Sunday School 6/12/22

Let's get your Sunday School lesson rolling, with Sen. Chris Coons (R-DE), who was in the Fox News Sunday classroom with Bret Bair, one of his two appearances today. 

Baier started by asking why the House hadn't taken up the unanimously-passed Senate bill on security for Supreme Court justices, which Coons cosponsored. The House was looking to incorporate protections for SCOTUS staff and their families, Coons said.

And then, he put that bill into the larger picture of January 6th and "politically motivated violence in our country," and said the mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde were a "call to action."

Baier waved that off, saying they were "going to get to both of those other things in a minute," and then he asked whether those protesting at a judge's house should be arrested. Coons talked about having to "strike the right balance" between freedom of speech and ensuring judges and justices are safe. And he added

I do think we need to take stronger action to make sure that our federal judiciary is safe because that's part of making sure our democracy is safe, which really is the core issue of the January 6th hearings, is how do we make sure that the fundamentals of our democracy, the safety and security of Congress, the peaceful transfer of power, and I would also at the safety and security of our federal judiciary is ensured. We should act.

Refusing to change the subject, Baier asked if the AG should arrest the protesters, and said no matter how the Court rules on Roe, it's going to be contentious. Coons said if the opinion matches the draft, it "would be a remarkable act of judicial activism, conservative judicial activism" and there'd be "understandable anger across the nation." 

And he continued, "we need to make sure that all appropriate actions are being taken to ensure the safety of members of our federal judiciary, including Supreme Court justices." Here's how it went after that. 

Baier: Okay, so don't arrest the protesters based on the title, I got it. That's what you're saying. The president this --

Coons: Bret, let's be clear. I didn't say don't arrest protesters. I'm simply saying that all appropriate action should be taken to ensure the safety of the Supreme Court justices. And I'm not going to say this protester or that protester ought to be arrested. I just think that that's a judgment call to be made by law enforcement, not by a senator on a Sunday show.

Yeah, but...  

Baier said no one's been arrested, and President Biden hasn't mentioned "this specific threat" about Kavanaugh, although "The White House press secretary said a couple of things in a gaggle to reporters that the president condemns violence of any kind. But should the president have said something publicly about this?"

Coons reminded Baier that Biden has "repeatedly spoken out against politically motivated violence in our country, the risk of politically motivated violence," and 

I certainly have denounced this latest threat against Justice Kavanaugh. But it's important that we remember there are threats of political violence of many kinds and types. Folks who are watching this morning who didn't watch the January 6th hearing should take a few moments and review what Congresswoman Liz Cheney, an unimpeachable conservative from Wyoming, had to say in her opening statement. I think there are risks of political violence we should all be speaking out against and acting to ensure we control, manage, and reduce.

Baier again threatened to change the subject, saying, "we're going to talk about January 6th in just a moment." 

But don't you think Democrats and the media would possibly, Senator, be making more about a threat like this, a specific threat, if it was happening to liberal justices?

Oh, my goodness, he's a dog with a bone, isn't he? And Coons? Cool as a cucumber, still.

Well, Bret, you have in front of you the Democratic senator who cosponsored with Senator Cornyn a bill that would provide greater security --

Baier interrupts with "I'm just saying publicly, Senator," and Coons continues

 -- for the families of justices. I don't know how more publicly I can say that I think threats of violence against Supreme Court justices, their families, their clerks are reprehensible, unacceptable, and we should take action to secure the federal judiciary.

Sunday School 4/17/22

For this week's Sunday School, I've got three hot topics from three different classrooms. First up? Margaret Brennan, chatting with Sen. Chris Coons (D-Elaware) about COVID relief on Face the Nation. 

Coons said he was "disappointed" that Congress couldn't get their act together and "deliver critically-needed global help," and get vaccines to the three billion or so people who haven't had a single shot yet. He mentioned the kind of sentiment the Senate is up against. 

As we were fighting over this additional payment, this additional funding for Covid relief globally, one of my colleagues memorably said, well, my constituents are done with this pandemic. Margaret, just because we're done with the pandemic doesn't mean it's done with us.

Coons said he respects the goal of finding offsets to pay for this, 

but in a moment when we badly need additional emergency funding to support the Ukrainian military resistance against Russian aggression, to support millions of refugees in Ukraine and around the region, in Europe and throughout the world, and to provide food relief and additional COVID relief, I think we should treat this as emergency spending.

He also thinks that immigration and COVID relief are separate issues, even if some of his party think they should be somehow tied together.

Finally, Brennan pointed to recent comments where Coons said that we need to talk about when we might be willing to send troops to fight in Ukraine, and "if the answer is never, then we are inviting another level of escalation and brutality by Putin." 

She wondered if he thinks Biden was wrong when he said we wouldn't send troops, or if he was looking for Biden to draw a red line somewhere on this issue. Coons feels if Putin is allowed "to commit war crimes throughout Ukraine" without any forceful action by NATO and the West, he thinks we'll see Ukraine "turn into Syria."

The American people cannot turn away from this tragedy in Ukraine. I think the history of the 21st century turns on how fiercely we defend freedom in Ukraine, and that Putin will only stop when we stop him.

Referencing the religious significance of the weekend, he suggested that when so many of us gather to "celebrate the very best in the human spirit: and grieve those we've lost,

we should also be prayerful and mindful of those who are fighting for freedom in Ukraine and how much their heroism and patriotism inspires the rest of us.

Next, we've got Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Tone Deaf in the Mar-a-Lago Tool Shed), who talked with host Mike Emanuel in the Fox News Sunday classroom. Here's what McCarthy said, after being welcomed back to the show. 

Thank you, and happy Easter to all Americans.

Um, I hate to break it to him, but "all Americans" don't celebrate Easter; many celebrate Passover and Ramadan. Many also celebrate chocolate bunnies, colored eggs, or spring. And still others of us don't celebrate a damn thing this weekend. I'm guessing he doesn't care much at all about the non-Easter people.

I almost gave up after that, but decided to hold my nose and keep listening. At some point, the discussion turned to Ukraine, and McCarthy's complaints that President Biden "acted too slowly" on, well, everything. After noting that we've now sent $2.6B in military assistance to Ukraine, Emanuel asked what more Biden should be doing. McCarthy babbled about all of his own efforts to get something done before Russia attacked, and he said

Had we moved the weapons to Ukraine earlier, that they could defend themselves, it would have saved thousands of lives and probably the decision of Putin not to enter.

All that aside, 

...what we need to do is learn from here, provide the weapons to Ukraine, but also look to the future of what China is doing. Taiwan has been waiting more than a year for weapons they've already purchased to defend themselves.

If you know me, you know I can't let a comment like that pass without doing some research. Meaning, I did a really simple search. And yes, it's true: Taiwan is waiting for weapons they've purchased from us. 

According to this article in Defense News,  there's "a backlog in the U.S. delivering $14.2 billion worth of military equipment to Taiwan that the island has purchased since 2019."

Wait - what's that? The backlog existed before Biden even took office? 

However, it remains unclear what — if anything — the United States can do to address the pandemic-related acquisition issues that prompted the backlog. “Our primary issue — and we see this playing out in Ukraine also — is that the industry has been delayed in the development of these systems,” a Republican staffer on the House Foreign Affairs Committee told Defense News. 

And there's nothing the Biden administration can do? And the same issues are hindering our efforts to help Ukraine? Good lord, if I didn't know better, I'd think McCarthy was lying when he blamed Biden.

The staffer also noted the U.S. defense industry has attributed supply chain issues, staff shortages and shipping delays to COVID-19 — problems that have cascaded into broader production troubles. 

Wait, wait, wait. It's the pandemic, the one the Rs took a hands-off approach to mitigating, that's now making a mess of things in democracies like Ukraine and Taiwan? 

“Honestly, the bottom line is there is very little that the government can do at this juncture to address supply chain issues,” Rupert Hammond-Chambers, the president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, told Defense News. 

I'm shocked - completely shocked... (that's a lie, by the way. I'm not shocked at all.) 

McCarthy said the Rs are not over-confident about winning back the House, but he said they need to do more than just criticize, they must commit to making changes and fixing the big problems. Emanuel asked if they could do that - tackle the national debt, for example - with a divided government. 

We need to have sound fiscal policy, stop the irresponsible spending to curve inflation and make America in a stronger path. But it's not just to balance the budget, you have to pay off the debt. And the only way we'll be able to do that is with fiscal responsibility, with Republicans in the majority.

And I laughed and laughed at that, I really did.

Let's close on a positive note, and spend a moment or two with Jake Tapper, who played parts of his exclusive interview with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on CNN's State of the Union. 

Tapper mentioned the politicians who annually express a 'never again' sentiment on Holocaust Remembrance Day - and he wondered if those words rang hollow to Zelenskyy, who lost ancestors in the Holocaust. "When the world says, 'never again,' do they ever mean it?" He doesn't think so, not after what they've seen in his country. Through his translator, said

The only belief there is, is belief in ourselves, in our people, belief in our armed forces, and the belief that countries are going to support us, not just with their words, but with their actions. And that's it. Never again. Really, everybody is talking about this, and yet, as you can see, not everyone has got the guts.

Tapper and Zelenskyy chatted about their kids. Zelenskyy has an 18-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son. Tapper has a 12-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter. Zelenskyy said

Girl? So, you understand me, 14-year-old girl. TAPPER: Yes. ZELENSKYY: We understand. TAPPER: Yes. I call my daughter, and she's like: "Can't talk, dad. Very busy." (LAUGHTER) ZELENSKYY: Not now. (LAUGHTER) TAPPER: "I'm very busy." ZELENSKYY: Yes, I know it's -- without knocking the door, I can't speak with my own daughter. TAPPER: Right. Right. ZELENSKYY: That's good.

I chuckled at that; with teenaged girls (I was one once, so I can say this), you don't have to be in a war zone to sometimes feel like you're in one. And I appreciated that Zelenskyy could enjoy a bit of normal, dad-to-dad talk.

On a more serious note, Zelenskyy acknowledged that he might not survive this war. Tapper wondered how he wanted the Ukrainian people, and his children, to remember him.

A human being that lived life to the fullest and loved his family and loved his motherland, definitely not a hero. I want people to take me as I am, a regular human.

And in response to the "not a hero" comment, Tapper wondered who Zelenskyy's heroes were, and where he draws inspiration "during dark days here?" 

Only the people. I believe our people are genuine and unique. And I just can't afford to be worse than them. When, at certain moments, I feel like all of this is dangerous. I understand that all the rest of us are going through this as well, what people are feeling like who are in basements, who lost their children, what our soldiers feel like right now. And I understand I have to be the strongest one in this situation. And this is all. And the most important is the way my children look at me. They have to be proud of me. This is the most important thing. I do everything for this.

Wouldn't it be nice if any of our politicians could articulate that the next election wasn't the most important thing in the world? I'd be willing to vote for anyone who could say that with a straight face, if they could back it up with their record, their policies, and the wear and tear proving they've walked the talk, wouldn't you?

See you around campus.

Quick Takes (v64): Unanimous Consent, or Something

People are buzzing about how the Senate "unanimously approved" making Daylight Savings Time, which most of us follow from late March t0 late October, permanent starting next year. 

Here's what we know about how the comically-named 'Sunshine Protection Act' made it through:

• It was 'passively' unanimous - meaning, when the vote was called, no one objected. It was not - at all - a case of 99 senators actively agreeing to make the decision;
• some senators don't have an opinion on the issue, others actively approve, and others actively disapprove of the idea; and
• some of them didn't even know the vote was going to be on the calendar.

I'm not kidding - that's what the folks at BuzzFeed reported.

Everyone Was Surprised by the Senate Passing Permanent Daylight Saving Time. Especially the Senators.

An inspiring story about how presumptuous Senate staffers can accidentally make history.

So, how did it all go down?

In a twist the Founding Fathers likely did not anticipate, quirky Senate conventions and a decision by staff in Sen. Tom Cotton’s office may result in an overhaul in the nation’s time zones. 

As the article explains, a bill needs to get through a Senate committee, and then the majority leader must agree to put it to a vote. That may or may not happen, depending on what the leader has as priorities. If it does get to the floor, there could be hours of debate and multiple rounds of votes, with 60 senators needing to approve the bill.

If a senator chooses to skip that process, they can ask for unanimous consent, which bypasses debate and all the voting. When that's the plan, all other senators are notified in advance, so they can object if they want. And, if no one objects, in advance or when the bill's called on the floor, it's "passed by unanimous consent." 

Any senator could have blocked passage of the bill.  The article notes that Florida Man Rick Scott, a fan of the bill, "would have gone to give a speech on the Senate floor" if he had known it was going to be discussed. Did I mention that the other Florida Man, Marco Rubio, was the sponsor?

Perhaps the funniest part of the article was this.

Asked to re-create his reaction to the news, Sen. Chris Coons issued a series of shocked stammers that is impossible to phonetically translate.

Coons was one of the senators who wasn't informed by his staff that the request was coming - and, he said, he'd never talked with them about the idea.

It’s literally an issue my staff and I had never discussed, and they made an assumption that I don’t really care about daylight saving time. And I don’t know if I do! I’ve never taken five minutes to stop and think about it.

Perhaps the senator most disturbed by the whole thing? Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who "vehemently opposes" permanent Daylight Saving Time. According to a source, Cotton's staff never told him about the request. 

Was it an accident? A nefarious plot by his staff? We may never know - but it might behoove someone to keep an eye on staffing changes in Cotton's office.

Sunday School 2/28/21

Seven senators made classroom visits today; with the House passing the stimulus package, and Dem plans to use reconciliation to get the minimum wage through the Senate being shot down, attention will turn to them, so that's where I'm focusing, too. 

Here are highlights of a few of them, starting with Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), who spoke with George on This Week. Hirono was first.

• She's supportive of anything that will work to get the minimum wage increased, noting that it's mostly essential workers who are earning the $7.25 hourly wage, which she called "poverty level."
• The appropriate response to sexual harassment allegations against my Sonofa Gov is to listen to the people who come forward, "and then to do the appropriate investigation and corroboration of the allegations." The NY AG "would be the independent entity to conduct such an investigation."
• The Biden administration is showing leadership on anti-Asian hate crimes, having issued an executive memorandum requiring the new AG "to work with state and county officials and community groups to prevent and prosecute these kind of hate crimes."

Next? Sen. Portman, who voted to pass the Trump tax cuts and repeal Obamacare via reconciliation, but says trying to do COVID relief that way "would poison the well of bipartisanship." 

• He thinks what Biden should do is "...to start off with more bipartisan measures, so that we don’t poison the well, so that we can continue to work together. And in this case, it would be very easy to get Republican support for a COVID relief package."
• He poo-pooed the idea that Republican voters are in favor of the bill -"if, you know, checks are coming out to people's homes, that's going to be popular, but that doesn't mean that this is the right bill." He gave a list of things in the bill he says are not related to COVID.
• Working together "is not difficult. We can work together on this one and then continue to work together on infrastructure and retirement security and supply chain issues with China and so on. So my hope is that they'll change their mind before this over." 
• He doesn't think Biden has gone far enough on Saudi sanctions vis a vis MBS and Jamal Khashoggi, "although you have to give him credit" for increasing sanctions and travel bans on the people directly responsible for murdering Khashoggi - but he thinks there needs to be something directly targeting MBS. 
• He says former president Trump is "very popular" with the Rs, but policies are more popular - in fact, "there are a number of things we can talk about from a policy perspective that I think will help to move the party forward. And that's where we ought to focus."

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was in the Meet the Press classroom; here are highlights.

• Brown's statement about not waiting for Rs to grow spines but having the Dems show Americans they don't have to "settle for a government that's set up to fail" was not defiant, but prescriptive. 
• He always wants to be bipartisan - he's a Dem in conservative Ohio, after all - and says the COVID bill is a bipartisan plan, will broad support, and "Just because Senate Republicans don't support it doesn't make it partisan." 
• He says " -- it's become a Trump party. It's not a party of reason. It's a party that has turned its back." He referenced Sen. Mitch McConnell doing nothing about COVID relief for months, the Rs failing to raise the minimum wage, and more. 
• He says they'll find a way to solve the problem somehow, noting "The corporate elite, the far-right elite in Washington have blocked it year after year after year after year, and we're going to make it happen."'
• We're not done yet on Saudi Arabia, he says, saying "We need to hold any foreign authoritarian, like the royal family, some of the members of the royal family, we need hold them accountable."

Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Chris Coons (D-DE) talked with Dana Bash on CNN's State of the Union. Here are excerpts, with Cassidy up first. 

• He said the Rs "have got to win in two years, we have got to win in four years. If we do that, we will do that by speaking to those issues that are important to the American people." That's more than "putting one person on a pedestal and making that one person our focal point."
• He also said that "CPAC is not the entirety of the Republican Party... we lost the House of Representatives, the Senate and the presidency. No president -- that has not happened in a single four years under a president since Herbert Hoover. "In order to win, they have to listen to all voters, not just the Trump fans. "That is a reality that we have to confront."
• He doesn't think Trump will be the nominee in 2024, and whether or not Trump is fit (Cassidy didn't answer), he said, "The point is, I don't think he is going to be our nominee..."
• He has "no clue" how the COVID bill will come out of the Senate, and that the Rs haven't been involved. He "started laughing" listening to press secretary Jen Psaki saying the Rs have been listened to, saying "that is such a joke."
• Bipartisanship isn't dead, though; he's working with Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) on a privacy issue, and, "Republicans remain willing and are working on issues that require bipartisan cooperation. We have done five on a COVID relief package in the past. It could have happened here. They made a conscious decision not to include us."

And, here're excerpts from the interview with Sen. Coons, a close friend of President Biden.

• He hasn't seen the details of Sen. Ron Wyden's Plan B proposal to tax companies that don't pay $15/hour. More importantly, "And if I'm someone who is always willing to negotiate with Republicans, I'm willing to negotiate with Democrats as well." Everyone - Ds and Rs alike - agree the minimum wage is too low, they just need to find a way to agree on a number and a path. 
• As do most Dems, he pointed to polling overwhelming support (76% of all Americans, and 60% of Republicans), so they should listen to the voters. And he's glad to hear Cassidy is still willing to work across the aisle, noting they've done that together in the past.
• He also said ..."Biden and the Democrats in Congress gave several weeks for there to be a serious negotiation that came close to the scope and range of this challenge. The proposals that came forward weren't anything like" what we're up against. "And so, frankly, we're moving ahead with a bill that probably will get no Republican votes in the Senate, but will have broad Republican support in the country."
• He said the Dems shouldn't "throw up the white flag and say, well, there's no way that we can work with Republicans, when this is literally the first major piece of legislation to come through. We will have other chances to pass bold legislation in this Congress, in this year, but we have to give bipartisanship a chance."

Dr. Anthony Fauci made four classroom appearances today (This Week, MTP, FTN and CNN SOTU), so I'm going to leave you on your own for those interviews.

See you around campus. Follow the COVID guidance, please, or I'll have to excuse you from class and assign additional homework. 

Highlights from the DNC: Closing Night

Here are links to highlights from nights one, two, and three, and here's the transcript for last night (other than Joe Biden's acceptance speech), the closing night of #DemsinZoomland.

Let's get right to the highlights, starting with Gov. Gavin Newsom (CA).

Climate change is real. If you are in denial about climate change, come to California. 11,000 dry lightening strikes, we had over a 72 hour period, leading to this unprecedented challenge with these wildfires.

There is so much at stake in this election, none more important than the work Joe Biden did with Barack Obama on the vehicle emissions standards, the fuel efficiency standards. It will save billions and billions of dollars taxpayers, and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. There is so much at stake in this election.

I... express my deep reverence, my admiration to Joe Biden, to Kamala Harris, California’s own, to their faith, their devotion, their constancy, to their commitment, and not just to the environment, but to the Commonwealth, to our kids, our kids’ kids, our grandkids, to our legacy. There is so much at stake in this election. And I just want to close by reminding each and every one of you. The future is not just something to experience, it’s something to manifest. It’s inside of us, not just in front of us. It’s our decision, not our conditions that will determine our fate and future. So let us resolve that after this historic night, this incredible, incredible week, this remarkable convention, that we do everything in our power to get Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in to the White House in January, 2021.

Andrew Yang.

Many of us have gotten tired of our leaders, seeming far removed from our everyday lives, and we despair that our government will ever rise to the challenges of our time. But we must give this country, our country, a chance to recover. And recovery is only possible with a change of leadership and new ideas. Bold and innovative policies that will get help into your hands in the midst of this crisis are now possible, but we need your help to turn the page for our country in 75 days. We are here tonight to celebrate Joe Biden’s nomination as the Democratic candidate for President. I have gotten to know both Joe and Kamala on the trail over the past year... They’re real people. They understand the problems we face. There are parents and patriots who want the best for us and our country. And if we give them the chance, they will fight for us and our families every single day.

Our future is now, and it is daunting. But I ask you tonight to join me, to help Joe and Kamala fight for the promise of America, turn the page for our country and lead us forward to a future we’ll actually be proud to leave to our children. 

Sen. Chris Coons (DE).

People of faith have long led change from abolition and women’s suffrage, to the labor movement and the struggle for civil rights. Joe Biden will continue that progressive march towards justice, inspired by respect for the dignity of all people, people Joe believes were made in the image of God. 

...he’ll be a president for Americans of all face as well as people of conscience who practice no particular faith. Joe’s faith is really about our future, about a world with less suffering and more justice, where we’re better stewards of creation, where we have a more just immigration policy, and where we call out and confront the original sins of this nation, the sins of slavery and racism. Joe knows these are central issues in this election, and for him, they’re rooted in faith.

We need a President who brings people of all faiths together to tackle our challenges, rebuild our country and restore our humanity. Someone who knows we’re called to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Joe Biden will be that President. Joe has always known this race is a battle for the soul of our country, and he’s right. Joe believes, he believes in both the greatness and the goodness of this country. He believes in us, and in what we can do together.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (GA).

There are those who are disgracefully using this pandemic to spread misinformation and interfere with voting, forcing many in 2020 to still risk their lives to exercise their sacred right to vote. A right that has already been paid for with the blood, sweat, tears, and lives of so many. So let’s stand up for our children, our children’s children and for this great democracy that our ancestors worked to build and let’s vote. Let’s organize to get others to vote with us. 

We know how important it is that we elect real leaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, people of honor and integrity, who hold justice close to their hearts and believe that the lives of my four black children matter. In the words of womanist poet, Audre Lorde, your silence will not protect you. Congressman Lewis would not be silenced and neither can we. We cannot wait for some other time, some other place, some other heroes. We must be the heroes of our generation because we too are America. Our votes can be our voice.

Historian John Meacham.

Our faith and the things that bind us together is fraying, for our democracy is under assault from an incumbent more interested in himself than he is in the rest of us. Extremism, nativism, isolationism and a lack of economic opportunity for working people are all preventing us from realizing our nation’s promise. So we must decide whether we will continue to be prisoners of the darkest of American forces or will we free ourselves to write a brighter, better, nobler story? That’s the issue of this election. A choice that goes straight to the nature of the soul of America.

Often we’d prefer to hear the trumpets rather than face the tragedies but an honest accounting of who we’ve been, can enable us to see who we should be. A country driven by the best parts of our soul, not by the worst. A country informed by reason and candor, not by ego and lies. A country that’s big hearted, not narrow minded... our story has soared when we’ve built bridges, not walls. When we’ve lent a hand, not when we’ve pointed fingers. When we’ve hoped not feared.

From Jamestown forward, our story has become fuller and fairer because of people who share a conviction that Dr. King articulated on that Sunday half a century ago; the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. Bending that arc requires all of us. It requires we, the people, and it requires a president of the United States with empathy, grace, a big heart and an open mind. Joe Biden will be such a president. With our voices and our votes, let us now write the next chapter of the American story; one of hope, of love, of justice. If we do so, we might just save our country and our souls.

Rep. Deb Haaland (NM).

I’m grateful to be with you here on indigenous land. The promise of this country is older than our constitution. Over 500 years ago, thousands of Indian tribes were vibrant democratic societies with rich cultures and traditions and communities that had sustained them for millennia on lands they loved and respected. My people, the Pueblo Indians, migrated to the Rio Grande Valley in the late 1200s to escape droughts. We were led to the great river and its tributaries, where we established an agricultural tradition that continues to this day. My people survived centuries of slavery, genocide and brutal assimilation policies. But throughout our past, tribal nations have fought for and helped build this country. There were those like my Laguna grandparents who worked on our country’s railroad and those like my mother, a Navy veteran, who served this country with honor. I stand here today, a proud 35th generation new Mexican, and one of the first native American women ever elected to Congress. I’m a symbol of our resilience as the embodiment of America’s progress as a nation.

Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.

Our nation absolutely has what it takes to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic that’s claimed tens of thousands of our loved ones. We have the talent, resources and technology. What we’re missing is leadership. We need a leader who works with States to ensure that everyone who needs a test gets one, and gets results quickly. A leader who secures a safe, effective vaccine, and distributes it quickly and fairly. A leader who inspires us to practice distancing, and wear masks, not as a political statement, but as a patriotic duty, a commitment we make to one another.

.. I know Joe Biden can be that leader. I’ve worked with Joe Biden. I’ve seen who he is with no cameras around, how he sits with people in their pain, and holds them in his heart. How he pours over COVID briefings, asking smart questions, letting science guide his way, just as he did when managing the Ebola crisis. And six years ago, when Joe Biden met my family, many of them immigrants, awed to be in the nation’s Capitol, I saw how he kneeled beside my grandmother’s wheelchair, took her hands in his, and said, “Thank you for choosing us, the United States of America, as the place to trust with your family.” Tonight, as a father, son, and grandson, as the doctor who swore an oath, and as an American who loves my country, I can tell you that Joe Biden is the man I trust to look out for my family, and the leader I know will heal this nation.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (WI).

What kind of country do we want to be? Do we want to be a country where millionaires get to dodge taxes? Or one where working families get a break? Do we want to be a country where medical bills bury people in debt, or one where healthcare is affordable for all? Or where tens of thousands of people die from a virus, or where the American dream lives? I think we know the answer to that fundamental question, because most of us want the same things. Good schools in our neighborhoods, racial justice, the freedom to love who we want, dignity in our work, and an economy where small businesses and working families thrive. And over the past months, we’ve added another to that list. A nation free from COVID. That’s why Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the only answer in this election. Trust me. They are.

You see, there’s another part of my story, the part where I ran for office, the part where I served in Congress, the part where I worked with Joe Biden and Barack Obama to make sure kids, and grandkids, if they’re dependents can stay on their parents’ health insurance until they’re 26. We got that done. And yes, it was a big effing deal. That’s the America I know, that’s the America I love, and that’s the America we will be with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House. A nation that plans, a nation that builds, a nation that builds back. Say it with me there at home, a nation that builds back better. Here in Wisconsin, our state motto is just one word, forward. This November, let’s move forward and never look back. 

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (IL).

Joe knows the fear military families live because he’s felt that dread of never knowing if your deployed loved one is safe. He understands their bravery because he has had to muster that same strength, every hour of every day Beau was overseas. That’s the kind of leader our service members deserve.

One who understands the risks they face and who would actually protect them by doing his job as commander in chief. Instead they have a coward in chief who won’t stand up to a flatterer, a Putin, read his daily intelligence briefings, or even publicly admonish adversaries for reportedly putting bounties on our troops' heads. As president, Joe Biden would never let tyrants manipulate him like a puppet. He would never pervert our military to stroke his own ego. He would never turn his back on our troops or threaten them against Americans, peacefully exercising,their constitutional rights.

Joe Biden would stand up for what’s right, stand tall for our troops, and stand strong against our enemies. Because unlike Trump, Joe Biden has common decency. He has common sense. He can command, both from experience, and from strength. Donald Trump doesn’t deserve to call himself commander in chief for another four minutes, let alone another four years. Our troops deserve better. Our country deserves better. If you agree, text more to 30330 to elect Joe Biden, a leader who actually cares enough about America to lead.

Mayor Pete.

When you put your life on the line for this country, you do it, not because it’s the country you live in, but because it’s a country you believe in. I believe in this country, because America uniquely holds the promise of a place where everyone can belong. We know that for too many, and for too long, that promise has been denied. But we also know America is at its best when we make that circle of belonging wider.

This coalition we are building this very season, gathering progressives and moderates, independents, and even what I like to call future former Republicans, standing for an America where everyone belongs. Joe Biden is right. This is a contest for the soul of the nation. And to me, that contest is not between good Americans and evil Americans. It’s the struggle to call out what is good in every American. It’s up to us. Will America be a place where faith is about healing and not exclusion? Can we become a country that lives up to the truth that black lives matter? Will we handle questions of science and medicine by turning to scientists and doctors? Will we see to it that no one who works full time can live in poverty?

I trust Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to guide us toward that better future, because I’ve seen up close their empathy, and their capacity. Just as I’ve seen my fellow Americans capacity to support, and include one another in new ways and do better by the promise of America. The day I was born, the idea of an out candidate seeking any federal office at all was laughable. Yet earlier this year, I campaigned for the presidency often with my husband, Chasten at my side, winning delegates to this very convention. Now I come to this convention proudly supporting Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

Mike Bloomberg.

I’ve supported Democrats Republicans and independents. Hell, I’ve actually been a Democrat, Republican, and independent. It’s all about people. And the two people running for president couldn’t be more different. One believes in facts, one does not. One listens to experts, the other things he knows everything. One looks forward and sees strength in America’s diversity. The other looks backwards and sees immigrants as enemies, and white supremacists as allies. Here’s another difference. One has proven he knows how to handle a crisis by helping to lead the economic turnaround after the 2008 recession, while the other has not only failed to lead, he has made the current crisis much worse. He has failed the American people catastrophically.

Four years ago, I came before this very convention and said New Yorkers know a con when we see one. But tonight, I’m not asking you to vote against Donald Trump because he’s a bad guy. I’m urging you to vote against him because he’s done a bad job.

So I want to ask small business owners and their employees one question, and it’s a question for everyone. Would you rehire, or work for someone, who ran your business into the ground? And who always does what’s best for him or her, even when it hurts the company? And whose reckless decisions put you in danger, and who spends more time Tweeting than working? If the answer is no, why the hell would we ever rehire Donald Trump for another four years?

So when Trump says he wants to make America great again, he’s making a pretty good case for Joe Biden. Look, our goal shouldn’t be to bring back the pandemic economy. It should be as Joe says, to build it back better. Joe’s economic plan will create clean energy jobs that help fight another crisis that Trump is ignoring, climate change, and Joe will rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges, something Trump has incessantly talked about doing, but in the last three and a half years, he hasn’t done anything. What a joke.

And let me tell you a little secret. Donald Trump’s economic plan was to give a huge tax cut to guys like me who didn’t need it, and then lie about it to everyone else. Well, Joe will roll back that tax cut that I got, so we can fund things our whole country needs, like training for adults who have lost jobs and making college more affordable and investing in American research and development, so that the products of tomorrow are made today by American workers.

My favorite childhood book was called Johnny Tremain, about a Boston boy who joins the Sons of Liberty at the dawn of the American Revolution. At the end of the book, Johnny stands on Lexington Commons and sees a nation that is, quote, “Green with spring, dreaming of the future.” That’s the America I know and love. And that’s the America we are in danger of losing under this President. So let’s put an end to this whole sorry chapter in American history and elect leaders who will bring integrity and stability, sanity and competence back to the White House. Joe and Kamala, go get him for all of us.

Brayden Harrington (NH).

My name is Brayden Harrington and I am 13 years old. And without Joe Biden, I wouldn’t be talking to you today. About a few months ago, I met him in New Hampshire. He told me that we were members of the same club. We stutter. It was really amazing to hear that someone like me became Vice President. He told me about a book of poems by Yeats he would read out loud to practice. He showed me how he marks his addresses to make them easier to say out loud. So I did the same thing today. And now I’m here talking to you today about the future, about our future.

My family often says 'when the world feels better,' before talking about something normal, like going to the movies. We all want the world to feel better. We need the world to feel better. I’m just a regular kid. And in the short amount of time, Joe Biden made (me) more confident about something that’s bothered me my whole life. Joe Biden cared. Imagine what he could do for all of us. Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to, someone who cares, someone who will make our country and the world feel better. We’re counting on you to elect Joe Biden.

Joe and Kamala are up next, in full. 

Knock Knock. Who's There? Aggressive Progressives

Aggressive progressives who?

Aggressive progressives who are so full of themselves they're apparently willing to sacrifice everything, even as they admit it will likely hurt them in the future.

Huh, you say? What's this all about?

Well, according to this report from NPR's Scott Detrow, the outer-lefties are suggesting getting rid of the filibuster in the US Senate, and moving to a simple 51-vote majority to pass legislation.  Here's how Detrow sets the stage:

Most of the Democrats running for president want to create a national single-payer health care system. They want to begin a massive transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. They want to legalize marijuana pass broad family leave policies, and do a whole lot of other things that previous generations of presidential candidates have balked from fully endorsing.

Those are all good things, if you're a fan of that agenda - so why might there be a problem? Well, the aggressive progressives want to see an end to the filibuster, so that the agenda can be pushed through - assuming that the Dems take control of the Senate in the 2020 election.  Here's Ezra Levin, co-founder of the Indivisible Project.

In order to actually pass a big, bold pro-democracy package, or a big, bold climate package, or a health care package, we're going to need to be able to do that with 51 votes.