The Trump campaign urged the presidential debate commission on Thursday to host four debates in the upcoming presidential election season, reportedly also asking the commission to host the first debate soon after Labor Day.
According to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/us/politics/trump-presidential-debates-2020.html">The New York Times</a>, three Trump affiliates attended the virtual meeting, including Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, and Campaign Manager Brad Parscale, who told the news organization the campaign was looking for “fair debates” and wanted them to occur sooner and on a “bigger schedule.”
“As many Americans as possible need to see the stark differences between the accomplishments and leadership of President Trump and the failed record and sleepiness of Joe Biden,” said Parscale.
The Trump campaign also reportedly requested to share influence with the Biden campaign over who would serve as the debate moderator for each event, a move the debate commission has rejected, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-campaign-makes-pitch-for-fourth-debate-with-biden-amid-declining-poll-numbers/2020/06/18/bcc6b3ac-b19c-11ea-a567-6172530208bd_story.html">The Washington Post</a>.
Kate Bedingfield, deputy campaign manager for Biden, suggested to the Times in a statement that the Trump campaign was trying to “change the subject” to debates as a way of distracting from unfavorable polling.
“But there’s a catch: He’ll only do it if he can pick the moderators,” said Bedingfield. “We are not going to ride the roller coaster of the ever-changing Trump campaign position on debates, nor are we going to be distracted by his demands.”
The Post reports that the Trump campaign also requested that no debates be held on the same evenings as NFL games, a reference to the 2016 election when two of the three presidential debates were scheduled alongside football games.
When the Trump campaign raised the concern back in the summer of 2016, the commission <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-campaign-makes-pitch-for-fourth-debate-with-biden-amid-declining-poll-numbers/2020/06/18/bcc6b3ac-b19c-11ea-a567-6172530208bd_story.html">pushed back</a> against the idea it would reschedule the debates: &#8220;It is impossible to avoid all sporting events, and there have been nights on which debates and games occurred in most election cycles. A debate has never been rescheduled as a result.”
&#8220;As a point of reference, in a four-year period, there are four general-election debates (three presidential and one vice-presidential), and approximately 1,000 NFL games,” said the commission.
A <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-biden-widens-lead-over-trump-republicans-enthusiastic-but-fear-motivates-dems">Fox News poll</a> released on Thursday afternoon shows Biden leading Trump by 12 points, an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-biden-more-trusted-on-coronavirus-trump-on-economy">increase</a> of four points since the poll was conducted last month.
63% of those who plan to vote for Biden cited the fear of Trump winning re-election as their biggest motivator. Only 31% of people who plan to vote for Biden indicated they were motivated by excitement for the candidate himself.
On the other hand, 62% of people who plan to vote for Trump indicated that their excitement about the president was their biggest motivation. Only 33% reported that they were planning to vote for Trump out of fear that Biden would win the presidency.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

President Trump Holds Roundtable With Governors On Reopening Small Businesses

Team Trump Pushes For Extra Debate; Biden Campaign Responds Unfavorably

2020 Election

Donald Trump

Joe Biden

Is Joe Biden experiencing dementia? That&#8217;s a question the pollsters at Zogby International posed to 1,007 &#8220;likely voters.&#8221;
The results were surprising: 55% said they think the former vice president, 77, &#8220;is in the early stages of dementia.&#8221;
&#8220;Overall, subgroups who normally approve of Trump&#8217;s job as president, were the most likely to believe Biden could be suffering from dementia,&#8221; the <a href="https://zogbyanalytics.com/news/943-the-zogby-poll-a-majority-of-voters-believe-biden-is-in-the-early-stages-of-dementia-60-of-younger-voters-think-so-swing-voters-less-likely-to-think-biden-has-dementia">poll found</a>. &#8220;Thus, majorities of Republicans (77% more likely/23% less likely) and Independents (56% more likely/44% less likely) thought Joe Biden had early-onset dementia; while nearly a third of Democrats (32% more likely/68% less likely) thought this was the case.”
&#8220;At the same time, some important subgroups did not believe the vice president was exhibiting a declining mental capacity. While a majority of men (60% more likely/40% less likely) thought it this was likely, women (50% more likely/50% less likely) were less likely to think that the vice president was in the early stages of dementia,&#8221; Zogby International wrote.
<blockquote>There was also an inverse relationship in the data between age and the likelihood of voters believing Biden had early-onset dementia, for example; as the age of voters increased the likelihood of voters believing Biden was exhibiting early-onset dementia decreased. Younger voters aged 18-24 (60% more likely/40% less likely) and 18-29 (59% more likely/41% less likely) were more likely to believe Biden had dementia than older voters aged 65+ (50% more likely/50% less likely).
Likely voters living in medium size cities (61% more likely/39% less likely) were more likely to believe Biden had dementia than voters living in the suburbs (52% more likely/48% less likely) and large cities (55% more likely/45% less likely). Suburban women (49% more likely/51% less likely) did not think Biden was mentally slipping but men living in urban areas (62% more likely/38% less likely) believed so.</blockquote>
President Trump has blasted Biden – who he calls &#8220;Sleepy Joe&#8221; – over his repeated verbal stumbles and memory lapses, calling him an old man who should be put in a retirement home.
&#8220;They are going to put him in a home and other people are going to be running the country,&#8221; Trump said in early March during a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina.
&#8220;Sleepy Joe,&#8221; Trump added, &#8220;he doesn&#8217;t even know where he is or what he&#8217;s doing or what office he&#8217;s running for. Honestly, I don&#8217;t think he knows what office he&#8217;s running for.&#8221;
Biden has sought to laugh off the reports.
During a May interview on Snapchat’s “Good Luck America” daily political show, Biden was asked by host Peter Hamby how he plans to “fight back” against the notion that he’s “old” and “kind of lame.”
“The Shorenstein Center up at Harvard did an analysis of all of the anti-Biden memes out there on the internet,” Hamby said. “According to them, the top three slogans they’re seeing, this is from the left and the right, are Dementia Joe, Sleepy Joe, Creepy Joe. Barack Obama reportedly said last week that his daughters had been showing him anti-Biden TikToks. Basically, there’s an entire discourse on the internet right now that’s painting you as creepy and old and out of touch and kind of lame. How do you fight back against that?”
Biden laughed, then said, &#8220;I can hardly wait to get onto the stage with Donald Trump. Look, I certainly miss being out on the trail connecting face-to-face to people. Trump is a master at laying nicknames on people.”
“But the vast majority of the voters out there, including young people, are not getting all their news from the internet,” he said. “But I’m trying to compete there. We’re getting started late in the comparative sense. One hundred and two million video views across social media platforms since mid-March for me.”
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IlaW40ST_f8" width="720" height="385" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">﻿</iframe>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">member</a>.

US-POLITICS-RACE-BIDEN

Poll: 55% Believe That Biden Potentially Has ‘Early Stages Of Dementia’

We all recall that in 2016, polls consistently showed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with a comfortable to commanding lead over then-candidate Donald Trump. On election day, however, Trump crushed Clinton in the Electoral College.
Polls again show Trump losing to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Trump has taken to reminding people about what happened four years ago, saying the polls are underestimating him. Now Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2020/06/17/trump-polls-biden-324210">appears to agree</a>.
While the outlet contends that pollsters aren’t “deliberately skewing their surveys against the president and his party,” but says they “are still grappling with the problems that plagued those polls four years ago.” The problem is particularly concerning with polls in battleground states, Politico reported.
“In fact, most pollsters believe that, on balance, state polls are overstating the scale of Biden’s advantage. That was precisely the problem in 2016: The national polls were largely accurate, to within the margin of error. But there were too few state polls, and many of those that were conducted failed to collect accurate data, especially from white voters without college degrees in key swing states,” the outlet reported. “And those issues haven’t been fixed.”
Courtney Kennedy, director of research at the Pew Research Center, told Politico that concerns from 2016 are still valid.
“I would say that most, if not all, of the concerns that we expressed still hold — some to a lesser degree,” said Courtney Kennedy, who also helped write about the issues the polling industry faced in 2016. “But I think some of the fundamental, structural challenges that came to a head in 2016 are still in place in 2020.”
More from Politico:
<blockquote>Biden’s current lead over Trump is so large — over 8 percentage points in the national RealClearPolitics polling average, and an average advantage of 3 points or greater in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — that a 2016-level polling error wouldn’t matter. A lead that large would probably guarantee Trump would be denied a second term, and even a polling miss on par with 2016 wouldn’t be enough to overcome it.
But that doesn’t mean the president’s standing is quite as dire as it looks on paper — the problem that pollsters identified in 2016 remains. Not enough surveys are being conducted in the battleground states, and those that exist are failing to account for a key political dynamic of modern politics, especially in the Trump era: the rapid movement of lower-income white voters to Republicans and upscale whites to Democrats.</blockquote>
As Politico noted, one of the major problems for pollsters in 2016 was failing to properly weight for white voters without a college degree – a key group of Trump’s base.
GOP pollster Glen Bolger told the outlet he believed pollsters also failed to get Trump voters to respond accurately to polls, fearing judgment or retribution.
“I don’t know how big the effect is. I also don’t know what the ratio is between it being ‘shy Trump’ voters and interviewing too many college graduates and not enough non-college grads,” Bolger told Politico. “But I do think those are factors in some of the polls that show a particularly wide lead for Biden at this point in time. And I do think that things will be closer in the states than the polls indicate right now.”
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Politico Agrees That Polls Are Underestimating Trump Just Like In 2016

Politico

Polls

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) held a $6 million fundraiser for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden this week despite having denounced high-dollar fundraisers during her failed presidential campaign.
In comments denouncing high-dollar fundraisers, Warren told reporters during a campaign stop in February that we are &#8220;tearing this democracy apart.&#8221;
&#8220;She talked in early states like Iowa and New Hampshire about her disdain for the typical fundraising practices used by most candidates; she was often rewarded with thunderous applause (but not enough votes),&#8221; The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/elizabeth-warren-said-fundraisers-would-tear-this-democracy-apart-on-monday-she-raised-6-million-for-joe-biden/2020/06/16/665fa19c-afe7-11ea-856d-5054296735e5_story.html">notes</a>. &#8220;She talked about it on the debate stage, where she zinged other candidates for raising cash in fancy settings — like a California wine cave. She talked about it in friendly interviews with anchors like MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.&#8221;
Despite the high-minded rhetoric, Warren held a $6 million virtual fundraiser for Biden on Monday night that featured more than 600 attendees.
“Joe Biden has a heart for people,” Warren <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-16/biden-fundraiser-with-elizabeth-warren-nets-6-million">said</a>. “And at a time when Donald Trump’s agenda is more cruel and more heartless by the day. We need a man at the White House who has spent his entire life fighting for people. We need steady and competent leadership. We need Joe Biden to be the next president of the United States to heal this nation and to save our democracy.”
The New York Times and ABC News have both reported in recent days that Warren has emerged as a top-tier contender under consideration by the Biden campaign to be his running mate.
The Washington Post also highlights Warren&#8217;s reversal on super PACs. Despite having emphatically declared on her campaign site that she &#8220;REJECTS SUPERPACS,&#8221; the senator dropped that stance after a pair of primary losses. The $15 million super PAC Persist was launched, with  &#8220;nearly all of its money&#8221; coming from a single donor: Silicon Valley philanthropist Karla Jurvetson, the Post notes.
As for her supposed ban on high-dollar fundraising, the Post also points out that a &#8220;careful read of the February 2019 pledge&#8221; reveals that she did not mention some types of fundraising events, only pledging to ban organized fundraisers during the primary phase of the election — &#8220;though she later said in a CBS interview that she would continue to avoid such events if she became the nominee.&#8221;
The question of whether she would help another candidate raise money was not addressed in her pledge.
Warren&#8217;s campaign was plagued by numerous episodes that called into her question her honesty, including <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/06/politics/elizabeth-warren-native-american/index.html">claims</a> about her ancestry, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/resurfaced-video-warren-fired-pregnant">claims</a> that she was fired for being pregnant, <a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2019/11/warren-misleads-on-her-kids-schooling/">claims</a> that she sent her children to public school, and <a href="https://reason.com/podcast/elizabeth-warren-is-lying-about-her-own-medicare-plan/">claim</a> that she had a plan to pay for her healthcare plan.
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/where-does-elizabeth-warren-stand-issues-heres-josh-hammer">highlighted</a> Warren&#8217;s policy stances in a lengthy profile piece last year that noted that she is &#8220;a firm progressive who routinely takes far-left, populist-inspired political stances on policies pertaining to the economy and the regulatory state.&#8221;
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Candidates Attend Fourth 2020 Democratic Presidential Debate

Warren Said High-Dollar Fundraisers Would Rip ‘This Democracy Apart.’ She Just Had A $6 Million Fundraiser For Biden.

Elizabeth Warren

The usage of the words “fine people” has been widely used to characterize President Trump as a racist by those who mistakenly think he was referring specifically to the white supremacists at the Charlottesville protest in 2017 when he stated there were “very fine people on both sides” of the protest. The Charlottesville protest was triggered by a movement to remove Confederate monuments after a white supremacist murdered nine black worshippers at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.
Yet a newly-unearthed clip of former Vice President Joe Biden from 1993 when he was a senator and serving as the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman shows him using the words “fine people” to refer to a group that also supported preserving Confederate statues — the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).
As <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/06/16/joe-biden-once-called-female-confederacy-group-fine-people/">the New York Post</a> reports, Biden made his remarks during the Senate confirmation hearing for then-Supreme Court nominee Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Biden referred to a speech by Sen. Howell Heflin (D-AL), who supported Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-IL.) in her efforts to deny renewal of a Confederate flag design patent to the UDC.
&#8220;I, too, heard that speech and, for the public listening to this, the senator made a very moving and eloquent speech,&#8221; said Biden. &#8220;As a son of the Confederacy, acknowledging that it was time to change and yield to a position that Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun raised on the Senate floor, not granting a federal charter to an organization made up of many fine people who continue to display the Confederate flag as a symbol.&#8221;
Biden continued, “The charter would have given them the right, the imprimatur of the federal government to do that. It had nothing to do with the First Amendment, Judge, so don’t worry. But the senator made a very significant speech rivaled only, in my view, by a private speech given to me personally by a man whose office I now occupy, Sen. John Stennis from Mississippi.”
When Biden launched his 2020 campaign, he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQn4dQtRYFQ">stated</a> of Trump’s 2017 remarks about Charlottesville, “And that’s when we heard the words of the President of the United States, that stunned the world and shocked the conscience of this nation. He said there were ‘some very fine people on both sides.’ Very fine people on both sides?”
Here are excerpts from the August 2017 <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/15/full-text-trump-comments-white-supremacists-alt-left-transcript-241662">exchange</a> that has been widely used to pillory Trump:
<blockquote>Trump: I will tell you something. I watched those very closely, much more closely than you people watched it. And you had, you had a group on one side that was bad. And you had a group on the other side that was also very violent. And nobody wants to say that, but I&#8217;ll say it right now. You had a group – you had a group on the other side that came charging in without a permit, and they were very, very violent.
Reporter: Do you think what you call the &#8220;alt-left&#8221; is the same as neo-Nazis?
Trump: Those people – all of those people, excuse me – I&#8217;ve condemned neo-Nazis. I&#8217;ve condemned many different groups, but not all of those people were neo-Nazis, believe me. Not all of those people were white supremacists by any stretch.
Reporter: Well, white nationalists –
Trump: Those people were also there, because they wanted to protest the taking down of a statue Robert E. Lee. So – excuse me – and you take a look at some of the groups and you see, and you’d know it if you were honest reporters, which in many cases you’re not. Many of those people were there to protest the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee. So this week, it’s Robert E. Lee, I noticed that Stonewall Jackson’s coming down. I wonder, is it George Washington next week? And is it Thomas Jefferson the week after. You know, you really do have to ask yourself, where does it stop? [&#8230;]
Reporter: Mr. President, are you putting what you’re calling the alt-left and white supremacists on the same moral plane?
Trump: I’m not putting anybody on a moral plane. What I’m saying is this: You had a group on one side and you had a group on the other, and they came at each other with clubs &#8212; and it was vicious and it was horrible. And it was a horrible thing to watch. But there is another side. There was a group on this side. You can call them the left &#8212; you just called them the left &#8212; that came violently attacking the other group. So you can say what you want, but that’s the way it is.
Reporter: (Inaudible) … both sides, sir. You said there was hatred, there was violence on both sides. Are the &#8212;
Trump: Yes, I think there’s blame on both sides. If you look at both sides &#8212; I think there’s blame on both sides. And I have no doubt about it, and you don’t have any doubt about it either. And if you reported it accurately, you would say.
Reporter: The neo-Nazis started this. They showed up in Charlottesville to protest &#8212;
Trump: Excuse me, excuse me. They didn’t put themselves &#8212; and you had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides. You had people in that group. Excuse me, excuse me. I saw the same pictures as you did. You had people in that group that were there to protest the taking down of, to them, a very, very important statue and the renaming of a park from Robert E. Lee to another name.
Reporter: George Washington and Robert E. Lee are not the same.
Trump: George Washington was a slave owner. Was George Washington a slave owner? So will George Washington now lose his status? Are we going to take down &#8212; excuse me, are we going to take down statues to George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson?</blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

us-politics-vote-democrats-biden

A 2020 Presidential Candidate Once Used ‘Fine People’ in 1993 To Describe Supporters Of Confederate Statues. It Wasn’t Trump.

confederate

Joe Biden, the Democrats&#8217; presumptive pick for their 2020 presidential contender, is already on thin ice with anti-racism activists after resisting the push to embrace calls to &#8220;defund&#8221; and disband police departments, but now Black Lives Matter is concerned Biden may be about to select an ex-cop as his running mate.
Among Biden&#8217;s top picks is Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), a two-term Florida Congresswoman best known for being one of several legislators selected to lead the House team prosecuting President Donald Trump&#8217;s Senate impeachment trial, and she has reportedly made it to the second round of vetting, <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/06/13/joe-biden-considering-ex-cop-as-veep-amid-calls-to-defund-the-police/">per the New York Post.</a>
&#8220;But Demings’ 27 years in the Orlando Police Department, where she rose from beat cop to first female chief, are complicating things,&#8221; the outlet reports.
Demings rose from beat cop to chief of police in Orlando, Florida, over the course of two decades, but in the four years she was the Orlando Police Department&#8217;s top administrator she &#8220;was frequently embroiled in excessive-force controversies, and she repeatedly defended the actions of officers.&#8221;
That&#8217;s a big problem for organizations like Black Lives Matter, who are currently at the forefront of American politics and setting the terms of the national conversation on race relations and law enforcement, particularly on the left and among Democrats.
“Joe Biden would be an idiot to put her on his ticket. People are already on the fence about him,” Hawk Newsome, chairman of Black Lives Matter, Greater New York chapter, told media. “When black people become police officers, they are no longer black. They are blue. And I have been told this by numerous officers.”
On at least two occasions, Demings&#8217; officers slammed a suspect so hard they sustained permanent physical damage, and, the Post says, an in-depth, independent review of the Orlando Police Department found that “rogue cops operate with impunity, and there’s nothing anybody who finds himself at the wrong end of their short fuse can do about it.”
Demings has defended her record.
“Looking for a negative story in a police department is like looking for a prayer at church,” Demings wrote in an op-ed for the Orlando Sentinel. “I believe a reasonable person also understands that a few seconds (even on video) rarely capture the entire set of circumstances.”
That may be a reasonable approach to questions about the use of force, but it&#8217;s unlikely to satisfy activists looking for a quick, acceptable response on race relations. And her logic may imperil her chance to be Biden&#8217;s running mate, even though her lack of name recognition and national presence would give Biden&#8217;s team the opportunity to approach the campaign with less baggage than if they selected a more openly divisive candidate, like Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) or Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

val demings

Biden Under Fire From Black Lives Matter For Possible Veep Pick, Ex-Cop Val Demings

Black Lives Matter

Defund The Police

During an interview on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ja8QEp0SkA">Fox News</a> with Harris Faulkner, President Donald Trump responded to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s speculation that the president may try to steal the election, or that the military may need to escort Trump out of the White House if he loses the election but refuses to leave.
“Look, Joe’s not all there, everybody knows it,” Trump told Faulkner, after he explained that he hadn’t heard of Biden’s remarks until she told him about them. “It’s sad when you look at it, and you see it for yourself. He’s created his own sanctuary city in the basement of wherever he is, and he doesn’t come out.”
Trump then responded directly to the comments: “And certainly if I don’t win, I don’t win. I mean, you know, go on and do other things. I think it would be a very sad thing for our country.”
Biden made <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-warns-trump-will-steal-this-election-predicts-military-may-have-to-remove-trump-from-white-house?itm_source=parsely-api">the remarks</a> on Thursday during an appearance on “The Daily Show” with host Trevor Noah, where he cited recent rebuttals from former military officials to support his claim that the United States wouldn’t stand for Trump staying in the White House and flouting the results of the general election. Biden also said: &#8220;This president&#8217;s going to try to steal this election.&#8221;
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany later responded to Biden&#8217;s remarks by saying Trump is looking forward to November, she and accused the Democratic Party of grandstanding and leveling “conspiracy theories.”
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-says-trump-will-try-to-delay-election-wapo-columnist-over-the-line">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported, Biden was sharply criticized for similar election remarks he made in April, including from columnists at mainstream media sites such as The Washington Post and CNN.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also offered conspiracy theories about Trump potentially engaging in election-time antics, including a peculiar statement she made about Jared Kushner, an advisor and the president’s son-in-law, and the date of the presidential election in response to the New York Times headline: “Kushner, Law Aside, Doesn’t Rule Out Moving 2020 Election.”
“I can’t believe I have to write this sentence, but the president’s son-in-law doesn’t get to decide when the election is,” said Clinton in a tweet posting a link to the article.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I can’t believe I have to write this sentence, but the president&#8217;s son-in-law doesn&#8217;t get to decide when the election is. <a href="https://t.co/7CrpHny6TF">https://t.co/7CrpHny6TF</a>
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1260572655515811840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
However, the Times&#8217; article she linked specifically mentioned, twice, including once in the very first sentence, that White House staffers don’t decide when the general election gets to take place, as it&#8217;s an event with a date determined by federal law.
In a statement to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/12/us/politics/kushner-election-november.html">The New York Times</a>, Kushner later clarified that he has “not been involved in, nor am I aware of, any discussions about trying to change the date of the presidential election.”
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

President Trump Signs Supporting Veterans In STEM Careers Act In Oval Office

Trump Responds To Joe Biden’s Election Warning, Military Escort Speculation

Liberals are beginning to swagger around as if the 2020 election is already over. Eugene Robinson at The Washington Post exclaimed that President Donald Trump&#8217;s reelection campaign is &#8220;beginning to look like the Titanic.&#8221; Joe Biden should be preparing his inauguration remarks.
One reason for this arrogance is the absolutely punishing media coverage of Trump. The coronavirus pandemic did what some might have thought was impossible: made Trump coverage even more negative. Rich Noyes of the Media Research Center found that from March 4 (when Joe Biden had basically wrapped up the Democratic nomination) through May 31, Trump coverage on the ABC, CBS and NBC evening newscasts was 94% negative. In May, it was 99.5% negative, an all-time low.
There were 474 evaluative comments about President Trump during this period, and 445 were negative. By contrast, there were only 85 evaluations of Biden, and 51 were negative (61%). They were nine times more negative about Trump.
This sounds a lot like the warp and woof of the 2016 campaign coverage, during which Trump drew the lion&#8217;s share of media attention and it was overwhelmingly negative, while Hillary Clinton seemed like an afterthought. Even in the last three months of the campaign, Trump was evaluated four times as much as Clinton.
The Democrats thought that made her a shoo-in. It didn&#8217;t turn out that way.
Here&#8217;s the problem for them. Anyone who has spent time with these networks knows they have a throbbing, swelling urge to destroy Trump politically. They can&#8217;t possibly be considered &#8220;referees&#8221; of presidential campaigns. One reason they&#8217;ve been so angry about the fate of &#8220;democracy&#8221; is they can&#8217;t stand it when voters ignore their incessant advice.
Jonah Goldberg recently wrote a column in which he argued Trump must think his voters are idiots since he proclaims he is running against the media instead of Biden. Obviously, the media aren&#8217;t on the ballot. But Biden&#8217;s attacks on the president cannot possibly match the media&#8217;s 24/7 aggression and firepower. They are not some irrelevant bystanders, especially now that Biden is campaigning from a cold computer screen.
Their protective coverage of Lovable Grandpa Joe is just as transparent. Noyes reported that ABC, CBS and NBC could barely muster three minutes of airtime on how Biden told black voters, &#8220;If you have a problem figuring out whether you&#8217;re for me or Trump, then you ain&#8217;t black.&#8221; NBC gave it a few seconds. ABC and CBS both rushed to &#8220;balance&#8221; the story with negative Trump news. CBS showed Biden was leading among black voters, 90% to 3%.
When it broke that Biden, in his last days as vice president, joined a list of other Obama officials requesting the &#8220;unmasking&#8221; of an American who turned out to be incoming Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn — which led to a smear about the former Army major general being a Russian pawn — the story drew merely 62 seconds of coverage: 55 seconds on ABC, 7 seconds on CBS and none on NBC. Voters who rely on these cynics for &#8220;news&#8221; wouldn&#8217;t even understand the Big Picture: that Team Obama improperly spied on the Trump campaign and was still trying to ruin Trump&#8217;s presidency during the transition.
Biden&#8217;s TV interviews are littered with please-trash-Trump questions, such as this beaut from MSNBC&#8217;s Brian Williams: &#8220;What is President Trump&#8217;s level of culpability — what&#8217;s his level of responsibility, say, toward the illness and fatalities we&#8217;re witnessing every few minutes these days?&#8221;
This sums up the tone of the latest evening news: How many Americans has Trump killed? They hope their nightly onslaughts demoralize Trump voters and energize Biden backers. But to many Americans, this is not journalism. It&#8217;s badly disguised campaign advertising.
Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org. To find out more about Tim Graham, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Trump

GRAHAM: The Media’s Broadcast Brutality Against Trump

Media

Media Bias

Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden has reportedly narrowed his list of potential vice president running mates to six candidates as his selection process enters a second round of vetting.
The top names include failed Democrat presidential candidates Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA) and Sen. Kamala Harris (CA). The other big name to appear on the list is former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice.
The other three names on Biden&#8217;s reported short list include Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), Atlanta Democrat Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and New Mexico Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.
&#8220;Biden&#8217;s vetting committee had conversations with a larger group of women earlier this spring; those continuing on in the process have been asked to turn over financial records, past writings and other documentation,&#8221; the Associated Press <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/bidens-vp-list-narrows-includes-warren-harris-susan-71224628">reported</a>. &#8220;Biden has had various public and private interactions with many of the women his vetting committee has considered thus far, but has not yet had any formal one-on-one interviews expressly to discuss the No. 2 spot on the ticket. Those aren’t expected for several weeks.&#8221;
Failed Georgia Democrat gubernatorial candidate and far-left activist Stacey Abrams told Stephen Colbert on &#8220;The Late Show&#8221; on Wednesday that she has not been contacted by Biden&#8217;s campaign about being considered for vice president, despite her aggressive campaigning to be selected.
<iframe title="The Sad Saga of Stacey Abrams | SUPERcuts! #781" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ncEr2bA9p7k?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Rice would be a controversial pick for Biden given her extensive history of not being truthful about political scandals, including the Sept. 11, 2012 <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2015/10/21/fact-checking-the-benghazi-attacks-2/">attack</a> on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/ari-fleischer-susan-rice-email-has-exposed-her-total-lie-about-being-unaware-of-the-flynn-unmasking">unmasking</a> of then-national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Warren also has a well documented history of dishonesty which analysts have said doomed her presidential campaign, including her &#8220;debunked allegation that she’d been fired from a school job for being pregnant, and her false claims that her kids had never attended private schools,&#8221; National Review <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/03/elizabeth-warren-campaign-undone-by-dishonesty-not-policy/">reported</a>.
Earlier this week, Biden said that he wanted to pick a &#8220;strong&#8221; running mate who would be &#8220;ready to be president on day one.&#8221;
“It’s really important that whomever you pick as a vice president agrees with you in terms of your philosophy of government and agrees with you on the systemic things that you wanna change,” Biden said. “And is, in fact, going to be able to be someone who is not at all intimidated by the president, not at all intimidated walking in the White House. And is going to be prepared to give their unvarnished opinion and be able to privately argue with the president if they disagree. I want someone strong. I want someone strong, and someone who can — who is ready to be president on day one.”
Many in the Democrat Party are reportedly pushing Biden to pick a minority woman to be his running mate due to the heightened racial tensions that have emerged in recent days over the death of George Floyd.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Biden Campaign Narrows List Of Vice President Candidates To 6, Includes Some Surprises

Kamala Harris

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden struggled at times during an economic reopening event in Philadelphia on Thursday where he spoke on racial issues that have been sparked by the death of George Floyd.
At one point during the lengthy discussion, Biden said that Floyd&#8217;s death was having a bigger impact than the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
&#8220;I came back from law school when Dr. King was assassinated,&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;And when I came back, my city is the only city in America occupied by the National Guard since Reconstruction, because a significant portion was burned to the ground.&#8221;
&#8220;But even Dr. King’s assassination did not have the worldwide impact that George Floyd’s death did,&#8221; Biden continued. &#8220;Because just like television changed the Civil Rights Movement for the better when they saw Bull Connor and his dogs ripping the clothes off of elderly black women going to church and fire hoses ripping the skin off of young kids – all those folks around the country who didn’t have any black populations heard about this, but didn’t believe it but they saw it. It was impossible to close their eyes. Well, with George Floyd, what happened to George Floyd, now you got how many people around the country? Millions of cellphones. It’s changed the way everybody’s looking at this. Look at the millions of people marching around the world, the world.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Joe Biden: “Even Dr. King’s assassination did not have the worldwide impact the George Floyd’s death did.” 👀 <a href="https://t.co/b9LzB9bbNq">pic.twitter.com/b9LzB9bbNq</a>
&mdash; ForAmerica 🇺🇸 (@ForAmerica) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForAmerica/status/1271147958189330433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Former NFL player and current Republican congressional candidate Burgess Owens responded to Biden&#8217;s remarks in a tweet, writing: &#8220;Spoken like a man still fighting for segregation after Martin Luther king Jr was assassinated. Maybe it didn&#8217;t change anything in you, but Martin Luther king Jr changed the world.&#8221;
At a different point during the talk, Biden appeared to not know what &#8216;Juneteenth&#8217; was when he made remarks attacking President Donald Trump.
&#8220;He’s going down to Texas on Juneteenth, right?&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;The first major massacre, literally speaking of the Black Wall Street, right? Years ago.&#8221;
Juneteenth, also called Emancipation Day, is day commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. and is celebrated every year on June 19.
The Trump campaign responded to Biden&#8217;s remarks on Twitter by adding: &#8220;1. President Trump is going to Texas today, not June 19. 2. Juneteenth is about emancipation. 3. The massacre was in Oklahoma&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Joe Biden doesn&#39;t know what Juneteenth is:
&quot;He’s going down to Texas on Juneteenth, right? The first major massacre &#8230; of the Black Wall Street, right?&quot;
1. President Trump is going to Texas today, not June 19 2. Juneteenth is about emancipation 3. The massacre was in Oklahoma <a href="https://t.co/vpNDQLwqBj">pic.twitter.com/vpNDQLwqBj</a>
&mdash; Trump War Room &#8211; Text TRUMP to 88022 &amp; get the APP (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1271143208282701825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Trump campaign also highlighted another portion of Biden&#8217;s talk when he was attacking Trump.
Biden said, &#8220;I think the federal government has abdicated any effective leadership role, the White House at least has abdicated that role you know, the rapidly rising, uh, um, uh, in with uh, with uh, I don&#8217;t know, uh his just inability to focus on any federal responsibility, him saying, I take no responsibility. It’s not my problem. I don’t have this responsibility.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Joe Biden brain freeze: &quot;You know, the rapidly rising, uh, um, uh, in with uh, with uh, I don&#39;t know, uh&quot; <a href="https://t.co/hpDOqUvaO8">pic.twitter.com/hpDOqUvaO8</a>
&mdash; Trump War Room &#8211; Text TRUMP to 88022 &amp; get the APP (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1271138917618679809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

WATCH: Biden Has Bad Showing At Roundtable Reopening Event In Philadelphia

Coronavirus

COVID-19

Philadelphia

Joe Biden, the Democrats&#8217; presumptive 2020 presidential nominee, told &#8220;The Daily Show&#8221; Wednesday that he expects President Donald Trump to try to &#8220;steal&#8221; the presidential election and expressed hope that the United States military would remove Donald Trump from the White House if he refused to vacate.
Echoing conspiracy theorists, including failed 2016 presidential contender Hillary Clinton, Biden explained vague comments he&#8217;d made previously, telling &#8220;Daily Show&#8221; host Trevor Noah that he believes Trump will not accept a loss at the ballot box and that the president will try to create chaos around the election.
“This president&#8217;s going to try to steal this election,” Biden said.
The answer was in reference to the Georgia primary, held Tuesday, which turned into an unqualified disaster after confused voters submitted mail-in ballots and precincts were reordered and moved.
“This is a guy who said that all mail-in ballots are fraudulent, voting by mail, while he sits behind the desk in the Oval Office and writes his mail-in ballot to vote in the primary,” Biden added.
Support for voting via absentee ballot is, of course, different from supporting a fully mail-in election, and even Twitter, which fact-checked the president&#8217;s claims of vote fraud stemming from mail-in elections, admitted that there are problems with vote-by-mail programs. The president and other Republican officials have expressed concerns that Democrats are looking to sow confusion and manipulate November&#8217;s election results by pressing for a fully mail-in vote.
Biden and others, like Clinton, have previously expressed concern that President Trump may try to &#8220;move&#8221; the November elections over fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections. Since the presidential election date is set by Federal law as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, such a move would require an act of Congress &#8212; a Congress that is none too friendly to the president.
Biden did express hope, though, that if Trump resisted an unfavorable election outcome that the United States military would conspire to forcibly eject him from the White House.
“You have four chiefs of staff coming out and ripping the skin off of Trump, and so many rank-and-file military personnel saying, ‘Whoa, we&#8217;re not a military state. This is not who we are,’&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;I promise you, I&#8217;m absolutely convinced they will escort him from the White House with great dispatch.&#8221;
There is no indication that Trump would refuse to accept election results declaring Biden the winner. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany went further on Fox News Thursday morning, calling Biden a conspiracy theorist.
&#8220;This president is looking forward to November. This president is hard at work for the American people,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And leave it to Democrats to grandstand and level these conspiracy theories.&#8221;

Biden

Biden Warns Trump Will ‘Steal This Election,’ Predicts Military May Have To Remove Trump From White House

Speaking with CBS’ Evening News Norah O&#8217;Donnell on Tuesday, former Vice President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-biden-systemic-racism-exists-law-enforcement/">insisted</a> that not only is law enforcement riddled with “systemic racism,” but “systemic racism” is “across the board … it’s in everything we do.”
Biden’s answer was prompted by O’Donnell asking, “Do you believe there is systemic racism in law enforcement?”
Biden answered, “Absolutely, but it’s not just in law enforcement, it’s across the board. It’s in housing, and it’s in education, and it’s in everything we do. It’s real. It’s genuine. It’s serious. Look, not all law enforcement officers are racist. My lord, there are some really good, good cops out there. But the way in which it works right now is — we’ve seen too many examples of it.&#8221;
Asked if he supported defunding the police, Biden responded, “No, I don’t support defunding the police. I support conditioning federal aid to police, based on whether or not they meet certain basic standards of decency and honorableness. And, in fact, are able to demonstrate they can protect the community and everybody in the community.”
Donnell asked, “Does it hurt Democrats’ cause if there are some in your party that are saying &#8216;defund the police&#8217;? The president is suggesting that shows Democrats are weak in terms of —&#8221;
Biden interrupted, &#8220;The president has no credibility in terms of anything. He lies; he’s the first person anyone can think of in modern history who’s taken regular military officers and had them move against peaceful demonstrators causing four former chiefs of staff to say, &#8216;This guy’s bad. This guy’s wrong. He should just stop.&#8217;”
O’Donnell asked, “What would you do to end systemic racism?”
Biden replied, &#8220;I&#8217;ve laid out a whole plan — how I would do that. Number one, you have to start off by insisting that the police departments meet a national standard of what constitutes policing that is appropriate. And that&#8217;s one of things we gotta set out, that national standard. And all police departments are gonna have to adopt it. We&#8217;ll put together a commission to do that.&#8221;
He continued, “We have to, in my way, change the way that the entire criminal justice system functions and the prison system. It should turn into a rehabilitation system, not just punishment.”
In January 2015, Biden said the media exaggerated the problems between police and the communities they protected, as <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/01/27/biden_police_relations_with_communities_not_as_bad_as_it_has_been_press_exaggerates.html">Real Clear Politics</a> reported:
<blockquote>Vice President Joe Biden spoke to the Major County Sheriffs&#8217; Association/Major Cities Chiefs Association 2015 winter meeting on Monday. Biden addressed bridging the relation between communities and the officers who police those communities. &#8220;This is not nearly as bad as it has been in the past,&#8221; Biden said in Washington. &#8220;The press exaggerates how far off this is. But, we have to nip it in the bud.&#8221;</blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>. 
&nbsp;

Candidate Joe Biden Delivers Remarks On Coronavirus Outbreak

Biden Says There’s ‘Systemic Racism’ In ‘Everything We Do’

Systemic racism

Comments by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — one of the women on Joe Biden&#8217;s shortlist of potential running mates — made during an interview with &#8220;The Root&#8221; Tuesday caused a lack of &#8220;clarity&#8221; about where the progressive governor stands on the &#8220;Defund The Police&#8221; movement, prompting backlash from the state GOP and requiring the governor&#8217;s office to set the record straight.
In a 33-minute interview with The Root broadcast on Instagram on Tuesday, Whitmer suggested to the black community-focused outlet that she supports defunding the police — or, at least, partly defunding the police.
“The spirit as you just articulated is really just about reprioritizing and rebuilding communities, not just policing,” Whitmer told The Root, which describes itself as providing &#8220;an unflinching analysis of issues in the black community and engages diverse viewpoints that are provocative, savvy &amp; smart.&#8221;
Noting that state budgets are focused primarily on law enforcement and criminal justice, Whitmer suggested that more money should be directed to initiatives that work toward &#8220;leveling the playing field,&#8221; among them, as the <a href="https://twitter.com/detroitnews/status/1270716533732372480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1270716533732372480&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fdougp-3137%2F2020%2F06%2F10%2Fbackpedal-in-progress-michigan-gov-whitmers-office-clarifies-support-for-defund-the-police-movement-hint-retreat%2F">Detroit News</a> highlights, education, health care, skills training and public transit.
&#8220;If you do all those other things, you don’t need all the money going to the police departments,&#8221; said Whitmer, in a clip of the interview highlighted by the Michigan Republican Party. &#8220;So yeah, the spirit of it, I do support that spirit,&#8221; she added.
Whitmer also stressed during the interview that the police department was in dire need of racial bias-related reform. At the end of the interview, Whitmer strongly suggested that while she does not support fully defunding the police, she is on board with partly defunding them. “[W]e’re not going to defund all the police, but we’re going to make the investments in people,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And that’s what this is all about.”
Her comments were met with backlash from state Republicans, including from Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox, who posted a clip of the interview on social media.
&#8220;Gov. Whitmer wouldn’t understand the risk communities would face if she defunded the police, since she’s afforded her own security detail,&#8221; Cox tweeted Tuesday. &#8220;Democrats are so out of touch they don’t care about the consequences their actions would have. Very on brand for the radical left.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Gov. Whitmer wouldn’t understand the risk communities would face if she defunded the police, since she’s afforded her own security detail.
Democrats are so out of touch they don’t care about the consequences their actions would have.
Very on brand for the radical left. <a href="https://t.co/cYL80kN7ic">pic.twitter.com/cYL80kN7ic</a>
&mdash; Laura Cox (@MIGOPChair) <a href="https://twitter.com/MIGOPChair/status/1270735204102086657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
As noted by Detroit News, Whitmer&#8217;s office was quick to &#8220;clarify&#8221; the governor&#8217;s position. Asked about Whitmer&#8217;s comments, her spokeswoman Tiffany Brown made clear Wednesday that the governor does not support defunding the police, only the &#8220;spirit&#8221; of it.
In her response, Brown repeated Whitmer&#8217;s &#8220;leveling the playing field&#8221; line but emphasized Whitmer&#8217;s focus on police &#8220;reforms.&#8221;
<div id="ad-position-59" class="partner-placement partner-spike partner-placement-visible" data-ad-placement="native-article_link" data-ad-sizes="[&quot;fluid&quot;,[3,3], [2,6], [300,250]]" data-monetization-id="native-article_link" data-monetization-sizes="fluid,300,250,3,3,2,6">
<div id="ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-news-politics-6" class="ad-slot" data-google-query-id="CLXTxerF9-kCFQPCgQodqUQIrw">
&#8220;The governor believes we need greater investment in people and communities, which means leveling the playing field through better schools, transportation, and access to health care,&#8221; Brown said. &#8220;That&#8217;s why the governor has proposed real reforms in policing, and will continue to advance a policy agenda that promotes racial equity here in our state.&#8221;
On the same day that Whitmer&#8217;s office was providing its clarification of her stance on &#8220;Defund The Police,&#8221; USA Today published an <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/06/10/biden-root-out-systemic-racism-not-just-divisive-trump-talk-column/5327631002/">op-ed</a> by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Biden calling not for defunding the police, but actually directing more money toward police — $300 million to those departments that are willing to embrace reforms.
&#8220;While I do not believe federal dollars should go to police departments that are violating people&#8217;s rights or turning to violence as the first resort, I do not support defunding police,&#8221; wrote Biden. &#8220;The better answer is to give police departments the resources they need to implement meaningful reforms, and to condition other federal dollars on completing those reforms.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-protesters-set-up-autonomous-zone-in-seattle-after-police-retreat-barricade-6-blocks-around-shuttered-precinct">SEE IT: Protesters Set Up ‘Autonomous Zone’ In Seattle After Police Retreat, Take Over 6 Blocks Around Shuttered Precinct</a>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.  
<div id="ad-position-62" class="partner-placement partner-spike partner-placement-visible" data-ad-placement="native-article_link" data-ad-sizes="[&quot;fluid&quot;,[3,3], [2,6], [300,250]]" data-monetization-id="native-article_link" data-monetization-sizes="fluid,300,250,3,3,2,6">
<div id="ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-news-politics-7" class="ad-slot" data-google-query-id="CK_Ry-rF9-kCFQPCgQodqUQIrw" data-integralas-id-daef02b6-7fc2-4fde-6a4f-1903d3ac796c="" data-integralas-id-e42fcafe-cdca-5e5f-4569-f0e9fe388a03="" data-integralas-id-b7df3846-17b7-243e-92ea-61b017433d16="">
<div id="ad-position-65" class="partner-placement partner-spike partner-placement-visible" data-ad-placement="native-article_link" data-ad-sizes="[&quot;fluid&quot;,[3,3], [2,6], [300,250]]" data-monetization-id="native-article_link" data-monetization-sizes="fluid,300,250,3,3,2,6">
<div id="ad-slot-7103-mi-detroit-C1561-native-article_link-news-politics-8" class="ad-slot" data-google-query-id="CLDRy-rF9-kCFQPCgQodqUQIrw" data-integralas-id-9275dbdd-3a68-4a14-a891-713cb1ececa9="" data-integralas-id-4413867c-6506-eee9-7614-fed5aa1963c8="">

</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Gretchen Whitmer

MI Gov. Whitmer’s Comments On ‘Defund The Police’ Gets Backlash From GOP, ‘Clarification’ From Her Office

Law Enforcement

Joe Biden, the Democratic party&#8217;s presumptive 2020 presidential nominee, answered progressive calls to defund and disband law enforcement agencies across the country by pledging an influx of cash to police departments for &#8220;community policing&#8221; in a new op-ed, published Wednesday.
Although President Donald Trump has worked to connect Biden to activists calling for defunding &#8212; an extreme measure even by far-left standards, though one that has gained popularity in the wake of national anti-racism protests &#8212; Biden has said, both himself and through spokespeople, that he does not support ending funding to law enforcement or disbanding police organizations.
On Wednesday, he tripled down on that, adding that he believes police departments should actually receive more money so that they can expand &#8220;community policing&#8221; initiatives that help cops connect with members of at-risk communities.
&#8220;While I do not believe federal dollars should go to police departments that are violating people&#8217;s rights or turning to violence as the first resort, I do not support defunding police,&#8221; Biden said in a piece published Wednesday in <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/06/10/biden-root-out-systemic-racism-not-just-divisive-trump-talk-column/5327631002/">USA Today</a>. &#8220;The better answer is to give police departments the resources they need to implement meaningful reforms, and to condition other federal dollars on completing those reforms.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ve long been a firm believer in the power of community policing—getting cops out of their cruisers and building relationships with the people and the communities they are there to serve and protect. That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m proposing an additional $300 million to reinvigorate community policing in our country,&#8221; he added.
That money, Biden said, should be used to purchase equipment that increases accountability, to adopt a &#8220;national use of force standard,&#8221; and to fund diversity programs aimed at hiring police officers that are representative of their community.
Many of those activists behind the &#8220;defund the police&#8221; movement insist that the money &#8220;saved&#8221; by disbanding law enforcement organizations would be better spent on mental health programs and government initiatives to address poverty, but Biden proposes spending that in addition to the $300 million to &#8220;re-fund&#8221; police departments.
&#8220;And, we need to prevent 911 calls in scenarios where police should not be our first responders. That means making serious investments in mental health services, drug treatment, and prevention programs, and services for people experiencing homelessness,&#8221; Biden wrote, suggesting that full-time social workers could be sent on calls with police officers.
Biden has been front-and-center on the issue of race relations for more than a week, seizing on a political opportunity to re-inject himself into a national debate that largely favors Democrats, after a near-two month hiatus from the public eye. The public campaign has been mostly a success for Biden, particularly given that he can deliver prepared speeches rather than rely on off-the-cuff and live stream appearances where he often fails to make coherent remarks.
He now leads President Donald Trump in national polls by an average of 5 points. He is also pulling ahead in most battleground states.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Biden Pushes Back On Calls To Defund Police, Proposes $300 Million For Law Enforcement In Op-Ed

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told CBS News on Tuesday night that he wants to select a running mate &#8220;who is ready to be president on day one.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s really important that whomever you pick as a vice president agrees with you in terms of your philosophy of government and agrees with you on the systemic things that you wanna change,&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;And is, in fact, going to be able to be someone who is not at all intimidated by the president, not at all intimidated walking in the White House. And is going to be prepared to give their unvarnished opinion and be able to privately argue with the president if they disagree. I want someone strong. I want someone strong, and someone who can — who is ready to be president on day one.&#8221;
Biden later claimed that racism can be found in housing, education, and &#8220;in everything we do.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s genuine. It&#8217;s serious,&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;Look, not all law enforcement officers are racist; my lord, there are some really good, good cops out there. But the way in which it works right now is we&#8217;ve seen too many examples of it.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JoeBiden</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/NorahODonnell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NorahODonnell</a> the last two weeks “haven’t” affect how he’ll choose a running mate. But “it’s put a greater focus and urgency on the need to get someone who is totally simpatico with where I am,” Biden said.<a href="https://t.co/KXZAVdhxSI">https://t.co/KXZAVdhxSI</a> <a href="https://t.co/or08MoXxzE">pic.twitter.com/or08MoXxzE</a>
&mdash; CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSEveningNews/status/1270513434799624194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
During the primary debates, Biden famously pledged to pick a female running mate but would not commit to picking a minority woman. Amid the heightened racial tensions following the police-involved death of George Floyd, many analysts believe that Biden is now far more likely to choose an African-American running mate.
Biden&#8217;s &#8220;ready to be president&#8221; remarks came after leaked audio of a call obtained by <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-biden-surrogate-says-dems-preferring-that-former-vp-stay-in-the-basement?cmpid=prn_newsstand">Fox News</a> revealed former Virginia Democrat Governor Terry McAuliffe suggesting that it might be best if Biden stays in his basement during the campaign season.
&#8220;People say all the time, &#8216;Oh, we got to get the vice president out of the basement,'&#8221; McAuliffe said on a call. &#8220;He&#8217;s fine in the basement. Two people see him a day: his two body people. That&#8217;s it. Let Trump keep doing what Trump&#8217;s doing.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s hard for the vice president to break through,&#8221; McAuliffe said. &#8220;You&#8217;ve got the COVID crisis. He&#8217;s not a governor, doesn&#8217;t have the National Guard. He&#8217;s not the president, doesn&#8217;t have the briefing room. He needs to come out strategically. And when he says something like he did on race relations two days ago, it needs to have a big impact &#8212; thoughtful, and that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re preferring that he actually do at the time.&#8221;
The Daily Wire highlighted Biden&#8217;s policy stances in an in-depth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/where-does-joe-biden-stand-issues-heres-everything-josh-hammer">profile piece</a> last year:
<blockquote>Although Biden now presents himself as a moderate, centrist figure, the totality of his political career, overall, suggests that he is a firm leftist. Biden has dabbled at times in moderation, including previous support for tough-on-crime legislation and his longstanding stance that he is “personally pro-life” despite his support of legalized abortion. However, he has long been a progressive on legal issues, economic issues, and foreign policy issues, and even preempted President Obama’s “evolution” when, in 2012, he confirmed that he was “absolutely comfortable” with same-sex marriage.</blockquote>
Continue reading <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/where-does-joe-biden-stand-issues-heres-everything-josh-hammer">here</a>.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Democratic Presidential Candidates Attend The South Carolina Convention

Biden: I Want A ‘Strong’ Vice President Who Is ‘Ready To Be President On Day One’

Race

Former Democratic Governor of Virginia Terry McAuliffe told a group of Democrats in a conference call several days ago that it was better for the party if presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden was kept “in the basement.”
The recording of the remarks, obtained by <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-biden-surrogate-says-dems-preferring-that-former-vp-stay-in-the-basement?cmpid=prn_newsstand">Fox News</a>, also shows several people on the call smiling or chuckling afterward, although most people remain expressionless. 
“People say all the time, ‘Oh, we’ve gotta get the vice president out of the basement.’ He’s fine in the basement,” said McAuliffe. “Two people see him a day, he has two body people — that’s that.”
“Let Trump keep doing what Trump’s doing. It’s hard for the vice president to break through,” continued the former governor. “You’ve got the covid crisis, he’s not a governor, doesn’t have a national guard. He’s not the president, doesn’t have a briefing room.”
“He needs to come out strategically and when he says something, like he did on race relations two days ago, it needs to have a big impact, thoughtful, and that’s what we’re preferring that he actually do at the time,” he said, noting the former vice president has been meeting virtually with local and state officials, particularly in battleground states.
On the other hand, President Donald Trump has encouraged Biden to make more public appearances, having told Fox News in a telephone interview last month that he’d “love to see him get out of the basement so he can speak,” reported <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/trump-offers-biden-rapid-covid-19-test-resume-70577308">ABC News</a>. The Trump campaign, which also scaled back the president’s public appearances, is expected to announce Trump’s signature campaign rallies will resume within the next couple of weeks, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/08/trump-rally-coronavirus-307496">Politico</a>. 
During the conference call, McAuliffe also reportedly assured Democrats that the 2020 election would not have the same problems as the 2016 election, remarking that “we’re not going to have crazy Jim Comey coming out 12 days before the election.” He also said that he was &#8220;likely&#8221; going to run for governor again, but was focused on re-electing Biden for the time being. 
A CNN contributor, McAullife formally endorsed Biden shortly after he was projected to win the South Carolina primary, his first primary-season victory over his multiple runs for president. 
&#8220;I&#8217;ve thought long and hard about this. For me, it&#8217;s about beating Donald Trump, and to me it&#8217;s an electability issue ⁠— who has the best shot of beating Donald Trump,&#8221; McAuliffe told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/29/politics/terry-mcauliffe-virginia-endorse-biden/index.html">CNN</a> host Anderson Cooper. 
However, the former Democratic governor also hosted a fundraiser for Biden at his home in late 2019, so the development wasn’t exactly surprising, as has been reported by the <a href="https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/terry-mcauliffe-endorses-joe-biden-after-south-carolina-victory/article_6a650fd0-d24c-578a-afad-f27496a8c733.html">Richmond Times-Dispatch</a>. Dorothy McAuliffe, the former governor’s wife, was also a surrogate for Biden prior to the endorsement, and her <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/27/joe-biden-campaign-bundlers-089918">name appeared</a> last year in a list of bundler’s who raised at least $25,000 on behalf of the Biden campaign. 
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Hosts Virtual Press Briefing

Former Dem Governor Says He’s Fine Keeping Joe Biden ‘In The Basement’

Terry McAuliffe

On Tuesday, at the funeral of George Floyd held in his hometown of Houston, Texas, among talk of grief there were also some ministers who took the opportunity to make political statements and slam President Trump.
Rev. William &#8216;Bill&#8217; Lawson, the pastor emeritus of Wheeler Baptist Church in Houston, stated, “Obviously the first thing we have to do is to clean out the White House.” The Reverend Al Sharpton went further, saying, the White House represented “wickedness in high places.’
Lawson said:
<blockquote>I have seen any number of struggles against racism and they have all ended up with relatively little outcome. So the question is valid; it’s a reasonable question: Is this going to be like so many other movements, a moment of anger and rage and then back to business as usual? You could say that because the prejudiced and the bigoted are not going to change. But we can do some things to change them.
And that’s what I hope we will do. First of all, we can make sure that we don’t stop the fight, that we stay with it, because if we make sure that somebody knows that we are not going to stand for this to keep on going. Obviously the first thing we have to do is to clean out the White House. That has to come closer to us than Washington. Our states and counties and cities have to have good leadership. That means that we have to go and vote.</blockquote>
Sharpton added his own criticism of President Trump, according to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8401421/George-Floyd-death-energized-movement-buried.html">the Daily Mail</a>, saying:
<blockquote>You’re sitting there thinking about how to stop the protests rather than how to stop the brutality. You’re calling your cabinet in trying to figure out how its going to affect your vote rather than how it’s going to affect our lives. Wickedness in high places. You take rubber bullets and tear gas to clear out peaceful protesters and then take the bible and walk in front of a church and use a church as a prop. Wickedness in high places. You ain&#8217;t been walking cross that street when the church didn’t have the boards up. You weren’t putting up no Bible when Arbery was killed in Brunswick, when Taylor was killed in Louisville.</blockquote>
Former Vice President Joe Biden sent a video message in which he stated, accompanied by music:
<blockquote>To George’s family and friends: Jill and I know the deep hole in your hearts when you bury a piece of your soul deep in this Earth. As I said to you privately, we know we know you will never feel the same again …
To George’s children and grandchild: I know you miss your dad and your granddad. To Gianna, as I said to you when I saw you yesterday, you’re so brave, daddy’s looking down and he’s so proud of you … I know you have a lot of questions, honey. No child should have to ask question that too many black children have had to ask for generations – why? Why is daddy gone? …
Why in this nation do too many black Americans wake up knowing they could lose their life in the course of just living their life … Now is the time for racial justice. That’s the answer we must give to our children when they ask why. Because when there’s justice for George Floyd we will truly be on the way to racial justice in America. Then, as you said Gianna, your daddy will have changed the world.</blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.  
&nbsp;

Private Funeral For George Floyd Takes Place In Houston

George Floyd Funeral: Amid Grief, Some Ministers Slam Trump

Al Sharpton

George Floyd

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, an early Biden supporter who recently gained widespread attention for admonishing rioters in her city, is now reportedly undergoing the Biden campaign’s vice presidential candidate vetting process. 
According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/08/biden-veep-search-304854">Politico</a>, “two sources with knowledge of the discussions” confirmed that Bottoms is now in the running for 2020 ticket. The move coincides with the campaign’s purported “evolution” on the need to select a black running mate, “a source familiar with the internal discussions” told the news agency. 
Bottoms endorsed Biden for president nearly a year ago, the day after Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) attacked the former vice president on the debate stage for his opposition to forced bussing in the 1970s and his past experience working alongside segregationists in the Senate, according to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/biden-nabs-2020-endorsement-atlanta-mayor-bottoms-64012750">ABC News</a>. 
&#8220;For me, it was most important that we have a president who doesn&#8217;t have to walk in the door and figure out where the light switch is, that we have somebody who can lead on Day One,&#8221; said Bottoms, who attended the Democratic primary’s first debate as a guest of former Second Lady Jill Biden. 
In an interview with Politico, the first-term Atlanta mayor declined to answer questions about her prospects as Biden’s running mate, saying that her “complete focus has been on the streets the last few days.” Before she was elected as mayor, Bottoms served on the city council for two terms, and was a part-time <a href="https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/keishas-no-kasim-inside-bottomss-very-different-city-hall/">magistrate judge</a> for six years in the mid-2000s. 
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/go-home-atlanta-mayor-gives-fiery-speech-admonishing-disgraceful-rioters">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported, Bottoms gained national attention when she admonished rioters for destroying property and looting the city, and demanding that rioters immediately “go home.”
“We are all angry. This hurts. This hurts everybody in this room. But what are you changing by tearing up a city? You’ve lost all credibility now. This is not how we change America. This is not how we change the world,” said Bottoms. 
“You are disgracing our city, you are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country,” she said. “We are better than this. We are better than this as a city. We are better than this as a country. Go home! Go home!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Atlanta Mayor Bottoms condemns rioters in fiery speech: &#8220;You are disgracing our city, you are disgracing the life of George Floyd&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/QPCVkG0JIO">pic.twitter.com/QPCVkG0JIO</a>
— BNO News (@BNONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1266547800092876802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
After President Donald Trump made <a href="https://factcheck.thedispatch.com/p/did-trump-say-he-hoped-george-floyd">remarks</a> from the Rose Garden about ensuring equality under the law  — observing that “hopefully George is looking down and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country, it’s a great day for him, it’s a great day for everybody, this is a great day for everybody, this is a great, great day in terms of equality — Bottoms told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/06/07/donald-trump-george-floyd-comments-keisha-lance-bottoms-sot-ip-vpx.cnn">CNN</a> that she was “disgusted” with the president’s comments. 
“This is a man who has been murdered on our streets, President Trump didn&#8217;t know him, and in fact, by all accounts from George Floyd’s brother, when President Trump called to offer condolences, he didn’t even give the family an opportunity to speak,” she said. “I think if the president was going to say anything, it may have been more appropriate to talk about his family, and perhaps about him looking down on his children, and perhaps him being proud of the movement that is happening in this country.”
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

2019 BronzeLens Women Superstars Luncheon

Report: Biden Campaign Vetting Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor Who Admonished Rioters, For VP

Georgia

Tim Murtaugh, the communications director for the Trump campaign, blasted presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden for relegating a staffer to the role of speaking out against the “defund the police” movement instead of outright condemning the policy himself.  
&#8220;Joe Biden cannot be let off the hook after his campaign issued a weak statement from a mid-level staffer.  We still haven’t heard from Joe Biden himself on the radical ‘Defund the Police’ movement in the Democrat Party.  It would have been the simplest thing in the world to stick his name on a statement, but he didn’t even do that,” said Murtaugh. 
“Until Americans hear from Joe Biden himself, they have no way of knowing where he really stands. Joe Biden is the leader of his party and he could single-handedly step in and steer elected Democrats away from this terrible policy, which invites chaos in American communities, but he has remained secluded in his basement saying nothing. The ‘Defund the Police’ train has already left the Democrat station, and Joe Biden is merely a weak passenger,” he said. 
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/minneapolis-city-council-members-announce-intent-to-disband-police-department">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported, Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender revealed over the weekend that a veto-proof majority of the city council favors disbanding the local police department in order to “recreate systems of public safety that actually keep us safe.”
As the policy received increased attention, Biden campaign rapid response director Andrew Bates <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/uh-oh-joe-biden-spokesperson-says-dem-nominee-doesnt-want-to-defund-the-police">suggested</a> on Monday that the former vice president’s stance on defunding police departments has already been made clear from his prior statements. 
“As his criminal justice proposal made clear months ago, Vice President Biden does not believe the police should be defunded,” said Bates in a written statement. “He hears and shares the deep grief and frustration of those calling out for change, and is driven to ensure that justice is done and that we put a stop to this terrible pain.”
“Biden supports the urgent need for reform — including funding for public schools, summer programs, and mental health and substance abuse treatment separate from funding for policing — so that officers can focus on the job of policing,” the statement continues. &#8220;This also means funding community policing programs that improve relationships between officers and residents, and provides the training that is needed to avert tragic, unjustifiable deaths.”
Over the weekend, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-minneapolis-mayor-booed-chanted-away-after-protestor-turns-crowd-against-him">ostracized</a> from a demonstration after a protester with a microphone turned the crowd against him for refusing to endorse defunding the local police department. As the mayor walked away from the protest, members of the crowd erupted into chants of “Go home. Go home, Jacob, go home” and “shame.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Whoa. <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorFrey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MayorFrey</a> is asked “Will you commit to defunding police, yes or no?” Speaker says his re-election hinges on the answer. Couldn’t hear answer but the crowd erupts in boos, chanting “GO HOME JACOB.”
Full video: <a href="https://t.co/zODcbYGdeS">pic.twitter.com/zODcbYGdeS</a>
— David Schuman (@david_schuman) <a href="https://twitter.com/david_schuman/status/1269396648666566658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
The mayor told a local <a href="https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/video/4580782-mayor-frey-gives-statement-at-protest-for-not-supporting-defunding-mpd/">CBS News</a>-affiliate after he was sent away that he is for “massive structural reform” but could not back “abolishing the entire police department.”
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

US-POLITICS-RACE-UNREST-BIDEN

Team Trump: Biden Camp’s Anti ‘Defund The Police’ Statement Too Weak, He Needs To Speak Up

Police

Joe Biden, the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, is not signing on to the most popular solution to police violence among progressive activists, defunding and dismantling police forces, according to his spokesperson, who issued a statement about the issue Monday.
Biden has placed himself front and center on the issue of racism and law enforcement, breaking his self-imposed coronavirus-related isolation last week to deliver his first speech on the issue. In it, Biden pledged to form up a law enforcement accountability panel within his first 100 days as president, and suggested, oddly, those police officers looking to exit an armed conflict where deadly force is at issue, aim for a suspect&#8217;s extremities rather than center mass.
Monday morning, Biden responded to a weekend of continued anti-racism protests by issuing a statement distancing himself from the most notable suggestion for handling an alleged increase in police violence, defunding law enforcement.
Unlike several of his potential running mates, including Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), he does not support the measure, per Bloomberg reporter Jennifer Epstein.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;Biden does not believe that police should be defunded. He hears and shares the deep grief and frustration of those calling out for change, and is driven to ensure that justice is done and that we put a stop to this terrible pain. Biden supports the urgent need for reform&#8230;&quot; <a href="https://t.co/k0IConBSj3">pic.twitter.com/k0IConBSj3</a>
&mdash; Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeneps/status/1270026693386866688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;As his criminal justice proposal made clear months ago,&#8221; Biden&#8217;s spokesperson said in the written statement, &#8220;Vice President Biden does not believe that police should be defunded.&#8221;
&#8220;Biden supports the urgent need for reform &#8212; including funding for public schools, summer programs, and mental health and substance abuse treatment separate from funding for policing &#8212; so that officers can focus on the job of policing,&#8221; the statement continues. &#8216;This also means funding community policing programs that improve relationships between officers and residents, and provides the training that is needed to avert tragic, unjustifiable deaths.&#8221;
Biden also supports funding for police department diversity programs, body cameras, and other accountability measures, his spokesman says, as well as &#8220;transformative change&#8221; for law enforcement, but that doesn&#8217;t include stripping police of funding or disbanding police departments altogether, as Minneapolis has chosen to do.
The response is likely to come as a shock to activists and far-left Democrats who proposed the &#8220;defund&#8221; and &#8220;disband&#8221; ideas over the weekend. Although the ideas sounded promising, it seems, to progressives, they did not appear to resonate among more mainstream voters, and by Monday morning, many of those who mentioned &#8220;defunding&#8221; police departments, including Harris herself and the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has been at the forefront of recent civil rights events, were distancing themselves from the measures.
Sharpton told MSNBC Monday that the slogan, &#8220;defund the police,&#8221; maybe &#8220;misleading without interpretation.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“The slogan may be misleading without interpretation,” Rev. Al says on <a href="https://twitter.com/Morning_Joe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Morning_Joe</a> of “Defund the Police”
&mdash; Kasie Hunt (@kasie) <a href="https://twitter.com/kasie/status/1269947222344503301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Harris, appearing on &#8220;The View&#8221; dodged the question of what defunding the police would truly involve, focusing instead on pressing &#8220;reform&#8221; measures.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a> dodges question on whether she supports calls to defund the police. <a href="https://t.co/RFkrQAqKVd">pic.twitter.com/RFkrQAqKVd</a>
&mdash; The Federalist (@FDRLST) <a href="https://twitter.com/FDRLST/status/1270028500884508675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Trump campaign has sought to connect Biden and other prominent Democrats to the &#8220;defund the police&#8221; movement. The president tweeted about the issue on Sunday and, in a conference call with reporters Monday, Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh urged voters to assume those Democrats who do not speak out against the policy are inclined to support it.
“As the protesters like to say, silence is agreement,” Murtaugh said. “By his silence, Joe Biden is endorsing defunding the police.
The Trump campaign issued a statement shortly after the Biden campaign.
<blockquote>&#8220;Joe Biden cannot be let off the hook after his campaign issued a weak statement from a mid-level staffer.  We still haven’t heard from Joe Biden himself on the radical ‘Defund the Police’ movement in the Democrat Party.  It would have been the simplest thing in the world to stick his name on a statement, but he didn’t even do that.  We have previously seen the Biden campaign say one thing on an issue right before their candidate says another.  Until Americans hear from Joe Biden himself, they have no way of knowing where he really stands. Joe Biden is the leader of his party and he could single-handedly step in and steer elected Democrats away from this terrible policy, which invites chaos in American communities, but he has remained secluded in his basement saying nothing. The ‘Defund the Police’ train has already left the Democrat station, and Joe Biden is merely a weak passenger.”</blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

Menu

Joe Biden

Team Trump Pushes For Extra Debate; Biden Campaign Responds Unfavorably

Poll: 55% Believe That Biden Potentially Has ‘Early Stages Of Dementia’

Politico Agrees That Polls Are Underestimating Trump Just Like In 2016

Warren Said High-Dollar Fundraisers Would Rip ‘This Democracy Apart.’ She Just Had A $6 Million Fundraiser For Biden.

A 2020 Presidential Candidate Once Used ‘Fine People’ in 1993 To Describe Supporters Of Confederate Statues. It Wasn’t Trump.

Biden Under Fire From Black Lives Matter For Possible Veep Pick, Ex-Cop Val Demings

Trump Responds To Joe Biden’s Election Warning, Military Escort Speculation

GRAHAM: The Media’s Broadcast Brutality Against Trump

Biden Campaign Narrows List Of Vice President Candidates To 6, Includes Some Surprises

WATCH: Biden Has Bad Showing At Roundtable Reopening Event In Philadelphia

Biden Warns Trump Will ‘Steal This Election,’ Predicts Military May Have To Remove Trump From White House

Biden Says There’s ‘Systemic Racism’ In ‘Everything We Do’

MI Gov. Whitmer’s Comments On ‘Defund The Police’ Gets Backlash From GOP, ‘Clarification’ From Her Office

Biden Pushes Back On Calls To Defund Police, Proposes $300 Million For Law Enforcement In Op-Ed

Biden: I Want A ‘Strong’ Vice President Who Is ‘Ready To Be President On Day One’

Former Dem Governor Says He’s Fine Keeping Joe Biden ‘In The Basement’

George Floyd Funeral: Amid Grief, Some Ministers Slam Trump

Report: Biden Campaign Vetting Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor Who Admonished Rioters, For VP

Team Trump: Biden Camp’s Anti ‘Defund The Police’ Statement Too Weak, He Needs To Speak Up

Uh Oh: Joe Biden Spokesperson Says Dem Nominee Doesn’t Want To Defund The Police

Menu

Joe Biden

Team Trump Pushes For Extra Debate; Biden Campaign Responds Unfavorably

Poll: 55% Believe That Biden Potentially Has ‘Early Stages Of Dementia’

Politico Agrees That Polls Are Underestimating Trump Just Like In 2016

Warren Said High-Dollar Fundraisers Would Rip ‘This Democracy Apart.’ She Just Had A $6 Million Fundraiser For Biden.

A 2020 Presidential Candidate Once Used ‘Fine People’ in 1993 To Describe Supporters Of Confederate Statues. It Wasn’t Trump.

Biden Under Fire From Black Lives Matter For Possible Veep Pick, Ex-Cop Val Demings

Trump Responds To Joe Biden’s Election Warning, Military Escort Speculation

GRAHAM: The Media’s Broadcast Brutality Against Trump

Biden Campaign Narrows List Of Vice President Candidates To 6, Includes Some Surprises

WATCH: Biden Has Bad Showing At Roundtable Reopening Event In Philadelphia

Biden Warns Trump Will ‘Steal This Election,’ Predicts Military May Have To Remove Trump From White House

Biden Says There’s ‘Systemic Racism’ In ‘Everything We Do’

MI Gov. Whitmer’s Comments On ‘Defund The Police’ Gets Backlash From GOP, ‘Clarification’ From Her Office

Biden Pushes Back On Calls To Defund Police, Proposes $300 Million For Law Enforcement In Op-Ed

Biden: I Want A ‘Strong’ Vice President Who Is ‘Ready To Be President On Day One’

Former Dem Governor Says He’s Fine Keeping Joe Biden ‘In The Basement’

George Floyd Funeral: Amid Grief, Some Ministers Slam Trump

Report: Biden Campaign Vetting Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor Who Admonished Rioters, For VP

Team Trump: Biden Camp’s Anti ‘Defund The Police’ Statement Too Weak, He Needs To Speak Up

Uh Oh: Joe Biden Spokesperson Says Dem Nominee Doesn’t Want To Defund The Police

Don't miss a beat of our coverage.