Thursday, October 22, 2020

The Rundown: Final Debate Between Trump, Biden Tonight


President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden will meet in their second and final presidential debate tonight in Nashville, in what could be the last major opportunity to affect the course of the race, in which polls show Biden leading nationally and more narrowly ahead in the battleground states. After a contentious first debate late last month in which constant interruptions, mostly by Trump of Biden, made it frequently difficult to follow what was being said, each candidate will tonight have their microphone muted while their opponent gives an opening two-minute answer at the start of each of six segments during the debate. 

What was supposed to be the second of three debates last week was canceled when Trump backed out after it was changed to a virtual format in the wake of his illness with the coronavirus. Trump and Biden ended up both having separate televised town halls at the same time instead.



Obama Hits Campaign Trail: On the eve of tonight's final debate, former President Barack Obama hit the campaign trail in person yesterday for the first time for Biden. Appearing in Philadelphia at a drive-in rally, Obama vouched for his former vice president, but went after Trump in much of the 35-minute speech, charging that the president is, quote, "incapable of taking the job seriously," and that he approaches it as a reality TV show. Obama charged that Trump had mismanaged the coronavirus pandemic, saying he can't keep Americans safe and couldn't even keep himself safe, referring to Trump getting Covid-19.



➤OFFICIALS CHARGE IRAN BEHIND EMAILS SENT TO INTIMIDATE VOTERS: Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe charged in a hastily-called news conference yesterday evening  that Iran was behind intimidating emails that have been sent to Democratic voters in several battleground states pressuring them to vote for President Trump. The emails, which said, quote, "we will come after you" if the recipient doesn't vote for Trump, falsely said they were from the violent far-right group the Proud Boys. Although the emails pushed for votes for Trump, Ratcliffe said they were intended to harm the president, but didn't say how. Ratcliffe and FBI Director Chris Wray also said that both Russia and Iran had obtained voter registration information, although there was no allegation they'd hacked into a database to get the information that AP noted is sometimes easily accessible. Ratcliffe and Wray both emphasized that the integrity of voting is secure.


  ➤HOSPITALS BEING STRESSED AS CORONAVIRUS CASES RISE: Hospitals across the U.S. are being stressed as coronavirus cases are rising nationally in the apparent arrival of the warned-about fall surge of the virus. Dr. Jay Butler, the deputy director for infectious diseases for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday that the U.S. is experiencing what he called a "distressing trend," with coronavirus cases increasing in nearly three-quarters of the country, particularly in the Midwest, where some states have raised concerns about a falling number of intensive care beds available. The seven-day rolling average for daily new cases is now nearly 60,000, the highest it's been since July.

 

There have been more than 222,200 deaths as of early this morning, according to Johns Hopkins University's count, and more than 8,337,000 confirmed cases.

➤DEMOCRATS TO BOYCOTT SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE VOTE TODAY ON BARRETT: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced late yesterday (October 21st) that Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee will boycott its vote today on whether to send Judge Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination to the full Senate for a vote. Democrats have objected to Barrett being nominated so close to an election, and Schumer also charged that her views are, quote, "so far out of the mainstream." Republicans hold the Senate majority, so Barrett is almost certain to be confirmed, and while boycotting today's committee vote won't stop the process toward confirmation, it could force Republicans to change the rules that say at least two members of the minority party must be present for the committee to do business. Republicans are planning a rare weekend Senate session as part of their rapid schedule to get Barrett confirmed as early as Monday.



⚾RAYS DEFEAT DODGERS 6-4 TO EVEN WORLD SERIES AT 1-1: The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 last night to even the World Series at one game each. Tampa Bay second baseman Brandon Lowe hit two home runs, a solo shot in the first inning and a two-run homer in the fifth, while starter Blake Snell struck one nine Dodgers in four and two-thirds innings and didn't allow a hit until he gave up a two-run home run in the fifth. Tampa Bay's bullpen fended off an attempted comeback by L.A. in the eighth inning and held on for the win. Game 3 of the neutral-site World Series, held at the Texas Rangers' new stadium, is on Friday night.

🏈RAIDERS' BROWN POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS, OFFENSIVE LINEMEN SENT HOME: Las Vegas Raiders right tackle Trent Brown has tested positive for the coronavirus and all five of the team's starting offensive lineman were sent home as they apparently were in contact with him. The team held practice yesterday without those players as well as without safety Johnathan Abram, who was also held out due to contact tracing.

🏀VAN GUNDY TO BE PELICANS' NEW HEAD COACH: Stan Van Gundy has signed on to be the New Orleans Pelicans' new head coach, reportedly agreeing to a four-year deal with the NBA team. He tweeted yesterday that he is, quote, "excited to join a talented" Pelicans team. He is replacing Alvin Gentry, who was let go after the Pelicans missed the playoffs this season. Van Gundy has been head coach for the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and most recently the Detroit Pistons, who he was with from 2014 to 2018.

➤BECKHAM BANNED FROM LSU FOR TWO YEARS: The Cleveland Browns' Odell Beckham Jr. has been banned from Louisiana State University's facilities for two years after the wide receiver handed out cash to several LSU football players after the win by his alma mater over Clemson in the national championship game in January, according to reports. Sports Illustrated cited sources as saying the ban came after a years-long investigation into improper payments in the LSU football program found that Beckham gave $2,000 in $100 bills to four players on the field after the game. LSU also revoked eight of its own football scholarships over the next two years after the probe with the NCAA found booster payments connected to the football program.

➤PENN STATE BASKETBALL COACH CHAMBERS RESIGNS AFTER INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT PROBE: Penn State men's basketball head coach Pat Chambers resigned Wednesday  following an investigation by the school of allegations of inappropriate conduct. Penn State said that new allegations surfaced after The Undefeated reported in July that Rasir Bolton, who transferred to Iowa State in 2019, said he left the school because Chambers made a reference to a noose around Bolton's neck. Bolton said Chambers told him, "I need to get some of this pressure off you. I want to loosen the noose that's around your neck." The new allegations were reportedly unrelated to Bolton's.

🐶WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW HEADING OUTDOORS NEXT YEAR: The Westminster Kennel Club dog show will be leaving its traditional Madison Square Garden home in New York City for an outdoor location when it's held next June due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Westminster Kennel Club said yesterday that the dog show will be held at the Lyndhurst estate in Tarrytown, New York, about 25 miles north of Manhattan. It will be the first time in more than 100 years that the Westminster dog show hasn't been held at Madison Square Garden.
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