huffpost--2020-05-06--It’s Time To End Election Night In America

But the 2020 election will be different .
Nearly every state in the country anticipates a radical increase in voters casting their ballots by mail to stay safe amid the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic .
This will fundamentally alter the speed at which votes are tabulated .
If this year ’ s presidential election is as close as five of the last six elections ― 2008 being the exception ― it is unlikely a victor will be declared on Nov. 3 .
There are still delays in reporting the results of mailed-in ballots even when states do allow them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day .
Arizona , which Trump won by about 91,000 votes , has a very high rate of votes cast by mail and allows mailed ballots to be opened and counted when they are received .
Still , the state ’ s election results are regularly delayed because mail-in ballots are allowed to be received on Election Day .
Those must be verified as legitimate and checked with in-person votes to ensure no one voted twice before they can be counted .
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema ( D-Ariz. ) was not declared the winner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the election .
California was one of the states Trump singled out for his false accusation of voter fraud .
In 2014 , the nation ’ s most populous state passed an election reform law allowing election clerks to count absentee ballots postmarked on Election Day and received up to three days later .
This means that the state ’ s vote total is not finalized for many days after Election Day .
In 2016 , Hillary Clinton ’ s popular vote total continued to rise after Election Day , largely due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California .
This fed Trump ’ s narcissistic ire .
McCarthy , the current House Republican leader , has also attacked his home state ’ s election laws by positing false conspiracy theories that California changed the law so that voters casting mail ballots no longer need to match their signature to the one the state has on file and that voters can hand in empty ballots that can be filled out later .
He linked these unfounded claims to the seven Republican losses in California in 2018 .
A team of election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by University of California , Irvine , professor Rick Hasen , the author of “ Election Meltdown , ” released a list of recommendations related to this very problem last week .
Barring a complete delay in reporting vote totals until all ballots are prepared to be counted , as in the case of Wisconsin , the experts recommended that the media prepare viewers and readers for the reality that a winner will not be declared on election night and avoid amplifying any false accusations of fraud from the president or any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote counts continuing beyond Election Day are normal and that errors and delays are not necessarily indicators of nefarious intent , ” the report states .
“ Opportunistic elites will seek to take advantage of this confusion , particularly if it can harm the standing of the side that is likely to win .
Irresponsible coverage that amplifies such claims runs the risk of encouraging more fundamental challenges to accepting the outcome of the election itself , a compact that is at the heart of democracy.
” The press has changed its election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the infamous 2000 election , news networks first called the pivotal swing state of Florida for Vice President Al Gore , a Democrat , based on survey data produced by the media consortium Voter News Service .
They then reversed that call and made the state too close to call .
At 2:15 a.m. the next morning , Republican candidate George W. Bush took the lead .
Within a matter of minutes , the networks and cable channels all declared Bush the winner of the Electoral College and the election .

Every four years, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, the political press hosts its biggest planned news event: election night. It’s the blockbuster season finale political reporters and television hosts, not to mention the candidates, have been building up to for at least two years.
Election night is supposed to be a night of hyper cable news hosts, color-coded Magic Walls, flickering needles and overwrought homilies to U.S. democracy that ends, maybe in the wee hours, with the American People making a Decision. One person will win and be named the next president of the United States. There will be speeches ― one, a concession, the other, claiming victory. Ratings will be high.
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But the 2020 election will be different. Nearly every state in the country anticipates a radical increase in voters casting their ballots by mail to stay safe amid the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic. This will fundamentally alter the speed at which votes are tabulated. If this year’s presidential election is as close as five of the last six elections ― 2008 being the exception ― it is unlikely a victor will be declared on Nov. 3.
As a trickle of results come in over the ensuing days or weeks, President Donald Trump and Republican leaders will almost certainly attack the credibility of the elections with false and unfounded allegations of voter fraud. Trump did this in 2016 even after he won the election. And Republican leaders like former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) both did so after the 2018 midterm elections.
Democratic elections require voters to believe in the legitimacy of the process. False accusations of fraud from one party are designed to undermine the legitimacy of the election of their opponents. But these accusations also strike at the heart of our democratic elections and republican government.
We need to take action to deprive these accusations of oxygen. It’s time to turn down the hype and end election night in America as we know it.
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Absentee Ballot Flood
Voting by mail is expected to surge in every state in 2020 due to fears of the coronavirus. ASSOCIATED PRESS
An unprecedented number of mail ballots cast means an unprecedented number of mail ballots to count, a more time-consuming process than counting in-person votes. State and county election officials in key swing states were already asking for more money to speed the processing of an anticipated uptick in absentee ballots before the pandemic made in-person voting less safe. Now, they will need even more money as pandemic-induced business shutdowns deplete state budgets and tax revenue.
Michigan, which Trump won by just 11,000 votes in 2016, was the first state to experience such a crunch during its March 10 presidential preference primary election. County election clerks sought funds from the Republican-controlled legislature to help hire staff to handle the anticipated increase in absentee ballots after voters approved a referendum allowing no-excuse absentee voting in 2018. The legislature’s refusal caused election results to be delayed by a day.
Another issue that will cause delays in the reporting of mail-in ballots is when they can be opened and counted. Michigan law requires election officials to only open and count them on Election Day. Other states, including swing states like Arizona, Florida and North Carolina, allow absentee ballots to be opened and counted before Election Day.
There are still delays in reporting the results of mailed-in ballots even when states do allow them to be opened and counted before Election Day. Arizona, which Trump won by about 91,000 votes, has a very high rate of votes cast by mail and allows mailed ballots to be opened and counted when they are received. Still, the state’s election results are regularly delayed because mail-in ballots are allowed to be received on Election Day. Those must be verified as legitimate and checked with in-person votes to ensure no one voted twice before they can be counted. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) was not declared the winner of her 2018 election until six days after the election.
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Pennsylvania, which only allowed no-excuse absentee voting in 2019, is on the other end of the spectrum. This crucial swing state that Trump won by a little more than 44,000 votes mandates that ballots only be opened after the close of Election Day polls at 8 p.m. A full count of Pennsylvania votes is expected to take up to three days, according to a report by Mother Jones.
Absent a landslide victory for either Trump or presumptive Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden, the rise in absentee voting makes it unlikely that election night in America will be a decision night for broadcast networks, cable news or digital outlets. Wolf Blitzer will, at least, be prepared this time.
Fraudulent Fraud Accusations
President Donald Trump routinely states, falsely, that voter fraud is widespread and that it only harms Republicans like him. AP Photo/Evan Vucci
The biggest problem with slow-rolling results after Election Day as mail-in ballots are counted is that Trump and the Republican Party can use this delay to cast doubt on the election’s outcome with accusations of fraud.
After winning the 2016 election but losing the popular vote, Trump claimed, falsely and without evidence, that he would have won the popular vote “if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.”
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California was one of the states Trump singled out for his false accusation of voter fraud. In 2014, the nation’s most populous state passed an election reform law allowing election clerks to count absentee ballots postmarked on Election Day and received up to three days later. This means that the state’s vote total is not finalized for many days after Election Day. In 2016, Hillary Clinton’s popular vote total continued to rise after Election Day, largely due to the ongoing count of votes in California. This fed Trump’s narcissistic ire.
But Trump isn’t the only one to make false and evidence-free claims of voter fraud due to the time it takes California to report its mailed-in ballots.
After Democrats won seven House seats previously held by Republicans in California during the 2018 midterm elections, then-Speaker Ryan said the state’s election “just defies logic to me.” In a number of these seats, Republican candidates led on election night but ended up losing days later, after all late mail ballots were counted.
“We were only down 26 seats the night of the election and three weeks later, we lost basically every California race,” he said.
Ryan’s spokesperson later released a statement claiming his boss “does not dispute the results.”
McCarthy, the current House Republican leader, has also attacked his home state’s election laws by positing false conspiracy theories that California changed the law so that voters casting mail ballots no longer need to match their signature to the one the state has on file and that voters can hand in empty ballots that can be filled out later. He linked these unfounded claims to the seven Republican losses in California in 2018.
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More recently, McCarthy attacked House Democrats for getting $400 million in the CARES Act to help states prepare for more mail-in voting by falsely claiming the process is plagued by “a lot of fraud.” More than 70% of voters in the largest county in McCarthy’s congressional district voted by mail in 2018.
The greatest danger in all of this is that limited results reported on election night will show one candidate winning — perhaps Trump — but later, mail-in ballots counted after Election Day could reverse that trend and bring the other candidate into the lead and the White House.
As Trump and Republicans have demonstrated, they will attack and undermine faith in the election process whether this occurs or not.
Prepare The Audience
CBS News covers the results of the 2016 presidential election on Nov. 8, 2016. Michele Crowe/CBS via Getty Images
When Wisconsin held its April 7 elections, politicians in the state were roundly criticized for either acting too late to delay the elections or forcing the state to go ahead with in-person voting during a pandemic.
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A federal district court judge initially extended the deadline for receiving votes cast by mail to April 13 while also mandating that the state not begin reporting results until that date. The Supreme Court overruled this extension of absentee voting, but not the result reporting delay. And so, Wisconsin reported results from its April 7 election on April 13.
This delay eliminated the possibility that any changing results after Election Day would cause confusion and paranoia. There could be no claims of fraud as an Election Day lead for one candidate gave way to a loss as more votes were counted.
This might be an extreme solution to the problem posed by Trump’s surefire effort to whip his supporters into a frenzy with fraud claims as vote totals change after the November election. But it would completely eliminate the psychological impact that counting votes after Election Day appears to have on partisans.
A team of election law, media and technology experts led by University of California, Irvine, professor Rick Hasen, the author of “Election Meltdown,” released a list of recommendations related to this very problem last week. Barring a complete delay in reporting vote totals until all ballots are prepared to be counted, as in the case of Wisconsin, the experts recommended that the media prepare viewers and readers for the reality that a winner will not be declared on election night and avoid amplifying any false accusations of fraud from the president or any other politician.
“Journalists should report that vote counts continuing beyond Election Day are normal and that errors and delays are not necessarily indicators of nefarious intent,” the report states. “Opportunistic elites will seek to take advantage of this confusion, particularly if it can harm the standing of the side that is likely to win. Irresponsible coverage that amplifies such claims runs the risk of encouraging more fundamental challenges to accepting the outcome of the election itself, a compact that is at the heart of democracy.”
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“Absent a landslide victory for either Trump or presumptive Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden, the rise in absentee voting makes it unlikely that election night in America will be a decision night for broadcast networks, cable news or digital outlets.”
The press has changed its election night behavior in the past. In the infamous 2000 election, news networks first called the pivotal swing state of Florida for Vice President Al Gore, a Democrat, based on survey data produced by the media consortium Voter News Service. They then reversed that call and made the state too close to call. At 2:15 a.m. the next morning, Republican candidate George W. Bush took the lead. Within a matter of minutes, the networks and cable channels all declared Bush the winner of the Electoral College and the election.
Gore called Bush to concede, which led The New York Times to declare Bush the victor. As Gore headed to a rally of supporters to announce the bad news, the votes began to narrow Bush’s lead. Gore was told not to take the stage and he called Bush to retract his concession at 3:30 a.m.
The whiplash caused by preemptively calling Florida for Gore and the election for Bush led cable channels and newspapers to launch investigations into their election night coverage. A report commissioned by CNN labeled that coverage a “news disaster” that “created a premature impression” that Bush had won.
“Gore was perceived as the challenger and labeled a ‘sore loser’ for trying to steal the election,” the report continued.
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The report called for an end to the use of exit polls and surveys to call states before their votes had been tabulated. CNN announced it would not use exit polls to call “close” races. The Voter News Service, blamed for the faulty exit poll data, was eventually scrapped after the data it collected for the 2002 midterm elections were also inaccurate.
The 2004 election between Bush and Democratic candidate John Kerry was also incredibly close, but the press did not call the election that night. Bush was not declared the winner until Nevada announced its results and Kerry conceded at 11 a.m. the next day. It was the first time networks did not declare a president before the sun rose on Wednesday morning since election night was introduced to television.
That is more than likely to happen again in 2020. It’s time for both the press and state election officials to start planning how to maintain the integrity of American democracy.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story described incorrectly how the date of Election Day is determined. It is set for the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.


huffpost--2020-05-06--Justin Amash Truly Doesn't Care If He's A Spoiler In The Presidential Election

If you try asking the same question a few different ways ― “ Is it not clear that you have @ @ @ @ @ ?
” “ Are you really that divided ?
” “ But are you more @ @ @ @ @ ?
” ― you ’ ll get expositions about how Trump and Biden are probably @ @ @ @ @ than Amash is with either Trump or Biden , or about how a Biden presidency @ @ @ @ @ as a Trump presidency , or about how Washington is broken .
He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ him credit .
When he speaks from the heart about his beliefs , voters can @ @ @ @ @ a voting record that shows ideology over partisanship .
And his campaign experience has taught @ @ @ @ @ voters appreciate that , even when they disagree with him , they know where he @ @ @ @ @ Amash posts explanations of his votes on major bills on Facebook . )

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WASHINGTON ― Rep. Justin Amash isn’t trying to run a spoiler campaign for president ― but he may end up doing so anyway.
Amash told HuffPost in a phone interview that he’s running to win, not to help or hurt another candidate, or to deny President Donald Trump or presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden a majority of electoral votes and throw the election to the House of Representatives, where Amash has served for five terms.
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Having covered Amash closely for his entire time in Congress, I can tell you he almost always believes what he says ― a rare characteristic in members of Congress.
But that may be one of the most alarming aspects of Amash’s long-shot Libertarian campaign for the White House; he’s truly unconcerned about the effects of his candidacy on the presidential election.
“There’s no way to know how a campaign goes until you run it, and there’s no way to know where votes come from,” Amash said, seeming to ignore early polling that suggests he would draw more votes from Biden in Michigan than from Trump, as well as his firsthand knowledge of the fealty that most Republicans show to the president.
But as Amash usually is, he’s technically correct ― his favorite kind of being correct.
A poll from June 2019 can’t determine how his candidacy will affect the 2020 race, and the way Amash campaigns will shape which voters he appeals to. Millions of Republicans would vote for Trump if he’s the only alternative to Biden, Amash pointed out, but they might consider someone else if there’s a better option. Some Democrats feel the same way about Biden, allowing him to steal votes from those reluctant supporters.
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“I anticipate running a campaign that harms both candidates’ chances,” Amash said. “I mean, that’s the point.”
When you press Amash on his own preference between Trump and Biden, he tries to avoid the question.
“It depends on how you define ‘preference,’” Amash said. “I think Trump is a train wreck. And in the short run, we can all see the kind of devastation wrought by Trump.”
“But,” Amash continued, “beneath the surface, what created Trump is still there, whether Trump’s in office or not at all. And Joe Biden is not going to address that problem.”
Rep. Justin Amash, then a Republican, hosting a news conference with a bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers in January 2018. ASSOCIATED PRESS
If you try asking the same question a few different ways ― “Is it not clear that you have a preference between these two?” “Are you really that divided?” “But are you more concerned about Biden than Trump?” ― you’ll get expositions about how Trump and Biden are probably more closely aligned on policy than Amash is with either Trump or Biden, or about how a Biden presidency produces the same partisan tension as a Trump presidency, or about how Washington is broken.
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The best answer I got was when I brought up a quote from former Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), one of Amash’s old close allies. Labrador recently told Politico he thought Amash didn’t see much of a difference between Trump and Biden. “People must be surprised to realize that Justin would rather see a Trump presidency than a Biden presidency, even it’s a 51/49 proposition,” Labrador said.
That’s just “Raul’s opinion,” Amash said. “I don’t think that’s right. I don’t have a preference for either one of them.”
If you believe Amash is this equally torn between Trump and Biden, you may be able to understand the concern he’s brought to Democrats.
Former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) summed it up this way: “Every single anti-Trump vote needs to be on the viable candidate for president” ― meaning Biden ― and Democrats clearly worry that Republicans will fall more in line with Trump than Democrats will with the former vice president.
“They dropped balloons from the sky in the West Wing when Justin Amash announced that he was running for president,” McCaskill said.
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Trump’s actual reaction was to tweet that Amash would make a “wonderful candidate,” further heightening the Democratic concern.
But Amash interpreted that as “reverse psychology.” Basically, he said, it was an attempt to rile up Democrats and try to sink his Libertarian nomination.
“I’ll put it this way,” Amash said. “As much as I dislike the president’s tone, demeanor, and many of his policies, I think he understands how to campaign. And he’s one of the best trolls on Twitter that you’re going to find.”
Amash has argued that no candidate is entitled to the presidency or the presumption of victory, and that the partisan attacks he’s faced since announcing his candidacy are precisely the reason he wants to run ― to challenge that mindset.
“It’s pretty strange to me to argue that a candidate who might get a lot of traction shouldn’t be on the ballot because the American people might prefer that candidate,” Amash said during our interview.
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That backlash may end up as a key argument in favor of Amash, as he seeks the Libertarian nomination in two weeks.
Amash left the Republican Party in July to become an independent and is now changing his affiliation again to become Congress’ first capital-L Libertarian. Much of his argument for the party’s presidential nomination, which he’s expected to get, is that he’s the candidate best positioned to blow up the two-party system.
And if you have any doubt about that, just check his Twitter mentions.
Rep. Justin Amash (I-Mich.) during the House impeachment debate on Dec. 18, 2019. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Amash, who tweets for himself and closely monitors his Twitter interactions, has been treated to a constant online thrashing since announcing his candidacy. While he said he said he expected the backlash, he blamed certain “Never Trump” Republicans for stoking it.
“There are a few prominent former Republicans who prefer Joe Biden, and I guess have a plan in mind about how they want this election to go,” Amash said. “It creates a lot of problems for them and their approach.”
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Part of the concern from Democrats and Never Trump Republicans is that Amash may, indeed, be relevant.
He’s savvier than most politicians give him credit. When he speaks from the heart about his beliefs, voters can actually tell. He has a voting record that shows ideology over partisanship. And his campaign experience has taught him that many of his voters appreciate that, even when they disagree with him, they know where he stands and why. (Amash posts explanations of his votes on major bills on Facebook.)
Of course, some of his votes are more difficult to explain.
Amash has perhaps the most fiscally conservative record in Congress over the last decade. He hasn’t voted for a single budget during his time in Congress ― an act of defiance that led former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to kick him off the Budget Committee in 2012 ― and he rarely votes in favor of spending bills.
He’s also voted for controversial Republican priorities. He was the last member to vote for the GOP health care bill in 2017, and he has developed a reputation as a lone dissenter. If there’s ever a vote with only one member voting no, there’s a good chance it’s Amash.
Those positions may make it difficult for Democrats to embrace Amash. But his position on Trump’s impeachment may make it impossible for many Republicans to back him.
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Amash gained considerable notoriety in May 2019 as the first congressional Republican to support impeaching Trump. Shortly after that, Amash left the Republican Party to become an independent. And for the conservative Republicans who loved Amash even through his Trump criticism, his embrace of impeachment was the last straw.
That seemed to be okay with Amash. For all the supporters he lost on the right, he seemed to gain even more on the left. But that honeymoon may have ended in February, when Amash was one of four House members to vote against an anti-lynching bill that now awaits Trump’s signature.
He vehemently defends that vote, arguing that explanations of the bill claiming it makes lynching a federal crime are plain wrong. (What the bill actually did was criminalize conspiracies to violate certain existing laws. Amash argued that, at best, it codifies existing lynching provisions, and at worst, equates unrelated crimes with lynching and gives police and prosecutors more power to charge people with hate crimes.)
Still, the vote gave Amash a considerable amount of heartburn. And it’s a classic example of him rejecting an obvious political truth ― don’t vote against a bill called the “Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act” ― in favor of being legally, technically, sort of right.
Rep. Justin Amash speaks with constituents at Rising Grinds Café in Grand Rapids on Aug. 21, 2019. The Washington Post via Getty Images
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If you’re the type of voter attracted to a candidate who’s able to argue legal minutia and recite the Constitution from memory, Amash may be your guy. (Another contrast with Trump, and a potential overlap with Biden, who, like Amash, went to law school and has written legislation in Congress.)
But Democrats may be more concerned that Amash will highlight Biden’s similarities with Trump.
Amash is a baby-faced 40-year-old whose parents were born in Syria and the Palestinian territories. Biden is 77-year-old white guy who sometimes fumbles his words. Trump is a 73-year-old white guy who sometimes speaks in complete sentences.
If you accept the idea that Trump supporters are going to vote for Trump no matter what ― because, after everything, they’re still standing with the president ― then Amash constantly going on cable news and saying that both major candidates are roughly the same could be a problem.
And make no mistake: Amash plans to be on cable news.
He has toyed with the idea of running for president for years, and has thought seriously about it for several months. He planned to come to a final decision at the end of February, but the coronavirus outbreak delayed his decision. Ultimately, he concluded the shutdown of public campaign events could be an advantage for him, as the action shifts to cable news and Twitter.
“It’s mostly a digital or technological race,” Amash said of campaigning during stay-at-home orders. “You know, it’s who can be on the media and on social media, and who can get the message out there electronically while people are at home?”
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While Amash was clear that he’s aiming to actually win the presidency as the Libertarian candidate, a more realistic result could be immensely consequential to the outcome. The 2016 Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson drew 3.27% of the national vote (4.4 million votes), and election analysts theorized that Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein may have cost Hillary Clinton the presidency.
In 2020, Amash may not even have to steal votes from Biden to tip the election; he may only need to convince a few thousand voters ― perhaps only in his home state of Michigan ― that there isn’t enough of a difference between the GOP and Democratic nominees to warrant standing in line for hours to vote, particularly if the coronavirus is still a threat in November.
It’s certainly a looming possibility ― one made even more profound by the fact that Amash genuinely seems to think there is no lesser of two evils.
This, however, may be a rare situation in which Amash is engaging in political gamesmanship.
Ironically, if Amash were to state a preference for Biden over Trump ― who he voted to impeach, left the Republican Party over, and called “amoral and self-serving” ― it may actually hurt Biden more than his “no preference” stance. And if he goes harder on Trump than on Biden, it would be a direct appeal to voters leaning toward Biden.
Rep. Justin Amash arrives at the Rayburn House Office Building on June 26, 2019. Tom Williams via Getty Images
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If you were looking for an indication of how Amash might affect the race, you can look at how he’s been campaigning.
To this point, Amash has tried to run on his record of limited government, Constitutional conservatism, a better criminal justice system, and a less interventionist foreign policy ― arguments that may naturally appeal to Libertarian-minded Republicans. But he’s also targeted partisanship as an enemy of his campaign, and he says he’s running because hyperpartisanship has made government dysfunctional. Score one for the “no preference” approach.
Perhaps the biggest tell has been what Amash hasn’t talked about.
He’s largely sidestepped what may be the most damaging shot at Biden: that Amash is the one candidate not accused of sexual assault.
Trump’s supporters don’t seem to care that 25 women have accused their candidate of sexual misconduct. Some of Biden’s supporters might care that their candidate now faces a serious allegation. At the very least, leaning into Tara Reade’s claims against Biden might help insulate Amash from some of the online criticism he’s faced since announcing his candidacy.
When HuffPost raised the topic, Amash dismissed it.
“Who wants to run a campaign like that?” he said. “I mean, maybe some people do. You know me, like, it’s not my thing. It’s, like, it’s not the thing I decided to run for president to talk about.”


huffpost--2020-05-06--GOP Strategist Taunts Trump After Twitter Meltdown: We Found Your 'Weak Spot'

President Donald Trump flipped out over the latest ad by a group of his conservative critics .
And they ’ re just thrilled about it .
“ We have known all along what a weak man Donald Trump is , how mentally infirm he is , how easily he can be set off , ” longtime Republican strategist Rick Wilson , a co-founder of the Lincoln Project , told Lawrence O ’ Donnell on Tuesday .
Wilson said the organization found the president ’ s “ weak spot ” in the ad , which takes a concept from an old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reagan and turns it around on Trump .
Reagan ’ s 1984 reelection ad was called “ Morning in America , ” and claimed that he had made the nation “ prouder and stronger and better.
” The Lincoln Project ’ s anti-Trump ad is titled “ Mourning in America ” and focuses on the loss of lives due to the novel coronavirus .
The spot also blames Trump for creating a “ weaker and sicker and poorer ” nation .
Trump attacked the group in a series of tweets Monday evening and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking to reporters .
“ He demonstrated for 12 straight hours in a row that he could be compared to Ronald Reagan , had the truth told about it and he would absolutely lose his damn mind , ” Wilson said .
“ We expected this ad to hit , ” he added .
“ We did not expect him to behave in the completely maniacally way he behaved all day today , but here we are.
” See more of Wilson ’ s conversation with O ’ Donnell above .

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President Donald Trump flipped out over the latest ad by a group of his conservative critics. And they’re just thrilled about it.
“We have known all along what a weak man Donald Trump is, how mentally infirm he is, how easily he can be set off,” longtime Republican strategist Rick Wilson, a co-founder of the Lincoln Project, told Lawrence O’Donnell on Tuesday.
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Wilson said the organization found the president’s “weak spot” in the ad, which takes a concept from an old campaign ad used by former President Ronald Reagan and turns it around on Trump.
Reagan’s 1984 reelection ad was called “Morning in America,” and claimed that he had made the nation “prouder and stronger and better.” The Lincoln Project’s anti-Trump ad is titled “Mourning in America” and focuses on the loss of lives due to the novel coronavirus. The spot also blames Trump for creating a “weaker and sicker and poorer” nation.
Trump attacked the group in a series of tweets Monday evening and Tuesday afternoon, and then again when speaking to reporters.
“He demonstrated for 12 straight hours in a row that he could be compared to Ronald Reagan, had the truth told about it and he would absolutely lose his damn mind,” Wilson said.
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“We expected this ad to hit,” he added. “We did not expect him to behave in the completely maniacally way he behaved all day today, but here we are.”


huffpost--2020-05-06--Professor Researching Coronavirus Killed In Suspected Murder Suicide: Police

A research professor at the University of Pittsburgh who was on the verge of making “ very significant findings ” about the new coronavirus , according to his school ’ s officials , was killed in a suspected murder-suicide over the weekend , authorities said .
Bing Liu , 37 , was found shot multiple times in his townhouse in Ross Township , Pennsylvania.
, on Saturday afternoon following what ’ s believed to have been a “ lengthy dispute regarding an intimate partner , ” a detective with the Ross Police Department told HuffPost Wednesday .
Liu , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and without children , had been alone in his home when authorities say Hao Gu , 46 , entered the property and shot him multiple times .
Gu is believed to have then taken his own life inside of his car a short distance away , police said .
“ We have found zero evidence that this tragic event has anything to do with employment at the University of Pittsburgh , any work being conducted at the University of Pittsburgh and the current health crisis affecting the United States and the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kohlhepp said in an email .
Bing Liu , 37 , was a research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh who had been `` on the verge of making very significant findings '' about the new coronavirus when he was killed , school officials said .
Liu is being remembered as a prolific scientific researcher who co-authored more than 30 publications — four of which were published this year — and had been using his expertise in systems biology to help make medical advancements in fighting the new coronavirus , officials at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications , ” according to a university statement .
“ We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.
” Liu received his bachelor ’ s and doctorate degrees in computer science at the National University of Singapore and completed his postdoctoral studies at Carnegie Mellon University , according to the University of Pittsburgh .
“ He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hard-working , ” Ivet Bahar , the head of the computational and system biology department in Pitt ’ s School of Medicine , told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette .
“ This is someone who we ’ re going to miss very much at the department.
” Like Liu , Gu also had a promising background with roots in Asia .
He was a software architect in Pittsburgh for power management company Eaton , which has offices globally .
He had worked for Eaton for the past 16 years , a company spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profile , Gu earned a computer science degree at East Tennessee State University as well as a bachelor ’ s degree in computer science and a master ’ s in science , pattern recognition and intelligent control at Tongji University in Shanghai .
The case has been forwarded to federal authorities for review , as neither Liu or Gu were U.S. citizens , the Ross Police Department said .

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A research professor at the University of Pittsburgh who was on the verge of making “very significant findings” about the new coronavirus, according to his school’s officials, was killed in a suspected murder-suicide over the weekend, authorities said.
Bing Liu, 37, was found shot multiple times in his townhouse in Ross Township, Pennsylvania., on Saturday afternoon following what’s believed to have been a “lengthy dispute regarding an intimate partner,” a detective with the Ross Police Department told HuffPost Wednesday.
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Liu, who the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported was married and without children, had been alone in his home when authorities say Hao Gu, 46, entered the property and shot him multiple times. Gu is believed to have then taken his own life inside of his car a short distance away, police said.
“We have found zero evidence that this tragic event has anything to do with employment at the University of Pittsburgh, any work being conducted at the University of Pittsburgh and the current health crisis affecting the United States and the world,” Police Det. Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp said in an email.
Bing Liu, 37, was a research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh who had been "on the verge of making very significant findings" about the new coronavirus when he was killed, school officials said. University of Pittsburgh
Liu is being remembered as a prolific scientific researcher who co-authored more than 30 publications — four of which were published this year — and had been using his expertise in systems biology to help make medical advancements in fighting the new coronavirus, officials at his school said.
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“Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications,” according to a university statement. “We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.”
Liu received his bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in computer science at the National University of Singapore and completed his postdoctoral studies at Carnegie Mellon University, according to the University of Pittsburgh.
“He was a very talented individual, extremely intelligent and hard-working,” Ivet Bahar, the head of the computational and system biology department in Pitt’s School of Medicine, told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. “This is someone who we’re going to miss very much at the department.”
Like Liu, Gu also had a promising background with roots in Asia. He was a software architect in Pittsburgh for power management company Eaton, which has offices globally. He had worked for Eaton for the past 16 years, a company spokesperson told HuffPost.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Gu earned a computer science degree at East Tennessee State University as well as a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s in science, pattern recognition and intelligent control at Tongji University in Shanghai.
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huffpost--2020-05-06--Judge Restores New York Democratic Primary For June 23

NEW YORK ( AP ) — The New York Democratic presidential primary must take place June 23 because canceling it would be unconstitutional , a judge ruled Tuesday .
U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Manhattan ruled after hearing arguments a day earlier as lawyers for withdrawn presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang argued that it was wrong to cancel the primary .
The judge said there was enough time before the primary occurs to figure out how to carry it out safely .
“ If all but one of the presidential candidates are removed from the ballot and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Plaintiffs will be deprived of the opportunity to compete for delegate slots and shape the course of events at the Convention , and voters will lose the chance to express their support for delegates who share their views , the judge wrote .
“ The loss of these First Amendment rights is a heavy hardship.
” She added : “ There is also a strong public interest in permitting the presidential primary to proceed with the full roster of qualified candidates.
” Democratic presidential hopefuls former US vice president Joe Biden ( L @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R ) take part in the 11th Democratic Party 2020 presidential debate in a CNN Washington Bureau studio in Washington , DC on March 15 , 2020 .
( Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP ) ( Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images ) The Democratic members of the State ’ s Board of Elections voted to cancel the primary even though New York was still planning to hold its congressional and state-level primaries June 23 .
They cited the danger to voters from the coronavirus as a reason to cancel the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been endorsed by the major candidates he had faced .
Jacobs had called holding the primary “ unnecessary ” with the suspension of Sanders ’ campaign and said reduced turnout could reduce the need for as many poll workers .

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NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Democratic presidential primary must take place June 23 because canceling it would be unconstitutional, a judge ruled Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Manhattan ruled after hearing arguments a day earlier as lawyers for withdrawn presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang argued that it was wrong to cancel the primary.
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The judge said there was enough time before the primary occurs to figure out how to carry it out safely.
“If all but one of the presidential candidates are removed from the ballot and the primary is not held, Delegate Plaintiffs will be deprived of the opportunity to compete for delegate slots and shape the course of events at the Convention, and voters will lose the chance to express their support for delegates who share their views, the judge wrote. “The loss of these First Amendment rights is a heavy hardship.”
She added: “There is also a strong public interest in permitting the presidential primary to proceed with the full roster of qualified candidates.”
Democratic presidential hopefuls former US vice president Joe Biden (L) and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (R) take part in the 11th Democratic Party 2020 presidential debate in a CNN Washington Bureau studio in Washington, DC on March 15, 2020. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
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The Democratic members of the State’s Board of Elections voted to cancel the primary even though New York was still planning to hold its congressional and state-level primaries June 23.
They cited the danger to voters from the coronavirus as a reason to cancel the election since former Vice President Joe Biden has been endorsed by the major candidates he had faced.
New York state Democratic party chair Jay Jacobs said: “We are reviewing it.”
Jacobs had called holding the primary “unnecessary” with the suspension of Sanders’ campaign and said reduced turnout could reduce the need for as many poll workers.
Lawyers who argued before Torres on Monday did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
___


huffpost--2020-05-06--8 Funny And Honest Shows About Motherhood Just In Time For Mother's Day

Thanks to the coronavirus , Mother ’ s Day will likely look a little different this year .
You might not be seeing your mother in the flesh , and if you are a mother , you probably won ’ t get the pampering you might otherwise get on this one day of the year .
But we still have streaming TV , and thank all that is holy for that .
So if you ’ re a mom who just wants to feel seen , or you just want to laugh about the bizarre craziness and life-altering happiness that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family ) , then check out these nine recommendations put together by yours truly .
Read on for the full list , and if you want to stay informed of everything joining Netflix every week , subscribe to the Streamline newsletter .
Premise : A Canadian comedy about , you guessed it , working moms .
Each mom has her own set of often-hysterical challenges as they navigate what it means to be a working mother in the 2010s .
Will it make you feel good about your parenting ?
Likely a mix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a glass of wine and enjoy the fun .
Premise : A comedian based in LA also happens to be a mother of an elementary school-aged daughter .
She ’ s raunchy and hilarious and , even though she often has the best intentions with her parenting , she often screws up .
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood ?
If you ’ ve ever had your child derail your perfectly practiced talk about Something Important , then yes you ’ ll enjoy .
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you have daughters then yes , you will feel seen .
Will it make you feel good about your parenting ?
Toss-up .
Pamela Adlon makes you want to be her friend , even though you might want to stay far , far away from her life .
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood ?
It ’ s for anyone who wandered aimlessly during the first year of your child ’ s life .
Will it make you feel good about your parenting ?
She ’ s disorganized and all over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely feel pretty good , yes .
Will it make you feel good about your parenting ?
Have you ever killed somebody ?
No ?
Then yes .
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood ?
It takes an honest , though comical , view of intimacy and relationships after parenthood , so likely yes .

Thanks to the coronavirus, Mother’s Day will likely look a little different this year. You might not be seeing your mother in the flesh, and if you are a mother, you probably won’t get the pampering you might otherwise get on this one day of the year.
But we still have streaming TV, and thank all that is holy for that. So if you’re a mom who just wants to feel seen, or you just want to laugh about the bizarre craziness and life-altering happiness that is motherhood (ideally alone without your family), then check out these nine recommendations put together by yours truly.
Read on for the full list, and if you want to stay informed of everything joining Netflix every week, subscribe to the Streamline newsletter.
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Ji Sub Jeong/HuffPost Streamline
Season 1 trailer:
Premise: A Canadian comedy about, you guessed it, working moms. Each mom has her own set of often-hysterical challenges as they navigate what it means to be a working mother in the 2010s.
Cast: Catherine Reitman, Dani Kind, Juno Ruddell
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood? It’s almost too real sometimes.
Will it make you feel good about your parenting? Likely a mix of both. So sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy the fun.
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Where to watch: Netflix.
Season 1 trailer:
Premise: A comedian based in LA also happens to be a mother of an elementary school-aged daughter. She’s raunchy and hilarious and, even though she often has the best intentions with her parenting, she often screws up.
Cast: Andrea Savage, Tom Everett Scott
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood? If you’ve ever had your child derail your perfectly practiced talk about Something Important, then yes you’ll enjoy.
Will it make you feel good about your parenting? You’ll feel a lot less funny, but probably pretty good.
Where to watch: Netflix
Season 1 trailer:
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Premise: A raw, hysterical look at the life of a divorced mother and her three daughters.
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood? I have sons, but I imagine if you have daughters then yes, you will feel seen.
Cast: Pamela Adlon, Mikey Madison, Hannah Alligood, Olivia Edward
Will it make you feel good about your parenting? Toss-up. Pamela Adlon makes you want to be her friend, even though you might want to stay far, far away from her life.
Where to watch: Hulu
Season 1 trailer:
Premise: A comedy set in Australia about becoming a new mother and having a very odd new moms group to turn to.
Cast: Alison Bell, Lucy Durack, Sacha Horler
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood? It’s for anyone who wandered aimlessly during the first year of your child’s life.
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Will it make you feel good about your parenting? Definitely.
Where to watch: Netflix
Season 1 trailer:
Premise: A comedy about a working mom in London and all the bananas things that happen to her.
Cast: Anna Maxwell Martin, Lucy Punch, Paul Ready
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood? Yes.
Will it make you feel good about your parenting? She’s disorganized and all over the place, so you’ll likely feel pretty good, yes.
Where to watch: Amazon
Season 1 trailer:
Premise: A drama about northern California moms and all their backstabbing, hilarious, immoral behavior.
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood? Nope, but it’s a damn good watch.
Will it make you feel good about your parenting? Have you ever killed somebody? No? Then yes.
Where to watch: HBO
Season 1 trailer:
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Premise: A comedy about a one-night-stand turned pregnancy turned long-term, flailing marriage.
Cast: Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood? It takes an honest, though comical, view of intimacy and relationships after parenthood, so likely yes.
Will it make you feel good about your parenting? Yep
Where to watch: Amazon
Trailer:
Premise: Hysterical comedian Ali Wong takes the stage pregnant and gets really real about pregnancy and childbirth and all that fun stuff.
Cast: Ali Wong
Is it an accurate depiction of motherhood? Definitely.
Will it make you feel good about your parenting? Yes? More likely, though, you’ll just feel like you had a large drink with your new best friend Ali.
Where to watch: Netflix
**********************
Honorable mentions: This is a mix of shows I have either not seen or think they are too not-just-about-motherhood to be in this above list:
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huffpost--2020-06-18--Americans Are Losing Faith In What The Government Says About Coronavirus

Just 37 % of Americans say they ’ re either very or somewhat confident that the U.S. government ’ s statements about the coronavirus are reliable and accurate , while about half , 52 % , say they ’ re either not very or not at all confident in what the government is saying .
Similarly , only one-third of the public expresses any confidence in President Donald Trump ’ s statements about the disease , with a 56 % majority expressing little or no confidence .
The government ’ s overall approval rating for handling the coronavirus is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own rating on the issue .
As recently as April , a slim majority of the U.S. public expressed confidence in U.S. government statements about the coronavirus .
Within the past month , however , that number has notably declined .
At the start of the crisis , polling shows , public skepticism was much lower ― as recently as April , a slim majority of the public expressed confidence in government statements .
Within the past month , however , that number has notably declined .
A 56 % majority of Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somewhat confident in government information , while just 39 % of independents and 29 % of Democrats say the same .
The poll ’ s findings come as states take a patchwork of approaches to reopening their economies , even as some report rising cases of the virus .
Top coronavirus task force officials , meanwhile , have become less visible .
Four in 10 Americans now describe themselves as “ very concerned ” by the spread of coronavirus in the U.S. , down from a peak of 58 % in early April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they or a family member will contract the disease , down from a high of 46 % .
Yet the threat of the disease continues to play a prominent role in daily life across the country , and most people polled support some level of continued restrictions .
A 72 % majority of Americans still say they ’ re making an effort to stay home as much as possible .
Just 21 % say there are too many restrictions in place where they live , with 41 % saying restrictions are at about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that restrictions aren ’ t stringent enough .
A 58 % majority are more concerned that states will lift stay-at-home orders too quickly , compared to 27 % who fear they will not be lifted soon enough .
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey , using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups .
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted June 12-14 among U.S. adults , using a sample @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population .
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls .
You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov ’ s nationally representative opinion polling .
More details on the polls ’ methodology are available here .
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors .
YouGov ’ s reports include a model-based margin of error , which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard methodology for random probability sampling .
If these assumptions are wrong , the model-based margin of error may also be inaccurate .

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Americans are losing confidence in federal guidance about the coronavirus, a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds.
Just 37% of Americans say they’re either very or somewhat confident that the U.S. government’s statements about the coronavirus are reliable and accurate, while about half, 52%, say they’re either not very or not at all confident in what the government is saying.
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Similarly, only one-third of the public expresses any confidence in President Donald Trump’s statements about the disease, with a 56% majority expressing little or no confidence. The government’s overall approval rating for handling the coronavirus is also underwater, as is Trump’s own rating on the issue.
As recently as April, a slim majority of the U.S. public expressed confidence in U.S. government statements about the coronavirus. Within the past month, however, that number has notably declined. ASSOCIATED PRESS
At the start of the crisis, polling shows, public skepticism was much lower ― as recently as April, a slim majority of the public expressed confidence in government statements. Within the past month, however, that number has notably declined.
A 56% majority of Republicans still say they’re at least somewhat confident in government information, while just 39% of independents and 29% of Democrats say the same.
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Results of HuffPost/YouGov tracking data on trust in the government on coronavirus. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
The poll’s findings come as states take a patchwork of approaches to reopening their economies, even as some report rising cases of the virus. Top coronavirus task force officials, meanwhile, have become less visible.
Four in 10 Americans now describe themselves as “very concerned” by the spread of coronavirus in the U.S., down from a peak of 58% in early April. Twenty-nine percent are very concerned that they or a family member will contract the disease, down from a high of 46%.
Yet the threat of the disease continues to play a prominent role in daily life across the country, and most people polled support some level of continued restrictions. A 72% majority of Americans still say they’re making an effort to stay home as much as possible.
Just 21% say there are too many restrictions in place where they live, with 41% saying restrictions are at about the right level, and 30% that restrictions aren’t stringent enough. A 58% majority are more concerned that states will lift stay-at-home orders too quickly, compared to 27% who fear they will not be lifted soon enough.
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Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups.
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted June 12-14 among U.S. adults, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors. YouGov’s reports include a model-based margin of error, which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling. If these assumptions are wrong, the model-based margin of error may also be inaccurate.


huffpost--2020-06-19--Navy Upholds Firing Of Carrier Captain In Virus Outbreak

The USS Theodore Roosevelt departs Apra Harbor at Naval Base Guam on Thursday , May 21 , 2020 , following an extended visit to Guam in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic .
WASHINGTON ( AP ) — In a stunning reversal , the Navy has upheld the firing of the aircraft carrier captain who urged faster action to protect his crew from a coronavirus outbreak , according to a U.S. official .
The official said the Navy also extended the blame for the ship ’ s pandemic crisis , delaying the promotion of the one-star admiral who was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious errors in judgment .
The spread of the coronavirus aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt while on deployment in the Pacific in March exploded into one of the biggest military leadership crises of recent years .
More than 1,000 members of the crew eventually became infected , and one sailor died .
The ship was sidelined for weeks at Guam but recently returned to duty .
The decision by Adm. Mike Gilday , the chief of naval operations , to hold both Capt .
Brett Crozier and his boss , Rear Adm. Stuart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns expressed by top Pentagon officials who demanded a deeper investigation last month when the initial probe recommended Crozier ’ s reinstatement as the ship ’ s captain .
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a report not yet made public .

The USS Theodore Roosevelt departs Apra Harbor at Naval Base Guam on Thursday, May 21, 2020, following an extended visit to Guam in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a stunning reversal, the Navy has upheld the firing of the aircraft carrier captain who urged faster action to protect his crew from a coronavirus outbreak, according to a U.S. official.
The official said the Navy also extended the blame for the ship’s pandemic crisis, delaying the promotion of the one-star admiral who was also onboard, concluding that both men made serious errors in judgment.
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The spread of the coronavirus aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt while on deployment in the Pacific in March exploded into one of the biggest military leadership crises of recent years. More than 1,000 members of the crew eventually became infected, and one sailor died. The ship was sidelined for weeks at Guam but recently returned to duty.


huffpost--2020-06-19--Republicans Running Anti-China Campaigns Shrug Off Trump Seeking China Reelection Help

Zach Gibson via Getty Images Montana Sen. Steve Daines is among the Republicans whose reelection messages include touting tough stances toward China .
But Daines -- like his GOP colleagues -- has taken a pass on reacting to John Bolton 's revelations about President Donald Trump cozying up to Chinese President Xi Jinping .
Senate Republicans who have been banking on anti-China messages to help them retain their seats and their party ’ s chamber majority in the 2020 elections say they aren ’ t bothered by revelations that President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to imprison his nation ’ s Uighur Muslims in concentration camps .
The details about Trump ’ s interactions with the Chinese leader were among the explosive claims in a new book from longtime GOP foreign policy aide John Bolton about his time as the president ’ s national security adviser .
Despite Bolton ’ s longtime ties to the party ― and his history of endorsing and campaigning for many of their colleagues ― Republican senators treated his book the same way they treat Trump ’ s tweets , pleading a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans have worked relentlessly to make China the central factor in virtually all of their races , with GOP candidates or groups airing ads about the country ’ s damage to the U.S. economy and bashing its handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump has pursued a similar strategy in the presidential race , spending millions on ads asserting that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is weak on China .
But Bolton ’ s revelations show how difficult it might be for the GOP to effectively mount an anti-China message , given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected officials have long supported liberalizing trade with China and amid the evidence that Trump is as likely to praise the communist nation ’ s authoritarian leadership as he is to criticize it .
“ Senate Republicans have spent a lot of money on phony TV ads claiming they ’ ve stood up to China when the record is clear that they haven ’ t , ” said Helen Kalla , a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokeswoman .
“ With new reports that President Trump was ‘ pleading ’ with the president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let ’ s see what those Republicans are willing to say now .
We ’ re waiting.
” Republicans are counting on that strategy to maintain a Senate majority , even if Biden defeats Trump .
The GOP has a 53-47 edge in the chamber , but that hold appears threatened by the current political math .
Democrats are on offense in a number of Senate races , aiming to oust not only Daines in Montana and Tillis in North Carolina , but Republican incumbents in Maine , Iowa , Arizona and Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alabama and , to a lesser extent , Michigan .
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina is another Republican bashing China as part of his reelection campaign .
Yet he said he has little interest in the new book raising questions about Trump 's dealings with China .
Bolton in his book writes that Trump asked Xi to help his reelection prospects by increasing Chinese purchases of wheat and soybeans , which could boost the economy in some of the farm states the president needs to carry .
Bolton also writes that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defended the Chinese government ’ s decision to build concentration camps to hold 1 million Uighur Muslims in the western province of Xinjiang .
According to Bolton , Trump said he thought that was “ the exact right thing to do.
” “ I think what you do matters most , ” said Sen. Josh Hawley ( R-Mo . )
“ You can play the , ‘ He said , he said , he said ’ game , and I ’ m sure we ’ re going to play that game for weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of the day is I care about what the president does and I care about action and staying tough on China… I think he has been very strong and tough , so I think the proof is in the pudding.
” Democrats hope they can use Bolton ’ s exposé to paint Republicans as hypocrites with little interest in standing up to China outside of an election season .
Outside groups backing Biden are likely to use the revelations in advertising aimed at blunting the effectiveness of Trump ’ s barrage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soft on China .
In Montana , Daines has aired multiple ads promising to boost “ made in America ” manufacturing and blaming China for the spread of COVID-19 .
“ We need to break our reliance on China and bring our jobs home , ” Daines says in an ad his campaign began airing Thursday .
Democrats have countered by noting Daines helped Procter and Gamble expand its manufacturing operations in China while working as an executive there in the 1990s , and regularly advocated for closer ties to China before his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official trips to the country during his first term in office .
Republicans have been the most aggressive in attacking a Democrat for ties to China in Arizona , where GOP Sen. Martha McSally is trailing in public polling to former astronaut and gun control advocate Mark Kelly .
McSally and other Republicans have argued Kelly is in China ’ s pocket because of an investment the Chinese conglomerate Tencent made in a company he co-founded .

Montana Sen. Steve Daines is among the Republicans whose reelection messages include touting tough stances toward China. But Daines -- like his GOP colleagues -- has taken a pass on reacting to John Bolton's revelations about President Donald Trump cozying up to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Zach Gibson via Getty Images
Senate Republicans who have been banking on anti-China messages to help them retain their seats and their party’s chamber majority in the 2020 elections say they aren’t bothered by revelations that President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win reelection and praised Xi’s plan to imprison his nation’s Uighur Muslims in concentration camps.
The details about Trump’s interactions with the Chinese leader were among the explosive claims in a new book from longtime GOP foreign policy aide John Bolton about his time as the president’s national security adviser. Despite Bolton’s longtime ties to the party ― and his history of endorsing and campaigning for many of their colleagues ― Republican senators treated his book the same way they treat Trump’s tweets, pleading a mix of ignorance and apathy.
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“I don’t,” said Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) when asked if he had any reaction to the book. Daines, facing a tough challenge in November from Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D), has run multiple ads promising to get tough on China.
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, hoping to fend off a challenge from Democrat Cal Cunningham, said it was unlikely he would read Bolton’s book. “Probably not,” Tillis said.
Bolton’s super PAC spent more than $1 million helping Tillis first win election to the Senate in 2014. That was part of the more than $6 million Bolton deployed to help Republicans from 2014 to 2018.
Tillis added that he wasn’t sure if the book’s revelations undercut Trump’s campaign pledges to get tough on China.
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Senate Republicans have worked relentlessly to make China the central factor in virtually all of their races, with GOP candidates or groups airing ads about the country’s damage to the U.S. economy and bashing its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Trump has pursued a similar strategy in the presidential race, spending millions on ads asserting that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is weak on China.
But Bolton’s revelations show how difficult it might be for the GOP to effectively mount an anti-China message, given that many of the party’s elected officials have long supported liberalizing trade with China and amid the evidence that Trump is as likely to praise the communist nation’s authoritarian leadership as he is to criticize it.
“Senate Republicans have spent a lot of money on phony TV ads claiming they’ve stood up to China when the record is clear that they haven’t,” said Helen Kalla, a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokeswoman. “With new reports that President Trump was ‘pleading’ with the president of China to help him get re-elected, let’s see what those Republicans are willing to say now. We’re waiting.”
Top strategists working on GOP Senate races said they view Bolton’s book as essentially a one-week story, one unlikely to make a significant enough impact to alter a cycle-long strategy focused on bashing China.
Republicans are counting on that strategy to maintain a Senate majority, even if Biden defeats Trump. The GOP has a 53-47 edge in the chamber, but that hold appears threatened by the current political math. Democrats are on offense in a number of Senate races, aiming to oust not only Daines in Montana and Tillis in North Carolina, but Republican incumbents in Maine, Iowa, Arizona and Colorado. Republican pick-up opportunities seem limited to Alabama and, to a lesser extent, Michigan.
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Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina is another Republican bashing China as part of his reelection campaign. Yet he said he has little interest in the new book raising questions about Trump's dealings with China. Sarah Silbiger via Getty Images
Bolton in his book writes that Trump asked Xi to help his reelection prospects by increasing Chinese purchases of wheat and soybeans, which could boost the economy in some of the farm states the president needs to carry. Bolton also writes that Trump didn’t push back when Xi defended the Chinese government’s decision to build concentration camps to hold 1 million Uighur Muslims in the western province of Xinjiang. According to Bolton, Trump said he thought that was “the exact right thing to do.”
The Washington Post, New York Times and other media outlets reported the contents of Bolton’s book on Wednesday, shortly before Trump’s Justice Department filed a restraining order seeking to block its publication, arguing it contained classified information.
Even some of the Senate’s biggest China hawks were unwilling to criticize Trump’s actions. Asked if it was appropriate for Trump to support the construction of concentration camps, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) replied simply: “I hope every president is focused on human rights.”
“I think what you do matters most,” said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) “You can play the, ‘He said, he said, he said’ game, and I’m sure we’re going to play that game for weeks. What I care about at the end of the day is I care about what the president does and I care about action and staying tough on China… I think he has been very strong and tough, so I think the proof is in the pudding.”
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Democrats hope they can use Bolton’s exposé to paint Republicans as hypocrites with little interest in standing up to China outside of an election season. Outside groups backing Biden are likely to use the revelations in advertising aimed at blunting the effectiveness of Trump’s barrage of attacks depicting the former vice president as soft on China.
In Montana, Daines has aired multiple ads promising to boost “made in America” manufacturing and blaming China for the spread of COVID-19. “We need to break our reliance on China and bring our jobs home,” Daines says in an ad his campaign began airing Thursday.
Democrats have countered by noting Daines helped Procter and Gamble expand its manufacturing operations in China while working as an executive there in the 1990s, and regularly advocated for closer ties to China before his reelection bid ramped up, taking five official trips to the country during his first term in office.
Republicans have been the most aggressive in attacking a Democrat for ties to China in Arizona, where GOP Sen. Martha McSally is trailing in public polling to former astronaut and gun control advocate Mark Kelly. McSally and other Republicans have argued Kelly is in China’s pocket because of an investment the Chinese conglomerate Tencent made in a company he co-founded.
“Mark Kelly doesn’t just invest in China, China invests in him,” a narrator says darkly in a recent ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
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Democrats argued McSally’s demonization of China means little if she’s not willing to criticize Trump on the same front.
“If ‘getting tough on China’ is more than an empty campaign slogan for Sen. McSally, she’ll forcefully condemn Trump’s actions, including his praise for China’s COVID-19 response and his request for illegal foreign political help,” said Brad Bainum, a spokesman for the Arizona Democratic Party.


huffpost--2020-06-19--Bed Bath & Beyond Is Laying Off Hundreds Of Workers And Offshoring Their Jobs

The home goods retailer informed employees at its Ocoee , Florida , call center that more than 220 people would be let go on Aug. 22 , according to a letter dated Tuesday and obtained by HuffPost .
A separate email from a manager acknowledged an “ unsettling ” announcement that had left employees with “ concerns , fear and disbelief.
” A question-and-answer document provided to employees referenced mass layoffs at three other locations in the U.S. A spokesperson for Bed Bath & Beyond declined to say how many workers were let go , explaining in an email that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategic restructuring program ” announced earlier this year .
That plan said Bed Bath & Beyond would “ outsource several functions to allow the company to focus on core competencies.
” The Salt Lake City-based NBC affiliate KSL TV reported earlier this week that nearly 300 workers at the company ’ s Layton , Utah , call center were told they would lose their jobs as of Aug. 15 .
The other two sites referenced in the Q & A obtained by HuffPost appear to be in New Jersey and Massachusetts .
Bed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jersey .
Your role is comprised of work that is transitioning to a third party .
Bed Bath & Beyond to its call center workers Setting aside the record sales at grocery stores , the retail sector was hit hard by the coronavirus , with brick-and-mortar shopping slowing dramatically amid stay-at-home orders .
While online retailers continued to grow , companies like Bed Bath & Beyond that rely on sales in physical stores saw a historically sharp drop-off in business this spring .
But there appears to be little hope that the call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the Q & A for employees , the company said the jobs were being outsourced to a “ third party ” ― and that the work will be done “ at their offices overseas.
” The document went on to explain the decision in language that ’ s probably familiar to the many thousands of call center workers who have lost their jobs in recent years and watched their companies send them to places like the Philippines : Your role is comprised of work that is transitioning to a third party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology , automation , and expertise that will allow us to reset our cost structure more efficiently .
Based on our need to better align our current cost structure with the current state of the business , this was a difficult decision that we needed to make .
The workers were told they could continue working and remain on payroll until their termination date , at which point they would receive severance pay based upon their length of service to the company .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Workers at Bed Bath & Beyond call centers in multiple states received notices this week that their jobs are being eliminated this summer.
The home goods retailer informed employees at its Ocoee, Florida, call center that more than 220 people would be let go on Aug. 22, according to a letter dated Tuesday and obtained by HuffPost. A separate email from a manager acknowledged an “unsettling” announcement that had left employees with “concerns, fear and disbelief.”
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A question-and-answer document provided to employees referenced mass layoffs at three other locations in the U.S. A spokesperson for Bed Bath & Beyond declined to say how many workers were let go, explaining in an email that the layoffs were part of a “strategic restructuring program” announced earlier this year. That plan said Bed Bath & Beyond would “outsource several functions to allow the company to focus on core competencies.”
The Salt Lake City-based NBC affiliate KSL TV reported earlier this week that nearly 300 workers at the company’s Layton, Utah, call center were told they would lose their jobs as of Aug. 15.
The other two sites referenced in the Q&A obtained by HuffPost appear to be in New Jersey and Massachusetts. Bed Bath & Beyond is based in New Jersey.
“Your role is comprised of work that is transitioning to a third party.” - Bed Bath & Beyond to its call center workers
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Setting aside the record sales at grocery stores, the retail sector was hit hard by the coronavirus, with brick-and-mortar shopping slowing dramatically amid stay-at-home orders. While online retailers continued to grow, companies like Bed Bath & Beyond that rely on sales in physical stores saw a historically sharp drop-off in business this spring.
Sales are now bouncing back, however, with retail sales shooting up 17% in May as states open back up.
But there appears to be little hope that the call center jobs will return with the economy. In the Q&A for employees, the company said the jobs were being outsourced to a “third party” ― and that the work will be done “at their offices overseas.”
The document went on to explain the decision in language that’s probably familiar to the many thousands of call center workers who have lost their jobs in recent years and watched their companies send them to places like the Philippines:
Your role is comprised of work that is transitioning to a third party. The new partner has advantages in technology, automation, and expertise that will allow us to reset our cost structure more efficiently. Based on our need to better align our current cost structure with the current state of the business, this was a difficult decision that we needed to make.


huffpost--2020-05-27--Jennifer Carroll Foy Jumps Into Virginia Governor's Race, Hoping To Make History

“ I ’ ve been fighting for the issues that COVID-19 has exposed for other people since day one , ” she said .
“ I ’ ve always been fighting for increasing the minimum wage and paid sick days , paid family medical leave and ending pregnancy discrimination .
All of these issues have lent itself to bear doing this pandemic.
” Carroll Foy praised the job Gov .
Ralph Northam ( D ) ― who can not run again because of term limits ― has done , but said there are areas where she ’ d like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making sure all bus drivers and grocery workers have masks and personal protective equipment , raising the minimum wage , implementing paid sick days and instituting a vote-by-mail system .
“ Campaigning during a global pandemic is a challenge in and of itself .
... Now that doors are closed ― and we don ’ t know the next time we ’ ll be able to knock on a door ― we have to turn our attention to where we can meet people where they are .
And the best way to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital and through the mail , ” she said .
“ Being born in Petersburg and raised by my grandmother , I remember at a young age , sitting down at my dining room table with my aunt after my grandmother had a stroke and became a quadriplegic , having to decide if we were going to pay for our mortgage that month , or for the medications keeping my grandmother alive .
And as a mother of twins , I don ’ t want my children or anyone ’ s children to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisions , ” she said , adding , “ I ’ ve dedicated my entire life to fighting for those who can not fight for themselves , and I will continue to fight as the next governor of Virginia.
” One area where many progressives were disappointed with the Democratic-controlled state legislature recently was its failure to repeal the state ’ s right-to-work law .
These anti-union laws forbid employers from forcing all their workers to pay union dues .
This arrangement means that some people get all the benefits of representation without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand on the side that we are No .
1 in the country for businesses .
But we can also be No .
1 in the country for workers , ” Carroll Foy said .
“ And our economy is working very well for the very wealthy , but it ’ s not for those people who are working two to three jobs and still living paycheck to paycheck .
And there ’ s been a concerted effort to end unions and labor here in Virginia , even though they are the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have minimum wage pay , we have child protection .
They were the way that we got to the middle class.
” “ What that says to me is that people are motivated and people want change , ” she said .
“ They want to do something different than what is currently happening in the White House , and they will come out in historic numbers in order to make that happen .
”

Virginia state Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D), holding her son, is running for governor. Steve Helber/Associated Press
Jennifer Carroll Foy is jumping into the 2021 gubernatorial race in Virginia, making her the first Black woman to run for the job in 30 years. If elected, she would be the first Black female governor anywhere in the country.
“I look forward to being more bold in what we get done here in Virginia, especially dealing with everyday, kitchen table issues,” Carroll Foy, a 38-year-old state delegate, said in an interview with HuffPost.
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The election of Carroll Foy would be a dramatic move, cementing the new blue, diverse character of the state that once was the capital of the Confederacy.
Virginia has never had a female governor. Democrat Douglas Wilder, who served 1990-1994, is the only Black person elected to the job in the state.
Carroll Foy is considered a dynamic rising star in Virginia politics. She grew up in Petersburg ― about 30 miles south of Richmond. After the Supreme Court forced the Virginia Military Institute to start accepting female cadets in 1996, Carroll Foy received a full scholarship to attend college was part of the third class of women to graduate ever.
She became a public defender and was elected to the General Assembly in 2017.
Carroll Foy has made her mark in office by leading the fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment as the chief sponsor in the state House.
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In January, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the provision, which guarantees equal protection for women. There will now be a legal battle about whether Virginia’s vote means that the ERA can be added to the U.S. Constitution.
Passage of the ERA was a central campaign promise for many Democrats when they swept control of the state legislature in 2019.
Launching a campaign in the middle of a pandemic likely isn’t what Carroll Foy had planned. But, she said, her priorities haven’t changed.
“I’ve been fighting for the issues that COVID-19 has exposed for other people since day one,” she said. “I’ve always been fighting for increasing the minimum wage and paid sick days, paid family medical leave and ending pregnancy discrimination. All of these issues have lent itself to bear doing this pandemic.”
Carroll Foy praised the job Gov. Ralph Northam (D) ― who cannot run again because of term limits ― has done, but said there are areas where she’d like to be “bolder.” She pointed to making sure all bus drivers and grocery workers have masks and personal protective equipment, raising the minimum wage, implementing paid sick days and instituting a vote-by-mail system.
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“Campaigning during a global pandemic is a challenge in and of itself. ... Now that doors are closed ― and we don’t know the next time we’ll be able to knock on a door ― we have to turn our attention to where we can meet people where they are. And the best way to do that is through social media, through digital and through the mail,” she said.
“I stand on the side that we are No. 1 in the country for businesses. But we can also be No. 1 in the country for workers.” - Virginia state Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy
Carroll Foy is a former foster mom and mother to twin boys. She became pregnant during her campaign and was frequently asked how she could manage both motherhood and a career ― with people suggesting she should choose just one.
In office, Carroll Foy has introduced anti-pregnancy discrimination legislation and a bill requiring school boards to write their dress codes in a way that eliminate gender and racial discrimination.
“Being born in Petersburg and raised by my grandmother, I remember at a young age, sitting down at my dining room table with my aunt after my grandmother had a stroke and became a quadriplegic, having to decide if we were going to pay for our mortgage that month, or for the medications keeping my grandmother alive. And as a mother of twins, I don’t want my children or anyone’s children to have to make those type of impossible decisions,” she said, adding, “I’ve dedicated my entire life to fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves, and I will continue to fight as the next governor of Virginia.”
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Carroll Foy is likely going to face a number of challengers for the Democratic nomination next year. Attorney General Mark Herring, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, state Sen. Jennifer McClellan and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney have all expressed interest in running. (McClellan is African-American and would also make history if she won.)
On the GOP side, state Sen. Amanda Chase is the only declared candidate. She’s a fervent supporter of President Donald Trump and has decried “the liberal, socialistic agenda that has taken control of the Capitol.”
Herring and Fairfax, who were considered leading contenders for the top job, have been beset by scandals.
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D), Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D) all faced scandals in 2019. Steve Helber/Associated Press
Herring admitted that he wore blackface at a college party in 1980. His comments came after a racist photograph on Gov. Northam’s medical school yearbook page surfaced. Northam said he was in the picture, but then he retracted his admission.
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Last year, two women accused Fairfax of sexual assault in the early 2000s. He has denied the allegations.
“I believe that women should be believed, and I believe they should be heard,” Carroll Foy said. “And as the next governor Virginia, I hope to create a climate where women feel empowered to come forward to tell their stories.”
“While controversies may be happening around me,” she added, “I was focused on passing Medicaid expansion for 400,000 Virginians, ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment for women’s equality, carrying paid family medical leave, ending pregnancy discrimination here in Virginia and reforming our criminal justice system in a way that’s unrecognizable so everyone is treated fairly and equitably.”
One area where many progressives were disappointed with the Democratic-controlled state legislature recently was its failure to repeal the state’s right-to-work law. These anti-union laws forbid employers from forcing all their workers to pay union dues. This arrangement means that some people get all the benefits of representation without having to contribute anything.
While some people may decide not to pay because they are against the union, others may simply stop giving money because there’s little financial reason to do so if the union is obligated to provide representation anyway.
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The repeal bill failed to pass out of the General Assembly, but Northam also made clear he believed the legislation was unrealistic and had no interest in signing it.
Carroll Foy, however, supported the repeal bill and said she would sign it if it came to her desk when she was governor.
“If it is the will of Virginians, if it is the will of the body and the General Assembly, then I will be happy to put pen to paper to sign that,” she told HuffPost.
The human rights group Oxfam has ranked Virginia dead last in its ranking of the “best places to work in America.” States with right-to-work laws have wages that are, on average, 3.1% lower than pro-union states, according to a 2015 study by the liberal Economic Policy Institute.
“I stand on the side that we are No. 1 in the country for businesses. But we can also be No. 1 in the country for workers,” Carroll Foy said. “And our economy is working very well for the very wealthy, but it’s not for those people who are working two to three jobs and still living paycheck to paycheck. And there’s been a concerted effort to end unions and labor here in Virginia, even though they are the other reason that we have weekends, we have minimum wage pay, we have child protection. They were the way that we got to the middle class.”
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Carroll Foy said she was encouraged by the March 3 presidential primary in the state, which saw historic turnout, and hoped that it meant good news for Democrats in November.