As always, we take polling with a grain of salt, but these battleground state polls may be of interest: • Pennsylvania – Monmouth University Polling – Joe Biden holds a 12-point lead over Donald Trump among all registered voters in Pennsylvania (54% – 42%) and anywhere from an 8-point to 11-point lead among likely voters. This marks an improvement from Biden’s single-digit lead in a Monmouth poll just over one month ago.
• Florida – University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab – 51 percent of voters indicated they will be voting for Joe Biden compared to 45 percent of voters who said they would vote for President Donald Trump. (3,142 registered likely voters – 39 percent Republican, 38 percent Democrat, and 22 percent signaled no party affiliation). • Nevada and Ohio – New York Times/Siena College Poll – Biden leads 48 percent to 42 percent among likely voters in Nevada and 45 to 44 percent in Ohio, the polls found. Six percent of Nevada voters and 7 percent of Ohioans said they remain undecided.
Joe Biden leads Donald Trump in Ohio and Nevada, according to new Times/Siena polls. Biden leads in Ohio by 1 point, 45 to 44 percent. Biden leads in Nevada by 6 points, 48 to 42 percent.https://t.co/GRgZezyAMB
• Arizona – Data Orbital – Biden leads Trump 47.7 percent to 43.2 percent in Arizona, with 6.5 percent saying they were undecided. The poll included 39 percent Republicans and 33 percent Democrats.
Donald Trump leaves the hospital to wave to followers (photo: public domain) In this edition of Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Cavalcade: • After little-to-no effort to assauge the coronavirus in the White House working environment other than testing (that clearly failed), staffers have been instructed to wear full PPE gear when closely interacting with Donald Trump reports the New York Times. Even so, there are conflicting accounts as to whether Trump is working from the White House residence or in the Oval Office. • The FDA has issued guidance recommending that participants in late-stage coronavirus vaccine clinical trials be followed for at least two months after the final injection to ensure safety and boost public trust in any approved vaccine. • Trump adviser Stephen Miller is the most recent high-level White House adviser to test positive for the coronavirus. Additionally, one of Trump’s military aides who carries the ‘nuclear football’ has tested positive as well. • Speaking of the ‘nuclear football,’ due to the medications Trump has received to treat coronavirus (including dexamethasone, which can cause mood swings and “frank psychotic manifestations”), the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has issued a statement saying “we should not entrust nuclear launch authority to someone who is not fully lucid.” • After more than a dozen White House staffers have tested positive for coronavirus, Vice President Mike Pence’s team has finally agreed to allow plexiglass barriers between himself and Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris at tonight’s veep debate in light of the rash of positive cases within the White House. • Donald Trump announced that he ordered Republicans to end negotiations for further coronavirus stimulus for Americans because some of the money would go to ‘Democrat’ states. Pssst, most of those states send the largest portion of tax dollars to the federal government. Oh, and blue state folks are Americans, too.
…request, and looking to the future of our Country. I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business. I have asked…
Broadway legend Patti LuPone and Randy Rainbow (screen capture) Political satirist Randy Rainbow is back today with a special guest, Broadway legend Patti LuPone. The duo teams up on a parody of “If Mama Was Married” from the 1959 Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim musical Gypsy. LuPone took home the Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award in 2008 for her star turn in the revival the acclaimed musical. In the video, Rainbow is attempting to ‘moderate’ a presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, but becomes frustrated in the process. LuPone appears in a puff of smoke: “When gay men are in crisis, I just materialize.” I won’t spoil the jokes, but these are some of Rainbow’s best parody lyrics in some time. Hit the play button and enjoy 🙂
RuPaul is back on social media (screen capture via SNL) Back in July, RuPaul quietly and inexplicably erased all posts from his Instagram and Twitter accounts. He even temporarily deactivated his Twitter. Was it the coronavirus pandemic? Social unrest across the country after the killing of George Floyd? It’s not like Ru went into hiding. We’ve seen the drag star hosting his show and making a virtual appearance during the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards to accept his 5th trophy for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program At the time, no one seemed to know what or why the Supermodel of the World retreated from social media. But now we know what brought him back to the Gram of Insta and Twitterverse. Wednesday night, Mama Ru reactivated Twitter to post a photo of international pop star Dame Olivia Newton-John along with the caption, “Olivia Newton-John has started a new foundation to find kinder ways to treat, prevent & cure all cancers, with a strong focus on plant medicine. Follow & support @onjfoundation #beyondcancer @therealonj#onjfoundation onjfoundation.org.” RuPaul also shared the message on Instagram.
The messages came just a day after Olivia announced the launch of the Olivia Newton-John Foundation which will “fund the discovery of kinder therapies and advocate for more effective ways to prevent, treat and cure all cancers.” Olivia, who shared in recent years her breast cancer from 1992 had reoccurred, has said in interviews she’s interested in helping explore the science behind more plant-based medicine. As fans of both stars know, Ru and Olivia have been friends for a long time. Last fall, RuPaul attended Olivia’s charity auction at Julien’s where the Grease star put her famous black leather jacket and pants from the movie’s finale on the bidding block and garnered over $500,000 for charity. Dame Olivia Newton-John and RuPaul at Julien’s AuctionsDame Olivia Newton-John and RuPaul at the Flamingo Las Vegas (photo: Denise Truscello) Ru also traveled to attend the “Physical” singer’s opening night of her Las Vegas residency. And of course, ONJ has been a guest on The RuPaul Show, the web series RuPaul Drives…, and a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Here’s hoping this is just the beginning of RuPaul’s return to social media.
Tomi Lahren (photo: Flickr/Gage Skidmore – CC License – cropped) Fox News talking head Tomi Lahren responded to a tweet by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden that encouraged folks to wear a face mask (“Masks Matter. They Save Lives.”) by questioning Biden’s masculinity. “Might as well carry a purse with that mask, Joe,” wrote Lahren.
“A purse?” Was she calling him a woman? Was she saying women are weak or something? A lot of the Twitterverse thought the remark was pretty assinine including Spokane firefighters:
As we do one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. We’d carry a purse to if it meant keeping our community safe pic.twitter.com/Whcj0pSQXG
— Spokane Co.FD8 Firefighters (@spokaneco8_3711) October 6, 2020
Tomi is shaping public discourse with ignorant, moronic tweets like this. The damage she’s doing by discouraging masks is great. Such a sad, pathetic human.
You know what else isn’t manly? Using brakes Real men drive into trees or walls when they want to stop their car. Only wimps tap the wimpy wittle bwake pedal. Cooking pork is wimpy, too. Real men eat it raw and deal with trichinosis like men.
Maybe 210,000 Americans wouldn’t be dead if we had a president who carried a purse. pic.twitter.com/Z9mwXZidHt
— Just a concerned citizen (@stop_cov_spread) October 6, 2020
In the military we wear masks for different reasons. First responders wear masks all the time. We are responsible for the safety & well being of this country. Seems a poor way to thank us by not wearing a mask to protect US for once. It’s called a dress code, Karen.
Omg LOVE this idea! If he carried a purse he could put masks in it to give to people who forgot their masks/don’t have one, thus slowing the spread of this awful pandemic!! AWESOME idea! Also, go fuck yourself.
One of them is jacked up on a potent cocktail of experimental drugs and steroids that aren’t available to the public and, has a team of 12 physicians. One of them wears a mask. Learn the difference and delete your Tweet Tomi. #TrumpHasCovid#TrumpDrugs#WearAMask
Former First Lady Michelle Obama The election is in less than a month and early votes are already being cast across the country. But, for anyone who might be undecided, former First Lady Michelle Obama offers this “closing argument” for Americans to support Joe Biden. “If we want to regain any kind of stability, we have to ensure that every eligible voter is informed and engaged on this election,” says Obama. Noting Trump’s “constant downplaying of the importance of masks and social distancing” as well as his “relentless pressure” to reopen schools while people are still in danger, Obama adds, “We simply can’t trust this president to tell us the truth about anything.” Obama added. “It’s painful to think that months into this crisis, this is still where we are, with no clear plan, no peace of mind, and the worst part is, it didn’t have to be like this. Look around the world.” “He boasts about gains in the stock market, but when you look at the lives of regular folks, whether it’s creating blue-collar jobs, making healthcare more affordable, protecting the environment, keeping our families safe from gun violence, let alone the coronavirus, there’s nothing much to brag about.” “By contrast, Joe Biden has lived his life guided by values and principles that mirror ones that most Americans can recognize. I know Joe… he’s a good man who understands the struggles of everyday folks.” Watch the compelling message below. And please – VOTE.
Ballot watchers are seeing an unprecedented number of early votes being cast which could indicate record-breaking turnout for the 2020 presidential election. From Reuters:
With four weeks to go before Election Day, more than 4 million Americans already have voted, more than 50 times the 75,000 at this time in 2016, according to the United States Elections Project, which compiles early voting data.
The shift has been driven by an expansion of early and mail-in voting in many states as a safe way to cast a ballot during the coronavirus pandemic and an eagerness to weigh in on the political future of Trump, said Michael McDonald of the University of Florida, who administers the project.
“We’ve never seen this many people voting so far ahead of an election,” McDonald said. “People cast their ballots when they make up their minds, and we know that many people made up their minds long ago and already have a judgment about Trump.”
L-R Patti LuPone, Donald Trump Who can ‘balcony’ better? I think we know… Tony Award-winning diva Patti LuPone, who knows a thing or two about holding court on a balcony thanks to her Tony Award-winning role in Evita, slammed Donald Trump’s appearance on the balcony of the White House last night when he made his ‘dramatic’ return from Walter Reed Medical Center. Taking note of Trump’s visible gasping for breath in video of his balcony moment, LuPone wrote, “I still have the lung power and I wore less makeup. This revival is closing November 3rd.”
I still have the lung power and I wore less makeup. This revival is closing November 3rd. pic.twitter.com/vRQ4LepACv
Some news items you might have missed: • The Advocate: Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas have opened the court’s term by calling for the overturning of its 2015 marriage equality decision. The Obergefell v. Hodges decision threatens religious liberty, Alito wrote in a statement in which Thomas concurred. • The Gaily Grind: Nearly a week after President Trump instructed the far-right extremist Proud Boys group to “stand back and stand by” during 2020’s first presidential debate after being asked to condemn them, internet users have reclaimed the #ProudBoys hashtag by flooding Twitter and Reddit with photos of gay men in love and expressing physical affection.
• Pink News: Nursing student Michelle Ramos Vargas has become the 30th known trans person to be killed in the United States so far this year, and the sixth killed in Puerto Rico in the same period. Vargas’ body was found with multiple gunshot wounds in San Germán, Puerto Rico in the early hours of September 30. • NowThis News: A super-cut of the times Donald Trump, who now has COVID-19, has mocked face masks. ‘A lot of people don’t want to wear masks.’
• Wall Street Journal: The IRS is investigating longtime National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre for possible criminal tax fraud related to his personal taxes. According to public filings, his total reported pay from 2014 to 2018 was $11.2 million. In August, he was charged in a civil suit by New York Attorney GeneralLetitia James with taking millions of dollars of allegedly undisclosed compensation in the form of free yacht trips, private jet flights for his family, exotic safaris and other benefits. • BBC: Facing a rising rate of coronavirus infections in France which began to grow exponentially in late August, officials in Paris will shut all bars completely from Tuesday after the French government raised the city’s coronavirus alert to maximum following a period of high infection rates. On Saturday, the country reported nearly 17,000 infections marking the highest rate since the country started widespread testing. • Star-Telegram: Trump supporter Jason Lata was arrested on suspicion of assault causing bodily injury after he punched a man in a video clip that went viral. Video of the incident shows Lata in a hat yelling profanities at the victim and screaming “Turn it off!” as an anti-Donald Trump rap song by YG appeared to be playing in the background. Lata, who was standing with other men who were wearing Trump T-shirts, then punched the victim in the face.
Violent Trump supporter at a rally in Texas assaults a peaceful counter-protester pic.twitter.com/s950Q3kgTj
Zachary Quinto in ‘The Boys in the Band’ (photo: Netflix)Zachary Quinto, currently starring in the Netflix screen adaptation of The Boys in the Band, recently shared for the first time the reason why he felt moved to come out as gay in 2011. Quinto hit the national spotlight as a series regular in the NBC sci-fi series Heroes in 2006, which he starred in for all four seasons. In 2007, he was announced to play a young Spock in the reboot of the Star Trek film franchise. Quinto told Variety in a recent interview that when he began his career in 1999, he was aware of the “explicit stigma’ that was attached to being an openly gay actor. “I did feel like me coming out would have potentially had an impact on my career and it wouldn’t have been a good one,” Quinto shares. He also recalled being out with a gay friend and running into a studio executive. After the encounter, the actor worried there were “going to be some ramifications” if he even appeared to be gay. Zachary Quinto in 2012 (photo: Gerald Biggerstaff) But then, in 2011, after reading the news of a series of teen queer suicides, Quinto had an epiphany. “That was at a time when a lot of young gay kids were killing themselves around the country because of bullying,” says the 43-year-old actor. “There was a huge spate of teen suicides that were happening.” “I just felt like I had an obligation at this point,” he added. “Having enjoyed a certain level of success, I felt like the hypocrisy was too much to bear for me to be enjoying this life that I had created for myself and not acknowledging my identity as a gay man.” “I felt like it was actively harming a group of young people who the choice to come out could benefit.”
Charlie Carver, one of Quinto’s The Boys in the Band cast mates, also shared his own reason for coming out with Variety which involved a colleague slapping him across the face for appearing “gay” at an Emmy Awards party in 2015. The coworker apparently criticized Carver three times over the course of the evening telling him to “get it under control.” When the young actor asked for ‘clarification,’ the man slapped Carver. Said Carver, “That was the moment when I said to myself, ‘I can’t do this. I cannot police myself in that way.’” The new TV adaptation of The Boys in the Band, starring the acclaimed all-gay/bi cast from the Tony Award-winning 2018 Broadway revival, is now streaming on Netflix. In addition to Quinto, the cast includes Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, Michael Benjamin Washington, and Tuc Watkins. The new screen version is based on the groundbreaking work of Mart Crowley.
As always, we take polling with a grain of salt, but these battleground state polls may be of interest: • Pennsylvania – Monmouth University Polling – Joe Biden holds a 12-point lead over Donald Trump among all registered voters in Pennsylvania (54% – 42%) and anywhere from an 8-point to 11-point lead among likely voters. This marks an improvement from Biden’s single-digit lead in a Monmouth poll just over one month ago. 
