listening to local experts. He hopes the results will be different this time, especially because voting in Michigan is easier than it was four years ago.
Thanks to a referendum in 2018, people can now vote absentee for any reason, and they can register to vote on the same day they cast their ballots. That, plus enthusiasm from voters who either love or despise the president, already led to record turnout across the state in March and August primaries despite voters' fears of contracting Covid-19.
"We're not taking anything for granted," Eric Hyers, the state director for the Biden campaign, said as he listed efforts to boost turnout from traditional Democratic voters and to bring back Obama voters who supported Trump in 2016.
"The energy on our side is so different than what people who were here four years ago say it was like," Hyers said.
Republicans say their side is also fired up. Trump campaign spokeswoman Samantha Zager said in a statement that Trump's 2016 victory had "sparked a realignment" of American voters who would come out again for the president.
"We know which voters to contact with the right message to turn them out to vote for President Trump this November," she said.
But in a state where Democrats have long outnumbered Republicans, a win for Biden could come down to turnout in cities like Flint, and party leaders here say they're hopeful that fewer people will stay home.
People in Flint really dislike Trump, Nolden said, and his narrow victory four years ago showed how even a small number of votes can make a big difference.
"People's eyes are wide open now," he said.
Angelette Moore, 57, a retired autoworker from Flint, stayed home in 2016 because she thought her vote "wasn't going to matter," she said.
"They're going to do what they're going to do anyway. Who cares?" she said.
But, this year, Moore said, she has already mailed her absentee ballot.
"Trump's got to go," she said. "He's the devil."


msnbc--2020-10-10--She's made history as an Olympic gymnast. She's also healing from abuse.

Gymnast Laurie Hernandez 's living room is decorated with many photographs .
But two are the most special—one shows her parents praying before her performance at the 2016 Olympics and the other is of them hugging her afterwards .
`` I love those photos , '' Hernandez told NBC News .
`` Going to the Olympics , competing and then looking into the crowd and seeing my parents , that was one of the sweetest things I could possibly ever have witnessed ...
It 's just a big reminder as to how much support my parents have given me in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rican parents , Wanda and Anthony Hernandez , were watching their then-teenage daughter make history as the first Latina gymnast to represent the United States at the Olympics in more than three decades — while also bringing home some medals .
Hernandez won silver on the balance beam and gold on the team event alongside fellow USA gymnasts , Simone Biles , Gabby Douglas , Aly Raisman , and Madison Kocian .
`` There was so much representation , from Black women to white women , a Hispanic girl , so I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the globe to see , '' Hernandez said .
Hernandez said her fans will learn more about how she trains during the coronavirus pandemic , as well as `` how I was raised and who my parents are '' in the new Peacock Original documentary series `` True Colors , '' starring her and other Hispanic trailblazers , such as the actor Mario Lopez , the former professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , among others .
`` You 'll be able to get a really good feel as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am and why my siblings are the way we are , '' Hernandez , who 's currently training for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo , said .
`` It 's been , definitely , a crazy ride .
I 'm only 20 and I feel like I 've lived three lives already . ''
Hernandez remembers being very passionate about the sport since a very young age .
When she was still just a little girl training in New Jersey , she looked at her parents and said : `` Hey , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
...
I have all these crazy dreams . ''
`` They could have very easily been like , 'You 're a child .
You came out of the womb nine years ago , maybe let 's try something else . '
But they did it .
Instead , they hit me with the 'well , if this is what you want , then how can we help you ? '
'' Hernandez recalled .
At the 2016 Olympics , her parents were praying `` that I do n't wipe out , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I did n't realize it until after Rio .
We had all sat down away from cameras and talked about it .
And they were like , we really questioned if we were being good parents by letting you stay in it because you 're getting hurt over and over again , which is part of the sport , '' Hernandez said .
`` But after getting surgery in 2014 , they saw how determined I was and they were like , 'OK , we ca n't pull that away from her .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hernandez 's passion for gymnastics was slowly being tainted while training under coach Maggie Haney , who trained her for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro .
Wanda Hernandez had filed a complaint to USA Gymnastics that same year after she overheard a FaceTime conversation her daughter was having with a former teammate about a time Haney pulled that gymnast ’ s hair .
USA Gymnastics opened a case earlier this year to look into allegations that Haney had been verbally and emotionally abusing gymnasts like Hernandez during training .
Hernandez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's hearings .
`` It was kind of like opening up an old wound , '' she said .
`` I do n't think it ever really healed in the first place . ''
During an 80-minute long testimony at the USA Gymnastics hearing in February , Hernandez said the abuse triggered eating disorders and depression that she continues to battle until this day .
After a weekslong hearing , a USA Gymnastics independent hearing panel banned Haney for eight years after determining she had violated their ethical code of conduct and safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a significant step by USA Gymnastics to change the sport ’ s overall culture , which many gymnasts criticized during the aftermath of the sexual abuse scandal involving former national team doctor Larry Nassar , who is now serving what amounts to a lifetime prison sentence for molesting more than 200 girls and women .
`` I 'm just glad that USA Gymnastics was able to do the right thing and have an action towards it rather than just let things be , '' Hernandez said .
`` It 's important for other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavior , especially towards kids , is not OK. '' Therapy has become part of Hernandez 's healing process , something that was `` not an unnatural thing to bring up and talk about '' with her mother , who is a social worker , and her sister , who is a therapist .
Even though Hernandez is now training with a new coach in California , coming back to the gymnastics environment can be tough , she said .
`` It 's a new one and it 's a safe one , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , there was a lot of healing , a lot of conversations happening over just trying to go back into physical , old patterns , conditioning , going to practice and what that was like , '' she said .
As she continues to train for 2021 , Hernandez is reconnecting with her love for gymnastics with the support of her `` close-knit Puerto Rican family . ''
`` I 'm just excited for 2021 , '' said Hernandez .
`` I think this extra year has benefited me in the sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upgrade and to work on technical issues or to add extra skills that maybe for this year I would n't have had time to do . ''
After the Olympics , Hernandez knows what she wants to do .
She 's going into acting .

Gymnast Laurie Hernandez's living room is decorated with many photographs. But two are the most special—one shows her parents praying before her performance at the 2016 Olympics and the other is of them hugging her afterwards.
"I love those photos," Hernandez told NBC News. "Going to the Olympics, competing and then looking into the crowd and seeing my parents, that was one of the sweetest things I could possibly ever have witnessed...It's just a big reminder as to how much support my parents have given me in all of this."
Her Puerto Rican parents, Wanda and Anthony Hernandez, were watching their then-teenage daughter make history as the first Latina gymnast to represent the United States at the Olympics since 2004 — while also bringing home some medals. Hernandez won silver on the balance beam and gold on the team event alongside fellow USA gymnasts, Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, and Madison Kocian.
"There was so much representation, from Black women to white women, a Hispanic girl, so I think that was a really important thing for just the globe to see," Hernandez said.
Hernandez said her fans will learn more about how she trains during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as "how I was raised and who my parents are" in the new Peacock Original documentary series "True Colors," starring her and other Hispanic trailblazers, such as the actor Mario Lopez, the former professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, among others.
"You'll be able to get a really good feel as to why I am the way I am and why my siblings are the way we are," Hernandez, who's currently training for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, said. "It's been, definitely, a crazy ride. I'm only 20 and I feel like I've lived three lives already."
TRUE COLORS -- "Laurie Hernandez" Episode 101 Telemundo
Hernandez remembers being very passionate about the sport since a very young age. When she was still just a little girl training in New Jersey, she looked at her parents and said: "Hey, like I want to go to the Olympics. ... I have all these crazy dreams."
"They could have very easily been like, 'You're a child. You came out of the womb nine years ago, maybe let's try something else.' But they didn't. Instead, they hit me with the 'well, if this is what you want, then how can we help you?'" Hernandez recalled.
At the 2016 Olympics, her parents were praying "that I don't wipe out," while competing, she said.
"I didn't realize it until after Rio. We had all sat down away from cameras and talked about it. And they were like, we really questioned if we were being good parents by letting you stay in it because you're getting hurt over and over again, which is part of the sport," Hernandez said. "But after getting surgery in 2014, they saw how determined I was and they were like, 'OK, we can't pull that away from her.'"
Battling effects of abuse, working on healing
But underneath all of that, Hernandez's passion for gymnastics was slowly being tainted while training under coach Maggie Haney, who trained her for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Wanda Hernandez had filed a complaint to USA Gymnastics that same year after she overheard a FaceTime conversation her daughter was having with a former teammate about a time Haney pulled that gymnast’s hair.
USA Gymnastics opened a case earlier this year to look into allegations that Haney had been verbally and emotionally abusing gymnasts like Hernandez during training. Hernandez and other gymnasts testified during the case's hearings.
"It was kind of like opening up an old wound," she said. "I don't think it ever really healed in the first place."
During an 80-minute long testimony at the USA Gymnastics hearing in February, Hernandez said the abuse triggered eating disorders and depression that she continues to battle until this day. After a weekslong hearing, a USA Gymnastics independent hearing panel banned Haney for eight years after determining she had violated their ethical code of conduct and safe sport policy.
The suspension came as a significant step by USA Gymnastics to change the sport’s overall culture, which many gymnasts criticized during the aftermath of the sexual abuse scandal involving former national team doctor Larry Nassar, who is now serving what amounts to a lifetime prison sentence for molesting more than 200 girls and women.
"I'm just glad that USA Gymnastics was able to do the right thing and have an action towards it rather than just let things be," Hernandez said. "It's important for other people to see that that kind of behavior, especially towards kids, is not OK."
Laurie Hernandez. Telemundo
Therapy has become part of Hernandez's healing process, something that was "not an unnatural thing to bring up and talk about" with her mother, who is a social worker, and her sister, who is a therapist.
Even though Hernandez is now training with a new coach in California, coming back to the gymnastics environment can be tough, she said.
"It's a new one and it's a safe one, but it was still pretty triggering. So, there was a lot of healing, a lot of conversations happening over just trying to go back into physical, old patterns, conditioning, going to practice and what that was like," she said.
As she continues to train for 2021, Hernandez is reconnecting with her love for gymnastics with the support of her "close-knit Puerto Rican family."
"I'm just excited for 2021," said Hernandez. "I think this extra year has benefited me in the sense that I've had more time to upgrade and to work on technical issues or to add extra skills that maybe for this year I wouldn't have had time to do."
After the Olympics, Hernandez knows what she wants to do. She's going into acting.
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msnbc--2020-10-10--Artists conflicted over federal duck art contest rule requiring hunting imagery

Wildlife artists are conflicted over a new rule included in this year 's Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp ( Duck Stamp ) Contest , which requires participants to include hunting imagery .
Artists who submitted artwork for the stamp included shotgun shells , duck calls and decoys , among other items , to contend with the new rule , which the Trump administration added to the regulations in May , according to the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service .
The contest for the stamp , which is a hunting permit and not a postage stamp , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wildlife artist who won the competition , said that he understands why artists are concerned that the rule could affect their creative vision but that he also understands wanting to appeal to hunters , who are the primary purchasers of the permit .
`` For me , personally , I just did n't feel why it was necessary to make a specific mandated theme when , for all along , if you 've ever wanted to do it , you could 've just done it anyway , '' Clifton said .
Clifton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a duck stamp contest in which competitors are judged by their best ducks .
`` I would prefer that , but I can deal — because I 'm also a hunter and a waterfowl hunter — so I can deal with the change , but I do n't know why the powers that be felt it was necessary , '' he said .
One artist told Audubon Magazine that she was concerned that seeing shotgun shells and other items in the water would portray a bad message about hunters .
`` That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of people said the same thing , '' the woman , Rebekah Knight , a Missouri wildlife artist who entered the contest , told Audubon .
`` It 's just not good for trying to get the correct message across for people who do n't know anything about hunting . ''
Other artists told the magazine that the items in the water were reminders to hunters that they must pick up after themselves .
Jim Hautman , a wildlife artist who entered the contest , said he also understands why nonhunters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hunting items in the water .
`` I could see as a nonhunter why that would really bug you to see an empty shotgun shell lying around .
I do n't think that 's the best way to showcase our sport .
I mean , as a hunter , it does n't really bother me , but I guess it depends who they 're trying to reach , '' he said , adding that hunters often try to pick up their spent shells but sometimes ca n't find them all .
The rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waterfowl hunting heritage , '' according to the Fish and Wildlife Service , and the theme will be mandatory from now on .
`` The nation 's rich natural resources have been protected in perpetuity , largely because of hunters and their contributions through various revenue programs , including the Federal Duck Stamp , '' a U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson said in an email .
`` The intent of the recent Duck Stamp regulation is to honor the history , culture , and conservation efforts founded by hunters and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Each year , 1.5 million stamps are sold and , as of 2019 , the Federal Duck Stamps have generated more than $ 1.1 billion to preserve more than 6 million acres of waterfowl habitat , the spokesperson said .
On its website , the Fish and Wildlife Service describes the duck stamp as `` among the most successful conservation tools ever created to protect habitats for birds and other wildlife . ''
Clifton said that in recent years , waterfowl hunters have pushed to buy more than one stamp to put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a good thing , and I could see where maybe somebody thinks that since it 's waterfowl hunters , let 's appease them by putting images on the stamp that reflect what they do .
But personally , as a waterfowl hunter , I do n't need to see that on the stamp to want to support conservation , '' Clifton said .
Although the stamp is for hunters , they are n't the only ones who buy it .
Birders and nonhunters also buy the stamp to support conservation , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of alienating bird-watchers or outdoor enthusiasts who maybe are n't hunters but started coming around to buying the duck stamp ?
Now , with this new rule change , are you running the risk of alienating people who you had just brought on board ? ''
Clifton asked .
Hautman said that if nonhunters know where the money for the stamps is going — to preserve wildlife habitat — they likely wo n't be deterred by the new theme .
`` Any controversy or anything , I think , is good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duck stamp program , they 'll see it really is one of the great government programs , '' he said .

Wildlife artists are conflicted over a new rule included in this year's Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp) Contest, which requires participants to include hunting imagery.
Artists who submitted artwork for the stamp included shotgun shells, duck calls and decoys, among other items, to contend with the new rule, which the Trump administration added to the regulations in May, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The contest for the stamp, which is a hunting permit and not a postage stamp, was judged last month.
Richard Clifton, a wildlife artist who won the competition, said that he understands why artists are concerned that the rule could affect their creative vision but that he also understands wanting to appeal to hunters, who are the primary purchasers of the permit.
"For me, personally, I just didn't feel why it was necessary to make a specific mandated theme when, for all along, if you've ever wanted to do it, you could've just done it anyway," Clifton said.
Clifton said he'd rather the competition just be a duck stamp contest in which competitors are judged by their best ducks.
"I would prefer that, but I can deal — because I'm also a hunter and a waterfowl hunter — so I can deal with the change, but I don't know why the powers that be felt it was necessary," he said.
One artist told Audubon Magazine that she was concerned that seeing shotgun shells and other items in the water would portray a bad message about hunters.
"That looks to me like litter, and a lot of people said the same thing," the woman, Rebekah Knight, a Missouri wildlife artist who entered the contest, told Audubon. "It's just not good for trying to get the correct message across for people who don't know anything about hunting."
Other artists told the magazine that the items in the water were reminders to hunters that they must pick up after themselves.
Jim Hautman, a wildlife artist who entered the contest, said he also understands why nonhunters could be concerned by seeing images of hunting items in the water.
"I could see as a nonhunter why that would really bug you to see an empty shotgun shell lying around. I don't think that's the best way to showcase our sport. I mean, as a hunter, it doesn't really bother me, but I guess it depends who they're trying to reach," he said, adding that hunters often try to pick up their spent shells but sometimes can't find them all.
The rule change was meant to celebrate "our waterfowl hunting heritage," according to the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the theme will be mandatory from now on.
"The nation's rich natural resources have been protected in perpetuity, largely because of hunters and their contributions through various revenue programs, including the Federal Duck Stamp," a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson said in an email. "The intent of the recent Duck Stamp regulation is to honor the history, culture, and conservation efforts founded by hunters and what they have provided to all Americans."
Each year, 1.5 million stamps are sold and, as of 2019, the Federal Duck Stamps have generated more than $1.1 billion to preserve more than 6 million acres of waterfowl habitat, the spokesperson said. On its website, the Fish and Wildlife Service describes the duck stamp as "among the most successful conservation tools ever created to protect habitats for birds and other wildlife."
Clifton said that in recent years, waterfowl hunters have pushed to buy more than one stamp to put more money into conservation.
"That's a good thing, and I could see where maybe somebody thinks that since it's waterfowl hunters, let's appease them by putting images on the stamp that reflect what they do. But personally, as a waterfowl hunter, I don't need to see that on the stamp to want to support conservation," Clifton said.
Although the stamp is for hunters, they aren't the only ones who buy it. Birders and nonhunters also buy the stamp to support conservation, according to Audubon.
"Do you run the risk of alienating bird-watchers or outdoor enthusiasts who maybe aren't hunters but started coming around to buying the duck stamp? Now, with this new rule change, are you running the risk of alienating people who you had just brought on board?" Clifton asked.
Hautman said that if nonhunters know where the money for the stamps is going — to preserve wildlife habitat — they likely won't be deterred by the new theme.
"Any controversy or anything, I think, is good, because once someone looks into the duck stamp program, they'll see it really is one of the great government programs," he said.


msnbc--2020-10-10--She bootstrapped her company after facing bias. Now she's helping others do the same.

Melissa Bradley ’ s mission to help women and people of color build their businesses stems from the hardships she faced as a young entrepreneur .
The 52-year-old , co-founder of the mentorship tech platform Ureeka and a Georgetown University professor , started her first company shortly after she graduated from college 30 years ago .
The business ’ s mission was to provide financial literacy services to parents .
Bradley says that when she went to a government agency for a loan , she was told she had three strikes against her : She was Black , she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t know any successful Black women in finance .
Bradley , who recently participated in the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and CNBC + Acorns Invest in You ’ s “ Rebuilding Better : A Virtual Town Hall for America ’ s Small & New Business Owners , ” still managed to get her company off the ground .
“ I bootstrapped , ” she recalled .
“ I kept my day job.
” She ultimately pivoted the business to provide billing and maintaining products and services for other financial advisors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sold the company .
“ I was tired of the sexism and racism I was experiencing , ” she said .
These days , Bradley is trying to bridge the gap between entrepreneurship and equity .
“ All of these experiences made me realize that this is even harder for women and people of color because the market is not in our favor , ” she said .
“ It became super-important for me , even after I became an angel investor , to help people pave their way forward and really tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their way.
” To that end , she co-founded 1863 Ventures , which accelerates what she calls “ new majority ” entrepreneurs — women and people of color — from high growth potential to high growth .
These days her focus is more on the latter because they are starting and maintaining their businesses faster and longer than their white peers , Bradley said .
While three decades have passed since Bradley first encountered sexism , racism and what she calls the lack of understanding about entrepreneurs ’ risk tolerance , women and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For one , they face pattern recognition bias , she said .
“ The perception is that people in Silicon Valley are white males with hoodies , ” Bradley explained .
“ That ’ s huge , because you have to overcome people ’ s assumptions.
” Women also face gender bias , she said .
More than a third of female entrepreneurs have faced it when raising capital , according to research by HSBC Private Banking .
“ They believe we are not as competent , that we can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Bradley .
“ They think they ’ ll have babies .
“ They think they are emotional , ” she added .
“ All the things that have held us back.
” Women-led startups raised only 2.2 percent of all venture capital funding in 2017 , according to the Kauffman Foundation ’ s Capital Access Lab .
Men , on the other hand , were 60 percent more likely to get funding than women pitching the same business , it found .
Black entrepreneurs , meanwhile , are facing the presumption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wealth , they don ’ t know how to create wealth , she said .
There is also the perception of Black people ’ s inferiority , as well as education gaps , she added .
“ It is the ultimate culmination of all kinds of biases , riddled with structural barriers , that are keeping us back and hindering our process , ” Bradley said .
“ Those things , before you even walk into the room , already squash the conversation.
” In fact , Black-owned businesses start with about three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses , the Kaufman Foundation found .
Black entrepreneurs ’ loan requests are three times less likely to be approved than those from White entrepreneurs , according to the foundation .
Black entrepreneurs also aren ’ t getting into what are called accelerator programs , which help startups get off the ground , because they can ’ t afford them , Bradley said .
That means they miss out on mentorship and $ 75,000 to $ 100,000 of free ad credits as a result , she said .
For women and people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are three key things to focus on , according to Bradley .
First , do your homework — not just on your customers , but on the ecosystem you will see yourself in so that you are not blindsided .
“ Starting a business is one of the most exhilarating things you can do , but also one of the riskiest , ” she said .
Two , have a support system that will be there for you on the days you want to cry and for the days you want to celebrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this love affair with venture capitalists and the belief that it is the end all , be all , ” Bradley said .
People of color are getting venture funding much earlier and at a much lower valuation than their white peers , she said .
By the time they get to the third or fourth round of funding , it is not their company anymore but is instead owned by the financers , she said .
“ They have pretty much given it away , ” Bradley said .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competition , or revenue- or royalty-based financing , she advised .
Also , remember that you don ’ t have to have a Harvard degree or wear a hoodie to be successful , Bradley said .
“ Entrepreneurship is not an intellectual exercise , ” she added .
“ It is rolling up your sleeves .
“ It is the ability to move quickly , ” Bradley said .
“ It is the ability to lose it all or some .
“ It is the tendency to hang on.
” Disclosure : Invest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grow .
is a financial wellness and education initiative from CNBC and Acorns , the micro-investing app .
NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns .

This story originally ran on CNBC.com
Melissa Bradley’s mission to help women and people of color build their businesses stems from the hardships she faced as a young entrepreneur.
The 52-year-old, co-founder of the mentorship tech platform Ureeka and a Georgetown University professor, started her first company shortly after she graduated from college 30 years ago. The business’s mission was to provide financial literacy services to parents.
Bradley says that when she went to a government agency for a loan, she was told she had three strikes against her: She was Black, she was a woman and the person said she didn’t know any successful Black women in finance.
Bradley, who recently participated in the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and CNBC + Acorns Invest in You’s “Rebuilding Better: A Virtual Town Hall for America’s Small & New Business Owners,” still managed to get her company off the ground. “I bootstrapped,” she recalled. “I kept my day job.”
She ultimately pivoted the business to provide billing and maintaining products and services for other financial advisors and, after a couple of years, sold the company.
“I was tired of the sexism and racism I was experiencing,” she said.
These days, Bradley is trying to bridge the gap between entrepreneurship and equity.
“All of these experiences made me realize that this is even harder for women and people of color because the market is not in our favor,” she said.
“It became super-important for me, even after I became an angel investor, to help people pave their way forward and really tackle the obstacles that are going to come their way.”
To that end, she co-founded 1863 Ventures, which accelerates what she calls “new majority” entrepreneurs — women and people of color — from high growth potential to high growth. These days her focus is more on the latter because they are starting and maintaining their businesses faster and longer than their white peers, Bradley said.
Today’s barriers
While three decades have passed since Bradley first encountered sexism, racism and what she calls the lack of understanding about entrepreneurs’ risk tolerance, women and people of color are still facing barriers.
For one, they face pattern recognition bias, she said.
“The perception is that people in Silicon Valley are white males with hoodies,” Bradley explained. “That’s huge, because you have to overcome people’s assumptions.”
Women also face gender bias, she said.
More than a third of female entrepreneurs have faced it when raising capital, according to research by HSBC Private Banking.
“They believe we are not as competent, that we can’t work as hard or as fast,” said Bradley. “They think they’ll have babies.
“They think they are emotional,” she added. “All the things that have held us back.”
Women-led startups raised only 2.2 percent of all venture capital funding in 2017, according to the Kauffman Foundation’s Capital Access Lab. Men, on the other hand, were 60 percent more likely to get funding than women pitching the same business, it found.
Black entrepreneurs, meanwhile, are facing the presumption that because they don’t have wealth, they don’t know how to create wealth, she said. There is also the perception of Black people’s inferiority, as well as education gaps, she added.
“It is the ultimate culmination of all kinds of biases, riddled with structural barriers, that are keeping us back and hindering our process,” Bradley said.
“Those things, before you even walk into the room, already squash the conversation.”
In fact, Black-owned businesses start with about three times less overall capital compared to white-owned businesses, the Kaufman Foundation found. Black entrepreneurs’ loan requests are three times less likely to be approved than those from White entrepreneurs, according to the foundation.
Black entrepreneurs also aren’t getting into what are called accelerator programs, which help startups get off the ground, because they can’t afford them, Bradley said. That means they miss out on mentorship and $75,000 to $100,000 of free ad credits as a result, she said.
How to jump start your business
For women and people of color to grow their business, there are three key things to focus on, according to Bradley.
First, do your homework — not just on your customers, but on the ecosystem you will see yourself in so that you are not blindsided.
“Starting a business is one of the most exhilarating things you can do, but also one of the riskiest,” she said.
Two, have a support system that will be there for you on the days you want to cry and for the days you want to celebrate.
Finally, manage your finances well.
“I have become very concerned with this love affair with venture capitalists and the belief that it is the end all, be all,” Bradley said.
People of color are getting venture funding much earlier and at a much lower valuation than their white peers, she said. By the time they get to the third or fourth round of funding, it is not their company anymore but is instead owned by the financers, she said.
“They have pretty much given it away,” Bradley said.
Instead, consider alternatives like crowdfunding, a pitch competition, or revenue- or royalty-based financing, she advised.
Also, remember that you don’t have to have a Harvard degree or wear a hoodie to be successful, Bradley said.
“Entrepreneurship is not an intellectual exercise,” she added. “It is rolling up your sleeves.
“It is the ability to move quickly,” Bradley said. “It is the ability to lose it all or some.
“It is the tendency to hang on.”
Disclosure: Invest in You: Ready. Set. Grow. is a financial wellness and education initiative from CNBC and Acorns, the micro-investing app. NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns.


msnbc--2020-10-09--Trump's fabled popularity with white men hides a demographic Biden can exploit

There is a narrative in the American consciousness about who the white working class really is .
It ’ s a narrative that all too often gets caricatured and distorted in pop culture and the media , especially when talking about President Donald Trump ’ s base .
If former Vice President Joe Biden wants to win in November , he ’ s going to need members of this often-maligned group , generally speaking , to vote for him .
And contradicting some of the mythology , his message seems to be making an impact .
New polls in Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fueled in part by whites in the suburbs , and not just those with a college education .
Meanwhile in Ohio , Biden continues to push his populist rhetoric , as he has been doing across the industrial Midwest .
The fact that Biden might be succeeding with white noncoastal voters might surprise some on the actual coasts , but it doesn ’ t surprise me .
Because one of those voters is my dad .
A third-generation logger from Springfield , Oregon — a town reliant on the timber industry for decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of college town Eugene — my dad raised me in ways that allowed me to eventually become part of the so-called liberal elite .
The white , working-class heterosexual man is painted with broad strokes as narrow-minded , gripping tightly to the time when their kind unabashedly ruled the world and their opinions were all that mattered .
And that portrayal holds some truth — white men without college degrees still prefer Trump to Biden by a wide margin .
But the white working class is not a monolith .
Plenty of white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted for Barack Obama , wanted Hillary Clinton to break the glass ceiling , occasionally vote Republican and won ’ t be voting for Trump .
Plenty hunt and support gun control , see firsthand from their livelihoods that climate change is real , and teach their daughters to be feminists .
That ’ s Dad .
He worked in one of America ’ s most dangerous industries , from the too-often deadly work of cutting trees , to loading logs onto trucks , to driving those trucks until his body was literally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The key was to keep working , keep providing for his family .
In the 1980s , when new environmental protections stalled work in the timber industry , Dad even moved us to Alaska for a year to take advantage of the incredible amount of logging work available for people willing to live in rough conditions .
The Alaskan “ logging camp ” was a circle of single-wide trailers around a one-room schoolhouse where my mom taught , a playground and a bear bell to ring when anyone saw a wandering grizzly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Groceries were flown in on a seaplane .
Other than my baby sister , I was the youngest kid in the camp , and the boys would pick on me They would call me over to play , then squirt water bottles in my face ; I would run back to our trailer crying .
Dad decided to teach me to stick up for myself .
He taught me how to make a fist with my thumb in the right place so as not to break it .
Then I practiced punching his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fists .
Punching through the hand was critical .
It took many tries to learn how to use the force of my whole body without losing my balance .
Dad made clear to me that I should only use my new skills when I was being picked on , to defend myself .
A few days later , I had my chance .
With one punch , I would realize years later , I internalized Dad ’ s message that I could , must , fight society ’ s prevailing “ boys-will-be-boys ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a BB gun .
Dad insisted I learn my way around firearms .
Dad knew that power imbalances grow when one side is ignorant — and would not tolerate my remaining ignorant of weapons that could cost , or save , my life .
I developed my nose for sexism early on , primarily because Dad smelled it first .
Like the time I told him about my sixth-grade band teacher .
I wanted to play the tenor sax , an instrument almost my height .
When I told my teacher , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” me .
At home that night , he asked who else is playing the alto and who is playing the tenor ?
I didn ’ t know , but he had a hunch .
As I was leaving school the next day , up walks Dad , his logging suspenders over his hickory shirt .
He had left the woods early for a discussion with my band teacher , while I waited outside .
A few minutes later , Dad walked out with a clenched jaw and a tenor sax .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boys were playing tenor sax , and all the girls directed to play the altos .
And he was right .
Now , to be honest , I did not always appreciate Dad ’ s lessons in feminism .
When he got me a summer job washing logging trucks because he didn ’ t believe in “ women ’ s work ” or “ men ’ s work , ” I politely declined .
But I did work in the mill , pulling green chain — a job that Wikipedia defines as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conveyor belt to place in piles .
Also , Dad ’ s progressive attitude toward female empowerment had its limits .
When I came home with a girlfriend for the first time , he struggled to understand what my sexuality meant .
From his perspective , being gay meant life would be harder for me .
In my adolescent mind , if he weren ’ t homophobic , he should have no issue with a gay daughter .
But watching him struggle , I eventually learned that even parents who openly rail against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do their own deep , personal work .
Dad embodies the complexity of these struggles as he continues to evolve , even as the American dialogue on demographics devolves .
He sees both the similarities and differences in the struggles of various marginalized groups .
Some of his understanding is rooted in growing up poor and experiencing social mobility .
He understands his privilege and also sees how systems are designed to oppress swaths of people , while making a remote few rich .
The obstacles he faced help him imagine the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women , and yes , the LGBTQ population .
He is not alone but remains largely overlooked .
Hopefully Joe Biden has the good sense not to do the same .

There is a narrative in the American consciousness about who the white working class really is. It’s a narrative that all too often gets caricatured and distorted in pop culture and the media, especially when talking about President Donald Trump’s base.
If former Vice President Joe Biden wants to win in November, he’s going to need members of this often-maligned group, generally speaking, to vote for him. And contradicting some of the mythology, his message seems to be making an impact. New polls in Pennsylvania recently showed Biden up 9 points, fueled in part by whites in the suburbs, and not just those with a college education. Meanwhile in Ohio, Biden continues to push his populist rhetoric, as he has been doing across the industrial Midwest.
A third-generation logger from Springfield, Oregon, my dad raised me in ways that allowed me to eventually become part of the so-called liberal elite.
The fact that Biden might be succeeding with white noncoastal voters might surprise some on the actual coasts, but it doesn’t surprise me. Because one of those voters is my dad.
A third-generation logger from Springfield, Oregon — a town reliant on the timber industry for decades and that limps along in the shadow of college town Eugene — my dad raised me in ways that allowed me to eventually become part of the so-called liberal elite.
The white, working-class heterosexual man is painted with broad strokes as narrow-minded, gripping tightly to the time when their kind unabashedly ruled the world and their opinions were all that mattered. And that portrayal holds some truth — white men without college degrees still prefer Trump to Biden by a wide margin. But the white working class is not a monolith. Plenty of white working-class men consider themselves moderate-leaning Democrats, voted for Barack Obama, wanted Hillary Clinton to break the glass ceiling, occasionally vote Republican and won’t be voting for Trump. Plenty hunt and support gun control, see firsthand from their livelihoods that climate change is real, and teach their daughters to be feminists. That’s Dad.
He worked in one of America’s most dangerous industries, from the too-often deadly work of cutting trees, to loading logs onto trucks, to driving those trucks until his body was literally so broken he had to retire. The key was to keep working, keep providing for his family.
In the 1980s, when new environmental protections stalled work in the timber industry, Dad even moved us to Alaska for a year to take advantage of the incredible amount of logging work available for people willing to live in rough conditions.
The Alaskan “logging camp” was a circle of single-wide trailers around a one-room schoolhouse where my mom taught, a playground and a bear bell to ring when anyone saw a wandering grizzly. Each trailer had its own smokehouse. Groceries were flown in on a seaplane.
Other than my baby sister, I was the youngest kid in the camp, and the boys would pick on me They would call me over to play, then squirt water bottles in my face; I would run back to our trailer crying.
Erin Lewellen and her father. Courtesy Erin Lewellen
Dad decided to teach me to stick up for myself.
He taught me how to make a fist with my thumb in the right place so as not to break it. Then I practiced punching his massive, grease-stained hands with my 4-year-old fists.
Punching through the hand was critical. It took many tries to learn how to use the force of my whole body without losing my balance. Dad made clear to me that I should only use my new skills when I was being picked on, to defend myself. A few days later, I had my chance. With one punch, I would realize years later, I internalized Dad’s message that I could, must, fight society’s prevailing “boys-will-be-boys” mentality.
At 10, I got a BB gun. Dad insisted I learn my way around firearms. Dad knew that power imbalances grow when one side is ignorant — and would not tolerate my remaining ignorant of weapons that could cost, or save, my life.
I developed my nose for sexism early on, primarily because Dad smelled it first.
I developed my nose for sexism early on, primarily because Dad smelled it first. Like the time I told him about my sixth-grade band teacher. I wanted to play the tenor sax, an instrument almost my height. When I told my teacher, he said the alto would better “suit” me.
At home that night, he asked who else is playing the alto and who is playing the tenor? I didn’t know, but he had a hunch. As I was leaving school the next day, up walks Dad, his logging suspenders over his hickory shirt. He had left the woods early for a discussion with my band teacher, while I waited outside.
A few minutes later, Dad walked out with a clenched jaw and a tenor sax. He’d had a feeling that all the boys were playing tenor sax, and all the girls directed to play the altos. And he was right.
Now, to be honest, I did not always appreciate Dad’s lessons in feminism. When he got me a summer job washing logging trucks because he didn’t believe in “women’s work” or “men’s work,” I politely declined. But I did work in the mill, pulling green chain — a job that Wikipedia defines as “men” pulling lumber off a conveyor belt to place in piles.
Also, Dad’s progressive attitude toward female empowerment had its limits. When I came home with a girlfriend for the first time, he struggled to understand what my sexuality meant. From his perspective, being gay meant life would be harder for me. In my adolescent mind, if he weren’t homophobic, he should have no issue with a gay daughter. But watching him struggle, I eventually learned that even parents who openly rail against sexism, racism and homophobia sometimes need to do their own deep, personal work.
Dad embodies the complexity of these struggles as he continues to evolve, even as the American dialogue on demographics devolves.
He sees both the similarities and differences in the struggles of various marginalized groups. Some of his understanding is rooted in growing up poor and experiencing social mobility. He understands his privilege and also sees how systems are designed to oppress swaths of people, while making a remote few rich. The obstacles he faced help him imagine the obstacles for people of color, for women, and yes, the LGBTQ population. He is not alone but remains largely overlooked. Hopefully Joe Biden has the good sense not to do the same.


msnbc--2020-10-10--Disney's 'The Right Stuff' tackles a different kind of star war — with mixed results

Since its arrival , Disney+ has struggled in the content game .
Other than “ The Mandalorian , ” which was a giant hit right out of the gate , the would-be Netflix rival has mostly relied on its older library of films , the 2019 releases arriving on streaming , documentaries that focus on the making of the content it ’ s selling , and “ Hamilton.
” Part of this isn ’ t Disney ’ s fault , as it could not have foreseen that a pandemic would derail the entire Marvelverse plan for 2020 .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what makes it to Disney+ ranks .
Now , just under a year since its launch , Disney+ has finally released its first drama not directly tied to an existing franchise , “ The Right Stuff.
” It ’ s a reminder that not everything on Disney+ has to be about aliens or intergalactic warfare .
But the message of the series suggests that without its tentpole franchises , Disney+ is still struggling to define itself .
One could , of course , argue that “ The Right Stuff ” is perfect for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , both about real-life superheroes and a war over stars .
Based on the 1979 Tom Wolfe book of the same name , it ’ s a retelling of the early years of the space race , and the Mercury 7 astronauts that helped launch the space program .
There ’ s already a famous 1983 film that dramatized the material , which was not made by Disney or any of its subsidiaries .
( In fact , “ The Right Stuff ” was not originally envisioned as a Disney+ product at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the show was meant for the National Geographic Channel , which at the time was owned by 20th Century Fox .
Though “ The Right Stuff ” wasn ’ t filmed until after the merger in 2019 , it was still listed as a NatGeo release up until last spring . )
The 1983 film is deeply steeped in the patriotic Reaganesque “ Morning in America ” attitude of the day , where landing on the moon first was provided as proof of our greatness .
“ The Right Stuff , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world where men are men , and pilots doubly so .
There ’ s dialogue that refers to the friendly competition between the armed forces , an entire scene where a pair of characters emotionally bond over raising and lowering the American flag on a daily basis , and much glorifying of heterosexually masculine pursuits , be it drinking oneself under the table or bear hunting .
The series centers around John Glenn ( Patrick J. Adams ) , who quickly becomes a leading figure due to his media savvy and his politicking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to side with him because he is a self-proclaimed square who doesn ’ t cheat on his wife and is openly Christian .
Compare that to the more “ tragic hero ” figure of Alan Shepard ( Jake McDorman ) , who likes carousing , driving fast and complaining that he ’ s not being given enough chances to put his life in danger .
From Gordon Cooper ( Colin O'Donoghue ) to Gus Grissom ( Michael Trotter ) , each of these men is ranked as much for their ability to refrain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their wives as they are their flying ability .
Shows like “ Mad Men ” made it mandatory for all period pieces wishing to be considered prestige TV look back on this era with cynicism .
“ The Right Stuff ” attempts to have it both ways , highlighting disillusionment with programs like NASA while glorifying what those programs did .
The series doesn ’ t fully explore the risks being taken , but it also doesn ’ t hide the fact that these heroes were created by NASA to make itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American public by Life magazine to improve circulation .
In a post- “ Hidden Figures ” world , the series feels dreadfully white .
But it does draw back the curtain on how the wives of the astronauts were forced into traditional feminine roles for the cameras and for the program ’ s image .
This point is made mainly through the story of Cooper ’ s wife Trudy ( Eloise Mumford ) , who gave up dreams of flying professionally for his career , despite being the better pilot .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only one of the Mercury 7 wives to have a private pilot ’ s license . )
Still , those moments are subplots at best , not unlike the lives of these women , subsumed to the dreams of men to be first in space .
But even as the show tries to celebrate the machismo and sacrifice of these test pilots , an undercurrent of sadness runs throughout the whole series .
This pathos is perhaps a sign that “ The Right Stuff ” fancies itself an awards show contender .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House of Mouse , whose black and white fantasy storytelling has been so clearly defined for so long .
“ The Right Stuff ” is , by far , the best traditional drama on the streamer to date , but is this the right stuff for the future of Disney+ ?
Not necessarily .
Disney clearly thinks it needs shows like this to be taken seriously .
But it likely would be far better served by doing what it does best .

Since its arrival, Disney+ has struggled in the content game. Other than “The Mandalorian,” which was a giant hit right out of the gate, the would-be Netflix rival has mostly relied on its older library of films, the 2019 releases arriving on streaming, documentaries that focus on the making of the content it’s selling, and “Hamilton.”
The muddled message of the series suggests that without its tentpole franchises, Disney+ is still struggling to define itself.
Part of this isn’t Disney’s fault, as it could not have foreseen that a pandemic would derail the entire Marvelverse plan for 2020. But the streamer has also been deeply picky about what makes it to Disney+ ranks. Now, just under a year since its launch, Disney+ has finally released its first drama not directly tied to an existing franchise, “The Right Stuff.” It’s a reminder that not everything on Disney+ has to be about aliens or intergalactic warfare. But the message of the series suggests that without its tentpole franchises, Disney+ is still struggling to define itself.
One could, of course, argue that “The Right Stuff” is perfect for Disney — it is, after all, both about real-life superheroes and a war over stars. Based on the 1979 Tom Wolfe book of the same name, it’s a retelling of the early years of the space race, and the Mercury 7 astronauts that helped launch the space program. There’s already a famous 1983 film that dramatized the material, which was not made by Disney or any of its subsidiaries. (In fact, “The Right Stuff” was not originally envisioned as a Disney+ product at all. Put into production back in 2017, the show was meant for the National Geographic Channel, which at the time was owned by 20th Century Fox. Though “The Right Stuff” wasn’t filmed until after the merger in 2019, it was still listed as a NatGeo release up until last spring.)
The 1983 film is deeply steeped in the patriotic Reaganesque “Morning in America” attitude of the day, where landing on the moon first was provided as proof of our greatness. “The Right Stuff,” too, notes that this is a world where men are men, and pilots doubly so. There’s dialogue that refers to the friendly competition between the armed forces, an entire scene where a pair of characters emotionally bond over raising and lowering the American flag on a daily basis, and much glorifying of heterosexually masculine pursuits, be it drinking oneself under the table or bear hunting.
The series centers around John Glenn (Patrick J. Adams), who quickly becomes a leading figure due to his media savvy and his politicking, but we’re really supposed to side with him because he is a self-proclaimed square who doesn’t cheat on his wife and is openly Christian. Compare that to the more “tragic hero” figure of Alan Shepard (Jake McDorman), who likes carousing, driving fast and complaining that he’s not being given enough chances to put his life in danger. From Gordon Cooper (Colin O'Donoghue) to Gus Grissom (Michael Trotter), each of these men is ranked as much for their ability to refrain from drinking too much and stay faithful to their wives as they are their flying ability.
Shows like “Mad Men” made it mandatory for all period pieces wishing to be considered prestige TV look back on this era with cynicism. “The Right Stuff” attempts to have it both ways, highlighting disillusionment with programs like NASA while glorifying what those programs did. The series doesn’t fully explore the risks being taken, but it also doesn’t hide the fact that these heroes were created by NASA to make itself look more impressive, and sold to the American public by Life magazine to improve circulation.
In a post-“Hidden Figures” world, the series feels dreadfully white. But it does draw back the curtain on how the wives of the astronauts were forced into traditional feminine roles for the cameras and for the program’s image. This point is made mainly through the story of Cooper’s wife Trudy (Eloise Mumford), who gave up dreams of flying professionally for his career, despite being the better pilot. (In real life, she was the only one of the Mercury 7 wives to have a private pilot’s license.) Still, those moments are subplots at best, not unlike the lives of these women, subsumed to the dreams of men to be first in space.
But even as the show tries to celebrate the machismo and sacrifice of these test pilots, an undercurrent of sadness runs throughout the whole series. This pathos is perhaps a sign that “The Right Stuff” fancies itself an awards show contender. But it’s not on-brand for the House of Mouse, whose black and white fantasy storytelling has been so clearly defined for so long. “The Right Stuff” is, by far, the best traditional drama on the streamer to date, but is this the right stuff for the future of Disney+? Not necessarily. Disney clearly thinks it needs shows like this to be taken seriously. But it likely would be far better served by doing what it does best.


msnbc--2020-10-10--Trump holds campaign event at White House despite coronavirus outbreak

Memo to Trump : 'You are uninterested in actual peace '

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msnbc--2020-10-10--Delta brings destruction to TX, LA, and MO just weeks after Hurricane Laura

Delta brings destruction to TX, LA, and MO just weeks after Hurricane Laura
Delta made landfall in Texas, Louisiana and Missouri causing flooding, damages, and power outages. The storm came just six weeks after Hurricane Laura made landfall in Louisiana.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--New England Journal of Medicine calls for a change in political leadership

This week the New England Journal of Medicine stepped into politics for the first time in its over 200 year history. In a powerful editorial, 35 editors called for Americans to vote out politicians who haven’t done enough to address the pandemic. The editorial called out our current political leaders as being “dangerously incompetent,” and said that allowing them to keep their jobs would be enabling the deaths of thousands more Americans. Eric Rubin, Editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine, joins MSNBC’s Yasmin Vossoughian to talk about the journal’s unprecedented editorial.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Chris Christie released from hospital stay after Covid diagnosis

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced on twitter that he was released from Morrison Medical Center following a weeklong stay. Christie was among a number of Republicans who tested positive from COVID-19 after attending the Supreme Court nomination ceremony for Judge Amy Coney Barrett at the White House Rose Garden on Sept. 26.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Podesta: No doubt Trump’s behavior triggered 25th Amendment move

Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s legislation on invoking the 25th Amendment for future presidents, and Donald Trump’s recent behaviors, are analyzed by John Podesta, former counselor to President Barack Obama. Podesta tells Jonathan Capehart, ‘There's no question that Trump's behavior triggered Congress,’ on legislation based on a section of the 25th amendment that, ‘permits Congress to set up an alternative to the Cabinet to review if the president is fit to carry out the duties of the presidency.’Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Expert doctor on Regeneron: Trump also touted bleach for Covid-19

Expert doctor on Regeneron: Trump also touted bleach for Covid-19
Donald Trump essentially calling Regeneron a Covid-19 cure is debunked by Dr. Bob Watcher, an expert on Regeneron, and chair of the University of California San Francisco Department of Medicine.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Barr’s actions targeting voting called ‘corrupt’ by legal experts

Voting in the 2020 elections could be hampered by William Barr’s recent actions that could impact the vote, which many see as ‘corruption,’ legal experts tell Jonathan Capehart.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Expert: Trump could get reinfected, antibody status unclear

Donald Trump’s natural immune response should be established, as the president plans more rallies and other events, pandemic expert Laurie Garrett says. Trump’s body may not have generated the antibodies needed to generate Covid-19 immunity, if his treatments were successful in combating the disease in their place, Garrett tells Jonathan Capehart.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Rep. Jayapal: Biden as president will address domestic terrorism

After 13 people including extremist militia members have been arrested in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, QAnon candidates coming to Congress and what many see as threats to our democracy from white supremaciest groups are discussed by Rep. Pramila Jayapal.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Stevens slams Sen. Lee tweeting ‘Democracy isn’t the objective’

Sen. Mike Lee tweeting, ‘Democracy isn’t the objective,’ has been slammed by many politics experts, including member of The Lincoln Project, Stuart P. Stevens. Stevens tells Jonathan Capehart regarding the GOP, ‘It's just an amazing collapse of a party.’Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Married actors Patinkin and Grody go viral getting out the vote

Married actors Patinkin and Grody go viral getting out the vote
Voter turnout is promoted by married actors and activists Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody in viral videos on how all Americans can help each other increase voting levels in the 2020 elections. Patinkin and Grody discuss this initiative, thelastweekends.org.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Expert: Private paramilitaries illegal, not 2nd Amendment right

Armed militias are believed to be possibly linked in the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Legitimate militias are legally under the jurisdiction of the president or a governor only, Dr. Erroll G. Southers tells Jonathan Capehart.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Expert calls on authorities to address domestic terrorism threat

Suspects in the Michigan governor kidnapping plot are compared to ISIS and Al-Qaeda by intelligence expert Naveed Jamali, who tells Jonathan Capehart that he believes authorities need to do more to address domestic terrorism threats.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Bernie Sanders: Our healthcare system is 'dysfunctional, cruel and wasteful’

Meacham: Pence probably saved the republic, but I don't always want to count on one person to do it 08:18


msnbc--2020-10-10--Malcolm Nance: Militant white supremacists are America’s ‘Vanilla ISIS’


msnbc--2020-10-10--Voters will decide this election, not the courts, says former Justice Dept. official

Voters will decide this election, not the courts, says former Justice Dept. official
Justin Levitt, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General with the Civil Rights division at the Department of Justice, tells voters to “tune out the noise” and trust that election is still in the hands of the American people.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Memo to Trump: 'You are uninterested in actual peace'

Jones: "What the Republicans attempted to do here in Tennessee was crucify democracy and is that what they have done is resurrect the movement" 09:56


msnbc--2020-10-11--To negotiate? Or not to negotiate? That is the COVID relief question.

To negotiate? Or not to negotiate? That is the COVID relief question.
Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan criticizes Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell when it comes to another Coronavirus relief bill, claiming he “is protecting his incompetency right now by not even bringing the bill up that we’ve had on his desk since May 15.”Oct. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-11--Broadway remains dark through May 2021 but the show must go on

Broadway remains dark through May 2021 but the show must go on
Tony Award Winner James Monroe Iglehart tells NBC’s Joshua Johnson “the one thing we have seen through history is that theater always comes through and it will come back…Broadway is not going anywhere.”Oct. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-11--America’s COVID crisis raises a big question: Are we going to do the right thing?

America’s COVID crisis raises a big question: Are we going to do the right thing?
President Trump says he’s learned a lot from contracting COVID-19, but he held an in-person event Friday at the White House. NBC’s Joshua Johnson discusses the need to hold oneself accountable for acting honorably in 2020.Oct. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-11--Suspects in alleged Michigan kidnap plot would be “domestic terrorists” if convicted

More than a dozen men are in custody, charged for plotting to kidnap Michigan’s Democratic Governor. The Daily Beast’s Political Reporter Will Sommer says, “The most disturbing thing about this whole situation was how organized it was.” If convicted, these suspects are domestic terrorists, because they’re a group that threatens political violence.Oct. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-11--Shaky cease-fire in place between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Former Spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, Hagar Chemali, breaks down the escalating conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the significance of what’s happening in the region and what role the United States is playing right now.Oct. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-11--New reporting shows dark origins of Trump administration’s ongoing migrant family separation policy

MSNBC’s "American Voices" host Alicia Menendez is joined by Alida Garcia, director of coalitions and policy at FWD.US, and NBC News correspondent and author of “Separated: Inside an American Tragedy” Jacob Soboroff, who breaks down his latest reporting on the start of family separations and the fate of migrant families under the zero-tolerance policy now.Oct. 11, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--'A slap in the face': Americans who have lost family due to COVID-19 react to Pres. Trump’s downplay

'A slap in the face': Americans who have lost family due to COVID-19 react to Pres. Trump’s downplaying of virus

As the United States surpasses 215,000 lives lost to the Coronavirus pandemic, President Trump continues to downplay the virus and earlier this week told Americans not to let Covid-19 “dominate” them. MSNBC’s "American Voices" host Alicia Menendez is joined by Dr. Dara Kass, who survived COVID-19, Dr. Chris Pernell, who lost her father to COVID-19, and Fiana Garza Tulip, who lost her mother to COVID-19, on the realities of how COVID-19 has dominated their lives and the lives of thousands of Americans.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-10--Vital voting blocs flee Trump campaign just three weeks before election

On a day when the President held an in-person event at the White House just one week after being airlifted to the hospital for COVID-19, MSNBC'S "American Voices" host Alicia Menendez is joined by three Democratic strategists - Ian Sams, Maya Rupert and Alencia Johnson - to discuss the state of the campaigns. New polling shows that women and people of color are increasingly turned off by the Trump administration’s rhetoric, with Joe Biden widening the gap just weeks before the election. The panel discusses why that might be, and how many women have become energized and inspired by Kamala Harris’ solid performance in the Vice Presidential debate.Oct. 10, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-11--Emergency meeting held in South Korea after North Korea parades new missiles

South Korea 's government held an emergency meeting Sunday , less than 24 hours after North Korea displayed a slew of new strategic weapons , including a massive intercontinental ballistic missile ( ICBM ) , at a military parade .
An emotionally-charged speech given by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the event — held to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North ’ s ruling Workers ’ Party — was discussed , South Korea 's presidential office said in statement .
The new weapons which included a submarine-launched ballistic missile ( SLBM ) and Seoul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talked about , that statement said .
It added that inter-Korean agreements made to prevent mutual military confrontation and war `` must be abided to . ''
Separately , a spokesman for the South Korean defense ministry said Sunday it had expressed `` concern '' over North Korea ’ s disclosure of weapons and was analyzing the new weapons in detail alongside Washington .
A senior U.S. official told NBC News North Korea 's display of weapons `` was disappointing . ''
The ICBM displayed on Saturday is one of the biggest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ramon Pacheco Pardo , lecturer in international relations at King 's College London .
But he said it was unlikely to unnerve South Korea from a military point of view as it is designed for targets further away .
North Korea already has an arsenal of other weapons that could threaten Seoul , he added .
From `` a political point of view , it complicates inter-Korean relations , ” he said , because it `` goes against existing agreements and sanctions , and makes diplomacy more difficult . ''
With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the timing of the parade was `` not unexpected , '' said Edward Howell , a lecturer in politics and North Korea expert at U.K. 's University of Oxford .
North Korea has often held similar parades , which offer an opportunity for the North to demonstrate to its people , but also , and importantly , to the outside world , its nuclear and military capabilities , Howell said .
Kim pledged to demonstrate a “ new strategic weapon ” in December 2019 and the ICBM and SLBM were likely the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics The parade came weeks after a South Korean fisheries official was killed by troops from the North .
The incident shocked and enraged many in the South and became the latest point of tension between the two neighbors that saw the relations reach a new low earlier this year when North Korea blew up a liaison office on the border between the two countries and cut off all communication with the South .
Technically the countries remain at war since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pyongyang 's nuclear negotiations with President Donald Trump ’ s administration also remain deadlocked after several summits that did not result in a solid plan to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula .
Although Kim vowed in Saturday 's speech to “ fully mobilize ” should his country be threatened , he said he hoped the North and South would hold hands again .
Seoul ’ s unification ministry , which handles cross-border affairs , said it had noted Kim 's comments .
“ I think that Kim Jong-un is signaling that he wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible , ” Pacheco Pardo said .
That would be contingent on an agreement between the U.S. and North Korea , leading to sanctions relief and inter-Korean economic engagement , he added .
`` But Kim is also signaling that his military deterrence is here to stay unless there is an agreement with the U.S. , better North Korea-U.S. relations and better inter-Korean relations , '' he said .

Yuliya Talmazan and Stella Kim and Abigail Williams

South Korea's government held an emergency meeting Sunday, less than 24 hours after North Korea displayed a slew of new strategic weapons, including a massive intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), at a military parade.
An emotionally-charged speech given by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the event — held to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party — was discussed, South Korea's presidential office said in statement.
The new weapons which included a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) and Seoul's defense capabilities against them were also talked about, that statement said. It added that inter-Korean agreements made to prevent mutual military confrontation and war "must be abided to."
Separately, a spokesman for the South Korean defense ministry said Sunday it had expressed "concern" over North Korea’s disclosure of weapons and was analyzing the new weapons in detail alongside Washington. A senior U.S. official told NBC News North Korea's display of weapons "was disappointing."
A ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang on Saturday. - / AFP - Getty Images
The ICBM displayed on Saturday is one of the biggest in the world in terms of range, said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, lecturer in international relations at King's College London.
But he said it was unlikely to unnerve South Korea from a military point of view as it is designed for targets further away. North Korea already has an arsenal of other weapons that could threaten Seoul, he added.
From "a political point of view, it complicates inter-Korean relations,” he said, because it "goes against existing agreements and sanctions, and makes diplomacy more difficult."
With the U.S. presidential election taking place next month, the timing of the parade was "not unexpected," said Edward Howell, a lecturer in politics and North Korea expert at U.K.'s University of Oxford.
North Korea has often held similar parades, which offer an opportunity for the North to demonstrate to its people, but also, and importantly, to the outside world, its nuclear and military capabilities, Howell said.
Kim pledged to demonstrate a “new strategic weapon” in December 2019 and the ICBM and SLBM were likely the weapons he was talking about, Howell added.
Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics
The parade came weeks after a South Korean fisheries official was killed by troops from the North.
The incident shocked and enraged many in the South and became the latest point of tension between the two neighbors that saw the relations reach a new low earlier this year when North Korea blew up a liaison office on the border between the two countries and cut off all communication with the South.
Technically the countries remain at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce.
Pyongyang's nuclear negotiations with President Donald Trump’s administration also remain deadlocked after several summits that did not result in a solid plan to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.
Although Kim vowed in Saturday's speech to “fully mobilize” should his country be threatened, he said he hoped the North and South would hold hands again.
Seoul’s unification ministry, which handles cross-border affairs, said it had noted Kim's comments.
A screen grab taken from a KCNA broadcast on Saturday shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waving during a military parade in Pyongyang. - / AFP - Getty Images
“I think that Kim Jong-un is signaling that he wants to resume inter-Korean relations when it's possible,” Pacheco Pardo said.
That would be contingent on an agreement between the U.S. and North Korea, leading to sanctions relief and inter-Korean economic engagement, he added.
"But Kim is also signaling that his military deterrence is here to stay unless there is an agreement with the U.S., better North Korea-U.S. relations and better inter-Korean relations," he said.
Reuters contributed to this report.