Donald Trump has continued his attacks on expanded mail-in voting access amid the coronavirus pandemic, tweeting that activists who "protest in person" should be able to "vote in person" after lashing outat former president Bill Clinton for “lecturing” people on how to behave in the White House during a speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Meanwhile, a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, Miles Taylor, has endorsed Joe Biden for president and claimed that Mr Trump was “infuriated” by attempts to stop Russian election interference.
His remarks came on the same day that a bipartisan Senate intelligence committee released its fifth and final report finding that the Trump administration has hindered its investigation and embraced Russian help in 2016.
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Justin Vallejo on the president's apparent endorsement of a far-right cult that the FBI has identified as "conspiracy theory-driven domestic extremists."
Asked for his response to Barack Obama's prepared remarks ahead of his appearance at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Donald Trump said his predecessor left the US in "horror"... with the president inheriting a rising economy.
"So ineffective, so terrible," Trump said.
He repeated his claim that the US had "the greatest economy in the history of the world" before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, a trajectory that the president has routinely took credit for.
Asked for the first time directly about whether he supports QAnon, a right-wing conspiratorial online cult that believes the president is waging a war against Satanist paedophiles, the president said: "I don't know much about the movement other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate."
"I have heard that it is gaining in popularity," he said. "When they watch the streets of Portland and what happened in New York City ... they don't like seeing what's happened ... They do supposedly like me, and they also would like to see problems in these areas, especially the areas we're talking about, go away."
Asked about the cult's beliefs, including his role within it, he said: "Is that supposed to be a bad thing or a good thing? If I can help save the world from problems, I'm willing to put myself out there."
The president has congratulated QAnon-supporting Congressional candidates who won Republican primary challenges.
Donald Trump has announced he directed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to inform the United Nations that the US intends to "snapback" sanctions and "restore virtually all of the previously suspended United Nations sanctions on Iran."
His announcement follows recent remarks to a Florida fundraiser crowd that he would create a new deal with Iran "within four weeks" of his re-election, if elected.
On the third night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, former president Barack Obama is expected to deliver remarks ahead of the party's official nomination of Kamala Harris as Joe Biden's vice president.
In a preview of remarks shared with reporters, Obama says he has sat in the Oval Office with both men running, with the hopes that his eventual successor "might show some interest in taking the job seriously; that he might come to feel the weight of the office and discover some reverence for the democracy that had been placed in his care."
"But he never did," he says. "He’s shown no interest in putting in the work; no interest in finding common ground; no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends; no interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves."
He adds: "Donald Trump hasn’t grown into the job because he can’t. And the consequences of that failure are severe. 170,000 Americans dead. Millions of jobs gone. Our worst impulses unleashed, our proud reputation around the world badly diminished, and our democratic institutions threatened like never before."
The former president, whose famous 2008 address dismissed visions of a divided America, continues: "I’m well aware that in times as polarized as these, most of you have already made up your mind. But maybe you’re still not sure which candidate you’ll vote for – or whether you’ll vote at all. Maybe you’re tired of the direction we’re headed, but you can’t yet see a better path, or you just don’t know enough about the person who wants to lead us there."
He argues for a Biden presidency "to make sure that the basic tenets of our democracy endure."
"Because that’s what at stake right now," he says. "Our democracy."
Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is set to address the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday in a portion of the event dedicated to voting rights and anniversary of the 19th Amendment's ratification, which lifted voting discrimination on the basis of sex.
Her remarks will take aim at Donald Trump, to whom she lost in 2016, as she makes the case for Joe Biden and urge voters to show up to polls and request absentee ballots.
“I wish Donald Trump had been a better president. But, sadly, he is who he is," she says in a copy of prepared remarks shared with reporters. "America needs a president who shows the same compassion, determination, and leadership in the White House that we see in our communities. Throughout this crisis, Americans have kept going – checking on neighbors, showing up to jobs as first responders and in hospitals, grocery stores, and nursing homes. Because it still takes a village.”
She continues: “For four years, people have said to me, 'I didn’t realize how dangerous he was.' 'I wish I could go back and do it over.' Or worst, 'I should have voted.' Well, this can’t be another woulda coulda shoulda election. If you vote by mail, request your ballot now, and send it back as soon as you can. If you vote in person, do it early. Bring a friend and wear a mask. Become a poll worker. Most of all, no matter what, vote. Vote like our lives and livelihoods are on the line, because they are.”
Why AOC backed Sanders, not Biden, in her DNC speech — and how we've seen this before
But the move was not quite the snub of Mr Biden that some made it out to be, despite the insinuations of several premature, incomplete, and otherwise poorly edited tweets from prominent media outlets, including NBC News and its affiliate MSNBC.
As Ms Ocasio-Cortez later explained via Twitter, it wasn’t her role to heap praise on Mr Biden: She was pegged specifically by the Democratic National Committee to second the nomination of Mr Sanders in a show of party unity and reconciliation between its competing factions.
“If you were confused, no worries!” she tweeted shortly after her speech aired.
“Convention rules require roll call & nominations for every candidate that passes the delegate threshold. I was asked to 2nd the nom for Sen. Sanders for roll call. I extend my deepest congratulations to [Mr Biden] — let’s go win in November,” she wrote.
US drops death penalty for 'Isis Beatles' accused of beheading American journalists, report says
In a letter to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel seeking the government's cooperation, US Attorney General William Barr has signalled that the possibility of the death penalty will be dropped against the men, who are being held in indefinite military detention in Iraq, on the condition that the UK provides evidence in the case.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Maryland, accuses Louis DeJoy of “weaponising the United States Postal Service to disenfranchise Americans who choose to vote by mail.”
Mr DeJoy, a major donor to Donald Trump who was named head of the postal service in May, has overseen a raft of changes to working practices since his arrival — including the removal of mail processing machines and a ban on overtime — which caused severe delays to mail delivery.
Following an outcry from voting rights advocates and Democrats who said the delays amounted to election interference, he announced that he would suspend the reforms until after the November vote "to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail.”
Kanye West’s presidential campaign runs into trouble in Wyoming after signature-gathers got too close to polling places
Danielle Zoellner writes: Rapper Kanye West's presidential campaign has run into trouble on his first day of attempting to get on the ballot in Wyoming after election officials said signature-gatherers were too close to polling stations.
People who were gathering signatures for West and another presidential candidate for the upcoming election were stationed too close to polling stations, election officials said, the Associated Press reported.
Police were called to polling locations in and around Cheyenne after election officials approached signature-gathers who were not staying 100 feet away from places.
"Some of them became quite aggressive and refused to leave," Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee told the Associated Press.
One concern about the signature-gathers at polling places in Wyoming was the signs that they carried. Ms Lee told the publication that one side had "registered voters sign here" on the front and then "Kanye West" on the back, with the concern voters would think they needed sign-up in order to vote.
Similar violations were also reported in Casper.
Pelosi confronts Trump USPS official over efforts to undermine mail-in vote
The Trump administration announced its decision on Tuesday ostensibly to appease Democrats, and even some Republicans, who were concerned the recent diminution of postal services would suppress voter turnout and erode Americans' faith in the integrity of the ballot count.
“This morning, I spoke with Postmaster General DeJoy and conveyed to him that his announcement is not a solution and is misleading," Ms Pelosi said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The Postmaster General’s alleged pause is wholly insufficient and does not reverse damage already wreaked. The Postmaster General frankly admitted that he had no intention of replacing the sorting machines, blue mailboxes and other key mail infrastructure that have been removed and that plans for adequate overtime, which is critical for the timely delivery of mail, are not in the works. All of these changes directly jeopardize the election and disproportionately threaten to disenfranchise voters in communities of color," Ms Pelosi said.
President calls on GOP leaders to move hearings so as not to distract from the important moment for his re-election campaign
Trump criticizes McConnell for holding hearings during Republican convention
Donald Trump has lashed out at Republican leaders on Capitol Hill for moving forward with hearings over controversial changes to the US Postal Service during next week’s Republican National Convention.
The president wrote in a tweet: “Why are Republicans allowing the Democrats to have ridiculous Post Office hearings on Saturday & Monday, just before and during our Convention. Let them hold them NOW (during their Convention) or after our Convention is over.”
Tagging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Mr Trump added: “Always playing right into their hands!”
Story to come...
Gold star father Khizr Khan returns to DNC stage to nominate Joe Biden after impassioned speech against Trump
Danielle Zoellner writes: Gold star father Khizr Khan, who clashed with Donald Trump in 2016, returned to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) stage to nominate Joe Biden for president on behalf of Virginia.
The Charlottesville resident appeared as Virginia's representative for the delegation.
"Three years ago, my beloved city, Charlottesville, Virginia, was attacked by white supremacists and a young woman was killed," Mr Khan said at the start of his delegation speech on Tuesday evening.
"We were attacked again when Donald Trump praised those racists, turning his back on a community that just wanted peace," he added. "That was the day Joe Biden decided to join this battle for the soul of America. Over time, my wife, Ghazala, and I have come to know his soul. He's a decent, compassionate man. He will bring this nation together."
Voters will remember that Mr Khan first stepped into the political limelight during the 2016 Democratic Convention with his impassioned speech about his Muslim son, all while slamming the then-Republican presidential candidate Mr Trump.
Trevor Noah jokes that Trump will be ‘pardoning himself mid-crime’ if re-elected
Appearing on The Daily Show on Tuesday (18 July), the comedian discussed the first day of the Democratic National Convention, which is taking place virtually this week.
Noah praised Bernie Sanders for showing support for Joe Biden, saying that there was a sense throughout the event that “people across the ideological spectrum need to unite against Donald Trump”.
“I’m really impressed with Bernie Sanders because he’s doing everything in his power right now to take down Donald Trump,” the comedian said. “He was telling his base that progressives cannot afford to cast protest votes like they did in 2016.
“Because this s*** we lived through? This was four years of Trump caring about being re-elected. Imagine what he’d be like totally unleashed? Forget pardoning other people, second term Trump will be pardoning himself mid-crime.
Laura Loomer: Far-right ‘proud Islamophobe’ wins Republican primary in Florida
A far-right agitator who once called Islam “a cancer on society” has won her Republican congressional primary in Florida – backed by the endorsement of Donald Trump.
Laura Loomer, who has described herself as a “proud Islamophobe” and earned a reputation for staging one-woman “stunts” both online and off, is now the Republican nominee for the safely Democratic Palm Beach district which covers the president's Mar-a-Lago Resort, and where Mr Trump himself votes.
Ms Loomer was banned from Twitter in 2018 for violating its rules on hateful conduct; she responded by handcuffing herself to the front door of the company’s headquarters. She was also permanently barred from ride-sharing platforms Uber and Lyft after ranting online about being late for a meeting because she couldn't find a non-Muslim cab driver.
“Someone needs to create a non Islamic form of Uber or Lyft because I never want to support another Islamic immigrant driver,” she tweeted before her Twitter account was shut down.
She has also been banned from a string of other platforms and events, from Medium and PayPal to New York City’s Shakespeare in the Park festival, where she interrupted a 2017 performance of Julius Caesar by storming the stage during the lead character’s assassination and shouting “Stop the normalisation of political violence against the right! This is unacceptable!”
Seeing patients, I’ve learned that the healthiest romances are those in which the partners are “securely attached.” The two questions that define a securely attached connection are “Can I count on you?” and, “Can I trust you?” At an event in March in Los Angeles, Jill blocked a protestor from rushing her husband. She literally had Joe’s back. Many wives might instinctually do the same, but when Jill speaks about Joe, it’s evident that besides being his romantic partner, she is also his best friend.
When she met him as a 30-year-old widowed senator, 26-year-old Jill, though enamored, thought long and hard about accepting his marriage proposal because she did not want his sons to experience additional loss if it didn’t work out. They married and reached for each other when times were tough, talking frankly about the shared pain of losing their 46-year-old son to cancer in 2015. Joe said of that experience, “We can be completely open and let our grief show.”
Losing a child is one of the hardest things a couple can endure. The trauma that ensues often causes them to either split apart or do just the the opposite: bond together in a deeper way than they ever imagined.
