msnbc--2020-10-19--Republicans are ready to remember they hate the deficit again under Joe Biden

A decade ago , a generation of Republicans swept into office on the heels of the Great Recession , preaching austerity over bolstering state budgets or extending unemployment benefits , hoping to pin the slow crawl toward recovery on Democrats .
And they now seem poised do it all over again , potentially leaving Americans even further in the dust .
We saw the groundwork for that shift being laid last week when a GOP strategist told Bloomberg News that Republican senators are using the price tag for more coronavirus relief — which would include things like extended unemployment benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepare voters for a game plan during a Biden administration .
In other words , `` it would be very hard politically to agree on spending trillions more now and then in January suddenly embrace fiscal restraint . ''
That tracks with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell 's insistence that more stimulus spending is something to `` sell '' to his members , as well as leaked audio of Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska slamming Trump for `` spending like a drunken sailor . ''
There 's a strong sense of déjà vu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment rate was sitting at 9.4 percent .
The budget deficit had spiked to $ 1.4 trillion thanks to the emergency stimulus package passed the previous year in an attempt to save the economy .
Despite that flood of initial funding , millennials were already struggling harder than most .
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the unemployment rate for 20- to 34-year-olds was 3 percentage points above the average and almost 5 points higher than that for 35- to 54-year-olds .
And Republicans were cruising toward the `` shellacking '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the midterms a month later with the message that President Barack Obama was leading the U.S. on a path to socialism with his out-of-control spending .
What followed was six years of a never-ending cycle of headlines about how the U.S. was surely going to go broke from and/or purposefully default on its debts and the increasingly incomprehensible ways that fiscal conservatives were demanding that we avoid that horrible future .
The PAYGO Act !
The debt ceiling crisis !
The Fiscal Cliff !
Sequestration !
The debates in Washington over numbers high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the young Americans trying to get their lives going .
And in the crucial half-decade after the recession began , a string of tools to boost the economy — including federal funds to help states employ teachers and first responders despite their budget cuts — were blocked in the name of keeping costs down .
The Economic Policy Institute in 2012 projected that passage of the American Jobs Act alone would have added 1.6 million jobs to the economy .
The unemployment rate for millennials remained at least 2 to 5 points higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , per the Bureau of Labor Statistics .
And as the gig economy changed the definition of `` employed , '' we remained burdened with billions of dollars in student loan debts , rising housing costs and a lack of retirement savings .
Even now , millennials `` make up close to a quarter of the U.S. population but hold just 3 percent of the wealth , Jill Filipovic wrote in her book `` OK Boomer , Let 's Talk : How My Generation Got Left Behind . ''
`` When boomers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she wrote .
Meanwhile , in the two years that Republicans had united control of the White House and Congress , President Donald Trump 's proposed budgets called for deep cuts in nondefense spending .
In his fiscal year 2019 budget , that included slashing SNAP food stamps by 30 percent , cutting $ 6.8 billion from public housing and reducing health care spending by $ 763 billion over 10 years .
But this time , the rules of the game had clearly shifted : Nobody in Washington really seemed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deficit .
Here 's the rub : It was never about the deficit .
It was always about keeping wealth and power entrenched firmly where it is .
The biggest tell was the $ 1.5 trillion in tax cuts that Republicans passed in 2017 , the greatest legislative achievement of the Trump administration .
The bill reduced tax revenue as a part of gross domestic product the next year more sharply than in any other advanced economy .
Rather than invest that money back into workers or their companies , as the GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doled out increased profits to executives and stock owners .
While in the minority , the GOP blocked spending bills in the Senate ; while a Democrat sat in the White House , it demanded harsh cuts .
But were they once in the driver 's seat , Republicans in Congress opted not to risk slashing popular programs .
As a result , the budget deficit — pre-Covid-19 — had grown by $ 3.9 trillion in Trump 's first term .
The last times it had grown so high , according to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the start of the Great Recession and in 1983 , `` when President Ronald Reagan was attempting to recover from a double-dip recession and spend the Soviets into oblivion . ''
Now with former Vice President Joe Biden wanting to raise taxes on people making more than $ 400,000 — a move that would presage more spending , yes , but also help actually balance the budget — suddenly it appears that a new brood of deficit hawks is hatching .
Where there was once money to ensure that stockholders could make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's now none for saving lives as the pandemic rages on .
Any time the deficit rhetoric pops up — and not just from Republicans — it gives the concept more credence than it deserves .
That includes when moderator George Stephanopoulos asked Biden whether raising taxes on the wealthy was really a good idea with the economy in its current state .
His concern for the well-being of the top 1 percent of earners does n't quite seem warranted .
On the contrary , billionaires in the U.S. collectively increased their net @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to September .
Meanwhile , millennials are going through the second recession of their working lives , still carrying all the drag on their lives and careers from the first .
It 's a downturn called the most unequal in modern U.S. history , with the vast majority of hurt falling on low-wage and minority workers .
And it comes after years of policymakers ' forgetting their ideology at a time when it would help them , who seem suddenly to be having a come-to-Hayek moment .
It 's kicking people while they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people 's economic pain into a political win .
Hopefully you all had a weekend relatively free from stress .
Here 's some things you probably want to read while catching up : • The Washington Post : A shelter that helps women fleeing domestic violence put up a sign supporting Black Lives Matters — and it cost the shelter support from police departments around its area of Wisconsin .
• The New York Times : Apparently , the decision to publish last week 's Rudy Giuliani-fed story about Hunter Biden was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with one writer learning that her byline was on the story only after it published .
In a word : yikes .
• NBC Think : Finally , an ode to the mute button that gives the humble — yet too often forgotten — part of our new normal the due it deserves .
• BuzzFeed News : In case you forgot , the Trump administration 's fight against immigration of all kinds is still in full effect .
And on the border , that 's pushing desperate people to make tough @ @ @ @ @

A decade ago, a generation of Republicans swept into office on the heels of the Great Recession, preaching austerity over bolstering state budgets or extending unemployment benefits, hoping to pin the slow crawl toward recovery on Democrats. And they now seem poised do it all over again, potentially leaving Americans even further in the dust.
We saw the groundwork for that shift being laid last week when a GOP strategist told Bloomberg News that Republican senators are using the price tag for more coronavirus relief — which would include things like extended unemployment benefits and funding for small businesses — to prepare voters for a game plan during a Biden administration. In other words, "it would be very hard politically to agree on spending trillions more now and then in January suddenly embrace fiscal restraint." That tracks with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell's insistence that more stimulus spending is something to "sell" to his members, as well as leaked audio of Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska slamming Trump for "spending like a drunken sailor."
There's a strong sense of déjà vu here. In October 2010, the unemployment rate was sitting at 9.4 percent. The budget deficit had spiked to $1.4 trillion thanks to the emergency stimulus package passed the previous year in an attempt to save the economy. Despite that flood of initial funding, millennials were already struggling harder than most. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for 20- to 34-year-olds was 3 percentage points above the average and almost 5 points higher than that for 35- to 54-year-olds. And Republicans were cruising toward the "shellacking" that they'd deliver to Democrats in the midterms a month later with the message that President Barack Obama was leading the U.S. on a path to socialism with his out-of-control spending.
What followed was six years of a never-ending cycle of headlines about how the U.S. was surely going to go broke from and/or purposefully default on its debts and the increasingly incomprehensible ways that fiscal conservatives were demanding that we avoid that horrible future. The PAYGO Act! The debt ceiling crisis! The Fiscal Cliff! Sequestration!
The debates in Washington over numbers high enough to be meaningless did nothing for the young Americans trying to get their lives going. And in the crucial half-decade after the recession began, a string of tools to boost the economy — including federal funds to help states employ teachers and first responders despite their budget cuts — were blocked in the name of keeping costs down. The Economic Policy Institute in 2012 projected that passage of the American Jobs Act alone would have added 1.6 million jobs to the economy.
The unemployment rate for millennials remained at least 2 to 5 points higher than for older workers throughout that period, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And as the gig economy changed the definition of "employed," we remained burdened with billions of dollars in student loan debts, rising housing costs and a lack of retirement savings. Even now, millennials "make up close to a quarter of the U.S. population but hold just 3 percent of the wealth, Jill Filipovic wrote in her book "OK Boomer, Let's Talk: How My Generation Got Left Behind." "When boomers were our age, they held 21 percent," she wrote.
Meanwhile, in the two years that Republicans had united control of the White House and Congress, President Donald Trump's proposed budgets called for deep cuts in nondefense spending. In his fiscal year 2019 budget, that included slashing SNAP food stamps by 30 percent, cutting $6.8 billion from public housing and reducing health care spending by $763 billion over 10 years. But this time, the rules of the game had clearly shifted: Nobody in Washington really seemed to want to bother with actually reducing the deficit.
Here's the rub: It was never about the deficit. It was always about keeping wealth and power entrenched firmly where it is. The biggest tell was the $1.5 trillion in tax cuts that Republicans passed in 2017, the greatest legislative achievement of the Trump administration. The bill reduced tax revenue as a part of gross domestic product the next year more sharply than in any other advanced economy. Rather than invest that money back into workers or their companies, as the GOP had argued it would, the party doled out increased profits to executives and stock owners.
While in the minority, the GOP blocked spending bills in the Senate; while a Democrat sat in the White House, it demanded harsh cuts. But were they once in the driver's seat, Republicans in Congress opted not to risk slashing popular programs. As a result, the budget deficit — pre-Covid-19 — had grown by $3.9 trillion in Trump's first term. The last times it had grown so high, according to The Washington Post's Andrew Van Dam: at the start of the Great Recession and in 1983, "when President Ronald Reagan was attempting to recover from a double-dip recession and spend the Soviets into oblivion."
Now with former Vice President Joe Biden wanting to raise taxes on people making more than $400,000 — a move that would presage more spending, yes, but also help actually balance the budget — suddenly it appears that a new brood of deficit hawks is hatching. Where there was once money to ensure that stockholders could make themselves $800 billion richer, there's now none for saving lives as the pandemic rages on.
Any time the deficit rhetoric pops up — and not just from Republicans — it gives the concept more credence than it deserves. That includes when moderator George Stephanopoulos asked Biden whether raising taxes on the wealthy was really a good idea with the economy in its current state.
.@GStephanopoulos presses former VP Biden on if it's wise to raise the corporate tax when the economy is weak: "We're going to invest a great deal of that money into infrastructure and green infrastructure." https://t.co/JEyTOkB6qk #BidenTownHall pic.twitter.com/LiBphg1qz0 — ABC News (@ABC) October 16, 2020
His concern for the well-being of the top 1 percent of earners doesn't quite seem warranted. On the contrary, billionaires in the U.S. collectively increased their net worth by $845 billion from March to September. Meanwhile, millennials are going through the second recession of their working lives, still carrying all the drag on their lives and careers from the first. It's a downturn called the most unequal in modern U.S. history, with the vast majority of hurt falling on low-wage and minority workers. And it comes after years of policymakers' forgetting their ideology at a time when it would help them, who seem suddenly to be having a come-to-Hayek moment. It's kicking people while they're already down, trying to spin people's economic pain into a political win.
Hopefully you all had a weekend relatively free from stress. Here's some things you probably want to read while catching up:


msnbc--2020-10-18--Trump didn't disavow QAnon because he won't stop using hate for political gain

For the second time in less than three weeks , President Donald Trump refused to condemn right-wing extremism when asked and instead legitimized its dangerous vitriol and hate .
This time , when asked at NBC News ’ presidential town hall on Thursday if he would disavow the QAnon group and its false conspiracy theory that “ Democrats are a satanic pedophile ring and that [ he is ] the savior of that , ” Trump responded with the implausible assertion that he knew nothing about the movement and then immediately undercut his own claim by vacuously stating QAnon ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pedophilia.
” This is as ignorant and dangerous as saying white supremacists are “ very much against people with bad genes.
” By normalizing , accepting and repeating a conspiracy theory ’ s core , false tenet as a fact and reason to sympathize with them , the president of the United States legitimized domestic terrorism and hatred — and it ’ s not the first time .
This QAnon exchange came shortly after Trump refused to denounce white supremacy when asked at the first presidential debate .
And then , when pointedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another right-wing extremist group aligned with white supremacists that promotes “ Western chauvinism ” — Trump instead issued a call to arms by encouraging the Proud Boys to “ stand back and stand by.
” Under immense public pressure after the debate , including from Fox News , he walked back his remarks two days later , but the damage was done .
Both of Trump ’ s statements had been immediately embraced by extremist groups as signs of solidarity and alignment .
After the first debate , the Proud Boys changed their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ; QAnon followers celebrated what Trump offered as `` the biggest pitch for QAnon '' they 've ever seen .
The growing danger of groups like these has been felt throughout the United States — including in my own backyard .
Nearly four years ago , a 28-year-old from North Carolina , inspired by QAnon ’ s precursor conspiracy theory known as Pizzagate , fired a rifle in my local pizza parlor ; he claimed to be investigating an underground child-sex-trafficking ring run by Democrats that did n't exist .
The QAnon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anonymous persona calling him or herself “ Q ” started leaving messages on a then-popular message board often used by hate groups , 4chan , alleging that Donald Trump was going to end a deep-state child-sex-trafficking ring run by “ liberal elites.
” It grew when three conspiracy theorists began posting more about it the following month on other message boards , bringing Q ’ s deranged allegations about a supposed cabal of Satan-worshiping Democrats to much wider audience .
The QAnon conspiracy has since gone broad , fueled by YouTube and Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Trump supporters to rail against the media and so-called deep state .
Today , QAnon has infiltrated the Republican Party , where it ’ s been largely embraced .
There are at least 24 QAnon candidates running for Congress , 22 of them as Republicans and two as independents .
There ’ s a reason none of them are running as Democrats : In addition to the core tenet of the organization being that powerful liberals are preying on children , right-wing extremists who would have previously been shunned from mainstream politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Republican Party led by Trump .
Former Florida Gov .
Jeb Bush questioned Trump ’ s embrace of QAnon , wishfully asserting that “ nut jobs , racists , haters have no place in either party ” — but that ’ s simply not true with Trump .
As the president acknowledged in August , QAnon followers like him “ very much.
” Their admiration clearly shaped his view of the group he said on Thursday he doesn ’ t know much about , despite the fact that QAnon is recognized as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In May 2019 , the FBI warned in an intelligence bulletin about the threat of “ conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists ” understood to be a reference to QAnon ( among others ) .
Yet Trump has consistently refused to disavow , and has repeatedly praised , followers of QAnon , which is similar to his treatment of Russia ( despite its ongoing electoral interference ) and white nationalists ( despite their threat to homeland security ) .
With Trump , politics is purely transactional : Any support for his re-election or of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including national security , electoral security and homeland security .
Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he ’ s willing to use many forms of hatred — including racism , xenophobia and anti-Semitism — for political purposes , including to get elected and re-elected .
American Jews are particularly concerned about the rise and mainstreaming of QAnon , given its frequent use of anti-Semitic tropes and age-old conspiracy theories .
Its adherents claim that Jews control the world with money and repeatedly reference blood libel , a centuries-old anti-Semitic canard that falsely claims Jews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purposes .
Genocide prevention experts havelabeled QAnon a 21st-century version of a Nazi cult .
According to renowned Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt , “ At the heart of conspiracy theories like that , almost without exception , you find anti-Semitism .
When they talk about rich Dems , Democrats are controlling it , you should know that that is a code word to most of their followers to Jews.
” All of that is why Trump ’ s embrace of the group could hurt him in the election in key states like Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among Jewish voters to win .
But if his latest town hall performance is any indication , he won ’ t have the support of many Jewish voters because he continues to align with , embolden and play politics with bigotry and hate .
More than half of Jewish American voters in a recent survey said Jews are less secure today than they were four years ago , and 56 percent believe Jews will become less safe if Trump is re-elected .
Jewish voters and many other Americans understand that we can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , defending and even encouraging hate .
Our collective safety and security is at risk , and the strength of our democracy lies in the balance .
This election isn ’ t just about who will serve as a president ; it ’ s about whether dangerous hate groups will be accepted and embraced by the president of the United States .
With Trump , as we ’ ve seen from Charlottesville through today , we know the answer is clearly yes .

For the second time in less than three weeks, President Donald Trump refused to condemn right-wing extremism when asked and instead legitimized its dangerous vitriol and hate.
This time, when asked at NBC News’ presidential town hall on Thursday if he would disavow the QAnon group and its false conspiracy theory that “Democrats are a satanic pedophile ring and that [he is] the savior of that,” Trump responded with the implausible assertion that he knew nothing about the movement and then immediately undercut his own claim by vacuously stating QAnon’s followers are “very much against pedophilia.” This is as ignorant and dangerous as saying white supremacists are “very much against people with bad genes.”
By normalizing, accepting and repeating a conspiracy theory’s core, false tenet as a fact and reason to sympathize with them, the president of the United States legitimized domestic terrorism and hatred — and it’s not the first time. This QAnon exchange came shortly after Trump refused to denounce white supremacy when asked at the first presidential debate. And then, when pointedly asked to disavow the Proud Boys — another right-wing extremist group aligned with white supremacists that promotes “Western chauvinism” — Trump instead issued a call to arms by encouraging the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”
Under immense public pressure after the debate, including from Fox News, he walked back his remarks two days later, but the damage was done. Both of Trump’s statements had been immediately embraced by extremist groups as signs of solidarity and alignment. After the first debate, the Proud Boys changed their logo and began selling merchandise echoing the president; QAnon followers celebrated what Trump offered as "the biggest pitch for QAnon" they've ever seen.
The growing danger of groups like these has been felt throughout the United States — including in my own backyard. Nearly four years ago, a 28-year-old from North Carolina, inspired by QAnon’s precursor conspiracy theory known as Pizzagate, fired a rifle in my local pizza parlor; he claimed to be investigating an underground child-sex-trafficking ring run by Democrats that didn't exist.
The QAnon movement began in October 2017 when an anonymous persona calling him or herself “Q” started leaving messages on a then-popular message board often used by hate groups, 4chan, alleging that Donald Trump was going to end a deep-state child-sex-trafficking ring run by “liberal elites.” It grew when three conspiracy theorists began posting more about it the following month on other message boards, bringing Q’s deranged allegations about a supposed cabal of Satan-worshiping Democrats to much wider audience. The QAnon conspiracy has since gone broad, fueled by YouTube and Facebook groups, and provides a dangerous counternarrative for Trump supporters to rail against the media and so-called deep state.
Today, QAnon has infiltrated the Republican Party, where it’s been largely embraced. There are at least 24 QAnon candidates running for Congress, 22 of them as Republicans and two as independents. There’s a reason none of them are running as Democrats: In addition to the core tenet of the organization being that powerful liberals are preying on children, right-wing extremists who would have previously been shunned from mainstream politics in general now have a home in a Republican Party led by Trump.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush questioned Trump’s embrace of QAnon, wishfully asserting that “nut jobs, racists, haters have no place in either party” — but that’s simply not true with Trump. As the president acknowledged in August, QAnon followers like him “very much.” Their admiration clearly shaped his view of the group he said on Thursday he doesn’t know much about, despite the fact that QAnon is recognized as a security threat by his own administration.
In May 2019, the FBI warned in an intelligence bulletin about the threat of “conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists” understood to be a reference to QAnon (among others). Yet Trump has consistently refused to disavow, and has repeatedly praised, followers of QAnon, which is similar to his treatment of Russia (despite its ongoing electoral interference) and white nationalists (despite their threat to homeland security).
With Trump, politics is purely transactional: Any support for his re-election or of him personally supersedes all other considerations, including national security, electoral security and homeland security. Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he’s willing to use many forms of hatred — including racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism — for political purposes, including to get elected and re-elected.
Last night, Donald Trump not only refused to condemn QAnon, he actually legitimized the basis of their dangerous conspiracy theory.
Watch renowned Holocaust historian, Professor @deborahlipstadt, explain the danger of this movement, which includes antisemitism. pic.twitter.com/bbtPb7rMxS — Jewish Dems (@USJewishDems) October 16, 2020
American Jews are particularly concerned about the rise and mainstreaming of QAnon, given its frequent use of anti-Semitic tropes and age-old conspiracy theories. Its adherents claim that Jews control the world with money and repeatedly reference blood libel, a centuries-old anti-Semitic canard that falsely claims Jews kill Christians to use blood for ritual purposes. Genocide prevention experts havelabeled QAnon a 21st-century version of a Nazi cult.
According to renowned Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt, “At the heart of conspiracy theories like that, almost without exception, you find anti-Semitism. When they talk about rich Dems, Democrats are controlling it, you should know that that is a code word to most of their followers to Jews.”
All of that is why Trump’s embrace of the group could hurt him in the election in key states like Florida, where he’ll need support among Jewish voters to win.
But if his latest town hall performance is any indication, he won’t have the support of many Jewish voters because he continues to align with, embolden and play politics with bigotry and hate. More than half of Jewish American voters in a recent survey said Jews are less secure today than they were four years ago, and 56 percent believe Jews will become less safe if Trump is re-elected.
Jewish voters and many other Americans understand that we cannot afford four more years of Trump allowing, defending and even encouraging hate. Our collective safety and security is at risk, and the strength of our democracy lies in the balance. This election isn’t just about who will serve as a president; it’s about whether dangerous hate groups will be accepted and embraced by the president of the United States. With Trump, as we’ve seen from Charlottesville through today, we know the answer is clearly yes.


msnbc--2020-10-20--Chris Hayes on the war on science inside the White House

“Trump is right. People are tired of hearing about the virus,” says Chris Hayes. “But people are also tired of seeing their friends and family suffer…They're tired of worrying about getting sick. And really, really tired of watching people they love die alone.”Oct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-19--Texan political shifts in the Trump era

Texan political shifts in the Trump era

Despite his initial public defense of Trump's border wall, Senator Cornyn (R-TX) claims he has always privately opposed some of Trump's policies. NBC's Steve Kornacki explores developing trends in the political ecosystem of Texas.Oct. 19, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-19--Mara Gay on the Trump campaign: ‘People are thinking about what to do with their resumes’


msnbc--2020-10-19--MI activist on recruiting poll watchers: ‘It’s just a matter of having eyeballs there so that we can

MI activist on recruiting poll watchers: ‘It’s just a matter of having eyeballs there so that we can see what is going on.’
As we inch closer to November 3rd, President Trump is again urging his supporters to "go to the polls and watch carefully." But those calls are raising new concerns about exactly who these so-called poll watchers will be and whether their presence could intimidate voters. NBC’s Dasha Burns joins Craig Melvin from Michigan where she has been following an activist who is actively recruiting these poll watchers. NBC's Tom Winter also joins MSNBC's Craig Melvin to share his latest reporting on election day concerns from law enforcement.Oct. 19, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-19--Fmr. coronavirus task force member Olivia Troye says you’re now watching the president ‘scramble’

As coronavirus cases rise across the country, the president launches attacks on Dr. Anthony Fauci and is influenced by a doctor who is not an expert in disease of pandemicsOct. 19, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-18--‘It’s clear Donald Trump’s campaign is desperate’: President Trump campaigns in traditional Republic

‘It’s clear Donald Trump’s campaign is desperate’: President Trump campaigns in traditional Republican strongholds ahead of November 3rd

With a little over two weeks until the election, President Donald Trump is spending a considerable amount of time campaigning in traditionally red states as he continues to trail Democratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Biden in the polls. MSNBC’s “American Voices” host Alicia Menendez discusses the campaign’s strategy with Lorella Praeli, president of Community Change Action, MSNBC contributor Brittany Packnett Cunningham, an activist and host of the new podcast "Undistracted", and Dave Jacobson, co-founder of J and Z Strategies.Oct. 18, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-19--Dr. Peter Hotez advises 'to get ready for a a tough time'

Dr. Peter Hotez joins Andrea Mitchell to discuss rising COVID cases with up to 70,000 new cases a day. Dr. Hotez says "We're in the middle of not only a public health crisis but the fact the White House and executive branch-is so disengaged they have managed to turn this not only into public health crisis, but homeland security crisis because people feel no one is looking after them."Oct. 19, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-19--Biden leads Trump in most battleground polls 15 days before election

NBC's Steve Kornacki is at the Big Board to break down Trump's challenge in battleground states in the final stretch of the presidential race.Oct. 19, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-19--Trump says 'people are tired of covid' and calls Fauci a 'disaster' in campaign call

Trump says 'people are tired of covid' and calls Fauci a 'disaster' in campaign call
NBC's Shannon Pettypiece discusses Trump saying that "people are tired of covid" and "hearing [from] Fauci and all these idiots" in a campaign call.Oct. 19, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-19--Ice Cube, Trump, and the Democratic Party's Black voter problem

A little while back I had a conversation with a Black Trump supporter named Sean Shewmake on my podcast , “ Into America.
” We got into why he voted for President Donald Trump in 2016 , and why , after three and a half years of the president ’ s lies , of his winking and nodding at white supremacists , and his spreading of dangerous conspiracy theories , Shewmake plans on voting for Trump again in November .
Shewmake is 47 years old and lives outside of Atlanta .
He ’ s a husband , father , real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And besides his Trumpyness , he kind of reminded me of a few guys I know .
He rattled off a list of reasons he supports Trump that you might expect to hear : Trump ’ s funding for HBCUs , the First Step Act and low Black unemployment rates , pre-Covid-19 .
Things eventually went off the rails with all of the midflight fact-checking that I had to do .
But the conversation was revealing in some important ways , ways that many progressives and Democrats might not fully appreciate .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it did make me stop and think .
For many Black men like Shewmake , there ’ s a general sentiment that Democrats have either forgotten them or abandoned efforts to reach Black people , and Black men especially .
So , why not give the boogeyman a shot ?
I thought about this conversation late last week when word began to get around that legendary rapper Ice Cube had advised the Trump administration on its so-called Platinum Plan for Black Americans , news that seemed to shake parts of the political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How could Ice Cube , the O.G.
, who recently said he ’ d never vote for Trump , ostensibly work with him despite everything we know about him ?
For anyone shocked by the revelation , you haven ’ t been paying attention .
Ice Cube has been wading into precarious political waters for a long time now , and he knows his way around .
As uprisings swept across the country over the summer after the killing of George Floyd , Ice Cube created what he calls the “ Contract With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d be willing to work with any politician from any party to achieve his goals of economic and social justice for Black people .
Ice Cube defended himself by saying that he did exactly what he said he would do , that he ’ d work with any politician who was willing to address the critical needs of Black America , regardless of political affiliation .
“ If we ’ re not in contact or not talking with a certain administration because we ’ re on another team and they win , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit back and wait another four years ?
” Cube said to Roland Martin , host of Roland Martin Unfiltered .
“ We 've been lied to for a long time , 400 years or more , and so one thing I know is we need to do something different .
And one thing is never being too one sided , hard-headed , proud to speak to whoever ’ s in power , ” he said .
He went on : “ For me , I told everybody what I was going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
But if I would have did something with Biden they would ’ ve exploited it , too .
That ’ s just par for the game .
The thing is to get movement , the thing is to make sure we move the needle no matter who is elected .
Our program has to be pushed through , so non-dialogue to me is not how you do it.
” What I really wanted to get at in my conversation with Shewmake , though I never asked explicitly , was how a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who wears his thinly veiled racism so boastfully .
When I asked Shewmake directly about how he feels about Trump ’ s racism , Shewmake brushed it off and pointed to the president ’ s Democratic challenger , former Vice President Joe Biden .
He blasted Biden for his past canoodling with segregationists and for his role in the 1994 crime bill that sent countless Black men ( and women ) to prison and destroyed just as many Black families .
“ If Joe Biden is a white supremacist and you still see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wider community , then that 's perfectly fine .
And if you think Donald Trump is a white supremacist , yet you see policies that he can push or pushes that you see beneficial to yourself or to a wider community , there 's nothing wrong with that , ” he told me .
“ In 2020 , a Black man should be able to choose the white supremacist of his choice .
…What kind of sense does it make to tell a party that you all acknowledge took your vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and tell them that right now in this election we 're going to vote for you no matter what ?
What kind of sense does that make when you do n't have anything on the table ?
” Looking back , as much as Shewmake was riding for team Trump , what I heard , even through all of the MAGA-101 stuff , was something less ideological and more transactional that provided some context of Ice Cube ’ s recent actions as well .
In 2016 , Trump got just 6 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number doesn ’ t tell the whole truth .
While just 4 percent of Black women voted for him , 13 percent of Black men voted for Trump last time around .
The Trump campaign believes that chasm is exploitable in November and that they ’ ll grow their Black male support .
At the same time , the Biden campaign needs strong Black turnout to win in places like Michigan , Ohio , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — states that Hilary Clinton lost in 2016 in part because of lower Black voter turnout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still remember the day in seventh grade when my friend dug deep into the pocket of his oversize Starter jacket and pulled out what seemed like contraband .
We huddled close together as a wave of classmates poured noisily down the hall headed to the cafeteria for lunch .
For a long moment we allowed the rush of excitement and rebellion to wash over us .
Then he opened his hand and our eyes and smiles grew even wider .
In his hand was a cassette tape with the most flagrant cover art @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pair of naked white feet sticking out from under an American flag with a toe tag that read : Uncle Sam .
It was Ice Cube ’ s October 1991 album “ Death Certificate.
” The album was a fiery polemic on the systemic degradation of Black life in America and the self-destruction it often fueled .
But it was also a recitation on the seeming abandonment , from all sides , of Black people struggling against those same systemic forces .
“ Death Certificate ” was controversial for all of its gratuitous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it was kindling for what was burning inside of us .
We were young and Black and already schooled on how much of the world saw us as disposable at best and a threat at worst .
In one of the songs on the album , “ Bird in the Hand , ” Ice Cube raps about the inequity of opportunity for young Black men and the struggle to make ends meet .
“ Do I got ta go sell me a whole lotta crack For decent shelter and clothes on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for help from Bush George H.W .
Bush , a Texas Republican , was president at the time .
The Rev .
Jesse Jackson was a Chicago Democrat and civil rights icon whose two unsuccessful runs for president drastically expanded the Black electorate and turned Black voters into the Democratic Party ’ s most loyal base .
But Ice Cube felt that Black people had been deserted by both political parties and he made no bones about it .
Almost 30 years to the day of the release of “ Death Certificate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his lack of political allegiance .
And in this moment , just weeks from the most high-stakes and contentious presidential election in modern American history , many argue that he should choose a side .
By and large young Black boys who grew up listening to Cube ’ s message grew up to be Black men , some of whom hold views like Shewmake , who are disillusioned with a big tent Democratic Party that seems to have left many out in the rain .
As complicated as it is , Ice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a growing number of Black men who feel left out and are frustrated with the lack of true racial progress in this country .
This is complicated by the fact that he gave cover to an administration that has been openly hostile to the interests of Black people and those fighting for justice .
And in these waning days of the 2020 election season , the Democrats and their supporters must be wary of dismissing this Ice Cube moment altogether .

A little while back I had a conversation with a Black Trump supporter named Sean Shewmake on my podcast, “Into America.” We got into why he voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, and why, after three and a half years of the president’s lies, of his winking and nodding at white supremacists, and his spreading of dangerous conspiracy theories, Shewmake plans on voting for Trump again in November. Shewmake is 47 years old and lives outside of Atlanta. He’s a husband, father, real estate agent and spoken word artist. And besides his Trumpyness, he kind of reminded me of a few guys I know.
In 2016, Trump got just 6% of the Black vote, but that number doesn’t tell the whole truth.
He rattled off a list of reasons he supports Trump that you might expect to hear: Trump’s funding for HBCUs, the First Step Act and low Black unemployment rates, pre-Covid-19. Things eventually went off the rails with all of the midflight fact-checking that I had to do. But the conversation was revealing in some important ways, ways that many progressives and Democrats might not fully appreciate. As problematic as I think his argument is, it did make me stop and think. For many Black men like Shewmake, there’s a general sentiment that Democrats have either forgotten them or abandoned efforts to reach Black people, and Black men especially. So, why not give the boogeyman a shot?
I thought about this conversation late last week when word began to get around that legendary rapper Ice Cube had advised the Trump administration on its so-called Platinum Plan for Black Americans, news that seemed to shake parts of the political universe. The backlash was swift. How could Ice Cube, the O.G., who recently said he’d never vote for Trump, ostensibly work with him despite everything we know about him?
For anyone shocked by the revelation, you haven’t been paying attention. Ice Cube has been wading into precarious political waters for a long time now, and he knows his way around. As uprisings swept across the country over the summer after the killing of George Floyd, Ice Cube created what he calls the “Contract With Black America.” He said that he’d be willing to work with any politician from any party to achieve his goals of economic and social justice for Black people. Ice Cube defended himself by saying that he did exactly what he said he would do, that he’d work with any politician who was willing to address the critical needs of Black America, regardless of political affiliation.
“If we’re not in contact or not talking with a certain administration because we’re on another team and they win, then what do we do — just sit back and wait another four years?” Cube said to Roland Martin, host of Roland Martin Unfiltered. “We've been lied to for a long time, 400 years or more, and so one thing I know is we need to do something different. And one thing is never being too one sided, hard-headed, proud to speak to whoever’s in power,” he said.
He went on: “For me, I told everybody what I was going to do and did it. They exploited it. But if I would have did something with Biden they would’ve exploited it, too. That’s just par for the game. The thing is to get movement, the thing is to make sure we move the needle no matter who is elected. Our program has to be pushed through, so non-dialogue to me is not how you do it.”
What I really wanted to get at was how a self-respecting Black man could support a politician who wears his thinly veiled racism so boastfully.
What I really wanted to get at in my conversation with Shewmake, though I never asked explicitly, was how a self-respecting Black man could support a politician who wears his thinly veiled racism so boastfully. When I asked Shewmake directly about how he feels about Trump’s racism, Shewmake brushed it off and pointed to the president’s Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden. He blasted Biden for his past canoodling with segregationists and for his role in the 1994 crime bill that sent countless Black men (and women) to prison and destroyed just as many Black families.
“If Joe Biden is a white supremacist and you still see things that can benefit you or benefit a wider community, then that's perfectly fine. And if you think Donald Trump is a white supremacist, yet you see policies that he can push or pushes that you see beneficial to yourself or to a wider community, there's nothing wrong with that,” he told me. “In 2020, a Black man should be able to choose the white supremacist of his choice. …What kind of sense does it make to tell a party that you all acknowledge took your vote for granted for 40 years, to go out and tell them that right now in this election we're going to vote for you no matter what? What kind of sense does that make when you don't have anything on the table?”
Looking back, as much as Shewmake was riding for team Trump, what I heard, even through all of the MAGA-101 stuff, was something less ideological and more transactional that provided some context of Ice Cube’s recent actions as well.
In 2016, Trump got just 6 percent of the Black vote, but that number doesn’t tell the whole truth. While just 4 percent of Black women voted for him, 13 percent of Black men voted for Trump last time around. The Trump campaign believes that chasm is exploitable in November and that they’ll grow their Black male support. At the same time, the Biden campaign needs strong Black turnout to win in places like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — states that Hilary Clinton lost in 2016 in part because of lower Black voter turnout than in 2008 and 2012.
As complicated as it is, Ice Cube gave voice to what could be a growing number of Black men who feel left out and are frustrated with the lack of true racial progress in this country.
I still remember the day in seventh grade when my friend dug deep into the pocket of his oversize Starter jacket and pulled out what seemed like contraband. We huddled close together as a wave of classmates poured noisily down the hall headed to the cafeteria for lunch. For a long moment we allowed the rush of excitement and rebellion to wash over us. Then he opened his hand and our eyes and smiles grew even wider.
In his hand was a cassette tape with the most flagrant cover art I’d ever seen: a pair of naked white feet sticking out from under an American flag with a toe tag that read: Uncle Sam. It was Ice Cube’s October 1991 album “Death Certificate.” The album was a fiery polemic on the systemic degradation of Black life in America and the self-destruction it often fueled. But it was also a recitation on the seeming abandonment, from all sides, of Black people struggling against those same systemic forces.
“Death Certificate” was controversial for all of its gratuitous violence and homophobia and political drive-bys. But it was kindling for what was burning inside of us. We were young and Black and already schooled on how much of the world saw us as disposable at best and a threat at worst. In one of the songs on the album, “Bird in the Hand,” Ice Cube raps about the inequity of opportunity for young Black men and the struggle to make ends meet.
“Do I gotta go sell me a whole lotta crack
For decent shelter and clothes on my back?
Or should I just wait for help from Bush
Or Jesse Jackson, and operation Push”
George H.W. Bush, a Texas Republican, was president at the time. The Rev. Jesse Jackson was a Chicago Democrat and civil rights icon whose two unsuccessful runs for president drastically expanded the Black electorate and turned Black voters into the Democratic Party’s most loyal base. But Ice Cube felt that Black people had been deserted by both political parties and he made no bones about it.
Almost 30 years to the day of the release of “Death Certificate,” Ice Cube is again stirring controversy with his lack of political allegiance. And in this moment, just weeks from the most high-stakes and contentious presidential election in modern American history, many argue that he should choose a side. By and large young Black boys who grew up listening to Cube’s message grew up to be Black men, some of whom hold views like Shewmake, who are disillusioned with a big tent Democratic Party that seems to have left many out in the rain.
As complicated as it is, Ice Cube gave voice to what could be a growing number of Black men who feel left out and are frustrated with the lack of true racial progress in this country. This is complicated by the fact that he gave cover to an administration that has been openly hostile to the interests of Black people and those fighting for justice. And in these waning days of the 2020 election season, the Democrats and their supporters must be wary of dismissing this Ice Cube moment altogether.


msnbc--2020-10-19--Trump's viral misinformation is spreading faster than Covid-19

The United States has been caught in the throes of yet another incredibly fast-spreading and viral outbreak , and it ’ s not the coronavirus — it is the lethal outbreak of misinformation around multiple aspects of health and science .
With President Donald Trump referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci as a “ disaster ” and complaining on a campaign call that “ people are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots ” continue to talk about the coronavirus , the source of misinformation isn ’ t hard to identify .
Public polling shows that Americans have a high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But as the president and his closest advisers spread lies and misleading information , that trust shows signs of eroding and the American people are going to suffer because of it .
We ’ ve seen other symptoms of this plague of misinformation when Trump misstated that “ 85 percent of the people that wear masks ” catch coronavirus , referring to a Center for Disease Control and Prevention study that had no such finding but instead pointed out how people who caught the coronavirus were two times more likely to have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding that has been reinforced through national contact tracing efforts .
News that the White House has embedded political operatives — neither of whom has a professional history in public health — into the CDC ’ s headquarters further attests to the entrenched and insidious nature of this misinformation virus .
How can we protect ourselves against harmful misinformation if our trusted sources are misleading us ?
The White House 's controlling of messaging on vital information to the public is part of an effort that systematically dismantles the integrity of and trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lifesaving guidelines to the public , separate from any political agenda .
Public polling shows that Americans have a high degree of trust in Dr. Fauci .
But as the president and his closest advisers spread more lies and mislead the public , that trust shows signs of eroding and the American people are going to suffer because of it .
Viral spread by definition is fast and , to be even more technical , multiplied repeatedly by the same number .
One person infecting three people becomes 1 billion in only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The president has an incredibly powerful bully pulpit and isn ’ t a regular person , so his misinformation only needs to influence three people to become truly lethal .
The misinformation might seem innocuous at first ; the off-hand comment about using bleach in the body to kill Covid-19 , or jokes about wearing masks , but this misinformation spreads like a virus .
And more people will die because of it .
It then grows , spreading to infect others — senior White House officials , heads of state , Cabinet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mask or distance in a crowd .
Next , entire cities and states launch rallies against mask mandates , creating superspreader events in multiples .
The misinformation campaign continues , with the president attending rallies without even minimum safety precautions for attendees and stating that “ we are rounding the turn ” of the impact of Covid-19 despite record numbers of cases in the last seven days .
He urges people to not be afraid of the virus , while states like Wisconsin are opening army field hospitals to handle the overwhelming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not limited to the president , who has erroneously stated that he was cured of Covid-19 , despite one of his treatments being experimental and not widely available to regular Americans who have contracted Covid-19 .
This misinformation virus has spread to the president ’ s inner circle and advisers , with his closest aides minimizing the impact of Covid-19 and even neglecting to make attendees of events where the president was present aware of the risk .
This includes former Gov .
Chris Christie of New Jersey , who stated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he might need to get tested because of his exposure at a White House event last month .
Despite dozens of close aides and officials being infected at what Dr. Anthony Fauci deemed a superspreader event , little follow-up or acknowledgement has been made to the hundreds of essential workers at the White House complex who face increased risk and lack the ability to work remotely or ensure that their families are not exposed to a serious illness .
But the president ’ s advisers are not merely being passive in an urgent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the most dire of consequences .
Dr. Scott Atlas , now considered a crucial Covid-19 adviser to the White House , had a tweet removed recently that falsely claimed that masks do not work .
Atlas has also been an advocate of concepts related to herd immunity , which would allow the infection to spread throughout the population while keeping vulnerable persons protected .
The problem , of course , with such a concept is that with a virus like Covid-19 with a conservative estimate of a 0.5 percent fatality rate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 2 million more lives lost from Covid-19 .
And in a stunning display of conscious bias , there has been little to no acknowledgement of the incredible health care disparities in Covid-19 , with Black people , Indigenous people , and people of color facing issues of health care access , increased hospitalizations and a disproportionate burden of deaths .
The president has also systematically undermined scientific agencies by either directly refuting his own health agency heads or inserting completely unqualified people into the highest levels of government with direct influence over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the damage of this influence is still largely unknown , but at a minimum we now understand that CDC recommendations around reopening and school safety were either changed or completely buried to fit the White House ’ s agenda .
This unprecedented influence led to the country ’ s scattered approach to reopening , with some cities and states opening up too early and experiencing rising cases around the Fourth of July ( now considered the second peak of the epidemic ) responsible for tens of thousands of lost lives .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the threat of a pandemic came to the United States .
In 2015 , he campaigned on the notion that the Affordable Care Act was so flawed that it needed to be replaced with “ something terrific ” but the only actions that have been taken since that speech are efforts to take away benefits from patients by allowing for short-term plans that do not have to cover people with pre-existing conditions and do not cover basic benefits such as prescription drugs or mental health care .
The numbers of uninsured have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with millions of people expected to lose health care coverage due to job losses related to Covid-19 , posing an even greater challenge with the country ’ s swelling unemployment numbers .
In short , more people , not less , have lost access to health care under Trump .
All at a time when the country needs high quality health care the most .
Of course , inserting politics into public health decisions and campaigns is not new ; historically , public health plans have been used to control populations and sway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the patients , specifically the most vulnerable poor , Black , Indigenous and people of color , who are harmed the most , with far-reaching and fatal effects .
Still , the level at which politics , not science and medical expertise , has brazenly led the U.S. ’ s faltering Covid-19 plan in 2020 is unique , and requires a collective antidote .
Upcoming rallies , debates and town halls are likely to be incredibly rich with more lies and myths .
But just like the nation is fighting the coronavirus with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus of misinformation with truth , facts and data .
Any less will allow the virus to win .

The United States has been caught in the throes of yet another incredibly fast-spreading and viral outbreak, and it’s not the coronavirus — it is the lethal outbreak of misinformation around multiple aspects of health and science. With President Donald Trump referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci as a “disaster” and complaining on a campaign call that “people are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots” continue to talk about the coronavirus, the source of misinformation isn’t hard to identify. Public polling shows that Americans have a high degree of trust in Dr. Fauci. But as the president and his closest advisers spread lies and misleading information, that trust shows signs of eroding and the American people are going to suffer because of it.
Trump: "Fauci is a disaster. If I listened to him, we’d have 500,000 deaths," before later saying it would be 700,000 or 800,000. "If there’s a reporter on, you can have it just the way I said it, I couldn’t care less." (CNN was given access to the call by a source.) — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 19, 2020
We’ve seen other symptoms of this plague of misinformation when Trump misstated that “85 percent of the people that wear masks” catch coronavirus, referring to a Center for Disease Control and Prevention study that had no such finding but instead pointed out how people who caught the coronavirus were two times more likely to have been to a bar or restaurant, a finding that has been reinforced through national contact tracing efforts.
News that the White House has embedded political operatives — neither of whom has a professional history in public health — into the CDC’s headquarters further attests to the entrenched and insidious nature of this misinformation virus. How can we protect ourselves against harmful misinformation if our trusted sources are misleading us?
The White House's controlling of messaging on vital information to the public is part of an effort that systematically dismantles the integrity of and trust in an organization intended to impart facts and lifesaving guidelines to the public, separate from any political agenda. Public polling shows that Americans have a high degree of trust in Dr. Fauci. But as the president and his closest advisers spread more lies and mislead the public, that trust shows signs of eroding and the American people are going to suffer because of it.
How can we protect ourselves against harmful misinformation if our trusted sources are misleading us?
Viral spread by definition is fast and, to be even more technical, multiplied repeatedly by the same number. One person infecting three people becomes 1 billion in only 21 steps because of exponential growth. The president has an incredibly powerful bully pulpit and isn’t a regular person, so his misinformation only needs to influence three people to become truly lethal. The misinformation might seem innocuous at first; the off-hand comment about using bleach in the body to kill Covid-19, or jokes about wearing masks, but this misinformation spreads like a virus. And more people will die because of it. It then grows, spreading to infect others — senior White House officials, heads of state, Cabinet members who refuse to quarantine, wear a mask or distance in a crowd. Next, entire cities and states launch rallies against mask mandates, creating superspreader events in multiples.
The misinformation campaign continues, with the president attending rallies without even minimum safety precautions for attendees and stating that “we are rounding the turn” of the impact of Covid-19 despite record numbers of cases in the last seven days. He urges people to not be afraid of the virus, while states like Wisconsin are opening army field hospitals to handle the overwhelming surge of patients.
The misinformation virus is not limited to the president, who has erroneously stated that he was cured of Covid-19, despite one of his treatments being experimental and not widely available to regular Americans who have contracted Covid-19. This misinformation virus has spread to the president’s inner circle and advisers, with his closest aides minimizing the impact of Covid-19 and even neglecting to make attendees of events where the president was present aware of the risk. This includes former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, who stated that he found out through the media that he might need to get tested because of his exposure at a White House event last month. Despite dozens of close aides and officials being infected at what Dr. Anthony Fauci deemed a superspreader event, little follow-up or acknowledgement has been made to the hundreds of essential workers at the White House complex who face increased risk and lack the ability to work remotely or ensure that their families are not exposed to a serious illness.
Dr. Fauci is one of our country’s most distinguished public servants. He has served 6 presidents, starting with Ronald Reagan. If more Americans paid attention to his advice, we’d have fewer cases of COVID-19, & it would be safer to go back to school & back to work & out to eat. — Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) October 19, 2020
But the president’s advisers are not merely being passive in an urgent situation; they are actively spreading misinformation with the most dire of consequences. Dr. Scott Atlas, now considered a crucial Covid-19 adviser to the White House, had a tweet removed recently that falsely claimed that masks do not work. Atlas has also been an advocate of concepts related to herd immunity, which would allow the infection to spread throughout the population while keeping vulnerable persons protected. The problem, of course, with such a concept is that with a virus like Covid-19 with a conservative estimate of a 0.5 percent fatality rate, we would still see at least 1 to 2 million more lives lost from Covid-19. And in a stunning display of conscious bias, there has been little to no acknowledgement of the incredible health care disparities in Covid-19, with Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color facing issues of health care access, increased hospitalizations and a disproportionate burden of deaths.
The president has systematically undermined scientific agencies by either directly refuting his own health agency heads or inserting completely unqualified people into the highest levels of government with direct influence over scientific reports and data.
The president has also systematically undermined scientific agencies by either directly refuting his own health agency heads or inserting completely unqualified people into the highest levels of government with direct influence over scientific reports and data. The extent of the damage of this influence is still largely unknown, but at a minimum we now understand that CDC recommendations around reopening and school safety were either changed or completely buried to fit the White House’s agenda. This unprecedented influence led to the country’s scattered approach to reopening, with some cities and states opening up too early and experiencing rising cases around the Fourth of July (now considered the second peak of the epidemic) responsible for tens of thousands of lost lives.
Trump has propagated misinformation around health care long before the threat of a pandemic came to the United States. In 2015, he campaigned on the notion that the Affordable Care Act was so flawed that it needed to be replaced with “something terrific” but the only actions that have been taken since that speech are efforts to take away benefits from patients by allowing for short-term plans that do not have to cover people with pre-existing conditions and do not cover basic benefits such as prescription drugs or mental health care. The numbers of uninsured have increased steadily over the last several years with millions of people expected to lose health care coverage due to job losses related to Covid-19, posing an even greater challenge with the country’s swelling unemployment numbers. In short, more people, not less, have lost access to health care under Trump. All at a time when the country needs high quality health care the most.
Of course, inserting politics into public health decisions and campaigns is not new; historically, public health plans have been used to control populations and sway public support. And it is always the patients, specifically the most vulnerable poor, Black, Indigenous and people of color, who are harmed the most, with far-reaching and fatal effects. Still, the level at which politics, not science and medical expertise, has brazenly led the U.S.’s faltering Covid-19 plan in 2020 is unique, and requires a collective antidote. Upcoming rallies, debates and town halls are likely to be incredibly rich with more lies and myths. But just like the nation is fighting the coronavirus with mitigation measures, we must fight the virus of misinformation with truth, facts and data. Any less will allow the virus to win.


msnbc--2020-10-19--Christian leaders speak out against the president

The Rev. William Barber and founder of Public Square Strategies, Michael Wear, discuss how Christians will vote in the coming election along with the president's pick for the Supreme Court.Oct. 19, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-20--Muted mics to cut interruptions at final Biden-Trump debate

'Who are Latinos now ?
, ' writer asks in 'Finding Latinx

The Commission on Presidential Debates says in the final 2020 presidential debate, the microphone of each candidate's competitor will be muted during portions of the question and answer period. We discuss that and more with fmr. Obama aide Robert Gibbs and fmr. Jeb Bush aide Tim Miller.Oct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-20--Trump crashing as 2020 early voting jumps 400 percent

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


msnbc--2020-10-20--Former RNC chair endorses Biden for president

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


msnbc--2020-10-20--'I have never seen the amount of suffering': doctor stresses severity of new Covid surge


msnbc--2020-10-20--Maddow: Biden doesn't need the next debate. Should he even bother?

Maddow: Biden doesn't need the next debate. Should he even bother?
Rachel Maddow points out that with a lead in the polls, a large number of Americans having already voted, and a disingenuous opponent in Donald Trump, Joe Biden could reasonably decide not to bother with another presidential debate.Oct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-20--Giuliani heedless of intel warnings, Trump impeachment, law in pushing anti-Biden story

Jeremy Bash, former chief of staff at the CIA and DoD, talks with Rachel Maddow about whether Rudy Giuliani risks running afoul of the law with his advocacy of a sketchy anti-Biden story.Oct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-20--LaTosha Brown: Trump’s voter suppression efforts have backfired on GOP

Black Voters Matter Fund co-founder LaTosha Brown says Donald Trump’s effort to create “confusion and chaos” has helped set in-person early voting records across the country. She tells Lawrence O’Donnell it’s become a “lightning rod” for Black voters who are now even more determined to ensure their ballots get counted.Oct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-19--Joy Reid: Republicans distancing from Trump are pretending they haven’t been his sycophants

Joy Reid: Republicans distancing from Trump are pretending they haven’t been his sycophants
Some Senate Republicans are gearing up for a bloodbath in 2020, losing potentially the majority along with the White House. Joy says, "Senate Republicans are freaking out warning of a potential bloodbath and pretending they haven't been Trump's sycophants."Oct. 19, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-20--Two thumbs down: Trump's 2020 sequel looks almost nothing like 2016

It ’ s rare that a blockbuster sequel lives up to the original , as President Donald Trump ’ s re-election campaign is learning in the final stretch of the election season .
Even as it pulls out all the stops , using previously sacrosanct powers of the presidency in the process , the campaign — following the lead of the man atop the ticket — keeps falling back on the exact same shtick that got him into office in the first place , as the Associated Press accurately noted .
If this were a film , it would feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Empire Strikes Back.
” If we revisit Trump ’ s win four years ago , we can pull out four key elements in the lead-up to the twist ending : an influx of outside help from overseas ; a timely reminder of Trump ’ s opponent ’ s historic levels of unpopularity ; a flooding of the zone online in the run-up to the election ; and a frenzied base ready to turnout over suppressed Democrat voters .
The result hasn ’ t quite got the same zing as the original @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s no Wikileaks drip of emails stolen from his opponents for a receptive campaign to capitalize on .
Russia is instead focusing its energy on just amplifying what Trump actually says and calling it a day .
Instead , we have a Rudy Giuliani-coordinated effort to push a set of alleged messages allegedly found on a laptop that allegedly belonged to Hunter Biden .
The jury is still out on whether this operation is at all foreign influenced instead of a scenario where Rudy Giuliani got played yet again — the FBI is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this becoming the next “ But her emails !
” is fading by the day .
Speaking of her emails , Trump ’ s attempts to manufacture another Act III intervention from the Justice Department isn ’ t going as well as he ’ d hoped either .
FBI Director James Comey ’ s decision to announce a new re-opening of the Clinton case on Oct. 28 , 2016 threw the race for a loop .
This time around , Trump placed his hopes into US Attorney John Durham , who ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigate the origin of Mueller ’ s investigation .
What better flourish ahead of the credits than being proven right about Russiagate being a political hitjob ?
Attorney General William Barr hasn ’ t been playing his assigned role .
He told members of Congress that Durham ’ s report won ’ t be done ahead of the election , cutting a crucial scene from the sequel ’ s script .
An investigation into the “ unmasking ” scandal that briefly thrilled right-wing media also quietly wrapped up recently without any wrongdoing found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite Barr ’ s boss railing at him on live television for not targeting his political enemies directly .
That includes Clinton , whom attendees of Trump ’ s rallies still occasionally demand be arrested , even if the words “ Lock her up ” have lost their original power .
Clinton at this same time in 2016 was deeply unpopular among voters — 50 percent of respondents to an NBC News/WSJ poll at the time had a negative view of her versus 40 percent who viewed her positively .
Setting aside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gap , Biden just doesn ’ t face the same hurdle in winning over hearts and minds — he ’ s sitting at 43 percent positive , 42 percent negative , an NBC News piece comparing the difference in his and Clinton ’ s position in the polls points out .
A few recent attempts to define Biden negatively have laughably backfired .
Trump advisor Mercedes Schlapp to compare Biden ’ s performance at a town hall on Oct. 15 to watching “ Mr .
Rogers ’ Neighborhood , ” drawing confusion as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Fred Rogers as an insult .
And as part of Giuliani ’ s dump , the New York Post published texts between Hunter and the former vice president , including one where Biden addresses his son as “ Good morning my beautiful son .
I miss you and love you.
” Not exactly the stuff of nightmares for undecided voters .
Moving on , what about Trump trying to get more attention through Twitter like he did back in 2016 ?
Let ’ s face it : We are all very tired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as his campaign becomes more Extremely Online than ever .
Ever since he left Walter Reed military hospital earlier this month , he ’ s been tweeting up an absolute storm , often focusing on issues that most voters find it hard to know or care about .
As the AP correctly pointed out , what average voter do you know who can tell you who “ Bruce Ohr ” is ?
And with Facebook and Twitter still reeling from scrutiny over their performance in the last election , the social media giants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Trump ’ s falsehoods online .
Not even his cheapest tricks from the last cycle seem to be working .
The one area where Trump ’ s recycled material is doing well is the final plot point : Rallying his base to turn out to the polls .
Which shouldn ’ t be surprising — franchise devotees will lineup for a new release even if their expectations have fallen .
Trump for his part has been tailoring his rallies lately for these megafans , focusing on his own personal grievances instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and telling well-worn stories that some attendees have memorized like their favorite “ Star Trek ” episode .
In effect , though , he ’ s risking alienating everyone who hasn ’ t memorized the vast web of characters and plots that make up the Trump Cinematic Universe .
Can Trump still eke out a win ?
Sure , anything is weirdly possible thanks to the byzantine systems that govern our elections , like the Electoral College and the myriad of state election laws currently being evaluated in the courts .
But so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing back most of the stars of the original cast , this sequel is looking like it ’ s set to earn two thumbs down .
Now then , how about some links to start off your Tuesday ?
Here 's what you should be reading : NBC News : Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the Supreme Court 's liberal wing to allow mail-in ballots cast in Pennsylvania to be received and counted up to three days after Election Day , which is huge .
BuzzFeed News : Russia sent the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic as a goodwill measure .
They did n't work and FEMA threw them out without using them , so there 's a metaphor .
WSJ : Africa 's largest city was totally shutdown on Monday as anti-police brutality protesters filled the streets of Lagos , Nigeria .
( I missed these too before this story and I absolutely blame the election 's black hole-like drain on our attention . )
The Verge : Chinese company Foxconn promised to bring a ton of jobs to Wisconsin in a deal that President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ca n't guess how it turned out !
NYT : And finally , California state senator Scott Wiener wrote a great piece on what it was like to be targeted by QAnon — and it 's both thoughtful and kind towards the people who 've fallen for the conspiracy .

It’s rare that a blockbuster sequel lives up to the original, as President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign is learning in the final stretch of the election season. Even as it pulls out all the stops, using previously sacrosanct powers of the presidency in the process, the campaign — following the lead of the man atop the ticket — keeps falling back on the exact same shtick that got him into office in the first place, as the Associated Press accurately noted. If this were a film, it would feel more like “Caddyshack II” than “The Empire Strikes Back.”
It’s rare that a blockbuster sequel lives up to the original, as President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign is learning in the final stretch of the election season.
If we revisit Trump’s win four years ago, we can pull out four key elements in the lead-up to the twist ending: an influx of outside help from overseas; a timely reminder of Trump’s opponent’s historic levels of unpopularity; a flooding of the zone online in the run-up to the election; and a frenzied base ready to turnout over suppressed Democrat voters.
The result hasn’t quite got the same zing as the original. This time around, there’s no Wikileaks drip of emails stolen from his opponents for a receptive campaign to capitalize on. Russia is instead focusing its energy on just amplifying what Trump actually says and calling it a day.
Instead, we have a Rudy Giuliani-coordinated effort to push a set of alleged messages allegedly found on a laptop that allegedly belonged to Hunter Biden. The jury is still out on whether this operation is at all foreign influenced instead of a scenario where Rudy Giuliani got played yet again — the FBI is reportedly investigating now. But the possibility of this becoming the next “But her emails!” is fading by the day.
Speaking of her emails, Trump’s attempts to manufacture another Act III intervention from the Justice Department isn’t going as well as he’d hoped either. FBI Director James Comey’s decision to announce a new re-opening of the Clinton case on Oct. 28, 2016 threw the race for a loop. This time around, Trump placed his hopes into US Attorney John Durham, who’s been working since last year to investigate the origin of Mueller’s investigation. What better flourish ahead of the credits than being proven right about Russiagate being a political hitjob?
Attorney General William Barr hasn’t been playing his assigned role. He told members of Congress that Durham’s report won’t be done ahead of the election, cutting a crucial scene from the sequel’s script. An investigation into the “unmasking” scandal that briefly thrilled right-wing media also quietly wrapped up recently without any wrongdoing found or charges filed against Obama-era officials, despite Barr’s boss railing at him on live television for not targeting his political enemies directly.
That includes Clinton, whom attendees of Trump’s rallies still occasionally demand be arrested, even if the words “Lock her up” have lost their original power. Clinton at this same time in 2016 was deeply unpopular among voters — 50 percent of respondents to an NBC News/WSJ poll at the time had a negative view of her versus 40 percent who viewed her positively. Setting aside the role that sexism played in that 10-point gap, Biden just doesn’t face the same hurdle in winning over hearts and minds — he’s sitting at 43 percent positive, 42 percent negative, an NBC News piece comparing the difference in his and Clinton’s position in the polls points out.
A few recent attempts to define Biden negatively have laughably backfired. Trump advisor Mercedes Schlapp to compare Biden’s performance at a town hall on Oct. 15 to watching “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” drawing confusion as to just who would take being compared to Fred Rogers as an insult. And as part of Giuliani’s dump, the New York Post published texts between Hunter and the former vice president, including one where Biden addresses his son as “Good morning my beautiful son. I miss you and love you.” Not exactly the stuff of nightmares for undecided voters.
So let me get this right. The closing argument from the Trump campaign is Joe Biden is a Mr. Rogers who will listen to the scientists on COVID? — Dan Rather (@DanRather) October 19, 2020
Moving on, what about Trump trying to get more attention through Twitter like he did back in 2016? Let’s face it: We are all very tired of Trump’s tweets, even as his campaign becomes more Extremely Online than ever. Ever since he left Walter Reed military hospital earlier this month, he’s been tweeting up an absolute storm, often focusing on issues that most voters find it hard to know or care about. As the AP correctly pointed out, what average voter do you know who can tell you who “Bruce Ohr” is? And with Facebook and Twitter still reeling from scrutiny over their performance in the last election, the social media giants have slowly become more willing to pushback on Trump’s falsehoods online.
Not even his cheapest tricks from the last cycle seem to be working. The one area where Trump’s recycled material is doing well is the final plot point: Rallying his base to turn out to the polls. Which shouldn’t be surprising — franchise devotees will lineup for a new release even if their expectations have fallen. Trump for his part has been tailoring his rallies lately for these megafans, focusing on his own personal grievances instead of things that broadly concern the electorate, and telling well-worn stories that some attendees have memorized like their favorite “Star Trek” episode. In effect, though, he’s risking alienating everyone who hasn’t memorized the vast web of characters and plots that make up the Trump Cinematic Universe.
Can Trump still eke out a win? Sure, anything is weirdly possible thanks to the byzantine systems that govern our elections, like the Electoral College and the myriad of state election laws currently being evaluated in the courts. But so far, despite a massive budget and bringing back most of the stars of the original cast, this sequel is looking like it’s set to earn two thumbs down.
Now then, how about some links to start off your Tuesday? Here's what you should be reading:
NBC News: Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the Supreme Court's liberal wing to allow mail-in ballots cast in Pennsylvania to be received and counted up to three days after Election Day, which is huge.
BuzzFeed News: Russia sent the U.S. a few dozen ventilators at the height of the pandemic as a goodwill measure. They didn't work and FEMA threw them out without using them, so there's a metaphor.
WSJ: Africa's largest city was totally shutdown on Monday as anti-police brutality protesters filled the streets of Lagos, Nigeria. (I missed these too before this story and I absolutely blame the election's black hole-like drain on our attention.)
The Verge: Chinese company Foxconn promised to bring a ton of jobs to Wisconsin in a deal that President Trump himself helped negotiate. I bet you can't guess how it turned out!
NYT: And finally, California state senator Scott Wiener wrote a great piece on what it was like to be targeted by QAnon — and it's both thoughtful and kind towards the people who've fallen for the conspiracy.


msnbc--2020-10-20--Kornacki explores Florida early voting numbers

North Dakota Covid cases per million among highest rate of all countries globally

Early voting and voter registration numbers in Florida provide clues to possible outcomes of the 2020 elections. While Democrats have higher early voting turnout, Republican voters could flood the polls on Election Day.Oct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-21--Lawyers: We can’t find parents of 545 migrant children separated by Trump admin

Two and half years after the Trump administration launched an official policy to separate migrant children from their parents, and after a judge ordered them to reunite those families, hundreds of kids are still without their parents. And those parents can't be found. Jacob Soboroff reports.Oct. 21, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-20--‘Call off the dogs…it’s absolutely outrageous’: Fmr. DHS Secy. to Trump on ‘poll watchers’

Law enforcement officers are preparing for a different kind of election day threat: armed people at polls. Former DHS Secretary and former governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Ridge, joins Stephanie Ruhle to explain why President Trump needs to tell his supporters to back off for the sake of local law enforcement.Oct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-20--Frank Figliuzzi on QAnon: ‘This doesn’t go away merely if Trump goes away’

Frank Figliuzzi on QAnon: ‘This doesn’t go away merely if Trump goes away’
New York Times reporting on the QAnon conspiracy theory finding its way into the mainstream with the help of the president and some individuals who are running for CongressOct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-20--Donny Deutsch: Trump is not running for president, he’s ‘setting himself up for his next act’

Donny Deutsch: Trump is not running for president, he’s ‘setting himself up for his next act’
Donny Deutsch says he believes the president is aware that he will likely lose the election and is preparing for his next moveOct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-20--CPD co-chairman: New presidential debate rules are 'in the best interest of the American people'

CPD co-chairman: New presidential debate rules are 'in the best interest of the American people'
Co-chairman of the Commission for Presidential Debates Frank Fahrenkopf discusses the decision to further enforce rules for the final presidential debate between President Trump and Joe Biden and claims they are "in the best interest of the American people."Oct. 20, 2020


msnbc--2020-10-21--Even Trump's supporters are tired of hearing from Trump

Two weeks out from the election , what was once considered President Donald Trump 's greatest strength among his base — his tendency to `` say what he thinks '' — has become perhaps his biggest liability .
After having been waylaid by Covid-19 this month , Trump is imploring his re-election campaign staffers to book more rallies for him — as many as five a day , he said in a conference call Monday .
But in this crucial stretch , it 's looking like what voters would actually love to hear from the president , if at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a message that worried down-ballot candidates have been trying to telegraph to the president in recent weeks , fearing a `` Republican bloodbath '' on Nov. 3 .
But the `` let Trump be Trump '' energy remains strong , even as it 's clear that letting him talk about whatever is on his mind instead of focusing on the economy or contrasting himself with Joe Biden is n't working out too well .
The clearest way we 've seen this demonstrated so far is in suburban women 's shift away from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They now favor Biden by 23 percentage points in battleground states , according to a recent poll from The New York Times and Siena College .
It 's something that Trump seems well aware of himself — `` Suburban women , will you please like me ? ''
Trump , never one to leave something as subtext when it could be neon text , instead , begged at a rally in Pennsylvania on Oct. 13 .
But the troubles run deeper for him .
Politico Magazine 's Tim Alberta , who has adroitly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last few years , noted Tuesday that people are actually pretty dang tired of being in constant digital contact with the president .
And that includes those who should be some of his biggest supporters .
Here 's how Alberta put it : Trump , by most accounts , needs to expand upon his base pool of voters if he has a shot of winning against Biden on Nov. 3 , especially in swing states like Michigan and Wisconsin .
If members of Trump 's own party are wary of his tone and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great sign for pulling in the ever-dwindling number of undecideds and people whose support remains shaky .
As good as Alberta 's sample size is , I can hear you say that 's still pretty anecdotal .
But the data support his point .
After the first debate , The New York Times ' polling found that voters in Pennsylvania and Florida — two states Trump needs to win — were put off by the president 's constant interrupting and general temperament .
Diving into the cross tabs , 14 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support Trump after watching that virtuoso performance of Trumpian qualities .
That 's twice the percentage of Democrats who were asked the same question about Biden .
Trump 's performances at rallies draw headlines but risk drowning out a broader message right as his supporters need one to cut through .
The Pew Research Center released the results of a survey Monday , part of its American News Pathways project , that looks into voters ' news consumption as the election approaches .
What they found was that as Election Day approaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attention to the race .
That 's no huge surprise .
But here 's where things get interesting .
A majority of both Trump 's supporters and people backing Biden feel worn out from keeping up with the news , but there 's a clear split based on people 's preference : And finally , longtime GOP pollster Frank Luntz said something during last week 's dueling town halls that stuck with me .
Soon after Trump concluded , Luntz tweeted that his focus group of 15 undecided voters `` say that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks . ''
Later , on CNBC 's `` Squawk Box , '' he added that those voters remained undecided because they 're `` nervous about Trump 's persona and they are nervous about Joe Biden 's policies , and that 's what is holding them back . ''
And yet , Trump 's persona is what remains front and center , and that 's not likely to change in these last 14 days .
The president 's blunt talk is off-putting in the Republican-friendly suburbs , where he needs to perform well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urban areas ; his staunchest fans are oversaturated with his mien and constant presence in their lives ; his supporters are feeling more overwhelmed than Biden 's in trying to keep up with all the news of the race , which is dominated by Trump 's latest gripes instead of his policies compared to Biden 's ; and the few undecided voters out there think that the more Trump talks , the less they like him .

Two weeks out from the election, what was once considered President Donald Trump's greatest strength among his base — his tendency to "say what he thinks" — has become perhaps his biggest liability.
After having been waylaid by Covid-19 this month, Trump is imploring his re-election campaign staffers to book more rallies for him — as many as five a day, he said in a conference call Monday. But in this crucial stretch, it's looking like what voters would actually love to hear from the president, if at all possible, is less.
It's a message that worried down-ballot candidates have been trying to telegraph to the president in recent weeks, fearing a "Republican bloodbath" on Nov. 3. But the "let Trump be Trump" energy remains strong, even as it's clear that letting him talk about whatever is on his mind instead of focusing on the economy or contrasting himself with Joe Biden isn't working out too well.
The clearest way we've seen this demonstrated so far is in suburban women's shift away from the president over the last four years. They now favor Biden by 23 percentage points in battleground states, according to a recent poll from The New York Times and Siena College. It's something that Trump seems well aware of himself — "Suburban women, will you please like me?" Trump, never one to leave something as subtext when it could be neon text, instead, begged at a rally in Pennsylvania on Oct. 13.
But the troubles run deeper for him. Politico Magazine's Tim Alberta, who has adroitly chronicled Republicans' relationship with Trump these last few years, noted Tuesday that people are actually pretty dang tired of being in constant digital contact with the president. And that includes those who should be some of his biggest supporters. Here's how Alberta put it:
Whatever appeal his unfiltered thoughts once held has now worn off. Americans are tired of having beers with Trump. His own supporters are tired of having beers with Trump. In hundreds of interviews this year with MAGA loyalists, I have noted only a handful in which the person did not, unsolicited, point to the president's behavior as exhausting and inappropriate. Strip away all the policy fights, all the administrative action (or inaction) and all the culture war politics, and the decision for many people comes down to a basic conclusion: They just don't approve of the president as a human being.
Trump, by most accounts, needs to expand upon his base pool of voters if he has a shot of winning against Biden on Nov. 3, especially in swing states like Michigan and Wisconsin. If members of Trump's own party are wary of his tone and demeanor, though, it's not a great sign for pulling in the ever-dwindling number of undecideds and people whose support remains shaky.
As good as Alberta's sample size is, I can hear you say that's still pretty anecdotal. But the data support his point. After the first debate, The New York Times' polling found that voters in Pennsylvania and Florida — two states Trump needs to win — were put off by the president's constant interrupting and general temperament. Diving into the cross tabs, 14 percent of Republicans polled said they were less likely to support Trump after watching that virtuoso performance of Trumpian qualities. That's twice the percentage of Democrats who were asked the same question about Biden.
Trump's performances at rallies draw headlines but risk drowning out a broader message right as his supporters need one to cut through. The Pew Research Center released the results of a survey Monday, part of its American News Pathways project, that looks into voters' news consumption as the election approaches. What they found was that as Election Day approaches, people are paying closer and closer attention to the race. That's no huge surprise. But here's where things get interesting. A majority of both Trump's supporters and people backing Biden feel worn out from keeping up with the news, but there's a clear split based on people's preference:
One area of difference is in the level of weariness brought on by keeping up with the news. About two-thirds of Trump supporters (65 percent) say they are worn out by so much coverage. That compares to just over half of Biden supporters (54 percent) who are worn out, while 44 percent say they like a lot of attention on the election.
And finally, longtime GOP pollster Frank Luntz said something during last week's dueling town halls that stuck with me. Soon after Trump concluded, Luntz tweeted that his focus group of 15 undecided voters "say that the more Trump speaks, the worse he looks." Later, on CNBC's "Squawk Box," he added that those voters remained undecided because they're "nervous about Trump's persona and they are nervous about Joe Biden's policies, and that's what is holding them back." And yet, Trump's persona is what remains front and center, and that's not likely to change in these last 14 days.
The president's blunt talk is off-putting in the Republican-friendly suburbs, where he needs to perform well to overcome Biden's votes in large urban areas; his staunchest fans are oversaturated with his mien and constant presence in their lives; his supporters are feeling more overwhelmed than Biden's in trying to keep up with all the news of the race, which is dominated by Trump's latest gripes instead of his policies compared to Biden's; and the few undecided voters out there think that the more Trump talks, the less they like him.