A key to bridging the political divide: Sit down and talk?
One Small Step, which Isay established in 2018, is among a growing number of nonprofit initiatives whose aim is to narrow America's increasingly toxic political divide. But he felt it was a start, and he named his initiative accordingly: One Small Step. One Small Step, which Isay established in 2018, is among a growing number of nonprofit initiatives whose aim is to narrow America's increasingly toxic political divide. Yet they'd never met and probably never would have, if not for their joint involvement in One Small Step. But as One Small Step has developed, expansion has followed, with roughly 800 people meeting in pairs in about 40 cities.
Biden signals support to replace war power authority
The U.S. has blamed the militia for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq in the past. But several leading members of Congress, including members in Bidenโs own party, denounced the strikes โ the first military action he has authorized. Kaine and others argued offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances. A U.S. contractor died after at least 10 rockets slammed into the base early Wednesday. โIf we assess further response is warranted, we will take action again in a manner and time of our choosing,โ Psaki said.
Ties with Saudis at stake as US releases findings on killing
President Joe Biden is expected to speak to Saudi King Salman for the first time in Bidens just over a month-old administration. The language came in contrast to Biden's pledge as a candidate to make Saudi Arabia โa pariahโ over the killing. The Saudi Arabia Embassy spokesman in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday. U.S. intelligence findings are coming out more than two years after Khashoggi walked hand-in-hand with his fiancee to the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Once in office, Biden said he would maintain whatever scale of relations with Saudi Arabia that U.S. interests required.
EXPLAINER: Whatโs ahead as Trump impeachment trial begins
The House appointed nine impeachment managers who will present the case against Trump on the Senate floor. Trumpโs first impeachment trial, in which he was acquitted on charges that he abused power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate now-President Joe Biden, lasted almost three weeks. The fresh memories of Jan. 6 could make it easier for the House impeachment managers to make their case, but it doesnโt mean the outcome will be any different. While the House impeachment managers say Trump is โsingularlyโ responsible for the attack on the Capitol, Trumpโs lawyers say the rioters acted on their own accord. The brief goes after the impeachment managers personally, charging that the Democrats have โTrump derangement syndrome,โ are โselfishโ and are only trying to impeach Trump for political gain.
EXPLAINER: What's ahead as Trump impeachment trial begins
AdThe House appointed nine impeachment managers who will present the case against Trump on the Senate floor. Trumpโs first impeachment trial, in which he was acquitted on charges that he abused power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate now-President Joe Biden, lasted almost three weeks. The fresh memories of Jan. 6 could make it easier for the House impeachment managers to make their case, but it doesnโt mean the outcome will be any different. While the House impeachment managers say Trump is โsingularlyโ responsible for the attack on the Capitol, Trumpโs lawyers say the rioters acted on their own accord. The brief goes after the impeachment managers personally, charging that the Democrats have โTrump derangement syndrome,โ are โselfishโ and are only trying to impeach Trump for political gain.
EXPLAINER: How Trump's second impeachment trial will work
A look at the basics of the upcoming impeachment trial:HOW DOES THE TRIAL WORK? AdTrump's first impeachment trial, in which he was acquitted on charges that he abused power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate now-President Joe Biden, lasted almost three weeks. โIf we were not to follow up with this, we might as well remove any penalty from the Constitution of impeachment.โAdHOW IS THIS TRIAL DIFFERENT FROM TRUMPโS FIRST TRIAL? Beyond the constitutionality of the trial, Trumpโs lawyers say that he did not incite his supporters to violence and that he did nothing wrong. โIt is denied that President Trump ever endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government,โ they wrote in a brief for the trial.
Democrat floats Trump censure as conviction grows unlikely
House Democrats are busy preparing their formal case against the former president for inciting an insurrection, with arguments starting the week of Feb. 8. A week later, on Jan. 13, the Democratic-led House impeached Trump with the backing of 10 Republicans. She said that five is probably โa high mark on what youโre going to see for Republican supportโ for convicting Trump at trial. Some said the censure resolution was too late because Democrats had rejected GOP suggestions of censure before the House voted to impeach. โI guess if we can censure former presidents, then when Republicans get in charge, we can censure Barack Obama or Democrats can censure George Bush."
For 1st Black Pentagon chief, racism challenge is personal
Austin took office Friday as the first Black defense chief, in the wake of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, where retired and current military members were among the rioters touting far-right conspiracies. The U.S. population overall is about three-quarters white and 13% Black, according to Census Bureau statistics. Austin gained confirmation after clearing a legal hurdle prohibiting anyone from serving as defense chief until they have been out of the military for seven years. He held a broader video conference on COVID-19 with all top defense and military leaders, and his first call to an international leader was with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. After serving as vice chief of the Army, Austin headed Central Command, where he oversaw the reinsertion of U.S. troops to Iraq to beat back Islamic State militants.
Democrats ask ethics panel to investigate Sens. Cruz, Hawley
Thousands had gathered that day as Congress voted to formally certify President Joe Bidenโs victory over Trump in November. Hawley and Cruz led objections in the Senate to Bidenโs victory, despite the widespread recognition that the effort would fail. And both senators used their objections for political fundraising,โ the Democratic senators said in their letter. Cruz helped force a vote on Biden's victory in Arizona, while Hawley helped force one on Biden's victory in Pennsylvania. โThis latest effort is a flagrant abuse of the Senate ethics process and a flagrant attempt to exact partisan revenge."
Tom Vilsack faces new challenges as he returns to old job
President-elect Joe Biden has selected Vilsack to reprise that role in his administration. Vilsack โhas the necessary qualifications and experience to steer the agency through these turbulent times,โ said Rob Larew, the president of the National Farmers Union. Then mayor of Mount Pleasant in southeast Iowa, Vilsack volunteered for the up-and-coming Biden before he exited the presidential race. Despite that, in 2007, after his own brief presidential campaign, Vilsack endorsed Hillary Clinton, even with Biden also running. In his endorsement, Vilsack called Biden โa man with empathy, and a man who has the heart of a president.
After year of disruption, America set to choose a path ahead
Voters appear to recognize the moment: More than 91 million people have already cast ballots, shattering records for early voting. The courts, which have been stacked with a generation of conservative jurists during Trumpโs tenure, would veer further to the right. Though Democrats are wary of overconfidence, given Trumpโs upset in 2016, party leaders see significant differences in this yearโs election. Despite the pandemicโs toll on his political fortunes, Trumpโs campaign is banking on strategy similar to 2016. The challenge for Trump is engineering a late shift in the race when so many voters have already cast ballots.
Harris target of more misinformation than Pence, data shows
CHICAGO โ Long before Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced her as his running mate, Kamala Harris was the target of widespread online misinformation. Harrisโ birth certificate shows she was born on Oct. 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, making her eligible to serve as either vice president or president. Social media chatter around Harrisโ eligibility declined after being โeclipsedโ by fact checks from news organizations that debunked it, Granston added. There's been a huge uptick in social media conversation around the vice presidential candidates this year, compared to the 2016 campaign. But misinformation around Harris has been more prevalent, making up more than 4% of the conversation on Twitter, Zignal Labs found.
Biden's lessons learned: spending time, money in Midwest
Biden's "campaign is doing a better job, even during COVID, of reaching out with the candidates and a voter-to-voter effort. Besides spending no time in Wisconsin and only five days in Michigan, Clinton didn't begin advertising in either until two weeks before the election. There's been more to Biden's sharper focus on Michigan and Wisconsin than showing up and spending money. Biden's Michigan campaign as well as national aides have contacted Kinloch more in the past two months than Clinton's did throughout all of 2016, he said. โThey're looping everything we're doing individually together under the Biden campaign,โ Kinloch said.
Harris highlights stakes of election in Barrett hearings
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ Unable to block President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Sen. Kamala Harris used three days of confirmation hearings this week to remind voters of the stakes of the Nov. 3 election and how Democratic nominee Joe Biden would govern differently if he were in the White House. Known for her tough questioning of Trump's nominees, Harris took a lower key approach and avoided sparring matches with Republicans. Her messaging was muted in part because she appeared via video conference from her office, not the Senate hearing room, due to coronavirus concerns. โDemocrats are wise not to play into their hand.โRepublicans took note of the disciplined approach by Harris and the Democrats. GOP Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, who was next in line for questioning after Harris on Wednesday, asked Barrett a series of questions meant to rebut Harris.
Supreme Court vacancy likely to inflame presidential debate
Moderated by Fox Newsโ Chris Wallace, the 90-minute debate will feature segments on the Supreme Court, the coronavirus, the economy, race and policing, election integrity and the candidates' records. "This time it may actually turn out to be.โBoth candidates are likely to repeat their talking points about the Supreme Court. But during the debate, their comments are likely to reach vast swaths of the electorate that haven't been following the campaign closely. But this Supreme Court pick gives them the exact reason to hold their nose and vote for somebody they despise because it falls in line with their ideological values.โThe court vacancy will have to compete with Trump's taxes coming to light. Rocha said Biden will likely use the Supreme Court vacancy and other issues to try to rattle Trump and get him to blurt out ill-advised remarks.
Trump caps judiciary remake with choice of Barrett for court
Judge Amy Coney Barrett applauds as President Donald Trump announces Barrett as his nominee to the Supreme Court, in the Rose Garden at the White House, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, in Washington. Trump hailed Barrett as โa woman of remarkable intellect and character,โ saying he had studied her record closely before making the pick. Trump, meanwhile, is hoping the nomination will galvanize his supporters as he looks to fend off Democrat Joe Biden. โWe donโt have to do it before, but I think this will be done before the election," Trump told reporters Saturday. โI think this will end up in the Supreme Court,โ Trump said Wednesday of the election.
Supreme Court fight could elevate Kamala Harris' profile
(AP Photo/Michael Perez)SACRAMENTO, Calif. โ Kamala Harris is poised to become a leading figure in the Democratic opposition to President Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick, with her status as both a lawmaker and vice presidential nominee putting her in the center of the fight. The California senator is in a unique role following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday. She was widely praised by Democrats for her questioning of Brett Kavanaugh during the last Supreme Court confirmation fight. Beyond her questioning of Kavanaugh, he pointed to her 2017 questioning of then-Sen. Jeff Sessions as Trumpโs first attorney general. โThat would give her the flexibility to be able to be in D.C., maybe a little bit more than during a traditional presidential campaign closing stretch,โ he said.
Biden to focus on health care in Supreme Court debate
Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, about the Supreme Court. โ Joe Biden on Sunday used the sudden Supreme Court vacancy to reinforce his argument that the upcoming election should be a referendum on President Donald Trump's handling of health care and the coronavirus. Biden kept the focus on health care, which has proven to be a winning issue for Democrats during previous elections and could be even more resonant amid the pandemic. โMillions of Americans are voting because they know their health care hangs in the balance," Biden said during remarks at Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Their refusal to put names to Bidenโs potential court pick underscores the political peril that the Supreme Court debate holds for Biden.
School leader: B1G football on hold until questions answered
The University of Wisconsin chancellor said Tuesday that Big Ten football will remain on hold until there are answers to questions about COVID-19 testing and tracing, along with possible long-term heart issues related to the coronavirus. โDecisions within the Big Ten are largely majority based decisions, but Iโll be honest, we almost always decide everything by consensus. A court filing earlier this month disclosed that Big Ten presidents and chancellors voted 11-3 in favor of postponing all fall sports. โWhen there is any news to share or confirm regarding any Big Ten board decision, it will be announced by the Big Ten,โ University of Nebraska spokeswoman Deb Fiddelke said. ___Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.westwoodonepodcasts.com/pods/ap-top-25-college-football-podcast/___More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
Trump, struggling to define Biden, steps up Harris attacks
But four years later, the president has plenty to say about Kamala Harris. โKamala Harris and her voting record helps make the case against Joe Biden,โ Murtaugh said. Like Biden, Harris has staked out relatively moderate stances over the course of her career on issues such as health care and law enforcement. Kamala,โ Trump said, mispronouncing and stretching out each syllable of her name each time he said it in North Carolina. By elevating and trying to define Harris, the Trump campaign is trying to change how voters view Biden.
Harris' mostly virtual campaign to get Wisconsin road test
FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2020, file photo Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., speaks in Washington. On Monday, Sept. 7, Harris will travel to Milwaukee, her first traditional campaign trip. Three weeks after joining Joe Biden as the Democratic vice presidential nominee, the California senator is still campaigning largely in front of a computer screen to relatively small audiences. On Monday, Harris will travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on her first traditional campaign trip. He said he expects there will be opportunities for Harris to get out in swing states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida and Georgia.
Biden friend Sen. Coons to elevate faith on convention stage
FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2015, file photo, Vice President Joe Biden administers the Senate oath to Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., as Coons' wife, Annie Coons, watches during a ceremonial re-enactment swearing-in, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington. The theme and timing of Coons speech on the pandemic-altered convention schedule underscore Democrats' interest in engaging with religious voters on the basis of shared values with Biden. For Joe, faith isnt a prop or a political tool, Coons is set to say, according to prepared remarks shared with The Associated Press ahead of time. Coons is also one of the more vocal Democrats when it comes to coaxing fellow party members to be more open about faith. When it comes to speaking for Biden about faith, though, Coons will have the most prominent forum.
Trump gives credence to false, racist Harris conspiracy
President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Thursday gave credence to a false and racist conspiracy theory about Kamala Harris eligibility to be vice president, fueling an online misinformation campaign that parallels the one he used to power his rise into politics. Harris has been a top target of misinformation since launching her own bid for the White House last year. That is certainly a slight, said Amanda Harrington, vice president of Times Up, which works to stop workplace harassment. Obama, who beat McCain in the 2008 race for the White House, was even a co-sponsor of the McCain resolution.
Democrat McClellan announces bid to be Virginia governor
(AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)RICHMOND, Va. A Virginia state senator is launching a bid to be the state's next governor, which if successful would make her the nation's first African-American woman to ever lead a state. I have the understanding of where we are in this moment in time, how we got here ... and the vision to take Virginia forward, McClellan said. McClellan is one of several Democrats either officially running or eyeing a possible campaign for their party's nomination to succeed Gov. If she were to win the 2021 contest, McClellan would be Virginias first woman governor, the first African American female governor in the United States and only the second woman ever elected to statewide office in Virginia. I'm not running to make history, I am running to set Virginia on the course I think we need to go," she said.