Category: black electoral politics

Biden Speaks Once More, With Feeling

“You know me.” It’s one of Joseph R. Biden’s most-used lines, a folksy introduction, a deflection and a defense.Fact-check: It’s true. Mr. Biden has been around long enough to be on his third presidential run in four decades. Long enough to have had a dubious role in the 1991 Senate sexual harassment testimony of Anita

Joe Biden delivers the speech of his lifetime, at exactly the right time

Anyone who had been listening to Trump or Trump’s cadre of Republican trolls had to be watching in expectation that Biden would fumble and fuddle his way through the evening. After all, to listen to Trump, Biden can barely get through a sentence. Those people were very, very disappointed tonight. Everyone else was carried away

Michael Bloomberg tells America to ‘fire’ Trump in convention speech

Michael Bloomberg accused President Trump of cozying up to white supremacists in a speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention on Thursday night where he asked voters to fire the commander in chief. “Four years ago I came before this very convention and said, ‘New Yorkers know a con when we see one,’” the former

73 Republican Former National Security Officials Call Trump Dangerously Unfit And Endorse Biden

Seventy-three Republican former national security officials, including four former Trump officials, have endorsed Joe Biden for president. The statement from the former officials said in part: While we – like all Americans – had hoped that Donald Trump would govern wisely, he has disappointed millions of voters who put their faith in him and has

Former Postal Governor Tells Congress Mnuchin Politicized Postal Service

Lawmakers of both parties, along with civil rights groups and state attorneys general, have raised concerns about the operational changes given the growing likelihood that many Americans will need to vote by mail this November because of the coronavirus pandemic. At a time when Mr. Trump is attacking mail-in voting, voting rights advocates fear that

Facebook Removes 790 QAnon Groups to Fight Conspiracy Theory

“There needs to be a real change in how these platforms think about conspiracy theories and the real-world harm they cause,” said Cindy Otis, vice president of analysis for Alethea Group, an organization that investigates disinformation. “Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen QAnon move much faster than the social media platforms to

Kamala Harris makes history as her vice presidential nomination is made official

Greetings America. It is truly an honor to be speaking with you. That I am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me. Women and men who believed so fiercely in the promise of equality, liberty, and justice for all. This week marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the

Kamala Harris says ‘road ahead will not be easy’ in DNC speech

Kamala Harris spoke of the “awesome responsibility” of being crowned the Democratic vice presidential nominee during a convention address on Wednesday, where she warned the fight ahead could get rocky. In a speech honoring her mother, an Indian-born scientist, female suffragettes who secured the right to vote and her running mate Joe Biden, the senator

Obama Returns to the DNC With a Chance to Rescue His Legacy From Trump

“But he never did,” Mr. Obama said in the excerpts. “He’s shown no interest in putting in the work, no interest in finding common ground, no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends, no interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality

Pence Brags About Manufacturing Jobs as Trump Calls for Boycott of Goodyear

On Wednesday night, Barack Obama will be speaking at the Democratic National Convention. Knowing that this oration will be hotly anticipated by many Americans, the Trump administration is focused on attacking the 44th President. Mike Pence tried to do so on Wednesday by comparing the manufacturing jobs created by Obama to those created by Donald

DNC’s 5 Biggest Moments: Jill Biden, AOC and More

[Tonight’s DNC Schedule, Streaming and Speakers.]The surreal nature of the virtual proceedings this week did not fade on the second night of the Democratic National Convention.But it became clear that, for all that’s lost in the absence of an in-person convention, some things are gained: The roll call vote, normally a raucous but somewhat tedious

Watching Bill Clinton and Jill Biden at the Democratic National Convention? Talk about it here

Dr. Jill Biden Night One of the strangest Democratic National Convention ever went off surprisingly well, capped by another memorable Michelle Obama speech. Can Night Two, which is headlined by former President Bill Clinton and former second lady Dr. Jill Biden, repeat Night One’s success? The main hour of programming begins at 10 PM ET.  You can watch

Democrats Nominate Biden for President, Delivering Long-Sought Prize

Democrats formally nominated Joseph R. Biden Jr. for the presidency on Tuesday night, anointing him as their standard-bearer against President Trump with an extraordinary virtual roll call vote that showcased the cultural diversity of their coalition and exposed a generational gulf that is increasingly defining the party.Denied the chance to assemble in Milwaukee because of

Sean Hannity Humiliates Himself While Trying To Attack AOC

Sean Hannity tried to attack AOC for her speech seconding the nomination of Sen. Bernie Sanders, but he only embarrassed himself. After AOC gave the perfunctory seconding, Hannity said, “Wow, did I hear that right?…Is she going to say second the nomination for Bolshevik Bernie? Did I hear that right?” Ari Fleischer then had to

For Bill Clinton, at DNC, a Chance to Address a Party That Has Left Him Behind

Mr. Clinton remains a complicated figure in many parts of the country. The emergence of the #MeToo movement prompted a reappraisal among some on the left about the various accusations of sexual misconduct lodged against him, not just the affair with Monica S. Lewinsky that he eventually admitted to, but allegations of harassment or assault

Democrats highlight Black Lives Matter on first night of convention

But the movement for Black lives was present throughout the night, not confined to a single moment. Nominees don’t usually appear until the final night of a convention, when they accept the nomination, but Joe Biden appeared Monday night in a recorded conversation about systemic racism with Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner; Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot;

Democrats Begin Virtual Convention, Hailing Biden and Denouncing Trump

In this way, the program was reminiscent of Hillary Clinton’s convention four years ago, when the party also tried to bring along its left flank but spent even more time seeking to portray Mr. Trump as an outlier far removed from the political mainstream.The specter of a Trump presidency back then, however, was a theoretical

Michelle Obama delivers epic speech on the opening night of the Democratic convention

Good evening, everyone. It’s a hard time, and everyone’s feeling it in different ways. And I know a lot of folks are reluctant to tune into a political convention right now or to politics in general. Believe me, I get that. But I am here tonight because I love this country with all my heart,

Michelle Obama Drops A Truth Bomb And Obliterates Trump

Former First Lady Michelle Obama closed out night one of the Democratic convention that destroyed Trump with total honesty. Obama said: So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do

Trump as a Candidate: Racism, Conspiracies and a War on the USPS

“It’s not that we simply shrug and move on in the face of a scandal. It’s that there’s immediately a new scandal to focus on,” she said. “One scandal is something you can sink your teeth into and focus on. Hundreds become white noise.”One person’s scandal is another’s moment of authenticity or admirable demonstration of

Just how tough is life getting for Republicans? All of our new race ratings changes favor Democrats

Perhaps most importantly, though, surveys also show Donald Trump in considerably worse shape in South Carolina four years after he carried it by a wide 55-41 margin: FiveThirtyEight’s polling average currently shows him ahead just 50-44 there. It would still be a massive surprise if Joe Biden carried the Palmetto State, but the better he

Democratic National Convention Night 1: What To Know

[Speakers, start time, schedule and more: Here’s how to watch the Democratic National Convention.]The first-ever virtual convention begins tonight, as Democrats gather — sort of — to nominate Joseph R. Biden Jr. for the presidency and Senator Kamala Harris of California as his running mate. Even with coronavirus-imposed restrictions, the speeches over the next few

The Political Conventions Are Starting. Here’s What to Expect.

“I accept —” “— your nomination —” “— for president —” “— of the United States.” [cheers and applause] The conventions. “It’s when a lot of people start taking the race seriously.” “I’ve been to pretty much every convention since 1988.” “Read my lips.” “Normally, a convention is wild.” But in 2020, things are a

It’s Convention Time: 2-Minute Speeches, No Pomp, a Forlorn Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE — In a year of canceled plans, with vacations, graduations and sports seasons upended by the coronavirus crisis, the stretch of downtown Milwaukee where Democrats were supposed to hold their nominating convention this week was quiet and sparsely populated — another reminder of a summer lost.Instead of thousands of Democrats preparing to gather at

Public Pressure Works As Postmaster General To Stop Removing Mailboxes

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy confirmed that he will stop having mailboxes removed until after the presidential election. NPR reported: JUST IN: The U.S. Postal Service confirms to NPR that it’s postponing the removal of mailboxes for the next 90 days. The action comes as the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform called on

USPS and Mail-In Ballots: States Warned It May Not Meet Deadlines

WASHINGTON — The Postal Service has warned states that it may not be able to meet their deadlines for delivering last-minute mail-in ballots, further fueling the clash over the new postmaster general’s handling of vote-by-mail operations as President Trump continued to rail against the practice.In letters sent in July to all 50 states and the

Senators Criticize Guantánamo Prison Coronavirus Plan

This article was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.A group of Democratic senators said Friday that they were worried about the military’s ability to handle a coronavirus outbreak at the wartime prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, after the Pentagon told Congress that it could maintain just four of the 40 detainees

Trump and the corrupt lackeys in his government need to know they will be prosecuted

Trump has surrounded himself with self-interested sycophants and corrupt grifters who have wielded enormous power within our government structure. The entire tenure of Betsy DeVos, Andrew Wheeler, Ryan Zinke, and Wilbur Ross (to name just a few), whom Trump placed in charge of our federal agencies over the past four years, has been dedicated to

Trump defends USPS boss Louis DeJoy amid protests

President Trump on Saturday doubled down in support of US Postal Service honcho Louis DeJoy, calling him a “fantastic man” amid protests outside of the official’s home over mail-in-ballot concerns and service cuts. “He’s a fantastic man; he wants to make the Post Office great again,” Trump said during an evening news conference at Trump

Stupid Trump tries to cheat, but screws his own voters instead

Trump’s attacks on the U.S. Postal Service will cement his landslide loss, and take down even more Republicans than was already the case.  First of all, here’s Trump’s stark reality: he’s got zero juice in urban America and he’s lost the suburbs. All that’s left are rural communities. HIs party is inextricably tied to that, as