The Rundown: Kamala Harris: "We Have..To Change Course of History"

Seven takeaways from the DNC's third night https://t.co/oBDtEjZwK6 pic.twitter.com/ewuiUfaIvq

— CNN (@CNN) August 20, 2020

California Senator Kamala Harris accepted the vice presidential nomination on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention last night, becoming the first Black woman on a national political ticket. That historic moment when Harris officially became Joe Biden's running mate came as Democratic speakers repeatedly pushed the message of the importance of voting and having a "voting plan," throughout the night's two-hour presentation.

The starkest message came from former President Barack Obama, who warned American democracy is at stake as he spoke from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, urging voters, "Don't not let them take away your democracy." He also had harsh words for his successor, stating, "Donald Trump hasn’t grown into the job because he can’t," and saying Trump has shown, "No interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves." Hillary Clinton, the Democratic party's 2016 nominee, also urged voting in overwhelming numbers, saying, "Vote like our lives and livelihoods are on the line,” she added, “because they are."

The convention focused on several issues last night, including gun violence, climate change, immigration, and the economy, and as Harris readied to accept the vice presidential nomination, women were celebrated all  night. Other speakers included Senator Elizabeth Warren, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who became a gun control advocate after being seriously wounded in a gun attack.

➤RUSSIAN OPPOSITION POLITICIAN HOSPITALIZED AFTER BEING POISONED: Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny is in the hospital after having been poisoned, a spokesperson for the 44-year-old said this morning. Navalny, a top opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is unconscious and on a ventilator in an intensive care unit, with Russia's state news agency, Tass, reporting that he's in grave condition. Navalny felt unwell while on a flight back to Moscow from Siberia and the plane made an emergency landing in the city of Omsk.

➤PELOSI: DEJOY HAS NO INTENTION OF RESTORING POSTAL SERVICE REMOVALS: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said earlier this week that he will make no more service changes until after the November election to avoid "even the appearance" of affecting mail-in voting. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that DeJoy told her her has no intention of restoring the post office sorting machines and street mailboxes that have been removed since he took over as head of the Postal Service in June. There has been a public outcry over mail delays and concerns about disrupting the November election, when millions more Americans than usual are expected to vote by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic. Pelosi said she told DeJoy that the temporary pause on service changes is, quote, "wholly insufficient and does not reverse damage already wreaked." More than 20 states are suing over the actions taken under DeJoy, a Republican donor installed by President Trump who didn't came from within the ranks of the Postal Service.

CA Gov @GavinNewsom says a massive heatwave and nearly 11,000 lightning strikes in the last 72 hours are to blame for igniting more than 350 active wildfires. One photographer took a terrifying journey through the heart of a raging inferno. pic.twitter.com/7kVRAM5u5z

— Pattrn (@pattrn) August 19, 2020

➤HUNDREDS OF WILDFIRES BURNING ACROSS CALIFORNIA: Hundreds of wildfires are burning across California, including 23 major ones, that Governor Gavin Newsom blamed on lightning strikes -- nearly 11,000 in 72 hours -- and what he called "extraordinary weather." Smoke filled the air in San Francisco, which is surrounded by wildfires to the north, east and south, and an eight-day-old fire in Southern California grew to nearly 50 square miles near Lake Hughes. Tens of thousands have been ordered evacuated in the state.

➤EX-FBI LAWYER PLEADS GUILTY TO ALTERING EMAIL IN RUSSIA PROBE: Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pled guilty yesterday (August 19th) to altering an email related to the surveillance of a former Donald Trump campaign adviser during the Russia probe in 2017. Clinesmith admitted to altering the email the FBI relied on as it sought court approval to eavesdrop on Carter Page. He changed the email he got in June 2017 from another government agency to say Page was "not a source" for that agency. The agency isn't named, but Page has said he worked as a source for the CIA. Clinesmith said that when he altered the email, he'd believed the information he included in it was factually accurate. He could be sentenced to zero to six months in prison.
 
➤TRUMP PRAISES QANON CONSPIRACY SUPPORTERS: President Trump yesterday offered praise for supporters of QAnon, the baseless far-right conspiracy that claims Trump is fighting a cabal of "deep state" government insiders and Hollywood elites involved in a child sex trafficking ring run by Satanic pedophiles and cannibals. An FBI bulletin last May warned that conspiracy theory-driven extremists have become a domestic terrorism threat and specifically mentioned QAnon. Asked about QAnon during a news conference yesterday, Trump, who has retweeted from QAnon-affiliated accounts, said, "I don't know much about the movement other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate." When a reporter partially explained what QAnon believes, Trump said, "Well, I haven't heard that, but is that supposed to be a bad thing or a good thing?" and continued, "If I can help save the world from problems, I'm willing to do it."

Meanwhile, Facebook said yesterday that it has removed hundreds of QAnon Pages, accounts and Groups from Facebook and Instagram and restricted thousands more, saying they violate its newly-expanded policy on "dangerous individuals and organizations. However, Facebook didn't ban QAnon entirely.

➤APPLE BECOMES FIRST COMPANY WITH $2 TRILLION MARKET VALUE: Apple on Wednesday became the first U.S. company with a $2 trillion market value, as its shares passed $467.77 in early stock market trading. After hitting the high mark, Apple stock later reversed a little and closed at $462.83. The achievement came just two years after Apple became the first U.S. company with a $1 trillion market value. Although the coronavirus pandemic has sent the economy into recession and unemployment to its worst levels since the Great Depression, tech giants have been doing very well as homebound people having to work, go to school, shop and do more from home are turning to technology, and Apple's stock has risen nearly 58 percent his year.

➤ARMY INVESTIGATING SOLDIERS WHO WERE IN DNC VIDEO: The Army is investigating two soldiers who appeared in uniform in a brief videotaped segment during the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night. The two soldiers, who were both wearing face masks, stood on either side of officials from American Samoa while the territory awarded its delegates during the roll call of the states. Under Defense Department regulations, troops are banned from appearing in uniform at partisan political or campaign events. A DNC official caused the unformed soldiers' appearance in the video an "oversight," explaining, "Each state was asked to highlight issues and values that matter most and the American Samoa delegation wanted to highlight their commitment to military service when they filmed their segment."

➤REPORT: MICHIGAN TO PAY $600 MILLION TO FLINT TAINTED WATER VICTIMS: Michigan is expected to announce this week that it will pay $600 million to victims of the Flint water crisis, according to the New York Times. The report says tens of thousands of Flint residents are expected to be eligible to receive settlement money, with most of it to go to children. Residents of Flint were exposed to lead-contaminated water for nearly two years after the city switched its water supply from Lake Huron to the polluted Flint River in 2014. Residents were ignored for months as they complained about the water, with people saying it tasted metallic, and reporting feeling sick after drinking it, developing rashes, losing their hair, and more. Flint's water now comes from Lake Huron again, and the city is finishing a project to replace lead service lines.

Newsday 8/20/20

➤NBA PLAYOFFS: Results from first-round playoff games yesterday (April 19th):

• Toronto Raptors 104, Brooklyn Nets 99 -- Toronto leads series 2 game to 0
• Utah Jazz 124, Denver Nuggets 105 -- Series tied 1-1
• Boston Celtics 128, Philadelphia 76ers 101 -- Boston leads series 2 games to 0
• Dallas Mavericks 127, L.A. Clippers 114 -- Series tied 1-1

➤NHL PLAYOFFS: Results from first-round playoff games yesterday (April 19th):

• Tampa Bay Lightning 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 4 (OT) -- Tampa Bay wins series 4 games to 1
• Boston Bruins 2, Carolina Hurricanes 1 -- Boston wins series 4 games to 1
• Colorado Avalanche 7, Arizona Coyotes 1 -- Colorado wins series 4 games to 1
• Montreal Canadiens 5, Philadelphia Flyers 3 -- Philadelphia leads series 3 games to 2
• Vancouver Canucks 4, St. Louis Blues 3 -- Vancouver leads series 3 games to 2

➤ASTROS' ALVAREZ TO HAVE SEASON-ENDING KNEE SURGERY: Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker announced Wednesday (August 19th) that reigning American League Rookie of the Year Yordan Alvarez will have to undergo season-ending surgery for a partial tear of a knee tendon. Alvarez underwent an MRI on Monday after having discomfort in his right knee. The 23-year-old outfielder just made his season debut last Friday, after being on the injured list because of a positive coronavirus test before summer camp.

➤NBA REPORTS NO CORONAVIRUS CASES: The NBA's Walt Disney World "bubble" is continuing to work, with the league and the Players Association announcing Wednesday (August 19th) that again none of the 341 players tested since results were last released a week earlier had tested positive for the coronavirus. The players, who are now in the postseason, are tested daily.

As of 11am Thursday 8/20/20

➤TROPICAL DEPRESSION STRENGTHENS: Tropical Depression 13 is first of 3 Atlantic systems to strengthen. Florida is in its path. Tropical Depression 13 formed late Wednesday night in the mid-Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center. It could turn into Tropical Storm Laura by the end of Thursday.

The early models show the storm is bound for the Sunshine State and could reach the southwest coast of Florida on Monday.

The hurricane center announced the system’s development in its 11 p.m. advisory. As of then, the system had sustained winds of 35 mph. If it generates winds of 39 mph, then it would become classified as Tropical Storm Laura, the 13th named storm of what has been an extremely active hurricane season.