(2020-08-21). Carefully Choreographed Convention Confirms Progressive Policies Not Central to Biden Bid. mintpressnews.com The key message from this year's DNC is the emphasis the Biden campaign is putting on reaching out to so-called "moderate Republicans," presenting Trump as an aberration and Biden as the cure.
(2020-08-21). On Fox, The Grayzone's Anya Parampil rips 'criminal neocons' in Biden & Trump camps. thegrayzone.com The Grayzone's Anya Parampil joins Tucker Carlson Tonight to address the revival of Iraq war neocons and militarists by both the Biden campaign and Trump White House.
(2020-08-21). "Light Is More Powerful Than Dark": Biden Vows to Fight COVID, Climate, Racism & Economic Meltdown. democracynow.org 
We air highlights from Joe Biden's highly anticipated speech on the final night of the Democratic National Convention, in which he formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination, focused on the dangers of President Trump's reelection and pledged to address the four simultaneous crises of systemic racism, the pandemic, the economic downturn and the climate crisis. "United, we can and will overcome this season of darkness in America," Biden said. The 25-minute speech was delivered from his home state of Delaware.
(2020-08-21). Virtual 2020 DNC Wraps with Calls for Empathy, Unity & a Broad Coalition to Rally Around Joe Biden. democracynow.org 
The 2020 Democratic National Convention has wrapped up, with speakers on the final night including California Governor Gavin Newsom, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and 13-year-old Brayden Harrington, who talked about how Joe Biden had personally helped him with his stutter. We air highlights from the evening's addresses.
(2020-08-21). Headlines for August 21, 2020. democracynow.org Joe Biden Accepts Presidential Nomination, Pledging End to "Season of Darkness", CDC Director: Up to 60 Million U.S. Residents Were Infected with Coronavirus, White House Declares Teachers "Essential Workers" as Unions Threaten Strikes over Coronavirus, Stock Markets Surge Even as 1.1 Million U.S. Workers File New Unemployment Claims, Protesters Call on New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to #MakeBillionairesPay, Postmaster General to Face Congressional Grilling over "Sabotage" of Postal Service, Massive California Wildfires Leave 5 Dead, 700,000 Acres Burned, Steve Bannon Arrested, Charged with Pocketing Private Border W…
(2020-08-21). Cornel West & Ben Jealous on the DNC and Whether Progressives Can Push Joe Biden Leftward. democracynow.org 
Harvard professor Cornel West and Ben Jealous, president of People for the American Way and former president of the NAACP, discuss the 2020 DNC, Joe Biden's vow to fight systemic racism and "overcome this season of darkness in America," the historic nomination of Kamala Harris as his partner on the ticket, and how the convention was a showcase for a broad anti-Trump coalition, including prominent Republican figures given plum speaking slots, but few voices from the party's insurgent left wing. "At this moment, with the decline and fall of the American empire, it looks as if the system is unable to generate enough…
(2020-08-21). How to Rig an Election: an Interview With Greg Palast. counterpunch.org 
Greg Palast does not mince words about the 2020 elections. Only the voter fraud he warns about is not by the voters, as President Trump insists. It's by the vote-stealers in the Republican Party. And they've been at it for a long time, unbeknownst to the American people.
(2020-08-21). Roaming Charges: Conventional Weapons at the DNC. counterpunch.org 
I can't recall a GOP convention that was as saturated with religious symbolism, moral posturing and spiritual gaslighting as the one the Democrats just inflicted on us…and they didn't even let Marianne Williamson near a camera.
(2020-08-21). The DNC is over. What's next for progressives? therealnews.com 
DNC member Jim Zogby, who helped run Jesse Jackson's campaign in 1984, joins The Real News Network for historical perspective and analysis of Democrats and the future we face.
(2020-08-21). 1848: Marx's school of revolution. mronline.org 
The revolutionary wave of 1848 began with a joyous struggle for democracy. But it ended with violent struggles between workers and capitalists, liberals and socialists, revolutionaries and reformers. The experience was a decisive influence on the development of Marx's theory of revolution.
(2020-08-21). Teamsters union gives thumbs up to Biden-Harris ticket. peoplesworld.org 
DETROIT (PAI)—The Teamsters board unanimously voted to endorse the Democratic election duo of Joe Biden for president and Kamala Harris for VP, union President Jim Hoffa announced Aug. 20. The endorsement, two days before Biden's acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention, carries a lot of weight. The union has more than a million members …
(2020-08-21). Only Medicare For All Can Beat Covid. counterpunch.org 
The horrible irony is that the one candidate, Sanders, who could have done the most good for pandemic victims, lost the race just when he was most needed. Since then his somewhat muted support for Medicare for All and how uniquely helpful it would be at this historic juncture, is dispiriting. The thought that this relative silence originates in a desire not to offend the candidate, Biden, whom he now supports, is downright depressing.
(2020-08-21). Democratic outreach to Jewish voters cites rising anti-Semitism under Trump. peoplesworld.org 
One afternoon breakout session of the Democratic National Convention that took place on the afternoon of August 18, the first full day of the quadrennial nomination ritual, addressed the Jewish American community in support of the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket. A reported 2000 viewers had registered for this livestreamed two-hour-plus session. The Jewish American vote …
(2020-08-21). Infomercial Over: Not Good, But It Could Have Been A Lot Worse. counterpunch.org 
Before long, this year's Democratic Party convention, its infomercial, will be a distant memory. The production values were good. For the most part, I found it watchable, even when the focus was on Biden rather than Trump. In view of what the Democrats are selling, it could have been a lot worse. There was, of
(2020-08-21). Democratic "convention" shaped by Trump White House. liberationnews.org 
The Democratic National Convention proves exactly how far right the Democrat Party continues to move.
(2020-08-21). Democratic convention: $4 trillion infrastructure bank would create 25 million jobs. peoplesworld.org 
Pending legislation to establish a $4 trillion National Infrastructure Bank would rebuild the nation's rusting bridges, roads, and power grid and create 25 million union jobs desperately needed as the nation sinks into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. That was the message from building trades union leaders, economists, and community activists, speaking …
(2020-08-21). Convention: Having squelched left, DNC pivots hard right. liberationnews.org Convention highlights war makers, marginalizes progressives.
(2020-08-21). Build solidarity with prisoners: Fight for abolition! workers.org 
This slightly edited talk was given at an Aug. 13 Workers World Party webinar, "From Black August to Black Lives Matter," hosted by the WWP Prisoners Solidarity Committee. Texas: Credit: Kavin Rashid Johnson Revolutionary greetings from Houston, Texas, a city that contains the country's third largest jail. The Harris County Jails . . . |
(2020-08-21). Biden: "I will be an ally of light, not darkness" peoplesworld.org 
WILMINGTON, Del.—Asking the country to "choose hope over fear," former Vice President Joe Biden formally accepted the Democratic Party's presidential nomination on Thursday night. "Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us not the worst. I will be an ally …
(2020-08-21). The Specter of a Fascist Coup by Trump Haunts the US, But There's Worse to Worry About. counterpunch.org Spreading faster than COVID-19 among those on the portside, warnings of a fascist-style coup by Trump are rampant this presidential campaign season. Should Trump fail to carry the Electoral College, Noam Chomsky admonishes, "he could send Blackshirts out in the streets… preparation for a plan to try to bring the military in to carry out
(2020-08-21). Lesser Evil is Still Evil. counterpunch.org Every four years America is presented with a false choice, each one essentially a continuation of the status quo by different means, politically and economically related, but optically opposed. Biden had already said that nothing will fundamentally change if he is elected president, so why should any American bother to vote for this specific lesser
(2020-08-21). Biden's speech stirs up sense of déjà vu — same old lies disguised as new promises, little more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. thealtworld.com One speech, well written and read well, does not a president make. At the end of the …
(2020-08-21). The Burden of the Debt: Lessons for Biden Adviser Ted Kaufman. zcomm.org he idea that we would not address pressing needs, like climate change, child care, and health care because we are concerned about the debt burden is close to crazy. As long as the economy is not near its capacity, there is zero reason not to spend to address these priorities…
(2020-08-21). Still Triangulating After All These Years. counterpunch.org While it's stunning to watch the DNC repeat the losing strategy of 2016, we should know this is part of a decades-long history of moving toward the right: aka Triangulation. It's not that the Democrats don't want to win — Wall Street, billionaires and the war profiteers are depending on them — it's just that
(2020-08-21). 'Selfie with Democracy' to take part at US' SFFILM Festival. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (MNA) — Iranian feature 'Selfie with Democracy', directed by Ali Atshani, will take par at the San Francisco International Film Festival in the US.
(2020-08-21). Can Joe Biden Unrig the Economy? thenation.com Can Joe Biden Unrig the Economy?
(2020-08-21). The Burden of the Debt: Lessons for Team Biden. counterpunch.org Top Biden adviser, and long-time personal friend, Ted Kaufman was seen in the Wall Street Journal warning that the debt run up by the Trump administration will seriously limit what Biden will be able to do as president. This is wrong big time, and it is the sort of silly thing that no one in
(2020-08-20). Biden's Headquarters Rents A Fence To Stop The Poor People's Army. popularresistance.org Cheri Honkala is a founder and coordinator of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC) . We spoke after she was arrested outside Biden campaign headquarters on the opening day of the virtual Democratic National Convention. | Ann Garrison: I see you marched from Philadelphia's Liberty Bell to Biden's Philly headquarters and got arrested yesterday. What did you do to once again menace the foundation of our American institutions? | Cheri Honkala: We challenged American institutions by saying they shouldn't be run by corporations.
(2020-08-20). "I Know a Predator When I See One": Kamala Harris Takes Aim at Trump, Accepts Historic VP Nomination. democracynow.org 
Senator Kamala Harris has formally accepted the Democratic vice-presidential nomination, becoming the first woman of color to run on a major party presidential ticket. We feature part of her historic speech.
(2020-08-20). Headlines for August 20, 2020. democracynow.org Kamala Harris Accepts Democratic Party's Nomination for Vice President, Hundreds of Wildfires Choke California, as Coronavirus Sidelines Prisoner Firefighters, U.S. Records Nearly 1,300 New Coronavirus Deaths as PPE Shortages Persist, NYC Teachers' Union Threatens Strike If Schools Reopen Without Safety Measures, New Zealand Deploys Troops to Enforce Quarantine; Zambian Vice President Positive for Coronavirus, Emails Reveal Swedish Epidemiologist Urged Coronavirus Spread to Attain Herd Immunity, Iran's Official COVID-19 Death Toll Passes 20,000 as Trump Pushes for New Sanctions, European Union Readies Sanctions A…
(2020-08-20). Abolitionist Derecka Purnell on Historic Kamala Harris VP Pick & Why Black Progressives Feel Torn. democracynow.org 
As Kamala Harris makes history as the first woman of color to run on a major party presidential ticket, many Black progressive women remain ambivalent, says Derecka Purnell, a human rights lawyer, abolitionist and columnist for The Guardian newspaper. "It's just unfortunate that you have to protect someone because of their identity … while at the same time if you care about the masses of Black people, the masses of poor people, the masses of immigrants in this country, you know that you have to speak truth and be honest about their record," Purnell says.
(2020-08-20). Before Kamala Harris, There Was Charlotta Bass: Remembering 1st Black Woman to Run for VP in 1952. democracynow.org 
Senator Kamala Harris is the first Indian American and first Black woman to be nominated for vice president on a major party ticket, but, as many historians have noted, Harris is not the first Black woman to run for vice president. That distinction belongs to the journalist and political activist Charlotta Bass, who was the editor of The California Eagle for nearly 30 years, one of the country's oldest Black newspapers, which covered women's suffrage, police brutality, the Klu Klux Klan, and discriminatory hiring and housing practices. Bass joined the Progressive Party ticket in 1952 on an antiracist platform tha…
(2020-08-20). "Don't Let Them Take Away Your Power": Obama Slams Trump at DNC & Warns U.S. Democracy Is at Risk. democracynow.org 
On the third night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, party leaders argued that U.S. democracy is at risk if President Trump is reelected in November, with a lineup of speeches from former Congressmember Gabby Giffords, senator and former presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren and former President Barack Obama, who grew emotional describing the stakes of the election and urged people not to "let them take away your democracy." We air excerpts from the night's events.
(2020-08-20). Red line? Biden rejects DNC guest Linda Sarsour's endorsement over her 'anti-Semitism' & BDS support. rt.com 
Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden hasn't encountered many far-left policies he won't embrace — from free healthcare for illegal aliens to free college — but he found one leftist supporter he won't abide: Linda Sarsour. | Sarsour, a Muslim activist and co-founder of the Women's March, endorsed Biden last week and spoke on Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention's "Muslim Delegates and Allies Assembly." Biden responded by denouncing her. | "Joe Biden has been a strong supporter of Israel and a vehement opponent of anti-Semitism his entire life, and he obviously condemns [Sarsour's] view…
(2020-08-20). The Tight Rope #DemConvention Watch Party Ro Khanna Zephyr Teachout Howie Hawkins. therealnews.com 
Cornel West and Tricia Rose bring you live coverage and commentary of the final night of the 2020 #DemConvention featuring Joe Biden's speech from Wilmington, Delaware and confirmed guests Congressman Ro Khanna, Zephyr Teachout, Howie Hawkins, and Angela Walker.
(2020-08-20). Biden won't save us / Keep it in the streets! workers.org 
As the November election approaches, pressure will mount on revolutionary organizations within the U.S. to fall in line with the Democratic Party and endorse Joe Biden. The argument often made is that a Democratic president is needed to counter reactionary policies put in place by a Republican administration. Does this . . . |
(2020-08-20). When It Comes to Trump v. Biden Yoga Berra is Right: It Ain't Over Till it's Over. counterpunch.org 
While most of the prediction models understand the electoral college issue, they nonetheless still fail to appreciate that polling needs to be done at the state if not even at the county level to understand the micro trends impacting presidential elections. As I have repeatedly pointed out, and do so again this year, it is a few swing voters in a few swing counties in a few swing states that will decide the presidential election.
(2020-08-20). Obama warns: Re-elect Trump and U.S. democracy dies. peoplesworld.org 
PHILADELPHIA — Re-elect Donald Trump, Barack Obama warns, and U.S. democracy dies. That, in a nutshell, was the stark message Obama delivered about his successor to the entire country in a speech from the U.S. Constitution Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday night. "I have sat in the Oval Office with both of the men who …
(2020-08-20). Dedicated activists help La Riva 2020 win ballot access in Arkansas. liberationnews.org 
The success of the coordinated effort to secure ballot access in Arkansas clearly demonstrates the ability of an organized revolutionary party to overcome the undemocratic hurdles the capitalist electoral system throws our way.
(2020-08-20). Harris targets Trump the predator, denounces structural racism. peoplesworld.org 
WILMINGTON, Del.—Several big Democratic figures graced television screens for the party's virtual national convention on Wednesday night, but the finale was left to Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. The history-making first Black woman ever on a major-party ticket, Harris used her acceptance of the party's 2020 vice-presidential nomination to introduce her personal story and tie it …
(2020-08-20). Obama shreds Trump's 'reality show' presidency, vows his former VP Biden will save US democracy & solve all America's problems. rt.com 
Former US president Barack Obama said the Trump administration had turned the presidency into a "reality show" in his speech to the Democratic convention, holding up Joe Biden as a panacea for all of the country's troubles. | Addressing the third night of his party's national convention on Wednesday, the ex-POTUS took an uncharacteristically harsh tone on President Donald Trump, saying he hadn't "grown into the job because he can't" while laying blame for the Covid-19 crisis squarely on his administration. | "I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job…
(2020-08-20). Journalism professor melts down after seeing Trump ads on Washington Post website, accusing the paper of SELLING ITS SOUL. rt.com 
Seeing the front page of his beloved Washington Post plastered with campaign ads for President Donald Trump sent one journalism professor into a fit of rage. And the angrier he got, the more people in the comments laughed. | "No, @washingtonpost, no, no NO. How dare you? Were these pieces of silver worth the price of your soul?" City University of New York journalism professor Jeff Jarvis tweeted on Thursday, after seeing an ad slamming Joe Biden emblazoned across the banner of the Washington Post's website. | No,
(2020-08-20). 'Where's the war? I don't see the war': Trump says Obama & Hillary marched the US into conflict while he 'kept us out' of new wars. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has boasted that by replacing Barack Obama and defeating Hillary Clinton, he saved the US from war with North Korea. An unlikely dove, Trump has often accused his rivals of clamoring for conflict. | Speaking on Thursday from Old Forge, Pennsylvania — just two miles from Joe Biden's hometown of Scranton — Trump tore into his opponent, calling Biden a "puppet of the radical left movement" who wants to "hike your taxes" and "take away your guns," among other by now well-worn criticisms. | After rounding on Biden, Trump boasted of his own accomplishments in office, including his se…
(2020-08-20). 'Trump is destroying our country!' Billie Eilish targets young voters with pro-Biden rant & new song performance at Dem convention. rt.com 
American pop star Billie Eilish tore into US President Donald Trump before performing a new song at the Democratic convention, in an apparent attempt to attract young voters to the party's 77-year-old nominee, Joe Biden. | "Donald Trump is destroying our country and everything we care about… We need leaders who will solve our problems like climate change and Covid, not deny them… It starts with voting against Donald Trump and for Joe Biden," Eilish said before performing her new track, 'My Future,' at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night. | You don't need me to tell you things are a mess.
(2020-08-20). 'Take it from me': Still bitter Hillary Clinton warns Americans that Trump & 'foreign adversaries' could steal election AGAIN. rt.com 
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton again sounded alarms about election-meddling "foreign adversaries" in her speech to the Democratic convention, while urging voters to take revenge for her bitter 2016 loss to Donald Trump. | "For four years, people have said to me, 'I didn't realize how dangerous he was,' 'I wish I could go back and do it over,' or worse, 'I should have voted,'" Clinton said in her address to the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night, taking voters to task for not sending her to the Oval Office in the last presidential contest. | Well, this can't be another woulda coulda sh…
(2020-08-20). Please clap: DNC mocked for failing to find 30 people to cheer for Kamala Harris as duplicates spotted on live feed. rt.com 
When Kamala Harris was receiving applause at the end of her DNC speech, it became apparent that some of the virtual clappers seemed just to have been duplicated images of the same audience members, leading to a laugh riot online. | The vice presidential nominee's address to the Democratic National Convention was supposed to be the grand finale of Wednesday's event as she accepted the much-hyped vice-presidential nomination. Because the gathering was virtual, due to Covid-19 safety measures, Harris was provided with an online video audience to applaud and underscore the speech's importance. | Having delivered i…
(2020-08-20). Remember Russiagate? Vox writer ROASTED for claiming Democrats 'mostly CONTAINED' their conspiracy nuts. rt.com 
A senior writer at the liberal explainer site Vox got the left and right to unite in laughter and mockery, as they dunked on his claim that Democrats have nothing like QAanon and have done better with their conspiracy "nuttery." | "Conspiracy theories typically flourish among parties out of power," Zach Beauchamp Beauchamp was referring to a Republican candidate for Congress who ju…
(2020-08-20). Racism cured? Elizabeth Warren displays alphabet toys spelling BLM in background during DNC speech, gets ridiculed. rt.com 
US Senator Elizabeth Warren's attempt at a Black Lives Matter nod was mocked on Twitter after she had the letters BLM spelled out with toy alphabet letters in the background of her video address to the DNC. | The progressive senator spoke to the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday from a childhood education center, located in Springfield, Massachusetts. | Warren's
(2020-08-20). 'We believe in law enforcement': Texas governor pledges to financially punish cities that attempt to defund the police. rt.com 
Governor of Texas Greg Abbott has issued a stark warning to left-leaning cities in the Lone Star State, saying he will withdraw funding from municipalities that try to defund law enforcement agencies. | The Republican politician sent the unambiguous message after Austin's city council slashed its police budget by $150 million last week. "Texas will defund cities that try to defund their police. We support law enforcement in Texas," Abbott tweeted late on Wednesday. | Discussing the issue on Fox News, Governor Abbott accused liberal precincts of "caving to socialism," and argued that the violence that's erupted…
(2020-08-20). Obama warns US democracy is at stake if Trump is re-elected. thecanary.co 
Former US president Barack Obama has warned that American democracy could falter if Donald Trump is re-elected in the autumn.Obama's stunning rebuke of his successor was echoed by Kamala Harris at the Democratic Convention as she embraced her historic role as the first Black woman on a US national political ticket alongside presidential hopeful Joe Biden.The former president — who broke barriers himself as America's first Black president — pleaded with voters to "embrace your own responsibility as citizens — to make sure that the basic tenets of our democracy endure". | Obama warned: "Because that'
(2020-08-20). Prominent left veterans say vote Biden-Harris, then keep organizing. peoplesworld.org 
Alarm over the prospect of a second Trump presidency and desire for substantial change is preparing the ground for an unprecedented voter turnout in November. The virtual Democratic National Convention showcased the vast array of support coalescing around former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. That support ranges from former Ohio Republican …
(2020-08-20). Before Kamala Harris, There Was Charlotta Bass. counterpunch.org 
…
(2020-08-20). Bernie Sanders' Full Speech At The 2020 DNC. zcomm.org Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, saying that even though he did not receive the nomination "our movement continues."
(2020-08-20). The Democratic Platform and Medicare for All: A Nod Is as Good as a Wink (To a Blind Horse). zcomm.org Medicare for All has won the battle of ideas. Now we have to win the battle against entrenched economic and political power.
(2020-08-20). Mali coup: Democratic order must be restored 'as fast as possible'. news.un.org The UN on Thursday called for the "constitutional and democratic order" to be restored as soon as possible across Mali, following the military coup, and reiterated a call to respect the rule of law, and refrain from violence.
(2020-08-20). The UAW at the Democratic National Convention: Gangsters and warmongers lock arms. wsws.org The prominent role of the United Auto Workers at the convention underscores the reliance of the Democratic Party on the gangster-ridden unions to suppress the resistance of the working class to wage and job cutting and the homicidal back-to-work campaign.
(2020-08-20). The nomination of Kamala Harris and the right-wing logic of identity politics. wsws.org The Democrats hope that the endless celebration of the trite, empty symbolism of Harris' candidacy will serve as a repeat of Barack Obama's run for president in 2008.
(2020-08-20). The CIA Democrats in the 2020 elections. wsws.org Following the example of the 2018 elections, the Democratic Party is putting forward a large new group of military-intelligence candidates for Congress in 2020.
(2020-08-20). Maryland's Republican governor overrules county order for private schools to remain closed. wsws.org The effort to force schools to open in Montgomery County will have the effect of spreading COVID-19 among the school-aged population…
(2020-08-20). #SaveThePostOffice Day Of Action! Tuesday, August 25. popularresistance.org Since the Coronavirus crisis hit, USPS has become more essential than ever, from delivering life-saving medicine, to sustaining our democracy through mail-in voting. It has also become more endangered than ever, facing a massive budget crisis. Postal workers and the public are united in urging Congress to pass $25 billion in emergency COVID-related relief for USPS. | Through mass public outcry, we've begun to roll back Trump's new appointee Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's most recent plans to reduce service. We need to keep pushing for the $25 billion dollars in funding the USPS desperately needs.
(2020-08-20). DNC 2020: What's In Store On the 4th Day? sputniknews.com Presidential candidate Joe Biden will make his acceptance speech to an empty conference hall tonight…
(2020-08-20). 'Coalition to March on DNC' Holds Rally Against Racism and Police Brutality in Milwaukee. sputniknews.com The Democratic National Convention is taking place between 17-20 August in a mostly virtual format to formally pick the party's nominees for president and vice president in the 2020 US election.
(2020-08-20). Latinx Democrats Received the Same Number of DNC Prime-Time Slots as Republicans. truthout.org On the first night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), four Republicans spoke in support of former Vice President Joe Biden. That's the same as the number of Latinxs who will be given time to speak during prime time for the entire week of the convention. While the first face to appear on-screen during the first-ever virtual DNC was Eva Longoria, the activist and actor of "Desperate Housewives" fame, only three other Latinxs received prime-time billing: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto…
(2020-08-20). Obama Breaks With Convention Protocol to Call Trump a Threat at DNC Night Three. truthout.org The third night of the Democratic National Convention was an affirmation of the formidable opposition to a second Trump term. Here was Kamala Harris, a Black and Indian American woman, becoming the vice-presidential nominee with the crack of a gavel. Here was Hillary Clinton, the road not taken made flesh, dressed in suffragette white and warning the country not to blow it again. Here was Elizabeth Warren with a plan. Here were children made electric in their fear of dying in bullet-riddle…
(2020-08-20). Warren Uses DNC to Demand Child Care as "Basic Infrastructure of This Nation" truthout.org Speaking on the third night of the Democratic National Convention from a Massachusetts kindergarten facility that's been shuttered for months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Wednesday lamented the failure of the wealthiest country on the planet to provide crucial services to families with children and demanded that child care be treated as "part of the basic infrastructure of this nation." | "Our economic system has been rigged to give bailouts to billionaires and kick d…
(2020-08-20). Remembering Charlotta Bass, the First Black Woman to Run for VP in 1952. truthout.org Image Credit: Southern California Library | Senator Kamala Harris is the first Indian American and first Black woman to be nominated for vice president on a major party ticket, but, as many historians have noted, Harris is not the first Black woman to run for vice president. That distinction belongs to the journalist and political activist Charlotta Bass, who was the editor of The California Eagle for nearly 30 years, one of the country's oldest Black newspapers, which covered women's suffrage, police…
(2020-08-20). Day After Chiding Democrats for Calling for Mail-In Voting Amid Pandemic, GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy Tests Positive for Coronavirus. commondreams.org The lawmaker said he will self-quarantine and follow advice of medical experts. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/getty-cassidy.jpg …
(2020-08-20). Bring Back Affirmative Action to UC Berkeley. counterpunch.org An Open Letter to Michael Drake, UC President Carol Christ, UC Chancellor, Kamala Harris,Vice Presidential Nominee, It is not possible for me to think of myself without thinking of the U of C and what opportunities it provided —Dr. Michael Drake I wish to congratulate you on being the first African American president of the
(2020-08-20). Nancy Pelosi Needs to Do More to Save the Postal Service — and the Election. cepr.net The Daily Beast See article on original site The crisis at…
(2020-08-20). Fourteen missing amid ship collision off Shanghai, China. yenisafak.com At least 14 crew members remain missing after two ships collided near the mouth of the Yangtze River early on Thursday, local media reports said.According to the Beijing-based daily Global Times, an oil tanker carrying 3,000 tons of gasoline collided with a gravel boat 1.5 nautical miles southeast of the estuary's lightvessel.The collision, which occurred near Shanghai, caused a major fire on the deck of the patrol tanker, while gravel boat sank.Rescue teams have so far saved three crew members of 17 who were onboard, while 14 are still missing, the newspaper reported.This was the first collision between ships ne…
(2020-08-20). 'Big Mistake': Progressives Slam Biden Campaign for Dismissal of Muslim-American Advocate Linda Sarsour. commondreams.org "Weaponizing the charge of 'anti-Semitism' to silence criticism of Israel is despicable," said activist Ady Barkan. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/getty-sarsour.jpg …
(2020-08-20). If Joe Biden Rejects His Progressive Base, Trump Will Win. commondreams.org "If Joe Biden ignores, demoralizes or actively alienates his progressive base, he could pave the way for another Donald Trump victory," writes the authors. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/joebiden_3_0.jpeg …
(2020-08-20). NYT Urges Biden to Shun His Party's 'Left-Leaning Brand'. commondreams.org …
(2020-08-20). War, Peace and the Democrats. commondreams.org "What was missing—from the national convention, from the halls of Congress, from the party as a whole—was any official stance against war. By which I mean, today's wars," writes Koehler. (Screenshot/ Democratic National Convention – August 17, 2020) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/peacednc.png …
(2020-08-20). The "Obama Inspiration Syndrome". commondreams.org Former US President Barack Obama addresses the virtual Democratic National Convention on August 19, 2020. (Photo: PBS News/YouTube Screengrab) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/obamadnc_0.png …
(2020-08-20). Nancy Pelosi Endorsing Joe Kennedy Over Ed Markey, Critics Charge, 'Reveals a Ridiculous Double Standard'. commondreams.org Progressives accused the House speaker of "proving she's not, in fact, against Dems primarying Dems, as long as it's to remove anyone who advances halfway progressive ideas." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-122810929111.jpg …
(2020-08-20). New Unemployment Claims Again Exceed 1 Million—A Reminder That 'Now Isn't the Time to Cut Benefits That Support Jobs'. commondreams.org Some economists reiterated calls for extending the $600 weekly boost that's opposed by Trump and congressional Republicans. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/unemployment_sanders_coronavirus_0.jpg …
(2020-08-20). More Than Six Years After Flint Water Crisis Began, Michigan Officials Announce $600 Million Settlement for City Residents. commondreams.org Six years after residents in Flint, Michigan began relying on their polluted local river as a drinking water source at the behest of Republican state officials looking to save money, the state announced details of an historic $600 million settlement, reached after 18 months of negotiations. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/27805760502_716a2c15ec_o1_0_0.jpg …
(2020-08-20). Send in the Clowns for the Circus is in Town. dissidentvoice.org Don't bother, they're here, already performing in the center ring under the big top owned and operated by The Umbrella People. Trump, Biden, Pence, Harris, and their clownish sidekicks, Pompeo, Michelle Obama, et al., are performing daily under the umbrella's shadowy protection. For The Umbrella People run a three-ring circus, and although their clowns pop …
(2020-08-20). Kamala Harris Does Her Best to Redeem Our Sexist, Racist Past. thenation.com Kamala Harris Does Her Best to Redeem Our Sexist, Racist Past…
(2020-08-20). A Kystallnacht For White Americans? thealtworld.com Those who are working overtime to delegitimize white Americans have coined a term that they use as a weapon—"white privilege." The propaganda is that being white is a racial privilege that elevates white Americans above other Americans and enables white people to oppress blacks. It doesn't strike those who use the term as a weapon that these same "racist white people" are the ones who elected Obama president and put Kamala Harris in the Senate. | "White privilege" conveys the idea that white people have impunity. They can abuse, even kill, people of color without consequence. Yet, it is white officer Chauvi…
(2020-08-20). The DNC Refuses to Address the Elephant in the Room. thenation.com The DNC Refuses to Address the Elephant in the Room…
(2020-08-20). As Democrats Leave Cities, Rural Areas See an Uptick in Voter Registration. thenation.com As Democrats Leave Cities, Rural Areas See an Uptick in Voter Registration…
(2020-08-20). LIVE CHAT: Join Us Now for the Democratic National Convention. thenation.com LIVE CHAT: Join Us Now for the Democratic National Convention…
(2020-08-20). Live Chat: Join 'The Nation' for the Democratic National Convention. thenation.com Live Chat: Join 'The Nation' for the Democratic National Convention…
(2020-08-19). Sunrise Movement: Dems Must Address Climate Crisis as DNC Drops Pledge to End Fossil Fuel Subsidies. democracynow.org 
The Democratic National Committee has dropped a pledge to eliminate tax breaks and subsidies for the fossil fuel industry from its party platform, after a DNC spokesperson said the amendment was originally included in "error," despite both Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris supporting it on the campaign trail. Varshini Prakash, co-founder and executive director of the Sunrise Movement, says it is "disappointing to see" Democrats back away from the pledge, but adds that as long as social movements sustain pressure, "it will be a priority for the Biden administration, shoul…
(2020-08-19). Dems Formally Nominate Joe Biden for President, as DNC Features Republicans & Sidelines Progressives. democracynow.org 
Joe Biden is the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, after he was formally picked by the party to challenge President Trump in November on the second night of the virtual Democratic National Convention. We feature highlights from the night, which featured speeches from 17 so-called rising stars in the Democratic Party, including voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, who unsuccessfully ran for Georgia governor in 2018, as well as Democratic heavyweights like former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. For a second night in a row, the DNC prominently featured the voices of Republicans and former Republicans…
(2020-08-19). Headlines for August 19, 2020. democracynow.org Joe Biden Formally Wins Democratic Presidential Nomination, Postmaster General Promises to Suspend Service Cuts Until After Election, Notre Dame Cancels In-Person Classes Amid COVID-19 Outbreak Linked to Party, Coronavirus Death Toll from U.S. Prisons and Jails Tops 1,000, World Health Organization Says Young People Are Driving Coronavirus Outbreaks, Malian President Deposed in Military Coup Following Weeks of Protests, Senate Intelligence Committee Alleges Trump Campaign Associate Was Russian Agent, Far-Right Activist, Banned from Twitter over Racism, Wins Florida House GOP Primary, RNC to Feature St. Louis Coup…
(2020-08-19). Ady Barkan, Medicare for All Activist Dying from ALS, Urges Biden to Adopt Universal Healthcare. democracynow.org 
As the Democratic Party formally selected Joe Biden as its nominee for president at the virtual Democratic National Convention, one of those who joined in the call to elect him was activist Ady Barkan, who is paralyzed and unable to speak due to terminal ALS. Barkan is a leading advocate of Medicare for All and has publicly challenged Biden, who does not support Medicare for All. "We live in the richest country in history. And yet we do not guarantee this most basic human right. Everyone living in America should get the healthcare they need, regardless of their employment status or ability to pay," Barkan said, u…
(2020-08-19). Return to Sender: Amid National Outcry, Trump's Postmaster General Drops Plans to Gut USPS — For Now. democracynow.org 
After massive public outcry against cuts to mail service ahead of November's election, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has announced he will suspend changes to the U.S. Postal Service until after the election, when a record number of voters are expected to cast ballots by mail. President Trump has admitted he's working to undermine the USPS in order to make it harder to vote by mail in November. We speak with Lisa Graves, executive director of the policy research group True North Research, who says Louis DeJoy is "the most partisan person, in 100 years at least, to head…
(2020-08-19). Dems nominate Biden with roll call featuring workers. peoplesworld.org 
MILWAUKEE—Delegates to the Democratic National Convention formally nominated Joe Biden for president on August 18 in a roll-call that spotlighted a wide variety of working-class people and causes in the U.S., just after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and universal health care activist Andy Barkan made their own dramatic presentations. An unofficial tally disclosed 3,605 votes …
(2020-08-19). Will Biden do enough to fight the climate crisis? therealnews.com 
Biden has a climate plan. It's good—but does it go far enough?
(2020-08-19). Trumka: Dems 'have to pay attention to working people' to win. peoplesworld.org 
As they head into the homestretch of the 2020 campaign, national Democrats "have to pay attention to working people" to win this fall, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says. And presidential nominee Joe Biden, who was formally approved by the party's virtual convention roll call on August 18 "gets it," he declares. "He's always been a …
(2020-08-19). Fidel at 94: The ideas of a revolutionary never die. workers.org 
Makasi was 16 when he first learned about Fidel Castro. As a Black Latinx youth, Makasi notes that "growing up as a Puerto Rican in the U.S., learning about Fidel showed me how someone from a small Caribbean island can challenge the most powerful and most vicious empire in the . . . |
(2020-08-19). Democrats vs. Republicans: Which party really CARES? workers.org 
While the corporate media focus public attention on the imminent opening of the Democratic and Republican Party conventions and the electoral contest, another battle matters much more to tens of millions of people still out of work: the failure of Congress to pass a second stimulus bill. The provisions of . . . |
(2020-08-19). The Complete Guide: US Government Role in Thailand's "Student Protests" thealtworld.com 
Virtually every aspect of "student protests" in Thailand are funded and backed by the US and aimed at destabilizing a key partner of China, reversing Thai-Chinese relations, and advancing Washington's Beijing containment policy. | Thailand is a key partner of China's and has pivoted toward Beijing at Washington's expense; | Protesters are backed by pro-US billionaire-led opposition parties; | US-backed billionaire-led opposition vowed months ago to "take to the streets;" | US government funds core protest leader Anon Nampa via National Endowment for Democracy (NED); | US also funds orgs trying to "rewrite" Thaila…
(2020-08-19). Today is the anniversary of the US organizing a coup in Iran. therealnews.com 
CIA documents offers key details on how the U.S. and Britain overthrew Iran's democratic government in 1953, says the National Security Archives' Malcolm Byrne…
(2020-08-19). Defecting From Trump's GOP. counterpunch.org 
Rick Wilson has worked to elect Republicans for thirty years, but he will "no longer use those skills to serve the party I once loved. That party is gone." He has not become a Democrat, but he is adamantly anti-Trump. His book, Running Against the Devil; A Plot to Save America From Trump and Democratsfrom
(2020-08-19). DNC: Conservative forces dominate opening night; security state apparatus dominates streets in Milwaukee. liberationnews.org 
The true nature of the Democratic Party is on display not only through the digital convention, but on the ground as well.
(2020-08-19). 'Trump should thank her': AOC 'endorses' Bernie Sanders, but bends the knee to Biden. rt.com 
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez angered some Democrats when she appeared to endorse Bernie Sanders at the Democratic National Convention. But her endorsement was a procedural one, and the establishment machine had the last laugh. | In a minute-long appearance at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night, the New York congresswoman formally nominated Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for the presidency of the United States. The nomination was a procedural one, as every candidate who has received more than 300 delegates during primary season must be nominated, and Sanders later transferred his delegates to the p…