Summary
From me and Joan E Greve:
- Joe Biden announced plans to visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, tomorrow, as protests continue over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The Democratic presidential nominee said he hoped to be a “positive influence” to help bring the community together, after Trump visited the city yesterday and called for “law and order”. Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, will also meet with Blake’s father and other members of his family.
- Biden called the closure of US schools a “national emergency” in a speech delivered in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden argued schools would be safely open now “if President Trump and his administration had done their jobs” in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Trump traveled to Wilmington, North Carolina, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the second world war. Although it was an official White House event, the president couldn’t resist getting in a dig against his Democratic opponent. After mentioning he traveled to North Carolina with a 97-year-old veteran, Trump said of the man, “He’s 100% sharp. I know a 78-year-old that’s not so sharp, but he’s 97, and he’s 100%.”
- The president suggested, while in North Carolina, that voters should commit fraud by voting twice – once by mail and once in person. Trump, who has been sowing misinformation about voting, suggested that voters “test” for fraud by breaking the law and attempting to cast two ballots, in response to a question about whether he’s confident in the mail-in voting system.
- Attorney general William Barr, in an interview with CNN, parroted many of the president’s false claims about mail-in voting, policing and leftwing violence. Barr claimed that foreign countries could interfere in elections with counterfeit ballots but said he did not have evidence to prove it; rather, he was basing his assertion “on logic”. On policing, Barr defied logic and denied that police discrimination against Black Americans amounted to racism.
- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent, the German government announced. The US National Security Council condemned the poisoning of Navalny, a fervent critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, but Trump has not yet addressed the news.
- The moderators of the presidential debates were announced. Fox News’ Chris Wallace, C-Span’s Steve Scully and NBC News’ Kristen Welker will moderate the three presidential debates, and USA Today’s Susan Page will moderate the vice-presidential debate.
Updated
A Bay Area police officer has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in the shooting of a Black man in a Walmart store in April.
The district attorney in California’s Alameda county announced the charge against officer Jason Fletcher, 49, in the killing Steven Taylor, 33. Responding to a call about a possible shoplifter with a baseball bat at a Walmart, Fletcher fired first his taser and then his pistol at Taylor, killing him.
Prosecutors said Taylor posed no immediate threat to Fletcher and was stumbling after the officer shot him with a taser.
My colleague Sam Levin reported earlier that Taylor may have been experiencing a mental health crisis when he was apprehended:
Lee Merritt, an attorney for Taylor’s family, said Taylor was going through a mental health crisis on Saturday afternoon, and that he has previously suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar depression. “He was shot after he had become completely helpless and no longer represented a threat,” Merritt told the Guardian on Monday.
Merritt said he wasn’t sure yet whether police shot Taylor with a Taser or bullet after he was already down, and that an autopsy was under way.
Merritt also alleged that the officers provided insufficient care once Taylor was shot. “Their job, according to standard operating procedures, was to get Mr Taylor help. He had been seriously wounded and was suffering from a mental health crisis. They had to treat him quickly. They did the opposite and exacerbated his injuries,” Merritt said.
Updated
Trump suggested people should vote twice, which would be illegal
Donald Trump told voters in North Carolina they should vote twice, once by mail and once in person, even though doing so would be illegal.
The president was in Wilmington, North Carolina, for an event today. Asked whether he has confidence in the mail-in voting system, the president suggested voters break the law.
“Let them send it [their mail-in ballot] in and let them go vote, and if their system’s as good as they say it is, then obviously they won’t be able to vote. If it isn’t tabulated, they’ll be able to vote,” Trump said. “So that’s the way it is. And that’s what they should do.”
President Trump appears to encourage people to vote twice, in person and by mail, which could lead to voter fraud @JDiamond1 reports @PamelaBrownCNN pic.twitter.com/xEN0gOb3Fu
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) September 2, 2020
Trump made similar comments during the lead-up to the 2016 election. Even as he sows mistrust in the voting system, falsely insisting that it is rife with fraud, the president in this case is himself encouraging voter fraud.
Updated
A Fox News poll finds that voters in Arizona, North Carolina, and Wisconsin favor Joe Biden over Donald Trump.
Trump won all three states in 2016. The survey of likely voters, taken after the party conventions, found Biden ahead by nine points in Arizona, four points in North Carolina, and eight points in Wisconsin.
In Wisconsin, as protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake continue, likely voters preferred Biden over Trump on criminal justice and policing – 47% to 43%. In Arizona, more voters trusted Biden than Trump to handle coronavirus, by 17 points. Overall, Biden drew more support from women and suburban voters.
Updated
Eighty-one American winners of Nobel prizes in the fields of chemistry, medicine and physics have endorsed Joe Biden for president, based on the candidate’s support for science.
An open letter signed by the laureates asserts that the United States is at a unique historical crossroads demanding that leaders “appreciate the value of science”. The Biden campaign released the letter on Wednesday.
The letter from the Nobel laureates endorses Biden with three sentences:
At no time in our nation’s history has there been a greater need for our leaders to appreciate the value of science in formulating public policy. During his long record of public service, Joe Biden has consistently demonstrated his willingness to listen to experts, his understanding of the value of international collaboration in research, and his respect for the contribution that immigrants make to the intellectual life of our country. As American citizens and as scientists, we wholeheartedly endorse Joe Biden for President.
The letter does not make explicit reference to the coronavirus pandemic or to the climate emergency, but it does single out an issue outside the expertise of the signatories: immigration.
Biden respects “the contribution that immigrants make to the intellectual life of our country”, the letter says.
In July, the Donald Trump administration advanced a plan to deport foreign students in the United States whose classes had moved online owing to the pandemic, but the plan was soon shelved.
Biden to meet with members of Jacob Blake's family
During a visit to Kenosha tomorrow, Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, will meet with Jacob Blake’s father and other members of his family, a Biden campaign official confirmed to the Guardian.
The Bidens are scheduled to hold a community meeting in Kenosha “to bring together Americans to heal and address the challenges we face”.
The trip follows one made by Donald Trump despite objections from local officials and leaders, including Wisconsin’s Democratic governor, Tony Evers. Evers told Trump in a letter, “your presence will only hinder our healing”.
Biden told reporters today, “What we want to do is – we’ve got to heal. We’ve got to put things together. Bring people together.”
Jacob Blake, 29, has been left paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot seven times in the back by police in Kenosha, his family said. His shooting fueled further protests against racial injustice in the city and around the country.
Updated
In a CNN interview, William Barr, the attorney general, echoed Donald Trump’s misinformation about mail-in voting and denied racism in policing – but on both counts came up short when asked to provide evidence to back up his claims.
Attorney General Barr says he doesn’t have evidence that foreign countries could successfully interfere in the election with fake ballots. He says he’s "basing it on logic."
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) September 2, 2020
Wolf: Pardon?
Barr: "Logic." pic.twitter.com/FzzIRL2PrK
On policing, Barr defied logic in denying that police discrimination against Black Americans amounted to racism.
“I think there are some situations when statistics would suggest they are treated differently, but I don’t think that’s necessarily racism,” he told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
He added: “There appears to be a phenomenon in the country where African-Americans feel that they’re treated, when they’re stopped by police, frequently, as suspects before they are treated as citizens. I don’t think that that necessarily reflects some deep-seated racism.”
Updated
Report: CDC tells states expect vaccine by November and expedite distribution sites
Health officials across the country have been notified that they should expect a coronavirus vaccine available to health workers in high-risk groups by November, and the Trump administration is asking states to speed up approvals for vaccine distribution sites before the November election.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention informed health officials that “limited Covid-19 vaccine doses may be available by early November 2020”, the New York Times reported.
Meanwhile, CDC director Robert Redfield wrote to state governors, asking them to ready distribution sites. “CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities, and, if necessary, asks that you consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by Nov. 1, 2020,” Redfield wrote, McClatchy reported.
The ambitious timeline, which asks officials to prepare for the vaccine to arrive just in time for the November elections, has raised concerns that the Trump administration has politicized the vaccine development process, and that the president is seeking to rush a vaccine before election day.
The government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, said he is “cautiously optimistic” for a vaccine by the end of this year, but added that he “will not be satisfied regarding the release of a vaccine unless we know that it is safe and effective”.
But Trump has been playing up confidence that a vaccine will be available soon. As the CDC began notifying health officials of the possibility last week, Trump told supporters during his Republican national convention speech, “We are delivering lifesaving therapies, and will produce a vaccine before the end of the year, or maybe even sooner.”
Healthcare workers, national security employees and other high-risk groups would receive the first round of vaccines, per guidance from the CDC.
Updated
Today so far
That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
- Joe Biden announced plans to visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, tomorrow, as protests continue over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The Democratic nominee said he hoped to be a “positive influence” to help bring the community together, after Trump visited the city yesterday and called for “law and order.”
- Biden called the closure of US schools a “national emergency” in a speech delivered in Wilmington, Delaware. Biden argued schools would be safely open now “if President Trump and his administration had done their jobs” in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Trump traveled to Wilmington, North Carolina, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. Although it was an official White House event, the president couldn’t resist getting in a dig against his Democratic opponent. After mentioning he traveled to North Carolina with a 97-year-old World War II veteran, Trump said of the man, “He’s 100% sharp. I know a 78-year-old that’s not so sharp, but he’s 97, and he’s 100%.”
- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent, the German government announced. The National Security Council condemned the poisoning of Navalny, a fervent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Trump has not yet addressed the news.
- The moderators of the presidential debates were announced. Fox News’ Chris Wallace, C-SPAN’s Steve Scully and NBC News’ Kristen Welker will moderate the three presidential debates, and USA Today’s Susan Page will moderate the vice-presidential debate.
Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Here is the video of House speaker Nancy Pelosi refusing to apologize for her recent indoor visit to a San Francisco salon, in violation of the city’s coronavirus-related guidelines, and accusing the salon’s employees of “setting [her] up”:
Taking a page from Marion Barry, Pelosi goes with the salon-set-me-up defense
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) September 2, 2020
pic.twitter.com/gKtEh7BEh8
“I think that this salon owes me an apology, for setting me up,” Pelosi said during an event on reopening schools in San Francisco.
“I take responsibility for trusting the word of the neighborhood salon that I’ve been to over the years many times when they said we’re able to accommodate people one person at a time,” the Democratic speaker added.
A video from inside the salon appeared to show Pelosi not wearing a face mask after she had her hair washed.
“I don’t wear a mask when I’m washing my hair. Do you wear a mask when you’re washing your hair? I always wear a mask,” Pelosi told reporters.
The speaker has repeatedly criticized Trump for not wearing a mask during his recent campaign events, despite evidence that masks help limit the spread of coronavirus.
Trump tweeted earlier today about the salon incident, saying, “Crazy Nancy Pelosi is being decimated for having a beauty parlor opened, when all others are closed, and for not wearing a Mask - despite constantly lecturing everyone else. We will almost certainly take back the House, and send Nancy packing!”
The Republican chairman of the Senate homeland security committee condemned the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, after the German government announced the Kremlin critic appears to have been poisoned with a nerve agent.
Ron Johnson, a Republican of Wisconsin, said the US “must hold Russia accountable” in light of Navalny’s poisoning.
I would suggest an appropriate response to this assassination attempt would include the cancellation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. We must hold Russia accountable.
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) September 2, 2020
“This outrageous assassination attempt and violation of the international chemical weapons ban should not be rewarded with an expansion of Putin’s malign influence in Europe,” Johnson said.
“I would suggest an appropriate response to this assassination attempt would include the cancellation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.”
Trump has not yet addressed the German government’s announcement, although his National Security Council issued a statement on the matter. Democratic lawmakers criticized the president’s silence on the issue.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with the same substance as other Putin critics. Trump says nothing. His silence & weakness speak volumes. It’s clear he can't stand up to Putin or support democratic values. https://t.co/lg7FRB25vF
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 2, 2020
House speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed the outcry over her recent indoor visit to a San Francisco hair salon, an apparent violation of city guidelines aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus.
Footage from inside the salon showed the speaker with her face mask off shortly after her hair was washed.
Pelosi’s office said she took the word of a salon employee about the necessary precautions, but that employee was incorrect about the city’s newly released guidelines.
The Democratic speaker described the incident as a “set-up,” and she demanded an apology from the salon.
Pelosi addresses Monday's salon incident:
— Tal Kopan (@TalKopan) September 2, 2020
“I take responsibility for trusting the word of the neighborhood salon that I’ve been to...many times…It was a set up, and I take responsibility for falling for a setup.”
“I think that this salon owes me an apology, for setting me up”
Nancy Pelosi has been photographed in a San Francisco hair salon without a face covering, breaking the city’s coronavirus prevention rules.
Security camera footage, which was obtained by Fox News, shows the Democratic House speaker without a mask on her face as she walked through the salon.
Salons in San Francisco have been closed during the coronavirus pandemic, with limited outdoor operations beginning only on Tuesday. The footage, showing Pelosi walking through the eSalon with a face mask around her neck, was filmed during an appointment on Monday.
Pelosi has regularly told US citizens to wear masks and follow the guidelines intended to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The salon’s owner, Erica Kious, said one of her hairstylists who rented a chair at the business had opened it especially for Pelosi’s appointment.
“It was a slap in the face that she went in, you know, that she feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no one else can go in, and I can’t work,” Kious told Fox News.
A spokesman for Pelosi, Drew Hammill, responded that the Californian congresswoman had not realised she was breaking her home city’s virus prevention rules.
“This business offered for the speaker to come in on Monday and told her they were allowed by the city to have one customer at a time in the business,” he said, adding: “The speaker complied with the rules as presented to her by this establishment.”
The National Security Council condemned the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, after the German government announced he appeared to have been poisoned by a nerve agent.
(1 of 3) “The United States is deeply troubled by the results released today. Alexei Navalny’s poisoning is completely reprehensible. Russia has used the chemical nerve agent Novichok in the past.
— NSC (@WHNSC) September 2, 2020
“The United States is deeply troubled by the results released today. Alexei Navalny’s poisoning is completely reprehensible,” NSC spokesperson John Ullyot said.
“Russia has used the chemical nerve agent Novichok in the past. We will work with allies and the international community to hold those in Russia accountable, wherever the evidence leads, and restrict funds for their malign activities.
“The Russian people have a right to express their views peacefully without fear of retribution of any kind, and certainly not with chemical agents.”
Trump, who has received criticism from Democrats for being “subservient” to Russia, has not yet addressed the latest news on the poisoning.
Another post-convention national poll shows Joe Biden still has a double-digit lead over Trump, despite a worrying poll from the swing state of Pennsylvania released early today.
According to the Quinnipiac University poll, Biden leads Trump by 10 points among likely voters in the country, 52%-42%.
That may reassure Democrats, despite the Monmouth University poll released today that showed Biden’s lead in Pennsylvania has narrowed to 4 points among the swing state’s registered voters.
Although the individual results in swing states will matter more than Biden’s national advantage in November, election experts say it will be virtually mathematically impossible for Trump to pull off an Electoral College win if he loses the popular vote by double digits.
As NBC News’ Steve Kornacki pointed out, the RealClearPolitics national polling average has now returned to almost the exact same point it was at a month ago.
With Quinnipiac factored in, the RCP average is now Biden +7.5 Exactly a month ago, on August 2, it was Biden +7.4.
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) September 2, 2020
Updated
Trump’s speech in North Carolina is an official White House event, but that did not stop the president from mocking his election opponent.
Trump recognizes a World War 2 veteran but diminishes the moment by taking a gratuitous shot at Joe Biden pic.twitter.com/dUsIwTtDf6
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 2, 2020
While designating Wilmington an official World War II Heritage City, the president noted he traveled to North Carolina with Hershel “Woody” Williams, a 97-year-old veteran of World War II.
“He’s 100% sharp,” Trump said of Williams. “I know a 78-year-old that’s not so sharp, but he’s 97, and he’s 100%.” The line was a clear reference to Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who is 78.
Many Democrats have previously criticized Trump for using White House events to launch political attacks against his opponent, but those comments have clearly not changed the president’s behavior.
Trump speaks in North Carolina
Trump is now delivering remarks in Wilmington, North Carolina, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Speaking in front of a battleship, the USS North Carolina, Trump declared Wilmington to be “our nation’s very first World War II heritage city.”
House oversight committee subpoenas postmaster general
The Democratic-led House oversight committee has subpoenaed postmaster general Louis DeJoy for documents related to recent delays in mail delivery.
BREAKING: Chair @RepMaloney subpoenas PMG Louis #DeJoy for docs he is withholding from Congress on widespread #postalservice delays. pic.twitter.com/vtP6ar9T4q
— Oversight Committee (@OversightDems) September 2, 2020
Committee chairwoman Carolyn Maloney announced plans earlier this week to subpoena DeJoy after he failed to voluntarily hand over the materials requested by the panel.
DeJoy argued his testimony before the committee last week should have satisfied all the lawmakers’ questions about operational changes at the US Postal Service, but Maloney said his answers were insufficient.
Democrats have expressed fear that the delays could impact voting by mail in November’s presidential election, as Trump has simultaneously spread baseless claims that mailed-in ballots will be highly vulnerable to fraud. In reality, voter fraud is very rare.
As Joe Biden took reporters’ questions in Delaware, Trump arrived in North Carolina to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Speaking to a small crowd of supporters at the airport, the president celebrated stock market gains, even though the US unemployment rate is currently at 10.2%, and he attacked his election opponent.
Trump in Wilmington, North Carolina gives remarks to tarmac crowd:
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) September 2, 2020
Stock market is essentially at record, Biden doesn’t have a clue, etc.
Someone tossed a red-white-and-blue hat at him and a US Secret Service agent threw it away from POTUS and waggled a no-no finger at crowd. pic.twitter.com/63lMqvtfBC
Taking questions from reporters in Wilmington, Delaware, Joe Biden emphasized he would not “incite violence,” implicitly criticizing Trump.
“I wouldn’t incite violence. I would condemn it when it occurred,” Biden said.
In contrast, the president has refused to condemn the alleged actions of 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who has been charged with killing two Kenosha protesters.
Biden says if he were president now, he "wouldn't incite violence" and would condemn it from both police and protesters: "To engage in violence — burning, looting and the rest — in the name of protesting is wrong" https://t.co/YXQ3DPZd42 pic.twitter.com/PPHnvNUb4b
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 2, 2020
Biden argued most police officers wanted cops who engage in violence to be brought to justice because it reflects badly on their community.
“Protesting is a right, and free speech is a right,” Biden said. “But to engage in violence -- burning, looting and the rest -- in the name of protesting is wrong, and that person should be held accountable for their actions.”
Biden defends Kenosha visit: 'We've got to heal'
After delivering remarks on reopening schools in Wilmington, Democratic nominee Joe Biden took some questions from the reporters there.
"What we want to do is -- we've got to heal. We've got to put things together. Bring people together," Joe Biden says when asked what he hopes to accomplish when visiting Kenosha, Wisconsin this week. https://t.co/jMnbHuOelN pic.twitter.com/6S2vjeoJZK
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 2, 2020
Biden was asked why he is traveling to Kenosha, Wisconsin, tomorrow, when the president of the Kenosha NAACP has said he did not think either presidential nominee should come to the city right now. (Trump visited Kenosha yesterday.)
But Biden said he has heard an “overwhelming request” that he do travel to the city amid protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
“What we want to do is -- we’ve got to heal. We’ve got to put things together. Bring people together,” Biden said.
The presidential nominee said he hoped to be a “positive influence” to help bring the community together.
Biden calls school closures a 'national emergency'
Democratic nominee Joe Biden is speaking in Wilmington, Delaware, criticizing Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and lamenting the effects it has had on schoolchildren.
Biden declared the closure of schools due to the pandemic to be a “national emergency.”
Joe Biden: "If Pres. Trump and his administration had done their jobs early on with this crisis, American schools would be open and they'd be open safely." https://t.co/BgNVDzEiaL pic.twitter.com/EHxwymg5nu
— ABC News (@ABC) September 2, 2020
“If President Trump and his administration had done their jobs early on with this crisis, American schools would be open, and they’d be open safely,” Biden said.
The Democrat noted many school districts began this academic year the same way they ended the last one: with only virtual learning.
Biden said of the president and the secretary of education, “Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos haven’t stepped up. And we’re all seeing the result.”
Dr Anthony Fauci said he was “cautiously optimistic” a coronavirus vaccine would be released by the end of the year.
The government’s top infectious disease expert noted there are currently three vaccine candidates in phase three trials, saying the vaccine timeline was “right on target.”
Dr. Fauci says he is "cautiously optimistic" for a vaccine by the end of this year:
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 2, 2020
"I will not be satisfied regarding the release of a vaccine unless we know that it is safe and effective." pic.twitter.com/a2Z03BlSqt
“I think we’ll know by the end of this year, November or December, that we do have a safe and effective vaccine,” Fauci told MSNBC. “And I’m cautiously optimistic, although, you know, you can never guarantee when you’re dealing with vaccines.”
Trump has indicated a vaccine may be available even sooner than November, sparking concerns among some of his critics that he may push for the release of a vaccine that has not undergone all the necessary safety tests before November’s presidential election.
But Fauci told MSNBC, “I will not be satisfied regarding the release of a vaccine unless we know that it is safe and effective.”
Today so far
Here’s where the day stands so far:
- Joe Biden announced plans to visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, tomorrow, as protests continue over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The visit will come two days after Trump traveled to the city to call for “law and order” and thank local law enforcement officials for how they have responded to the protests.
- Biden and Trump are set to deliver dueling speeches today, amid an escalating war of words between the two rivals. The president is traveling to Wilmington, North Carolina, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of World War II, and Biden is delivering a speech on reopening schools in Wilmington, Delaware.
- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent, the German government announced. Navalny, a fervent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was transferred to a Berlin hospital after falling ill late last month.
The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
Steve Scully, a senior executive producer at C-SPAN, said in a tweet that it was a “privilege” to be selected to moderate the second presidential debate next month.
“Four years ago I had the honor of serving as the back-up moderator for the @debates 3 presidential and 1 VP,” Scully said in a tweet. “This year it is a privilege to moderate the 2nd debate at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami.”
Four years ago I had the honor of serving as the back-up moderator for the @debates 3 presidential and 1 VP. This year it is a privilege to moderate the 2nd debate at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami. @realDonaldTrump @JoeBiden OCT 15 @cspan pic.twitter.com/lsQ1xxdEOk
— Steve Scully (@SteveScully) September 2, 2020
Presidential debate moderators announced
The Commission on Presidential Debates has announced the moderators for the four upcoming debates.
With thanks to the 2020 general election debate moderators: Chris Wallace, @SusanPage, @SteveScully and @kwelkernbc #Debates2020 https://t.co/eRcV8q9iHs
— CPD (@debates) September 2, 2020
The first presidential debate – which will take place in Cleveland, Ohio, on 29 September – will be moderated by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace.
The second debate between Joe Biden and Trump – set for 15 October in Miami, Florida – will be moderated by C-SPAN’s Steve Scully.
NBC News’ Kristen Welker will moderate the final presidential debate, which is scheduled for 22 October in Nashville, Tennessee.
Susan Page of USA Today will moderate the only vice-presidential debate, which will take place on 7 October in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The announcement was quickly met with celebration among the four moderators’ colleagues.
Ok now that I can see through my tears of joy for this incredible opportunity for a dear friend and colleague, let me just say: no one will be more prepared than @kwelkernbc, or take this responsibility more seriously, or come at it with the utmost doggedness and... (1/x)
— Hallie Jackson (@HallieJackson) September 2, 2020
Congrats to @CSPAN's @SteveScully, who will moderate the 2nd presidential debate between Trump and Biden. He's a pro! https://t.co/Yi77wYhGhP
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) September 2, 2020
Updated
Biden raised $364.5m in August
Joe Biden raised a record-setting $364.5m in August, the Democratic nominee just announced.
Biden noted that 95% of donations came from grassroots supporters, and his campaign said 1.5m new donors gave money last month.
“Working people are powering our campaign — and I’m grateful,” Biden said. “We’ve got a long way to go to close the fundraising gap and win — but we can do it. Together.”
Last month we raised $364.5 million — 95% of the donations from grassroots supporters like you and the majority online.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 2, 2020
Working people are powering our campaign — and I’m grateful.
We’ve got a long way to go to close the fundraising gap and win — but we can do it. Together.
The figure is more than double what Hillary Clinton raised in August 2016 ($143m) and quadruple what Trump raised that same month ($90m).
The number appears to set a new record in monthly fundraising totals. That record is believed to be held by Barack Obama, who raised $193m in September 2008.
The money will help Biden chip away at the president’s fundraising advantage. The Trump campaign has not announced its August fundraising total yet, but the president outraised Biden in July.
Updated
Pennsylvania poll shows tightening race in key swing state
A new poll from Pennsylvania shows Joe Biden’s advantage in the crucial swing state has significantly narrowed in recent weeks.
According to the Monmouth University poll, Biden now leads Trump by 4 points among Pennsylvania’s registered voters, 49%-45%. In July, Biden had a 13-point lead in Monmouth’s Pennsylvania poll.
PENNSYLVANIA VOTER POLL: #GeneralElection matchup
— MonmouthPoll (@MonmouthPoll) September 2, 2020
All registered voter:
49% @JoeBiden (53% in July)
45% @realDonaldTrump (40%)
Likely voters, high turnout:
49% Biden (52%)
46% Trump (42%)
Likely voters, low turnout:
48% Biden (51%)
47% Trump (44%)https://t.co/Y2cTVUOb8K pic.twitter.com/xo9Hw2sapO
The Democratic nominee’s advantage over the president narrows even further when only likely voters are considered. According to Monmouth, Biden’s leads among likely voters stands between 1 and 3 points, depending on the level of voter turnout.
Those numbers will likely cause anxiety among Democrats, considering Hillary Clinton lost Pennsylvania by less than 1 point in 2016.
Trump won the White House in 2016 thanks to his ability to flip the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which had not gone Republican in a presidential race since the 1980’s.
During his trip to Kenosha tomorrow, Joe Biden will likely try to draw a direct contrast to Trump’s visit to the Wisconsin city yesterday.
While visiting Kenosha, the president toured property that was damaged amid protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, and he thanked local law enforcement officials for their response to the protests.
“We have to condemn the dangerous anti-police rhetoric,” Trump said during a roundtable in Kenosha.
“It’s getting more and more, it’s very unfair. You have some bad apples, we all know that, and those will be taken care of through the system, and nobody’s going to be easy on them either.”
It’s worth noting that Trump has refused to condemn the alleged actions of 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who has been charged with killing two Kenosha protesters.
Joe Biden’s trip to Kenosha tomorrow will represent the Democratic nominee’s first visit to the swing state of Wisconsin since 2018.
Trump carried Wisconsin by less than 1 point in 2016, after Democrat Hillary Clinton made few campaign appearances in the state. Republicans have been eager to criticize Democrats for that severe misstep.
Speaking in Wisconsin last month, Vice President Mike Pence taunted Democrats for overlooking the state.
“I did hear the Democrats were supposed to have their national convention in Wisconsin, but they couldn’t make it,” Pence said as the virtual Democratic convention unfolded. “That’s really nothing new. I heard on the way here that Joe Biden hasn’t been to Wisconsin in 659 days.”
Biden to visit Kenosha tomorrow amid protests over Blake shooting
Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, will travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin, tomorrow, the Democratic nominee’s campaign just announced.
The visit comes amid ongoing protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, an African American father of six who was repeatedly shot in the back by Kenosha police.
Biden has previously spoken with the Blake family, and it’s unclear whether he will meet with the family during his visit.
According to the press release from his campaign, Biden will “hold a community meeting in Kenosha to bring together Americans to heal and address the challenges we face.” Biden will then make a “local stop” in the city.
The trip also comes two days after Trump visited the city to call for “law and order” and thank local law enforcement for their response to the protests.
During the trip, the president refused to acknowledge systemic racism in the country and blamed recent acts of police violence on a few “bad apples.”
Updated
Kremlin critic was poisoned with nerve agent, German government says
The German government has said toxicological exams at Berlin’s Charité hospital have yielded “unequivocal proof” that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.
Navalny, a strong critic of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, fell ill on a flight back to Moscow from Siberia on 20 August and was transferred to Berlin two days later.
Steffen Seibert, spokesman for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said in a statement that testing by a special military laboratory had shown proof of a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group.
Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent, was used to poison the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain. It is a cholinesterase inhibitor, part of the class of substances that doctors at the Charité initially identified in Navalny.
According to German news magazine Der Spiegel, experts at the Charité sought advice from Porton Down, Britain’s secretive laboratory for research on chemical and biological weapons, because of possible similarities with the 2018 Skripal attack.
The German government’s official statement described the attack on Navalny with a chemical nerve agent an “astounding act” and appealed to the Russian government to urgently offer an explanation.
Trump is spreading falsehoods about his ratings during last week’s Republican convention, which trailed the ratings of the Democratic convention a week earlier.
“We had FAR more people (many millions) watching us at the RNC than did Sleepy Joe and the DNC, and yet an ad just ran saying the opposite,” Trump said. “This is what we’re up against. Lies. But we will WIN!”
We had FAR more people (many millions) watching us at the RNC than did Sleepy Joe and the DNC, and yet an ad just ran saying the opposite. This is what we’re up against. Lies. But we will WIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 2, 2020
In reality, the Democratic convention consistently received higher ratings than the Republican convention.
According to figures released by Nielsen, 23.8 million people tuned in when Trump accepted the Republican nomination, while 24.6 million people watched Joe Biden accept the Democratic nomination a week earlier.
The only night of the Republican convention that drew slightly higher ratings than its Democratic counterpart was the second night, when first lady Melania Trump delivered her speech.
According to Nielsen, 19.4 million people watched the first lady’s speech, in comparison to 19.2 million who watched Jill Biden speak on the second night of the Democratic convention.
Echoing recent messaging from her husband’s campaign, former second lady Jill Biden criticized the “chaos” in “Donald Trump’s America.”
“We are in Donald Trump’s America and there’s just so much chaos. And I feel that, you know, educators don’t know what to do. Students don’t know what to do,” Biden said yesterday, ahead of her husband’s speech today on reopening schools.
"We are in Donald Trump's America. And there's just so much chaos. ... Educators don't know what to do, students don't know what to do."
— New Day (@NewDay) September 2, 2020
- Jill Biden, Joe Biden’s wife, discusses reopening schools safely.https://t.co/5zPHxdwDHp pic.twitter.com/6hD0mQpwxf
The Biden campaign has similarly condemned the violence in “Donald Trump’s America,” a direct response to Trump trying to stir up fear about the alleged danger of living in “Joe Biden’s America” if the Democrat wins in November.
Jill Biden, a longtime educator, also said the president had failed to address the widespread impact of the pandemic on young children, including mental health side effects.
“Children are at home. Domestic violence has increased. Child abuse has increased. Children are dealing with anxiety. And then now when children come back into the schools, you know, they’re bringing all of that with them,” Biden said.
The Democratic nominee will likely touch on those same themes when he speaks in Wilmington, Delaware, in a few hours.
Joe Biden’s speech today will focus on reopening schools amid the coronavirus pandemic, marking a shift from his Monday speech on racial injustice.
According to the Biden campaign, the Democratic nominee and his wife will receive a briefing from education leaders and experts in Wilmington, Delaware.
Biden will then deliver his speech on “how Trump’s failure to address COVID-19 is impacting students, educators, and children.”
The Democratic nominee has repeatedly criticized the president as an inadequate leader for a country facing multiple crises, while Trump attacked Biden as a “Low Energy Candidate” in a tweet this morning.
“Joe Biden is a Low Energy Candidate the likes of which we have never seen before. The last thing our country needs is a Low Energy Individual, especially when surrounded by High Energy Chess Players scattered all over the world,” Trump said. “He’s back in his basement now - no schedule!”
Of course, that last sentence is not true, as Biden’s speech this afternoon proves.
A new series of polls indicate Joe Biden still leads Trump nationally, although the Democratic nominee’s advantage has narrowed in recent weeks.
According to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll, Biden leads Trump nationally by 7 points. In comparison, Biden led by 12 points in June.
The FiveThirtyEight polling average of national polls similarly indicates Biden currently holds a 7.2-point lead, down from 9.6 points in early July.
Those numbers might not be all that reassuring to Democrats, considering Hillary Clinton saw similar polling results in the summer of 2016.
Clinton won the popular vote but ultimately lost the Electoral College and the presidency because Trump narrowly carried states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Trump is traveling to Wilmington, North Carolina, today to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
In a new statement, Democratic nominee Joe Biden accused Trump of having “abandoned North Carolinians” in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Instead of providing North Carolina the roadmap and resources needed to protect small businesses, schools, and families, he has criticized local leaders and threatened educators for listening to public health experts,” Biden said.
North Carolina is considered a swing state for the 2020 presidential election, and recent polls indicate Biden and Trump are running neck and neck in the state.
Trump and Biden to give dueling speeches amid intensifying conflicts over coronavirus and protests
Greetings from Washington, live blog readers.
President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden are both scheduled to deliver speeches later today, and if the past few days are any indication, the two rivals will likely launch a new round of searing attacks against each other.
In his Pittsburgh speech on Monday, Biden accused Trump of “stoking violence in our cities” and “poisoning our very democracy” as the country’s coronavirus death toll continues to climb and protests intensify over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Meanwhile, Trump has accused Biden of siding with “violent anarchists,” even though the Democratic nominee has repeatedly condemned recent acts of violence amid the protests.
“Joe Biden is not on the side of Law Enforcement, and that was spectacularly evident on my very successful trip yesterday to Kenosha,” Trump said in a tweet this morning. “Joe Biden wouldn’t know where to begin - a bad record!”
During his Kenosha trip yesterday, Trump refused to acknowledge systemic racism and instead blamed recent police violence on some “bad apples” in departments.
In comparison, Biden said Monday, “I have said we must address the issue of racial injustice. I have personally spoken to George Floyd’s family and Jacob Blake’s family. I know their pain, I know the justice they seek.”
With about two months to go until the presidential election, the two nominees are painting two very different pictures of America.
