Former Vice President Joe Biden (image via Instagram) Former Vice President Joe Biden officially crossed the threshold to secure the 2020 Democratic nomination for president. From NBC News:
Joe Biden won enough delegates on Saturday to become the Democratic presidential nominee in November’s election against President Donald Trump, NBC News projects.
To win the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination on the first ballot at the party’s convention, a candidate must receive support from a majority of pledged delegates — at least 1,991 of the total 3,979 pledged delegates available.
Heading into the weekend, Biden had already amassed a projected 1,970 pledged delegates after winning a series of Democratic primaries on June 2. He now has 2,000, according to NBC News.
(image via NBC News)Real Clear Politics’ average of polls shows Biden leading Trump in national polls, which don’t mean much, by 7.1 points. More importantly, although it’s was early, Biden leads in every swing state poll RCP is tracking. (image via RealClearPolitics)
As I’ve pointed out in the past, while national polls may provide a snapshot of the mood of the American electorate, it’s polling in about seven swing states (Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Minnesota) that you would want to keep an eye on. A new Fox News poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading Donald Trump by 9 points in the vital swing state of Wisconsin.
Majorities of Wisconsin voters rate the economy negatively and are concerned about coronavirus. That helps explain Democrat Joe Biden’s gains in the presidential race, in a Fox News Poll of Wisconsin registered voters released Wednesday.
Biden has a 9-point edge over President Donald Trump, 49-40 percent. That’s up from a 5-point advantage in January, and is outside the poll’s margin of sampling error. Another 11 percent are uncommitted.
A big reason Trump trails Biden is lack of party support: 85 percent of Republicans back him, while 93 percent of Democrats support Biden. Eight percent of Republicans defect to Biden. In addition, only 87 percent of those who approve of Trump’s job performance support his reelection.
Biden leads Trump by 14 points on job handling of the coronavirus health threat and 22 points on race relations. Only 22 percent view the economy in a positive light, while 76 percent rate it as fair or poor. Biden’s favorable rating (52 percent) is 8 points higher than his unfavorable (44 percent). Trump, however, is upside down by 12 points (43 favorable, 55 unfavorable). Trump’s strongest backing comes from (no surprise here) white men without a college degree (+19 points), white evangelical Christians (+29), and self-described very conservatives (+81). But Biden scores stronger support among women (+20 points), suburban voters (+14), and independents (+8). Of those voters who describe themselves as ‘extremely interested’ in the upcoming election, Biden holds a 15 point lead over Trump (55-40 percent). Also – there are more Biden supporters who say they are ‘extremely motivated’ to vote in the upcoming election (71 percent) than Trump supporters (63 percent) who say the same.
L-R President Donald Trump, former Vice President Joe Biden As in previous years, President Donald Trump did not issue a presidential proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month. Now, I realize we are in the middle of a global pandemic, skyrocketing unemployment and racially-charged protests across the nation. But Trump’s office did manage, in the last days of May, to prepare proclamations recognizing June as Great Outdoors Month, National Ocean Month, and National Homeownership Month, to name just a few. Last year, Trump broke his silence of the previous two years to dispatch – no, not a proclamation – but two tweets wherein he lauded his administration’s “global campaign to decriminalize homosexuality” around the world. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1134538168324300800 You may recall when he was initially asked about the effort in February 2019, he didn’t know anything about it. But this year? Nothing. Trump has, however, been selling an uninspired, rainbow-themed campaign t-shirt on his website for months, so…there’s that. Contrast that with former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, who penned a lengthy statement honoring the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride. https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1267650896562843648 Noting the first Pride event occurred a year after the Stonewall protests, Biden remarked on past progress by the LGBTQ community from Harvey Milk’s election to office in San Francisco to the historic candidacy of Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay mayor to run for president. He also pointed to positive steps made during the Obama-Biden Administration including “signing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law; repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; addressed the epidemic of bullying in schools; established the advancement of LGBTQ+ equality as a foreign policy priority; and the White House beamed bright with the colors of the rainbow to mark the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision recognizing marriage equality.” I’ll note here that the Obama-Biden administration issued presidential proclamations recognizing Pride Month 8 years in a row. Biden then shifted his focus forward to the damage done to the LGBTQ community by the Trump-Pence administration. “Donald Trump and Mike Pence have systematically used the power of the White House as a literal bully pulpit to undermine LGBTQ+ rights,” he wrote. “They have given safe harbor to white supremacists and other forms of hate. Predictably, we’ve experienced a rise in hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ people.” Biden mentions just some of the ways Team Trump has worked to reduce rights and protections for LGBTQ people including banning transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military, denying LGBTQ people access from critical health care, and ignoring the “epidemic of violence” against trans people. “This is wrong,” Biden continued. “We must send a clear message that hatred and bigotry have no place in America or on the world stage.” He promises that, as President, he will “take swift action to reverse these odious policies and advance our progress toward ending discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.” “There are dark and challenging realities ahead that we cannot ignore,” he adds before striking an upbeat tone. “Yet, I remain optimistic because I believe in who we are as a nation. I believe in the story of this country and the LGBTQ+ community.” You can read the full text of Biden’s statement on the 50th Anniversary of Pride here.
Francisco José Alvarado (via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • Washington Post: Costa Rica became the latest country to legalize same-sex marriage early Tuesday when a ruling from its supreme court went into effect ending the country’s ban. Costa Rica is the first country in Central America to make marriage equality the law of the land. • 13WMAZ: A married youth pastor in Georgia created a wild story about being kidnapped to cover up his family learning he’d hired a male prostitute to meet him at a local motel. • Reuters: The AFL-CIO, the largest U.S. coalition of labor unions, endorsed Democrat Joe Biden for president on Tuesday, promising to launch an effort to beat Republican President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 election. The group represents 55 unions and 12.5 million workers. • Instinct Magazine: Francisco José Alvarado (top photo), a 30-year-old doctor from Spain, beat COVID-19 and became Mr. Gay World 2020. This year’s competition was canceled, but the organizers decided Alvarado – who was the runner-up in 2019 – should be given the title for as this year’s global ambassador for LGBTQ rights.
• AlterNet: In late March, when every other European country was in lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Sweden’s officials decided that Swedes could be relied upon to follow sanitation guidelines themselves. Restaurants, shops, and recreational spots were allowed to stay open. As of May 19, Sweden had more coronavirus deaths per capita than any other country in Europe. • The Daily Beast: The Justice Department informed lawyers for Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) there will be no insider trading charges filed against Loeffler. The senator and her husband, New York Stock Exchange chairman Jeffrey Sprecher, have denied that their sales of millions of dollars in stock – made shortly after a closed-door Senate intelligence briefing on the coronavirus in early January – had anything to do with that information. • Talking Points Memo: A new study produced by business school profs at Columbia and University of Chicago suggests that viewing Fox News is strongly correlated with ignoring social distancing guidance during the first weeks of the COVID19 epidemic and is in fact driving that non-compliance. • Social Media: The Bidens paid tribute to the nation’s veterans on Memorial Day, appearing in public at a wreath-laying ceremony near his Delaware home. Over the weekend, Biden took a swipe at Donald Trump’s golf habit tweeting, “The presidency is about a lot more than tweeting from your golf cart. It requires taking on the ultimate responsibility for the biggest decisions in the world. Donald Trump simply wasn’t prepared for that. I promise you I will be.”
L-R Former Vice President Joe Biden, Donald Trump A new Star Tribune-MPR News-KARE 11 Minnesota poll shows former Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden leading Donald Trump by 5 points in the swing state of Minnesota Via the Minnesota Star-Tribune:
The survey, which was released on Monday, found that 49 percent of registered Minnesota voters favor Biden in a head-to-head matchup against the president. Forty-four percent said they’d back Trump, while 7 percent said they remained undecided.
The poll indicates that Biden and Trump are in a dead heat among independents, with 42 percent backing Trump and 41 percent the former vice president. Among independent voters, 17 percent said they were undecided.
Former Vice President Joe Biden (screen capture) Former vice president Joe Biden created a firestorm today when he told a black radio host that African American voters who can’t seem to decide between voting for him and Donald Trump at this point in time “ain’t black.” Biden apologized today saying he shouldn’t have been so ‘cavalier’ in his remarks. From NBC News:
At the end of an 18-minute radio interview with The Breakfast Club’s Charlamagne tha God airing Friday morning, Biden responded to the host’s desire for the candidate to answer more questions by saying,”You got more questions? I tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.”
Hours later, Biden expressed regret for the remarks, calling them “really unfortunate” and saying he “shouldn’t have been such a wise guy.”
“I shouldn’t have been so cavalier in responding,” he said during a phone call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce Friday afternoon. “No one should have to vote for any party, based on their race or religion or background,” Biden said.
At another point on the call, Biden admitted, “I know that the comments have come off like I was taking the African American folks for granted … but nothing could be further from the truth.”
“I’ve never ever done that, and I’ve earned it every time I’ve run. I was making the point that I have never taken a vote for granted,” he said.
The remark was, of course, wrong. That said, Biden quickly admitted the remarks was bone-headed and apologized – something Donald Trump could never do. As Republicans seized on the comments, Symone Sanders, a senior adviser on the Biden campaign tweeted that the comments came at the end of the conversation and were made in jest.
The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but let’s be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump’s any day. Period.
— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) May 22, 2020
Former Senate staffer Tara Reade (screen capture)Axios is reporting the prominent sexual harassment lawyer representing Tara Reade, the former Senate staffer who has accused Joe Biden of sexual assault in 1993, has announced his office is not representing Reade any longer.
While Wigdor did not provide a reason behind his firm’s decision, he did say that the move is “by no means a reflection” on the veracity of her allegations.
Some of Wigdor’s most notable cases have taken on Fox News, including former top host Bill O’Reilly, and Harvey Weinstein.
Despite his caseload, Wigdor has also garnered press for being a staunch conservative and supporter of President Trump.
The big picture: The development comes a day after California defense attorneys said they are reviewing cases in which Reade testified as an expert on domestic violence, following concerns that she misrepresented her academic qualifications.
Additionally, CNN has recently reported problems with Reade’s claim that she received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Antioch University in Seattle; the school denied to CNN that she ever graduated from the university. As a result, defense attorneys in California say they are now reviewing cases in which Reade testified as an expert based, in part, on her educational credentials. This is the full statement from Wigdor’s law firm:
“Our Firm no longer represents Tara Reade. Our decision, made on May 20, is by no means a reflection on whether then-Senator Biden sexually assaulted Ms. Reade. On that point, our view which is the same view held by the majority of Americans, according to a Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll has not changed. We also believe to a large extent Ms. Reade has been subjected to a double standard in terms of the media coverage she has received.
“Much of what has been written about Ms. Reade is not probative of whether then-Senator Biden sexually assaulted her, but rather is intended to victim-shame and attack her credibility on unrelated and irrelevant matters. We genuinely wish Ms. Reade well and hope that she, as a survivor, is treated fairly. We have and will continue to represent survivors regardless of their alleged predator’s status or politics.”
Super-smart guy Doug Sosnik, who was White House political director during President Clinton’s successful reelection race, writes for Axios:
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s most likely paths to 270 Electoral College votes:
1. Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona: Biden wins all three states — his best option, given the political environment. (see above)
2. Michigan and Pennsylvania + two congressional districts — Nebraska-02 and Maine-02.
3. The Rust Belt: Biden wins Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
4. Michigan and the Sunbelt: Biden carries Michigan, Arizona and North Carolina.
5. Florida +1: Biden carries Florida, getting him to 261 electoral votes. A win in any of the other battleground states would put him well past 270.
The bottom line … Biden’s best strategy:
• Make putting Michigan out of reach for Trump the top priority. • Lock up Pennsylvania. • Prioritize winning Arizona, Maine-02 and Nebraska-02. • Focus remaining resources on Wisconsin, North Carolina and Florida.
Former Vice President Joe Biden (photo via campaign)Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, issued this statement today in honor of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
Today, on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, I stand with LGBTQ+ people and their allies around the world to celebrate and champion the inherent dignity and worth of all persons, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Around the globe, including here at home, brave LGBTQ+ activists are fighting for equal protection under the law, freedom from violence, and recognition of their fundamental human rights. The United States should have their backs. We belong at the forefront of this struggle — speaking out, standing strong for our most dearly held values. We should be sending a clear message that bigotry is bigotry, prejudice is prejudice, and hate is hate, no matter where we find it. American leadership must mean moral leadership in the fight for equality for all. The Obama-Biden Administration took unprecedented steps to ensure that our government delivered real progress on the promise of equality, both at home and abroad. From signing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law, to repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” to supporting marriage equality, we fought to advance the civil liberties of LGBTQ+ people in the United States and, for the first time ever, established the advancement of LGBTQ+ equality as a foreign policy goal. Instead of building on this progress, the Trump-Pence Administration has done everything it can to undermine LGBTQ+ rights: giving safe harbor to hate and rolling back protections for LGBTQ+ persons, blocking the ability of transgender individuals to openly serve their country, denying LGBTQ+ people access to critical health care, and failing to address the epidemic of violence against transgender people, among other odious policies. Today, many LGBTQ+ people in the United States live in fear, and LGBTQ+ activists in other countries, who are often fighting desperately for their rights and personal safety, are no longer sure that the United States is their friend and ally. As President, I will reinvigorate and expand U.S. efforts to advance the human rights of LGBTQ+ people at home and around the world. The United States will again be a beacon of hope for people anywhere in the world who suffer violence and discrimination for the simple fact of who they are or who they love. We will strengthen the coalition of countries determined to eliminate discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Anything less would be un-American.
President Trump’s eldest son on Saturday posted a social media message suggesting Joseph R. Biden Jr. was a pedophile, an incendiary and baseless charge that illustrates the tactics the president is turning to as he attempts to erase Mr. Biden’s early advantage in key state polls.
Donald Trump Jr., who is one of his father’s most prominent campaign surrogates, put on Instagram a picture of Mr. Biden saying: “See you later, alligator” alongside an image of an alligator saying: “In a while, pedophile.”
When a reporter shared the Instagram post online, the younger Mr. Trump, echoing one of his father’s tactics, wrote on Twitter that he was only “joking around” and noted that he had included emojis of a laughing face.
Junior also restated his accusations of ‘unwanted touching’ by the former vice president using a collection of photos picturing Biden hugging children. But the pics, primarily from swearing-in ceremonies, were taken out of context when actually he was greeting lawmakers and their families.
1. The 3 🤣 emojis in the caption should indicate to anyone with a scintilla of common sense that I’m joking around. 2. If the media doesn’t want people mocking & making jokes about how creepy Joe is, then maybe he should stop the unwanted touching & keep his hands to himself? https://t.co/Jy98aq6yWDpic.twitter.com/Kcr9jdPSbC
Oh, look! The idiot son of “Grab ‘Em by the Pussy” is lecturing on keeping your hands to yourself. You will note that all of these girls have clothes on. Unlike when your creepy dad barged in on girls in changing rooms at teen pageants to ogle their naked, underage bodies. 🤮
