Joe Biden has widened his lead by 13 points against Donald Trump for the 2020 presidential election, according to a Reuters/Ispos poll released on Tuesday.
The president's poll numbers have plummeted amid the coronavirus pandemic and unrest across the country following the death of George Floyd. But his former press secretary Sean Spicer claimed the decline in poll numbers is because Mr Trump's supporters don't want to admit they will be voting for him come November.
Besides his falling poll numbers, Mr Trump's health has also been called into question by experts who claim his recent appearances show a serious decline. A video from West Point's graduation ceremony last week showed the president struggling to descend the ramp.
Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said “of course” he would not attend Mr Trump's upcoming rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over fear of the spread of the coronavirus, after spikes were reported in Texas, Florida and Arizona, which were among the first states to re-emerge from shutdown.
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Trump's trade representative says UK-US deal 'almost impossible' before 2020 election
Oliver O'Connell with the breaking news:
Trump's trade representative says UK-US deal 'almost impossible' before 2020 election
A UK-US trade deal is highly unlikely to be approved before the US election in November, according to Donald Trump’s chief trade representative. Speaking before the House Ways and Means Committee, United States Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer said that such an agreement is “almost impossible” by the 2020 election. This raises the prospect that the president,
More governors declare Juneteenth a national holiday
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo become the latest to declare Juneteenth on 19 June a public holiday.
"During a time when communities of color are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and when the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have shone a light on the systemic racism Black Americans face every day, we must work together to build a more equitable and just Michigan. I'm proud to declare June 19, 2020 as Juneteenth Celebration Day, and will continue to work tirelessly to create a state that is equal for all," Ms Whitmer said in a statement.
Mr Cuomo said he signed an executive order announcing Juneteenth as a public holiday for employees. He would later push legislation for next year that would make it an official state holiday.
Juneteenth represents a pivotal day in US history when Texas became the final state to follow the Emancipation Proclamation and free all slaves in 1865.
Virginia also declared the day a state holiday.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo become the latest to declare Juneteenth on 19 June a public holiday.
"During a time when communities of color are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and when the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have shone a light on the systemic racism Black Americans face every day, we must work together to build a more equitable and just Michigan. I'm proud to declare June 19, 2020 as Juneteenth Celebration Day, and will continue to work tirelessly to create a state that is equal for all," Ms Whitmer said in a statement.
Mr Cuomo said he signed an executive order announcing Juneteenth as a public holiday for employees. He would later push legislation for next year that would make it an official state holiday.
Juneteenth represents a pivotal day in US history when Texas became the final state to follow the Emancipation Proclamation and free all slaves in 1865.
Virginia also declared the day a state holiday.
Texas inmate granted last minute reprieve by US Supreme Court
A Texas death row inmate was granted a last minute reprieve by the US Supreme Court following a new state policy preventing clergy members from entering the execution chambers.
The order from the highest court in the country came about one hour before Ruben Gutierrez, 42, was scheduled for execution by lethal injection at Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville on Tuesday.
Guiterrez was convicted of fatally stabbing Escolastica Harrison in 1998 when attempting to steal the $600,000 she hid in her Brownsville home, according to prosecutors.
Our report:
A Texas death row inmate was granted a last minute reprieve by the US Supreme Court following a new state policy preventing clergy members from entering the execution chambers.
The order from the highest court in the country came about one hour before Ruben Gutierrez, 42, was scheduled for execution by lethal injection at Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville on Tuesday.
Guiterrez was convicted of fatally stabbing Escolastica Harrison in 1998 when attempting to steal the $600,000 she hid in her Brownsville home, according to prosecutors.
Our report:
Texas death row inmate granted last minute reprieve by US Supreme Court after chaplain barred from execution chamber
Ruben Gutierrez, 42, was scheduled for execution by lethal injection at Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville on TuesdayNew York City on track to start Phase Two of reopening Monday
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday that New York City, which has often been the epicentre for the coronavirus, was on track to enter Phase Two on Monday.
Phase Two would allow all office-based jobs, real estate services, and retail to reopen as long as they have health plans to address the coronavirus pandemic. Outdoor dining would also be allowed at restaurants that have the capacity to allow it.
Businesses that will remain closed include malls, movie theatres, gyms, indoor dining at restaurants and bars, large venues, and public gathering places like amusement parks, zoos, etc.
Aunt Jemima brand to change name and image of black woman 'based on a racial stereotype'
Quaker Oats announced on Wednesday that the brand will be given a new logo later in 2020, after acknowledging that "Aunt Jemima's origins are based on a racial stereotype."
The brand, which is 130 years old, has faced criticism over the last few years, for the origins of the branding of Aunt Jemima, who is a black woman.
James Crump reports:
Aunt Jemima syrup and pancake mix will be given a new name and image by Quaker Oats, after the company acknowledged the brand's origins were racist.
Quaker Oats announced on Wednesday that the brand will be given a new logo later in 2020, after acknowledging that "Aunt Jemima's origins are based on a racial stereotype."
The brand, which is 130 years old, has faced criticism over the last few years, for the origins of the branding of Aunt Jemima, who is a black woman.
James Crump reports:
Quaker Oats removes Aunt Jemima brand and image 'based on a racial stereotype'
‘We also must take a hard look at our portfolio of brands and ensure they reflect our values and meet our consumers’ expectations,’ company says
Joe Biden widens lead over Trump to 13 points
Here's John T Bennett on the latest polling sure to aggravate the president.
Here's John T Bennett on the latest polling sure to aggravate the president.
Florida health worker says 15 of her friends all got coronavirus on first night out at bar after months of lockdown
This is all starting to look rather ominous isn't it?
Chris Riotta has the latest.
Don Jr's girlfriend lives to regret comparing Trump address to LEGO Movie song 'Everything is Awesome'
According to a new book by CNN's Brian Stelter, Fox pundit Kimberly Guilfoyle got rather over-excited at Trump's golden escalator announcement he was running for president in 2015, likening the moment to the bogus sense of elation conjured by the anthem at the centre of the popular kids' film.
The movie's director has a message for her.
According to a new book by CNN's Brian Stelter, Fox pundit Kimberly Guilfoyle got rather over-excited at Trump's golden escalator announcement he was running for president in 2015, likening the moment to the bogus sense of elation conjured by the anthem at the centre of the popular kids' film.
The movie's director has a message for her.
Juneteenth to be made official holiday in Virginia
Governor Ralph Northam said his state, once home to the capital of the Confederacy, will become the second to grant all employees a day's leave on the date commemorating the abolition of slavery following Texas.
Governor Ralph Northam said his state, once home to the capital of the Confederacy, will become the second to grant all employees a day's leave on the date commemorating the abolition of slavery following Texas.
Two ‘boogaloo’ militia men charged in drive-by killing of California courthouse guard
Two men inspired by the militant anti-government “boogaloo” movement have been charged in the drive-by killing of a federal courthouse guard in Oakland, California, last month during a night of nearby protests against police brutality.
One of the men, US Air Force sergeant Steven Carrillo, had already been charged with killing a sheriff's deputy in a violent confrontation with law enforcement in the Santa Cruz Mountains that ended in his arrest on 6 June.
On Monday, federal prosecutors charged him - along with suspected accomplice Robert Alvin Justus Jr - with murder in the fatal ambush of Federal Protective Service officer David Patrick Underwood, who was gunned down at his guard post outside Oakland's US courthouse on 29 May.
Two men inspired by the militant anti-government “boogaloo” movement have been charged in the drive-by killing of a federal courthouse guard in Oakland, California, last month during a night of nearby protests against police brutality.
One of the men, US Air Force sergeant Steven Carrillo, had already been charged with killing a sheriff's deputy in a violent confrontation with law enforcement in the Santa Cruz Mountains that ended in his arrest on 6 June.
On Monday, federal prosecutors charged him - along with suspected accomplice Robert Alvin Justus Jr - with murder in the fatal ambush of Federal Protective Service officer David Patrick Underwood, who was gunned down at his guard post outside Oakland's US courthouse on 29 May.
Senate Republicans unveil police reform bill
More than three weeks after George Floyd's killing in police custody spurred protests nationwide, Senate Republicans are presenting their legislation to tackle systemic racism in US law enforcement.
Democrats will then advance their own bill out of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.
Democrats will then advance their own bill out of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.
"The American people have spoken, and we hear you," Senator Tim Scott, the chamber's lone black Republican, who crafted the legislation, said in a post on Twitter.
The two bills address similar issues. Both make lynching a federal hate crime, encourage the use of body cameras and seek better training standards for police.
But it is not clear that Congress will agree on how to act.
Democrats claim the Republican plan does not go far enough, while Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has said the Democratic legislation would go nowhere in his chamber, dismissing it as "typical Democratic overreach."
Unlike the Democratic legislation, the Republican bill is not expected to allow victims of misconduct to sue police, ban police chokeholds outright or create new rules to restrict the use of lethal force.
Instead, Republicans rely on the use of federal grant money to encourage police departments to adopt reforms.
As we’ve seen, Trump yesterday signed an order that would steer federal money to police departments that agree to outside review and limit the use of chokeholds.
Dr Fauci: 'Of course I wouldn't attend Tulsa rally'
Here's more from the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who had this to say when asked by The Daily Beast whether he himself would venture down to Oklahoma this Saturday: "I'm in a high-risk category. Personally, I would not. Of course not".
Speaking to NPR, the nation's top diseases expert revealed that he had not spoken to President Trump in over two weeks, an alarming revelation at ther height of a pandemic.
Gino Spocchia has more on his current round of media appearances.
Here's more from the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who had this to say when asked by The Daily Beast whether he himself would venture down to Oklahoma this Saturday: "I'm in a high-risk category. Personally, I would not. Of course not".
Speaking to NPR, the nation's top diseases expert revealed that he had not spoken to President Trump in over two weeks, an alarming revelation at ther height of a pandemic.
Gino Spocchia has more on his current round of media appearances.
Tucker Carlson broadcasts stunningly alarmist and inaccurate 'report' on Seattle's occupied zone
Another day, another absolutely absurd segment on Fox.
Another day, another absolutely absurd segment on Fox.
Brendan Gleeson playing Trump in new series about conflict with James Comey
Justin Vallejo has this first look at the legendary Irish actor embodying The Donald for a new Showtime series due to air after November's election and based on his long-running feud with the ex-FBI boss, played by Jeff Daniels.
Justin Vallejo has this first look at the legendary Irish actor embodying The Donald for a new Showtime series due to air after November's election and based on his long-running feud with the ex-FBI boss, played by Jeff Daniels.
Facebook has removed several Trump ads in recent months
The social network has removed several adverts by Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential re-election campaign from the platform, according to one of the company’s senior executives.
Former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg - now Facebook’s vice president of global affairs and communications - rejected claims the tech giant had not done enough to tackle misinformation and said the company had pulled “a number” of Trump campaign ads.
Adam Forrest has the full story.
The social network has removed several adverts by Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential re-election campaign from the platform, according to one of the company’s senior executives.
Former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg - now Facebook’s vice president of global affairs and communications - rejected claims the tech giant had not done enough to tackle misinformation and said the company had pulled “a number” of Trump campaign ads.
Adam Forrest has the full story.
Trump trailing in polls because people don't want to admit they support him, former press secretary says
Oliver O'Connell has this unflattering but certainly plausible insight from Sean Spicer - the White House spokesman turned reality TV ballroom dancer turned journalist.
Oliver O'Connell has this unflattering but certainly plausible insight from Sean Spicer - the White House spokesman turned reality TV ballroom dancer turned journalist.
System of a Down denounce MAGA 'hypocrites'
As conservative fans of bands like Rage Against the Machine and Black Sabbath take exception to their heroes making political statements (having apparently never actually listened to the lyrics of any their songs), the frontman of the Armenian American metallers, Serj Tankian, adds his voice to the debate in typically ferocious style.
Here's Louis Chilton on his timely interjection.
As conservative fans of bands like Rage Against the Machine and Black Sabbath take exception to their heroes making political statements (having apparently never actually listened to the lyrics of any their songs), the frontman of the Armenian American metallers, Serj Tankian, adds his voice to the debate in typically ferocious style.
Here's Louis Chilton on his timely interjection.
Elizabeth Warren labels Mike Pence 'pathetic' and 'reckless' as veep downplays virus fears and promotes Tulsa rally
The popular Massachusetts senator and presidential candidate has lashed out at the veep over his contention that there is no second wave of the coronavirus (not yet, as the country is still mired in the first, according to Dr Fauci).
Pence appeared on Fox and Friends yesterday morning and insisted that Trump's rally at the BOK Center arena in downtown Tulsa would go ahead as planned on Saturday "but the campaign is also considering other areas adjacent to the arena to allow the president to address even more people."
The popular Massachusetts senator and presidential candidate has lashed out at the veep over his contention that there is no second wave of the coronavirus (not yet, as the country is still mired in the first, according to Dr Fauci).
Pence appeared on Fox and Friends yesterday morning and insisted that Trump's rally at the BOK Center arena in downtown Tulsa would go ahead as planned on Saturday "but the campaign is also considering other areas adjacent to the arena to allow the president to address even more people."
Pence said earlier this week that Oklahoma had “flattened the curve”, which was entirely untrue. The state set a daily record of new cases on Tuesday of 228 and is among the nearly half the states that have seen coronavirus infections rise since May when governors began loosening social distancing orders.
In Tulsa itself, the infection rate is also rising steadily after remaining moderate for months. The four-day average number of new cases in the city has doubled from the previous peak in April. The city's own health department director, Dr Bruce Dart, has said he hopes the rally will be postponed, noting that large indoor gatherings are partially to blame for the recent spread.
In Tulsa itself, the infection rate is also rising steadily after remaining moderate for months. The four-day average number of new cases in the city has doubled from the previous peak in April. The city's own health department director, Dr Bruce Dart, has said he hopes the rally will be postponed, noting that large indoor gatherings are partially to blame for the recent spread.
The veep did acknowledge the health risks of bringing so many people together on Tuesday - the campaign having said it had received more than 1m ticket requests.
"It's all a work in progress. We've had such an overwhelming response that we're also looking at another venue. We're also looking at outside activities, and I know the campaign team will keep the public informed as that goes forward," he said.
"But it's one of the reasons that we're going to do the temperature screening and we're going to provide hand sanitizers and provide masks for people that are attending."
Meanwhile, an Oklahoma judge has denied a petition for a court order to block the event from happening until organisers adopt social distancing measures.
The lawsuit, filed by two Tulsa businesses and two immunocompromised city residents, said the prospect of assembling tens of thousands of shouting, chanting people inside an enclosed arena amounted to a "super-spreader" coronavirus event in the making.
"As currently planned, the event will endanger not only the health of guests in attendance... but the entire Tulsa community and any community to which the guests may afterward travel," the lawsuit argued, to no avail.
Here's Andrew Naughtie with more.
Here's Andrew Naughtie with more.
New Lincoln Project attack ad argues Trump is not well
Right on cue, the Republican Never Trumper collective led by the husband of the president's own top adviser has this new 2020 promo on the same subject.
Here's more from Andrew Naughtie.
Right on cue, the Republican Never Trumper collective led by the husband of the president's own top adviser has this new 2020 promo on the same subject.
Here's more from Andrew Naughtie.
'I spoke to doctors and people close to Trump. We're right to worry about his health'
For Indy Voices, Andrew Feinberg has this take on the president's health, after he turned 74 surrounded by questions arising from his unsteady descent down a ramp at West Point and made hard work of a glass of water.
For Indy Voices, Andrew Feinberg has this take on the president's health, after he turned 74 surrounded by questions arising from his unsteady descent down a ramp at West Point and made hard work of a glass of water.
