INSIDER
Biden: Better child, elderly care can create 3 million jobs
Read full article: Biden: Better child, elderly care can create 3 million jobsThe former vice president is planning to provide more details during an afternoon speech near his home in Wilmington, Delaware. Under the proposal, Biden vows to provide for the estimated 800,000 people waiting for home and community services under Medicaid. He plans to offer pay increases to child caregivers and early educators and bonuses to child care providers working during nontraditional hours, while expanding families' access to after-school, weekend and summer care. Biden also plans to increase the number of child care facilities around the country by offering tax credits for and direct federal funding to businesses willing to build them. Our nation faced a massive shortage of child care facilities before the pandemic, Biden's plan announcement says, and the shortage has only intensified since then.
EU sets $2.1T virus aid plan, US deal at risk as cases soar
Read full article: EU sets $2.1T virus aid plan, US deal at risk as cases soarWeary European Union leaders are expressing cautious optimism that a deal is in sight as they moved into their fifth day of wrangling over an unprecedented budget and coronavirus recovery fund. (Stephanie Lecocq, Pool Photo via AP)MITO EU leaders thrashed out a $2.1 trillion plan to aid their pandemic-ravaged economies Tuesday while U.S. lawmakers remained far apart on a deal to provide more financial relief for Americans. India added more 37,000 new cases for a national total now exceeding 1,155,000, the third most behind the U.S., with more than 3.8 million, and Brazil, with 2.1 million, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. And we just need to keep working the problem.South Korea reported 45 new virus cases, 25 of them among quarantined people arriving from abroad. A 750 billion-euro ($858 billion) coronavirus fund will finance loans and grants for countries hit hardest by the virus.
Biden, lawmakers warn of foreign interference in election
Read full article: Biden, lawmakers warn of foreign interference in electionWASHINGTON Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said he is putting Russia and other foreign governments on notice that he would act aggressively as president to counter any interference in U.S. elections. The statement came hours after Democratic leaders issued a new warning that Congress appears to be the target of a foreign interference campaign. Biden said last week that he had begun receiving intelligence briefings and warned that Russia, China and other adversaries were attempting to undermine the presidential election. In the end, former special counsel Robert Mueller charged 25 Russian nationals for their roles in foreign interference and influence during the campaign. Hillary Clinton, who lost the 2016 presidential election to Trump, said Monday she was glad Biden was speaking up.
Montana's U.S. House race brings partisan divide to the fore
Read full article: Montana's U.S. House race brings partisan divide to the foreIn the race for Montana's lone U.S. House seat, Republican Matt Rosendale faces opponent Democrat Kathleen Williams. In the race for Montanas lone U.S. House seat, Republican Matt Rosendale is hitching his wagon to President Donald Trump even as the president's national approval ratings worsen. Like Rosendale, Williams comes to this race with something to prove. The House seat opened up this year after Gianforte decided to run for governor, with incubment Democrat Steve Bullock termed out and running for U.S. Senate. She hopes to bring that same spirit to the U.S. House, where hyper partisanship has gotten out of control," she said.
Trump not ready to commit to election results if he loses
Read full article: Trump not ready to commit to election results if he losesI have to see, Trump told moderator Chris Wallace during a wide-ranging interview on Fox News Sunday." Im not going to say no, and I didnt last time either.The Biden campaign responded: "The American people will decide this election. Trump contends that a series of polls that show his popularity eroding and Biden holding an advantage are faulty. First of all, Im not losing, because those are fake polls, Trump said in the taped interview, which aired Sunday. Trump, however, is unable to point to language from a Biden-Sanders task force policy document released this month by the Biden campaign.
Dems ask for FBI briefing on 'foreign interference campaign'
Read full article: Dems ask for FBI briefing on 'foreign interference campaign'WASHINGTON Democratic leaders said Monday they are concerned that Congress appears to be the target of a concerted foreign interference campaign to influence the 2020 presidential election and have asked FBI Director Christopher Wray for a classified counterintelligence briefing. The letter to Wray from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and the top Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees contains no details about the threats, though they describe them as serious and specific. They requested the briefing for all members before lawmakers leave Washington for their August recess. Democrats, including members of the Senate intelligence panel, have also voiced concerns that an ongoing probe into Bidens son, Hunter Biden, and his work in Ukraine would amplify Russian disinformation. That probe is being led by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis.___Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
As pandemic surges, election officials seek poll workers
Read full article: As pandemic surges, election officials seek poll workersKayleigh Bergh, of Haverhill, Mass., poses at city hall, Thursday, July 16, 2020, across the street from the polling station where she will be working on Election Day, in Haverhill. State and local election officials across the country are trying to recruit younger workers to staff polling places on Election Day in November. The effort is driven by concern that many traditional poll workers will be too worried about catching the coronavirus to show up. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
As pandemic surges, election officials seek poll workers
Read full article: As pandemic surges, election officials seek poll workersState and local election officials across the country are trying to recruit younger workers to staff polling places on Election Day in November. The effort is driven by concern that many traditional poll workers will be too worried about catching the coronavirus to show up. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)CHARLESTON, W.Va. Wanted: Poll workers willing to brave a global pandemic in November. More than two-thirds of poll workers are over age 61, putting them at higher risk of the COVID-19 disease. Election officials said making sure poll workers feel safe on the job is key to the recruitment effort.
Trump not ready to commit to election results if he loses
Read full article: Trump not ready to commit to election results if he losesPresident Donald Trump pauses as he speaks during an event on regulatory reform on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, July 16, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is refusing to publicly commit to accepting the results of the upcoming White House election, recalling a similar threat he made weeks before the 2016 vote, as he scoffs at polls showing him lagging behind Democrat Joe Biden. I have to see, Trump told moderator Chris Wallace during a wide-ranging interview on Fox News Sunday." Trump contends that a series of polls that show his popularity eroding and Biden holding an advantage are faulty. First of all, Im not losing, because those are fake polls, Trump said in the taped interview, which aired Sunday.
Biden says he's had intel briefings, warns of vote meddling
Read full article: Biden says he's had intel briefings, warns of vote meddlingWASHINGTON Joe Biden said Friday night that he's begun receiving intelligence briefings as he warned that Russia, China and other adversaries were attempting to undermine the upcoming U.S. election in November. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee wasn't specific and offered no evidence while addressing a virtual fundraiser with more than 200 attendees. We know from before, and I guarantee you I know now because now I get briefings again. Biden received intelligence briefings while vice president but told reporters he wasn't getting them as of June 30. Making sure everyone who wants to vote can vote, making sure that the vote is counted, making sure were all trusting in the integrity of the results of the election.
Justice Ginsburg says cancer has returned, but won't retire
Read full article: Justice Ginsburg says cancer has returned, but won't retireWASHINGTON Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said Friday she is receiving chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer, but has no plans to retire from the Supreme Court. In addition to being treated without surgery for a tumor on her pancreas last year, she also underwent surgery for colorectal cancer in 1999, pancreatic cancer in 2009 and lung cancer in December 2018. On average, patients with advanced pancreatic cancer live about a year, but the fact that her disease took so long to recur from her initial pancreatic cancer surgery in 2009 and previous treatments suggests that its not been growing rapidly, he said. Ginsburg said she was disclosing her cancer treatment now because she is satisfied that my treatment course is now clear.Venook said the chemotherapy drug Ginsburg said she is getting, gemcitabine, is one thats often used. Immunotherapy, which Ginsburgs statement said she tried unsuccessfully, has not worked well for pancreatic cancer, Venook said.
Cost, hassle of stamps questioned as mail-in voting surges
Read full article: Cost, hassle of stamps questioned as mail-in voting surgesAs more states embrace mail-in balloting, an often overlooked detail has emerged as a partisan dividing line: postage. Bryant, 63, doesn't have $10 for a book of stamps, a printer to make them at home or a working car. Ten dollars for a book of stamps is a hardship.As more states embrace mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic, the often overlooked detail of postage has emerged as a partisan dividing line. Many voters lack a credit card, which is required to buy stamps online. Hinkle compared stamps to the costs voters incur when driving or riding the bus to the polls.
Surging Democrats expand Senate targets to GOP states
Read full article: Surging Democrats expand Senate targets to GOP statesDemocrats have at least a punchers chance of grabbing Republican-held seats in four states Trump won by double digits: Alaska, Kansas, Kentucky and South Carolina. They argue that Trump's name on the ballot will give Senate candidates in Republican states a major edge and say they're spending there because Democrats are raising sums that can't be ignored. An expensive battle is brewing over Ernst's Iowa seat, with outside Democratic and GOP groups each planning to spend over $20 million. Kelly has a solid chance of defeating GOP Sen. Martha McSally while Harrison is waging an unlikely drive to oust Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally. Republicans are eyeing Alaska, where GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan's likely opponent is Al Gross, an independent with Democratic support.
Trump's trouble in suburbs key to suddenly competitive Ohio
Read full article: Trump's trouble in suburbs key to suddenly competitive Ohio(AP Photo/Dan Sewell)CINCINNATI During a background briefing with reporters in December, President Donald Trump's reelection campaign team gave only passing mention of Ohio. Trump's campaign has budgeted $18.4 million in television advertising in Ohio for this fall, second only to Florida, according to campaign advertising tracking data. Trump won Ohio by 8 percentage points four years ago. In nearby Hilliard, Democrats won their first seat on the City Council in three decades. Even as Trumps standing began to fall after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Ohio was not seen as a concern, campaign officials said.
Given a chance, Trump would push court pick before election
Read full article: Given a chance, Trump would push court pick before electionFILE - This June 30, 2020, file photo shows the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have made it crystal clear: Given the chance theyll push through a Supreme Court justice nominee should a vacancy open on the high court before Election Day. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)WASHINGTON President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have tried to make it clear: Given the chance, they would push through a Supreme Court nominee should a vacancy occur before Election Day. He said he would release a new list of Conservative Supreme Court Justice nominees by Sept. 1. In 2018, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley said that if he were still the committee chairman in 2020 and there were a Supreme Court vacancy, he would not take up the nomination.
After Trump campaign swap, questions and Kushner remain
Read full article: After Trump campaign swap, questions and Kushner remainTrumps long-in-coming campaign shakeup rearranged some big job titles but isn't likely to change the identity of the person truly in charge of day-to-day operations: Kushner. But it also shows a new willingness by Trump to diversify his inner circle, even if Kushner remains at the helm. That process began when Trump first elevated Stepien to senior adviser and returned Jason Miller to the campaign last month. We have a better team, better voter information, a better ground game, better fundraising, and most importantly, a better candidate with a better record, Stepien said. Despite the campaign shakeup, most in the GOP believe the candidate will determine his own fate.
Pence turns up heat on Biden with Wisconsin speech
Read full article: Pence turns up heat on Biden with Wisconsin speechThe speech delivered on the campus of Ripon College in battleground Wisconsin comes as polls show Trump trailing Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in a state that Trump won by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016. Pence said that if Biden wins the election, the country will spin into economic decline, be less safe and have open borders and taxpayer-funded abortions. Biden spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield countered that Trumps economic policies have harmed Wisconsin at every turn and that Pence glossed over Trumps economic record, both before the pandemic and since. The Pence visit came as COVID-19 cases were spiking in Wisconsin. Pence wore a mask when he entered the room but removed it for his speech.
Pompeo downplays possibility of summit with North Korea
Read full article: Pompeo downplays possibility of summit with North KoreaSEOUL U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo downplayed the possibility of another summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before the U.S. presidential election, saying Trump would only want to engage if there were real prospects of progress. But negotiations have faltered since their second summit in February 2019, where the Americans rejected North Korean demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capability. Some analysts believe North Korea will avoid serious talks with the Americans for now before attempting an eventual return to negotiations after the U.S. election in November. They say North Korea likely doesnt want to make any major commitments or concessions when there is a chance U.S. leadership could change. The prolonged stalemate in nuclear talks have raised doubts on whether Kim Jong Un would ever agree to fully relinquish the nukes he likely sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.
Four more years? Trump struggles to outline second term plan
Read full article: Four more years? Trump struggles to outline second term planNEW YORK President Donald Trump is adamant that he wants another four years in office. But he offered few clues about what he would do if he remains in the White House. He similarly stammered through an interview last month when pressed by a friendly TV host to talk about what a second term would look like. Trump is reshaping his campaign, announcing Wednesday that veteran GOP operative Bill Stepien will replace Brad Parscale as campaign manager. When asked for the presidents second-term agenda, the White House pointed to Trumps response to COVID-19 but offered little in the way of specifics.
Trump replaces campaign manager amid sinking poll numbers
Read full article: Trump replaces campaign manager amid sinking poll numbers(AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)WASHINGTON President Donald Trump shook up his campaign staff amid sinking poll numbers less than four months before the election, replacing campaign manager Brad Parscale with veteran GOP operative Bill Stepien. I am pleased to announce that Bill Stepien has been promoted to the role of Trump Campaign Manager, Trump said Wednesday on Facebook. Chris Christie and serving as Trumps national field director in 2016. Parscales digital advertising firm was among the campaigns most significant vendors, and some in Trumps orbit have alleged that the former campaign manager was profiting off the presidents reelection. Schultz is now at the Democratic National Committee, helping lead the joint battleground strategy among the national party, the Biden campaign and state parties.
Q&A: What's behind the Twitter Bitcoin hack?
Read full article: Q&A: What's behind the Twitter Bitcoin hack?On Wednesday afternoon, the Twitter accounts of famous figures began tweeting similar messages saying they were feeling generous and would double any Bitcoin payments sent to an address in the tweet. Twitter called the hack a coordinated social engineering attack" by unknown people who targeted Twitter employees with access to the platform's internal systems and tools. But this is not the first time Twitter employees have wrecked havoc. Last year, U.S. prosecutors charged two former Twitter employees with spying on user data for the government of Saudi Arabia. While Twitter, Facebook and other social media companies have since tightened their election security systems and policies, malicious actors trying to intervene have also improved their tactics.
Trump trades arenas for Rose Garden in attack on Biden
Read full article: Trump trades arenas for Rose Garden in attack on BidenPresident Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House, Tuesday, July 14, 2020, in Washington. The president traded the arena-style rallies he favors for the sun-drenched heat of the typically apolitical White House Rose Garden. The shift presented a challenge for a president who thrives on the validation of his supporters and uses their energy to propel his White House bid. Since the early days of his campaign, Biden has sought to portray himself as an empathetic, competent counter to the turbulence of Trump's administration. As vice president, Biden was a leading advocate of the Paris climate accord, which was unbelievably expensive to our country," Trump said.
Trump trades arenas for Rose Garden in attack on Biden
Read full article: Trump trades arenas for Rose Garden in attack on BidenPresident Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House, Tuesday, July 14, 2020, in Washington. The president traded the arena-style rallies he favors for the sun-drenched heat of the typically apolitical White House Rose Garden. The shift presented a challenge for a president who thrives on the validation of his supporters and uses their energy to propel his White House bid. Since the early days of his campaign, Biden has sought to portray himself as an empathetic, competent counter to the turbulence of Trump's administration. As vice president, Biden was a leading advocate of the Paris climate accord, which was unbelievably expensive to our country," Trump said.
Court: Absentee ballots that come after election won't count
Read full article: Court: Absentee ballots that come after election won't countThe League of Women Voters of Michigan and three voters sued in May, seeking a declaration that absentee ballots be counted as long as they are mailed on or before Election Day and are received within six days of the election. The plaintiffs, who will appeal to the state Supreme Court, pointed to voters' new constitutional rights to cast an absentee ballot without giving a reason 40 days before an election and to do it in person or by mail. It also said the deadline especially burdens undecided and late-deciding voters and said at least 11 states count ballots sent by Election Day. About 1.75% of ballots were not counted in the recent May local elections because they came in too late. A similar suit funded by Priorities USA, a powerful super PAC in Democratic politics is pending in the state Court of Claims.
Wisconsin Democrats raised record-high $10M over 3 months
Read full article: Wisconsin Democrats raised record-high $10M over 3 monthsMADISON, Wis. The Wisconsin Democratic Party said Tuesday that it raised more money between April and June than in any other three-month period in state party history, bolstering its bank account in this hotly contested presidential battleground state. Democrats raised $10 million over the second quarter of the year, leaving them with $12 million cash on hand with the November election just five months away, party spokeswoman Courtney Beyer said. President Donald Trump won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016, and the state remains a focus for both his and Democrat Joe Biden 's campaigns this year. In addition to trying to win the state for Biden, Wisconsin Democrats are also working to prevent Republicans from winning three seats in both the state Senate and Assembly to gain veto-proof majorities. A spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Republican Party did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the Democratic fundraising totals, which parties and candidates had to report by Wednesday.
Biden proposes overhauling nation's energy sector by 2035
Read full article: Biden proposes overhauling nation's energy sector by 2035Joe Biden released a plan Tuesday aimed at combating climate change and spurring economic growth in part by overhauling Americas energy industry, with a proposal to achieve entirely carbon pollution-free power by 2035. Senior campaign officials who requested anonymity to discuss strategy said it would require a mix of tax increases on corporations and the wealthy and deficit spending aimed at stimulating the economy. During the primary, some Democrats proposed an outright ban on fracking while Biden limited his opposition to new fracking permits. On a Monday evening fundraising call with renewable energy executives, Biden pledged to make an irreversible impact on the nations efforts to combat climate change. Senior campaign officials said Tuesday morning that the plan includes planks that could be achieved by executive action, and others that would require legislation.
Ready or not: Election costs soar in prep for virus voting
Read full article: Ready or not: Election costs soar in prep for virus votingThe demand for mail-in ballots is surging, election workers are in need of training and polling booths might have to be outfitted with protective shields. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)WASHINGTON The demand for mail-in ballots is surging. Central to that is the costs for printing mail-in ballots and postage. Even before the pandemic, election offices typically work under tight budgets. For Georgias primary last month, election officials spent $8.1 million of the roughly $10.9 million the state has received in federal funds.
Trump's reelection operation hires 1,500 field staffers
Read full article: Trump's reelection operation hires 1,500 field staffersWASHINGTON The Republican National Committee and President Donald Trumps campaign say they have now hired 1,500 field staffers, aiming to convert their financial advantage over Democrats into votes in November. Trump Victory, the joint field effort of the two organizations, announced Monday the hiring of an additional 300 staffers set to hit 20 target states by Wednesday in the largest field operation over mounted by a Republican. Republicans are quick to note that their staffer count in the field is more than double that of Biden, whose goal was 600 field staffers by the end of June. Both the Trump and Biden field operations went virtual largely overnight in mid-March as the coronavirus pandemic hit. We have the biggest and best ground game operation ever seen, said Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh.
US eyes world power summit for UN anniversary amid crises
Read full article: US eyes world power summit for UN anniversary amid crisesThe Trump administration, which withdrew from the accord in 2018, faces stiff opposition to extending the embargo from its fellow Security Council members. The administration has threatened to invoke the snapback of all U.N. sanctions on Iran that were eased under nuclear deal unless the embargo is prolonged. The department said in a statement that Pompeo and Lavrov also discussed Afghanistan, following reports that U.S. intelligence suspects Russia may be paying bounties to the Taliban to kill American and allied troops. Critics have accused the administration of ignoring the potential threat and demanded action. The two men also discussed election security amid concerns Russia may try to meddle in the 2020 U.S. presidential vote, the statement said, adding that Pompeo had raised the matter.
Donald Trump, Joe Biden win Louisiana's presidential primary
Read full article: Donald Trump, Joe Biden win Louisiana's presidential primaryDemocratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden pulls down his mask as he makes an unannounced stop at his childhood home on North Washington Avenue in the Green Ridge section of Scranton, Pa., to visit the current homeowner, Anne Kearns, Thursday, July 9, 2020. (Christopher Dolan/The Times-Tribune via AP)WASHINGTON President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have won Louisianas twice-postponed presidential primary. Trump faced no true challenger for the Republican nomination, but four other GOP contenders ran against him on Louisianas ballot Saturday. Biden faced 13 other Democrats on the ballot, though he already had locked up enough delegates in other states to become the partys nominee. Voters had extra days of early voting and expanded mail-in balloting options because of the virus outbreak.
Trump, Biden try to outdo each other on tough talk on China
Read full article: Trump, Biden try to outdo each other on tough talk on ChinaTrump campaign officials believe they missed that opportunity in trying to wrest Midwest states from the Democrats in 2016. Trump said hed get tough on China, one of Biden campaign ads says. The Biden campaign says Trump has weakened relations with allies and pulled the U.S. out of international organizations, giving China more room to exert its own influence. Biden campaign officials say that if Biden is elected, he will restore relationships with U.S. allies and rally the international community to form a united front against China. That first phase is smaller than the comprehensive deal Trump had hoped for and leaves many of the thorniest issues between the two countries for future talks.
Trump lags Biden on people of color in top campaign ranks
Read full article: Trump lags Biden on people of color in top campaign ranksTwenty-five percent of the Republican president's senior staff are nonwhite, compared to 36% of Bidens senior staff. Along with adding more people of color to his campaign, Biden has promised an administration that looks like America if he is elected on Nov. 3. His campaign declined to discuss minority representation on the campaign staff. The Biden campaign said LGBTQ staff and staff of color hold such positions as senior advisers, deputy campaign managers, national coalitions director, chief financial officer, chief operating officer and national press secretary, among others. Trumps campaign defined its senior staff as senior leaders who meet regularly to make decisions.
Biden forges brand of liberal populism to use against Trump
Read full article: Biden forges brand of liberal populism to use against TrumpBut it made plain his intention to test the reach of liberal populism as he tries to create a coalition that can defeat President Donald Trump in November. Trump and his Republican allies argue that Bidens positioning, especially his ongoing work with progressives, proves hes captive to a radical left wing. Whats different in 2020, he said, are the countrys circumstances a public health crisis, near-Depression level unemployment, a national reckoning on racism and the office Biden now seeks. The former vice president also has amassed an impressive slate of endorsements and built a stable of regular campaign surrogates, including all his major primary rivals. For his part, Trump accused Biden of plagiarizing his economic populism but also tarred Biden as a leftist who cant win.
Trump's reelection campaign gets a reboot as virus persists
Read full article: Trump's reelection campaign gets a reboot as virus persistsWASHINGTON President Donald Trump's campaign reboot is getting a reboot. Trumps rally in Portsmouth was scheduled after aides spent weeks studying what went wrong in Tulsa three weeks ago. It's unclear how many people will attend the New Hampshire rally, campaign officials acknowledge. There has been talk of displaying statues of American heroes at the rally, two campaign officials said. Before the pandemic, the state was on a short list along with Minnesota and New Mexico that the Trump campaign hoped to flip from blue to red.
Trump looks for political edge in latest high court rulings
Read full article: Trump looks for political edge in latest high court rulingsWASHINGTON President Donald Trump won the White House on the promise of bringing a conservative shift to the Supreme Court. But this year and last, even with two justices Trump hand-picked, the court has shown it is no rubber stamp for him or his administrations policies. Thats drawn the presidents ire and teed up a renewed battle over the court as Trump seeks political advantage ahead of Novembers election. Supreme Court judges, he said at a July 2016 rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Biden months ago made something of a promise related to the Supreme Court, saying hed be honored to appoint the first African American woman to the court.
Goya CEO praises Trump at White House, backlash is swift
Read full article: Goya CEO praises Trump at White House, backlash is swiftPresident Donald Trump listens as Robert Unanue, of Goya Foods, speaks during a roundtable meeting with Hispanic leaders in the Cabinet Room, Thursday, July 9, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)NEW YORK Goya Foods is facing a swift backlash after its CEO praised President Donald Trump at White House event. Robert Unanue, a grandson and now Goya CEO, spoke at a Rose Garden event announcing a Hispanic Prosperity Initiative on Thursday. We all truly blessed, at the same time, to have have a leader like President Trump who is a builder, Unanue said standing at a podium beside Trump. On Wednesday, he welcomed President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador to the White House with lofty language, calling Mexico a cherished partner.
Indiana GOP ousts attorney general after groping allegations
Read full article: Indiana GOP ousts attorney general after groping allegationsFILE - In this Oct. 3, 2019, file photo, Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill holds a press conference in South Bend, Ind. Votes are being tallied Friday, July 10, 2020, to decide whether Republicans will nominate Attorney General Hill for a new term despiteallegations of groping four womenthat resulted in amonth-long suspension of his law license. State party officials announced Rokita defeated Hill and two lesser-known candidates. Weinzapfel has criticized the GOP candidates for supporting Hills participation with other Republican attorneys general in the lawsuit against Obamacare, but Rokitas nomination likely lessens the potential campaign impact of the groping allegations. Rokita has faced several controversies, including allegations that his congressional staffers often felt obligated to do political work to help his campaigns.
Trump faced issues with Asian Americans even before virus
Read full article: Trump faced issues with Asian Americans even before virusTrumps words have angered many Asian Americans and drawn condemnation from Trumps Democratic rival Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama. Trump in March also insisted that Asian Americans were amazing people and not at fault for spreading the virus. Biden at a June 27 town hall for Asian American voters slammed Trumps dangerous theories as xenophobic. The number of Asian Americans aligning themselves with the Democratic party has increased over the past 20 years while support for the GOP has trended down. For Trump, AAPI Data found nearly all major Asian American ethnic groups held an unfavorable view of the president.
Biden proposes $700 billion-plus Buy American campaign
Read full article: Biden proposes $700 billion-plus Buy American campaignIts the first of a series of addresses Biden plans as he shifts his line of attack against President Donald Trump to the economy. The Biden campaign also pointed to an uptick in foreign procurement and continued outsourcing of jobs by U.S.-based corporations during Trumps presidency. Biden voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement in the Senate in 1994, an anchor of Trumps criticism and Sanders attacks before that. That includes joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership that Biden advocated when he served as President Barack Obamas vice president. That raises the possibility that Biden could declare that spending to be deliberate deficit spending to stimulate the struggling economy.
Appeals court pauses lawsuit over Trump hotel profits
Read full article: Appeals court pauses lawsuit over Trump hotel profitsThe two jurisdictions filed a lawsuit in 2017, alleging that Trump has violated the emoluments clause of the Constitution by accepting profits through foreign and domestic officials who stay at the Trump International Hotel. In May, the 4th Circuit revived the lawsuit, ruling that a three-judge panel of the court had overstepped its authority when it ordered a U.S. District Court judge to dismiss the lawsuit. On Thursday, the court agreed to extend the pause on the lawsuit including the subpoenas while the U.S. Department of Justice appeals the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. Frosh and Racine said they are disappointed that their lawsuit will remain on hold while the case is appealed to the Supreme Court. We are disappointed that we will not be able to resume discovery immediately because of President Trumps continued delay tactics.
The Latest: Biden wins New Jersey's Democratic primary
Read full article: The Latest: Biden wins New Jersey's Democratic primaryWASHINGTON The Latest on Tuesday's primary elections in New Jersey and Delaware (all times local):8:30 p.m.Former Vice President Joe Biden has won New Jerseys mostly mail-in Democratic presidential primary. Biden faced Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on the ballot Tuesday, even though Biden has accumulated enough delegates to become the party's presumptive nominee. New Jerseys already-late primary got pushed a month later because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Democratic Gov. ___8:25 p.m.Joe Biden has won Delaware's Democratic presidential primary, while President Donald Trump has won the state's Republican presidential primary. Biden, a longtime senator from Delaware before serving two terms as vice president, is already the party's presumptive nominee.
In risky bid, Trump stokes racial rancor to motivate voters
Read full article: In risky bid, Trump stokes racial rancor to motivate votersHis comments are an apparent descendant, a half-century later, of Richard Nixons coded outreach to white voters known as the Southern Strategy. However, according to current and former Trump campaign officials, his overarching strategy is an appeal to white voters some of them racist and some who fear being left behind by a government seemingly consumed with helping others. The belief is that his appeals will generate enthusiasm among the same disaffected white voters who made up the presidents base of supporters four years ago. The issues that involve race now are completely different, said Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign adviser. In other parts of the country, less so.The Trump campaign dismisses accusations of racism.
A deeply divided Poland chooses a president in runoff vote
Read full article: A deeply divided Poland chooses a president in runoff voteThis combination of photos shows candidates in Poland's presidential election, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, right, and Poland's President Andrzej Duda. President Andrzej Duda, a nationalist and conservative, is seeking a second term, but he faces a tough challenge from liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski. He and his Law and Justice party have won the backing of older and rural Poles, helped by cash payments to families and other welfare programs. During his first five-year-term, Duda has approved laws giving the Law and Justice party vast new powers over Poland's top courts and key judicial bodies. He alleged a German attack in these elections.The Germans want to choose the president in Poland?
Mayor Pete Buttigieg has a new book set for fall, 'Trust'
Read full article: Mayor Pete Buttigieg has a new book set for fall, 'Trust'Former Democratic presidential primary candidate Pete Buttigieg endorses Democratic presidential primary candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden during an event at the Chicken Scratch restaurant the night before Super Tuesday primary voting, on Monday night March 2, 2020 in Dallas. (Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News via AP)NEW YORK Pete Buttigieg's next book has a unifying message. Liveright Publishing announced Wednesday that the former Democratic presidential candidate and South Bend, Indiana, mayor had written Trust: Americas Best Chance, scheduled for release Oct. 6. In order for our country to move forward in the years ahead, it will be more important than ever to build trust trust in our institutions and leaders, trust in each other, and trust around the world in America itself," Buttigieg said in a statement. His new work arrives a month after the release of I Have Something to Tell You, a memoir by his husband, Chasten Buttigieg.
Despite risks, Trump invests big in attacks on Biden's age
Read full article: Despite risks, Trump invests big in attacks on Biden's ageShrugging off the risks, Trumps team is pumping millions of dollars into the broadside and vowed this week not to back off. The author says it is likely, however, that both Biden and Trump are super agers whose life expectancy would extend well beyond average. A poll commissioned by the Republican National Committee this spring determined that attacks on Biden's mental acuity didn't sway persuadable voters. Public polling also suggests that more voters may trust Biden's ability to handle the rigors of the presidency more than they trust Trump. Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said that attacks on Biden's age and mental competence should resonate with every American. He insisted that Trump's team would not back off the line of attack, despite concerns of ageism.
Biden-Sanders task forces unveil joint goals for party unity
Read full article: Biden-Sanders task forces unveil joint goals for party unityBiden hoped the task forces would promote party unity and help him avoid a repeat of 2016, when many Sanders supporters remained disillusioned enough that they stayed home rather than support Hillary Clinton against Trump. Their conclusions come as Biden and Democratic Party officials enter the main phase of writing the platform. Bidens economic plan is expected to mix policies he proposed to little fanfare during the primary with additional ideas developed since he became his party's presumptive presidential nominee. That announcement is expected to build on the task force recommendations. Prakash noted that the economic team did its work mostly via weekly teleconference sessions, thanks to the pandemic.
GOP worries Trump's divisive June imperils Senate control
Read full article: GOP worries Trump's divisive June imperils Senate controlStill another said Republicans worry the GOP brand of cutting taxes could be overshadowed by Trump's drive to defend Confederate monuments. 2 Senate Republican leader John Thune of South Dakota said last week. He said GOP candidates need to do what they need to do to win. Republican Senate candidates will have to defend things President Trump says and does between now and Election Day, said Rory Cooper, a Republican strategist and longtime Trump foe. He said he believes independent swing voters abandoning Trump will be willing to back GOP Senate candidates and expressed cautious optimism.
Trump donors among early recipients of coronavirus loans
Read full article: Trump donors among early recipients of coronavirus loansMany were among the first to be approved for a loan in early April, when the administration was struggling to launch the lending program. There is no evidence the companies received favorable treatment as a result of their ties to Trump, and the businesses account for just a fraction of the overall spending under the program. But the distribution of relief money is coming under heightened scrutiny after the Trump administration initially refused to reveal which companies received loans, only to cave under growing bipartisan pressure from Congress. Among the recipients named Monday was the conservative website NewsMax, which was approved for a loan up to $5 million on April 13, the data shows. And Trump donors aren't the only people with ties to the president who have benefited.
Biden promises to up US production of key medical equipment
Read full article: Biden promises to up US production of key medical equipment(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON Joe Biden is promising to shift production of medical equipment and other key pandemic-fighting products back to U.S. soil," creating jobs and bolstering a domestic supply chain he says has been exposed as inadequate and vulnerable by the coronavirus outbreak. That includes medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, but also energy and grid resilience technologies, semiconductors and key electronics, as well as telecommunications infrastructure and raw materials. Biden has long criticized President Donald Trump's administration for failing to press more private companies into production of ventilators and other critical medical and protective equipment during the virus outbreak under the Defense Production Act. The campaign officials said the goal was not to make U.S. manufacturing purely self-sufficient but to decrease dependence on foreign producers like China. The plan aims to increase critical stockpiles while also creating national surge capacity to further ramp up production in times of crisis.
In risky bid, Trump stokes racial rancor to motivate voters
Read full article: In risky bid, Trump stokes racial rancor to motivate votersHis comments are an apparent descendant, a half-century later, of Richard Nixons coded outreach to white voters known as the Southern Strategy. However, according to current and former Trump campaign officials, his overarching strategy is an appeal to white voters some of them racist and some who fear being left behind by a government seemingly consumed with helping others. The belief is that his appeals will generate enthusiasm among the same disaffected white voters who made up the presidents base of supporters four years ago. The issues that involve race now are completely different, said Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign adviser. In other parts of the country, less so.The Trump campaign dismisses accusations of racism.
1 ad, 3 accents: How Democrats aim to win Latino votes
Read full article: 1 ad, 3 accents: How Democrats aim to win Latino votesA key to doing that is a deeper understanding of Latino voters' backgrounds thanks to new advancements in micro-targeting." Its not about taking an English campaign ad and translating it into Spanish and considering that Latino outreach." Bertica Cabrera Morris, a Latinos For Trump advisory board member, said Democrats relying too heavily sub-ethnicity modeling could seem patronizing. It has more than 3 million eligible Latino voters, about 20% of total eligible voters statewide. Pealosa said party staffers and volunteers have created customized talking points to reach different Latino communities, such as Biden opposing Maduro.
2020 Watch: Has Trump surrendered to the coronavirus?
Read full article: 2020 Watch: Has Trump surrendered to the coronavirus?President Donald Trump speaks during a "Salute to America" event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. The coronavirus pandemic is raging, family vacations are on hold, cable news viewership is booming and President Donald Trump is inflaming the nation's culture wars to keep his base engaged. Recent history suggests there is time for a turnaround, although Trump is taking no steps to expand his coalition. ___THE BIG QUESTIONSHas Trump surrendered to the coronavirus? ___Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, Ground Game.
Justices rule states can bind presidential electors' votes
Read full article: Justices rule states can bind presidential electors' votesThe Contemplation of Justice statue stands outside the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, July 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that states can require presidential electors to back their states popular vote winner in the Electoral College. In so doing, they hoped to persuade enough electors in states won by Donald Trump to choose someone else and deny Trump the presidency. In Washington, the state Supreme Court upheld a $1,000 fine against the three electors and rejected their claims. In asking the Supreme Court to rule that states can require electors to vote for the state winner, Colorado had urged the justices not to wait until the heat of a close presidential election.
South Dakota governor, exposed to virus, joined Trump on jet
Read full article: South Dakota governor, exposed to virus, joined Trump on jetShortly after fireworks above Mount Rushmore disappeared into the night sky on Friday, South Dakota Gov. Noem had tested negative for COVID-19 shortly before welcoming Trump to South Dakota on Friday. But that runs counter to guidance from public health experts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that advises people to wear masks when interacting with people outside their household. As the number of people hospitalized from COVID-19 in South Dakota has decreased in recent weeks to just 59 people statewide, Noem has doubled down on her relaxed approach to the pandemic. Seidel said the governor worries about other effects of the virus, such as unemployment and domestic violence.
Democrats, Biden look to accelerate Southern political shift
Read full article: Democrats, Biden look to accelerate Southern political shiftNow, during a national reckoning on racism, Democratic Party leaders want those symbolic changes to become part of a fundamental shift at the ballot box. North Carolina, Georgia, Texas these are becoming real two-party states, said Republican pollster Brent Buchanan, whose firm, Cygnal, aides GOP campaigns across the country. Senate contests in South Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi could be much closer than typical statewide races in those Deep South states. Obama won North Carolina and Virginia in 2008, leaning more heavily on diverse cities and battleground suburbs. In South Carolina, Harrison sees progress, even as more tangible policy fights remain.
Trump Cabinet members look to reassure battleground voters
Read full article: Trump Cabinet members look to reassure battleground votersWith President Donald Trump confronted by skyrocketing joblessness and the coronavirus pandemic as he campaigns for reelection against Democrat Joe Biden, members of his Cabinet are busy making time in pivotal states. They are carrying a message to voters about what the Trump administration is doing for them. A Trump campaign spokesperson did not respond to questions about the Cabinet members' trips. Biden campaign spokesperson Michael Gwin accused the Trump administration of focusing on "scoring political points, not delivering for the people they work for. It was unclear whether the Trump campaign or the federal government paid for Bernhardt's costs on the trip.
Trump pushes racial division, flouts virus rules at Rushmore
Read full article: Trump pushes racial division, flouts virus rules at RushmoreMOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL, S.D. This movement is openly attacking the legacies of every person on Mount Rushmore," Trump said. It will not happen.The speech and fireworks at Mount Rushmore came against the backdrop of a pandemic that has killed over 125,000 Americans. Some Native American groups used Trump's visit to protest the Mount Rushmore memorial itself, pointing out that the Black Hills were taken from the Lakota people. Trump and Melania Trump plan to host events from the White House South Lawn and from the Ellipse.
Trump, Biden fight for primacy on social media platforms
Read full article: Trump, Biden fight for primacy on social media platformsBiden and his allies are working feverishly to establish a social media force of their own. The numbers are similarly skewed in other spheres of the social media landscape. Biden and his allies are now working feverishly to establish a social media force of their own. Trump and Biden have strikingly divergent tactics on social media. Theyve been very good at promoting values and shying away from being baited into the same tactics (as the Trump campaign), Venuto said.
Can Trump's anti-mail-voting crusade hurt him in key states?
Read full article: Can Trump's anti-mail-voting crusade hurt him in key states?President Donald Trumps campaign and allies have blocked efforts to expand mail-in voting, forcing an awkward confrontation with top GOP election officials promoting the opposite in their states. There is a dimension to legislatures underfunding or undercutting election officials that could ironically backfire and hurt Republicans, said Michael McDonald, a University of Florida professor and director of the nonpartisan United States Election Project. Ohio already allows the secretary of state to send absentee ballot requests to every registered voter. He also has incorrectly equated a secretary of state widely distributing absentee ballot requests with the ballots themselves in Michigan. Reducing their exposure by voting absentee, we think, was a considerate thing to do," she said.
Buttigieg, South Carolina mayor teaming up on COVID effort
Read full article: Buttigieg, South Carolina mayor teaming up on COVID effort(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)COLUMBIA, S.C. Former South Bend, Indiana, mayor and presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has teamed up with the mayor of South Carolina's capital city to help municipalities stem the spread of the coronavirus. Columbia, South Carolina, Mayor Steve Benjamin said Thursday that he and Buttigieg have been co-chairing the Pandemic Resilience Working Group for Americas Mayors. South Carolina Gov. Recent escalating numbers have placed South Carolina third in the nation in newly diagnosed cases over the past 14 days adjusted by population. More than 39,500 positive tests for the virus have been conducted, and more than 1,100 people were hospitalized in South Carolina after developing COVID-19.
Ex-Bush officials launch super PAC backing Biden over Trump
Read full article: Ex-Bush officials launch super PAC backing Biden over TrumpThe group, 43 Alumni for Biden, has recruited at least 200 former White House officials, campaign aides and Cabinet secretaries who worked under Bush to join the push against the Republican incumbent. Theyre planning to roll out supportive testimonial videos featuring high-profile Republicans and launch a voter turnout effort in key states, aimed at turning out disaffected Republican voters. We ask them to go to the White House and do what they think is in the best interest of the country. Two groups, Republican Voters Against Trump and the Lincoln Project, have already been airing ads in key states boosting Biden and attacking Trump. And last month, a group of GOP operatives opposed to Trump launched Right Side PAC, which is aimed at turning out disenchanted Republican voters.
AP-NORC poll: White Democrats grow more critical of police
Read full article: AP-NORC poll: White Democrats grow more critical of policeWhile racial inequity has long been a focal point of African Americans, experts say many white Americans, particularly white Democrats, are now grappling with the longstanding impacts of systemic racism in ways they never have before. Trump on Sunday tweeted and later deleted a video showing one of his supporters chanting white power, a racist slogan associated with white supremacists. The increase is especially sharp 40 percentage points among white Democrats. Black Democrats are even more likely than they were in 2015 to say that, 87% vs. 71%. White Democrats are now more likely than they were in 2015 to say police more commonly use force with Black people, 87% vs. 62%.
Trump: I'll veto defense bill to keep Confederate base names
Read full article: Trump: I'll veto defense bill to keep Confederate base namesTrump took to Twitter late Tuesday to threaten a veto of a $741 billion annual Pentagon authorization bill because it would require a host of military bases named after Confederate figures to be renamed within. I will Veto the Defense Authorization Bill if the Elizabeth Pocahontas Warren (of all people!) of Fort Bragg, Fort Robert E. Lee, and many other Military Bases from which we won Two World Wars, is in the Bill!" I dare President Trump to veto the bill over Confederate base naming. Instead of mandating the renaming of military bases, including Fort Bragg, we need a thoughtful and constructive process that includes the input of our military communities, said Tillis.
AP Exclusive: Black Lives Matter groups plan convention
Read full article: AP Exclusive: Black Lives Matter groups plan conventionThe 2020 Black National Convention will take place Aug. 28 via a live broadcast. The first-ever Black Lives Matter convention was held in Cleveland in 2015. Convention organizers said this years event will pay tribute to the historic 1972 National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana, which concluded with the introduction of a national Black agenda. Somewhat similarly, the Vision for Black Lives platform and its characterization of Israel as an apartheid state committing mass murder against Palestinian people drew allegations of anti-Semitism from a handful of Jewish groups, which had otherwise been supportive the Black Lives Matter movement. We dont just say Black lives matter and beg people to care.
Biden to hammer Trump for handling of COVID-19 pandemic
Read full article: Biden to hammer Trump for handling of COVID-19 pandemicFILE - In this June 25, 2020, file photo Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden pauses while speaking during an event in Lancaster, Pa. Biden and his leading supporters are stepping up warnings to Democrats to avoid becoming complacent. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden plans Tuesday to blister President Donald Trump for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic as he tries to demonstrate to voters how hed handle the public health and economic crisis if he were in the White House. Trump has often contradicted Faucis guidelines on coronarvirus, and the veteran of six administrations has been largely out of public view in recent weeks as COVID-19 cases have spiked across the country. Biden also plans to prioritize personal protective equipment. Biden called early in the pandemic for Trump to use the Defense Production Act, usually a wartime statute, to direct private sector manufacturing capacity to produce more health care materials needed to prevent, treat and combat the virus.
Senate Democratic primary heads to finish line in Kentucky
Read full article: Senate Democratic primary heads to finish line in KentuckyU.S. Senate candidate Amy McGrath speaks to people during a visit to Thankful Hearts Food Pantry in Pikeville, Ky., Monday, June 22, 2020. The lead in the Democratic primary has flipped back and forth between Booker and McGrath as results of individual counties' absentee tally trickle in. But the Democratic contest in this GOP-dominated state turned volatile when Booker, a Black state lawmaker, seized momentum in the final weeks. We are thrilled with the absentee results so far," said McGraths campaign manager, Mark Nickolas. The state turned to widespread mail-in absentee voting because of the coronavirus pandemic, while still allowing in-person voting as well.
Beyond 'love,' Trump has little to show from N Korea talks
Read full article: Beyond 'love,' Trump has little to show from N Korea talksNorth Korea declared the dialogue a failure in a statement written before talks even began, administration officials say. Im wondering if hes trying to go for the last possible minute deal with President Trump, she said. After the first summit, in Singapore in 2018, Trump tweeted, There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea. After three made-for-TV summits, we still dont have a single concrete commitment from North Korea. Trump has said that the lack of war with North Korea is essentially a win for the United States.
Abortion foes vent disappointment after Supreme Court ruling
Read full article: Abortion foes vent disappointment after Supreme Court rulingNEW YORK Abortion opponents vented their disappointment and fury on Monday after the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision to strike down a Louisiana law that would have curbed abortion access. The ruling delivered a defeat to anti-abortion activists but could intensify interest in the November election among religious conservatives who are a key part of Trumps base. Once again this ruling underscores the importance of elections, Pavone said in a statement. Russell Moore, president of the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, defended Louisiana's abortion law as placing the most minimal restrictions possible on an abortion industry that insists on laissez-faire for itself and its profits." Religious conservatives also openly lamented that decision, while noting that potential faith-based exemptions could be carved out.
Distancing from Trump? Some Republicans step up critiques
Read full article: Distancing from Trump? Some Republicans step up critiquesWhile Trump avoids wearing a mask in public, McConnell said facial coverings are really important until a vaccine is found. 3 Republican in the House, tweeted a picture of her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, wearing a mask with the hashtag #realmenwearmasks. At the same time, Trump has been criticized by some Republicans for inconsistent leadership during the sweeping national protests against police brutality. Jerry Falwell Jr., a Trump confidant and the president of Liberty University, conceded that the president has not been clear enough about his plans. To be sure, Trumps White House has set records for turnover, but efforts to prepare for life after the administration have been taken up in earnest in some corners of the White House complex.
Democrats renew health care attacks on GOP as virus builds
Read full article: Democrats renew health care attacks on GOP as virus buildsThe health care law has been a flashpoint in American politics since its enactment a decade ago. Trying to take away health care in the middle of a pandemic is like throwing out the sandbags during a hurricane, said Jesse Ferguson, a longtime Democratic strategist. The pandemic has made clear for people how important it is to them that their neighbors have health care. And in March, it put $250,000 behind an ad attacking Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana on health care. She said the Democratic health care message would be, Democrats are the party of health care.
Biden slams Trump over reported bounties placed on US troops
Read full article: Biden slams Trump over reported bounties placed on US troopsThe New York Times reported Friday that American intelligence officials concluded months ago that a Russian military intelligence unit secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The White House said neither Trump nor Vice President Mike Pence was briefed on such intelligence. Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told the Times the Kremlin had not been made aware of the accusations. The newspaper, citing unnamed officials familiar with the intelligence, said the findings were presented to Trump and discussed by his National Security Council in late March. Biden slammed Trump over his reported failure to act.
Sunday election in Poland a test for president and populism
Read full article: Sunday election in Poland a test for president and populismPresident Donald Trump meets with Polish President Andrzej Duda in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, June 24, 2020, in Washington. Last weekend, Serbia's autocratic right-wing president, Aleksandar Vucic, strengthened his hold on power there in a parliamentary election that was boycotted by opposition parties. The Polish election is widely seen as an important test for democracy, in this case in the fifth most populous country in the 27-member European Union. Trzaskowski entered the race late after an election originally scheduled for May 10 was scrapped due to the pandemic. The people of Poland think the world of him, Trump said Wednesday at a joint news conference with Duda.
Medicaid, GOP congressional primary top Oklahoma ballot
Read full article: Medicaid, GOP congressional primary top Oklahoma ballotOklahoma voters will vote in Tuesday's primary election on State Question 802, which would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to expand Medicaid health insurance. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, Pool, File)OKLAHOMA CITY A question on whether to expand Medicaid in Oklahoma and a crowded Republican field vying to challenge the state's lone congressional Democrat are drawing the most attention ahead of Tuesday's primary election. According to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, states that have expanded Medicaid through a ballot measure include Idaho, Maine, Nebraska and Utah. This is going to cost our state $200 million," Stitt said during an event this week with Americans for Prosperity. Republicans clearly see OK-5 as one of their best chances to flip' a House seat, and theyre correct to see it that way," said Matthew Motta, a political science professor at Oklahoma State University.
Dueling Trump-Biden events offer contrasting virus responses
Read full article: Dueling Trump-Biden events offer contrasting virus responsesPresident Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden swung through critical battleground states Thursday, presenting starkly different visions for America as it struggles with a pandemic. Amazingly, he hasnt grasped the most basic fact of this crisis: To fix the economy we have to get control over the virus, Biden said. With just over four months remaining until the election, the contrasting styles of Trump and Biden are increasingly on display. The president is itching to move past an outbreak that has dashed the economy and killed more than 125,000 people. On Thursday, he visited a rural Wisconsin shipyard and taped a town hall to be broadcast by Fox News Channel from an airport in Green Bay.
Trump zeroes in on base to overcome reelection obstacles
Read full article: Trump zeroes in on base to overcome reelection obstaclesWith his rhetorical turn, Trump is feeding red meat issues to a base that helped spur his upset victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016. The reality is this is a different election than 2016 was, said Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to the Biden campaign. In 2016, a lot of voters went to the polls asking what kind of president Trump would be. Indeed, while many national and battleground polls show Trump trailing Biden, surveys have suggested that some of the former vice presidents support is lukewarm. 3 is a big day, Trump told attendees at a Students for Trump event in Phoenix.
Democrats renew health care attacks on GOP as virus builds
Read full article: Democrats renew health care attacks on GOP as virus buildsThe health care law has been a flashpoint in American politics since its enactment a decade ago. Trying to take away health care in the middle of a pandemic is like throwing out the sandbags during a hurricane, said Jesse Ferguson, a longtime Democratic strategist. The pandemic has made clear for people how important it is to them that their neighbors have health care. And in March, it put $250,000 behind an ad attacking Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana on health care. She said the Democratic health care message would be, Democrats are the party of health care.
House passes sweeping police overhaul after Floyd's death
Read full article: House passes sweeping police overhaul after Floyd's deathExactly one month ago, George Floyd spoke his final words I can't breathe and changed the course of history, Pelosi said. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is perhaps the most ambitious set of proposed changes to police procedures and accountability in decades. After the GOP policing bill stalled this week, blocked by Democrats, Trump shrugged. The two parties are instead appealing to voters ahead of the fall election, which will determine control of the House, Senate and White House. Senate Democrats believe Senate Republicans will face mounting public pressure to open negotiations and act.
SUPREME COURT NOTEBOOK: Election-year retirement unlikely
Read full article: SUPREME COURT NOTEBOOK: Election-year retirement unlikelyIn this March 26, 2009 file photo, Connecticut state Supreme Court Justice Richard Palmer, center, questions attorneys at the Connecticut Supreme Court in Hartford, Conn. Palmer, who authored the landmark Connecticut Supreme Court rulings that legalized same-sex marriage and abolished the state's death penalty, is stepping down after 27 years on the high court. (AP Photo/Bob Child, Pool)WASHINGTON The last time a Supreme Court justice announced his retirement in a presidential election year, most of the current justices were too young to vote. The nomination to replace Chief Justice Earl Warren failed in that turbulent year, and no justice has retired in an election year since. Charles Cooper, who argued the S&Ls' case at the Supreme Court, recalled that a resolution was urgently needed because scores of copy-cat cases had been clogging" court dockets for years. When Burger was chief justice, from 1969 to 1986, the court routinely kept working into July, even past Independence Day.
Police overhaul dims, but House Democrats push ahead on vote
Read full article: Police overhaul dims, but House Democrats push ahead on voteThe House is set to vote Thursday evening on the Justice in Policing Act, perhaps the most ambitious proposed changes to police procedures and accountability in decades. Trump acknowledged after Senate Democrats blocked the GOP policing bill Wednesday that it's possible no bill becomes law. The two bills, the House and Senate versions, would ultimately need to be the same to become law. Republicans and Democrats brought their bills forward as a starting point in the broader debate over how best to change policing practices. Instead, Senate Democrats are withholding their votes as leverage, believing once the House Democrats pass their bill, Senate Republicans facing the groundswell of public sentiment will have no choice but to negotiate.
As party leaders age, progressive Black Democrats take stage
Read full article: As party leaders age, progressive Black Democrats take stageWASHINGTON Yearning for change, a group of progressive Black Democratic congressional hopefuls is rushing toward the national stage, igniting rank-and-file enthusiasm in a party dominated by aging white leaders. Each, for example, has supported the Green New Deal and Medicare for All proposals dear to progressive voters. Sean McElwee, a political analyst for progressive candidates, says liberal-leaning millennials are entering the age when people tend to vote more often. Many moderates dispute that the Democratic Party is increasingly becoming controlled by progressives and that Black voters inevitably skew to the left. But it's clear something is happening, and a new, aggressive generation of activists is impacting the Democratic Party."
Mail-in ballots thrust Postal Service into presidential race
Read full article: Mail-in ballots thrust Postal Service into presidential raceUnlike its private competitors, the Postal Service cannot refuse to make costly deliveries to especially hard-to-reach addresses. Amid the pandemic, however, the Postal Service lost $4.5 billion in fiscal year 2020's second quarter. Since then, though, the Postal Service and the Treasury Department have had discussions about requirements to actually extend those loans. A 2018 Treasury Department task force also recommended the Postal Service increase package rates and cut labor costs. The Postal Service consistently ranks as Americans' favorite federal agency, with recent approval ratings topping 90%.
Election results are delayed again. Get used to it.
Read full article: Election results are delayed again. Get used to it.FILE - In this May 27, 2020, file photo, a voter drops off their mail-in ballot prior to the primary election, in Willow Grove, Pa. Slow vote counts and delayed results are a feature of elections during the pandemic and are likely to continue into the general election in November, when many election officials say that, absent a landslide, it won't be clear who won the presidential election for several days. In New York, election officials don't start processing mailed ballots until after Election Day. In both Kentucky and New York, ballots are counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. The Associated Press has long declared winners based on partial election results.
Election results are delayed again. Get used to it.
Read full article: Election results are delayed again. Get used to it.FILE - In this May 27, 2020, file photo, a voter drops off their mail-in ballot prior to the primary election, in Willow Grove, Pa. Slow vote counts and delayed results are a feature of elections during the pandemic and are likely to continue into the general election in November, when many election officials say that, absent a landslide, it won't be clear who won the presidential election for several days. In New York, election officials don't start processing mailed ballots until after Election Day. In both Kentucky and New York, ballots are counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. The Associated Press has long declared winners based on partial election results.
Q&A: Harris says Democrats need to listen to young voters
Read full article: Q&A: Harris says Democrats need to listen to young votersWASHINGTON Sen. Kamala Harris of California says that Democrats need to listen to young voters seeking change and that she won't be played" by Republicans when it comes to police reform legislation. Harris spoke Tuesday with The Associated Press about her efforts and the Democratic Party's relationship with Black voters. The two lead senators on the Justice in Policing Act, Sen. Cory Booker from New Jersey and myself, both serve on the Judiciary Committee. AP: Vice President Biden has overwhelming support among older Black voters, but hes struggled to gain more widespread support from young Black and Latino progressive voters. What do Democrats need to do to get those voters energized and come out in November?
Joe Biden turns focus to Wisconsin with battle-tested hires
Read full article: Joe Biden turns focus to Wisconsin with battle-tested hiresWisconsin, where Trump won by fewer than 23,000 votes in 2016, joins newly emerging battleground Arizona as the first two states where Biden has named his campaign team. Two veterans of Sen. Tammy Baldwins successful 2018 reelection campaign will run Bidens Wisconsin operation. Shirley Ellis, a longtime adviser to U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, will join Biden team as a strategic adviser focused on Milwaukee. She will join Bidens campaign formally after the August convention, according to the campaign. The Wisconsin team, especially, is intended to show that the Biden campaigns talk of a wide map isnt at the exclusion of traditional battlegrounds.
Trump's pick defeated in North Carolina GOP House primary
Read full article: Trump's pick defeated in North Carolina GOP House primaryRALEIGH, N.C. A 24-year-old real estate investment CEO won Tuesdays Republican primary runoff for a western North Carolina congressional seat over President Donald Trumps endorsed candidate for the nomination. Madison Cawthorn defeated Lynda Bennett to complete an upset for the GOP nomination in the 11th Congressional District. Bennett had received the presidents backing on Twitter and the earlier endorsement of Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, who until recently had held the seat. Cawthorn called for the runoff after he finished second to Bennett in a 12-candidate primary in early March. Poll workers wore face masks and provided voters single-use pens and cotton swabs to mark ballots.
Q&A: Harris says Democrats need to listen to young voters
Read full article: Q&A: Harris says Democrats need to listen to young votersWASHINGTON Sen. Kamala Harris of California says that Democrats need to listen to young voters seeking change and that she won't be played" by Republicans when it comes to police reform legislation. Harris spoke Tuesday with The Associated Press about her efforts and the Democratic Party's relationship with Black voters. The two lead senators on the Justice in Policing Act, Sen. Cory Booker from New Jersey and myself, both serve on the Judiciary Committee. AP: Vice President Biden has overwhelming support among older Black voters, but hes struggled to gain more widespread support from young Black and Latino progressive voters. What do Democrats need to do to get those voters energized and come out in November?
Election chaos renews focus on gutted Voting Rights Act
Read full article: Election chaos renews focus on gutted Voting Rights ActNothing more and nothing less.But the meltdown was also a manifestation of a landmark Supreme Court case that gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. Conservatives are trying to use an Arizona case over absentee voting to further weaken the Voting Rights Act. Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has called for restoring the Voting Rights Act, but he has not released detailed proposals. A White House spokesman declined to comment when asked whether Trump might ever pursue a Voting Rights Act update. The previous requirements were a key voting rights tool because it turned a usual legal principle on its head.
1 city, 1 voting place: Kentucky braces for lines in primary
Read full article: 1 city, 1 voting place: Kentucky braces for lines in primaryThe surge of absentee ballots could cause waits of another sort Tuesday, as some counties have said they won't release vote totals before June 30. Kentucky turned to widespread mail-in absentee voting in an agreement between the Democratic governor and Adams in response to the coronavirus outbreak. In Louisville, a city of 600,000, the only in-person voting place on Election Day is at the state fairgrounds. Even in Nevada, where absentee ballots were sent to every registered voter for the June 9 primary, large-scale consolidation caused problems. More than 883,000 absentee ballots were requested statewide, with slightly more than half filled out and sent in, Gov.
Trump rally size raises question about risk in age of virus
Read full article: Trump rally size raises question about risk in age of virusThe Trump campaign is now conducting a review of what went wrong in Tulsa. Six campaign staffers and two members of the Secret Service working in advance of the Oklahoma rally tested positive for COVID-19. He said campaign officials including Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale completely failed managing expectations 101.I think there is still a lot of uncertainty out there around how reopening is going to go, Eberhart said. Trump and his campaign supporters have belittled Biden as hiding out in his basement since the pandemic upended American life in March. Associated Press writers Emily Swanson in Washington and Sean Murphy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, contributed reporting.
Rights groups criticize Trump for inviting Polish president
Read full article: Rights groups criticize Trump for inviting Polish presidentFile -- In this Thursday, July 6, 2017 file photo U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Poland's President Andrzej Duda, leave at the end of a joint press conference, in Warsaw, Poland. Trump and Duda will meet at the White House on June 24, four days ahead of a presidential election in Poland in which Duda, a conservative, is seeking reelection. Trump is scheduled to meet Andrzej Duda on Wednesday, only four days before Duda competes for a second five year term. Duda has made LGBT rights an issue during the campaign, vowing to protect Polish families from what he calls LGBT ideology. He recently called the LGBT rights movement an ideology more dangerous than communism. It said Duda's use of anti-LGBT rhetoric is vile, manipulative and dangerous, and that Trump was showing he is no friend to the gay rights community.
Obama returns to the campaign trail with Biden fundraiser
Read full article: Obama returns to the campaign trail with Biden fundraiserFILE - In this Nov. 2, 2018, file photo, former President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Democratic candidates in Miami. Democrats are eagerly embracing Obama as a political wingman for Joe Biden, who spent two terms by his side as vice president. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)WASHINGTON Former President Barack Obama raised more than $4 million from 120,000 individual donors ahead of his first fundraiser for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. You have the 4 million Obama 2012 voters that sat out in 16, Obama obviously has cache with them. And both Biden and Sanders have made overtures toward progressives, with Biden embracing some of Sanders policies and Obama praising him by name in his endorsement video for Biden.
Twitter gives workers day off to vote in national elections
Read full article: Twitter gives workers day off to vote in national electionsTwitter says it will give its U.S. employees Election Day off going forward and employees around the world paid time off to vote in national elections. The San Francisco company said that if employees dont have enough time to vote outside of working hours in their country, it it will compensate them for the time it takes to do so. Twitter stressed though that employees responsible election-related work, including the security of its service, will continue to work on these days. The move comes after Twitter announced that it will make June 19, or Juneteenth, the day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S., a paid holiday.
Trump rally highlights vulnerabilities heading into election
Read full article: Trump rally highlights vulnerabilities heading into electionThe lower-than-expected turnout at the comeback rally, in particular, left Trump fuming. The vast majority of the attendees, including Trump, did not wear face masks as recommended by the Trump administration's health experts. Before Oklahoma, the campaign had planned to finalize and announce its next rally this week. At least one swing state governor, meanwhile, says Trump would not be welcome to host a rally in her state amid the pandemic. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said she would think very seriously about" trying to block Trump from hosting a rally there if he wanted to.
2020 Watch: Trump navigates chaos after his Oklahoma rally
Read full article: 2020 Watch: Trump navigates chaos after his Oklahoma rallyPresident Donald Trump points during his campaign rally at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, Okla., Saturday, June 20, 2020. The political world was genuinely surprised to see thousands of empty seats at Trump's comeback rally in Oklahoma over the weekend. And perhaps more importantly, the finger-pointing inside Trump's campaign will intensify ahead of a possible staff shakeup. ___2020 Watch runs every Monday and provides a look at the week ahead in the 2020 election. ___Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, Ground Game.
Trump: US doing 'too good a job' on testing
Read full article: Trump: US doing 'too good a job' on testingIf it did slow down, frankly, I think were way ahead of ourselves, if you want to know the truth, Trump said. Weve done too good a job, adding that the reason the United States has more coronavirus cases is that it does more testing. Health officials say that testing in the United States early on was insufficient for optimal containment. The American people are owed answers about why President Trump wants less testing when experts say much more is needed," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. The United States has confirmed nearly 2.3 million COVID-19 cases, which represents about a quarter of the worlds cases.
1 city, 1 voting place: Kentucky braces for lines in primary
Read full article: 1 city, 1 voting place: Kentucky braces for lines in primaryKentucky turned to widespread mail-in absentee voting in an agreement between the state's Democratic governor and Adams in response to the global coronavirus outbreak. The state's primary is typically in late May but was delayed. In Louisville, a city of 600,000, the only in-person voting place on Election Day is at the state fairgrounds. The county also allowed early in-person voting beginning June 15 at the state fairgrounds. More than 883,000 absentee ballots were requested statewide, with slightly more than half filled out and sent in, Gov.
With unsubstantiated claim, Trump sows doubt on US election
Read full article: With unsubstantiated claim, Trump sows doubt on US electionAttorney General William Barr raised that prospect in interviews in recent weeks with The New York Times magazine and Fox News. The president tweeted on Monday a news report on Barrs remarks as well as a separate message that said: RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS. A bipartisan team of election judges conducts signature verification and refers for further investigation suspected instances of double-voting. That trend has agitated Trump, who even before Monday has openly railed against absentee voting. ___Associated Press reporters Brian Slodysko in Washington and Nicholas Riccardin in Denver contributed to this report.
Trump rally size raises question about risk in age of virus
Read full article: Trump rally size raises question about risk in age of virusThe Trump campaign is now conducting a review of what went wrong in Tulsa. Six campaign staffers and two members of the Secret Service working in advance of the Oklahoma rally tested positive for COVID-19. He said campaign officials including Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale completely failed managing expectations 101.I think there is still a lot of uncertainty out there around how reopening is going to go, Eberhart said. Trump and his campaign supporters have belittled Biden as hiding out in his basement since the pandemic upended American life in March. Associated Press writers Emily Swanson in Washington and Sean Murphy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, contributed reporting.
Trump rally highlights vulnerabilities heading into election
Read full article: Trump rally highlights vulnerabilities heading into electionThe lower-than-expected turnout at the comeback rally, in particular, left Trump fuming. The vast majority of the attendees, including Trump, did not wear face masks as recommended by the Trump administration's health experts. Before Oklahoma, the campaign had planned to finalize and announce its next rally this week. At least one swing state governor, meanwhile, says Trump would not be welcome to host a rally in her state amid the pandemic. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said she would think very seriously about" trying to block Trump from hosting a rally there if he wanted to.