Friday, October 16, 2020

The Rundown: Trump, Biden Appear In Dueling Town Halls

Newsday 10/16/20

On the night when President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were supposed to appear in their second presidential debate before Trump backed out when it was changed to a virtual format in the wake of his coronavirus diagnosis, the two presidential candidates appeared in dueling town halls on separate networks last night at the same 8 p.m. ET hour, Trump on NBC in Miami and Biden on ABC in Philadelphia. 



Trump defended his administration's handling of the coronavirus and declared that we're "rounding the corner," and addressed why he's nominated Justice Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court just weeks before the election when in 2016 he said then-President Barack Obama shouldn't nominate a justice nine months before the election because it was an election year, saying his stance had changed because of what he said was the bad treatment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he was nominated in 2018. He also addressed issues including health care, taxes, policing and racial justice. 



In his town hall, Biden was critical of Trump's handling of the coronavirus, including him rarely wearing a mask and sometimes mocking those who do. Asked about the possibility of expanding the Supreme Court if Barrett is confirmed, Biden again wouldn't give an answer, but said he'd do so before the election depending on how Barrett's nomination, quote, "is handled," while stating he's, quote, "still not a fan" of expanding the court. Giving answers that were at times lengthy and in the policy weeds, Biden also addressed issues including tax cuts, policing and climate change.

➤CORONAVIRUS CASES GROWING IN U.S. AT RATE NOT SEEN SINCE JUNE: coronavirus cases is speeding up again in the U.S., growing at a rate not seen since June, according to USA Today, which said that at the current rate, we could set a record for new cases in a single week in the first days of November. The U.S. added more than 366,400 cases in the past week, nearly 50,000 higher than what was added the previous week, with cases particularly surging across the Midwest. Hospitalizations are also rising. There have been more than 217,700 deaths in the U.S. as of early this morning, according to Johns Hopkins University's count, and more than 7,980,000 confirmed cases. Europe is also seeing a surge in cases.

WHO: Remdesivir Doesn't Work: The World Health Organization said yesterday that the results of a study it described as conclusive show that the drug remdesivir has, quote, "little to no effect on mortality" of hospitalized coronavirus patients and doesn't seem to help patients recover any faster either. Remdesivir had been the only drug that appeared to have some benefits against the coronavirus and had been given emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration. The study covered more than 11,000 coronavirus patients in 30 countries. However, remdesivir's maker, Gilead Sciences, questioned the WHO results. A previous large study in the U.S. had found that remdesivir shortened recovery time in severely ill patients, but did little to help those with milder cases.

➤BARRETT MOVES CLOSER TO CONFIRMATION: Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett moved a step closer to confirmation Thursday as the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee set October 22nd for its vote on whether to send the nomination to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote. That came over the continued objections of Democrats on the committee, with Senator Chris Coons of Delaware saying, "You don’t convene a Supreme Court confirmation hearing, in the middle of a pandemic, when the Senate’s on recess, when voting has already started in the presidential election in a majority of states." After opening remarks by Barrett and senators on Monday followed by two days of questioning, Barrett wasn't present yesterday as the committee heard from people in support and opposition to her nomination.

➤THREE ASSOCIATED WITH BIDEN CAMPAIGN POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS: Joe Biden's campaign revealed yesterday that three people associated with the campaign had tested positive for the coronavirus. One is a top aide to vice presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris, and Harris will temporarily suspend travel, even though she has tested negative. Biden also continues to test negative, and will continue to travel as medical experts say they don't believe he was exposed.

➤TEXAS BILLIONAIRE CHARGED IN TAX FRAUD SCHEME, LARGEST AGAINST AMERICAN: The Justice Department announced yesterday that it had charged 79-year-old Texas billionaire Robert Brockman in a $2 billion tax fraud scheme that they said is the largest such case against an American. The officials said that Brockman, CEO of Ohio-based software company Reynolds and Reynolds, hid capital gains income over 20 years through a web of offshore entities in Bermuda and Nevis and secret bank accounts in Bermuda and Switzerland. Brockman pled not guilty yesterday and was released on $1 million bond.

⚾ASTROS WIN ALCS GAME 5 ON CORREA WALKOFF HOMER, NOW DOWN 3-2 TO RAYS: The Houston Astros won Game 5 of the American League Championship Series last night 4-3 on a ninth-inning walkoff home run by Carlos Correa with one out. They now trail the Tampa Bay Rays 3 games to 2, avoiding elimination in a second straight game. Game 6 will be played today.

⚾BRAVES BEAT DODGERS 10-2, TAKE 3-1 NLCS LEAD: The Atlanta Braves beat the L.A. Dodgers 10-2 last night, taking a 3 games to 1 lead in the National League Championship Series. They got the lopsided win in a game in which Marcell Ozuna homered twice. Game 5 is tonight. 



🏈BELL SIGNS ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH CHIEFS: Running back Le'Veon Bell signed a one-year deal with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs yesterday (October 15th), two days after being released by the New York Jets. Bell's relationship with the Jets never really meshed, particularly with head coach Adam Gase, and a frustrated Bell had reportedly spoken with Gase and general manager Joe Douglas about wanting out.

🏀REPORTS: LUE TO BE CLIPPERS NEW COACH: Tyronn Lue has agreed to be the L.A. Clippers' new head coach, according to media reports yesterday (October 15th). He will replace Doc Rivers, who's now coaching the Philadelphia 76ers after seven seasons with the Clippers. Lue was on Rivers' Clippers staff this season. Lue was previously head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2016 to 2018, including leading them to the NBA championship in the spring of 2016 as a rookie coach.

➤SABAN STILL ASYMPTOMATIC AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS: Legendary Alabama football coach Nick Saban said Thursday that he was still asymptomatic after testing positive for the coronavirus a day earlier. The 68-year-old said on his radio show last night that he hadn't had any symptoms and had been able to do all his work from home, where he's self-isolating. However, he won't be allowed to coach Alabama from home against Georgia this weekend.

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