The co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates on Tuesday defended the non-partisan organization’s decision to mute microphones during certain portions of the final presidential debate this week, which President Trump has deemed as “very unfair.” Continue reading “Debate Commission Co-Chair Defends Mic Muting Rule: ‘Both Parties Agreed’”
‘No Such Thing As No Risk,’ Atlas Says While Pushing Policy Experts Say Will Increase Death
A top White House coronavirus adviser pushing to “reopen” the country with minimal COVID-19 restrictions explained Tuesday that there was “no such thing as no risk in life.”
Trump Teases Ominous Hit Job Against ’60 Minutes’ Anchor After Ditching Interview Early
President Trump has somehow managed to wage even more attacks against members of the press ahead of his final presidential debate this week. The President reportedly abruptly walked out on a solo interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” on Tuesday, according to CNN. Continue reading “Trump Teases Ominous Hit Job Against ’60 Minutes’ Anchor After Ditching Interview Early”
RNC Chair Calls For End Of Debate Commish Because She’s Mad About Mic Muting Rule
Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel apparently launched her crusade against the non-partisan Commission on President Debates ahead of the final presidential debate on Thursday because she is offended by its decision to mute the candidates’ mics during certain portions of the event. Continue reading “RNC Chair Calls For End Of Debate Commish Because She’s Mad About Mic Muting Rule”
‘Unacceptable’: Miami Cop Under Fire For Wearing Pro-Trump Mask To Polls
A Miami police officer may face disciplinary consequences after he was photographed wearing a mask promoting President Donald Trump inside an early voting site while in uniform.
The photo appears to show Miami police officer Daniel Ubeda dressed in blue police uniform and donning a blue, white and red face mask that reads “Trump 2020” and what appear to be the words, “No More Bullshit” emblazoned under it.
Here is @CityofMiami Police Officer Daniel Ubeda, in full uniform with badge and gun wearing his Trump mask inside of the polling location in government center.
This is city funded voter intimidation.
Ubeda should be suspended immediately. pic.twitter.com/TbJxu6mcem
— Steve Simeonidis (@stevesimeonidis) October 20, 2020
The image was shared on Twitter by a Miami-Dade County Democratic official who called it “city funded voter intimidation.”
“Ubeda should be suspended immediately,” the county’s Democratic Chairman Steve Simeonidis said in a caption alongside the photo.
While Simeonidis has said the photo was taken inside a polling place at the county government center, it is not clear whether or not the officer was on duty at the time.
The news comes after voters wearing shirts that featuring the words “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe,” were turned away from polls by a since-fired North Memphis poll worker in Tennessee on Friday. Both cases appear to be escalating attempts at voter intimidation in an election where President Donald Trump has intensified what some experts have suggested are threats of violence, calling on his supporters to act as “poll watchers” against who they see as potentially cheating Democrats.
Without sharing further details about the consequences for Ubeda, Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina issued a statement Tuesday saying, “This behavior is unacceptable, a violation of departmental policy, and is being addressed immediately.”
What’s It Mean?
Tierney Sneed on the Supreme Court’s alarming handling of a key Pennsylvania voting law case last night
Are You Better Off Than 4 Years Ago?
Two weeks out from the election, the CDC announced today that excess deaths in the U.S. during the pandemic are bumping up against 300,000:
Reporters Push Back On Trump’s Campaign To Smear Kristen Welker
Reporters and colleagues on Wednesday defended the record of White House correspondent Kristen Welker, who is set to moderate Thursday’s presidential debate after President Donald Trump spent the past several days on a rampage against the NBC News journalist.
ABC News White House correspondent Jonathan Karl appeared to set off a wave of support and praise for the longtime NBC News journalist in an effort to set the record straight amid an avalanche of false claims attempting to smear the moderator.
“For the record: Kristen Wekler is an first-rate journalist and an honorable person. And her account has not been deleted — it’s right here: @kwelkernbc,” Karl tweeted early Tuesday.
The comments come after Trump on Monday suggested that Welker had deleted her Twitter account in an apparent effort to shield evidence of bias — an attack he had already leveraged against previous moderators C-SPAN’s Steve Scully for the second presidential debate, which got cancelled, and Fox News’ Chris Wallace after a chaotic first debate unraveled.
“She’s a radical Democrat. She deleted her entire account,” Trump falsely told supporters at a campaign rally in Arizona. “She’s no good,” he added.
It’s not the first time Trump has taken aim at journalists broadly — and seized on Black women journalists in particular. Over the course of just three days in November 2018, Trump attacked three Black women journalists back to back including CNN’s Abby Phillip and April Ryan as well as PBS NewsHour’s Yamiche Alcindor just for asking him questions.
“You’ve got to treat the White House and the office of the presidency with respect,” Trump said of Ryan at the time, in what has become a common narrative from the President with regard to how Black women respond to White men in positions of political power. (He has made similar comments about Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris for being “disrespectful.”)
Trump at the time described Ryan as “a loser,” called one of Phillip’s questions “stupid,” and suggested a question asked by Alcindor was “racist.”
On Tuesday, the President sang a similar tune intensifying his attack against the next debate’s moderator, Welker, who is also Black, calling Welker “terrible” and telling Fox & Friends hosts that she “cannot be neutral at all.”
But journalists rang the alarm Wednesday on Trump’s smear campaign:
What he said. @kwelkernbc is one of the most down the middle, serious, conscientious reporters and humans I know – and no amount of uncalled for bullying will change that. https://t.co/45Di87OwHR
— Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) October 20, 2020
I’ve worked alongside @kwelkernbc during two admins now. She’s the consummate professional.. tough but fair. Looking forward to watching her moderate Thursday’s debate.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 20, 2020
I’ve known @kwelkernbc for over 3 decades, as a classmate at @GFSchool & a consummate professional in Washington.
She’s a smart journalist who asks tough, fair questions of people in power, & a kind, generous person.
Trump should apologize for calling her “terrible,” but won’t. https://t.co/7r0UzSxNuy
— Alex Howard (@digiphile) October 18, 2020
I don't even know why we're tweeting how much we respect @kwelkernbc, but add me to the ranks of the Kristen corps. Privileged to work with her, admired her work when I didn't. https://t.co/Ztrr1kzVqK
— Jonathan Allen (@jonallendc) October 20, 2020
fact check: @kwelkernbc is a straight shooter. The best of the best. https://t.co/js5HFQResX
— Cecilia Vega (@CeciliaVega) October 20, 2020
— Susan Page (@SusanPage) October 20, 2020
FLOTUS Skips Trump Rally Due To Lingering COVID Symptoms
First lady Melania Trump, who contracted COVID-19 several weeks ago, pulled out of her husband’s campaign rally scheduled for Tuesday evening in Pennsylvania due to remaining symptoms of the virus.
Continue reading “FLOTUS Skips Trump Rally Due To Lingering COVID Symptoms”
Firm Sued For Recruiting Former Special Ops To Patrol Minnesota Polling Places
A private security contractor now faces a lawsuit in federal court over its effort to recruit former special operations forces to patrol polling places in Minnesota.
Continue reading “Firm Sued For Recruiting Former Special Ops To Patrol Minnesota Polling Places”