Good morning! Here is your news briefing for Monday July 6, 2020
THE DAILY SIGNAL
Jul 06, 2020
Good morning from Washington, home to one of the nation’s 13 official chapters of Black Lives Matter, which suddenly seems to be everywhere. Kevin Mooney reports on the organization’s structure and finances. Why the spike in COVID-19 in Florida? Doug Badger looks closer. On the podcast, a top health official says sheltering in place has mental health consequences. Plus: the promise of the latest jobs report; the need for a revival in civics lessons; and, on “The Right Side of History,” the truth about Washington’s mother. On this date in 1957, Althea Gibson—born in South Carolina and reared in Harlem—wins the women’s singles tennis title at Wimbledon, becoming the first African American to do so.
Black Lives Matter, which has taken center stage in media coverage of protests against police tactics and “systemic racism,” first gained notoriety after the 2012 fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, a black high school student.
While the state has shown a big increase in the number of daily new COVID-19 cases, there also are signs that those increases might not lead to a spike in hospitalizations and deaths.
The United States has now added more jobs in the past two months than we did in the 46 months following the height of unemployment during the Great Recession.
Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, assistant secretary of Health and Human Services for mental health and substance use, joins the show to explain the physiological effects of extended isolation.
Despite a sometimes complex relationship with his mother, Washington said a maternal hand led him to manhood, Craig Shirley writes in “Mary Ball Washington: The Untold Story of George Washington’s Mother.”
“Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of man will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint.”
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
Good morning,
President Donald Trump, speaking at the “Salute to America” event at the White House on the 4th of July, said that “we want unity.”
“If you believe in justice, if you believe in freedom, if you believe in peace, then you must cherish the principles of our founding and the text of our Constitution,” he said.
As the United States moves to understand China as an adversary, rather than as a competitor, the competition between the two powers is receiving renewed scrutiny. Read more
The Paycheck Protection Program, which is an incentive for small businesses to keep their employees on the payroll during the health crisis, had a small effect on employment and local economic outcomes… Read more
Rapper Kanye West said that he is running for president of the United States. West, 43, used the hashtag #2020VISION, suggesting that he intends to run this year. Read more
At least four drug manufacturers in China are developing vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus. On the packaging of the vaccine manufactured by Sinovac… Read more
The Supreme Court on July 4 denied an emergency request from Illinois Republicans seeking to block a state measure that bars large gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
While the Trump administration recently asked the Supreme Court to terminate Obamacare, the House of Representatives responded by passing a bill allowing for an expansion of the health care program. Read more
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Beware: Unsettled Times Like These Spark Suicides
By Diane Dimond
As a run-up to the Fourth of July, Americans typically buy beer, barbecue meats, and fireworks. This year, as so many have become overwhelmed by the anxiety and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic… Read more
The Connection Between China’s Unmourned Soldiers and Its Theft of Intellectual Property
By Michael Ledeen
China has still not disclosed how many of its citizens died in the border clash with India on June 15. India staged a memorial service for those of its people who perished in the conflict, while Chinese lamentations… Read more
Why Organizations of the Future Will Look Like Ant Colonies and Clouds
By Christine Lin
(June 15, 2015)
What do weather patterns, cities, and ecosystems have in common? And what lessons can they offer to companies and their leaders? Read more
Just what does the newly passed National Security Law mean for freedom in Hong Kong? Will Hongkongers be arrested for talking to journalists and activists in the West?
Chicago: 16 dead, 69 Wounded in Shootings This Weekend
The story runs down the latest string of shootings in the deadly city (NBC Chicago). From Dan Proft: “Progress.” 16 dead. 67 shot. This is what progressives mean by progress (Twitter). From another story: A low rate in solving murders — it hovers around 20 percent — and the lack of protection for witnesses both play into the continued high murder rate, said criminologists. Murderers don’t expect to get caught and witnesses feel intimidated, they said. The Chicago Police Department let its community policing program wither about two decades ago, said Wesley G. Skogan, of the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University,. Now, young police officers canvassing unfamiliar blocks have found that residents do not open their doors out of fear of being seen talking to a police officer, he said (NY Times). While going through startling numbers, Kevin McCullough points out “In only six weeks, city after city operated by entrenched Democrats have seen a massive expansion in lawlessness, violence, and murder. Stunningly, many news outlets seem gobsmacked and mystified at how or why such an explosion of lawlessness has occurred” (Townhall).
2.
Atlanta Mayor Finally Admits it’s Time to Stop the Armed Occupiers
After the murder of an 8-year-old girl, the liberal mayor now says it’s time to stop the armed occupation (Fox News). More on the killing of the young girl (WSB).
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3.
Deaths Continue to Drop Even as COVID-19 New Cases are Up
As you can see from this graph (Twitter) COVID-19 cases peaked on Friday (or Saturday, depending on the source) and started back down. But this graph (Twitter) reveals the death rate is now down where it was in late March. Oh, and you can now hug close friends in Norway (The Local). More stats on the virus (Worldometers, Ourworldindata).
4.
Planned Parenthood Supporters Suddenly Acknowledge the Organization was Founded on Racism
From the story: A letter signed by more than 350 “current and former staffers” of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, as well as about 800 donors, supporters and volunteers, declared that founder Margaret Sanger was “a racist, white woman” and that the organization suffers from “institutional racism.” “We know that Planned Parenthood has a history and a present steeped in white supremacy and we, the staff, are motivated to do the difficult work needed to improve,” said the June 18 open letter from Save PPGNY.
From the Wall Street Journal: Teachers first. Put it on a bumper sticker, Mr. Biden, and hope people don’t notice the corollary is that students, and especially poor and minority students, come second.
The story notes the “statue of the famed 19th-century former slave and antebellum abolitionist” was torn down and tossed into a gorge (Washington Times). More on Douglass (Public Discourse). Several Christopher Columbus statues were targeted over the 4th of July weekend (NY Post).
7.
ABC News Notes “Luxury Car” Killed BLM Protester on Freeway
The full tweet: A young protester has died from injuries she suffered when a luxury car plowed into her and another woman during a Black Lives Matter protest Saturday on a Seattle freeway that has been shut down for days due to the civil unrest, police said (Twitter). Why note it was a “luxury car”? Not mentioned in the story, the driver was black, the BLM protester killed was white (Heavy).
8.
New Virginia Law Forces Christian Photographers to Work Gay Weddings
From the story: Starting in July, if Chris offers his photography skills to celebrate weddings between one man and one woman, Virginia law also requires him to take photographs and post blogs on his own website celebrating same-sex weddings. Not only that, but Chris cannot explain on his website his religious beliefs for not photographing same-sex weddings. If Chris exercises his religious and artistic freedom in these ways, he faces steep penalties. In fact, he could be subject to initial fines of up to $50,000, subsequent fines up to $100,000, and unlimited attorney’s fees and damages. All together, these monetary penalties could quickly exceed a million dollars.
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“Trump’s 40-minute speech was a master class in rhetorical deception. He lumped together the racists of the Confederacy with the figures on Mt. Rushmore, insisting they are all being reconsidered in the same way. Several elected officials have ordered the removal of Confederate monuments in an effort to recognize the painful legacy of slavery, while the debate over monuments of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt is more nuanced, given their positive contributions to the nation. No sweeping effort is being made to remove all of these monuments…
“In the simpleton’s view of history offered by Trump, there is no room for the slaves owned by Washington and Jefferson or for Roosevelt’s white supremacy. According to this perspective, sins and flaws must be denied; otherwise the greats of history cannot be honored. This is, of course, what a child might think upon learning that his or her parents are not quite perfect. But with maturity, children, like citizens, can both revere their heroes for their strengths and criticize them for their failings — and judge who, in the end, deserves to be on a pedestal.” Michael D’Antonio, CNN
“The dangers that Trump conjures up are not, to be sure, entirely imaginary. He just inflates them to cartoonish, unrecognizable proportions… There really are illegal immigrants and Muslim terrorists, but they were not on the verge of destroying America in 2016. Likewise, ‘cancel culture’ really exists, on both left and right, but it is not nearly the threat that Trump says it is…
“Though there have been a few scattered attacks on statues of [the Founders], the bulk of the protests have been about Confederate memorials. Trump made no mention of Confederates on Friday night, even though he is currently holding the $740 billion defense authorization bill hostage to prevent the renaming of Army bases named after Confederate generals… everyone knows that what he is really defending is not ‘our freedom’ or ‘our history,’ as he said on Friday, but, rather, ‘white power’ — the words uttered by a Trump supporter in a video that the president himself posted on Twitter and later deleted.” Max Boot, Washington Post
“Trump decries ‘cancel culture’ — but no one embraces it more… Trump repeatedly ordered subordinates to block the merger of AT&T and Time Warner, which owns CNN… Trump’s presidential campaign also issued a news release in 2016 pledging that he’d block the merger: ‘AT&T… is now trying to buy Time Warner and thus the wildly anti-Trump CNN. Donald Trump would never approve such a deal’… He has threatened to ‘revoke’ licenses of media organizations whose coverage he dislikes…
“According to an October 2019 memoir by a senior aide to former defense secretary Jim Mattis, Trump in 2018 ‘called and directed Mattis to ‘screw Amazon’ by locking them out of a chance to bid’ on a lucrative contract to build the Pentagon’s cloud architecture… He has repeatedly accused a TV host he dislikes of murder, with zero evidence… He has encouraged or tacitly condoned violence against protesters, journalists and dissidents… He gassed peaceful protesters outside the White House so he could stage a photo op with a Bible. Quite literally — and forcibly — canceling dissent.” Catherine Rampell, Washington Post
“And Trump is losing the support of crucial parts of his political base, like older voters and white voters, as the coronavirus wreaks havoc on people’s health, mobility, income, and wealth… Voter approval of Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has steadily declined since April, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll in late June found that just 37 percent of Americans approved of the way he has responded to the pandemic… The world has changed swiftly and dramatically [since 2016] — political strategy must too.” Zeeshan Aleem, Vox
Regarding Mount Rushmore, “The trip to [the monument] is a near religious experience for some. George H.W. Bush quoted an unnamed person saying that making the pilgrimage to Mount Rushmore offered ‘a moment of communion with the very soul of America.’ But this idea of Mount Rushmore as a goosebump-inducing holy site to these liberal and patriotic ideals ignores that the land was stolen from the Sioux Nation…
“Congress in 1877 unilaterally removed the Black Hills from the boundaries of the Fort Laramie Treaty. This expropriation enabled boom towns, mining camps and settlers to proliferate. The infamous mining town Deadwood put a $50 bounty on Indians captured dead or alive… In 1980, the Supreme Court ruled the acquisition of Mount Rushmore unconstitutional. In the Court’s opinion, Justice Harry Blackmun described the United States’ procurement of the Black Hills as unconscionable, stating it ‘a more ripe and rank case of dishonest dealings [that] may never be found in our history’…
“As the protests prompted by the killing of George Floyd force us to reckon with our history, Americans face two choices: We can acknowledge the sordid chapters in our history, which sit alongside our more noble values and actions, and attempt to right wrongs, or we can continue to ignore the real story of our past, further fracturing our country.” Stetson Kastengren, Washington Post
From the Right
The right applauds Trump’s speech.
“There were some strong partisan jabs (e.g., the thing about the violence-stricken cities being run by ‘liberal Democrats’ was true but inappropriate in a Fourth of July speech), but most of this speech was an entirely appropriate defense of the Founding and the Founders. If an American president — not just Trump, but any American president — cannot or will not give a speech like that on the occasion of Independence Day, this country is in deep trouble…
“One gets the strong feeling from our national media that there can be no legitimate criticism of the racial justice movement, that to object to anything they say or do is racist… most of what Trump said was true, and an important defense of America and its heritage by an American president, on the eve of the American national holiday… Had, say, 90 percent of that speech been delivered by any previous American president, it would have been received and reported as a vigorous and uncompromising endorsement of American history and the American founding.” Rod Dreher, The American Conservative
“Mr. Trump had the temerity to point out that the last few weeks have seen an explosion of ‘cancel culture—driving people from their jobs, shaming dissenters, and demanding total submission from anyone who disagrees.’…
“Newspaper editors are being fired over headlines and op-eds after millennial staff revolts. Boeing CEO David Calhoun last week welcomed the resignation of a communications executive for opposing—33 years ago when he was in the military—women in combat. The Washington Post ran an op-ed this weekend urging that the name of America’s first President be struck from Washington and Lee University…
“What Trump, unlike some other Republicans, appears to have understood is that the Black Lives Matter movement is not just a campaign to stop African Americans being persecuted and killed by the police. It is a political campaign with sweeping ambitions; revolutionary goals that would never have the support of the general public. The Democrats, and quite a few Republicans, have bended their knees to a movement which, in its manifesto, vows to ‘disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure’…
“Compare and contrast with what Trump said last night: ‘We are proud of the fact that our country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and we understand that these values have dramatically advanced the cause of peace and justice throughout the world. We know that the American family is the bedrock of American life.’ ‘We want free and open debate,’ said Trump, ‘not speech codes and cancel culture. We embrace tolerance, not prejudice.’ Which worldview do you think has more appeal?” Freddy Gray, Spectator USA
“In the speech, Mr. Trump managed to extol everyone from Muhammad Ali to Harriet Tubman, Irving Berlin, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Wright Brothers, Jesse Owens, Frederick Douglass and Wild Bill Hickok. He declared for ‘equal opportunity, equal justice, and equal treatment for citizens of every race, background, religion, and creed,’ adding: ‘Every child, of every color — born and unborn — is made in the holy image of God.’… We get that the President is behind in the polls. It’s hard to recall, though, a moment in this campaign in which the lines have been more clearly articulated by any Republican.” Editorial Board, New York Sun
Regarding Mount Rushmore, South Dakota’s Attorney General writes, “Mount Rushmore is a gateway to American exceptionalism. It is a larger-than-life reminder that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln – legends of leadership and democracy – were, despite any personal shortcomings, indeed larger than life and graced with a vision of what America can be…
“The reality is that vandalism, looting and toppling of statues and monuments of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Grant, Christopher Columbus, Francis Scott Key and others have nothing to do with ensuring equality or domestic tranquility today… it is time to put an end to this chaos. It is time to stand together this Independence Day to keep South Dakota safe, keep America safe and remember all that makes America great.” Jason Ravnsborg, Fox News
“Among the thousands gathered in the small tourist town of Keystone in the hours before his evening speech, three different Americas converged. By my informal poll, around 40% were there to cheer at a Trump campaign event and 10% to rage against what they called Mr. Trump’s fascism and racism. The other 50% brought their families for a chance to see an American president in person…
“For the nonpolitical outsiders, the big takeaway seemed to be Mr. Trump’s announcement of plans for a new national park to be filled with statues of American heroes. They liked it when he poured out a list of figures who would be honored, from Wild Bill Hickock to Muhammad Ali, claiming ‘only America could have produced them all.’ These family folk didn’t come to Mount Rushmore for an analysis of America’s problems, and they didn’t come for a campaign rally. They came for an old-fashioned presidential oration on the American founding, with fireworks afterward—the way, they thought, a Fourth of July celebration should be.” Faith Bottum, Wall Street Journal
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🏖️Welcome back! Our morning podcast, “Axios Today,” is ready for ya — including my prediction for the Redskins’ new name.Hear it here.
😷 About face: The Trump campaign says that at a rally Saturday in Portsmouth, N.H., “all attendees will be provided a face mask that they are strongly encouraged to wear.”
1 big thing: Virus growth outpaces testing in hotspots
Data: The COVID Tracking Project. (Vermont and Hawaii aren’t included because they have fewer than 20 cases per day.) Chart: Andrew Witherspoon/Axios
Despite what President Trump says, America’s alarming rise in coronavirus cases isn’t due to increased testing — particularly not where cases have grown fastest over the last month, Axios’ Andrew Witherspoon and Caitlin Owens report.
Why it matters: The U.S. doesn’t yet know what it looks like when a pandemic rages unchecked after the health system becomes overwhelmed. It may be about to find out.
The takeaway: The number of completed tests is going up, which is good. But the number of new cases is increasing faster.
The gap between testing and cases is generally largest in states with the fastest-growing outbreaks, like Florida and Texas.
In some places, including D.C. and New York, testing has grown faster than new cases — a good indicator that these outbreaks are under control.
Reality check: Arizona, Florida and Texas are struggling to meet the demand for tests, meaning the pandemic is already outpacing those states’ ability to respond.
UBS predicts that 100,000 brick-and-mortar U.S. retail stores will close by 2025, in a trend that started before the pandemic and has accelerated amid coronavirus-related shutdowns, Axios managing editor Jennifer Kingson writes.
Indoor malls — which were already turning into ghost towns — are being converted into apartment complexes.
A relatively new retail model — buy online, pick up in-store — is gaining traction.
Many COVID-19 closures that were supposed to be temporary will wind up being permanent. Among household names that have announced they’re shuttering some stores for good: Nordstrom, Bath & Body Works, Gap, and Zara.
“Accelerated Darwinism” is how Deborah Weinswig, CEO of Coresight Research, describes some of the retail bankruptcies of 2020 (not all of which resulted in widespread store closures). Fashion apparel has suffered the most.
“We speak to a lot of liquidators about what’s in the hopper,” Weinswig tells Axios. “The recent conversations we’ve had suggest that the pace of bankruptcies is going to rise significantly.”
Jennifer’s thought bubble: The major retail corridor in my Manhattan neighborhood — East 86th Street — is practically unrecognizable. Gone for good are the Children’s Place where I bought my kids’ clothes and our local Barnes & Noble. Those losses feel like Piggy’s glasses breaking in “Lord of the Flies.”
3. Scoop: Biden mobilizes celebrities via Instagram
Misha Collins on the BUILD live interview series. Photo: Gary Gershoff/Getty Images
Joe Biden is drafting Hollywood celebrities for Instagram Live chats with campaign officials and top supporters, Axios’ Hans Nichols reports.
Why it matters: The campaign, called #TeamJoeTalks, is an attempt to open a new front on social media, drawing on celebrities’ Instagram followers to find and motivate voters while large parts of the country remain locked down.
“They all have audiences that we are tapping into,” said Adrienne Elrod, who joined the Biden campaign last month to manage outreach initiatives with high-profile supporters. “People are still at home, living on their phones.”
You may not know TV actor Misha Collins (CW’s “Supernatural”), but he has 4.2 million Instagram followers. He’ll interview Biden senior adviser Karine Jean-Pierre this afternoon.
Remember Bradley Whitford, who played brainy Josh Lyman as deputy chief of staff on “The West Wing”? He’ll chat voting rights with potential VP pick Stacey Abrams.
Also on deck: Debra Messing … celebrity chef Tom Colicchio … and Andrew Yang.
The other side: The Trump campaign, proud of its digital muscle, scoffs at taking on @realDonaldTrump in the asymmetrical warfare of social media.
This is a drone view of a huge ground mural being painted in an Annapolis park to honor Breonna Taylor, an emergency-room technician killed in her Louisville apartment by police serving a no-knock warrant in a case not centered on her.
5. A 3-year tradition: Amy Harder’s midyear prediction check
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
In early January, Amy Harder’s “Harder Line” column laid out 10 energy and climate change issues to watch this year. Spoiler: A pandemic wasn’t on the list.
1. Politicking: Climate change was reaching a new high water mark for its role in the presidential contest among Democratic candidates. That focus has lessened significantly.
What we’re watching: Expect climate change to play a supporting role in the debate about other topics — the pandemic and racism — grabbing society’s attention.
2. Carbon taxes: The persistently long-shot campaign of a carbon tax on Capitol Hill has gone awfully quiet in the last few months.
What we’re watching: A climate proposal House Democrats released last week includes a price on carbon, with an emphasis on ensuring protection for poorer Americans. I’ll be watching to see to what degree Joe Biden embraces that — or whether he waits to see if he wins.
3. Climate change, in real time: The Australian bushfires — yes, they were this year! — are a prime example of more extreme weather occurring and scientists documenting it.
What I’m watching: To what degree extreme weather worsens this summer — especially wildfires — and to what degree it exacerbates the pandemic and racial inequality.
A horrible wave of holiday-weekend violence across America left at least five children shot to death (hat tip CNN for the sad list):
In Southeast D.C. … Davon McNeal, 11, a sixth-grade football star who dreamed of going pro, was hit in the head by a bullet during a cookout organized by his mother, when five men began shooting in the street nearby, the WashPost reports.
In Atlanta … “A day after an 8-year-old girl was fatally shot near a Wendy’s restaurant where Rayshard Brooks was killed last month by police, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms … denounced violence.” —Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In Chicago … A 7-year-old girl “was one of at least 80 people shot, at least 17 of those fatally, across the city during the violent holiday weekend … [S]he became the latest in a horrific string of children whose lives have been taken away by gun violence in Chicago.” —Chicago Tribune
In Hoover, Ala. … “A 22-year-old man has been charged in Friday’s horrific shootout inside the Riverchase Galleria that left an 8-year-old boy dead and three others injured.” —Birmingham News
In San Francisco … “A 6-year-old boy was fatally shot in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood Saturday evening.” —S.F. Chronicle
7. What happens when you reopen too soon
Data: Texas Department of State Health Services. Graphic: Houston Chronicle. Used by kind permission.
8. Time capsule: 6 months of virus
This articleappeared on page A15 of the Washington Post on Jan. 5:
9. Broadway’s Nick Cordero, 41, loses 95-day battle with virus
Nick Cordero in Hollywood on Jan 15. Photo: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images
Nick Cordero, a Tony-nominated Broadway actor, died yesterday after a 95-day battle with COVID-19, CNN reports.
The 41-year-old faced multiple complications from the disease, including an amputated leg and severe lung damage.
Amanda Kloots, Cordero’s wife, kept fans updated on his status on social media over the last few months, and said he “was surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth.”
Cordero is also survived by his 1-year-old son, Elvis.
10. 🎥 How Netflix became a font of Black content
“Da 5 Bloods” production shot: From left, director Spike Lee, Clarke Peters, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors and Norm Lewis. Photo: David Lee/Netflix
The N.Y. Times’ Ben Smith writes in his “Media Equation” column that Netflix beat Hollywood to a generation of Black content:
Hollywood is scrambling, in its traditional way — late, liberal, a bit ham-handed — to catch up with this cultural moment. … And to the immense frustration of mostly white executives all over town, they also find themselves — again! — scrambling to catch up with Netflix, already a threat to their technology and business model, and now winning the race to the center of the conversation as well. …
In the summer of 2015, Black employees at Netflix produced a memo and PowerPoint presentation to make the case that the company was missing an opportunity with Black audiences. They argued … that Netflix risked missing a boom defined by “Empire” at Fox and “Black-ish” and “How to Get Away With Murder” on ABC. … The memo … said Netflix was spending more money on programming for British people and anime fans than for Black Americans.
Local officials issued dire warnings about the spread of infections, blaming outbreaks on early reopenings and saying the virus was rapidly outpacing containment efforts.
Coronavirus ● By Robert Barnes and Derek Hawkins ● Read more »
Cordero was nominated for his supporting role in the 2014 musical “Bullets Over Broadway.” After being put on a ventilator to treat the virus, he developed blood clots that forced doctors to amputate his right leg.
Nick Cordero | 1978–2020 ● By Harrison Smith ● Read more »
What will come of the gathering call for action? History offers sobering lessons about the ultimate power of protests. Perhaps this time, the political leaders, prodded by a new generation of activists, will write a different script.
Spc. Vanessa Guillén’s disappearance and the subsequent search for her, underscored by her family’s allegations she faced sexual harassment from superiors, created waves in Latino media and rage within the Guillén family.
In a paper to be published this week, more than 200 experts warn that covid-19 can spread through aerosols that can be more infectious in smaller amounts than previously thought.
The vast Laguna del Tigre National Park is home to Central America’s largest rainforest. It’s also a new way station for South American cocaine bound for the United States.
By Story by Kevin Sieff | Photos by Daniele Volpe ● Read more »
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a Purple Heart recipient and veteran of the Iraq War, is being looked at seriously, according to the people with knowledge of the search.
From defending military base names such as Fort Bragg to stepping up his criticism of sometimes violent protests in major cities, President Trump is taking steps to shore up his base — and he may need to.
Just miles downriver from the tourist haven that is Niagara Falls, tons of marijuana are smuggled from Canada into the United States. Not over the last few years — in the last three weeks.
During the evening of July 4, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn shared a video of himself leading five other people in a recitation of the oath of office traditionally given to federal elected officeholders, ending the oath with a slogan associated with the QAnon conspiracy theory.
As cities around the country remove statues of controversial historical figures from their town centers, one town in Ohio is vying to become their new home.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan called on the leaders of Baltimore to step in and take back control of the city from protesters after a group toppled a statue of Christopher Columbus.
Republican Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte announced that he would be self-quarantining after coming in contact with Kimberly Guilfoyle after she tested positive for the coronavirus.
More than 100 armed protesters dressed in black marched to Stone Mountain Park in Georgia to stand before the Confederate carving as part of a demonstration against racism.
Rachel Dolezal, a woman of European ancestry who made headlines for claiming she is black, said the revitalized Black Lives Matter movement has “vindicated” her.
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Good morning, Chicago. Here’s the coronavirus news and other stories you need to know to start your day.
Illinois health officials Sunday reported 639 new known cases of COVID-19 and 6 additional confirmed fatalities, bringing state totals to 147,251 known cases and 7,020 confirmed deaths.
Despite the addition of some 1,200 Chicago police officers added to the streets this holiday weekend, Chicago continues to struggle with an especially harsh toll of violence that has continued to take the lives of young children. This marked the third consecutive week that young children have been killed in gun violence.
The coronavirus has amplified the challenges pregnant women face. And even more so for Black and Latina women, who might be disproportionately affected by COVID-19, according to recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, and who experience extra burdens of not only implicit racism within the health care industry, but also socioeconomic factors that can impact their ability to access care.
At least 1,089 women in Illinois have had COVID-19 while pregnant, and of those cases, five have died, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data received Thursday.
Rookie Chicago cop Julius Givens’ open letter of protest to his union boss isn’t your typical act of defiance. It’s not intensely confrontational, quotes a poet laureate and invokes the name of Sir Robert Peel, a British prime minister from the 19th century.
Then comes the punch of the 13th paragraph: “I request, effective immediately or the earliest possible date to terminate my membership, all relations, and communication with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7. If I require any legal representation with regards to my duties as a police officer I will provide those services independent of Lodge 7 moving forward.”
Givens, 30, would be the only active officer in the city without union representation if he follows through with his intentions, laid out in an article published this past week at medium.com. Givens, who is Black, said he hopes his action will spur a conversation about what the next generation of policing should look like in Chicago.
After three months of coronavirus-induced dormancy, the Leighton Criminal Court Building, known as “the busiest courthouse in America,” will start revving back up on Monday — and plowing through thousands of cases that have been frozen in place. The reopening is not a full return to normal operations, and many speculated there will be little in the way of significant movement for the cases that have stalled.
As companies declare support for the Black Lives Matter movement, some are not allowing employees to wear masks or other attire that express solidarity with the cause. Employees have pushed back against what they say is an attempt to silence them — staging protests at Whole Foods, denouncing Trader Joe’s on Twitter, calling for boycotts of Taco Bell and Starbucks — while their employers defend the restrictions as a matter of dress code.
Tensions could flare at more workplaces as they reopen and the mask-wearing forced by the pandemic collides with a national reckoning on racial injustice.
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Total U.S. coronavirus deaths reported each morning this week: Monday, 129,947.
America wants to know what’s ahead for students and educators this fall, from kindergarten through college. On Tuesday, President Trump will steer a “national dialogue on safely reopening America’s schools.” The president in April called on schools to reopen, but educators believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the safest option for all young people who want to resume instruction in August and September.
As confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States climb to 2.9 million this week and public health officials point to cavalier and risky behavior by people younger than 40 as a continuing worry for the spread of the virus, parents of grade school and college students are asking similar questions: What’s safe for children (and everyone they’re around), and what steps are possible for families to sustain, especially economically?
“There is not a single best answer here,” said former Education Secretary Arne Duncan. “We have to get used to a huge amount of uncertainty.” During a recent interview on the “In the Bubble” podcast with Andy Slavitt, a former acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Duncan emphasized his worries about helping youngsters “who are falling behind” educationally because of the disruptions caused by COVID-19. He said some school principals will need to speak with families about whether students can or should come back to school this fall, based on their own unique situations.
A group of bipartisan policy leaders published education guidelines in May called #OpenSafely.
As The Hill’s Peter Sullivan reports, public health experts want to see many schools reopen this fall, citing the educational and social benefits to children, but they also argue that reopening classrooms in some regions of the country could require trade-offs now, such as shuttering indoor bars and even some restaurants where the ambiance and customers are contributing to the spread of COVID-19. Some school districts are considering hybrid systems where students are taught in person some days and at home other days.
The Associated Press: Debates turn emotional as schools decide how and if to open.
Bloomberg News: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said public schools in a city that serves 1.1 million students plan to reopen in September. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), through his staff, said the mayor’s announcement was “premature” because such a decision is made by state rather than local officials. One major consideration: teachers (and their union). (Today, Gotham moves into phase three of its reopening with expanded outdoor dining, but indoor dining is on pause.)
The New York Times: Most universities plan to bring students back to campus. But many of their professors are concerned about joining them.
The Associated Press: Amid pandemic, fewer students seek federal aid for college.
Trump’s dive this week into questions about returning students to classrooms will raise eyebrows, in part because his advice shifts and is so frequently contradicted by scientific research. The president last week said the coronavirus “will disappear,” disputing every federal public health official on his own White House coronavirus task force. On Saturday, he claimed erroneously that 99 percent of confirmed infections are “totally harmless,” an assertion disputed by physicians and researchers worldwide who say it is possible that patients who recover from even mild cases of the coronavirus could experience long-term health effects and that one of the puzzles of COVID-19 is the unpredictability of who experiences mild infections and who becomes gravely ill (Science News).
The Associated Press: Trump’s COVID-19 statements do not beat a virus, calm a restive nation.
The New York Times: Health experts push back on Trump’s false claim that 99 percent of U.S. infections are “totally harmless.”
The Hill’s roundup of Sunday talk shows: Food and Drug Administration commissioner declines to confirm Trump claim that 99 percent of COVID-19 cases are “harmless.”
The Hill: A growing number of Democratic lawmakers contend that without a national strategy from the Trump administration, it is already too late to contain COVID-19 in expanding regions of the United States.
> Working and learning from home: Some companies, including British drugmaker AstraZeneca, have created educational fallbacks and child care alternative systems for employees to help them adapt to working during the pandemic and helping their children learn at home. The new corporate attitude about home-working could help lead to higher productivity and loyalty, according to experts, as companies rethink whether staff need to be in the office, and as schools take time to return to normal (Reuters). …Parents are opting to home school their children because of COVID-19, but experts say it might not be for everyone (NBC News).
> Testing for COVID-19: Five reasons why the United States still hasn’t solved its testing crisis after six months (Politico).
> Vaccine news: Who will get it first? Food suppliers argue their workers should be near the front of the line. Fifteen trade groups recently made their case to Trump, citing his declaration that the food and agriculture sector is a critical component of the nation’s infrastructure. Administration officials have signaled they will take a “tiered approach” to giving out the vaccine when it is ready (The Hill). … Officials gird for a war on vaccine misinformation (Science magazine).
> COVID-19, virus genetics and mutations: In humans, DNA linked to COVID-19 was passed down from Neanderthals, a study finds. A stretch of six genes seems to increase the risk of severe illness from the coronavirus (The New York Times). … The Houston Chronicle reports that “evidence is growing” that a mutated coronavirus strain circulating in Houston is more contagious than the original strain of COVID-19 in China, according to two new research papers. Questions about the effect of mutations in the virus have circulated in the scientific community since last year, and mutations pose challenges for the development of an effective vaccine (Healthline).
2020 POLITICS: The Trump campaign announced on Sunday that the president will return to the campaign trail on Saturday and hold a “Make America Great Again” rally in New Hampshire as the coronavirus pandemic widens across parts of the country.
The rally will be Trump’s first in nearly three weeks following the campaign’s underwhelming event in Tulsa, Okla., that attracted only 6,200 supporters after top Trump officials touted that more than 1 million individuals had signed up for tickets. It will be the campaign’s second rally since the start of the pandemic.
In a big change from the Tulsa event, the rally in Portsmouth, N.H., will be held outdoors at an airplane hangar. According to the campaign, attendees will be provided with “ample access to hand sanitizer” and “a face mask that they are strongly encouraged to wear.” The rally is scheduled for 8 p.m (The Hill).
The news comes amid a continued struggle in Trump’s bid for a second term as he remains behind in polling against former Vice President Joe Biden. According to the latest RealClearPolitics average of national polls, Biden leads by 8.7 percentage points and holds the advantage in a number of key swing states.
Niall Stanage: The Memo: Unhappy voters could deliver political shocks beyond Trump.
The Associated Press: Democrats, Biden look to accelerate Southern political shift.
Electorally, Georgia is a state that’s on upset watch, according to The Hill’s Amie Parnes and Jonathan Easley. Trump’s reelection campaign is spending to defend in the long-held GOP state as polls show a tight race, fueling Democratic optimism about their prospects of turning it blue.
The Biden campaign has identified Georgia as one of several opportunities to go on offense, and campaign insiders say that’s not just bluster. They believe a younger and more diverse electorate energized by the civil unrest, coupled with Trump’s collapse in the suburbs and broader implosion in the polls, has set the stage for Democrats to win the state for the first time since 1992.
While Republicans believe Democrats are getting ahead of their skis, they know the state is changing fast, pointing to the close 2018 gubernatorial race, which Democrat Stacey Abrams lost by only 50,000 votes.
The Hill: Trump second-term plans remain a mystery to the GOP.
> Senate fight: While the president struggles, his issues could have a profound effect on the GOP’s tenuous hold of its Senate majority. As The Hill’s Max Greenwood writes about the state of play, Democrats are within striking distance of retaking the upper chamber with less than four months until the November election, leaving Republicans with an arduous path as vulnerable GOP incumbents are forced to deal with the sagging presidential approval ratings.
According to several recent polls, Democratic challengers are leading GOP incumbents in Arizona, North Carolina and Iowa, with Republicans also forced to play defense in a number of other states, including Colorado, Maine and Montana. While the GOP is still expected to unseat Sen. Doug Jones (D) in Alabama, other pick-up opportunities are quickly evaporating, including in Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters (D) leads Republican John James despite high hopes within the party only months ago.
The New York Times: A Trump-backed Senate candidate’s hedge fund disaster.
Dan Balz: The politics of race are shifting, and politicians are struggling to keep pace.
> Veepwatch: Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have gotten the lion’s share of attention as a potential Biden running mate, but Susan Rice is also getting a long look for the role by Team Biden.
The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is getting a lot of attention as the Biden campaign moves closer to selecting a running mate. Sources say that Rice has seen her stock rise amid a series of crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I know she’s very much in the mix,” a source close to the Biden campaign said, with Rice’s close relationship to the former VP playing an important role (The Hill).
Rice made her latest play for the role on Sunday’s “Meet The Press,” where she defended her candidacy to become Biden’s running mate even though she has never run a national campaign and has a lack of experience in electoral politics, especially compared to others Biden is considering for the position (Politico).
The Washington Post: Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) emerging as a contender to be Biden’s running mate.
The New York Times: “Strategic empathy”: How Biden’s informal diplomacy shaped foreign relations.
CONGRESS: Lawmakers are weighing tightening the qualifications for small business aid as they debate a fifth coronavirus package, which could come down the pipeline by the end of the month.
As The Hill’s Jordain Carney writes, senators in both parties are tossing their support behind a plan to add new requirements for businesses that apply for funds in the Paycheck Protection Program, the small-business loan program launched as part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act in March.
“I think everyone understands that’ll have to be a part of it in the second round. … So I think that’ll most definitely, in my view, be a part of it,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee, when asked about including a means test to qualify for more loans.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated last week that the Senate is planning to work on a COVID-19 response package after it returns from the Fourth of July recess next week, with the hope of passing legislation by the end of the month. Among the topics that will surely be dealt with is unemployment insurance, as the provision included in the CARES Act that gives an additional $600 to every weekly unemployment check through the end of the month is set to expire.
Democrats continue to push for the expansion of the provision, which they argue has been a crucial lifeline to the millions of Americans who were furloughed or lost jobs as a result of the pandemic. But Republicans worry that the additional $600 adds incentive for individuals not to return to work.
“We have a real concern about creating an unintended incentive for people to stay on the sidelines in this economy. And that $600 plus-up in unemployment many believe has contributed to that,”Vice President Pence told CNBC last week (The Hill).
The Washington Post: Congress departs for two-week recess without addressing coronavirus spikes, economic strains.
The Hill: Russian bounties revive Trump-GOP foreign policy divide.
****
WHITE HOUSE & ADMINISTRATION: Trump, who says he is incensed at the removal of Confederate and other statues by activists and communities nationwide, announced on Saturday that his administration will create a new monument called the “National Garden of American Heroes.” In that “vast outdoor park” will be “the statues of the greatest Americans to ever live,” including some noted by the president. Historians interviewed by The Washington Post reacted to the historical figures mentioned on an executive order list, which includes no Native Americans, Latinos or Democratic presidents. Upshot: From historians’ perspective, a scattershot effort.
Loyalty: Two young White House staffers will begin conducting interviews with political appointees at the Defense Department this week, a move that some fear could lead to more dismissals of Pentagon officials considered disloyal to Trump. The White House Office of Public Liaison sent an email to political appointees at the Pentagon on Wednesday, inviting officials to schedule a meeting with representatives from the White House Presidential Personnel Office. The message touts the meetings as a platform for non-career officials to show off their credentials for a position in a possible second Trump term (Foreign Policy).
Bureau of Land Management: William Perry Pendley, a climate change skeptic and Trump’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management at the Interior Department, has a record of opposing public land ownership and a 17-page recusal list detailing ties to industries that could benefit from increased land access. His controversial nomination is giving some Republicans on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee election year heartburn. Pendley is a lightning rod for public lands advocates, and his confirmation is not a done deal (The Hill).
Americans in Yemen: Advocacy groups are warning that thousands of U.S. citizens remain stranded in Yemen more than three months after the country closed its borders to stem the spread of COVID-19. Advocates say one group of Americans has largely been ignored and faces an increasingly desperate situation, although the State Department flew about 300 Americans home on flights on June 28 and July 1. “Every single American deserves to have their government protect them when they are in harm’s way in a foreign country and to be repatriated under a public health emergency that has really impacted the entire world,” saidAhmed Mohamed, litigation director for the New York office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (The Hill).
IRS: As some employees of the Internal Revenue Service return to their work sites after being absent during the pandemic, the IRS faces a backlog of tax returns to process and taxpayers to assist before the new tax-filing deadline of July 15. COVID-19 shutdowns prompted the IRS to extend the filing deadline three months beyond April 15 (The Hill).
America and China are entering the dark forest, by Niall Ferguson, columnist, Bloomberg Opinion. https://bloom.bg/3iA6tzl
I’ve watched in alarm as my fellow Republicans shun masks. It’s selfish, by Karen Hughes, opinion contributor, The Washington Post. https://wapo.st/2BFBi4V
A MESSAGE FROM FACEBOOK
Every vote is a voice heard
Facebook is building the largest voter information efforts in US history, starting with the new Voting Information Center, where you can find the latest resources about voting in the 2020 election.
➔ Supreme Court: For the first time in 34 years, the Supreme Court is releasing decisions in July after the coronavirus pandemic upended its traditional schedule. The court has a handful of thorny legal questions to resolve before the term is over. Here are the five most anticipated decisions still pending (The Hill).
➔ Crime: Cyber criminals are stepping up efforts to target Americans working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic as employees across the nation work remotely away from secure office networks (The Hill). … Bloomberg Businessweek magazine’s annual “Heist” issue is HERE, including a tale from tech combatants, “Did a Chinese hack kill Canada’s greatest tech company [Nortel]?”
➔ International: The border between Australia’s two most populous states will close for the first time in 100 years beginning on Tuesday for an indefinite period as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak of the coronavirus in the city of Melbourne (Reuters). … India postpones its Taj Mahal reopening plans because of the risks of COVID-19. Local authorities extended the indefinite lockdown of monuments in and around Agra, a city that has been hit hard by the virus (Reuters). … In France, the Louvre museum reopened today with limits of 1,000 visitors at a time after being shuttered for months as a precaution during the pandemic (The Washington Post). … A second region in Spain reimposed lockdown restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Galicia, a region in northwestern Spain, announced restrictions on roughly 70,000 residents on Sunday, one day after Catalonia made a similar decision (Reuters). … Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in a video Saturday that he will emphasize “Mexico’s strength” during his visit with Trump at the White House on Wednesday (The Yucatan Times).
THE CLOSER
And finally … NASA is delaying its pending exploration of Mars.
The plan to launch the Mars Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter along the red planet will now happen on July 30 at the earliest, and with limited time a big factor. NASA cited “launch vehicle processing delays in preparation for spacecraft mate operations” after an issue arose with a liquid oxygen sensor in preparation for the mid-July launch. The goal of the mission is the search for signs of ancient life across the planet.
The delay is a nail-biter because the window for a launch closes on Aug. 15. The entire project would be pushed until 2022 if the rover doesn’t make it aloft by then (CNET).
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POLITICO PLAYBOOK
POLITICO Playbook: The last dash before the election
Presented by
DRIVING THE DAY
IT’S ONLY JULY, so it seems silly to say that this is the last opportunity for a productive month in Washington before the election, but guess what: This is the last opportunity for a productive month in Washington before the election.
WASHINGTON is about to begin a four-week sprint that will include the House Democratic leadership and the Senate GOP leadership wrestling over another coronavirus relief package. Republicans have laid their marker — Senate Majority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL has said the next package needs to protect kids, protect jobs and reform liability laws so entities can’t get sued. DEMOCRATS have pushed for state and local government relief, additional unemployment insurance and direct payments and bolstering testing.
TIME IS SHORT, of course, and this will go down to the wire. Both sides agree that a package will get passed by the end of the month. With MCCONNELL saying that liability reform is his red line, the question becomes: What does he have to give up to Speaker NANCY PELOSI andSenate Minority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER to get it?
PRESIDENTDONALD TRUMP and the White House are still making noises about a payroll tax cut — their only idea, it seems. Keep your eyes on chief of staff MARK MEADOWS. We expect he — not Treasury Secretary STEVEN MNUCHIN — will be the chief negotiator this time around.
120 DAYS until Election Day.
THE TRUMP SWAMP … NYT, A1 … KEN VOGEL MICHAEL LAFORGIA and HAILEY FUCHS: “The Swamp Is Coming From Inside Trump’s Campaign”: “The chief executive of the arms maker Raytheon, under pressure to overcome a congressional hold on major sales in the fall of 2018, wanted to sit down with one of the few people who could solve the problem — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“But the State Department would not schedule the meeting. So Raytheon turned for help to David Urban, perhaps the best-connected lobbyist in President Trump’s Washington. … It is not known precisely what Mr. Pompeo discussed with the Raytheon executive, but in a few months, the State Department had issued an emergency waiver that circumvented the congressional hold on the arms deals, allowing billions of dollars in Raytheon missiles and bombs to be sold to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. …
“Consider the examples of eight lobbyists and operatives with ties to lobbying firms, including Mr. Urban, who are now assisting Mr. Trump’s campaign in various paid and unpaid capacities, like fund-raising and strategy. Those eight have been paid a total of nearly $120 million through their firms to influence the United States government from the beginning of 2017, as Mr. Trump prepared to take office, to the end of March, according to an analysis of congressional and Justice Department filings.
“The scale of those revenues is especially striking given that several of the lobbyists — including two of the top three earners, Brian Ballard, a veteran lobbyist from Florida, and Jeff Miller, an operative from Texas — had not lobbied at the federal level before Mr. Trump’s election.”
BIG PICTURE … WAPO’S DAN BALZ: “The politics of race are shifting, and politicians are struggling to keep pace”: “[W]hen 2 in 3 Americans now say they support the Black Lives Matter movement; when thousands upon thousands of Americans march in the streets of big cities and small towns; when the National Football League reverses its position on players’ kneeling during the national anthem; when Mississippi eliminates the Confederate symbol from its flag; there seems little question that for now, this is a materially different moment.
“What will come of the gathering call for action? The civil rights movement produced landmark legislation, but black people continue to face discrimination in virtually all aspects of life. Economic gains for many black Americans are undeniable, yet huge disparities in jobs, housing, income and wealth still exist. …
“Under President Trump, who has used racist messaging continually as president and before, Republicans are ill-positioned to respond fully to the moment that has arisen this summer. The party is captive to his rhetoric and actions, which exacerbate rather than reduce tensions. A part of the GOP coalition has moved in a more progressive direction on issues of race, but overall the party is on the wrong side of public opinion and stymied as to how far it can go.”
FRONTS: NYT, with the headline “D.C.’s Swamp Has New Aim: Another Term” on the aforementioned Vogel, LaForgia and Fuchs story… WSJ… N.Y. POST
Good Monday morning.
CORONAVIRUS RAGING …
— WAPO: “7-day average case total in U.S. sets record for 27th straight day,”by Derek Hawkins, Marisa Iati and Jacqueline Dupree: “Thirteen states reported new highs in their seven-day case averages, with Montana, Delaware and Alaska experiencing the biggest percentage change from their past records. West Virginia also set a record number of daily cases, with 130. …
“South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and California reported record numbers of current covid-19 hospitalizations. The country’s seven-day average of new deaths fell to 485, down from 562 on June 28, but health experts cautioned that the count of infections would soon drive the number back up.”
— LAT’S LAURA NEWBERRY:“Los Angeles County public health officials on Sunday reported 7,232 more cases of COVID-19 and 30 related deaths, numbers that account for Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week. On Friday alone, 3,187 new cases of COVID-19 were reported — the highest daily total since the pandemic began, officials said.”
— TEXAS TRIBUNE: “Several Texas cities worry hospitals may run out of beds in two weeks or sooner,” by Valeria Olivares: “Local officials and experts in Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Fort Worth have expressed concerns in recent days that increasing coronavirus hospitalizations could overwhelm their intensive care capacities, with some saying it could happen in less than two weeks.”
— NYT: “The Fullest Look Yet at the Racial Inequity of Coronavirus,” by Richard Oppel Jr., Robert Gebeloff, K.K. Rebecca Lai, Will Wright and Mitch Smith: “Early numbers had shown that Black and Latino people were being harmed by the virus at higher rates. But the new federal data — made available after The New York Times sued the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — reveals a clearer and more complete picture: Black and Latino people have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus in a widespread manner that spans the country, throughout hundreds of counties in urban, suburban and rural areas, and across all age groups.
“Latino and African-American residents of the United States have been three times as likely to become infected as their white neighbors, according to the new data, which provides detailed characteristics of 640,000 infections detected in nearly 1,000 U.S. counties. And Black and Latino people have been nearly twice as likely to die from the virus as white people, the data shows.”
NYT’S MICHAEL CROWLEY: “‘Strategic Empathy’: How Biden’s Informal Diplomacy Shaped Foreign Relations”: “Mr. Biden is a foreign-policy pragmatist, not an ideologue; his views have long tracked the Democratic mainstream. For a decade before the Iraq War, he was known as a hawk, but more recently he has become a chastened skeptic of foreign intervention. In lieu of grand strategy, he offers what more than 20 current and former American officials described in interviews as a remarkably personal diplomacy derived from his decades in the glad-handing, deal-making hothouse of the Senate.
“It is an approach grounded in a belief that understanding another leader — ‘what they want and what they need,’ in the words of James Rubin, a former Biden aide who later served as the State Department spokesman — is as important as understanding his or her nation. ‘It’s very Lyndon Johnson-esque,’ said Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to Washington who attended many meetings with Mr. Biden.
“Yet Mr. Xi has clearly tested the limits of that approach. Mr. Biden’s record is short on public warnings that the Chinese leader could become the ‘thug’ that the presumptive Democratic nominee calls him today. And as American relations with China slide from bad to worse, Mr. Biden is facing uncomfortable questions about why he didn’t do more to stiffen Obama administration policy toward Beijing — about why his strategic empathy didn’t come with more strategic vision.” NYT
VEEPSTAKES — “Duckworth emerging as a contender to be Biden’s running mate,” by WaPo’s Sean Sullivan: “As Joe Biden pushes ahead with his search for a running mate, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) has quietly emerged as a serious contender, according to three people with knowledge of the selection process, one of several developing dynamics as the search enters its final weeks.
“Duckworth is a Purple Heart recipient and veteran of the Iraq War, the only finalist with military combat experience — and as a woman of Thai and Chinese descent, one of several candidates of color under consideration. While she has a lower profile than some rivals, she is being taken seriously by Biden’s team, according to the people with knowledge of the search, one of whom said she has lately received strong consideration.” WaPo
STAFFING UP … MATT DIXON in Tallahassee, Fla.: “Biden unveils Florida leadership team”: “Biden named Jackie Lee, veteran Orlando-based consultant who has been working for the campaign since October 2019, as his state director. Lee, who helped the campaign regain its balance after [a] huge primary loss in Iowa, is credited with fending off a $30 million Florida ad blitz from billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s short-lived presidential campaign. …
“Brandon Thompson will work as the Biden campaigns coordinated director. He is coming from Organizing Together 2020, a key player in the Democrat’s 2020 Florida ground game effort. … Florida Democratic Party executive director Juan Peñalosa was named a Biden senior adviser, though the presidential race has already been an all-hands-on-deck focus for the party he leads. Karen Andre, an attorney who comes from Organizing Together 2020, was also named a senior adviser. Her resume includes working for 2018 Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum’s successful primary campaign.” POLITICO
TRUMP’S MONDAY — The president will meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at 11:30 a.m. in the Oval Office.
PLAYBOOK READS
DOWN BALLOT — “A Trump-Backed Senate Candidate’s Hedge Fund Disaster,” by NYT’s Danny Hakim: “President Trump’s favored Senate candidate in Alabama, Tommy Tuberville, is known for his career as a college football coach. But he also had a brief stint as co-owner of a hedge fund. It did not go well.
“A little more than a decade ago, after departing from Auburn University where he was head coach, Mr. Tuberville entered into a 50-50 partnership with a former Lehman Brothers broker named John David Stroud. Their ventures, which included TS Capital Management and TS Capital Partners — T for Tuberville and S for Stroud — turned out to be a financial fraud. Mr. Stroud was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Mr. Tuberville was sued by investors, who accused him of fraud and violating his fiduciary duty to take care of their investments; he reached a private settlement in 2013.
“The episode has been seldom discussed in Mr. Tuberville’s Republican primary campaign for the Senate, in which his opponent in the July 14 runoff is Jeff Sessions, the former senator and attorney general who became an object of Mr. Trump’s ire after recusing himself from the Russia inquiry. The winner will face Doug Jones, considered perhaps the most vulnerable Democrat in the battle for control of the Senate.
“Asked about the hedge fund venture on the campaign trail in February, Mr. Tuberville described himself as ‘an investor like the rest of them,’ much as he had in media reports at the time of the accusations.” NYT
FOR YOUR RADAR — “U.S. Shows Off Its Firepower to Beijing in South China Sea,”by WSJ’s Alastair Gale: “Strike fighters and electronic-warfare jets took off day and night from two U.S. aircraft carriers in the South China Sea to simulate sustained attacks on enemy bases as Washington put on one of its biggest displays of naval power in a potential flashpoint for conflict.
“Throughout the weekend, the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz completed hundreds of launches of jets, surveillance planes and helicopters in some of the largest military drills in recent years in the disputed South China Sea, the leading edge of Beijing’s move to expand its regional sphere of control.
“China held its own large-scale drills around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea through Sunday, where it has built missile bases, radar facilities and an airfield. Vietnam and Taiwan also claim the Paracels.”
THE FRIENDLY SKIES — “Next Boeing 737 MAX Government Test Flight Scheduled for Coming Days,” by WSJ’s Andy Pasztor: “The next challenge for bringing Boeing Co.’s 737 MAX jets back into service is slated to play out as early as this week, with another government test flight assessing the safety of software fixes.
“Called an operational readiness review, it is among a series of test flights anticipated over the next several weeks featuring federal pilots along with airline crews from around the world, all intended to vet changes to the fleet’s flight-control system, according to people familiar with the details.
“Among the goals of the impending airborne checks and ground-simulator sessions is to determine how well average airline pilots globally will be able to handle emergencies using the revised software. The coming test is a previously scheduled follow-up to three days of formal certification flight tests performed by Boeing and Federal Aviation Administration pilots last week.” WSJ
BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Danny Sepulveda, SVP for policy and advocacy at MediaMath and an Obama State Department alum. What he’s been reading: “I read ‘Never Split the Difference,’ which is a book on negotiation by a former FBI hostage negotiator. … I think our party has to be prepared to negotiate a reconciliation of the nation’s leaders in order to reconcile the country after this election is over. But we have to do it without compromising the opportunity to make historic change, so we can’t just split the difference to get there.” Playbook Q&A
BIRTHDAYS: Former President George W. Bush is 74 … POLITICO’s Anita Kumar … John Dickerson, correspondent for CBS’ “60 Minutes” and contributing writer at The Atlantic, is 52 … WaPo’s Glenn Kessler … Apple’s Nick Ammann … Ron Fournier, president of Truscott Rossman, is 57 (h/t Teresa Vilmain) … Sarah Morgan, VP at Targeted Victory … Josh Elliott is 49 … Christyn Lansing, senior director at Narrative Strategies … CNN national correspondent Athena Jones … Jennifer Duffy … Richard Benedetto … Jill Zuckman … Kimberly Dozier … Laura Peavey, comms director for the House Financial Services GOP (h/t David O’Brien) … Chris Paulitz … Susan Ford Bales is 63 …
… Tyler Pager, national political reporter at Bloomberg News … Mark Tomb … Cloe Axelson … Caleb Orr, projects director for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), is 26 … Virginia state Sen. Jill Vogel … Zachary Karabell is 53 … Cynthia Keyser (h/t Jon Haber) … ACLU’s Gabriela Meléndez Olivera … Cora Swanson … Netflix’s Storm Horncastle … Kara Gainer … William L. Roper (h/t Fred Graefe) … Judah Ginsberg … Stephen Carter, senior comms manager at Microsoft … Kaylan Schreffler … Patrick Hanley … Thomas Mucha … Randall K. Benjamin II … Bryan Goettel … Sean Maroney … Hilary Bombard Resta … Ken Opin … the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is 85
President Donald Trump will meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday. Keep up with Trump on Our President’s Schedule Page. President Trump’s Itinerary for 7/6/20 – note: this page will be updated during the day if events warrant Keep up with Trump on Our President’s Schedule Page. All …
I don’t think anyone would argue against the fact that we are in the midst of a revolution. Black Lives Matter, Antifa, 1619 project are at the forefront of all the riots, looting, and destruction that continues to rampage our country. These groups are getting financial support from many people …
Six of the 10 Democratic candidates that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s super PAC supported have gone on to win their primaries. Sixty of the House Democrats who supported the New York Democrat’s Green New Deal have also won their primaries so far. One candidate supported by Ocasio-Cortez’s super PAC — Jamaal Bowman …
Independence Day happened in this weirdest of years and — just when you needed him to — the president of these United States showed up and did his thing.
Donald J. Trump — the greatest president since Ronald W. Reagan — showed up to Mt. Rushmore to deliver a speech that his supporters desperately needed.
I wrote a column just a couple of days ago wondering if President Trump actually wanted to win this election. After what I saw this weekend I would have to say yes. Emphatically.
I had been lamenting the fact that Trump wasn’t using the power of incumbency thus far. Standing in front of Mt. Rushmore while jets streamed overhead kind of changed that.
This moment was brilliant. The Trump faithful have been waiting for him to bust out. Yes, he has been forced to be calmer because of the plague but he has been a little too cautious. He finally delivered here.
If this election is going to turn on a dime, then this is that dime. Trump came out swinging for the fences with this speech and cleared all of the fences. He finally got the word that it was time to win this thing.
This speech, with a literally monumental backdrop, was magnificently timed. I may not trust the people around him, but I do trust Trump’s instincts.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
We move in a lot of directions now. I’m not moving away from this president.
Violence rages across New York over July 4th . . . Former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly has blamed Bill de Blasio for the city’s recent surge in gun violence, accusing the mayor of ‘surrendering’ the city with hefty cuts to its police force as shootings surge across the US. At least 41 people were injured and at least nine killed following a troubling spike of shootings in the Big Apple across the holiday weekend. A spokesperson for the NYPD said the majority of the incidents occurred within a 15-hour time period. Shootings in New York City have doubled every week for the last three weeks. In the last seven days alone, the city has experienced a 142 percent surge in shootings compared to the same time period last year. Kelly blamed the chaos on de Blasio’s decision to slash $1 billion from the NYPD budget earlier in the week. NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea has previously disbanding an anti-crime plainclothes unit that had focused on stopping people and searching for guns. Daily Mail
Coronavirus
COVID-19 virus may have been sent to Wuhan lab in 2013 . . . Virus samples sent to the Wuhan Institute of Virology seven years ago closely resemble Covid-19, according to a report in the Sunday Times that highlights unanswered questions about the origins of the global pandemic. Scientists in 2013 sent frozen samples to the Wuhan lab from a bat-infested former copper mine in southwest China after six men who had been clearing out bat feces there contracted a severe pneumonia, the newspaper said. Three of them died and the most likely cause was a coronavirus transmitted from a bat, the Sunday Times reported, citing a medic whose supervisor worked in the emergency department that treated the men. Bloomberg
FDA commissioner refuses to back Trump claim 99% of coronavirus cases harmless . . . Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn declined to defend a claim from President Trump that most cases of the coronavirus are “harmless.” “I’m not going to get into who is right and who is wrong,” Hahn told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday when pressed on the matter. During his remarks at the White House on Independence Day, the president said that “99% of which [cases] are totally harmless” without presenting any evidence to support the claim. Washington Examiner
Trump again taken literally. He meant the overwhelming majority are harmless. He speaks like a regular person, okay?
Politics
Biden threatens to “transform” the country . . . Joe Biden tweeted Sunday night that if he gets elected, his administration “won’t just rebuild this nation — we’ll transform it,” raising speculation online about what exactly in the country will be transformed. The tweet comes after a politically charged Fourth of July weekend, as the country works to manage a new surge in COVID-19 cases and tries to emerge from weeks of tense protests that have resulted in a widening divide between Democrats and Republicans. Biden’s tweet did not specify what exactly he means by transforming the country. Fox News
Transform the country . . . into what?
Potential Biden running mate: Removing George Washington statues worth discussing . . . Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., was asked about recent calls to remove monuments commemorating American founding fathers like Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson because they were slave owners. Rather than answer directly, Duckworth first changed the subject, then made inaccurate references to President Trump’s speech at Mount Rushmore on Friday evening. “Well let me just say that we should start off by having a national dialogue on it at some point. Fox News
Trump plans outdoor rally in New Hampshire . . . President Donald Trump plans an outdoor rally in New Hampshire on Saturday, the campaign’s second of the coronavirus era following one in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last month that failed to draw the crowds his advisers predicted. The campaign’s announcement on Sunday of the planned rally comes at the end of a holiday weekend that saw the Republican reaffirm his vow to defeat what he called the “radical left,” as polls show him trailing presumptive Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Reuters
Trump voters think America is great, Biden voters say average or worse . . . When you see a flag on someone’s porch, do you assume the people inside are Republicans or Democrats? Be honest. Liberals would say they are devoted to “making the United States better” and to “social justice.” No excuse. You can recognize this country is flawed, as all of humanity is, and still celebrate is as the greatest on earth. Ever. According to USA Today: Almost 9 of 10 Trump voters, 87%, said the United States was the greatest or one of the greatest countries in the world. Almost 6 in 10 Biden voters, 59%, said it was average, has fallen behind, or is one of the worst. White House Dossier
Soros set to double 2016 spending . . . Liberal billionaire George Soros is on pace to double his 2016 election spending as he works to oust President Donald Trump, public records show. Soros’s big investments in the 2020 race have gone into the coffers of the Democracy PAC, a super PAC that passes money to other liberal PACs working to defeat Trump and congressional Republicans. The super PAC has received $40 million—double the $20 million Soros spent on Democratic efforts during the 2016 election cycle—from both Soros and a nonprofit in his sprawling network. Washington Free Beacon
China threatens to destroy US aircraft carrier groups . . . Chinese state media said Saturday the double US aircraft carrier deployment to the South China Sea is ‘at their pleasure’. In a tweet The Global Times also warned: ‘China has a wide selection of anti-aircraft carrier weapons like DF-21D and DF-26 “aircraft carrier killer” #missiles.’ Two U.S. aircraft carriers were conducting exercises in the disputed South China Sea on Saturday, the U.S. navy had said, as China also carried out military drills that have been criticized by the Pentagon and neighboring states. Daily Mail
International
India has third-highest number of coronavirus cases . . . India has surpassed Russia to report the world’s third-highest number of coronavirus cases, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The news came as plans to reopen the Taj Mahal monument were scrapped amid the rising number of cases, especially in the northern city of Agra, where the international tourist attraction is located. The white marble mausoleum was closed to visitors in March. As of early Monday, India had reported 697,413 total infections to date, compared with 686,777 in Russia. Washington Post
Money
Coronavirus accelerates move toward cashless economy . . . Cash was already being edged out in many countries as urban consumers paid increasingly with apps and cards for even the smallest purchases. But the coronavirus is accelerating a shift toward a cashless future, raising new calculations for merchants and enriching the digital payments industry. Fears over transmission of the disease have compelled consumers to rethink how they shop and pay. Retailers and restaurants are favoring clicks over cash to reduce exposure for employees. New York Times
Kind of concerning. If you don’t see the money, you don’t feel the spending.
World stocks rally to four-week high as investors bet on China revival . . . Global stock markets rallied to four-week highs and China’s yuan headed for its best day against the dollar since December on Monday as investors counted on a revival in China to boost global growth, even as surging coronavirus cases delayed business re-openings across the United States. MSCI’s All-Country World Index, which tracks shares across 49 countries, rose 0.7% to its highest since June 6, by midday in London. Reuters
You should also know
United States population growth driven only by minorities . . . Population growth in the United States has been driven only by minorities in the last decade, according to a new report. Data analysis by Brookings suggests the last decade will also be the first in America’s history where the white population declined in numbers. Estimates released by the US Census Bureau ahead of the 2020 results show that last year, for the first time, more than 50 per cent of those under 16 also identified as a racial or ethnic minority. Daily Mail
White House people too busy with video games.
Atlanta mayor demands violence end after child shot near where Rayshard Brooks died . . . Following the deadly shooting of an 8-year-old girl over the holiday weekend near where Rayshard Brooks was killed last month in Atlanta, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) demanded an end to the violence that has beset the city amid protests over racism and police brutality. “You shot and killed a baby,” Bottoms said Sunday evening at a news conference, speaking to the young girl’s killers, who have yet to be identified or arrested. “If you want people to take us seriously, and you don’t want us to lose this movement, then we can’t lose each other in this. Washington Post
Oh, okay, now she’s mad. So does she finally support police officers defending themselves against being shot with their own taser?
Virginia officials order American flag removes from construction site . . . State officials in Virginia ordered the removal of a large American flag from a construction site ahead of the Fourth of July, calling it a potential target for people protesting racial injustice and police brutality. Dena Potter, spokeswoman for the state Department of General Services, said officials asked a contractor to take down the flag from a new office building for state lawmakers under construction in Richmond. “Over the past month we’ve seen buildings and structures around Capitol Square vandalized and flags, dumpsters, a bus and other items set ablaze during demonstrations around the city,” Potter said in an email. Washington Times
How symbolic. Taking down the flag over fear of the mob. Did they put a white flag in its place?
Black armed protestors march through Confederate memorial park in Georgia . . . A predominantly Black group of heavily armed protesters marched through Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta on Saturday, calling for removal of the giant Confederate rock carving at the site that civil rights activists consider a monument to racism. Scores of demonstrators dressed in black – many in paramilitary-style clothing and all wearing face scarves – quietly parading several abreast down a sidewalk at the park. Many of the protesters carried rifles, including military-type weapons, and some wore ammunition belts slung over their shoulders. One video clip showed a leader of the demonstrators, who was not identified, shouting into a loudspeaker in a challenge to white supremacists who historically have used Stone Mountain as a rallying spot of their own. “I don’t see no white militia,” he declared. “We’re here. Where … you at? We’re in your house. Let’s go.” Reuters
#CancelHamilton begins . . . Calls have been made to ‘cancel Hamilton’ just days after the Broadway musical’s streaming debut on Disney+, after a renewed focus on it’s lead character, Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The show, created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, portrays Hamilton as a ‘young, scrappy, and hungry’ immigrant and someone who was passionate about the abolition of slavery. However, in light of recent Black Lives Matter protests, the story has now come under greater scrutiny – with some pointing out that Hamilton was a slave trader. Daily Mail
Can’t we just put the show in a museum instead of canceling it?
Case of brain eating-amoeba in Florida . . . A case of a rare brain-eating amoeba has been confirmed in Florida, according to health officials in the US state. The Florida Department of Health said one person in Hillsborough County had contracted Naegleria fowleri. The microscopic, single-celled amoeba can cause an infection of the brain, and is usually fatal. Commonly found in warm freshwater, the amoeba enters the body through the nose. BBC
Brain-eating amoeba. Hmm. So THAT’s what’s been going on in the country.
Broadway actor Nick Cordero succumbs to coronavirus after long struggle . . . Nick Cordero, a musical theater actor whose intimidating height and effortless charm brought him a series of tough-guy roles on Broadway, died on Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 41. His death was announced on Instagram by his wife, Amanda Kloots. The couple, who moved from New York to Los Angeles last year, have a 1-year-old son, Elvis. “My darling husband passed away this morning,” she wrote. “He was surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth.” She did not cite a cause, but he had been hospitalized for three months after contracting the coronavirus. New York Times
Composer Enrico Morricone dead at 91 . . . Morricone’s innovative and influential scores revolutionised the music of the film industry.
He became famous for scoring the Spaghetti Westerns directed by his friend Sergio Leone, such as A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. His sparse soundtracks were a vital component of Leone’s revolutionary take on the Western genre. Yet this association often pained him because he was, in fact, a composer of great versatility with more than 500 film and TV scores to his credit. BBC
Guilty Pleasures
Congressional candidate claims Beyonce is not black, but Italian . . . A congressional candidate is receiving widespread ridicule for sharing an outlandish conspiracy theory about Beyoncé’s heritage in a bizarre Twitter rant on Saturday. KW Miller, who is running to represent Florida’s 18th Congressional District in November, claimed the 24-time Grammy winner is ‘not even African American.’ ‘She is faking this for exposure. Her real name is Ann Marie Lastrassi. She is Italian,’ he tweeted. ‘This is all part of the Soros Deep State agenda for the Black Lives Matter movement.’ Daily Mail
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The Morning Dispatch: Grappling With Our Nation’s History
Plus, a new movie tells the story of one of the bloodiest battles of the war in Afghanistan.
The Dispatch Staff
5 min
Happy Monday! We hope you had a wonderful (as possible) Fourth of July weekend. It would’ve been better, of course, with real, live Major League Baseball games, but because—as Nationals pitcher Sean Doolittle said—sports are “the reward of a functioning society,” we guess we’ll accept batting practice dingers, too.
A reminder: This is the version of TMD available to non-paying readers. We’re happy you’ve made The Dispatch part of your morning routine, and we hope you’re enjoying The Morning Dispatch and the rest of our free editorial offerings. If you do, we hope you’ll consider joining us as a paying member. In addition to the full version of TMD each day, you’ll get extra editions of French Press, the G-File, Vital Interests, and our other paid products. And members can engage with the authors and with one another in the discussion threads at the end of each of our articles and newsletters. If this appeals to you, we hope you’ll please join now.
Quick Hits: Today’s Top Stories
As of Sunday night, 2,888,586 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the United States (an increase of 49,044 from yesterday) and 129,947 deaths have been attributed to the virus (an increase of 271 from yesterday), according to the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard, leading to a mortality rate among confirmed cases of 4.5 percent (the true mortality rate is likely much lower, between 0.4 percent and 1.4 percent, but it’s impossible to determine precisely due to incomplete testing regimens). Of 35,512,916 coronavirus tests conducted in the United States (654,489 conducted since yesterday), 8.1 percent have come back positive.
The U.S. Navy deployed two aircraft carriers—the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan and the U.S.S. Nimitz—to the South China Sea over the weekend near military exercises being conducted by the Chinese military.
Kanye West announced via Twitter on Saturday his plans to run for president in 2020, but the rapper and fashion designer has yet to file with the Federal Election Commission—and the deadline to get on the ballot has already passed in several states.
Two professional sports franchises—the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Indians—announced they are undergoing a review of their nicknames, with an eye toward changing them in the near future.
After six years of legal and environmental challenges, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy announced the cancellation of their proposed $8 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline spanning West Virginia to North Carolina. Two recent court rulings on permitting rendered the project “too uncertain to justify investing more shareholder capital,” the companies said in a news release.
Grappling With Our History
We have not, to date, devoted much virtual ink to the Great Statue Toppling, where isolated hordes of rioters across the country have in recent weeks torn down monuments mostly—but not always—of Confederate generals. This vandalism is often both random (more in service of destruction itself, rather than any particular ideology) and a local issue (the response lies with individual mayors and police departments in individual cities and towns).
But the debate over which statues stay up and which get thrown into the harbor has taken on outsized importance in our national discourse. Why? Because it’s not actually a debate over statues at all; it’s a debate over how to grapple with our nation’s history.
To the extent there’s a consensus position in this debate, it’s this: Monuments celebrating Confederate leaders—for the sake of being Confederate leaders—should probably come down in an orderly manner or be moved to a museum. Statues of our Founding Fathers—even the ones that owned slaves—should remain standing.
The 12-hour battle that took place in northern Afghanistan on October 3, 2009, was a mismatch. In an early morning attack, about 400 Taliban fighters laid siege to a remote encampment in the Hindu Kush mountains that was the home to approximately 50 soldiers of B Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. It wasn’t just that the Americans were outnumbered. The terrain surrounding the outpost meant that our soldiers were fighting from the bottom of a funnel, leaving them easy targets for the jihadists who sought to kill them. Despite repeated warnings of the coming “big attack”—including regular, sometimes near-daily, probing attacks meant to test their defenses—there was little the Americans could do to prevail.
And yet after hours and hours of relentless fighting, the Americans held their ground. Eight U.S. soldiers died. More than two dozen were wounded, some severely. The battle to hold Command Outpost Keating would go down as one of the bloodiest of the war in Afghanistan. The unit that fought bravely there was one of the most decorated in recent military history, including two Medal of Honor winners.
The story of that battle, and of those soldiers, is captured brilliantly in a film released this past week, called The Outpost. At turns discouraging, infuriating, and inspiring, the movie takes viewers to that remote camp and inside that brutal fight, giving its audience an all-too-real sense of the helplessness felt by the soldiers of COP Keating and their determination not to give up their doomed outpost. It’s the kind of move you see on a Friday and think about throughout the weekend.
With everything else going on in the news these days, you’d be forgiven if you paid little attention to last week’s latest iteration of the online turf wars of the political right: the sudden emergence of a microblogging app called Parler, a new social network in the vein of Twitter marketed to conservatives as a platform with a much higher tolerance for free speech. “If you can say it on the streets of New York,” says the app’s founder, “you can say it on Parler.”
The site has been around for a few years, but got a boost in recent days after a number of prominent conservative pundits and politicians announced on Twitter that they would pick up the site en masse out of unhappiness over the Big Tech usual suspects’ increasing willingness to police and delete content deemed problematic. It’s the latest skirmish in a war over tech censorship that includes both instances of private entrepreneurship like Parler and a growing contingent of conservatives who are determined to wield federal law to break Silicon Valley’s grip on online discourse. Andrew breaks down the issue at the site today:
A growing number of GOP lawmakers and pundits are pushing to revise the law to force companies to take a more hands-off approach to policing content.
Their primary target has been Section 230, a provision passed as part of the 1996 Communications Decency Act that gives companies like social networks broad leeway to impose their own standards for what constitutes acceptable content in posts to their site.
Most recent GOP efforts to hamstring companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter have focused on attaching new strings to Section 230’s liability protection. A bill introduced last week by Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, for instance, would permit users to sue social media companies for unfair censorship if those companies’ content moderation policies excluded constitutionally protected speech.
It’s important to note, too, that these anti-230 policy pushes are generally linked to another issue of online content: the availability of online pornography. In many GOP policy circles, the two issues go hand-in-hand: Bills that would cut into platforms’ ability to make their own content regulation decisions also place stricter commands on them to ensure illegal acts like the exposure of children to sexually explicit material does not prosper on their sites.
In other words, a site like Parler, with its laissez-faire attitude toward most speech combined with strict rules against obscenity, isn’t just a curio of the current state of movement conservatism. It’s also a glimpse of a potential future in which the likes of Loeffler have their way.
Democrats have, in recent years, bemoaned the legislative filibuster as the main hurdle standing in the way of sweeping congressional progress. But as the Federalist Papers remind us, legislative gridlock isn’t always a bad thing. “The Senate, especially, is supposed to slow things down, to suffocate democratic passions, and to make strait the gate and narrow the way for destructive popular legislation,” National Review’s Kevin Williamson argues in defense of the filibuster. “I cannot think of a single thing about Washington today that makes me believe it needs one fewer check.”
Coronavirus cases are continuing to surge across the country, but COVID-19 related deaths are not following suit—yet. We talked to several experts about this phenomenon a few weeks back, but this New York Times piece from Katherine Wu incorporates the latest data. “In general,” she writes, “experts see three broad reasons for the downward trend in the rate of coronavirus deaths: testing, treatment and a shift in whom the virus is infecting.” From an epidemiologist in Arizona: “I think the next two to three weeks will be very telling.”
As we wrote to you on Friday, Beijing authorized a draconian national security law over Hong Kong last Wednesday in Xi Jinping’s latest aggression toward the city. In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Joseph Sternberg explains why China will come to regret its decision to backpedal on its longstanding commitment to an autonomous Hong Kong. “The city used to represent Beijing’s commitment to its word,” he writes, but “now it represents Mr. Xi’s willingness to break that word.”
Yascha Mounk joins Sarah and David on the latest special episode of The Dispatch Podcastto discuss Persuasion, his new online community platform dedicated to encouraging civil, thoughtful discourse between those of differing political views. The three have a wide-ranging discussion about the principles of a free society, how they are under attack from illiberal forces on both the right and the left, and why they need defending now more than ever.
Jonah’s Friday G-Filebegins with an in-depth analysis of how the movie Jaws is a surprisingly good allegory for our current moment, proceeds to a discussion of the connections between Donald Trump and Romanticism, and concludes with a long-overdue update on the Goldberg canines.
American history has been punctuated by a series of “Great Awakenings”: Religious revivals characterized by a fundamentalist fervor that sweeps through the nation. Today, the next Great Awakening is upon us; but it’s not Christian. On both the Trumpian right and the woke left, political tribalism has taken on a dogmatically fundamentalist tone. Check out the latest French Pressto read David’s take on the distinctly religious nature of our political moment.
How can the United States best respond to the aggressions of nations like China, Iran, and Russia? “That binary Obama formulation—war or nothing—has surprising purchase, particularly in the face of complex problems,” Danielle Pletka writes. She looks back at the Reagan Doctrine and how “[w]hen Ronald Reagan decided to force the Soviets to defend every conquest, every territory, every part of its empire, the hollow interior of the Soviet state began to collapse.”
Mary Chastain: “I hope everyone had a fabulous Independence Day! America isn’t perfect, but it’s the best country in the world.”
Fuzzy Slippers: “The European and U.S. media were outraged by President Trump’s amazing speech on the Fourth of July at Mount Rushmore. I guess I watched a different speech, because the one I saw was among his best.”
Vijeta Uniyal: “European mainstream media were united in their condemnation of President Donald Trump’s Fourth of July speech at Mount Rushmore. The mainstream German, French, and British news outlets echoed each other, calling U.S. President’s rhetoric ‘dark,’ ‘polarizing,’ and ‘divisive.’”
Leslie Eastman: “I hope everyone had a spectacular Independence Day. We had a wonderful July 4th call from my son, who has now been at the US Air Force Academy for 2 weeks. He is going great, and is even managing to make his bed regulation style. Speaking of spectacular, check out President Trump’s address on Mt. Rushmore!”
David Gerstman: “Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz had an interesting statement about the mysteriousexplosions plaguing Iran’s t illicit weapons research recently. Gantz said, “Not every incident that transpires in Iran necessarily has something to do with us…All those systems are complex, they have very high safety constraints and I’m not sure they always know how to maintain them.” I don’t know that the explosions weren’t caused by outside forces – Iran is apparently acknowledging that the explosion at Natanz was caused by explosives – I also think that Iran is as careful with this dangerous technology as a Western country would be.“
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‘We Are Living in Parallel Universes’
Over the weekend, President Trump gave a speech at Mt. Rushmore to celebrate Independence Day. If you missed it, read the whole thing here. The media’s reaction was… predictable. The New York Times called it “dark and decisive.” ABC News said he “flouts virus rules at the foot of Mount Rushmore.” The Washington Post said the President “exploits social divisions, warns of ‘left-wing cultural revolution’ in dark speech ahead of Independence Day.”
“Even as each story above reads the subjective opinions of its writers, every story presented here is advertised to readers as straight news put forward by allegedly objective truth-seekers in the noble name of journalism.”
Senator Ted Cruz called out the New York Times coverage. From The Daily Wire:
“Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) unloaded on The New York Times on the Fourth of July for characterizing President Donald Trump’s speech at Mount Rushmore — where he unapologetically defended American principles, described the history of the four presidents depicted on the monument, and encouraged the country to live up to its ideals — as “dark and divisive” in nature.President Donald Trump gave “a majestic speech before Mt. Rushmore, celebrating America & recounting the magnificent champions for Liberty Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln & Teddy Roosevelt,” said Cruz.
“He vows to defend America,” continued the Texas senator, who then pointed out that The New York Times characterized the speech as “dark & divisive.” Cruz added: “We are living in parallel universes.”
“Only in the mind of deranged Leftists is defending Mt. Rushmore, Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, & Teddy Roosevelt ‘leaning in to the culture wars.’ The culture warriors are the mobs burning our cities, defacing American heroes,” concluded Cruz.”
More to read from the weekend:
Trump Issues Executive Order To Rebuild Non-Confederate Monuments That Have Been Torn Down By Protesters (The Daily Wire)
Johnny ‘Joey’ Jones: Don’t ban national anthem – song inspires us to fight adversity, oppression (Fox News)
Four Forgotten Heroes Of The War of Independence (BearingArms.com)
Thunderbirds fly over Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington D.C. on Fourth of July (MassLive.com)
Kanye for President?
On Saturday night, Kanye West tweeted, “We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States 🇺🇸! #2020VISION”
For those who think this is an anti-Trump statement, consider the bold move to use the American flag in today’s political climate. Seriously! Conventional thinking (if that exists in a Trump vs. West vs. Biden race) is that Kanye would take votes from Democrats. If this goes further than a tweet (unlikely given ballot deadlines), I’d expect more attacks on Kanye to come from the Left. The Daily Wire recalls an interview with GQ magazine earlier this year:
“Black people are controlled by emotions through the media,” West continued. “The media puts musicians, artists, celebrities, actors in a position to be the face of the race, that really don’t have any power and really are just working for white people. When it’s said like that, it’s kind of obvious, right? We emotionally connect to someone of our color on TV and feel that this person is speaking for us. So let me say this: I am the founder of a $4 billion organization, one of the most Google-searched brands on the planet, and I will not be told who I’m gonna vote on because of my color.”
“Both my parents were freedom fighters, and they used to drink from fountains they were told they couldn’t drink from, and they used to sit in restaurants where they were told they couldn’t eat from,” West said. “They didn’t fight for me to be told by white people which white person I can vote on.”
What I’m Reading This Week
I rarely read political books because they tend to be repetitive — trust me, I’ve written and edited a few. However, last week I got an advanced copy of The 21 Biggest Lies about Donald Trump (and you!) by Kurt Schlichter and I know it will be entertaining. The description teases, “Tired of media and leftwing lies about Donald Trump? Then you’ll love this book.” He had me at “Tired of media.”
A Case of the Mondays
Fairfield officers help kids when community pool is closed by bringing water guns and water balloons for an epic battle (Twitter)
Oliver the beagle brings all his toys to bed (YouTube)
In her appearance at Mt. Rushmore on July 3, the First Lady wore a dress that got some attention from Twitter trolls. First, the fashion from John Binder’s Fashion Notes:
“Melania Trump, on Friday evening, joined President Trump for an Independence Day ceremony at Mount Rushmore wearing a Spring 2020 Ready-to-Wear sleeveless, ivory linen round-neck Alexander McQueen dress.
The frock, seen on the runway on model Stella Tennant, features an asymmetric draped skirt with a stitched “Dancing Girls” print in black. The garment retails for $3,840.
Mrs. Trump wore the McQueen dress with a pair of patent leather black Christian Louboutin stilettos — a signature of the First Lady’s — and a thin black leather belt.”
Some people joked about it looking like President Trump scribbled all over the dress.
However, the meaning of the dress should make them think twice about blind criticism. From BizPac Review:
“First Lady Melania Trump channeled supermodel chic by wearing a whimsical Alexander McQueen dress that was created by student fashion designers — many of whom were minorities.
The dress, which is called “Dancing Girls,” was part of the McQueen fashion house’s goal of celebrating unity during the coronavirus crisis.”
Mondays with Melania is a weekly feature that highlights what the First Lady is doing and wearing.
Note: By using some of the links above, Bright may be compensated through the Amazon Affiliate program and Magic Links. However, none of this content is sponsored and all opinions are our own.
Jul 06, 2020 01:00 am
If we are to strip the names of admitted slaveholders from public memorials, might we also want to demand an apology from the party that gave us slavery, secession, and a century of segregation? Read More…
Jul 06, 2020 01:00 am
This virus isn’t going anywhere; that’s a simple fact. It’s time that we start learning to live with it, just as we manage the risk in so many other areas of our lives. Read More…
Jul 06, 2020 01:00 am
The purpose of observing privilege cannot be to complain, to castigate those born with it, or to eliminate it. The purpose must be to learn how some parents earn the right to bequeath privilege to their children so that others can follow their lead. Read More…
Jul 06, 2020 01:00 am
This article gives everybody it reaches the power to send BLM, along with its political, academic, and corporate supporters, crashing down in total ruin. Read More…
Jul 06, 2020 01:00 am
In public schools across America, activist Democrat teachers are pushing a failed and oppressive ideology on captive young minds. Read More…
Two Minutes Hate for Lincoln
Jul 06, 2020 01:00 am
Lincoln, being the founder of the Republican Party, is an ideal target for historical annexation. Read more…
Who are we?
Jul 06, 2020 01:00 am
Do we know who we are? Do we even care? Read more…
Health officials from a city in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia issued a bubonic plague warning on Sunday after a suspected case of the highly infectious disease known as the “Black Death” was revealed. The health committee of the city of Bayannur issued a third-level alert, the second-lowest category in a four-level system. The noti … Read more
People who come to this country don’t throw around that ‘privilege’ word as if to highlight some victimhood. They know America is still the shining beacon of hope for all mankind.
‘This is how black and indigenous people of color see the world and it’s not for you and me … to deny that reality,’ Council Member Shino Tanikawa said.
As Elizabeth Reiter was carried on to the ambulance, she waved to her husband and her two boys. They never imagined that it would be for the last time.
Among those mentioned were the founding fathers, the presidents of Mount Rushmore, Frederick Douglass, Ulysses S. Grant, Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, and Elvis Presley.
We need to ensure police officers are well trained, trustworthy, and of sound character, but we also need laws and rules of conduct that encourage the best outcomes.
The Transom is a daily email newsletter written by publisher of The Federalist Ben Domenech for political and media insiders, which arrives in your inbox each morning, collecting news, notes, and thoughts from around the web.
“You must read The Transom. With brilliant political analysis and insight into the news that matters most, it is essential to understanding this incredible moment in history. I read it every day!” – Newt Gingrich
Black Lives Matter activists were disappointed to find out last week that the driver who hit two of their I-5 highway protesters in Seattle—including 24-year-old Summer Taylor who died from her injuries—is an African-American man. They had hoped to paint this as another instance of white supremacy by a Caucasian man trying to kill protesters. But Dawit Kelete, the man who police arrested immediately following the incident, is Black.
One might think that would put an end to their claims that white supremacy and racism were the underlying causes of the incident. But such details were unable to sway many of the radical left activists from continuing with their unhinged claims. To them, it doesn’t matter that the accused is Black. In their eyes, he’s likely still a white supremacist.
It’s not impossible for their theory to be true. Then again, it’s not impossible for any such theory to be true. There’s no evidence for it, and considering what’s at stake with all of the racial tensions in the nation today, speculating about the motives of anyone until their more clear is irresponsible and continues to drive a wedge between people.
What seems much more likely is that Cultural Marxist ideology driving many of the radical progressives in the Black Lives Movement need to see this as race-driven in order to reconcile with their worldview. Otherwise, their foundation shatters beneath them.
The biggest problem for the racists among Black Lives Matter activists today is that they have to force their narrative into every situation. They only see one problem in the world. When all you have is an Antifa hammer…
Join fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. The coronavirus crisis has prompted many, even some conservatives, to promote authoritarianism. It’s understandable to some extent now, but it must not be allowed to embed itself in American life. We currently have 8000+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.
There is a lot of excitement building around the Trump campaign. Despite mainstream media’s attempts to suspend disbelief in a reelection victory, the momentum is still on the side of the man who built the greatest economy in world history, not the guy who has trouble stringing sentences together without forgetting what he’s talking about. But there doesn’t seem to be enough excitement yet about the lower-office candidates, particularly those running for U.S. House or Senate. This MUST change quickly because even if President Trump wins, if the GOP doesn’t have control of Capitol Hill, his second term will be effectively neutered.
Let’s start in the Senate. The GOP enjoys a 3-seat advantage right now, and there’s a good chance they will pick up another seat in Alabama when either Tommy Tuberville or Jeff Sessions defeats Doug Jones. But there are several seats at risk. Martha McSally in Arizona, Thom Tillis in North Carolina, Cory Gardner in Colorado, and Susan Collins in Maine are all considered to be trailing the Democrats. Losing those seats and picking up Alabama would mean a tie, and Vice President Pence would be the tie-breaker.
But here’s the thing. We still have “Republicans” like Mitt Romney and Lisa Murkowski, neither of whom support President Trump’s agenda. Considering there is still much work to be done on the courts and the likelihood that there will be one or two Supreme Court seats opening up between 2021-2024, it’s imperative that the GOP maintain at least a two-seat advantage in the Senate.
The House is a bit trickier. The GOP needs to pick up around two dozen flips in order to have a shot at dethroning Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. There will be some red-to-blue flips as well, so realistically Republicans need to flip 30 blue seats in order to take control. That’s doable IF Republican voters get off their rear-ends and start supporting conservative candidates for the House.
If Pelosi retains her gavel, it is an absolute guarantee that she will make up another reason to impeach the President. Mark it down as a 100% certainty. There will be no second round of tax cuts. There will be no repeal and replace for Obamacare. Building the wall will continue to be a struggle. I can list at least a dozen imperative policies that need to be enacted in the President’s second term, and none of them will see the light of day as long as Democrats control the House.
A second term for President Trump is of utmost importance, but he needs GOP control in both chambers of Congress in order to quickly and efficiently move his agenda forward. Voters need to wake up and get behind GOP candidates immediately. JD discusses all of this in the latest episode of the Conservative Playbook.
Join fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. The coronavirus crisis has prompted many, even some conservatives, to promote authoritarianism. It’s understandable to some extent now, but it must not be allowed to embed itself in American life. We currently have 8000+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.
Whenever you hear “milestone” and “coronavirus” in the same sentence during a mainstream media broadcast, what you’ll likely hear about is the number of cases. They’re going up. But as President Trump and many in conservative media have pointed out multiple times over the last couple of weeks, the rise in cases can be directly attributed to the much higher frequency of tests being conducted. With a disease as ubiquitous as COVID-19, of course cases will rise dramatically as the number of tests goes up.
What you won’t hear from mainstream media is the wonderful news that weekly death rates just hit their lowest point in the United States since March. The number of people dying from the coronavirus has gone down consistently since late April to early May. Week after week after week, the numbers continue to fall and this past week is no exception. It’s a milestone.
….In a certain way, our tremendous Testing success gives the Fake News Media all they want, CASES. In the meantime, Deaths and the all important Mortality Rate goes down. You don’t hear about that from the Fake News, and you never will. Anybody need any Ventilators???
It’s true. President Trump is 100% correct that death and mortality rates are dropping. More tests means more documented cases, but the press isn’t mentioning that fact. Mainstream media is either dishonest, lacking in critical thinking skills, or both.
In the latest Conservative News Brief, I broke down the unambiguous good news that death rates hit a milestone. But that’s not the narrative media has been instructed to highlight. Instead, they’re completely ignoring publicly available facts because that’s just not part of their agenda. It’s conspicuous that ZERO mainstream media outlets are taking the basic mathematical step to divide deaths by the “surging” number of cases. Why? Because doing so would reveal to Americans that the mortality rate for COVID-19 for those who are not elderly or with major pre-existing conditions is extremely low.
Healthy people under the age of 40 who test positive for COVID-19 aren’t dying at a rate anywhere near what they were in May. Those who do get hospitalized with the coronavirus are generally able to recover quickly. The weekly death toll continues to drop just as it has every week since the beginning of May.
Many, mostly Democrats, are locking down the nation again for the sake of rising cases. That’s a misleading number. The only true indicator is the death rate, and that’s dropping. These new mandates are even more untenable than the original ones. Here’s the podcast…
Join fellow patriots as we form a grassroots movement to advance the cause of conservatism. The coronavirus crisis has prompted many, even some conservatives, to promote authoritarianism. It’s understandable to some extent now, but it must not be allowed to embed itself in American life. We currently have 8000+ patriots with us in a very short time. If you are interested, please join us to receive updates.
This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you signed up to receive this newsletter on the RedState.com network OR a friend forwarded it to you. We respect and value your time and privacy. If this newsletter no longer meets your needs we will be happy to remove your address immediately.
Trump claims a COVID-19 vaccine will be available ‘long before the end of the year’: President Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that a therapeutic treatment and/or vaccine for COVID-19 will be around “long before the end of the year.” Speaking at his second annual Salute to America July 4th event in Washington, D.C., he also touted his administration’s ability to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. “Our strategy is moving along well,” he said. However, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that despite seeing an “unprecedented speed for the development of a vaccine,” he can’t predict when one will be available. COVID-19 cases in the United States have surged in the past week, with large states including Arizona, Florida and Texas struggling to contain recent outbreaks. Some leaders have also drawn links between reopening efforts and the increase in cases in their regions. “There’s no doubt that … when we reopened, people started socializing as if the virus didn’t exist,” Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego added that she is telling those in her city to stay home. “Events with more than 10 people are dangerous,” Gallego added. Get the latest mobile updates about the coronavirus here.
Remains of missing Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen identified: As unanswered questions loom over the case of Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen, the Army has identified her remains, her family’s lawyer, Natalie Khawam, said in a statement Sunday evening. Guillen, 20, had been missing since April 22 and was last seen in a parking lot on the Fort Hood base, according to military officials. Aaron David Robinson, a 20-year-old fellow Fort Hood soldier and one of the two suspects in the case, died by suicide on July 1 after being confronted by Killeen, Texas, police officers and federal marshals, investigators said. He was also one of the last people in touch with Guillen, based on cellphone records. The second suspect, Cecily Aguilar, 22, has been identified in court documents as Robinson’s girlfriend. According to court documents, she allegedly admitted to U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command investigators that Robinson told her he bludgeoned Guillen to death with a hammer. She claimed she helped him dispose of the victim’s body. Aguilar was arrested July 1 and charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. She’s expected in federal court in Waco, Texas, for arraignment today. Khawam and family members of Guillen have accused Robinson of sexually harassing Guillen. “She was afraid to report it. She reported it to her friends. She reported it to her family,” Guillen’s sister, Lupe Guillen, told ABC News. Now, Guillen’s family is calling for a congressional investigation into her death, and legislation to help protect both men and women in the military from sexual harassment.
Kanye West for president?: Rapper Kanye West tweeted Saturday evening that he’s running for president. “We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future,” West wrote. “I am running for president of the United States! #2020VISION.” It’s not apparent how serious West is about running, but it seems probably more likely he could be drumming up publicity for his upcoming album, “God’s Country,” and its first single, “Wash Us in the Blood,” which was released last week. If West does actually want to run for president, he would have to do so as an independent, which would require him to gather the necessary signatures to get on November’s ballot. However, the deadline has already passed in several states.
11-year-old sews 500 blankets and over 1,000 masks for kids in need: Lucy Blaylock of Gallatin, Tennessee, is comforting kids going through difficult times with her “Love Blankets.” After the 11-year-old made a quilt for her friend’s birthday, she decided to put together a blanket giveaway for children in need. Soon she was contacted by parents of children battling cancer, autism, bullies and more. So Lucy decided to make a blanket for all 16 who messaged her. “It feels good to know that I’m helping all these kids feel loved,” she told “GMA.” Since then, Lucy has made 500 blankets for kids in 14 countries and all over the U.S., spending two hours at her sewing machine for each one. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Lucy also started making masks for health care workers and for the Ronald McDonald House. “Kindness does matter. It always will,” Lucy said. “It makes the world a better place when we do kind acts.”
GMA Must-Watch
This morning on “GMA,” Chef JR Rusgrove helps us grill up some summer favorites! And Tamron Hall chats with us live about her talk show and how she thinks she has helped people embrace quarantine. Plus, with many people working from home, athleisure is on the rise as the new everyday uniform. Melissa Garcia joins us to talk about some of the most fashion-forward looks that work for at-home meetings. All this and more only on “GMA.”
“We must do something to stem the tide,” he said, “and we have this in our power to do it by following the guidance from the White House task force and the CDC.”
“People need to take it seriously,” he added.
Here are some other developments from the weekend:
Florida’s coronavirus cases surpassed 200,000 Sunday as the state added over 40,000 in just four days.
TrackU.S. hot spotswhere COVID-19 infection rates are rising.
The U.S. death toll from coronavirus has surpassed 130,000according to NBC News tally.
Nick Cordero and his wife Amanda Kloots in 2017. (Photo:D Dipasupil / FilmMagic file)
How Lincoln Project anti-Trump Republicans got into his head. Spoiler: It was easy.
The Lincoln Project, a super PAC run by a host of so-called never-Trump Republicans, has one major stated goal: to “defeat Trump and Trumpism” in 2020.
The never-Trumpers say the president has taken the bait so many times, he’s making their fundraising skyrocket.
“By attacking us, he’s become our biggest financial bundler,” said John Weaver, a prominent Republican operative and member of the Lincoln Project. “If we were an administration, we’d probably make him ambassador to Slovenia or something, because he’s raising so much money for us.”
Although the election is still months away, NBC News interviews with a number of Wisconsin voters, current and former lawmakers, party officials, political strategists, pollsters, politics watchers and union officials paint a picture of a critical battleground slipping from the president’s grasp.
“Trump is his own worst political enemy at times,” said one member of the Lincoln Project. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)
College students are preparing to return to campus in the fall. Is it worth it?
As universities unveil a patchwork of reopening plans ranging from in-person learning, remote classes or a hybrid model, college students are caught between a desire to return to campuses despite lingering coronavirus fears, or to continue remote learning while missing a more traditional college experience.
“No matter which way you slice it, it’s just a lose-lose situation,” one student said.
Students moving out of their University of Michigan dorm amid the coronavirus pandemic in March. (Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images file)
In Pamplona, the bulls aren’t running for the first time since the Spanish civil war
Pounding hooves and squeals of excitement as bulls charge toward the fleeing crowd of thousands of people will not be heard on the streets of Pamplona on Monday for the first time since Spain’s civil war.
Made famous by Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel “The Sun Also Rises,” the historic San Fermin bull-running festival normally draws hundreds of thousands of people from around the world to drink, dance and race through the streets of the Spanish city.
Although it has survived previous pandemics, this year’s event was canceled in April as the country’s coronavirus outbreak spiraled out of control.
“It’s so strange and sad,” said Carmelo Buttini Echarte, 52, one of the best-known bull runners, who said he has not missed a bull run in 40 years since his first at age 12.
People wore masks on June 20 in Pamplona, Spain, as they marched the route of the bull run. (Photo: Alvaro Barrientos / AP file)
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“That didn’t last long”: There were a number of arrests in the U.K. after pubs reopenedand it became abundantly clear drunk people are lousy at social distancing.
RIP Italian composer Ennio Morricone. The “Maestro” who created the coyote-howl theme for the iconic Spaghetti Western “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and the soundtracks for many other Hollywood films,has died. He was 91.
THINK about it
Americans have never been so unhappy. But, John F. Helliwell, editor of the World Happiness Report, writes in an opinion piece that things are beginning to look up.
Live BETTER
Here are some savory, sweet and refreshingsalad recipes to celebrate summer.
One interesting thing
Almost two thousand years ago, Pompeii was a densely populated, bustling city. Then, a cataclysm triggered by nature turned it overnight into a ghost town.
Sound familiar?
As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus, what can Pompeii teach us about heeding warnings from nature?
Watch thelast episodein our fascinating “Next Italian Renaissance” series.
If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — drop me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com
If you’re a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.
Thanks, Petra Cahill
NBC FIRST READ
From NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Carrie Dann and Melissa Holzberg
FIRST READ: Trump isn’t leading on the biggest issues of the day. It’s showing in the polls
If you want to understand why President Trump had such a rough June and now trails Joe Biden by double digits in numerous national polls, it largely boils down to this simple explanation.
He’s refused to lead on some of the biggest developments that have rocked this country.
REUTERS/Erin Scott
At a time when about two-thirds of voters are worried about catching the coronavirus and when more than 130,000 Americans have already died from it, the Trump administration is now messaging that the United States needs “to live with it.”
At a time when the U.S. unemployment rate is at its highest level since the Great Depression, the president is boasting about job numbers – even when they still show 11.1 percent of Americans are out of work.
At a time when clear majorities of voters say they support the protests responding to George Floyd’s death and see systemic discrimination against racial minorities, Trump has done the bare minimum when it comes to police reform, and he has defended Confederate monuments and generals.
And at a time when the public has learned about intelligence indicating that Russia offered bountiesto kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Trump has called it a hoax and hasn’t lifted a finger to punish Russia for the alleged action.
Americans expect their presidentsto lead on the biggest events of the day. To offer clarity. Or to at least promote a shared sense of purpose and unity.
Instead – despite all of these crises and events – Trump devoted his Fourth of July weekend railing against “the radical left, the Marxists, the anarchists, the agitators.”
Talk about leading from behind. Or not leading at all.
Trump on the Fourth of July
Speaking of Trump’s Fourth of July events, here’s how the Washington Post’s Dan Balz summed them up.
“President Trump, with two speeches in two days, has turned the Fourth of July from a joyful and unifying patriotic celebration of America’s founding values into a partisan political event. The damage could outlast his presidency.”
More:
“Trump knows his reelection campaign is in trouble. He sees the fight against this enemy of his creation as his pathway to victory in November. His political weapon of choice is exaggerated and at times racist rhetoric designed to pit Americans against Americans. Never in our lifetimes has the Independence Day holiday been used for such divisive and personal ends.”
And:
“In 3½ years as president, Trump has never tried to expand his appeal, never sought to win over those who opposed him in 2016, never truly appealed for unity. On the day that has spoken to unity more than any other on the calendar, he instead followed his preferred script.”
DATA DOWNLOAD: The numbers that you need to know today
130,937: The number of deaths in the United States from the virus so far.
35.51 million: The number of coronavirus TESTS that have been administered in the United States so far, according to researchers at The COVID Tracking Project.
27 days in a row: The number of days the United States has hit a new record in its seven-day rolling average of daily new cases
Three times: How much more likely Black and Latino Americans are to become infected with the virus than their white neighbors.
Two weeks: The length of Congress’s upcoming recess after lawmakers departed Washington without taking new action on coronavirus or economic stimulus.
41 years old: The age of Broadway actor Nick Cordero, who died of Covid-19 after battling it for nearly 100 days.
TWEET OF THE DAY: Factually incorrect
2020 VISION: Another Trump rally – this time with masks “encouraged”
Per NBC’s Monica Alba, President Trump will hold a campaign rally in Portsmouth, N.H., on Saturday, July 11.
Like Trump’s Tulsa rally on June 20, attendees have to sign a liability waiver in case they get coronavirus, Alba reports.
But unlike Tulsa, the Trump campaign says that wearing masks is “strongly encouraged,” Alba adds.
Another round of stimulus?
While the Senate continues its Fourth of July recess, lawmakers left Washington with more questions than answers when it came to another round of stimulus checks for Americans due to the coronavirus – and it’s unknown if the recent spike in cases will force Republicans’ hands.
NBC’s Sahil Kapur and Haley Talbot report: “Democrats want another round of direct stimulus payments to Americans up to $1,200 as coronavirus cases rise in dozens of states. President Donald Trump isn’t ruling it out. But Senate Republicans are on the fence or opposed, complicating its prospects.”
House Democrats’ most recent bill included another round of stimulus money, and Trump said, “I do support it” – before saying it would have to be “done properly.”
But Senate Republicans seem less enthralled with the idea. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said that stimulus money would have to depend on the economy, and pointed to “great unemployment numbers” in June – even though 11.1 percent of Americans are still out of work.
The Senate won’t reconvene until July 20, and then they’ll be taking up coronavirus relief, as well as police reform (maybe).
ICYMI: What ELSE is happening in the world?
NBC’s Allan Smith looks at how the Lincoln Project became so ubiquitous so fast.
Young voters are ready to embrace mail-in voting, a new survey finds. But they could struggle to figure out how to do it.
A staggering 40 out of 50 states are seeing coronavirus infections on the rise. Also, Broadway star Nick Cordero has died from complications of COVID-19. All that and all that matters in today’s Eye Opener. Your world in 90 seconds.
Watch Video +
40 states see rise in coronavirus cases
Watch Video +
Rayshard Brooks’ widow and George Floyd’s former partner meet
Watch Video +
Broadway star Nick Cordero dies after a monthslong battle with COVID-19
The energy sources that environmentalists want us to depend on are themselves dependent on overseas materials and components.
By Mark P. Mills National Review Online
July 5, 2020
Ideally officers would never need to take anyone’s life. But the data on police killings doesn’t support reducing or abolishing law enforcement.
By Heather Mac Donald USA Today
July 3, 2020
“Last summer, the city had 332,315 workers. The projected loss of 3,163 jobs is less than 1 percent of the number of workers.”
By Nicole Gelinas New York Post
July 6, 2020
The real problem with the NYPD budget isn’t officer headcount; it’s spiraling retiree fringe-benefit costs.
By Steven Malanga City Journal Online
July 2, 2020
“Today’s violent-crime increase — call it Ferguson Effect 2.0 or the Minneapolis Effect — has come on with a speed and magnitude that make Ferguson 1.0 seem tranquil.”
By Heather Mac Donald New York Post
July 4, 2020
Adapted from City Journal
With America and its cities still reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent civil unrest, Manhattan Institute scholars are charting a path forward at the federal, state, and local levels. Read more in the Summer 2020 update from president Reihan Salam.
Allison Schrager joins Brian Anderson to discuss economic trends in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, how the stock market has performed during the crisis, and why expensive infrastructure projects are a risky strategy for reviving the economy.
Manhattan Institute is a think tank whose mission is to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility.
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REALCLEARPOLITICS MORNING NOTE
07/06/2020
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Carl Cannon’s Morning Note
Presented by Author Steven Shafarman: Two V’s; America’s Ideals; Gerda and Kurt
By Carl M. Cannon on Jul 06, 2020 08:18 am
Good morning. It’s Monday, July 6, 2020. On this date in 1945, a 21-year-old Jewish refugee named Gerda Weissmann wrote a letter to an American officer she had met two months earlier when his unit liberated her and more than 100 other women along the border between Germany and Czechoslovakia.
The horrors of World War II were finally ending in Europe. If the fighting had lasted even another day or two, this emaciated young woman — she weighed less than 70 pounds — would likely have perished. But Gerda Weissmann survived the war, the only member of her family to do so. Then she thrived, first in a U.S. military hospital in Volary, Czechoslovakia, and later in upstate New York, which became her home.
Gerda knew nothing of this future as she wrote the letter, in the German language, to the soldier the other girls in the ward teasingly called “Gerda’s lieutenant.” His name was Kurt Klein, and he was an intelligence officer with the 2nd Regiment of the U.S. Army’s 5th Infantry Division.
Lt. Klein, who had turned 25 years old days before, left Gerda a single rose before his unit was ordered to Bavaria. In her July 6, 1945 letter, Gerda told Kurt that as part of her physical rehabilitation she had tried her hand at jewelry-making. Her first effort as an artisan, she wrote, was “a tiny star meant for you.”
Whether this was a six-sided Star of David or a five-sided star inspired by the white insignia of the U.S. Army that Gerda saw on the jeeps and tanks that rescued her, I do not know. But I do know something about the ensuing life story of Gerda Weissmann, whom I had dinner with years ago, and will share some of it with you in a moment. First, I’d point you to RealClearPolitics’ front page, which presents our poll averages, videos, breaking news stories, and aggregated opinion pieces spanning the political spectrum. We also offer original material from our own reporters and contributors, including the following:
* * *
Two V’s Will Determine Trump’s Election Fate. Sean Trende considers the impact of a sharp economic recovery and, conversely, a dramatic upswing nationwide in COVID-19 cases.
Is Strzok Memo the Rosetta Stone of Obamagate? By Frank Miele weighs in on cryptic handwritten notes from a Jan. 5, 2017, White House meeting.
False Trans Narrative Rewrites Stonewall History. Mark Hemingway spotlights facts at odds with news reports touting “transgender women of color” as leading the 1969 riots that ushered in the gay rights movement.
The Fierce Fight Over America’s Ideals and History. Charles Lipson assesses the protests and political movement roiling our nation, what brought us to this point, and where it all might lead.
“We Hold These Truths…” Equality and the American Soul. A baker’s dozen of thoughtful commentaries on the occasion of the nation’s 244th birthday can be found at RealClearPublicAffairs.
Equality Is Messy — and Magical. In one of those guest columns we published during the July 4 weekend, Irshad Manji illustrates the joys of pluralism through her personal connection to the Statue of Liberty.
The United States, National Traditions, and Human Rights. Peter Berkowitz previews aforthcoming Commission on Unalienable Rights report.
Court Should Reverse Flawed Antitrust Ruling. Joshua Wright explains why a bad decision in a 2018 breach-of-contract case could disrupt the tech industry.
David Brooks’ Wrong-Headed Assertion of COVID-19 “Humiliation.” RealClearMarkets editor John Tamny recalls common assumptions about AIDS in the 1980s and other precedents to question the New York Times columnist’s premise.
Lessening the Pandemic’s Energy Burden. In RealClearEnergy, Matthew Kandrach cites efforts to reform to an outdated 1978 law as key to helping cash-strapped Americans pay their utility bills.
* * *
Of all the senseless cruelties that epitomized the Second World War — and there were millions of them — the forced marches of prisoners from concentration camps in Poland in the war’s waning days are among the most depraved and maddening.
As the Red Army closed in on them from the east, SS units and labor camp commandants fled toward the German interior. Inexplicably, they forced their half-starving, barely clad prisoners to march with them. And so it was that Gerda Weissmann, who had been hauled away to the camps in 1939 at age 15 for the crime of being Jewish, found herself five-and-a-half years later among 1,350 women and girls, in the middle of winter, on what became known as the Volary Death March.
Along the way, SS guards starved and beat the prisoners — and shot those who straggled or tried to run away or simply got sick.
This final torture lasted 106 days and nights and covered some 550 miles. By the last days of this horror, Germany was about to fall, which the guards knew. The sadistic commander in charge ignored orders from Heinrich Himmler himself to stop killing prisoners and took to back roads to avoid Czech townspeople who wanted to feed the girls and American military units fanning through the countryside.
Finally, in the first week of May, as U.S. pilots began strafing any uniformed Germans still marching under arms, the SS guards melted away into the forest, leaving Gerda and the other surviving prisoners locked inside a shack at an abandoned bicycle factory.
When the 5th Army arrived in Volary on May 5, 1945, townspeople told them about the prisoners. Of the original 1,350 girls and women, some 116 were still alive when the American soldiers liberated them. White-haired and skeletal, they looked to the Americans to be elderly. Actually, most of them were very young. Gerda Weissmann was two days’ shy of her 21st birthday.
Kurt Klein and another soldier were among the first two Americans to approach the prisoners. Kurt asked Gerda a question in both English and in German. Knowing no English, she responded in German. So he spoke to her in that language, but in a tone she hadn’t heard in years.
“Don’t cry, my child,” he told her. “It’s all over now.”
Gerda struggled to absorb a seeming miracle: that these brave, able, confident, well-fed and well-armed — and kindhearted — Americans had crossed the ocean and a continent to fight for her freedom. The young lieutenant asked her another question: “May I see the other ladies?”
After six years of being demeaned and brutalized, the word “ladies” caught Gerda by surprise.
“We are Jews,” she said in a small voice.
“So am I,” replied Kurt Klein.
The young lieutenant was wearing sunglasses, so Gerda couldn’t see whether he had tears in his eyes when he made this statement, but she thought she heard a catch in his voice. She was right about that: Kurt Klein and his older sister and brother were born in Germany and had been sent to the United States to live with relatives after Kristallnacht convinced their parents that it was time for Jews to escape. But Klein’s parents never made it out in time and were murdered in the death camps, as were Gerda’s parents and brother. Klein was thinking of his own family as he attended to these abused, resilient refugees.
There would be time for Gerda and Kurt to discuss all that later, just as there would be time for Kurt to come courting in the hospital and give Gerda a first kiss and propose marriage and take her back to Buffalo and raise their children together.
All that, and much more, would unfold in the fullness of time for Gerda Weissmann Klein. In a 2011 White House ceremony, Barack Obama would drape the Presidential Medal of Freedom around her neck and praise her for reminding us all that “it is often in our most hopeless moments that we discover the extent of our strength and the depth of our love.”
But on a beautiful spring morning 75 years ago, there was only time to be admitted into the German military hospital that the Americans were using to treat death march survivors.
“Won’t you come with me?” Kurt asked as he opened the door for Gerda. Although she was almost too weak and overcome by what had happened to walk another step, that gallant gesture of holding the door helped Gerda summon her courage and her hope — and do just that.
President Obama’s February 2013 Presidential Policy Directive – Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience (PPD-21) established a policy “to strengthen the security and resilience of its critical infrastructure against both physical and cyber threats.” PPD-21 identified a total of sixteen critical infrastructure sectors and designated sector-specific agencies (SSAs) within the federal agencies to assist in protecting those sectors. On January 6, 2017, outgoing DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson designated U.S. election systems as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, a decision that was later affirmed by the Trump administration. Election infrastructure and all fifteen other Critical Infrastructure Sectors are both targets of America’s adversaries and dependent upon electricity to function.
On July 8th 2020, the Center’s Director of Infrastructure – Tommy Waller – will interview George Cotter, a veteran cryptologist, to discuss the cyber threat landscape to America’s critical infrastructures. They will discuss the nexus between enemy cyberattacks on election infrastructure in 2016, what the U.S. government did to curb such attacks in 2018, and what we can expect throughout the rest of 2020. They will also discuss what America’s adversaries are doing to target the one infrastructure upon which all others depend – the electric grid – and what Americans can do to help defend it.
On July 4 a massive explosion and fire in the Ahvaz area of Iran’s southwest erupted in a local power plant, followed by a chemical leak from another facility in the same general area.
President Trump marked the July 4th weekend with a pair of speeches that tackled directly and courageously the Marxist revolution that has rocked the nation in recent weeks. From Mount Rushmore and then the White House, he spoke to – and for – those of us horrified by the radical left’s intensifying assault on our history, our society and our country.
In the process, Mr. Trump put into sharp focus the choice looming this fall. Will voters repudiate the anarchic violence and destruction that is clearly aimed, not just at toppling statues, but at taking down our constitutional Republic? Will those who appease, if not actively support, the perpetrators prevail?
Or will we, instead, reject such behavior and those associated with it? Will we repudiate race-baiting and fundamentally anti-American identity politics and stand up for the freedoms we hold dear?
What say you?
This is Frank Gaffney.
DAVID GOLDMAN, Author of How Civilizations Die.Best known for his series of essays in the Asia Times under the pseudonym Spengler
New national security law enacted in Hong Kong
Are Beijing’s intimidation tactics working?
Should the US follow India’s lead in banning Tik-Tok?
JEFF NYQUIST, Author of the book Origins of the Fourth World War and The New Tactics of Global War:
China’s history of smuggling weapons into the US
An overview of the attacks on American symbols
SAM FADDIS, Former CIA Ops Officer, Spent twenty years as an Operations officer in the Middle East, South Asia and Europe, Former Candidate for Congress, Senior Subject Matter Expert at Axon/Lockheed Martin:
How the RNC may be exposed to radical elements
The true objectives of Marxists in America
DR. MARK SCHNEIDER, Senior Analyst with the National Institute for Public Policy, Longtime career in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy:
The nature of the challenge we face from Russia
Would Russia and China comply with an arms control agreement?
Implications of US adversaries demanding unverifiable arrangements
Below is a sneak peek of this content! In a recent column I asked this question: Is there a new silent majority in America like the one that surfaced 50 years ago and helped Richard Nixon win the White House, twice. And if there is, are these “ordinary” Americans repulsed by… CONTINUE Read More »
Bernard Goldberg, the television news reporter and author of Bias, a New York Times number one bestseller about how the media distort the news, is widely seen as one of the most original writers and thinkers in broadcast journalism. He has covered stories all over the world for CBS News and has won 13 Emmy awards for excellence in journalism. He won six Emmys at CBS, and seven at HBO, where he now reports for the widely acclaimed broadcast Real Sports. [Read More…]
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On the menu today: Why the destruction-driven movement to topple statues is destined to fail, Senator Tammy Duckworth finds her unorthodox signature issue as a potential running mate, and some big booms on Independence Day weekend far from the United States.
Movements Driven by the Impulse to Destroy Aren’t Built to Last
We are witnessing terribly destructive forces unleashed in our country right now, but we should not despair — in large part because destructive forces cannot create things.
History is full of destructive forces than can inflict great pain and suffering, but that cannot leave any lasting legacy: the Axis Powers, the Manson Family, al-Qaeda and ISIS. Destructive forces can shape our lives, but they do so mostly in temporary ways. Once their destruction stops, they get forgotten, left on “the ash heap of history.”
Did Occupy Wall Street leave a lasting impact on American life, or, with the passage of time, does it seem more like a cringe-inducing gathering of young people play-acting as revolutionaries and just leaving a mess in Zuccotti Park? Can the Weather Underground or FALN really say they changed America for … READ MORE
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How Facebook is combating hate and voter suppression in the US 2020 election
Facebook is taking critical, new steps to protect its platforms and the upcoming election:
“Makes an original and compelling case for nationalism . . . A fascinating, erudite—and much-needed—defense of a hallowed idea unfairly under current attack.” — Victor Davis Hanson
TRUMP: President Trump will hold a rally in Portsmouth, NH on Saturday, July 11. The campaign says that masks will be distributed and wearing them will be “strongly encouraged.” (release)
ME SEN: A Public Policy Polling survey (July 2-3; 1,022 RVs; +/-3.1%) found state House Speaker Sara Gideon (D) ahead of Sen. Susan Collins (R), 46%-42%. The poll also found Joe Biden leading President Trump, 53%-42%. (release)
IA SEN: Sen. Joni Ernst (R) launched her first TV ad Monday, which highlights her background as a former battalion commander and retired lieutenant colonel. In the ad, Ernst warns that the US relies “on communist China for far too much, from technology to medicine.” (release)
AL SEN: Former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville (R) “had a brief stint as co-owner of a hedge fund” after his time at Auburn. Tuberville partnered “with a former Lehman Brothers broker named John David Stroud. Their ventures, which included TS Capital Management and TS Capital Partners … turned out to be a financial fraud. Mr. Stroud was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Mr. Tuberville was sued by investors, who accused him of fraud and violating his fiduciary duty to take care of their investments; he reached a private settlement in 2013.” (New York Times)
CO SEN: “Republicans are banking on” former Gov. John Hickenlooper‘s (D) “personal faults and previous missteps to sink him, but Democrats believe that the race will come down to the public’s perception of” Sen. Cory Gardner’s (R) “role in … Trump’s Republican Party.” Democrats quickly united after the primary turned negative in the final weeks, a sign that progressives will be encouraged not to hold a grudge against Hickenlooper in the general. (Hotline reporting)
NY-02: State Assemblyman Mike LiPetri (R) conceded the primary to state Assemblyman Andrew Garbarino (R), “clearing a path” for Garbarino to “become the Republican nominee for the seat long held” by retiring Rep. Peter King (R). Babylon Town Councilwoman Jackie Gordon (D) is the likely Democratic nominee. (Newsday)
NC SEN: The NRSC launched its first TV ad in the race on Sunday, taking aim at former state Sen. Cal Cunningham (D). The spot links Cunningham to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14), and says “he’s bankrolled by Green New Deal radicals and wants government-run health care.” (release)
MONTANA: Sen. Steve Daines (R) went up with his first negative TV spot on Friday, contrasting his health care platform with Gov. Steve Bullock’s (D). The ad links Bullock to Biden and Pelosi as supporters of “government-controlled health care.” (Bloomberg Government) The Republican Governors Association is out with their first ad buy in the governor’s race, a six-figure investment across television and radio platforms that criticizes Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney (D) for 44 years as a “political insider.” (release)
MI SEN: Sen. Gary Peters (D) launched his third TV ad Monday, a positive spot focused on rebooting the economy in the wake of the coronavirus. Peters emphasizes “putting Main Street before Wall Street” and “expanding American manufacturing to create jobs here in Michigan.” (release)
KS SEN: “The Kansas Republican Party has canceled its final debate before the August … primary after three of the candidates threatened to boycott over format changes they allege are designed to benefit” Rep. Roger Marshall (R-01). (Kansas City Star)
FLORIDA: A Trafalgar Group poll (Jun. 29-Jul. 2; 1,072 LVs; +/-2.9%) found Biden and Trump tied at 46%. (release)
REPUBLICANS: Republican candidates raised more than “$275 million on WinRed” in the second quarter of 2020. $142 million was raised in June. (Politico) Roughly 58% of the quarterly haul went to Trump, according to WinRed President Gerrit Lansing. WinRed did not provide a detailed breakdown of how much was raised by House or Senate candidates so the platform could “focus on this big number,” Lansing said. (Hotline reporting)
BIDEN: Biden’s campaign announced senior staff in Florida. Jackie Lee was named state director. Brandon Thompson will serve as coordinated director. Florida Democratic Party executive director Juan Peñalosa and attorney Karen Andre were named senior advisers. (Politico)
President Trump’s recent comments on racial issues have already dismayed some in his party. Those tensions could flare up in the coming weeks over a defense spending bill, which includes a provision to rename military bases honoring Confederate generals. With Trump promising to veto the bill over that provision, the debate could help set the Republican Party’s course on race, although key congressional Republicans have yet to take definitive stances. Mitch McConnell said he hoped Trump wouldn’t veto the bill because of the renaming issue, but the Senate majority leader’s latest ad employs similar tactics to those the president has used recently: celebrating monuments and vilifying protestors. And over the weekend, Sen. Joni Ernst said that she also wanted him to sign the bill, nonetheless leaving options open on the question of renaming the bases. — Mini Racker
Fresh Brewed Buzz
Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-MT AL) and Montana state Auditor Matt Rosendale (R), who is the House nominee, “are self-quarantining after Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., tested positive for the coronavirus several days after she and Trump Jr. attended a campaign event at Big Sky.” (Billings Gazette)
Trump’s Cabinet members “are busy making time in pivotal states. They are carrying a message to voters about what the Trump administration is doing for them. At the same time, there are questions about whether these agency heads are running afoul of a law meant to bar overt campaigning by federal officials on the taxpayer tab.” (AP)
“To voters unsettled by” Trump’s “disruptive approach to the world,” Biden “is selling not only his policy prescriptions but also his long track record of befriending, cajoling and sometimes confronting foreign leaders—what he might call the power of his informal diplomatic style.” (New York Times)
Mississippi state Rep. Bo Brown (D) “confirmed he received a positive test result Thursday, a day after legislators departed the Capitol. … He is the first state lawmaker to publicly report a” coronavirus “case, though at least two Capitol employees and a police officer have tested positive since March.” (Jackson Clarion-Ledger)
“Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh rejected an application on Saturday from the Illinois Republican Party challenging” Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s (D) “executive order banning large political gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic.” (The Hill)
“Prince Andrew’s lawyers had discussions with” lobbyist Robert Stryk “about the possibility of assisting the prince with fallout from his relationship with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.” Stryk, “who is well connected in Trump administration foreign policy circles, owns a company called Sonoran Policy Group, which casts itself as ‘global private diplomacy’ firm.” (New York Times)
Libertarian Party nominee Jo Jorgensen “has appeared on a podcast associated with the anti-government ‘boogaloo’ movement just days after an adherent of the movement was arrested for allegedly murdering two law enforcement officers.” (The Guardian)
At a drive-thru voting center in Chaffee County, CO, voters have been arriving to cast ballots on horseback, in a raft, and on rollerskates. (KUSA)
“The Biden campaign is launching a new initiative” on Monday called #TeamJoeTalks “that will draft Hollywood celebrities for Instagram Live chats with campaign officials and other Biden supporters.” (Axios)
“God bless America.” — Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh, on Kanye West’s announcement that he’s running for president (ABC News)
Rooster’s Crow
The House is in at 2 p.m. for a pro forma session. The Senate is in at 11:15 a.m. for a pro forma session.
Trump meets with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at 11:30 a.m.
Swizzle Challenge
Presidents John Quincy Adams and Andrew Johnson were elected to Congress following their presidencies.
Eric Heigis won Friday’s challenge. Here’s his challenge: There are only four state capitals not directly connected to the interstate highway system. Which states are they in?
A couple in Martinez, California, peacefully painted over the city-sanctioned giant yellow “Black Lives Matter” lettering in the middle of the road on the Fourth… Read more…
Six Democrat-led cities accounted for 600 deaths over a 6 week period. Unfortunately there were more deaths this week and BLM doesn’t care. After explaining… Read more…
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After almost a year of study, public meetings, and deliberations, the State Department’s Commission on Unalienable Rights is readying a report for public release. Worries abound on Capitol Hill, in the universities, and among NGOs.
The brand of all cultural revolutions is untruth about the past and present in order to control the future. Why we have this happening to our country is the only mystery left.
Forget about “AI” itself: it’s all about the math, and America is failing to train enough citizens in the right kinds of mathematics to remain dominant.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the movement among Senate Democrats to get rid of the filibuster entirely is gaining steam. I think this is a bad idea and will lead to more polarized politics.
I read Stephanie Kelton’s book, The Deficit Myth: Modern Monetary Theory and the Birth of the People’s Economy,” and wrote this review for the Wall Street Journal. Now that 30 days have passed I can post the whole thing.
If you’re a fan of the Netflix series The Politician and have yet to binge-watch the second season, please don’t read any further as I’m about to reveal some plot-spoilers.
Yes. That’s the San Francisco Chronicle digital headline, and it’s true all over the United States of America, with some exceptions like Mount Rushmore last night and DC tonight. Back in 2010, I started writing on each July 4th about the exploding fireworks and comparing them to the exploding long term projections of the federal debt by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
When Independence Day comes around, we mostly celebrate what we’re free from. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed our freedom from the King, from his abolishing our laws and taxing us without consent.
This paper situates the Islamic State’s ideological instruction and training documents collected as part of The ISIS Files project within the broader debate between Islamic State scholars over the acceptability of takfir (excommunication). Among other artifacts, the paper examines controversial treatises issued by the Islamic State’s Committee for Research and Fatwas on the legitimate bases for takfir.
by David Altig, Scott R. Baker, Jose Maria Barrero, Nick Bloom, Phil Bunn, Scarlet Chen, Steven J. Davis, Brent Meyer, Emil Mihaylov, Paul Mizen, Nick Parker, Thomas Renault, Pawel Smietanka, Greg Thwaites via Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago
Most indicators of economic uncertainty in the US and UK reached their highest values on record following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with peaks varying among indicators and along differing timelines
Economist Robert Lerman of the Urban Institute talks about apprenticeships with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Lerman argues that apprenticeships–a combination of work experience and classroom learning–have the potential to expand opportunities for young people who don’t want to attend college.
A professor of political science at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Joshua Dunn, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, and the implications it could have for school choice and religious-school parents
COVID-19 has a proven antiviral remedy called Remdesivir, but buying up three months’ worth of the drug’s global supplies has put the United States in the crosshairs of international criticism, making America look both heartless and hypocritical.
Possibly because of the long weekend and possibly because the unemployment numbers don’t make Donald Trump look bad, there hasn’t been as much commentary as I had expected on the June unemployment numbers.
interview with Scott W. Atlas via Examining Politics Podcast
Hoover Institution fellow Scott Atlas sheds some perspective and context on the latest data involving a rise (or spike) in Covid-19 cases and how those numbers don’t translate to Covid illnesses, hospitalizations or deaths. Atlas makes the case that there is no scientific basis for the continued shutdown protocols instituted by several governors.
interview with Kiron K. Skinner via Center for Strategic & International Studies
Hoover Institution fellow Kiron Skinner discusses racism in the U.S., tragically evidenced by the killings of Black men and women at the hands of police and reflected in the disparate impact of Covid-19 on people of color, and why these issues should be addressed as a fundamental issue of human rights, but also as national security issues, and how we can empower civic engagement through revitalized civics education in addressing it.
Hoover Institution fellow Steven Davis discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic is not only a health crisis but also a job reallocation shock. It could leave a mass of displaced workers with the wrong skills. Davis talks about the job training needed during the recovery and best practices in the field.
interview with John Yoo via The Federalist Society
Hoover Institution fellow John Yoo talks about recent events including updates on the Michael Flynn case, the Supreme Court decision on DACA, recent unrest and free speech issues, and more.
Makur Maker, one of the nation’s top-ranked prospects, announced Friday that he has committed to play college basketball at Howard University, over more established programs such as UCLA or Kentucky, stating a desire “to make the HBCU movement real so that others will follow.”
As beaches are closed for the 4th of July and even Texas starts to roll back towards COVID-19 lockdown, it sure seems like the goalposts have shifted. The purpose of public health policy went from slow the spread, to flatten the curve, and now seems to stop the spread altogether. Dr. Scott Atlas, a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, says the idea of preventing infection is not just unnecessary; it is irrational.
Joe Biden talking about systemic racism on the Fourth of July is pretty outrageous, especially given that he has been in a leadership position in the “system” for 50 years. Also, his main accomplishment was the 1994 crime bill that put more black and brown people in jail for more extended periods.
Anytime things go from widely disputed to sudden, virtually-overnight national “scientific consensus,” it’s probably a good idea to be a wee bit skeptical. So it goes with the forced universal masking issue.
On June 2, Facebook user interface engineer Brandon Dail tweeted, “I asked @Vjeux to follow @reactjs’s lead and add a statement of support to Recoil’s docs and he privately refused, claiming open source shouldn’t be political. Intentionally not making a statement is already political. Consider that next time you think of Recoil.”
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University.
Thank you for subscribing to the Hoover Daily Report.
This email was sent to: rickbulow1974@gmail.com
@DaybreakInsider
New Jersey holds congressional primaries Tuesday, facing a raft of problems with its rapid shift to nearly all-mail elections, cut-throat contests in two competitive districts, and some challenges to incumbents generating buzz. Read More…
Real policy disagreements are likely to resurface when the full House takes up its defense policy bill later this summer. Chief among those could be the Trump administration’s aggressive response to the nationwide protests that stemmed from the killing of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. Read More…
Medicaid experts and public health officials are pushing Congress to increase federal funding for the program for low-income people, as the COVID-19 pandemic pushes more individuals into government-sponsored coverage. Read More…
From confusion on the Senate floor over just-passed bills to mask-related small talk and petty squabbling, lawmakers were clearly ready to get out of Washington for the Fourth of July recess as Friday’s Congressional Hits and Misses attested. Read More…
OPINION — The prospect of retroactively rewriting insurance contracts to cover business losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic is alarming. If such drastic measures are taken, businesses and consumers will pay the price and the sanctity of legal contracts will be undermined. Read More…
Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth has put a blanket hold on 1,100 military promotions until Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper assures her in writing that impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alex Vindman will not be punished for his testimony. Read More…
We have not, to date, devoted much virtual ink to the Great Statue Toppling, where isolated hordes of rioters across the country have in recent weeks torn down monuments mostly—but not always—of Confederate generals. This vandalism is often both random (more in service of destruction itself, rather than any particular ideology) and a local issue (the response lies with individual mayors and police departments in individual cities and towns).
In her appearance at Mt. Rushmore on July 3, the First Lady wore a dress that got some attention from Twitter trolls. First, the fashion from John Binder’s 
![[VIDEO: Student's visual effects catch Hollywood's eye]](https://i0.wp.com/s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/200704_gma_norman2_hpMain_1x1_384.jpg?resize=125%2C125&ssl=1)
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![[PHOTO: 13-year-old Ty Cash celebrated graduating middle school with some epic dance moves while rocking his cap and gown.]](https://i0.wp.com/s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/200702_boydancing_ca_hpMain_1x1_384.jpg?resize=125%2C125&ssl=1)
July 06 2020
On the menu today: Why the destruction-driven movement to topple statues is destined to fail, Senator Tammy Duckworth finds her unorthodox signature issue as a potential running mate, and some big booms on Independence Day weekend far from the United States.
“Makes an original and compelling case for nationalism . . . A fascinating, erudite—and much-needed—defense of a hallowed idea unfairly under current attack.” — Victor Davis Hanson
Episode 307: America on… 
British Army May Be… 
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