The Commentariat -- July 27, 2020

Afternoon Update:

Jonathan Easley of the Hill: "The first presidential debate in September has been moved from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. The move came after the Rev. John Jenkins, president of Notre Dame, announced the school would withdraw as host of the debate, saying the burdensome health precautions required would interfere with student education."

Tom Jackman & Carol Leonnig of the Washington Post: "An Army National Guard officer who witnessed protesters forcibly removed from Lafayette Square last month is contradicting claims by the attorney general and the Trump administration that they did not speed up the clearing to make way for the president's photo opportunity minutes later. A new statement by Adam DeMarco, an Iraq veteran who now serves as a major in the D.C. National Guard, also casts doubt on the claims by acting Park Police Chief Gregory Monahan that violence by protesters spurred Park Police to clear the area at that time with unusually aggressive tactics. DeMarco said that 'demonstrators were behaving peacefully' and that tear gas was deployed in an 'excessive use of force.' DeMarco backs up law enforcement officials who told The Washington Post they believed the clearing operation would happen after the 7 p.m. curfew that night -- but it was dramatically accelerated after Attorney General William P. Barr and others appeared in the park around 6 p.m. Monahan has said the operation was conducted so that a fence might be erected around the park. DeMarco said the fencing materials did not arrive until 9 p.m. -- hours after Barr told the Park Police to expand the perimeter -- and the fence wasn't built until later that night." The AP's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Whom to believe? (1) An attorney general who has already lied to the American people and is a proven presidential* lapdog, or (2) an Army major who gets nothing out of contradicting Barr and others?

Devlin Barrett & Nick Miroff of the Washington Post: "The Trump administration is sending more federal agents to Portland, Ore., as officials consider pushing back harder and farther against the growing crowds and nightly clashes with protesters, vandals, and rioters.... To strengthen federal forces arrayed around the city's downtown courthouse, the U.S. Marshals Service decided last week to send 100 deputy U.S. Marshals to Portland, according to an internal Marshals email reviewed by The Post. The personnel began arriving Thursday night. The Department of Homeland Security is also considering a plan to send an additional 50 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel to the city, but a final decision on the deployment has not been made, according to senior administration officials involved in the federal response.... There were 114 federal agents there in mid-July -- though it is unclear how many personnel there now would be relieved and sent home once the reinforcements arrive." Related Oregon Public Broadcasting story linked below.

John Wagner of the Washington Post has a story on National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien's contracting Covid-19. "'He has mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site,' the White House said in a statement. 'There is no risk of exposure to the President or the Vice President. The work of the National Security Council continues uninterrupted.'" Mrs. McC: This is getting to be like a version of the cat-on-the-roof joke. First, it's Mrs. Stephen Miller who works far, far away in the veep's office. Then it's the valet who has a crummy job but works closely with Donaldo. Then it's the girlfriend of the ne'er-do-well son. Now it's a top advisor to the president. Who next? Bill Barr? Mike Pompeo? Before November, it will be Donald Trump. ~~~

~~~ Real Cat-on-the-Roof Story. Charlie Cooper of Politico: "A pet cat in England has tested positive for Covid-19, the first confirmed case in an animal in the U.K. and one of very few worldwide. The U.K.'s Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said that it was 'a very rare event' and there was no evidence to suggest that pets transmit the coronavirus to humans. The cat is thought to have contracted the virus from its owners, who had tested positive and since made a full recovery -- as has the cat."

Ashley Parker & Philip Rucker of the Washington Post: "... both allies and opponents agree [Trump] has failed at the one task that could help him achieve all of his goals -- confronting the pandemic with a clear strategy and consistent leadership. Trump's shortcomings have perplexed even some of his most loyal allies, who increasingly have wondered why the president has not at least pantomimed a sense of command over the crisis or conveyed compassion for the millions of Americans impacted by it. People close to Trump ... say the president's inability to wholly address the crisis is due to his almost pathological unwillingness to admit error; a positive feedback loop of overly rosy assessments and data from advisers and Fox News; and a penchant for magical thinking that prevented him from fully engaging with the pandemic.... In the past couple of weeks, senior advisers began presenting Trump with maps and data showing spikes in coronavirus cases among 'our people' in Republican states, a senior administration official said.... This new approach seemed to resonate...." ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: IOW, Trump could not care less about Americans dying as long as those Americans were not especially likely to vote for him or buy MAGA hats.

Erica Werner, et al., of the Washington Post: "Senate Republicans will propose cutting weekly emergency unemployment benefits from $600 to $200 until states can bring a more complicated program online, according to two people familiar with the plan.... The proposal will come as part of a broader $1 trillion relief bill aimed at dealing with the economic fallout caused by the novel coronavirus. Republicans plan to release the legislation later on Monday and start negotiations with Democrats.... Republican lawmakers and some business executives have complained that the $600 weekly payment has created a situation where some Americans are paid more to stay home than to return to their jobs." Mrs. McC: Another way to look at it: Congress, in its wisdom, thought what a family needed to survive was $600/week (or $15/hour,  $31,200/year). That suggests not that the emergency benefits should be cut but that the minimum wage should be raised to more than $15/hour. Republicans look at everything ass-backwards.

Florida. Tyler Kepner of the New York Times: "The Miami Marlins postponed their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday -- four days after the season opener -- after learning that 14 members of the team's traveling party, including two coaches, had tested positive for the [corona]virus. The outbreak was first reported by ESPN." Here's an ESPN story.

Rachel Siegel of the Washington Post: "Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she will vote against Judy Shelton's nomination to the Federal Reserve Board, raising the stakes of a political fight around one of President Trump's controversial picks for a seat on the central bank. Collins joined Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) in opposing Shelton's nomination, which is slated to go for a vote before the full Senate. Collins and Romney alone can't derail Shelton's advancement, but the margin is getting thinner for Shelton, who is known for her outspoken criticism of the Fed and her advocacy for a return to the gold standard.... If the Senate's Democrats and Independents all vote against Shelton's nomination, her confirmation could be doomed if she looses the support of more than three Republicans."

Texas. Gary Bass of KLTV (Tyler): "During a rally organizers said was to 'protest the unconstitutional occupation of Portland,' on Sunday, Hank Gilbert's campaign manager was allegedly assaulted by a group of counter-protesters. Gilbert, a Democrat from Tyler, is running against U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Republican, for the 1st Congressional District. The protest took place in Tyler's downtown square on Sunday afternoon. Ryan Miller, the alleged victim, is Gilbert's campaign manager. 'Miller was attacked by at least four protesters, some of whom were armed, and sustained blows to the head and other parts of his body, as well as a large gash under his eye,' a press release from the campaign stated. 'The incident occurred as officers from the Tyler Police Department drove around the square idly, waving at the Blue Lives Matter counter-protesters who had come to support Gilbert's opponent.' According to the press release, counter-protesters disrupted the rally by shouting, 'Louie! Louie! Louie!' repeatedly. The press release also claimed the counter-protesters shouted 'Louie' as Miller was being assaulted." A TPM story is here.

Peter Beinart in a New York Times op-ed, relies on polling data to show that Joe Biden is running a more successful campaign against Donald Trump than Hillary Clinton did because Biden is a man. A 2010 study Beinart cites is instructive: "... two Yale researchers ... asked participants their opinions of two fictional candidates, one male and one female, who were described as possessing 'a strong will to power.' Attributing ambition to the male candidate didn't hurt his appeal. But upon learning that the female candidate was ambitious, many participants responded with 'feelings of moral outrage.'"

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Dan Balz of the Washington Post: "America's standing in the world is at a low ebb. Once described as the indispensable nation, the United States is now seen ... a reluctant and unreliable partner at a dangerous moment for the world. The coronavirus pandemic has only made things worse. President Trump shattered a 70-year consensus among U.S. presidents of both political parties that was grounded in the principle of robust American leadership in the world through alliances and multilateral institutions. For decades, this approach was seen at home and abroad as good for the world and good for the United States. In its place, Trump has substituted his America First doctrine and what his critics say is a zero-sum-game sensibility about international relationships.... The president has demeaned allies and emboldened adversaries such as China and Russia." ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Balz won't say so, because to admit the truth would crush his strong belief in both-siderism. However, it clear from his essay that the faction and factor that brings the U.S. low in the world's estimate is the Republican party. ~~~

~~~ Julian Borger of the Guardian: "Germany is the most admired country in the world for the third year running, leaving the US in a tight battle for distant second place with China and Russia, according to a new [Gallup] global leadership poll. The annual poll ... casts more doubt on US secretary of state Mike Pompeo's claim on Friday that the US was 'perfectly positioned' to lead the free world in a new ideological rivalry with the Chinese Communist Party." --safari: I can't figure out why 'Russia' would be in the running...

The Trumpidemic, Ctd.

<>Daniel Lippman of Politico: "Robert O'Brien..., Donald Trump's national security adviser, has tested positive for Covid-19, making him the highest profile Trump official to get the virus, an administration official confirmed. It's unclear how O'Brien was exposed to the coronavirus or how much in-person contact he's had recently with Trump. Anyone who is near the president is tested regularly for the disease."

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Monday are here: "One of the first large studies of safety and effectiveness of a coronavirus vaccine in the United States began on Monday morning, according to the National Institutes of Health and the biotech company Moderna, which collaborated to develop the vaccine. The study, a Phase 3 clinical trial, is to enroll 30,000 healthy people at about 89 sites around the country. Half will receive two shots of the vaccine, 28 days apart, and half will receive two shots of a saltwater placebo. Neither the volunteers nor the medical staff giving the injections will know who is getting the real vaccine." ~~~

~~~ The Washington Post's live updates of coronavirus developments Monday are here.

Alayna Treene of Axios: "Top Trump advisers and GOP leadership have told the president in recent weeks that he needs to switch gears on the coronavirus and go all in on messaging about progress on vaccines and therapeutics.... When scientists and health care researchers make big strides on vaccine and therapeutic development, the White House wants Trump at the podium, delivering the good news himself. He'll also largely continue to deliver these messages alone.... Reality check: It's nearly impossible that a vast majority of the public will have access to a vaccine by 2021, let alone before the election. And that assumes a vaccine proves to work...."

Marianne Levine & Nolan McCaskill of Politico: "Even before Senate Republicans roll out a proposal on the next coronavirus relief package, top Trump administration officials are already pushing a backup plan in case negotiations stall. During media appearances Sunday, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested Congress could take an issue-by-issue approach to coronavirus relief, an idea House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has already rejected." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Because of my strong focus on the China Virus, including scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy and much else, I won't be able to be in New York to throw out the opening pitch for the @Yankees on August 15th. We will make it later in the season! -- Donald Trump, in a tweet Sunday ~~~

~~~ James Wagner of the New York Times: "President Trump said he would no longer be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before a Yankees game on Aug. 15 -- days after he said he would be doing so, causing a political ruckus. Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday afternoon that he would not be in New York that day, when the Yankees will play the Boston Red Sox, because of his 'strong focus' on the coronavirus pandemic, 'including scheduled meetings on Vaccines, our economy and much else.'... Trump's announcement [that Yankees management had invited him to throw out the first pitch] drew criticism from local New York political figures, including Mayor Bill de Blasio. He wrote on Twitter on Saturday, 'After CONDEMNING racism, the next step isn't inviting it to your pitcher's mound. To the players that knelt for the BLM movement, we applaud you. To the execs that have aligned with hatred, you are on the wrong side of history and morality.'" The Hill's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: The headline is "Trump backs out of throwing pitch...." But reading between the lines, it might seem that it was the Yankees who disinvited the racist-in-chief. August 15 is a Saturday. Let's see if Trump goes a'golfing, as he did this weekend when one might think he would have been focusing on "much else." I do not believe that Trump had three or more presidential business meetings scheduled on a Saturday in August. ~~~

~~~ Ben Dreyfuss of Mother Jones: "Setting aside the racism of the 'China virus' stuff, Trump is saying he is so focused on coronavirus and the economy that he can't make this event. This would be unremarkable were it not for the fact that he sent this tweet from his golf course in New Jersey, where he spent the last day and a half playing golf!"

Conrad Wilson & Jonathan Levinson of Oregon Public Broadcasting: "Several dozen additional out-of-town federal law enforcement officers are deploying to Portland as they look to make additional arrests in the coming days, while also shifting tactics from the use of tear gas, according to multiple federal law enforcement sources.... The beefed up federal presence comes at the same time federal officials are internally acknowledging they have contributed to the quick escalation between law enforcement and groups of protesters, which had dwindled to a couple hundred people or less earlier this month. 'Anytime you shoot someone in the face and beat them with a baton, it's going to be criticized,' said one federal law enforcement official. 'That's not a controversial statement.'" ~~~

~~~ Zach Beauchamp of Vox: "What we're seeing [in Portland], according to experts on comparative democracy and American politics, is our polarized political system reaching its breaking point -- and our democracy buckling under the pressure of Trump's authoritarian impulses and near-total control of the Republican Party.... His unprecedented deployment of federal law enforcement personnel is a means to that end; he gets away with it because American politics is so dangerously polarized that Republicans are willing to accept virtually anything if it's done to Democrats...This kind of violent federal deployment over the objections of state and local officials has no real precedent in American history...In fact, outside of the context of a domestic insurgency like the Troubles in Northern Ireland, there is no example of state security forces being deployed under circumstances like this inside any democratic state." --s

MEANWHILE. Sen. Tom Cotton (Racist-Ark.) Says Slavery Was a "Necessary Evil." Bryan Graham of the Guardian: "The Arkansas Republican senator Tom Cotton has called the enslavement of millions of African people 'the necessary evil upon which the union was built'. Cotton, widely seen as a possible presidential candidate in 2024, made the comment in an interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette published on Sunday. He was speaking in support of legislation he introduced on Thursday that aims to prohibit use of federal funds to teach the 1619 Project, an initiative from the New York Times that reframes US history around August 1619 and the arrival of slave ships on American shores for the first time. Cotton's Saving American History Act of 2020 and 'would prohibit the use of federal funds to teach the 1619 Project by K-12 schools or school districts', according to a statement from the senator's office." ~~~

~~~ Cotton Denies He Said What He Said. Summer Concepcion of TPM: "The office of Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) pushed back on the backlash that ensued upon the publication of his interview with the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, which included a remark citing the Founding Fathers' argument that slavery was a 'necessary evil.'... 'We have to study the history of slavery and its role and impact on the development of our country because otherwise we can't understand our country,' Cotton said. 'As the Founding Fathers said, it was the necessary evil upon which the union was built, but the union was built in a way, as Lincoln said, to put slavery on the course to its ultimate extinction.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Cotton is an educated man. He knows that if I say, "As Joe said, blah blah," then I agree with "blah blah." What that whiney whitey meant was that slavery was a necessary evil for the founding of this country. Maybe we should be grateful Cotton at least realizes that endorsing slavery is not a good look. ~~~

~~~ Paul Campos in LG&$: "This is the kind of thing that would have been considered completely outrageous if George Wallace had spewed it way back in 1968, but here we are. It's a shame James Bennet could only be fired once for printing this guy's love letter to Trumpian fascism."

Florida. David Neal of the Miami Herald: "Florida has another 9,344 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to data released Sunday by the state, pushing it past New York for the second most cases in the nation. During the pandemic, Florida has had 423,855 COVID-19 cases, second only to the 445,400 reported by California as of Saturday. New York was reporting 415,911, according to the New York Times as of Sunday afternoon. About half of Sunday's new cases in Florida came from South Florida."

Minnesota. Hate-Statement Masks & Cheeseballs. Rachel Hutton of the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Just before noon Saturday, police officers in Marshall, Minn., were called to the town's Walmart on a report that two shoppers were wearing masks emblazoned with swastikas. Another shopper, Raphaela Mueller, the vicar of a southwest Minnesota parish, filmed the swastika-wearin man and woman as they were confronted by others in the store. Then she posted the video on Facebook, where it went viral. 'If you vote for Biden, you're going to be living in Nazi Germany,' the woman with the swastika mask told Mueller, as her companion bagged up toilet paper and an enormous canister of cheeseballs. The two were apparently using the masks to protest Minnesota's mask mandate, which took effect Saturday.... Per the store's request, law enforcement served trespass notices to the 59-year-old man and 64-year-old woman, warning them that if they will face arrest should they return. The two departed without incident and charges were not pursued." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)

Virginia. Andrea Cambron of WTOP (Washington, D.C.): "A crowd gathered outside the home of Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, in Alexandria, Virginia, on Sunday afternoon to protest the recent controversial detention of protesters in Portland, Oregon.... ShutDownDC organized the protest on Facebook." A Washington Post story is here.

Janis Frayer & Yuliya Talmazan of NBC News: "After 35 years, the U.S. official presence in China's Chengdu ended on Monday with the lowering of the American flag over the consulate in the southwestern city. China took over the premises of the consulate in retaliation for a U.S. order to close the Chinese consulate in Houston last week -- capping months of escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington. The tit-for-tat closures of consulates comes as China and the U.S. clash on a range of issues, including trade, technology, security and human rights."

Oliver Milman of the Guardian: "The US will officially exit the Paris accord one day after the 2020 US election and architects of that deal say the stakes could not be higher.... [F]ormer vice-president Joe Biden ... has vowed to rejoin the climate agreement. The lifetime of the Paris agreement, signed in a wave of optimism in 2015, has seen the five hottest years ever recorded on Earth, unprecedented wildfires torching towns from California to Australia, record heatwaves baking Europe and India& and temperatures briefly bursting beyond 100F (38C) in the Arctic.... The faltering global effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions and head off further calamity hinges, in significant part, on whether the US decides to re-enter the fray." --s

Joshua Geltzer, et al. of Just Security: "Attorney General William Barr has a lot to answer for. Roger Stone. Michael Flynn. Geoffrey Berman. Robert Mueller. The names alone are enough to spark recollection of how Barr has raised profound concerns about his performance at the helm of the Justice Department. Now he has a chance to explain himself. With the shocking and still unexplained removal of Geoffrey Berman from serving as head of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the House Judiciary Committee Chairman said he's inviting Barr to testify at a hearing on Wednesday addressing the state of affairs at the Justice Department. We're not naïve. We doubt Barr will show up.... Here are a few -- well, maybe more than a few -- questions for members of Congress and the media to ask him." --s

Presidential Race

Axios: "FiveThirtyEight founder Nate Silver said on ABC's 'This Week' that while President Trump's reelection bid is 'clearly in trouble' due to his dismal coronavirus approval ratings and polling in swing states, he does not believe the president's 'fate is sealed.'... 'We found historically that when there are lots of major news events and economic disruptions, an election becomes harder to predict,' Silver said.... 'A turnaround in the COVID situation by the fall could make the election more competitive.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Rick Rojas of the New York Times: John "Lewis, who died on July 17, crossed the [Edmund Pettus Bridge] one last time on Sunday, his coffin carried by horses as part of a valedictory pilgrimage retracing the arc of his life. The trek started on Saturday in Troy, county seat of Pike County where he grew up on a cotton farm, and continues this week onto Washington, where he served in Congress, and Atlanta, which became his home." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ Sydney Trent of the Washington Post: "For the last two decades, the 17-term congressman from Georgia..., led an annual march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to kindle hope in the ongoing struggle for racial justice. On the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in 2015, he made the trip with the nation's first black president, Barack Obama. Now, as Lewis was carried across the span Sunday before lying in state at the U.S. Capitol, a revived effort to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge in honor of the civil rights giant is gaining traction.... There are two petitions now, on Change.org and the [John Lewis Bridge Project's] website, that have picked up steam since Lewis' death. As of Saturday, about 715,000 people had signed them, including 'Selma' director Ava DuVernay, Kerry Washington, Paul McCartney, Dan Rather and Pettus' great-great-granddaughter, Caroline Randall Williams, who is black.... Pettus was a U.S. senator for Alabama from 1897 to 1907, a Confederate Army officer and, after the Civil War, a grand dragon in the Ku Klux Klan." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~

~~~ John Bowden of the Hill: "... Joe Biden will honor former Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) as his body lies in state at the U.S. Capitol on Monday."

The Commentariat -- July 26, 2020

Afternoon Update:

Rick Rojas of the New York Times: John "Lewis, who died on July 17, crossed the [Edmund Pettus Bridge] one last time on Sunday, his coffin carried by horses as part of a valedictory pilgrimage retracing the arc of his life. The trek started on Saturday in Troy, county seat of Pike County where he grew up on a cotton farm, and continues this week onto Washington, where he served in Congress, and Atlanta, which became his home." ~~~

~~~ Sydney Trent of the Washington Post: "For the last two decades, the 17-term congressman from Georgia..., led an annual march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to kindle hope in the ongoing struggle for racial justice. On the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in 2015, he made the trip with the nation's first black president, Barack Obama. Now, as Lewis was carried across the span Sunday before lying in state at the U.S. Capitol, a revived effort to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge in honor of the civil rights giant is gaining traction.... There are two petitions now, on Change.org and the [John Lewis Bridge Project's] website, that have picked up steam since Lewis' death. As of Saturday, about 715,000 people had signed them, including 'Selma' director Ava DuVernay, Kerry Washington, Paul McCartney, Dan Rather and Pettus' great-great-granddaughter, Caroline Randall Williams, who is black.... Pettus was a U.S. senator for Alabama from 1897 to 1907, a Confederate Army officer and, after the Civil War, a grand dragon in the Ku Klux Klan."

Marianne Levine & Nolan McCaskill of Politico: "Even before Senate Republicans roll out a proposal on the next coronavirus relief package, top Trump administration officials are already pushing a backup plan in case negotiations stall. During media appearances Sunday, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested Congress could take an issue-by-issue approach to coronavirus relief, an idea House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has already rejected."

Axios: "FiveThirtyEight founder Nate Silver said on ABC's 'This Week' that while President Trump's reelection bid is 'clearly in trouble' due to his dismal coronavirus approval ratings and polling in swing states, he does not believe the president's 'fate is sealed.'... 'We found historically that when there are lots of major news events and economic disruptions, an election becomes harder to predict,' Silver said.... 'A turnaround in the COVID situation by the fall could make the election more competitive.'"

Hate-Statement Masks & Cheeseballs. Rachel Hutton of the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Just before noon Saturday, police officers in Marshall, Minn., were called to the town's Walmart on a report that two shoppers were wearing masks emblazoned with swastikas. Another shopper, Raphaela Mueller, the vicar of a southwest Minnesota parish, filmed the swastika-wearing man and woman as they were confronted by others in the store. Then she posted the video on Facebook, where it went viral. 'If you vote for Biden, you're going to be living in Nazi Germany,' the woman with the swastika mask told Mueller, as her companion bagged up toilet paper and an enormous canister of cheeseballs. The two were apparently using the masks to protest Minnesota's mask mandate, which took effect Saturday.... Per the store's request, law enforcement served trespass notices to the 59-year-old man and 64-year-old woman, warning them that if they will face arrest should they return. The two departed without incident and charges were not pursued."

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The Trumpidemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Saturday are here. (Also linked yesterday.)

Trump's Suicide Cult. Tom Nichols in USA Today: "America has now passed the milestone of 4 million COVID cases, and we're still arguing with doctors and epidemiologists about masks and school closures. I expected some of this, because I literally wrote the book over three years ago on why so many Americans think they're smarter than experts. What I did not expect is that this resolute and childish opposition to expertise would be hijacked by the president of the United States and an entire American political party, and then turned into a suicide cult." --s

David Corn of Mother Jones: "This month, Stephen Miller, the extremist anti-immigrant Trump adviser who has promoted white nationalist ideas, lost [Ruth Glosser, who was Miller's maternal grandmother] to the coronavirus pandemic, and his uncle [David Glosser] tells Mother Jones that the Trump administration is partly to blame for this death.... In response to a request seeking comment from Miller, a White House spokesperson sent Mother Jones this statement: 'This is categorically false, and a disgusting use of so-called journalism when the family deserves privacy to mourn the loss of a loved one. His grandmother did not pass away from COVID. She was diagnosed with COVID in March and passed away in July so that timeline does not add up at all.'... Ruth Glosser's death certificate — which her son shared with Mother Jones -- lists her cause of death as 'respiratory arrest' resulting from 'COVID-19.'" --s

Eoin Higgins of Common Dreams: "As Senate Republicans headed home for the weekend without extending unemployment insurance benefits or approving other economic relief programs that could help millions of Americans weather the ongoing financial catastrophe of the coronavirus pandemic, progressives and congressional Democrats warned that disaster is on the horizon.... House Democrats took to Twitter to decry their Senate GOP colleagues for abdicating their responsibility to the American people, noting that Republicans found time to vote for a mammoth $740 billion Pentagon budget but failed to approve anything to meet the needs of struggling workers and families." ~~~

~~~ Jessica Corbett of Common Dreams: "Housing and human rights advocates on Saturday slammed the Republican-controlled Senate for skipping town and allowing a federal moratorium on evictions to expire, putting millions of households across the country at risk for losing their homes in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Despite objections from Democrats, the upper chamber adjourned Thursday evening without lawmakers taking action to extend the eviction moratorium -- which expired Friday -- or the $600-per-week addition to unemployment benefits that Congress enacted earlier this year in response to the current public health and economic crises. The eviction moratorium put in place by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March protected more than 12 million people who live in homes with federally backed mortgages from being forced onto the streets. Other local and state moratoria have also recently expired." Mrs. McC: No doubt Republican senatos have noticed that more of their backers are landlords than tenants. ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE. Nicky Robertson of CNN: "Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that he hopes in the next two to three weeks the Senate will be able to get the next coronavirus relief bill to the House.... McConnell said he will begin talking to Democrats as soon as next week on the bill." Mrs. McC: Knock yourself out, Mitch. ~~~

~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: In fairness to Mitch, one reason it is taking so long for him to get a bill to the House is that he also has to negotiate with the President*, who is a very busy man. Bob Brigham of the Raw Story: "... Donald Trump reportedly golfed on Saturday while on vacation at his Bedminster resort in New Jersey. Deputy White House press secretary Judd Deere reportedly told Reuters correspondent Steve Holland that Trump was golfing with retired quarterback Brett Favre.... Trump's latest round of golf occurred as coronavirus continues to devastate America, with total fatalities approaching 150,000." ~~~

     (~~~ AND This. I Can See Texas from My Golf Cart. Jordan Muller of Politico: "... Donald Trump on Saturday said his administration is 'closely monitoring' a pair of major storms in Texas and Hawaii as the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season made landfall along the pandemic-stricken Texas coast. 'We continue to coordinate closely with both states,' the president tweeted from his Bedminster, N.J., golf club, urging residents to listen to emergency management officials to protect families and property.")

Florida. Cleve Wootson, et al., of the Washington Post: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R) "health department has sidelined scientists, halting briefings last month with disease specialists and telling the experts there was not sufficient personnel from the state to continue participating.... As the virus spread out of control in Florida, decision-making became increasingly shaped by politics and divorced from scientific evidence, according to interviews with 64 current and former state and administration officials, health administrators, epidemiologists, political operatives and hospital executives. The crisis in Florida, these observers say, has revealed the shortcomings of a response built on shifting metrics, influenced by a small group of advisers and tethered at every stage to the Trump administration, which has no unified plan for addressing the national health emergency but has pushed for states to reopen.... The response -- which DeSantis boasted weeks ago was among the best in the nation -- has quickly sunk Florida into a deadly morass." ~~~

~~~ Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "A longtime staffer for Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) died from the coronavirus on Friday, the congressman announced, becoming the first known congressional aide to die from the illness. Buchanan said in a statement that he was 'devastated' by the death of Gary Tibbetts, a field representative who had been a member of the congressman's staff since 2011." (Also linked yesterday.)

Capitalism Is Awesome, Ctd. Insider Trading on a Grand Scale. David Gelles & Jesse Drucker of the New York Times: "The race is on to develop a coronavirus vaccine, and some companies and investors are betting that the winners stand to earn vast profits from selling hundreds of millions -- or even billions -- of doses to a desperate public. Across the pharmaceutical and medical industries, senior executives and board members are capitalizing on that dynamic. They are making millions of dollars after announcing positive developments, including support from the government, in their efforts to fight Covid-19. After such announcements, insiders from at least 11 companies -- most of them smaller firms whose fortunes often hinge on the success or failure of a single drug -- have sold shares worth well over $1 billion since March, according to figures compiled for The New York Times by Equilar, a data provider.... [Some] senior officials appear to be pouncing on opportunities to cash out while their stock prices are sky high. And some companies have awarded stock options to executives shortly before market-moving announcements about their vaccine progress."

Meryl Kornfield of the Washington Post: "After facing intense scrutiny for planning to air a baseless conspiracy theory that infectious-disease expert Anthony S. Fauci helped to create the coronavirus, conservative TV broadcaster Sinclair Broadcast Group announced Saturday that it will delay the segment to edit the context of the claims.... [A person interviewed in the film, Judy] Mikovits, claimed that Fauci 'manufactured' the coronavirus and shipped it to Wuhan, China, where the outbreak originated.... The show was released online earlier this week before it was to be aired on local news channels.... As of Saturday afternoon, the show was pulled from Sinclair websites." Mrs. McC: Yes, better to air this crap closer to the election. ~~~

~~~ David Bauder of the AP: "Meanwhile, Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, talked in detail in a new podcast about the 'serious threats' and hate mail directed his way.... [Fauci] talked about [recent death threats] in some detail on 'The Axe Files' podcast with former Obama aide David Axelrod this past week. Fauci said he's seen ... a far greater level of anger than he heard in the 1980s when he was working to combat HIV. Fauci says he is receiving 'not only hate mail, but actual serious threats against me.' 'I mean against my family, my daughters, my wife,' he said." --s

Trump's Stormtroopers Cause Mayhem Across the U.S.

Mike Baker & Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs of the New York Times: "Weeks of violent clashes between federal agents and protesters in Portland, Ore., galvanized thousands of people to march through the streets of American cities on Saturday, injecting new life into protests that had largely waned in recent weeks. One of the most intense protests was in Seattle, where a day of intense clashes left a trail of broken windows, slashed tires and burning trailers. At least 45 protesters had been arrested as of early evening, and both protesters and police officers suffered injuries.... In Austin, Texas, the police said one man was shot and killed just before 10 p.m. during a protest in the city's downtown. In a live video from the scene, protesters are seen marching through an intersection when a car blares its horn.... The man who was killed may have approached a vehicle with a rifle before he was shot and killed, Officer Katrina Ratcliff said. Ms. Ratcliff said the person who shot and killed the man had fired from inside the vehicle. That person was detained and is cooperating with officers, she said.... In Los Angeles, protesters clashed with officers in front of the federal courthouse downtown. Videos showed people smashing windows and lobbing water bottles at officers after protesters said the police fired projectiles at them. The federal courthouse in Portland has been the scene of nightly, chaotic demonstrations for weeks, which looked likely to continue again on Saturday, as thousands participated in marches around the city...."

Kentucky. Chris Kenning, et al., of the Louisville Courier Journal: "Two opposing, heavily armed militia groups came within a few dozen yards of each ... other in downtown Louisville on Saturday in a tense standoff that ended without violence, but marked an escalation after two months of ongoing protests over the police shooting of a Black woman. More than 300 members of the Atlanta-based Black militia NFAC, or 'Not F**king Around Coalition' came to Louisville demanding justice for 26-year-old Breonna Taylor, an ER technician who was fatally shot by officers in March. Wearing all black and carrying assault rifles, members marched in military-style formation from Baxter Park in the Russell neighborhood to Metro Hall where they stopped around 2:45 p.m. at police barricades. Right across was a smaller group of 50 far-right 'Three Percenter' militia members, who were also heavily armed.... Police kept the sides apart and tensions eventually dissipated. Both militias had said they wanted to avoid violence."

Oregon. Piper McDaniel of the Oregonian: "Thousands of Portlanders amassed late Friday downtown and witnessed another tense face-off with federal officers, who used tear gas and shot impact munitions toward protesters.... At least 4,000 people poured Friday night into the city's core. It was the largest crowd since early weeks of the protests that started 58 days ago.... By 10:30 p.m., a line of veterans stood in front of the federal courthouse, preparing for the looming confrontation. A row of women tied to the Wall of Moms group also staged near the courthouse." As unwashed points out in today's Comments, both sides were using leaf blowers! to throw the gas back on the other side. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Obviously, Trump has sent troops (or whoever they are) in with the purpose of making the situation worse, not better. He wants the news to lead with his dystopian shows of force against Americans. "There's nothing more important in our country than keeping our people safe," Trump said this week. That's true; that's his main job. And he is wantonly doing the opposite. ~~~

~~~ Here's a terrific WashPo story by Marissa Lang on Portland's "leaf-blower dads" that unwashed has pointed out in today's Comments. "The loud, pressurized air machines typically used to clear grass, leaves and other lawn debris are surprisingly effective tools at clearing caustic chemicals from the air. They're so effective that on Friday night, federal agents frustrated at being caught in up in a redirected cloud of tear gas, showed up to the demonstration with their own handheld blowers. The leaf-blower wars were on. 'I'm totally impressed with all the courage we're seeing from just normal people who have taken it on themselves to come out here and stand up for our right to protest,' said Eddie, a 35-year-old Portlander who declined to give his last name out of fear of retaliation from federal officers." Mrs. McC: Wish they'd use their leaf-blowers on whatever that is on Trump's head.

Gillian Brassil of the New York Times: "The W.N.B.A. season started with 26 seconds of silence and an empty court. 'We are dedicating this season to Breonna Taylor,' Layshia Clarendon, a New York Liberty guard and member of the new W.N.B.A. Social Justice Council, said at the game's start. 'We will be a voice for the voiceless.' The 2020 season, which is being played in a 22-week 'bubble' tournament at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., is expected to be charged with social justice initiatives alongside a full championship schedule. Symbols and logos declaring 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Say Her Name' were prominent on the court, and players wore jerseys that bore the name of Ms. Taylor."

Philip Rucker of the Washington Post: "For Trump, this has been a week of retreat. Rather than bending others to his will, the president has been the one backing down from long-held positions in the face of resistance from fellow Republicans or popular opposition, scrambling to reinvigorate his reelection campaign while the coronavirus continues to ravage the nation. Weakened politically by his response to the pandemic, Trump changed course after polls showed his positions did not align with public attitudes or -- as was the case with the payroll tax cut -- his Republican allies on Capitol Hill declined to advance his interests.... White House officials rejected the characterization of the president's sudden advocacy for mask usage and cancellation of the convention festivities in Jacksonville, Fla., as a retreat.... Trump's safety rationale [for cancelling the convention] was inconsistent, however, with his stance last month in regard to staging a large campaign rally in Tulsa. He was adamant about holding the event, despite repeated warnings from local health officials that convening thousands of people in an indoor arena could further spread the virus. In the days that followed the rally, the rate of coronavirus cases in the Tulsa area increased."

** Nomaan Merchant of the AP: "The Trump administration is detaining immigrant children as young as 1 in hotels, sometimes for weeks, before deporting them to their home countries under policies that have effectively shut down the nation's asylum system during the coronavirus pandemic, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. A private contractor for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is taking children to three Hampton Inn & Suites hotels in Arizona and at the Texas-Mexico border, where they are typically detained for several days, the records show. The hotels have been used nearly 200 times, while more than 10,000 beds for children sit empty at government shelters." ~~~

~~~ Edward Moreno of the Hill: "A federal judge denied a request from the Trump administration to delay its deadline to release migrants from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers. U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee ruled in late June that children in ICE detention centers must be released 'with all deliberate speed,' due to coronavirus infections within facilities. The judge have the federal government a deadline of July 17 to comply. She later extended the deadline to July 27 after a motion from the Trump administration. The administration sought another extension, which Gee denied Saturday."

Andy Greenberg of Wired: "[I]t appears the [Russia's] GRU [military intelligence agency] has been hitting US networks again, in a series of previously unreported intrusions that targeted organizations ranging from government agencies to critical infrastructure. From December 2018 until at least May of this year, the GRU hacker group known as APT28 or Fancy Bear carried out a broad hacking campaign against US targets, according to an FBI notification sent to victims of the breaches in May and obtained by WIRED.... The FBI declined to comment on how many victims the APT28 campaign may have targeted, or how many of those attempts were successful.... A new GRU hacking campaign targeting US organizations in 2020 also raises the specter of another round of election meddling, given the GRU's notorious campaign of electoral interference in 2016." --s ~~~

~~~ BBC: "The US and UK have accused Russia of testing a weapon-like projectile in space that could be used to target satellites in orbit. The US State Department described the recent use of 'what would appear to be actual in-orbit anti-satellite weaponry' as concerning. Russia's defence ministry earlier said it was using new technology to perform checks on Russian space equipment.... [I]t is the first time the UK has made accusations about Russian test-firing in space. They come just days after an inquiry said the UK government 'badly underestimated' the threat posed by Russia.... This Russian test of what the Americans say is an anti-satellite weapon is part of a pattern of recent Russian space activity. In February, the US military said that two Russian satellites manoeuvred close to an American one, and in April Moscow test-fired a ground-based satellite interceptor." --s ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: And yet. And yet. Donnie still regularly phones up Vlad to exchange pleasantries.

Samantha Vinograd of CNN: "While US news feeds are dominated by unspeakable tragedies and trivial Trump pursuits, a series of events unfolding in Iran warrants close attention. Over the last few weeks, as the world has grappled with the Covid-19 pandemic, multiple explosions and fires have occurred at Iranian nuclear military and& industrial facilities.... Some analysts suspect the United States and its ally Israel, which have reportedly carried out cyberattacks against Iran before, may have played a role in these recent explosions.... Almost four years into his term, President Donald Trump has expressly failed to mitigate the threats from Iran. Instead, he's exacerbated them." --s

Colby Itkowitz of the Washington Post: "A Christian nonprofit organization that fights world hunger asked Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) to resign from its board after he confronted a female colleague and then reportedly used a sexist expletive after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) was out of earshot. Bread for the World announced Yoho's resignation in a statement on Saturday, saying that his 'recent actions and words as reported in the media are not reflective of the ethical standards expected of members of our Board of Directors.'" CNN's story is here. Mrs. McC: Funny how Congressional Republicans can criticize Liz Cheney (R-Female) for promoting mask-wearing but can't criticize Ted Yoho (R-MachoMan) for calling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Female) a "fucking bitch," then lying about it while profanely invoking God in a House floor speech.

Presidential Race

Karen Tumulty of the Washington Post: "The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute ... has demanded that President Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC) quit raising campaign money by using Ronald Reagan's name and likeness.... What came to the foundation's attention -- and compelled officials there to complain -- was a fundraising email that went out July 19 with 'Donald J. Trump' identified as the sender and a subject line that read: 'Ronald Reagan and Yours Truly.'The solicitation offered, for a donation of $45 or more, a 'limited edition' commemorative set featuring two gold-colored coins, one each with an image of Reagan and Trump. The coins were mounted with a 1987 photograph of Reagan and Trump shaking hands in a White House receiving line -- the type of fleeting contact that presidents have with thousands of people a year.... As of Saturday afternoon, it appeared that the coin sets were still available on the joint fundraising committee website." The Hill's story is here. ~~~

~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Tumulty also reprises this story, which I had not heard before: "This isn't the first time the 45th president has traded on the name or likeness of the 40th ... for his own purposes. In July 2019, he shared as 'Cute!' a fake quote by Reagan that was making its way around social media. According to the apocryphal story, Reagan upon meeting Trump supposedly said: 'For the life of me, and I'll never know how to explain it, when I met that young man, I felt like I was the one shaking hands with the president.' Trump continued to spread the made-up quote, even though Joanne Drake, the chief administrative officer of the Reagan Foundation, had already told the fact-checking website PolitiFact that Reagan 'did not ever say that about Donald Trump.'" I don't know why Trump cares; he has already declared himself a better president than Reagan.

Stephen Nellis of Reuters: "Microsoft Corp and the NBA said on Friday they have joined forces to put 'virtual' fans in the stands of each game using Microsoft's Teams app and giant screens. The two will equip each game court with 17-foot-tall (5.2 m) LED screens that wrap three sides of the arena. The virtual stands will be filled with fans who use the Teams app to log in and sit alongside each other using a new feature of the app called 'Together mode' meant to simulate a group of people sitting in a room." In yesterday's Comments, Bobby Lee suggested this could work for Trump. Say, it could work for Biden, too.

Kim Chandler of the AP: "Civil rights icon and longtime Georgia congressman John Lewis was remembered Saturday -- in the rural Alabama county where his story began -- as a humble man who sprang from his family's farm with a vision that 'good trouble' could change the world. The morning service in the city of Troy in rural Pike County was held at Troy University, where Lewis would often playfully remind the chancellor that he was denied admission in 1957 because he was Black, and where decades later he was awarded an honorary doctorate." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Rick Rojas of the New York Times: "The memorial service [in Troy, Alabama], which drew a crowd to the campus of Troy University, was the start of a series of tributes that mirrored Mr. Lewis's path through life. It began on Saturday with a final journey to his home state of Alabama, and on Sunday, his body will be carried across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., where he helped lead the demonstrators beaten down by the authorities as they marched on March 7, 1965. He will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol on Monday and Tuesday, and on Wednesday, he will be brought to the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta. On Thursday, his funeral will be held in Ebenezer Baptist Church, a sanctuary in Atlanta with deep ties to the civil rights movement, as it had been the home of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."

Way Beyond the Beltway

Israel. Isabel Kershner of the New York Times: "For three nights this week thousands of young Israelis, provoked by what they see as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's flubbed response to the coronavirus scourge, shook off a long political slumber, blocked the streets outside his official residence and demanded that he quit.... Their anger signaled that his storied political survival skills are confronting a new risk.... While the fury reflects a multitude of grievances, they have converged around one man: a prime minister who is a defendant in a corruption trial is now blamed for a colossal failure in dealing with the health and economic crises caused by the virus pandemic, and is resorting to what critics call undemocratic measures to retain power."

Russia. Anton Troianovski of the New York Times: "... protests in Khabarovsk, a city 4,000 miles east of Moscow, drew tens of thousands of people for a three-mile march through central streets for the third straight week on Saturday. Residents were rallying in support of a popular governor arrested and spirited to Moscow this month -- but their remarkable outpouring of anger, which has little precedent in post-Soviet Russia, has emerged as stark testimony to the discontent that President Vladimir V. Putin faces across the country.... Protesters chanting 'Freedom!' and 'Putin resign!' while passing drivers honked, applauded and offered high-fives...."

News Ledes

Weather Channel: "Tropical Storm Hanna continued to lash South Texas and northeastern Mexico on Sunday with high winds and torrential downpours. Flash flood warnings were issued across the Rio Grande Valley as the storm continued to push inland. A flash flood emergency was declared in Mission, Texas, where as much as 10 inches of rain had fallen. Officials with the city of Mission asked people to stay away because motorists were becoming stranded in the flooding and that was taking time away from first responders. A flash flood emergency also was declared for frontage roads and city streets around U.S. Highway 83 in Hidalgo County. Chris Birchfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Brownsville, Texas, said even though Hanna's winds had weakened, the heavy rainfall was still a real threat."

AP: "Hawaii prepared for Hurricane Douglas on Sunday, with predictions of high winds, rain and storm surge. 'It's definitely going to be a triple threat,' said National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Vanessa Almanza, adding that rainfall could be anywhere from 5in-15in. Douglas weakened on Saturday to a category 1 hurricane as it approached Hawaii, but officials warned people should not be lulled into complacency. The NWS said Douglas should remain a hurricane as it moved through the islands on Sunday."

New York Times: "Olivia de Havilland, an actress who gained movie immortality in 'Gone With the Wind,' then built an illustrious film career, punctuated by a successful fight to loosen the studios' grip on contract actors, died on Sunday at her home in Paris. She was 104 and one of the last surviving stars of Hollywood's fabled Golden Age."

The Commentariat -- July 25, 2020

Late Morning Upate:

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Saturday are here.

Tal Axelrod of the Hill: "A longtime staffer for Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) died from the coronavirus on Friday, the congressman announced, becoming the first known congressional aide to die from the illness. Buchanan said in a statement that he was 'devastated' by the death of Gary Tibbetts, a field representative who had been a member of the congressman's staff since 2011."

Piper McDaniel of the Oregonian: "Thousands of Portlanders amassed late Friday downtown and witnessed another tense face-off with federal officers, who used tear gas and shot impact munitions toward protesters.... At least 4,000 people poured Friday night into the city's core. It was the largest crowd since early weeks of the protests that started 58 days ago.... By 10:30 p.m., a line of veterans stood in front of the federal courthouse, preparing for the looming confrontation. A row of women tied to the Wall of Moms group also staged near the courthouse." As unwashed points out in today's Comments, both sides were using leaf blowers! to throw the gas back on the other side. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Obviously, Trump has sent troops (or whoever they are) in with the purpose of making the situation worse, not better. He wants the news to lead with his dytopian shows of force against Americans. "There's nothing more important in our country than keeping our people safe," Trump said this week. That's true; that's his main job. And he is wantonly doing the opposite.

Kim Chandler of the AP: "Civil rights icon and longtime Georgia congressman John Lewis was remembered Saturday -- in the rural Alabama county where his story began -- as a humble man who sprang from his family's farm with a vision that 'good trouble' could change the world. The morning service in the city of Troy in rural Pike County was held at Troy University, where Lewis would often playfully remind the chancellor that he was denied admission in 1957 because he was Black, and where decades later he was awarded an honorary doctorate."

~~~~~~~~~~

The Trumpidemic, Ctd.

The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Friday are here: "The top U.S. public health agency issued a full-throated call to reopen schools in a package of new 'resources and tools' posted on its website Thursday night that opened with a statement that sounded more like a political speech than a scientific document, listing numerous benefits for children of being in school and downplaying the potential health risks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published the new guidance two weeks after President Trump criticized its earlier recommendations on school reopenings as 'very tough and expensive,' ramping up what had already been an anguished national debate over the question of how soon children should return to classrooms. As the president was criticizing the initial C.D.C. recommendations, a document from the agency surfaced that detailed the risks of reopening and the steps that districts were taking to minimize those risks." Mrs. McC: This is a straight news report that rightly fingers the CDC for putting Trump before science. It's appalling. Here's hoping some CDC scientists will cry foul. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ ** Laura Meckler & Rachel Weiner of the Washington Post: "The leader of the nation's premier public health agency Friday amplified President Trump's call for schools to reopen, releasing new documents edited by the White House that gloss over risks and extol the benefits of in-person learning. Still, Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said there should be exceptions for 'hot spots,' and he used a metric that would include parts of at least 33 states. The mixed messaging was another indication of how public health officials at the CDC have been squeezed between Trump's demand for a normal school year and an out-of-control virus.... On Friday, Redfield told reporters the new documents were cleared by the White House, and officials familiar with them, speaking on the condition of anonymity..., said at least one was substantially edited by White House officials. The opening statement was written at the Department of Health and Human Services, Redfield said." Emphases added. ~~~

     ~~~ Mrs. Bea McCrabbie: I wonder if Redfield is aware he has turned the CDC into a second- or third-rate public health agency, an agency that until recently was considered the best in the world. Those "suburban housewives" who don't want to send their children to school are better at public health policy than the CDC.

Erika Edwards of NBC News: "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged Friday that a significant number of COVID-19 patients do not recover quickly, and instead experience ongoing symptoms, such as fatigue and cough. As many as a third of patients who were never sick enough to be hospitalized are not back to their usual health up to three weeks after their diagnosis, the report found."

Bill Saporito of the New York Times: "... with the president trying to distance himself from responsibility for the coronavirus crisis, and Southern governors amplifying the damage with their flawed reopening strategies, the nation's retailers have become the first line of defense against the pandemic. From the headquarters of Walmart (which includes Sam's Club) and Starbucks came the directive that all customers must wear masks. The conservative Southeasterner and liberal Northwesterner were followed by other national retailers, including Kohl's, CVS, Walgreens, Publix and Target.... [A] vacuum of responsibility ... is compelling the businesses that are expert at selling coffee, underwear and groceries to manage the pandemic across their swath of the economy. That they are doing a better job than the Trump administration is beyond pathetic." (Also linked yesterday.)

Jeff Stein & Erica Werner of the Washington Post: "With days to go before enhanced jobless benefits expire, the White House and Senate Republicans are struggling to design a way to scale back the program without overwhelming state unemployment agencies and imperiling aid to more than 20 million Americans. The hang-up has led to an abrupt delay in the introduction of the GOP's $1 trillion stimulus package. The White House and Democrats have said they want a deal by the end of the month, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) suggested Friday that reaching an agreement could take several weeks, a timeline that could leave many unemployed Americans severely exposed." Emphasis added. Mrs. McC: House Democrats passed a bill extending the coronavirus stimulus package in mid-May. So that's more than two months that Republicans have left Americans twisting, twisting slowly in the wind.

Texas. Paging Sarah Palin. Chacour Coop of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "The situation [in Starr County] was not always as dire in this rural South Texas county.... In April, its aggressive and successful approach to beating the coronavirus was spotlighted by NBC News.... But after Gov. Greg Abbott issued orders for the reopening of the state, overriding local control and decision-making, COVID-19 cases surged.... Now Starr County is at a dangerous 'tipping point,' reporting an alarming number of new cases each day, data show. Starr County Memorial Hospital -- the county's only hospital -- is overflowing with COVID-19 patients. The county has been forced to form what is being compared to a so-called 'death panel.'... A committee will deem which COVID-19 patients are likely to die and send them home with family[.]" --s (Also linked yesterday.)

Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request from a church in Nevada to block enforcement of state restrictions on attendance at religious services. The vote was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. joining the court's four more liberal members to form a majority. The court's brief order was unsigned and gave no reasons, which is typical when the justices act on emergency applications. The court's four more conservative members filed three dissents...."

Severely Fake News Coming to a TV Station Near You. Oliver Darcy of CNN: "Local television stations owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group are set to air a conspiracy theory over the weekend that suggests Dr. Anthony Fauci ... was responsible for the creation of the coronavirus. The baseless conspiracy theory is set to air on stations across the country in a segment during the program 'America This Week' hosted by Eric Bolling. The show, which is posted online before it is broadcast over the weekend, is distributed to Sinclair Broadcast Group's network of local television stations, one of the largest in the country. A survey by Pew Research Group earlier this year showed that local news was a vital source of information on the coronavirus for many Americans, and more trusted than the media overall."

U.K. Peter Walker of the Guardian: "Boris Johnson has labelled people opposed to vaccinations 'nuts' as he urged the public to use an expanded flu jab programme to ease pressure on the NHS if there is a second wave of coronavirus this winter. Visiting a doctor's surgery in east London to promote the extension of free flu jabs to more people, Johnson told staff: 'There's all these anti-vaxxers now. They are nuts, they are nuts.' The prime minister's comments highlight the worries in government and among NHS leaders that a potential rise in Covid-19 infections in the coming months, coupled with a bad winter flu season, could overwhelm health services." (Also linked yesterday.)

Trump's Stormtroopers, Ctd.

Rebecca Ellis of Oregon Public Broadcasting: "U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon has temporarily curbed the use of force by federal officers deployed to Portland, restricting their interactions with legal observers and journalists observing nightly protests against police violence. On Thursday afternoon, Simon issued a temporary restraining order on officers from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Marshals Service sent to Portland to guard federal buildings. The restrictions will last for two weeks. The judge is still considering a longer-lasting injunction against federal law enforcement. The order comes as part of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in Oregon, alleging law enforcement has been targeting and attacking journalists at the protests." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Zoe Tillman of BuzzFeed News: "A federal judge on Friday denied a request by the Oregon attorney general's office for an order that would require federal law enforcement officers in Portland to identify themselves when making arrests and place limits on the detention and arrests of protesters. US District Judge Michael Mosman found that state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum lacked standing to bring a lawsuit on behalf of Oregon residents because her office hadn't articulated any specific state interest beyond the constitutional rights of individuals." That is, Mosman ruled that the issue was one of "standing" and he did not address the meat of the suit.

No, They're Not Merely Protecting Federal Property. Mike Baker, et al., of the New York Times: "The aggressive incursion of federal officers into Portland has been stretching the legal limits of federal law enforcement, as agents with batons and riot gear range deep into the streets of a city whose leadership has made it clear they are not welcome.... [In one instance,] they moved down Main Street and continued up the hill, where one of the agents announced over a loudspeaker: 'This is an unlawful assembly.' By the time the security forces halted their advance, the federal courthouse they had been sent to protect was out of sight -- two blocks behind them.... The arrival of the federal agents caused the protests to swell and focused the ire of protesters onto the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse, across from a park shaded by mature trees. What began as a movement for racial justice became a broader campaign to dislodge the federal forces from the city.... More than 40 protesters have been arrested, and dozens now face federal criminal charges."

How to Get Around a Supreme Court Decision: Ignore It. Andrew Crespo in a Washington Post opinion piece: 'The deputy director of President Trump's new federal police force does not know what the word 'arrest' means." Richard Cline claimed at a news conference this week that grabbing an individual off the street & holding him in a van was not an "arrest" and therefore not subject to Fourth Amendment probable cause requirements. Cline is wrong. According to a 1979 Supreme Court decision, "such conduct is 'indistinguishable from a traditional arrest,' which need not be accompanied by bureaucratic processes like fingerprinting, booking or a formal arrest record to count as an arrest for purposes of the Fourth Amendment."

Siobhán O'Grady of the Washington Post: "The United Nations human rights office called on U.S. security forces to limit their use of force against peaceful protesters and journalists Friday, as clashes between federal agents and demonstrators continue in Portland, Ore.... In June, the U.N. Human Rights Council decried violent police tactics and called for an inquiry into systemic racism in the United States. The resolution came after an unusual debate on 'systemic racism, police brutality and violence against peaceful protests' in the United States, requested by all 54 countries in Africa. It was adopted unanimously by the 47 countries that belong to the council.... The United States withdrew from the council in 2018." Mrs. McC: So in case you're one of those American "patriots" touting "American exceptionalism," the U.N. is here to remind you that you live in an exceptionally violent, racist nation. (Also linked yesterday.)

How to Get Around a Supreme Court Decision: Ignore It. Emily Davies of the Washington Post: "Trump administration officials said during a federal court hearing Friday that they have not 'granted nor rejected' any applications for a program designed to protect young undocumented immigrants from deportation, but rather have put them 'on hold' as the government discusses the future of the program. The virtual hearing in the U.S. District Court in Maryland was the first time the administration addressed reports that the Department of Homeland Security was not accepting applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program -- despite a recent Supreme Court ruling and a federal judge's order requiring the government to resume accepting applications." Mrs. McC: It appears the Trumpies are following John Yoo's advice.

Keith Bradsher & Steven Myers of the New York Times: "As the United States lashed out against the 'new tyranny' of China, Beijing on Friday ordered the closure of the American consulate in Chengdu, a retaliatory move that threatens to drive the two powers into an even deeper divide. Beijing blamed the Trump administration for the deterioration in relations, calling its own action justified after Washington told China this week to shutter its consulate in Houston and accused its diplomats of acting illegally. A Chinese official, in turn, denounced American diplomats in Chengdu, a southwestern city, for interfering in China's affairs." (Also linked yesterday.)

Joseph Rich of Bloomberg: "On July 22, 27 distinguished District of Columbia attorneys, including former bar presidents and a former senior lawyer in the D.C. Bar disciplinary office, filed a comprehensive D.C. Bar complaint detailing the pattern of Attorney General William Barr's ethical violations over the last 16 months. The meticulously researched, 37-page complaint details how Barr has continuously violated the D.C. Bar Rules of Professional Conduct prohibiting deceitful and dishonest conduct, interference with the administration of justice, conflicts of interest and a failure to support the Constitution.... Over the last several months, up to 2,500 former Department of Justice attorneys have strenuously objected on three occasions to Barr's unethical actions and political interference in the DOJ';s law enforcement decisions. Our democracy depends on a Department of Justice that acts as an independent arbiter of equal justice, not as an arm of the president's political apparatus." --s (Also linked yesterday.)

Jeremy Stahl of Slate: "On Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addressed retiring Republican Rep. Ted Yoho's nonapology for calling her a 'fucking bitch' earlier in the week. In 10 devastating minutes, Ocasio-Cortez shamed the Florida congressman as emblematic of a culture of misogyny and workplace harassment, tied the Republican Party to that abuse, and once again demonstrated that she is one of the most impactful voices in the House Democratic Caucus.... The speech linked her political opponents directly to crudely sexist language, attitudes, and culture, which has been turning a critical swing-voting bloc of college-educated white women away from the Republican Party in droves." (Also linked yesterday.)

Presidential Race

Annie Karni, et al., of the New York Times: "Mr. Trump ... attributed ... [his] abrupt cancellation of the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville, Fla..., to Florida's soaring rate of coronavirus cases.... But the timing ... was influenced by the imminent need for the Republican Party to book an enormous number of hotel rooms in Jacksonville and sign other costly service agreements.... There were other urgent factors involved in the decision, including the health of party officials and delegates coming from across the country, and Mr. Trump's sinking political standing, which was largely attributable to months of inattentiveness to the virus.... Jacksonville organizers were facing open resistance from local officials.... Faced with all that tumult, Mr. Trump chose instead to cancel the convention in an effort to cast himself as putting safety first. But many of Mr. Trump's top political advisers had already become convinced that the convention stood a better chance of generating embarrassing news stories -- like his recent, unsuccessful rally in Tulsa, Okla. -- than a bounce in the polls." ~~~

But I looked at my team, and I said, 'The timing for this event is not right. It's just not right with what&'s happened recently -- the flare up in Florida -- to have a big convention.... I have to protect the American people. That's what I've always done. That's what I always will do. That's what I'm about. They said, 'Sir, we can make this work very easily. We have great enthusiasm. Incredible enthusiasm. Even the polls say about the most enthusiasm they've seen. We can do this safely, and we can do it responsibly.' And I said, 'There's nothing more important in our country than keeping our people safe.... So, I told my team, 'It's time to cancel the Jacksonville, Florida, component of the GOP Convention.' -- Donald Trump, Thursday, claiming it was his idea to cancel the GOP convention (includes "sir" tell) ~~~

~~~ Michael Scherer, et al., of the Washington Post: "Advisers convinced Trump that canceling the convention could help him politically ... as he tries to pay closer attention to the coronavirus, show that he cares about the health of Americans and improve his sagging poll numbers.... The president publicly mocked former vice president Joe Biden on Twitter for planning a virtual convention 'where he doesn't have to show up.' He accused Democratic governors of denying him rally permits for political advantage and dismissed the warnings against mass gatherings."

"One of the Great Memories of All Time" Didn't Happen. I was going into a thing called the Robin Hood Foundation. I'll never forget it. It was just about the night I announced [I would run for president] or whatever. My wife looked at me, she said, 'You know, I hear people booing.'... You know, it's the first time in my life I was ever booed. -- Donald Trump, in an interview this week

This story could not possibly be true: Trump has not attended the Robin Hood Foundation gala since 2011. Also, the 2015 gala was held in May, a month before Trump announced his candidacy. Also, Trump had been booed in public on multiple occasions before 2015.... [Trump] has previously called [the incident] 'one of the great memories of all time.' --Daniel Dale of CNN

News Ledes

Weather Channel: "Hurricane Hanna's eye is now coming ashore in South Texas ahead of landfall later today, with the potential for dangerous rainfall flash flooding extending well inland into northeast Mexico. Sustained winds have increased to 85 mph according to the Hurricane Hunters. The hurricane's eyewall is moving inland south of Corpus Christi. Some areas between Corpus Christi and Brownsville will get a break in the wind and rain as Hanna's eye moves ashore. Conditions are deteriorating in much of South Texas, with increasing rainfall and wind gusts, as Hanna intensifies. A 79 mph gust has been reported in Laguna Madre, Texas."

Honolulu Star-Advertiser: "A hurricane warning has been issued for Oahu, while Hawaii County and Maui County remain under a hurricane watch.... As of 11 a.m., the storm was located about 325 miles east of Hilo and about 520 miles east-southeast of Honolulu with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. Douglas was moving toward the west-northwest near 18 mph and expected to continue in the same motion over the next couple of days with a slight decrease in forward speed today, forecasters said. Douglas is forecasted to be near the main Hawaiian islands late tonight and move over the other islands Sunday and Monday."

New York Times: "Regis Philbin, the talk- and game-shows host who regaled America over morning coffee with Kathie Lee Gifford and Kelly Ripa for decades, and who made television history in 1999 by introducing the runaway hit 'Who Wants to Be A Millionaire,' died on Friday night. He was 88.”"