;)
The Commentariat -- June 26, 2020
Afternoon Update:
The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Friday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Friday are here.
Alana Wise of NPR: "The White House Coronavirus Task Force renewed calls for vigilance on Friday, acknowledging rising cases across Southern states and in parts of California....Vice President Pence insisted 'this moment is different' than what the United States was grappling with two months ago, noting that the percentage of people requiring hospitalization from the virus was considerably lower than it was early on during the pandemic and the number of fatalities are declining. 'We're in a much better place,' Pence said. But he urged young people to take precautions to avoid spreading the disease to more vulnerable people. The group's first briefing in weeks [was.] held at the Department of Health and Human Services rather than at the White House...." Mrs. McC: Not clear from this report if any medical experts were invited to speak or if it was all political people; I'll try to find out more later.
Teo Armus of the Washington Post: "With coronavirus infections rapidly spreading across the American South and West and more states making masks a requirement, dozens of sheriffs ... are staging a rebellion against state governments. An adherence to their interpretation of Constitution, they say, comes before any kind of public health advice." Thanks to Ken W. for the link. Mrs. McC: I have a comment on the sheriffs in today's thread.
Caitlin Oprysko & Quint Forgey of Politico: "A pair of GOP governors on Friday moved to impose new mitigation measures in their states amid record numbers of new coronavirus infections, with both Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordering bars closed and Texas placing new restrictions on other businesses the governor said were linked to the virus's resurgence. Texas and Florida are among around a dozen other states that have hit the brakes on reopening their economies amid a resurgence of the virus across the South and West affecting more than half of the states in the country. That both governors -- who are close allies of ... Donald Trump and were criticized for resisting calls to lock down their states in the pandemic's early days -- have not only pressed pause on reopening but reimposed some restrictions, speaks to the severity of the outbreaks in two of the most populous states in the country."
Ha Ha Ha. Max Cohen of Politico: "... Donald Trump on Friday morning canceled his scheduled weekend trip to his private golf club in Bedminster, N.J. The trip had drawn criticism as Trump said he would not follow New Jersey guidelines and would ignore a mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers coming from states with coronavirus spikes. Trump visited Arizona on Tuesday amid a rapid rise in cases there. White House spokesman Judd Deere had justified the decision by claiming 'the president of the United States is not a civilian.' New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy [D] told CNN that Trump did not have to follow the quarantine guidelines because he is considered an essential worker." Mrs. McC: Trump is neither "essential" nor a "worker."
... Aamer Madhani & Jonathan Lemire of the AP: "... Donald Trump a href="https://apnews.com/cb405a4a771fad613e6e29d69a237052" target="_blank">is sharpening his focus on his most ardent base of supporters as concern grows inside his campaign that his standing in the battleground states that will decide the 2020 election is slipping. Trump turned his attention this week to 'left wing mobs' toppling Confederate monuments and visited the nation's southern border to spotlight progress on his 2016 campaign promise to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall. He ignored public health experts warning Americans to avoid large gatherings by holding two large campaign events in Oklahoma and Arizona, parts of the country where coronavirus infections are surging. With his rhetorical turn, Trump is feeding red meat issues to a base that helped spur his upset victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016. But he risks appearing to ignore larger issues that are jolting the country, like the pandemic and racial injustice, while underplaying economic issues, even though polling shows that to be an area where Trump performs relatively well."
Marie Fazio of the New York Times: "A Mississippi man was charged in connection with a phone call threatening to kill a United States representative and his staffers, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday. The man, Newton Wade Townsend, 52, of Brandon, Miss., was charged on Tuesday with threatening a public official. Court records, which only identify the congressman by the initials B.T., said that the threat was made on June 1. Congressman Bennie Thompson, a Democrat, said that he received a threat from Mr. Townsend on his office phone, and that the Capitol Police investigated the matter.... Mr. Thompson is the only black legislator, and the only Democrat, representing Mississippi in Congress."
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The Trumpidemic, Ctd.
The New York Times' live updates for coronavirus developments Thursday are here. "The United States on Thursday reported more than 41,000 new coronavirus cases, a record total for the second straight day, as a nationwide sense of urgency grew and caseloads soared in Southern and Western states that were far removed from the worst early outbreaks. In an apparent sign of that urgency, the White House said that its coronavirus task force planned to reconvene on Friday for its first briefing in nearly two months. Thursday's grim record came as at least four states -- Alabama, Alaska, Montana and Utah -- reported their largest daily totals. Emphasis added. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for Thursday are here. The 38,173 new infections reported by state health departments Wednesday underscored the changing geography of the U.S. outbreak. The bulk of the cases were posted in Texas, Florida and California, while Oklahoma also set a new statewide record in infections." (Also linked yesterday.)
CDC: 23 Million Americans Have Contracted Coronavirus. Lena Sun & Joel Achenbach of the Washington Post: “The number of Americans who have been infected with the novel coronavirus is likely 10 times higher than the 2.3 million confirmed cases, according to the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'Our best estimate right now is that for every case that's reported, there actually are 10 other infections,' CDC Director Robert Redfield said Thursday on a call with reporters. Using that methodology pushes the tally of U.S. cases to at least 23 million. Redfield said the larger estimate is based on blood samples collected from across the country that look for the presence of antibodies to the virus. For every confirmed case of covid-19, 10 more people had antibodies, he said.... The CDC also update its guidance Thursday to help people understand their risk for severe illness from covid-19...." A Hill report is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Paul Krugman: "What went wrong? The immediate answer is that many U.S. states ignored warnings from health experts and rushed to reopen their economies, and far too many people failed to follow basic precautions like wearing face masks and avoiding large groups.... I keep seeing statements to the effect that Americans were too impatient to stay the course, too unwilling to act responsibly. But this is deeply misleading, because it avoids confronting the essence of the problem. Americans didn't fail the Covid-19 test; Republicans did. After all, the Northeast, with its largely Democratic governors, has been appropriately cautious about reopening, and its numbers look like Europe's."
Sahil Kapur of NBC News: "The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to wipe out Obamacare, arguing that the individual mandate is unconstitutional and that the rest of the law must be struck down with it. The late-night brief, filed Thursday in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, carries major implications for the presidential election. If the justices agree, it would cost an estimated 20 million Americans their insurance coverage and nullify protections for pre-existing conditions.... For the roughly 25 million people out of work and collecting jobless benefits, the ACA's marketplaces and Medicaid expansion provide avenues to gain subsidized health insurance with consumer protections." ~~~
~~~ Tim Elfrink & Meagan Flynn of the Washington Post: "The filing came the same day that a government report showed nearly half a million Americans turned to the ACA in April and May amid covid-19′s economic devastation.... "... survivors [of the coronavirus], having struggled and won the fight of their lives, would have their peace of mind stolen away at the moment they need it most,' [Joe] Biden said. 'They would live their lives caught in a vise between Donald Trump's twin legacies: his failure to protect the American people from the coronavirus, and his heartless crusade to take health-care protections away from American families.'... 'President Trump and the Republicans' campaign to rip away the protections and benefits of the Affordable Care Act in the middle of the coronavirus crisis is an act of unfathomable cruelty,' [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi, who on Wednesday filed a bill to expand the ACA, said in a statement."
Sam Stein & Lachlan Markay of the Daily Beast: "Donald Trump's reelection campaign manager, Brad Parscale, is one of a group of campaign staffers in quasi-quarantine after he attended a rally in Oklahoma last weekend where eight campaign aides tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh announced on a conference call Thursday that, 'as a precaution,' staff who made the trip to Tulsa were 'working remotely' and would be tested for COVID before returning to work.... Parscale returned to his home in Florida after the rally in Tulsa, and Murtaugh told The Daily Beast that he flew commercial." Mrs. McC: Too bad, fellow travelers & crew. You breathed Brad's air. And of course the same could be said for those unknowingly traveling with all the other Trump campaign staff who decamped from Tulsa to their homes hither & yon. Donald Trump may make you sick.
Wherein Trump Once Again Demonstrates He Doesn't Know What "Sarcasm" Is. Jordan Muller of Politico: "... Donald Trump on Thursday said he had 'sarcastically' claimed that a decrease in coronavirus testing would lower U.S. infection rates, adding a new twist to the weeklong scramble by the White House to clarify the president's comments on virus testing. 'Sometimes I jokingly say, or sarcastically say, if we didn't do tests we would look great,' Trump said in an interview and Fox News town hall with Sean Hannity. 'But you know what? It's not the right thing to do.' The president's comments come nearly a week after he claimed at a campaign rally in Tulsa, Okla., that he'd ordered a slowdown in coronavirus testing. Trump on Tuesday insisted he was serious in slowing down testing, even after senior White House officials said the president made the comment in jest. 'I don't kid,' Trump said when pressed by reporters on Tuesday. 'Let me make it clear.' The president's comments at the Tulsa rally sparked days of jockeying by officials and White House aides to defend the president's statements." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: What you have here is one of those rare brief moments when a campaign advisor was able to persuade Trump to try to say something reasonable & responsible. But it won't be long before the real Donald Trump gets back to whining about testing without caveats.
Accentuate the Positive, Eliminate the Negative. Amber Phillips of the Washington Post: "Key members of the Trump administration, including the president and vice president, are holding up data [on the coronavirus] in a way that allows them to publicly argue it's not all that bad. Other Republicans are threading hopeful news with more realistic assessments and cautions. We saw that Wednesday after Vice President Pence's lunch with Republican senators.... Here's what Pence and Republicans who talked to reporters said after his lunch on Capitol Hill about the coronavirus. 1. Infections are rising, Pence told senators, but the mortality rate is not.... 2. Only 12 states are experiencing increased cases.... 3. 'I think compared to where we were, we're in a much better situation, but everybody knows it's very fragile and we've got to stay after it,' Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) told reporters.... 4. Increased testing is what's increasing the number of coronavirus infections.... 5. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) urged taking precautions for the virus, and cited potentially encouraging stats alongside his warnings."
Arizona. Jeremy Duda, et al., of the Washington Post: "Arizona is facing more per capita cases than recorded by any country in Europe or even by hard-hit Brazil.... Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, is recording as many as 2,000 cases a day, 'eclipsing the New York City boroughs even on their worst days,' warned a Wednesday brief by disease trackers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, which observed, 'Arizona has lost control of the epidemic.'... Physicians, public health experts, advocates and local officials say the crisis was predictable in Arizona, where local ordinances requiring masks were verboten until Gov. Doug Ducey (R) reversed course last week. State leaders did not take the necessary precautions or model safe behavior, these observers maintain, even in the face of compelling evidence and repeated pleas from authoritative voices.... At critical junctures, blunders by top officials undermined faith in the data purportedly driving decision-making.... And ... as the state began to reopen despite continued community transmission, an abrupt and uniform approach -- without transparent benchmarks or latitude for stricken areas to hold back -- led large parts of the public to believe the pandemic was over." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. Bea McCrabbie: And that's why Donald Trump went to Phoenix this week & spoke -- sans mask, of course -- at a megachurch packed with non-masked young people.
Texas, et al. Manny Fernandez & Sarah Mervosh of the New York Times: "Just 55 days after reopening Texas restaurants and other businesses, Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday hit the pause button, stopping additional phases of the state's reopening as new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations soared and as the governor struggled to pull off the seemingly impossible task of keeping both the state open and the virus under control. The announcement by Mr. Abbott -- which allows the many shopping malls, restaurants, bars, gyms and other businesses already open to continue operating -- was an abrupt turnaround and came as a growing number of states paused reopenings amid rising case counts. The latest developments call into question any suggestion that the worst of the pandemic has passed in the United States, as rising outbreaks in the South and the West threaten to upend months of social distancing meant to help keep the virus at bay."
Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha. Hannity Kills. No, Really. Christopher Ingraham of the Washington Post: "In recent weeks, three studies have focused on conservative media's role in fostering confusion about the seriousness of the coronavirus. Taken together, they paint a picture of a media ecosystem that amplifies misinformation, entertains conspiracy theories and discourages audiences from taking concrete steps to protect themselves and others. The end result, according to one of the studies, is that infection and mortality rates are higher in places where one pundit who initially downplayed the severity of the pandemic -- Fox News' Sean Hannity -- reaches the largest audiences.... [An Annenberg/U. of Illinois peer-reviewed study] found that people who got most of their information from mainstream print and broadcast outlets tended to have an accurate assessment of the severity of the pandemic and their risks of infection. But those who relied on conservative sources, such as Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories or unfounded rumors, such as the belief that taking vitamin C could prevent infection, that the Chinese government had created the virus, and that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was exaggerating the pandemic's threat 'to damage the Trump presidency.'" (Also linked yesterday.)
Nelson Schwartz of the New York Times: "Nearly 1.5 million workers filed new claims for state unemployment insurance last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday, the 14th week in a row that the figure has topped one million. An additional 728,000 filed for benefits from Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a federally funded emergency program aimed at covering the self-employed, independent contractors and other workers who don't qualify for traditional unemployment insurance." (Also linked yesterday.)
** Paying the Dead. Erica Werner of the Washington Post: "The federal government sent coronavirus stimulus payments to almost 1.1 million dead people totaling nearly $1.4 billion, Congress' independent watchdog reported Thursday.... The U.S. Government Accountability Office, an independent investigative agency that reports to Congress, issued the finding as part of a comprehensive report on the nearly $3 trillion in coronavirus relief spending approved by Congress in March and April. It said it had received the information from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration in an accounting as of April 30." An NBC News story is here. Thanks to Ken W. for the link. (Also linked yesterday.)
Mrs. McCrabbie: Joe Scarborough, of all people, made a fine little speech on his show this morning: "Donald Trump has been busy this week. He praised 'stop and frisk' during national protests over police brutality. He filed a brief in support of killing the Affordable Care Act, including the provision that allows Americans to obtain insurance for pre-existing conditions during a pandemic [stories linked below]. And he said 'crazy' Democrats were harder to deal with than autocratic leaders, like those of North Korea, Russia & China." Paraphrase.
Family Matters. Josh Gerstein of Politico: "A revealing book set to be published next month by Mary Trump, niece of ... Donald Trump, moved closer to publication on Thursday after a probate court judge in New York turned down a bid to block release of the unflattering account. President Trump's brother Robert asked for a restraining order against publication, citing a nondisclosure agreement contained in a settlement involving the estate of their father Fred, who died in 1999.... Judge Peter Kelly of Queens County Surrogate Court said his court was not the proper venue for the dispute over the book, which he found to be far afield from matters involving the distribution of Fred Trump's estate. Kelly dismissed the legal application, calling it 'fatally defective.'... The lawyer who filed the application, Charles Harder, said he would take the request to another New York court." (Also linked yesterday.) A New York Times story is here. ~~~
~~~ Michael Kranish of the Washington Post, who has not been able to either read the book or interview Mary Trump, still manages to write an interesting background piece. "A description of the book from publisher Simon & Schuster suggests it will draw heavily on her studies of family dysfunction, with Mary using her clinical background to dissect 'a nightmare of traumas, destructive relationships and a tragic combination of neglect and abuse,' including 'the strange and harmful relationship between' her late father and Donald Trump."
** Barr, a Corrupt Toady from the Git-go. Benjamin Weiser, et al., of the New York Times: "Shortly after he became attorney general last year, William P. Barr set out to challenge a signature criminal case that touched President Trump's inner circle directly, and even the president's own actions: the prosecution of Michael D. Cohen, Mr. Trump's longtime fixer.... At one point during the discussions, Mr. Barr instructed Justice Department officials in Washington to draft a memo outlining legal arguments that could have raised questions about Mr. Cohen's conviction and undercut similar prosecutions in the future.... Mr. Cohen was convicted and sentenced in December 2018, before Mr. Barr was sworn in, so there was little he could do to change the outcome of the case.... The debate between Mr. Barr and the federal prosecutors who brought the case against Mr. Cohen was one of the first signs of a tense relationship that culminated last weekend in the abrupt ouster of Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States attorney in Manhattan. It also foreshadowed Mr. Barr's intervention in the prosecutions of other associates of Mr. Trump.... More than any other federal prosecutor's office, the Manhattan office had pursued investigations that angered Mr. Trump.... After Mr. Barr was sworn in, one of his first actions was to seek briefings on politically sensitive investigations in the office and elsewhere, people briefed on the discussions said." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: As Lawrence O'Donnell pointed out, at noon on January 20, 2021, it's likely Donald Trump, a/k/a Individual 1, will make himself available for indictment for the same charges for which Michael Cohen went to jail.
~~~ That Would Be a "No." Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post: "President Trump's nominee to take over the Manhattan federal prosecutors office after the abrupt dismissal of U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman refused on Thursday to say whether he would recuse himself from pending investigations involving Trump's interests and associates if confirmed for the post. Appearing before a House Financial Services subcommittee, Securities and Exchange Committee Chairman Jay Clayton sought to deflect Democrats' questions about his selection for the job and the circumstances under which Berman was removed over the weekend, characterizing the Senate confirmation process as 'way down the road.' But when pressed by Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) to 'commit, right here, to recusing yourself' from matters in which the president has a personal stake, Clayton demurred." Politico's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Trumped-up Charges: Trump Creates a Pentagon Crisis. Helene Cooper & Eric Schmitt of the New York Times: "The Pentagon is facing a hemorrhage of talent as senior officials resign amid continued efforts by the White House to purge those perceived as political foes, including the Army lieutenant colonel [Alexander Vindman] who testified in the House impeachment hearings. The challenge of managing White House pressures and concerns about morale inside the Pentagon confronts Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, who is already in a precarious position with President Trump. The White House had made clear [to Pentagon officials] ... that Mr. Trump did not want to see Colonel Vindman promoted, the officials said. In fact, when they saw an earlier draft version of the list two weeks ago, National Security Council staff members even told their Defense Department counterparts they had evidence of misconduct by Colonel Vindman. No such evidence materialized.... The Army kept [Vindman's] name on the list, and sent it back to Mr. Esper, putting the defense secretary exactly where he did not want to be: in the cross hairs of the commander in chief." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Politicizing the Pentagon. Missy Ryan, et al., of the Washington Post: "The White House is intensifying an effort to hire Pentagon personnel with an undisputed allegiance to President Trump at a moment when his relationship with Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper has become strained, current and former officials said. The changes in mid-level leadership are poised to create a more avowedly political Defense Department and could erode the influence of Esper, who spoke out against Trump's proposed deployment of active-duty troops to quell unrest in U.S. cities after the killing of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ It isn't only the Pentagon: ~~~
~~~ Nathaniel Weixel of the Hill: "A whistleblower says the Trump administration continues to retaliate against him, stating in an updated complaint on Thursday that top officials are actively trying to discredit him and prevent him from being successful in a new role. Rick Bright, who led the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) until he was demoted in late April, said in an amended complaint he has been 'deliberately impeded' in his role at the National Institutes of Health, which 'does not remotely utilize his expertise or experience.' According to the updated complaint, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar told HHS employees to refrain from doing anything that would help Bright be successful in his new role, and HHS employees were warned that Azar was 'on the warpath' in response to Bright's allegations."
Dahlia Lithwick of Slate writes of John Bolton's "original sin," which she characterizes as nihilism. "The maddening thing about Bolton’s book is his definition of the 'axis of adults' who ostensibly populate this mythical room where it happened. It now seems that they are sufficiently adult to profit off that service but not grown up enough to safeguard a desperately faltering democracy." Mrs. McC: It's fair to say that the entire Republican party -- and what they call "conservatism" -- is nihilistic. Their only purpose is to gain & maintain the power to do nothing.
Mihir Zaveri of the New York Times: New York City "Mayor Bill de Blasio has ignited a new feud with President Trump by ordering the words 'Black Lives Matter' to be painted in large yellow letters on the street outside of Trump Tower. The words are expected to be painted in the coming week on Fifth Avenue, between 56th and 57th Streets, according to the city.... In a tweet in response, Mr. Trump referenced Mr. de Blasio's plan to paint 'the fabled & beautiful Fifth Avenue, right in front of Trump Tower/Tiffany' and sought to play up animosity between the Black Lives Matter movement and the police in New York City. Mr. Trump falsely said in the tweet that Black Lives Matter protesters in the city had shouted chants encouraging the killing of police officers.... Mr. Trump, who has a history of denigrating black people, said in another tweet on Thursday that a leader of Black Lives Matter in the New York area had committed treason in statements he made about burning down 'the system' if meaningful change did not materialize." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: It's notable that Trump thinks it's horrible to remind wealthy Tiffany shoppers that black lives matter. The suggestion is that Tiffany's is reserved for white people who are disgusted by the very notion that black lives matter. This is fundamentally sicko. ~~~
~~~ MEANWHILE. Felicia Sonmez, et al., of the Washington Post: "The House on Thursday passed an expansive Democratic-led measure that would revamp law enforcement practices following the public clamor for change after the death of George Floyd. The largely party-line vote of 236 to 181 epitomized the polarized debate in recent weeks, despite public polling showing broad support for some restrictions on law enforcement after the high-profile deaths of Floyd and other African Americans at the hands of police. With the Trump administration threatening a veto, most House Republicans lined up against the Democratic proposal and instead indicated support for a narrower proposal offered by Senate Republicans. Only three Republicans -- Reps. Will Hurd (Tex.), the lone black GOP House member; Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), and Fred Upton (Mich.) -- broke ranks and joined Democrats in backing the House bill."
Dan Lamothe & Souad Mekhennet of the Washington Post: "As Ohio National Guard soldiers were dispatched to help quell unrest in Washington, D.C., one was keeping a secret from his commanders: He had frequently espoused neo-Nazi views among like-minded friends. Pfc. Shandon Simpson had participated in a white supremacist channel on the Telegram messaging app called RapeWaffen Division.... On Twitter, Simpson tried to recruit fascists to join him in a new group, used an image of Nazi Party leader Richard Walther Darré as his profile picture and marked the 75th anniversary of Adolf Hitler's death on April 30.... Simpson is one of several service members whose actions have come under scrutiny in recent months as the U.S. military grapples with white extremism in its ranks. The military has wrestled with the problem for decades, but the issue is receiving new attention amid a broader conversation about race and discrimination prompted in part by the death of George Floyd...."
Leah Asmelash of CNN: "NASA is renaming its headquarters [in Washington, D.C.,] after Mary W. Jackson, the agency's first African American female engineer who helped inspire the story behind the book and film 'Hidden Figures.'... Jackson began her career with NASA at the segregated West Area Computing Unit of the agency's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, NASA said. A mathematician and an aerospace engineer, Jackson led programs aimed at uplifting women within NASA. She retired from NASA in 1985 and passed away in 2005, at the age of 83." (Also linked yesterday.)
Arizona. Simon Romero, et al., of the New York Times: "It was another gruesome video of policing in America -- a naked Latino man, his face covered by a mesh spit guard, his hands cuffed behind him as he lay dying face down on the ground at his grandmother's house. He pleaded for water more than a dozen times, saying he could not breathe as police officers restrained his legs and torso. This time, the scene was [Tucson,] a southern Arizona city with a politically moderate image, a large Latino population and a Police Department said to be relatively progressive.... Still unanswered is why it took the police two months to release the video taken by officers' body cameras when Mr. Lopez's family had almost immediately asked to see it.... Three officers involved in Mr. Lopez's death resigned before the public release of the video, and Chris Magnus, Tucson's police chief, offered to resign. But [Mayor Regina] Romero said on Thursday that Chief Magnus should remain in the job...."
North Carolina. Tom Foreman, Jr., of the AP: "Three members of a North Carolina police department have been fired after a department audit of a video recording captured one of the officers saying a civil war was necessary to wipe Black people off the map and that he was ready. The Wilmington Police Department took the action on Tuesday against Cpl. Jessie Moore, and officers Kevin Piner and Brian Gilmore. Each was accused of violating standards of conduct, criticism and use of inappropriate jokes and slurs." (Also linked yesterday.)
Presidential Race
Nate Cohn of the New York Times: "President Trump has lost significant ground in the six battleground states that clinched his Electoral College victory in 2016, according to New York Times/Siena College surveys, with Joseph R. Biden Jr. opening double-digit leads in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Mr. Trump's once-commanding advantage among white voters has nearly vanished, a development that would all but preclude the president's re-election if it persisted. Mr. Biden now has a 21-point lead among white college graduates...." ~~~
~~~ Reality Chek. Geoffrey Skelley of 538: "... both Biden's average support and margin over Trump are historically large -- the largest of any contender since Bill Clinton in 1996.... But before you declare Biden the winner, remember his lead is not insurmountable.... At this point in the 1988 cycle, Michael Dukakis led nationally by almost 5 points.... So Trump still has plenty of time to recover enough ground to win in the Electoral College even if he loses the national popular vote -- after all, he did it in 2016."
Max Cohen of Politico: "... Former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday ripped ... Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic and put forward his vision for expanding health care access by building on Obamacare. '[Trump's] like a child who can't believe this has happened to him -- all his whining and self-pity,' Biden said at a speech in Lancaster, Pa. 'Well, this pandemic didn't happen to him. It happened to all of us. And his job isn't to whine about it. His job is to do something about it, to lead.' During the speech in a recreation center gym, Biden called on the Trump administration to stop its ongoing lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, warning that it could lead to millions of Americans losing coverage." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Thursday laced into President Trump, condemning him for saying he had ordered a slowdown of coronavirus testing and comparing the sitting president to a whiny child. 'He admitted telling people, and I quote, "You have to slow the testing down -- slow it down, please,"' said Mr. Biden.... 'He thinks that finding out that more Americans are sick will make him look bad. That's what he's worried about -- he's worried about looking bad.'... Mr. Biden called on Americans to wear masks in public to protect themselves and others. He began his remarks wearing what has become his signature black face mask, which hung from his left ear for the opening minutes of his speech. As he finished and walked off stage, Mr. Biden reattached the mask."
Jim Acosta, et al., of CNN: "... Donald Trump appears at one of the weakest points of his presidency, with few signs the mounting health and civic crises he currently faces will subside and a spate of national polls indicating if the election were held today, he would lose badly. Trump still enjoys the sizable advantages afforded an incumbent president and, particularly in his own era, five months can feel like several lifetimes. Yet people who have spoken to the President recently say he seems aimless as coronavirus cases surge and as a national racial reckoning reaches entities from NASCAR to Disney. Instead of engaging on those matters, Trump has retrenched into the very conduct many believe is the root of his current political predicament.... He has rejected public surveys showing him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden by double digits, claiming they are flawed attempts to suppress the vote.... He has shown almost no willingness to change course."
John Wagner of the Washington Post: "Carly Fiorina, the former chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard who sought the Republican presidential nomination four years ago, said in a new podcast that she plans to vote for Democrat Joe Biden in the fall. Fiorina said she continues to be a registered Republican but considers the election a 'binary choice' and has made clear she cannot support President Trump.... Fiorina has said she voted for Trump four years ago, despite disparaging comments he made about her looks. 'Look at that face!' Trump said to Rolling Stone. 'Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?'" A CNN story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "The Supreme Court sided on Thursday with the Trump administration’s efforts to speed the deportation of asylum seekers, ruling that a law limiting the role of federal courts in reviewing those decisions was constitutional.... Thursday's decision ... barred immigrants whose asylum claims were rejected in bare-bones proceedings from filing petitions for habeas corpus.... Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., writing for the five more conservative justices in the 7-to-2 decision, said asylum claims threatened to overwhelm the immigration system." (Also linked yesterday.)
Ben Sisario of the New York Times: "The Dixie Chicks are now the Chicks. The platinum-selling country trio, which in 2003 became pariahs in Nashville for criticizing President George W. Bush on the eve of the American-led invasion of Iraq, has changed its name, apparently in tacit acknowledgment of criticism over its use of the word 'Dixie,' a nostalgic nickname for the Civil War-era South. The group made the change stealthily on Thursday, releasing a new video as the Chicks and adjusting its social media presence. Representatives for the band confirmed the new name. But the three women of the group -- Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire, who have been among the most outspoken figures in the conservative world of country music -- made little immediate comment. In a brief statement on its new website, the band states simply: 'We want to meet this moment.'" (Also linked yesterday.)
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Reader Comments (12)
Am a bit embarrassed to recommend this one.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mary-trump-once-stood-up-to-her-uncle-donald-now-her-book-describes-a-nightmare-of-family-dysfunction/2020/06/25/be52d7f2-b4ba-11ea-9b0f-c797548c1154_story.html
As revealing as I found some of these details of the Trump family soap opera, about which I knew nothing, I fear you all may conclude I regularly haunt the society and gossip columns, contrary to the persona I have worked so many years to establish.
Fortunately, like the Pretender, I can blame someone else. Not Obama, but the red state electorate, the Electoral College and the Pretender himself:
If he had not stumbled into and through four years of the presidency, I could have happily ignorned him and his family for the rest of my life.
@Ken W.: Nah. I too found Kranish's piece worth a read. While the details may not matter much, it's always good to be reminded that Donald Trump has always been an ass & nothing will change him.
A PRESIDENT GONE VIRAL:
Could we now conclude, without equivocation, that we have a president of the United States who is a bona fide killer of efforts to protect the people of this country from a virus, from keeping their health care, and essentially reducing this country's reputation world wide to smithereens. And this is only for starters. Golly, someone from another planet might say, this looks like total annihilation––or as one of the health professionals said last night on Rachel's program, "What is going on in this country is simply shocking!" Well, yeah, kinda looks like it!
And so just when you think all this mess is now front and center and maybe we can do some things to facilitate change we get more bad news about our climate––something Krugman reminded us is not going away––here's the story:
"Why a 'feverish' Arctic will affect everyone on the globe." (with video and transcript)
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-a-feverish-arctic-will-affect-everyone-on-the-globe
Happy Friday everyone!
We must never forget that the cruelty and inhumanity of the average repugnican, up to and including the presidunce (although he is somewhere south of average--) is the point. I am reminded every time there is another instance, like trying to deprive Colonel Vindman of his deserved rank promotion, that the whole reason for their being is to bring pain to others. Sadistic much? They are not redeemable, no matter how "Christian" they claim to be. They should all burn in that hell they blab about--
Grassy Roots, where the grass is not always greener.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/26/sheriffs-mask-covid/
Just imagine if the Oval Office Occupier applied his Covid policy to immigration: If we didn't check immigration status, we would have far fewer "illegals." (Concept put forward by one of my wife's colleagues, not my original thought.)
Problem solved! Won't OOO be thrilled?
@Nisky Guy: Brilliant! If you could just explain to Trump how he could "prove" he had reduced the number of new "illegals" entering the U.S. to zero, the rest of us could go on under normal, humane rules. P.S. Don't tell Stephen Miller; I think he's smart enough to figure out the teensy flaw in your "proof."
Wondering if the administration's inexplicable urge--the timing is perfect here in the midst of the greatest healthcare crisis since 1918-- to kill Obamacare, would miraculously disappear if Democrats--led by the last real president-- said, "Go ahead. Call it Trumpcare if you wish. The name is not nearly as important as people's welfare. Don't you agree?"
@Ken W.: If those asshole sheriffs really think the rule is unconstitutional & therefore immoral or something, they should resign. If they just don't like the law, they should enforce it just as they do other laws they think are stupid.
If they choose neither of these options, & continue to do as they're doing now -- flagrantly refusing to enforce the rule -- Jay Inslee should get rid of them. Whatever method is used to remove a sheriff who, say, murders his girlfriend should be applied here. These scofflaw sheriffs are killing people. And they're doing it under cover of a badge. They might as well be putting their knees to the necks of citizens.
States with Rt rates at 1.0 or above now 33.
More Pretender progress.
Another sad chapter in the Pretend presidency:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/politics/russia-afghanistan-bounties.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
And my NYTimes comment:
Now there's a surprise!
Wonder why Mr Trump can't figure out what to do?
Does he owe Russia something?
A little money, maybe? Or small potatoes like the presidency of the United States?
Donald J. Trump for President, Inc is placing it's first tv ad spending in Georgia. Starting date is tomorrow, 6/27
Which led to this comment by @gtconway3d: "did not have "Trump will need to spend money in Georgia" on my Trump Farewell Tour Bingo card"