Wednesday, August 26, 2020

And another day of reality, exemptions, attacks, an ‘alternate reality,’ top down pressure, a radicalized white boy with a gun police choose not to shoot, a sports boycott, and a hurricane gaining steam all comes to a close:

“Today is one of those days where it's hard to escape the bleak thought that the most important election of our lifetimes was actually 2016.” -- Aaron Rupar

Deaths

US: 183,653 (+1249)

World: 829,665 (+6367)

Cases

US: 6,000,365 (+44,637)

World: 24,332,107 (+281,376)

Countdown: 69 days.

Turbulent reality collides with GOP convention plans. Turbulent reality is clashing with the smooth, steady image Republicans are hoping to paint of President Donald Trump and his leadership on the third night of the GOP’s convention. A potentially catastrophic hurricane is bearing down on the Gulf Coast, wildfires have ravaged huge areas of California, protests are growing in Wisconsin after the shooting of a Black man by police — and the still-raging coronavirus pandemic is killing more than 1,000 Americans a day.

The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from engaging in most political activity inside federal buildings or while on duty. Though the president and vice president are exempt from its civil provisions, Mike Pompeo and Chad Wolf are not. -- It seems like this President is exempt from practically everything.

AP FACT CHECK: GOP taps distortions to heap praise on Trump. Eric Trump echoed falsehoods of his father, Melania Trump credited her husband with a dubious religious first, and the president’s economic adviser wholly distorted the conditions Donald Trump inherited as Republicans stepped up to praise him at their national convention Tuesday.

Cissie Graham Lynch attacks transgender rights during her RNC speech, referring to transgender girls as "boys” while discussing policies that aim to accommodate transgender people based on their gender identity.

Trump's 'alternate reality' TV convention tests his beliefs about people.

U.S. officials say they have no evidence of foreign interference with mail-in voting.

CDC was pressured 'from the top down' to change coronavirus testing guidance, official says.

Fauci says he was in surgery when task force discussed CDC testing guidelines. "I was under general anesthesia in the operating room and was not part of any discussion or deliberation regarding the new testing recommendations," Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. "I am concerned about the interpretation of these recommendations and worried it will give people the incorrect assumption that asymptomatic spread is not of great concern. In fact it is," he added.

6 feet may not always be enough distance to protect from COVID-19, new report suggests.

Experts feared the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally could be a superspreading event. More than 70 coronavirus cases are already linked to it.

They tried to get Trump to care about right-wing terrorism. He ignored them. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security waged a yearslong internal struggle to get the White House to pay attention to the threat of violent domestic extremists. They ended up quitting in frustration.

“Why do these Black Republicans think Black people should join the Republican Party because of something the GOP did back in the 1860s and 1870s?” -- Keith Boykin

17-year-old arrested in connection with fatal shooting at Jacob Blake protest in Kenosha. -- He didn’t get shot. Oh that’s right, he’s white.

The Kenosha Shooting Suspect Was In The Front Row Of A Trump Rally In January. Kyle Howard Rittenhouse’s social media presence is filled with him posing with weapons, posting “Blue Lives Matter,” and supporting Trump for president.

US President Trump says he is sending federal law enforcement and the National Guard to Wisconsin, amid mass protests in response to the shooting of another Black man by police and the killing of Black Lives Matter protesters.

NBA players made their strongest statement yet against racial injustice Wednesday when the Milwaukee Bucks didn’t take the floor for their playoff game against the Orlando Magic. -- All of today’s games were officially postponed.

Brewers, Reds Agree Not to Play Wednesday After Jacob Blake Shooting.

US racial inequality just as deadly as Covid-19 if not more, report suggests. Even amid a pandemic, life expectancy among White people in the United States far exceeds what Black people have experienced every year, according to new research.

We still don't know how many Americans are killed or injured by police every year.

Berlin bans protest against coronavirus curbs.

The Washington Post has published fresh allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct at Washington’s NFL team, this time directly involving the franchise’s owner, Dan Snyder.

Laura gains strength, could bring ‘unsurvivable’ storm surge. Laura strengthened Wednesday into a menacing Category 4 hurricane, raising fears of a 20-foot storm surge that forecasters said would be “unsurvivable” and capable of sinking entire communities. Authorities implored coastal residents of Texas and Louisiana to evacuate and worried that not enough had fled.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.