USA TODAY 24-26 July 2020

2020·10.24 MB·English

Trump cancels convention Today would have been Joy Reid’s
events in Jacksonville Tokyo Olympics opener prime-time
show debuts
“The timing for this event is not right,” president Columnist Christine Brennan on how gold med-
with bang
says in a blow to his campaign. 2A alist Katie Ledecky preps for 2021. In Sports
USA TODAY
“The ReidOut,” which fills
the MSNBC slot formerly
held by Chris Matthews,
launches with 2.6 million
viewers.In Life
THE NATION'S NEWS | $2 | WEEKEND | JULY 24-26, 2020 VIRGINIA SHERWOOD/MSNBC
USA TODAY EXCLUSIVE Jobless
Early vaccine work is
claims up
promising, experts say
first time
in weeks
USA TODAY’s panel
Vaccine Startof
weighs in on latest widely available the pandemic Uptick comes as $600
timeline for vaccine benefit is about to end
Firstcandidate
vaccinesareready
Distribution tobetested Charisse Jones
Elizabeth Weise and Karen Weintraub begins in people USA TODAY
USA TODAY
The number of Americans filing for
Propelled by encouraging results unemploymentbenefitsrose last week
from early experiments, the clock has for the first time since March, showing
ticked forward one hour since June in the need for government aid isn’t wan-
USA TODAY’s countdown to a vaccine ing even as the extra $600 that bol-
against COVID-19. For July, the hands sit stered weekly checks during the pan-
at 5 a.m., our panel of experts estimates. demic comes to an end.
Midnight is the starting point of the A total of 1.4 million Americans filed
pandemic in the USA, and noon is the jobless claimsfor the first time as the
time a vaccine will be widely available to coronavirus surges throughout many
Americans, so the race is far from over. states, and reopened businesses shut
“These first steps simply mean that JUNE their doors to slow the virus’s spread.
we haven’t fallen at the first hurdle,” 4 a.m The uptick ended a 15-week stretch
said Kelly Moore, associate director of in which initial weekly claims steadily
immunization education with the Im- declined. In little more than four
munization Action Coalition. “That 5 a.m. months, a staggering 52.7 million
doesn’t change the number of hurdles sought unemployment aid for the first
ahead.” We are here time.
To understand when pre-COVID-19 The economy was starting to un-
life in the USA can resume, USA TODAY Widespread clinical trials and manufacturing begin thaw as businesses welcomed back
created a panel of experts in medicine, customers after closing in the spring to
virology, immunology, logistics and 12 a.m. 1 a.m. 2 a.m. 3 a.m. 4 a.m. 5 a.m. 6 a.m. 7 a.m. 8 a.m. 9 a.m. 10 a.m. 11 a.m. 12 a.m. dampen the spread of COVID-19. But a
supply chain issues to estimate how JUNE JULY surge in cases led several states, in-
close we are to securing a vaccine cluding California and Texas, to order
against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that many businesses to shut once again,
WE ARE
causes COVID-19. Every month, these HERE slowing rehiring and fueling more
experts track progress and highlight in- layoffs.
evitable setbacks. “The labor market remains in a pre-
carious place as COVID-19 cases surge
SeeVACCINE,Page3A Javier Zarracina/USA TODAY in some parts of the country and strict-
er measures are adopted in response,”
Oxford Economics said in an investors
note.
Rachel Witt, who manages props for
an opera company, was furloughed
through the end of April, then again
through July, as entertainment venues
remained shuttered because of the
coronavirus. The married mother of
two, who lives in Alexandria, Virginia,
hasn’t heard if her temporary layoff
NICK OZA/USA TODAY NETWORK will be extended, but “I have a feeling
it’s going to (go) even further.’’
US hits 4 million Witt and her husband, a freelance
lighting designer who lost several con-
confirmed cases tracts because of the pandemic, have
been getting by on the combined
With the true number of coronavirus SeeLAYOFFS,Page3A
infections likely much higher and the
nation nearing 150,000 people dead,
In Money
here are some of the grim milestones Early clinical trial data from three candidate vaccines, by Oxford/AstraZeneca,
we’ve seen as the virus spread during Moderna and Pfizer, show them to be safe so far and to spur immune responses Banks are cutting credit card limits
the pandemic. In Nation’s Health in healthy adults. Other candidates are in trials in China. JOHN CAIRNS/AP and canceling accounts for millions. 1B
QIJFAF-05005v(N)a
ELECTIONS 2020
5 things that may shake
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From debates to vaccine, More inside
Fears of drug price hikes much remains uncertain Trump’s effort to paint Biden as
The vast majority of Americans say mentally unfit becomes a gamble. 4A
they’re concerned the pharmaceutical Susan Page
industry will take advantage of the USA TODAY against COVID-19, an optimistic turn
COVID-19 crisis to increase drug prices.
in the pandemic that has redefined the
Not at all concerned One. Hundred. Days. campaign. An economic rebound or
Sunday, the reelection campaign new downturn. A presidential debate
John Lewis: ‘The
12% that President Donald Trump officially that either raises questions about Bi-
opened on the day he was inaugurated den’s acuity – a caustic theme of
Last of the Lions’
enters the final stretch. Democratic Trump’s campaign– or reinforces dis-
challenger Joe Biden holds a lead na- satisfaction with Trump’s leadership.
Very Lewis was America’s moral
Somewhat concerned tionwide of 8.6 percentage points, History says it’s premature to as- compass, both in Congress and
concerned 49.3%-40.7%, according to the Real- sume that the campaign is settled. In
55% the civil rights movement. His
ClearPolitics.com average of recent three of the past 10 elections, the can-
33% death ends an era and passes
surveys. That advantage is steady didate with at least a narrow lead at
the torch to a new generation.
enough that some politicians in both the end of July lost the popular vote in
Look for USA TODAY’s
parties have begun calculating what to November, although two of them car-
special 40-page print edition
do in a post-Trump era. ried the Electoral College and won the
commemorating his life, on
What could shake things up? White House anyway. In another three
SOURCE Gallup-West Health Cost newsstands starting Monday.
Possibilities include the develop-
of Healthcare Study
AMY BARNETTE, DAVID ANESTA/USA TODAY ment of a safe and effective vaccine SeeELECTION,Page8A
2A ❚ FRIDAY,JULY 24,2020 ❚ USA TODAY K1 NEWS
THE BACKSTORY
John Lewis to journalists: ‘Be a headlight’
“Even though we knew it was com-
ing, it was sad to lose another civil rights
legend, and two in one day was heart-
Nicole Carroll
breaking,” Berry said. “We’re losing
Editor-in-chief
some of the trailblazers.”
USA TODAY
While a proponent of the press,
Rep. John Lewis would walk the Lewis still urged the media to do
halls of Congress with a “gentle more. “Now more than ever before
strut,” said reporter Deborah we need the press to be a
Berry, like a man on a mission. But headlight and not a taillight,” he
he’d always stop for reporters. said in 2016 at an event marking
Even if he didn’t have the answer, 100 years of Pulitzer Prizes.
“he would always say a little
something to me. He was He urged the journalists “to get out
gracious.” there and push and pull and be coura-
geous. We’re not there yet. We have not
Berry interviewed Lewis off and on yet created the beloved community. We
for more than 20 years while covering have not yet laid down the burden of
civil rights. Lewis was happy to talk race.”
about the issues. He said the scars and stains of racism
She remembers the time she and a are still embedded, “deeply embedded,”
videographer sat down in his office for in our society. And we must confront it
what she thought was to be a quick in- head on: “You have an obligation. You
terview. have a mission and mandate. A man-
“I can’t tell you how long we sat there date, you have it. You have a moral obli-
and talked to him,” Berry recalls. “You gation to pick up your pens and your
would swear that we were still in the pencils, use your cameras to tell the sto- A police officer points his stick at Lewis, left, one of the leaders of the civil rights
’60s as he was retelling the story be- ry, to make it plain, to make it real.” demonstrators at Morrison’s Cafeteria on West End Avenue in Nashville, Tenn.,
cause he shared the details and the pas- He said his family was too poor to buy on April 29, 1964.FILE PHOTO BY JIMMY ELLIS/GANNETT
sion and the fear of all he went through. a subscription to the paper growing up,
And not just him. He always gave a but his grandfather took the Montgo-
shout-out to his colleagues as well. He mery Advertiser. After he finished read- basketball through the front door and it corner appeared to be lifting, she had us
gave a shout-out to the people who ing it, “we got that paper, and we read goes straight out the back door.” He was to walk to that side.
served the food and helped the SNCC it.” in this house one Saturday afternoon He steps away from the podium, rais-
(Student Nonviolent Coordinating After being arrested in Nashville, his with a group of his brothers and sisters ing his voice, speaking directly to the
Committee) workers who came in. photo appeared on the front page of the and a few of his first cousins. journalists in the audience.
“He always remembered the people Nashville Tennessean. (Both newspa- Lewis begins the story. “We were little children walking with
who were on the ground when the civil pers are now part of the USA TODAY “I was only about 4 or 5 years old, but the wind, but we never ever left the
rights workers went in. And more im- Network.) I remember it like it was yesterday. An house.
portantly, who had to stay behind when “I heard that I may get arrested,” he unbelievable storm came up. The wind “I say to you as journalists, the wind
those civil rights workers left. I always told the Pulitzer event crowd. “And I start blowing, the thunder started roll- may blow, the thunder may roll and the
thought that said a lot about him.” wanted to look like some young people ing, the lightning started flashing and lightning may flash and shake ... the
Lewis’ comfort with press started in used to call fresh. I had very little money, the rains started beating on the tin roof house, but you must stay with the house.
his days as one of the founding mem- so I went to downtown Nashville and of this old shotgun house. My aunt be- He walks back to the podium.
bers of SNCC, which advocated for civil bought a used suit at a used men’s store. came terrified. She started crying. She “You must not give up. You must not
rights. From lunch counter demonstra- I paid $5 for this suit. And I saw a picture thought this whole house was going to give up. You must hold on.
tions to voter registration drives, orga- a few days ago. ... I looked sharp. If I still blow away. So she got all of us little chil- “Tell the truth. Report the truth. Dis-
nizers needed journalists to tell America had that suit today, I probably could sell dren together and told us to hold hands. turb the order of things. Find a way to
what was really going on in the Jim it on eBay for a lot of money.” And we did as we were told. get in the way and make a little noise
Crow South. “The wind continued to blow, the with your pens, your pencils and with
“So yeah, protecting the press was Turning more serious, he thunder continued to roll, the lightning your cameras.”
definitely important to civil rights veter- addressed the forces buffeting continued to flash, and the rain con- The crowd roared.
ans,” Berry said. “Still is.” journalism with a story about a tinued to beat on the roof of this old Berry hadn’t heard this speech, but
Berry was the reporter at USA TODAY storm from his childhood – and the house. And we cried and we cried. When she wasn’t surprised.
who got word early last week that Lewis message it has for us today. one corner of this little house appeared Lewis respected journalism. And he
was in hospice. On Friday, he died – the to be lifting, my aunt had us to walk to knew the power of spreading the truth.
same day as fellow civil rights veteran His aunt lived in a shotgun house in that side to try to hold the house down “I felt he lived it,” she said. “Absolute-
C.T. Vivian. rural Alabama, “where you can bounce a with our little bodies. When the other ly. Absolutely. To the end.”
Trump cancels Jacksonville GOP backs more stimulus
portion of GOP convention checks, help for schools
Large crowds wouldn’t be and the later-than-usual selection of Michael Collins my. The Labor Department reported
Jacksonville had cast doubt on the par- USA TODAY Thursday that the number of Ameri-
safe, president says
ty’s ability to convene the major event cans filing jobless claims rose for the
there to rally supporters. USA TODAY WASHINGTON – Senate Republi- first time since March as 1.4 million
John Fritze, Courtney Subramanian reported this month that convention cans were scrambling Thursday to fi- people filed for unemploymentclaims.
and Michael Collins organizers were severely limiting the nalize a $1 trillion coronavirus relief GOP leaders hoped to release details
USA TODAY event. Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Wil- package that will include another of the package on Thursday. But Sen.
liams has said he didn’t believe his of- round of $1,200 stimulus checks and Richard Shelby, the Alabama Republi-
WASHINGTON – President Donald fice could keep the event safe, given the additional funding to help schools re- can who chairs the Senate Appropria-
Trump announced Thursday he is short timeline. cover from the pandemic. tions Committee, said it could be as late
cancelling the Jacksonville, Florida, Trump addressed reporters for the GOP leaders and the White House as Monday.
portion of the Republican National third time in as many days after abrupt- said late Wednesday that they had Democrats immediately slammed
Convention that had been planned next ly announcing he would restart daily agreed on key parts of the legislation, the GOP package, saying it doesn’t go
month because of the coronavirus pan- briefings on the virus that were sus- which will serve as a start for negotia- far enough.
demic, a major setback in his effort to pended in April. Trump has used the tions with Democrats, who have al- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-
energize his struggling bid for reelec- high-profile sessions to tout efforts to ready passed their own House bill. Calif., said the proposal “doesn’t recon-
tion. spur vaccine production, encourage But Republicans are still struggling cile with the needs of the American
“The timing for this event is not the wearing of face masks and warn to put the finishing touches on the people.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck
right,” Trump told reporters at the that the pandemic is getting worse. package. Congress and the White Schumer, D-N.Y., called it “unsatisfac-
White House during a briefing on the Public health officials reported House are under pressure to clinch a tory and fundamentally unserious.”
virus. “There’s nothing more important Thursday that 4 million people in the deal on a fresh pandemic aid package; a The Republican legislation will in-
than keeping our people safe.” U.S. had been infected with the virus, federal program of expanded unem- clude a limited extension of unemploy-
Trump said that he would deliver re- and experts believe the number of ployment benefits is set to run out ment benefits, Mnuchin told reporters
marks to formally accept his party’s cases is actually much higher. Mean- within days. on Capitol Hill.
nomination for president but offered no while, almost 150,000 people in the One item that will be missing from An extra $600 unemployed Ameri-
details on where or when that would U.S. have died from the coronavirus. the GOP plan is President Donald cans receive on top of their weekly
happen. The move was not only a sig- Trump’s latest briefings have been Trump’s demand for a payroll tax cut. benefits is set to run out at the end of
nificant blow to his campaign but also shorter than those earlier in the pan- Republicans abandoned that proposal the month. Mnuchin said the GOP plan
appeared to undermine the president’s demic, and he has appeared alone rath- even though Trump had suggested he would extend those supplemental
narrative that the country is ready to er than standing alongside Vice Presi- might not sign any bill that doesn’t in- benefits but not at the current level.
reopen for business. dent Mike Pence and the nation’s lead- clude it. The supplemental benefit will be re-
Trump said convention delegates ing public health experts, such as Dr. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin structured so that instead of a $600 flat
will still gather in North Carolina and Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci. told reporters that a payroll tax cut will rate, a new formula would be used to
formally nominate him for re-election. The president has largely stayed on not be included in the bill because the replace 70% of a worker’s lost wages
The entire convention originally was message and avoided the kind of mis- focus is getting money to workers through combined state and federal
scheduled to be held in Charlotte, but steps that led to the suspension of the quickly. “The payroll tax takes time,” he benefits. That would lower the federal
the president was unhappy with North briefings in April, when he suggested said. benefit to about $200 a week for the av-
Carolina’s Democratic governor who disinfectant could be used as a treat- Trump said on Twitter that Repub- erage worker.
would not guarantee a packed arena. ment for the virus. Still, Trump has licans abandoned the payroll tax cut “We realize there are a lot of hard-
“We will still do a convention speech continued to draw controversy even in because of objections from Democrats. working Americans who, because of
in a different form, but we won’t do a these toned-down briefing. “The Democrats have stated strong- COVID, still won’t have jobs, and we do
big crowded convention, per se,” On Wednesday, Trump blamed a ly that they won’t approve a Payroll Tax not want that to expire,” Mnuchin said.
Trump said. “I care deeply about the dramatic uptick in U.S. coronavirus Cut (too bad!),” he wrote. “It would be “On the other hand, we’ve said we were
people of Florida and everywhere else, cases on young people who attended great for workers. The Republicans, in a different situation last time.”
frankly, in this country and even in the nationwide protests over police brutal- therefore, didn’t want to ask for it. Some Republicans argued the extra
world, who would be coming into the ity, summer holidays, a “substantial in- Dems, as usual, are hurting the work- $600 was a disincentive for some to re-
state. And I don’t want to do anything crease in travel” and migrants crossing ing men and women of our Country!” turn to work because they were earning
to upset it. They will be doing very well, the U.S.-Mexico border, even though The Republican relief package more through unemployment. Jetti-
very shortly.” his own advisers have also attributed comes as the U.S. continues to reel soning the $600 benefit for a new 70%
The explosion of coronavirus cases the surge to some states’ early reopen- from the effects of the pandemic, which wage replacement formula is an at-
in Florida – the state has reported ings. has killed more than 143,000 Ameri- tempt to address those concerns.
sharp increases in COVID-19 deaths – Contributing: Khrysgiana Pineda cans and wreaked havoc on the econo- Contributing: Christal Hayes
NEWS USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY,JULY 24,2020 ❚ 3A
Layoffs
boost to state benefits that average just and families. may continue to mount as the nation
$370 a week, with many recipients say- Senate Majority Leader Mitch struggles to get the pandemic under
ing that without it they will struggle to McConnell, R-Ky. has said the House bill control and temporarily shuttered busi-
Continued from Page 1A buy groceries or pay rent. is “a non-starter.” nesses stay closed for good.
But the Trump administration and The extra $600 benefit has been criti- Sixty percent of restaurants that
$1,365 in unemployment benefits they other GOP lawmakers have balked at ex- cal for Witt’s family, and without it, they temporarily closed because of the pan-
receive each week, as well as a few hun- tending it, saying the extra $600 dis- might have to tap her retirement ac- demic will not be reopening, according
dred dollars she brings home from a courages a return to work since many count to make ends meet. “We have a lit- to a quarterly bulletin released this
part-time job. Their prospects for new retail and other low-wage workers may tle bit saved,’’ she says. “We’ll be able to week by Yelp, the review service.
full-time work are slim. earn more drawing unemployment. pay our rent. But if we’re unable to find And on Thursday, Ascena Retail
“The jobs just aren’t there,” she says. More than two-thirds of unemploy- other work in the next two months, we’ll Group, the parent company of Lane Bry-
Now, some who’d previously re- ment insurance recipients are making have to do some serious refiguring.’’ ant, Ann Taylor and the Justice tween
ceived unemployment then returned to more collecting jobless benefits than While unemployment doesn’t pay brand filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
work, are filing a new round of claims. they did while working, according to her more than she’d make working, Witt protection and said it plans to close
But the latest wave of applicants may University of Chicago economists. says having a job has value that goes be- more than half of its roughly 2,800
see payments that are significantly low- Senate Republicans planned to un- yond money. stores.
er than what unemployed Americans veil a $1 trillion relief package on Thurs- “This inaction, this feeling stuck, like “In more normal times, a significant
received in recent months, as an addi- day. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnu- I’m in limbo, is making me crazy,’’ she share of people on temporary layoff
tional$600 a week from the federal gov- chin told CNBC that it would extend says. “I’d prefer to be working, to have a could be expected to return to their pre-
ernment is set to end this weekend. supplemental benefits, but not at the purpose, to have a job.’’ vious employers, causing total unem-
“There is one clear takeaway from same level, basing them instead on And a job also means health insur- ployment to recede quickly,” Dante
this morning’s unemployment insur- roughly “70% wage replacement.” ance, which she currently has through DeAntonio, economist at Moody’s Ana-
ance report. Not extending the weekly It was not clear how that income re- the end of next month. “If that ends for lytics said in a note last week. “Howev-
$600 benefit supplement would be un- placement would be structured. Mnu- any reason, and we have to pay for er, given the heightened uncertainty
conscionable,” Andrew Stettner, senior chin said there would be another round health insurance, we’re out of luck,’’ created by COVID-19 and the expansion
fellow at The Century Foundation, said of direct payments to individuals, Witt says. “We’ll probably have to go in classification of temporary layoffs,
in a statement. “Families will be evicted though he didn’t specify the amount or without health insurance for a good that assumption is tenuous at best.
from their homes, poverty will soar, who would receive them. amount of time, and we have a 4- and “What is certain is that in the coming
children will go hungry, businesses will The Republican proposal was in 7-year-old.’’ months permanent job losses will con-
shutter and the economy will tank.” sharp contrast to a $3 trillion bill previ- tinue to mount, as new layoffs occur and
ously passed by House Democrats that More layoffs on the horizon as some workers who were previously
A fight over $600 would extend the $600 unemployment classified as temporarily laid off enter a
benefit, as well as provide a second The number of Americans needing more permanent state of unemploy-
The additional money was a major $1,200 stimulus check to individuals some kind of unemployment assistance ment,” he said.
Vaccine
mune systems don’t work as well as There’s a difference between rushing
younger ones’, will respond to a vaccine. and expediting, Pitts said.
“Will a low dose elicit sufficient pro- “Rushing results in mistakes, and
Continued from Page 1A tection in elderly people? They typically that is not an option,” he said. “Expedit-
don’t respond well to some vaccines but ing means clarifying the pathway
The panelists were pretty much in are the population we most need to pro- (which the FDA has done) and then en-
agreement in June:We were about one- tect,” she said. “If a high dose is needed, suring that all talent and resources are
third of the way. This month, opinions will side effects cause people to shy brought to bear on solid science and
were more diverse – estimates ranged away from use?” savvy regulatory review.”
from a cautious 1 a.m. to an optimistic Immunology remains one of the most The guidance will help to rebuild and
8a.m. The median response or mid- complex and arcane branches of biolo- reinforce the public’s faith in the FDA’s
point of the more than a dozen experts gy, filled with unknowns and potential process. That’s especially important
was 5a.m. pitfalls. when more than a quarter of the U.S.
Some were more cautious about the “I’m very impressed that a Phase 3 trial Offit noted the cautionary tale of ro- population says it will not get a
science, the many unknowns and what will be started in the United States in tavirus, one of the most common ill- COVID-19 vaccination, he said.
could go wrong. Others were concerned late July. That’s a lot faster than I had nesses in infants. First described in the “This is a crucial public health issue,”
public opinion might drag out clinical anticipated based on how long it has 1940s, it took 50 years to develop a vac- Pitts said. “After all, what’s the value of
trials if not enough volunteers sign up or taken in the past,” said Pamela cine. In 1999, after 10 months on the having a vaccine if people don’t use it?”
make people hesitant to get a vaccine if Bjorkman,a structural biologist.JOHN market, that vaccine was removed be-
and when one becomes available. CAIRNS/AP cause in very rare cases, it caused intes- How we did it
“A lot has to go right,” said Paul Offit, tinal blockages, killing one child. Only in
director of the Vaccine Education Cen- 2006 did a safe rotavirus vaccine make USA TODAY received responses from
ter at Children’s Hospital in Philadel- through trials, one of which is being it to market. 14 scientists, researchers and other
phia. “You have this enigmatic, difficult- tested in soldiers. In a virus as wily as SARS-CoV-2, experts, asking how far they think the
to-characterize, elusive virus that Data on whether the candidate vac- “there will be some things we’re going to vaccine development effort has pro-
you’re trying to defeat. Let’s assume the cines protect against illness, and for learn that will be uncomfortable over gressed since Jan. 1, when the virus was
surprises we’ve had so far are not the how long, won’t come until large Phase 3 the next couple of years,” Offit said. first internationally recognized. Those
end of surprises – it’s not unreasonable trials, slated to start as soon as this “Nature gives its secrets up slowly, responses were aggregated, and the me-
to assume there will be more surprises month, begin returning results this fall. grudgingly and invariably with a human dian was calculated.
down the road.” The positive early trial findings fuel costs.”
The virus emerged eight months ago, optimism. “At least the first goal of any This month’s panelists
a blink of the eye in the millennia-long vaccine to induce neutralizing antibod- FDA stance seen as good news
struggle between humanity and mi- ies is met, which is better than a vaccine Pamela Bjorkman, structural biolo-
crobes. More than 617,000 people have failing to trigger sufficient antibodies,” Also new since last month’s predic- gist at the California Institute of Tech-
died worldwide, more than 142,000 of said Prakash Nagarkatti,an immunolo- tions was the release June 30 of the nology
them in the USA. gist and vice president for research for Food and Drug Administration’s guid- Kate Elder, senior vaccine policy
Early clinical trial data from three the University of South Carolina. ance on how a COVID-19 vaccine should adviser with the humanitarian group
candidate vaccines – by Oxford Florian Krammer, a virologist at the be tested and what would be required Doctors Without Borders
/AstraZeneca,Moderna and Pfizer – Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Si- for it to be approved for general use. Sam Halabi, professor of law, Uni-
shows them to be safe so far and to spur nai in New York City, said he’s upbeat To win approval, avaccine must be at versity of Missouri, scholar at the
immune responses in healthy adults. about a vaccine being ready soon. least 50% more effective than a placebo O’Neill Institute for National and Global
Billions of U.S. tax dollars have been al- “There is pretty good data out there,” in preventing or decreasing the severity Health Law at Georgetown University.
located to create a vaccine, including he said, and more coming soon. “I am of COVID-19. Florian Krammer, virologist at the
nearly $2 billion to Pfizer on pretty optimistic! As long as there are no There had been concern the FDA Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Si-
Wednesday. Several other candidate shortcuts in the Phase III trials ...” might face pressure from the White nai in New York City
vaccines in China are progressing House to lower its standards and ap- Michelle McMurry-Heath, presi-
Soon: Phase 3 Clinical Trials prove a COVID-19 vaccine before the dent and CEO of Biotechnology Innova-
Phase 3 trials are done. President Don- tion Organization (BIO)
The final – and longest – step in the ald Trump has repeatedly promised an Kelly Moore, associate director of
human testing process comes in Phase 3 approved vaccine by late this year. immunization education, Immuniza-
clinical trials, when thousands of The FDA’s actions around a drug tion Action Coalition; former member of
people will get candidate vaccines and called hydroxychloroquine – which it the CDC Advisory Committee on Vac-
Customer service researchers will see if they are better approved under emergency use, then cine Practices; chair, World Health Or-
To view important information online related to protected than those who receive only a rescinded approval – raised questions ganization Immunization Practices Ad-
your subscription, visit aboutyoursubscription. placebo. about the agency’s independence from visory Committee
usatoday.com. You can also manage your
“I’m very impressed that a Phase 3 the Trump administration. The presi- Prakash Nagarkatti, immunologist
subscription at account.usatoday.com
trial will be started in the United States dent strongly supported the drug based and vice president for research, Univer-
Contact USA TODAY for questions or to report
issues via email at [email protected] or by in late July. That’s a lot faster than I had on weak early datathat has been largely sity of South Carolina
phone at 1-800-872-0001. anticipated based on how long it has contradicted. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine
Operating hours are: taken in the past to get to Phase 3 trials,” The strong COVID-19 vaccine guid- Education Center and an attending phy-
❚Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. EST
said Pamela Bjorkman,a structural biol- ance put some of those concerns to rest, sician in the Division of Infectious Dis-
ogist at California Institute of Technol- said Peter Pitts,president of the Center eases at Children’s Hospital of Philadel-
Available subscriptions
ogy. for Medicine in the Public Interest. The phia
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4A ❚ FRIDAY,JULY 24,2020 ❚ USA TODAY NEWS
ELECTIONS 2020 ANALYSIS
Trump’s jabs at Biden fitness may backfire
‘Sleepy Joe’ attacks could hesitation about Biden among voters.
Trump is searching for any way to
turn off key voting blocs “This president talks “He cannot pass the test
make the election “a choice” between
about cognitive I ‘aced’. He should give it
Biden and him, Belt said, rather than a
capability. He doesn’t a try!!!”
Joey Garrison referendum on his presidency.
appear to be cognitively
USA TODAY Donald Trump “I don’t know that this one is working
aware of what’s going
In a tweet this month, referring too much. I anticipate we will see more
on.” to a cognitive assessment that
WASHINGTON – Less than four on Hunter Biden, Burisma, probably
his physician in 2018said he
months from the November election, Joe Biden received a perfect score on more on China and tying Biden to some
President Donald Trump’s attacks on During a news conference June 30 Obama policies,” Belt said. “We’re in the
presumptive Democratic nominee Joe pre-stage here where he’s trying to find
Biden’s mental fitness are an integral mental fitness remains part of the GOP concerns about Biden’s mental capacity. a successful strategy that can start
part of the president’s reelection mes- campaign’s playbook. That’s not a universal take among turning the tables.”
sage: the focus of television advertise- A Trump television ad that aired in 12 seniors, however. Leslie Sanford, 71, an accountant
ments, talking points and open chal- states and the District of Columbia Darcy Jones, a retired computer from Grand Rapids, Michigan, called
lenges from the president. shows Biden struggling to finish sen- trainer and Trump supporter near Tam- Trump’s preoccupation on Biden’s men-
But analysts have raised questions tences and forgetting his thoughts. pa, Florida, said Biden’s age is a legiti- tal capability “lame.”
over whether Trump’s strategy of focus- “Sometimes I wake up and think it’s mate issue and she has concerns about “I don’t think they have anything
ing on the former vice president’s age is 1920,” Biden is shown saying in com- his mental fitness. “People can see it for really strong to hang their hat on. I think
backfiring with a key demographic: sen- ments that are taken out of context. The themselves,” she said. She called it “ob- they’re grasping at straws,” said San-
iors. video cuts off Biden before he went on to vious,” pointing to his “scripted inter- ford, a self-described independent vot-
Making it an even riskier play, the at- say that by 1920, he meant the way civil- views” and accusing the Biden cam- er who plans to vote for Biden. “Being in
tacks have heightened expectations for ity has disappeared in politics. paign of “hiding” Biden from greater that category myself,” she said of her
Trump’s debate performances this fall “Joe Biden is slipping,” a narrator in scrutiny. senior status, “as a group, it is pretty de-
and invited skepticism about his own the ad says. “Now at the age of 77 years “Trump certainly has been criticized rogatory.”
fitness. The strategy itself has proven old and running for president for the by just about everybody for his mental
difficult to execute as Biden campaigns third time, Biden is clearly diminished. fitness,” Jones, 67, said. “Even before he Biden’s home-based campaign
from his home in Delaware, limiting the Joe Biden does not have the strength, was selected as the nominee when he makes attack harder to land
gaffe-prone candidate’s opportunities stamina and mental fortitude required ran in 2016, people were already talking
for flubs. to lead this country.” about him and his mental capacity. I Patrick Murray, director of the Mon-
For months, Biden, 77, has dismissed In an interview with Fox News that think it’s a valid issue.” mouth University Polling Institute, said
the name-calling and innuendo, but aired Sunday, Trump continued the at- Jeanmarie Meyer, 73, an attorney and the Trump’ campaign hopes that, be-
more recently he’s hitting back more tack, saying he doesn’t think Biden is legal consultant in Bend, Oregon, said cause opinions on Biden aren’t “fully
forcefully and trying to turn the argu- “senile,” but he is “not competent to be the ads don’t offend her. formed,” the strategy can “plant some
ment about mental fitness back on the president.” “They’re really not inconsistent with doubts” about him.
74-year-old Trump. The charges mirror those in the 2016 what I see Joe Biden himself do,” said But while Trump is overwhelmingly
“This president talks about cognitive election, when Trump regularly criti- Meyer, who also plans to vote for Trump. seen as having greater stamina by his
capability,” Biden said during a news cized the “stamina” and physical health “So I don’t really feel like it’s that much political base, he said, the majority of
conference June 30. “He doesn’t appear of Clinton. of a distortion. I don’t think it’s really voters disagree.
to be cognitively aware of what’s going In past election cycles, such attack necessary, but it doesn’t bother me. “Neither one of these candidates is
on.” ads might come from an outside super Anybody paying attention and listening seen by the vast majority of the public
Despite the “Sleepy Joe” nickname PAC unaffiliated with the campaign. But to Joe Biden sort of wonders if he’s all as fit for the job, but Biden definitely has
Trump gave Biden and his ads showing the Trump campaign paid for the ad. there.” an edge overall,” Murray said.
Biden stumbling over remarks, polling The Associated Press, citing research Biden was asked June 30 whether he
suggests Biden – not Trump – has the from Advertising Analytics, reported Fixation on Biden’s mental fitness has been tested for cognitive decline
edge on fitness among voters. the Trump campaign has spent more to invites president’s own critique during his first news conference in three
As the two septuagenarians battle it air the “Biden is slipping” ad – $6.5 mil- months after a speech in Wilmington,
out, a poll July 2 from Monmouth Uni- lion – than any other so far in the cam- Trump was the oldest president in Delaware.
versity found 52% of voters said they paign. That includes in the battleground U.S. history at the time of their inaugu- “I’ve been tested and I’m constantly
believe Biden has the mental and phys- states of Arizona and Florida, home to ration. Biden, who would claim that dis- tested,” Biden said. “Look, all you got to
ical stamina to be president versus 45% large senior populations. tinction if elected, often talks about his do is watch me, and I can hardly wait to
for Trump. lifelong struggle with stuttering. He has compare my cognitive capability to the
More troubling for the president, Bi- Senior voters, aging advocacy acknowledged a penchant for mis- cognitive capability of the man I’m run-
den has moved ahead among voters 65 group weigh in on strategy speaking, calling himself a “gaffe ma- ning against.”
or older in several national surveys, in- chine.” During the Democratic primary, A Biden campaign official clarified to
cluding a significant 14-point advantage Peter Kaldes, president and CEO of he conflated stories, cited incorrect USA TODAY that Biden was referring to
in a Quinnipiac University poll released the American Society on Aging, in a numbers and mixed up states where he the toll of the campaign as being “con-
Wednesday, helping propel him to dou- statement on the advertising said, “Like was speaking. stantly tested,” not a scientific cognitive
ble-digit leads nationally. Trump won racism, ageism devalues human life.” In an appearance on the Sean Hanni- assessment.
seniors by 7 percentage points in 2016 He said using “ageist stereotypes” is a ty show and in tweets, Trump encour- Complicating his pursuit to paint Bi-
over Hillary Clinton, according to exit “dubious campaign tactic,” noting that aged his opponent to be tested for neu- den as mentally unfit: The coronavirus
polls, with white senior voters a key part older Americans vote at substantially rological impairment as he accused Bi- pandemic has enabled Biden to run his
of his coalition. higher rates than younger adults. den of hiding his cognitive decline. campaign almost entirely from his
“It can certainly backfire among sen- “Ageist stereotypes in political cam- “He cannot pass the test I ‘aced’,” home in Wilmington, Delaware, which
ior voters, and it’s not something you paign advertising not only perpetuates Trump tweeted this month, referring to Murray said has limited the opportuni-
want to do when you’re already starting the myth that you can judge someone a cognitive assessment for which his ties for gaffes.
to lose their votes,” said Todd Belt, pro- just by the number of years they’ve been physician in 2018 said he received a per- His speeches, usually one or two a
fessor and political management pro- alive, but it implies that there is a shame fect score. “He should give it a try!!!” week, have been confined to Delaware
gram director at George Washington to being an older adult,” said Kaldes, But the attacks on Biden have invited or next-door Pennsylvania.
University. “We’ve seen a big shift in the who was an economic adviser for Presi- skepticism about Trump’s own fitness, “Right now it doesn’t look like it’s
over-65 population moving towards Bi- dent Barack Obama. He said his organi- particularly after the president walked particularly working,” Murray said of
den. This isn’t a really good strategy to zation would like to see leaders recog- gingerly down a ramp at U.S. Military Trump’s campaign to cast Biden as
win them back.” nize that aging adults are vital to U.S. Academy at West Point in June and mentally unfit for office, “and part of it is
In a Biden campaign memo earlier democracy, not “weaponize ageism used both hands to drink a glass of wa- that we aren’t seeing Biden on the trail
this month, deputy campaign manager against them.” ter at the same event. Trump also has one way or the other. So the voters
Kate Bedingfield sought to debunk each The AARP, which has 38 million sen- his own history of eyebrow-raising re- they’re targeting don’t have anything to
of Trump’s attacks. Bedingfield said ior members, and the National Council marks. judge it on, whether it’s true or false.
ample polling shows “voters aren’t buy- on Aging both declined to comment, cit- The Biden campaign does not have Therefore it’s just kind of falling flat.”
ing Trump’s smear” and have concerns ing practices of remaining nonpartisan. any ads targeting Trump’s mental or If the attack on Biden is not support-
about Trump’s own fitness to lead the A new digital ad from the Republican physical fitness. ed by events on the campaign trail, he
country. National Committee, promoted by But Biden supporters resurfaced a said, that opens Trump up to a “counter-
“Trump literally suggested Ameri- Trump on Twitter, depicts a 3 a.m. video from 2014 of former President Ba- charge” that his campaign must be care-
cans inject disinfectant to cure phone call to the White House and rack Obama and Biden, then vice presi- ful about.
COVID-19,” she said warns, “Your vote will decide who an- dent and 73 years old, jogging at the “That’s the danger here right now (for
swers that call.” It shows Biden strug- White House. Trump),” Murray said.
Trump pays big for TV ads gling to talk during a news conference Allies like The Lincoln Project, led by Richard Diamond, 68, a Biden sup-
calling Biden ‘clearly diminished’ and highlights critiques about Biden’s anti-Trump Republicans, have taken porter, who provides equipment ser-
abilities from Democratic Sen. Cory the lead questioning Trump’s wellness vices for hair salons in the Atlanta area,
Biden’s gains with seniors come as Booker, Democratic strategist David Ax- in other online videos. Speaking at a said Trump’s attacks are fair game, but
the coronavirus pandemic, which puts elrod and the media. “Unfit to lead,” the campaign rally last month in Tulsa, it “doesn’t matter.”
seniors disproportionately at risk, has ad concludes. Oklahoma, Trump devoted more than 14 He defended Biden’s experience and
dominated the campaign since March “Stupid,” said Robert Summers, 81, a minutes to defend his awkward ramp posed the question of fitness back at the
and caused the president to slide in poll- retired attorney from the St. Louisarea, walk, explaining it was “like an ice skat- president.
ing. Trump has pushed for the country who said he objects to about everything ing rink.” “I think Donald Trump at 35 was un-
to reopen even as more than half of Trump does. “I couldn’t be any more Belt said Trump’s fixation on Biden’s fit to be president, and he’s 74 now and
states are experiencing a spike in more turned off.” cognitive abilities is part of a larger ef- he’s more unfit.
COVID-19 cases. Summers, who plans to vote for Bi- fort to “throw all the spaghetti against “With Biden, he’s knows what he’s
As Trump wages a culture war seek- den, called Trump’s strategy “insulting,” the the wall and see what sticks.” The doing. If he stumbles on a word or what-
ing to tie Biden to protesters who have adding, “You can get a pretty good idea president trails Biden in polling on per- ever, I don’t think that’s going to make a
targeted Confederate monuments and from watching these people speak if sonal qualities like trustworthiness, bit of difference being president of the
efforts to “defund the police,” Biden’s they’re OK or not.” He said he has no raising the stakes for Trump to create United States.”
Obama urges remedy for racial bias in policing
Bart Jansen cluding “how communities of color are clashes with protesters aimed at pre- tests against racism and police violence
USA TODAY policed, how, you know, police are inter- venting property damage from Wash- during his administration after the 2014
acting and, and oftentimes acting in ington to Portland. shooting death by police of Michael
Former President Barack Obama said ways that are racially biased.” “In recent weeks, there has been a Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. But Oba-
Thursday that it is past time to do some- Obama, the first Black president, said radical movement to defund, dismantle ma contrasted his administration’s re-
thing about racially biased policing, a protests that erupted nationwide after and dissolve our police departments,” sponse with Trump’s, saying he drew
problem his administration faced and the death of George Floyd in police cus- Trump said Wednesday in announcing together a task force of police chiefs, ac-
that exploded into nationwide protests tody May 25 in Minneapolis reflected an additional deployments of federal au- ademics and members of Black Lives
under President Donald Trump. extraordinary mobilization of every race thorities. “Extreme politicians have Matter to develop recommendations.
In a campaign video with his vice and creed who united to say: “We’re past joined this anti-police crusade and re- “Our response was not to ignore
president and the presumptive Demo- time to do something about this.” lentlessly vilified our law enforcement those problems,” Obama said. “And we
cratic nominee, Joe Biden, Obama said For his part, Trump has sided with heroes.” arrived at a series of recommendations
race remains a problem in America, in- law enforcement in sometimes violent Obama acknowledged having pro- that are still pertinent to this day.”
NEWS
USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY,JULY 24,2020 ❚ 5A
Judge: Cohen was jailed in retaliation over tell-all
Kristine Phillips confinement and to obtain an ankle remarks against prominent Jewish peo-
USA TODAY bracelet monitor when he balked at a re- ple and virulently racist remarks
quired provision that he not speak to the against such Black leaders as President
WASHINGTON – Michael Cohen, media or pursue a previously an- Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela.”
President Donald Trump’s former attor- nounced book project during the term of Prosecutors denied that Cohen was
ney, will be released to home confine- his sentence. sent back to prison as an act of retalia-
ment after a federal judge in New York The prohibitions, Davis said, were tion, claiming he was “antagonistic”
found that he was sent back to prison as part of an eight-point list presented to during the meeting with probation offi-
a retaliatory act over his decision to Cohen. Davis said officials departed the cers.
write a tell-all book about Trump. meeting to discuss Cohen’s disagree- At the hearing Thursday, Hellerstein
“I cannot believe fairly that it was not ment, then U.S. marshals returned pressed Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison
in purpose ... to stop his exercise of First about an hour later, carrying shackles. Rovner about the issue of retaliation
Amendment rights” to publish a book Cohen sued Attorney General Wil- and why prison officials imposed cer-
and discuss it on social media, U.S. Dis- Michael Cohen will be placed in home liam Barr and prison officials, accusing tain prohibitions. Rovner argued it is not
trict Judge Alvin Hellerstein said at a confinement after Thursday’s ruling by them of retaliating against him after he unlawful for the Bureau of Prisons to re-
hearing Thursday. a federal judge.JOHN MINCHILLO/AP revealed his intention to write an unflat- fuse negotiation, and the probation offi-
The judge ordered the Bureau of Pris- tering book about the president. cer who drafted the conditions of Co-
ons to release Cohen back to his family In the book, which he began writing hen’s home confinement was not aware
by Friday afternoon. The self-described fixer for the presi- after he was convicted, Cohen talked he planned to write a book.
In a statement, Danya Perry,Cohen’s dent was furloughed to home confine- about “how he had lost his moral com- Cohen is serving a three-year sen-
attorney, said the judge’s ruling con- ment in May because of coronavirus pass” over years of working for Trump, tence after pleading guilty to coordinat-
firms that the Justice Department and fears in the federal prison system. Co- according to court records. ing payoffs to buy the silence of adult
Bureau of Prisons can’t block Cohen hen was sent back to prisonin Otisville, “Mr. Cohen’s book describes Mr. Co- film star Stormy Daniels and former
from publishing a book about the presi- New York, after he refused the condi- hen’s first-hand experiences with Mr. Playboy model Karen McDougal. The
dent as a condition of his home confine- tions of his home confinement, prison Trump, and it provides graphic details women said they had affairs with
ment. officials said. about the President’s behavior behind Trump before he was elected. Cohen in-
“This principle transcends politics, Lanny Davis, Cohen’s legal adviser, closed doors,” his attorneys said in court sisted he acted at the direction of
and we are gratified that the rule of law said Cohen was meeting with authori- filings. “For example, the narrative de- Trump, who denied the affairs.
prevails,” Perry said. ties to go over final conditions of home scribes pointedly certain anti-Semitic Contributing: Kevin Johnson
Convicted felon, 2 others arrested in ‘massacre’ of 3 Florida friends
Suzie Schottelkotte ered at Wiggins’ camper Monday. drew a handgun and accused Spring- Wiggins took the borrowed truck they
The (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger Detectives found trace evidence of field, according to Judd. Springfield and used that night and cleaned it out.
USA TODAY NETWORK blood in a truck Wiggins was riding in, Rollins had arrived in the same truck. Wiggins, a convicted felon, was ar-
and it’s being processed. Wiggins hit Springfield before he start- rested Monday after detectives execut-
BARTOW, Fla. – A chance meeting at According to preliminary investiga- ed firing at him and Rollins, Judd said, ed a search warrant on his travel trailer
a dollar store last Friday night led to the tion, Wiggins, in the moments before he describing Wiggins as “out of control.” and discovered a cache of firearms.
shooting deaths minutes later of three allegedly fired, accused Springfield, a Wiggins fired nine to 10 shots at The night of the shooting, Rollins
friends who’d met to go fishing, Polk mechanic, of selling the engine from his Springfield and Rollins, Judd said. called his father, Cyril, to say he needed
County Sheriff Grady Judd said truck. Tillman tried to intervene, telling help. Judd said Wednesday that he
Wednesday. A Lake Wales man was ar- “For that, this guy massacres three Wiggins to “put the gun away,” Judd called before the shooting began. By the
rested in the killings. young men, 23, 27 and 30, on their way said. Wiggins allegedly shot Tillman time Cyril Rollins got there, his son was
Tony “T.J.” Lee Wiggins, 26, is to fishing on a Friday night in Frostproof and told his brother to put Tillman’s critically wounded, and after talking
charged with fatally shooting Brandon (Florida)?” Judd said, displaying Wig- body in the back of one of the trucks. with him for moments, the elder Rollins
Rollins, 27, and his friends, Keven gins’ photo during Wednesday’s news After leaving the scene, the Wiggins left to call for help because he had left
Springfield, 30, and Damion Tillman, conference. “It’s gut-wrenching. This is brothers and Whittemoredrove to a Mc- his cellphone at home.
30. evil in the flesh.” Donald’s restaurant. Judd said some questioned why Rol-
Wiggins’ brother, William “Robert” Judd said the Wiggins brothers and “While they’re standing in line or in lins didn’t use his son’s cellphone.
Wiggins, 21, and Mary Whittemore, 27, Whittemore went to the area where Rol- line at the drive-thru, it’s very quiet,” “His son’s phone had fallen down in-
were also arrested, charged with three lins, Springfield and Tillman were found Judd said. “T.J. simply says, ‘We weren’t side the truck,” he said, “and in his panic
counts of accessory to murder and one after Robert Wiggins overheard Tillman there,’ and that’s all the conversation and fear, he didn’t see any cellphones.
count of tampering with evidence. tell a clerk at a Dollar General he was they will admit to. We believe there’s He just knew the three boys, and his
Investigators linked a shell casing meeting Springfield to do some fishing. more than that.” son, were shot to pieces, and he ran for
found at the scene to a handgun discov- After Wiggins got to the scene, he Detectives were told that Robert help, which was all he needed to do.”
(cid:113)(cid:148)(cid:136)(cid:154)(cid:152) (cid:148)(cid:147)
(cid:153)(cid:141)(cid:138) (cid:147)(cid:138)(cid:156)(cid:152) (cid:153)(cid:141)(cid:134)(cid:153)
(cid:146)(cid:134)(cid:153)(cid:153)(cid:138)(cid:151)(cid:152) (cid:153)(cid:148) (cid:158)(cid:148)(cid:154)(cid:4)
(cid:111)(cid:148)(cid:156)(cid:147)(cid:145)(cid:148)(cid:134)(cid:137) (cid:148)(cid:154)(cid:151) (cid:139)(cid:151)(cid:138)(cid:138) (cid:134)(cid:149)(cid:149)(cid:4)
(cid:120)(cid:158) (cid:127)(cid:148)(cid:149)(cid:142)(cid:136)(cid:152) (cid:145)(cid:138)(cid:153)(cid:152) (cid:158)(cid:148)(cid:154) (cid:136)(cid:141)(cid:148)(cid:148)(cid:152)(cid:138) (cid:153)(cid:141)(cid:138) (cid:147)(cid:138)(cid:156)(cid:152)
(cid:158)(cid:148)(cid:154) (cid:156)(cid:134)(cid:147)(cid:153) (cid:153)(cid:148) (cid:144)(cid:147)(cid:148)(cid:156) (cid:134)(cid:135)(cid:148)(cid:154)(cid:153)(cid:6) (cid:156)(cid:141)(cid:138)(cid:147) (cid:158)(cid:148)(cid:154)
(cid:156)(cid:134)(cid:147)(cid:153) (cid:153)(cid:148) (cid:144)(cid:147)(cid:148)(cid:156) (cid:134)(cid:135)(cid:148)(cid:154)(cid:153) (cid:142)(cid:153)(cid:4)
NEWS
6A ❚ FRIDAY,JULY 24,2020 ❚ USA TODAY K1
C.T. VIVIAN 1924-2020
Actions of ‘quiet-spoken man’ spoke loudly
Nicquel Terry Ellis and Lorenzo Reyes cause he was a “quiet-spoken man” who
USA TODAY was often overlooked.
Thomas Wall, 75, said he met Vivian
ATLANTA – The late civil rights lead- years ago during his visits to Providence
er C.T. Vivian was remembered Thurs- Missionary Baptist. He stood outside,
day morningat a private funeral in Prov- wearing a shirt that read, “Vote or Die.”
idence Missionary Baptist Church. Vivian’s death “hit us hard because
The service was closed to the public icons are just passing,” Wall said, noting
because of the coronavirus pandemic. the passing of John Lewis and Charles
Vivian died July 17 in his homeof natu- Evers. “That’s the old guard, those are
ral causes. He was 95. the ones who brought us through and
Vivian's six grandsons served as pall- paved the way. Now we gotta get ready
bearers, and his friends and sons spoke for these younger people to step up and
at the service. Fifty family members and follow C.T. Vivian and John Lewis.”
friends were allowed to attend. Video tributes by presidential candi-
Vivian was an active member of date and former Vice President Joe Bi-
Providence Missionary Baptist. The den, Oprah Winfrey and baseball star
church passed out masks and did tem- Hank Aaron were broadcast on screens
perature checks for those who attended. inside the church.
Mourners respected social distancing C.T. Vivian, left, leads a prayer on the courthouse steps in Selma, Ala., on Feb. 5, “A soldier who refused to raise his
guidelines, leaving entire rows of pews 1965, after Sheriff James Clark stopped him at the door with a court order. fists, a preacher whose voice helped
empty or leaving ample space between HORACE CORT/AP electrify a movement, a leader who in-
them. spired generations to join him in the
Outside the church, about a dozen ceaseless march to progress,” Biden said
supporters stood near the entrance, Davis, a deaconess at the church, “We love Dr. C.T. Vivian, he was very in the tribute. “C.T. didn’t waste a single
some holding signs and photos of Vivi- said she got to know Vivian when her warm and friendly and gracious,” said one of the days God granted him, and we
an. A police motorcade lined the street. daughter interviewed him for a Black Davis, 65. “He did not meet a stranger, all know that C.T.’s spirit is going to con-
Edna Davis and her 9-year-old History Month assignment at his house. and he was very approachable.” tinue to inspire us to fulfill his mission, a
granddaughter carried a cardboard sign Vivian talked about his struggles during Davis said she was happy that Vivi- mission that remains unfinished.”
that read, “Thank you Rev. C.T. Vivian.” the civil rights movement. an’s contributions were recognized be- Contributing: The Associated Press
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NEWS USA TODAY ❚ FRIDAY,JULY 24,2020 ❚ 7A
OPINION
My year of Trump
impeachment
Hope for America amid the setbacks
Norman Eisen
While I was special counsel to the
House Judiciary Committee during an
eventful year of investigation, im-
peachment and trial of President Don-
ald Trump, you won’t be surprised to
hear that the late Rep. John Lewis told
me something that resonated: Impeach
Trump, but do it with love.
What might surprise you is that the
year, with all its ups and downs, was in- MIKE THOMPSON/USA TODAY NETWORK
formed by that spirit of love and hope
for our country. For our Constitution.
7 ways to reduce
And for our values. I am optimistic that
come November, the American people
will in that same spirit finish the job the
Senate left undone, as I explain in my political polarization
new book about the impeachment.
Don’t get me wrong. I understand
why so many look at that same year of Jerrold Nadler with counsel Norman
impeachment and feel hopeless. Eisen. TOM WILLIAMS/CQ-ROLL CALL Destroying the other less than people think. Stunningly, a
Stonewalled. Stymied. We faced con- majority of Americans agree on the
side cannot be our goal
stant challenges: the tragically cau- that report were gradually exposed; we broad strokes of abortion, immigration
tious report from Special Counsel Rob- scored initial wins in both of our court and gun legislation.
ert Mueller; the way it was reduced, re- cases and I am confident that the Rachel Kleinfeld and Aaron Sobel Because partisans tend to have dis-
dacted and distorted by Attorney Gen- House will ultimately prevail, setting torted views of who is in the other party
eral William Barr; Mueller’s important precedents. Few countries face polarization as and how many people believe stereo-
disappointing performance during his Above all, the daunting earlier work deep as America’s. typical views attributed to that party,
testimony; the failure of other witness- on impeachment paid off when the Uk- Democrats and Republicans used to providing information that overturns
es like Barr and former White House raine revelations blew up in September. disagree on policy issues. That’s the these beliefs can reduce polarization.
Counsel Don McGahn to show up; the The impeachment infrastructure we normal, useful tension that drives de- 5. Emphasize disagreement within
long litigation process (still ongoing) to had built was ready and the House mocracy. Today, each side fears the parties. Reminding people that
force Barr to release key information moved quickly. House Judiciary Chair- other will destroy the nation if they partisans have a range of opinions can
and McGahn to testify. man Jerrold Nadler even prevailed on achieve power. Partisanship is equated dial back polarization. Immigration
When we finally did impeach on Uk- including Trump’s full pattern of abuse with patriotism, and destroying the policy can be framed as left versus
raine, our original 10 impeachment ar- and obstruction in our two impeach- other side becomes the ultimate goal. right, or as a complex issue that pits
ticles had been reduced to two. And in- ment articles, broadening them to in- This is how democracies fall apart. some right-wing business owners
stead of bipartisanship, we met walls of clude events in the Mueller report. How can we heal our country’s toxic against others, some left-wing unions
partisan House and Senate resistance. polarization? Here are seven research- against more progressive activists, or
On Jan. 31, for instance, as the end of The ultimate impeachment trial backed ideas for pundits, politicians, established immigrants against newer
the Senate trial neared, we learned that reporters and regular citizens to bring arrivals. The Difficult Conversations
Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander of Perhaps the moment that best cap- down the temperature. Lab at Columbia University found that
Tennessee and Lisa Murkowski of tures why I emerged hopeful — and the 1. Call out your own party. Humans when people read nuanced articles on
Alaska would vote against calling a sin- meaning of impeaching with love — are social creatures. We want to belong, policy issues that underscored this
gle one. With 47 senators in the Demo- came on Feb. 5, 2020 in the very last and are highly attuned to popularity. kind of intraparty disagreement, their
cratic caucus, that meant we would not hours of the impeachment trial. I was We look to those with status to tell us conversations with people from the
have the 51-vote majority needed to call on the Senate floor to listen to Rom- what it takes to be part of the in-crowd. other party were of higher quality.
witnesses even if undecided Mitt Rom- ney’s emotional justification of his vote That means if politicians, pundits 6. Help others imagine empathy.
ney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine to convict the president on the first ar- and ideological leaders stand vocally Helping people to imagine a disliked
joined us. Still, we were strangely ticle of impeachment. against polarizing and hateful language group in an empathetic way can reduce
cheerful. We were hearing that we Romney said judging the president and actions (as Virginia’s Republican malicious beliefs about that group.
would hold all three of our red-state of his own party was the most difficult leadership did by declaring they want- Thus, stories that encourage people to
Democrats (Alabama’s Doug Jones, Ar- decision he had ever faced. He dissect- ed no “white supremacist garbage” at take the perspective of the other party
izona’s Kyrsten Sinema and West Vir- ed the case, concluded that “the presi- their gun rally), it can change partisans’ can reduce people’s prejudice.
ginia’s Joe Manchin) on the witness dent is guilty of an appalling abuse of perceptions, by making such behavior Research in Europe and America on
subpoena votes, and would pick up the public trust,” and ended on a note I appear unacceptable to that group. immigration found that even stories
Romney and Collins on at least some. trust will resound with American vot- Professors at New York University, that simply linked immigrants to cul-
We also had help that day from for- ers: “We’re all footnotes at best in the Harvard and UCLA have found that it is tural issues, such as cooking, rather
mer national security adviser John Bol- annals of history. But in the most pow- most influential to criticize one’s own than border-crossing, decreased nega-
ton’s then-unpublished book, a tidbit erful nation on earth, the nation con- “tribe,” since critiquing your own group tive attitudes, while stories that linked
that Trump had advanced his pressure ceived in liberty and justice, that dis- signals what is acceptable to group immigrants to crime were polarizing.
campaign against Ukraine during an tinction is enough for any citizen.” members in a way that potshots at the 7. Avoid repeating misinforma-
Oval Office conversation with Bolton in I was witnessing the first American other side do not. tion, even to debunk it. Repetition
early May 2019, and was now denying in our 231-year history who voted to 2. Avoid bad jokes.You might never leads our brains to think things are
the conversation happened. That put convict a president of his own party in a dream of condoning partisan murder, true, regardless of the accuracy of what
the factual dispute front and center just Senate trial. Schiff thought Romney’s but you might still share a really funny is being repeated. This tendency is
in time for our Senate argument about vote was one of the greatest acts of po- meme that makes the point. Watch it: even stronger when people want to be-
the Bolton subpoena. “There is a God,” I litical courage in the last century. jokes have a particularly strong effect lieve false information, because our
whispered to a fellow counsel. We were inspired as well by our own on normalizing prejudice — far more brains seek out what we want to hear.
Democrats. Jones was up for reelection than an overtly prejudiced argument. So, if people read that “Obama is not
Pattern of abuse and obstruction in the heart of Trump country. Manchin Particularly dangerous are jokes that a Muslim,” many will remember “Oba-
brought two speeches: one to acquit use violent rhetoric or dehumanize by ma is Muslim, maybe?” The best way to
Our impeachment managers ham- and one to convict. In the end, he fol- comparing people to animals or in- avoid deepening misinformation is to
mered away at the sheer absurdity of lowed his conscience. Sinema did the sects. A slew of research shows dehu- simply state alternative information:
the Republicans’ position and their re- same and concluded it was America’s manizing language removes inhibitions “Obama is Christian.”
fusal to hear from a single witness duty to “remember who we are — a di- to perpetrating violence, especially Many hoped the coronavirus pan-
(when there had been a previous aver- verse people united in our love of coun- when the language cultivates preexist- demic would unite us. Instead, deep di-
age of 33 witnesses at Senate impeach- try, of freedom, and of liberty.” ing grievances and the speaker is re- visions over race and the role of govern-
ment trials). It was like “Darkness at There it was, the Lewis credo. spected by his or her group. ment are intensifying and could even
Noon,” the 1940 novel of Stalinist jus- “There comes a time when you have 3. Make social media kinder. You lead to political violence.
tice, or maybe Kafka surrealism. That to be moved by the spirit of history to may not be able to alter someone’s The polarization we face today isn’t
and knowing we had held on to all of take action to protect and preserve the deeper beliefs, but there are three ways just about believing the other side is
our Democrats buoyed our morale. integrity of our nation,” Rep. Lewis said regular people on social media can get wrong. Partisans now see opposition
We had also helped convince about of impeachment. On Nov. 3 (and the others to remove hateful messages, re- party members as malevolent, immoral
three-quarters of Americans that it was voting leading up to it), Americans will duce the spread of hateful memes, and forces. Can America fix itself? The
wrong for the Senate to refuse to hear be called upon to take that action. It is curb prejudiced or polarizing speech. stakes are high. As a start, let’s give
witnesses. The country was listening, our duty to resuscitate our hope, to cast First, reminding users that online these seven ideas a try.
and that mattered. “Now we’re going to our ballots to convict and remove speech has real-world, off-line conse-
make our argument straight to the Trump in his ultimate impeachment quences (both to the writer, since em- Rachel Kleinfeld is a senior fellow
American people,” Rep. Adam Schiff, trial, with us as judge and jury. We must ployers can see posts, and to the person and Aaron Sobel is a Gaither Junior Fel-
the House Intelligence Committee do so with love for all our nation has ac- or group targeted) can lead users to re- low at the Carnegie Endowment for In-
chairman and lead House impeach- complished and for the bright future we cant a post. Second, making a personal ternational Peace, in the Democracy,
ment manager, told the trial team. Then will have, if we make the right choice. or empathetic connection with the Conflict and Governance Program.
he sent everyone home for some rest. speaker can have the same effect. Fi-
As everyone knows, we failed to win Norman Eisen was the special im- nally, humorous words or images that
a conviction. But I left Capitol Hill in- peachment counsel to House Judiciary make fun of the original idea can also WANT TO COMMENT?Have Your Say at
fused with hope, because for every set- Committee Democrats from February defuse the spread of hateful speech. [email protected], @usatodayopinion on
Twitter and facebook.com/usatodayopinion.
back there was also progress. The 2019 to February 2020. Parts of this col- 4. Downplay the fringes and high- Comments are edited for length and clarity. Con-
Mueller report did establish crimes by umn are adapted from “A Case for the light the median.Americans are more tent submitted to USA TODAY may appear in print,
Trump — at least five counts of ob- American People: The United States v. polarized emotionally than ideological- digital or other forms. For letters, include name,
address and phone number. Letters may be mailed
struction of justice; Barr’s lies about Donald J. Trump,” publishing Tuesday. ly. We actually disagree on policy far
to 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA, 22108.
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8A ❚ FRIDAY,JULY 24,2020 ❚ USA TODAY NEWS
Portland mayor tear-gassed amid protests
Trevor Hughes disproportionate. his neck for nearly nine minutes.
USA TODAY “It’s not a bunch of anarchists on the Federal officials have repeatedly re-
front lines,” said Carpenter, 29. “It’s ferred to protesters as anarchists, and
PORTLAND, Ore. – Mayor Ted moms singing and dads with leaf blow- federal agents fired tear gas at the
Wheeler was tear-gassed by federal offi- ers to disperse tear gas. It’s not nearly as crowds.
cers along with a large crowd of protes- out of control as people think. I’m Forty-two people have been arrested
ters late Wednesday night after he tried scared that the federal officers being by federal agents in the past few days,
for hours to calm angry activists de- here is going to result in someone being several of them over accusations that
manding police reform from City Hall murdered.” they pried open the front doors of the
and calling for federal authorities to Wheeler echoed those concerns after courthouse and scuffled with officers
withdraw. speaking to protesters Wednesday inside.
The mayor was caught in a chaotic night. “Attempted arson is not a peaceful
display of violence and mayhem that Teal Lindseth says President Trump “President Trump needs to focus on protest. Physically attacking law en-
began around 11:15 p.m., after protesters gave Portland protesters a bigger coronavirus and get his troops out of the forcement is not freedom of speech. De-
threw flaming bags of platform. TREVOR HUGHES/USA TODAY city. My biggest fear is that somebody’s struction of property is not peaceful as-
garbage over a fence pro- going to die,” Wheeler said. “I want them sembly,” Wolfe said. “Criminals perpe-
tecting the federal court- to leave. This is going to come to a city trating these crimes are being arrested
house, prompting offi- of Moms” led a march downtown near you if we don’t stop it.” … not law-abiding protesters.”
cers to fire tear gas at the against police brutality. Many protes- The mayor walked a fine line of blast- Wednesday, contractors raced to fin-
crowd. ters carried signs demanding the with- ing the federal government while ad- ish ringing the courthouse with 8-foot-
Wheeler had spent drawal of federal agents dispatched last dressing a crowd that days earlier, be- high metal-and-concrete barricades,
Wheeler many hours in the thick week by President Donald Trump over fore federal officials swept into the city, the sounds of air compressors and elec-
of the protest, attempting the objection of Wheeler and other offi- had been organizing in opposition to his tric screw guns echoing across the
to answer questions from the crowd, cials. office. street to the protest encampment.
which booed and jeered as he tried to Trump said he sent federal law en- Some activists said his criticism of Near the courthouse, park rangers
explain a lengthy process for making forcement officers in to restore order. the federal government rang hollow, removed metal benches from Chapman
changes. He acknowledged that he’s a Acting Homeland Security Secretary given the clashes between city police Square, a park where protesters rested
“white, privileged male.” Chad Wolf said agents were in Portland and protesters. and regrouped.
“Obviously, we have a long way to go,” primarily to protect federal buildings “You need to be doing more than you In that encampment, protesters
Wheeler said. “Everyone here has a job such as the Mark O. Hatfield Federal are doing. You say you are doing stuff. erected tents and barbecue grills, offer-
to do, all of us.” Courthouse, a target of protesters. We haven’t seen it,” activist Teal Lind- ing free food. Other sites within the en-
Before the crowd was tear-gassed, Contractors surrounded the building seth, 21, told him Wednesday night. campment provide basic hygiene sup-
Wheeler huddled with leaders of the with a tall metal-and-concrete fence Protesters were reenergized against plies, including masks and hand-wash-
Black Lives Matter movement who de- Wednesday, and prosecutors warned what they call heavy-handed federal in- ing stations to protect against the
manded he move more quickly to reform that anyone who breached it would be tervention after nearly two months of spread of COVID-19, as well as water and
the police department. arrested. In court files, officials said pro- demonstrations. They said they were eye rinses for protesters hit with tear gas
Some activists said they were wor- testers inflicted more than $50,000 in seizing a groundswell of national sup- or pepper spray.
ried the fight over federal agents over- damage to federal buildings in Portland, port to continue pushing for an overhaul Instead of silencing the protesters,
shadowed their demands for change including tearing down security cam- in policing. she said, the president bestowed on
and vowed to keep the pressure on eras and shattering glass doors. Wednesday night again saw large them a larger platform.
Wheeler and city officials. Tai Carpenter,the board president of numbers of white, middle-aged resi- “Trump keeps talking about Port-
“Enough is enough,” the crowd Don’t Shoot PDX, a Portland-based, dents joining the protests, which have land. People keep talking about Port-
chanted. “Enough is enough.” nonprofit group advocating for social drawn hundreds of activists nearly ev- land. People know us,” Lindseth said.
Thousands of protesters alternately change, said the majority of protesters ery night since the death of George “We feel like the whole world has seen
booed and interrogated Wheeler after were exercising their First Amendment Floyd, a Black man who died after a us.”
hundreds of mothers dubbed “the Wall rights. She called the federal response Minneapolis police officer kneeled on Contributing: Lindsay Schnell
Election 100 days out coronavirus pandemic, which makes
standing in lines at firehouses and
Where the polls stood in late July in the past 10 presidential elections. The
schools to cast ballots a dangerous
winner in the Electoral College vote is bolded.
Continued from Page 1A prospect for voters and poll watchers.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
The percentage of ballots cast by mail is
elections, the candidate with no more 2016 Other candidates* H. Clinton Trump likely to skyrocket, though some states
than a narrow lead in late July won in a struggled to manage that in primaries
2012 Romney Obama
blowout. this year.
That said, since 1980, only one candi- A second issue is the passage of leg-
2008 McCain Obama
date was clearly ahead at this point, islation, mostly in states under Repub-
then lost the election. That was Demo- 2004 Kerry W. Bush lican control, that toughens the rules to
crat Michael Dukakis in 1988. register to vote and cast a ballot.
The prospect for turmoil this year is 2000 Gore W. Bush Since 2010, 25 states have tightened
higher. In some election years, both po- their voting laws, according to the Bren-
litical conventions were over by now; 1996 Perot Dole B. Clinton nan Center for Justice at New York Uni-
this time, neither has been held. The versity’s School of Law.
1992 H.W. Bush B.Clinton
coronavirus upended the ways candi- Supporters say the laws attack ballot
dates can campaign and voters can cast fraud; critics say they have been crafted
1988 H.W. Bush Dukakis
their ballots. And an unprecedented to discourage voting by African Ameri-
number of court cases challenge state 1984 Mondale Reagan cans, Hispanics, poor people and col-
laws that advocates say improve ballot lege students – all groups that dispro-
security and critics say suppress target- 1980 Anderson Carter Reagan portionately vote for Democrats.
ed voters. That prompted court challenges that
* Stein: 3%; Johnson: 7%
“Voters have decided that they’re could unfold before the election, and the
SOURCE The Gallup Poll
done with Donald Trump,” veteran new rules could create confusion and
CARLIE PROCELL/USA TODAY
Democratic pollster Peter Hart said, disputes on Election Day.
calling Trump “a president of chaos” “Certainly in modern times, this is
who failed in handling the COVID-19 cri- mental fortitude required to lead this astating reviews for its failure to effec- the most dangerous election scenario,
sis and protecting the economy. That country.” On Twitter, Trump derides tively manage the COVID-19 pandemic, by far,” said Wendy Weiser, director of
put Biden “in a first-rate position to win him as “Sleepy Joe” and worse. a crisis that has cost more than 143,000 the Democracy Program at the Brennan
the presidency,” he said, “but it would be Biden’s best opportunity to demon- Americans their lives. That deadly rec- Center. “It is at the greatest risk of wide-
a mistake to think that he has solidified strate strength and sharpness will come ord can’t be undone. spread disenfranchisement and melt-
his position, because he hasn’t.” in the nationally televised debates, The development of a vaccine – one downs, and in a manner that will lead
In focus groups Hart held, partici- which will also be a moment when any that is safe, effective and widely avail- many people to question the fairness of
pants raised concerns about Biden’s misstep would be magnified. Biden said able – would at least change the narra- the outcome.”
mental fitness. he’s ready and eager to participate in the tive and offer assurances that the nation Problems in access to voting could af-
“The reason this election isn’t over is three debates sponsored by the Com- is on the road to controlling the corona- fect the outcome of the election in key
because essentially, voters need to un- mission on Presidential Debates,sched- virus threat. The news could boost the states or undermine public confidence
derstand that he can pass the age and uled for Sept. 29, Oct. 15 and Oct. 22. stock markets and the nation’s mood. in the legitimacy of whichever candi-
the acuity test,” Hart said. The search for a vaccine is worldwide date wins.
Republican strategist John Braben- Can Trump rally without rallies? and unprecedented, and scientists ex-
dersaid he has heard the same thing in press optimism about the early results Is there an October surprise?
focus groups he convened. “That’s the If the presence of debates is the key from several vaccines under develop-
first thing everybody will be looking for test for Biden, the absence of rallies ment. They caution that having a vac- Events outside the control of cam-
at the debates,” he said. “Can Biden could be the key test for Trump. His test cine in production even by the end of the paigns, developments abroad and at
stand up not only to the rigor of the run in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last month, the year reflects a very ambitious timetable. home, can shake the final weeks of a
questions but also to the rigors of what- first rally he had addressed since March, That’s reflected in the administra- campaign.
ever the president throws at him?” was a disaster when promised crowds tion’s name for the vaccine effort: Oper- In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton
The presidential debates top the list didn’t show up. The president insisted ation Warp Speed. said she “was on the way to winning”
of things that could affect the election in on a traditional convention audience to Wednesday, the Department of the White House until then-FBI Director
the home stretch. watch him formally accept the GOP Health and Human Services agreed to James Comey announced Oct. 28 that
nomination, moving much of the Re- pay Pfizer nearly $2 billion for 100 mil- he might reopen the investigation into
A referendum or a choice? publican National Convention to Jack- lion doses of its experimental vaccine. her use of a personal email server when
sonville, Florida, after officials in Char- And $2 billion was awarded to Novavax she was secretary of state.
Trump is poised to lose an election lotte, North Carolina, raised coronavirus and RegeneronPharmaceuticals. That ignited an issue Trump had
against Trump – that is, a referendum concerns. On Thursday, Trump an- The availability of a vaccine is crucial been pressing.
on his tenure. Though core supporters nounced the Florida convention events to the other biggest issue in the cam- He prevailed in the Electoral College
remain loyal, his overall approval rating are canceled. paign: the economy. after winning three crucial states by the
has sagged, and his credibility in han- “This is not a fireside chat president,” Getting adults back to work,children narrowest of margins.
dling the coronavirus crisis has crashed. Brabender said. “This is not a press con- back to school and commerce back to In 2008, the collapse of Lehman
That’s why the president and his ference president. This is a rally presi- some version of normal is hard to envi- Brothers spiraled into the worst eco-
campaign are trying to turn the election dent.” Loud rallies in packed arenas sion until there is one. Strong economic nomic crisis since the Great Depression,
into a choice between him and Biden. Or were the signature of Trump’s 2016 growth was Trump’s biggest political dominated media coverage of the final
even better, a referendum on Biden, on campaign, a way to energize both sup- asset until the coronavirus slammed the weeks of the campaign and fueled criti-
whether the challenger is up to the job. porters and candidate. “They allow him nation into a recession. cal coverage of President George W.
Trump’s team unleashed a volley of al- to do an enormously effective infomer- Bush and his party’s nominee to suc-
legations against Biden, who at age 77 cial.” How hard is it to vote? ceed him, Republican John McCain.
would be the oldest person elected to At a time of pandemic, that may not A campaign that had been dead-
the White House. (That’s a distinction be possible. Voting is going to be harder than usu- locked when the investment banking
that now belongs to Trump, 74.) al this year. The question is how much firm filed for bankruptcy Sept. 15 ended
“Joe Biden is slipping,” the narrator in Is there a vaccine? harder, and for whom. up as a rout for Democrat Barack Obama
one Trump TV ad says. “Joe Biden does One issue is the need for voting offi- in November.
not have the strength, stamina and The Trump administration faces dev- cials to respond to the demands of the Because 100 days can be a long time.
MONEY+LIFE
Jump into the stream: Your
weekend guide to new shows
Dave Franco’s thriller “The Rental,” Kevin Hart’s
USA TODAY|FRIDAY,JULY 24,2020|SECTION B “Die Hart,” “Radioactive” fill the menu. Page 5B
MONEYLINE
CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP
AMC THEATRES DELAYS
REOPENING TO NEXT MONTH
AMC Theatres is delaying its planned
reopening date again amid a spike in
COVID-19 cases in dozens of states.
The movie theater chain said Thursday
that it is now planning to reopen its
U.S. locations in “mid to late August.”
The company had previously set its
reopening datefor July 15 and then
delayed it to July 30. But sharp in-
creases in COVID-19 cases in states
such as Texas, Florida and Arizona,
have made a swift return to indoor
moving showings implausible.
30-YEAR MORTGAGES
TICK UP SLIGHTLY TO 3.01%
Hertz rental cars pack Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla., in April.ANDREW WEST/USA TODAY NETWORK
Average rates on long-term mort- Hertz accused of false
gages rose this week for the first time
since June 25, after weeks of marking
new record lows. Mortgage buyer
Freddie Mac reported Thursday that
reports of stolen cars
the average rate on the key 30-year
home loan increased to 3.01% from
2.98% last week – the first time in 50
years that it slipped below 3%. The
rate averaged 3.75% a year ago.
Lawsuit claims firm showed pattern of abuse, negligence
SAN DIEGO WOMAN PLEADS
GUILTY IN PONZI SCHEME Laura Layden of nearly $2 billion in May.
Naples Daily News The accusers say Hertz has a pattern
Gina Champion-Cain, a San Diego USA TODAY NETWORK of wrongly reporting vehicles stolen be-
businesswoman who authorities say cause of its “broken computer systems”
ran a $400 million investment fraud At least 20 Hertz customers are ac- and that the company has ignored the
scheme pleaded guilty Wednesday to cusing the company of wrongly report- problems for years, said Francis Alexan-
federal charges. of conspiracy, securi- ing that they stole rental cars. der Malofiy, the plaintiffs’ lead attorney,
ties fraud and obstruction of justice. In a lawsuitfiled in a Delaware state based in Pennsylvania.
She could face up to 15 years in prison court shortly before Hertz requested “Hertz’s policies, procedures and
when she is sentenced in October. Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in practices disproportionately condemn
Champion-Cain was accused of bilking May, the accusers claim they were poor minorities to prison and prosecu-
more than 100 investors around the falsely arrested, and in some cases tion, while presuming their guilt. Many
United States out of millions that she jailed, because of the unlawful way of these innocent individuals – lacking
claimed would be used for high-in- Hertz reports rental vehicle thefts to Attorney Francis MalofiySUBMITTED money and access to effective legal ser-
terest loans to people seeking Cali- local authorities. vices – remain wrongfully imprisoned
fornia liquor licenses. Instead, she The plaintiffs are suing Hertz, for- for months as their cases slowly wind
used some $60 million to prop up her mer and current executives, directors and prosecution and intentional inflic- their way through the courts,” Malofiy
other troubled businesses, paid back and certain investors for “dishonestly tion of emotional distress. said in court filings.
early investors with money from later and maliciously turning potential civil Among the defendants are three of When asked about the suit, Hertz
ones and spent large sums on a luxury disputes” into criminal theft reports Hertz’s former CEOs, as well as current spokeswoman Lauren Luster provided a
lifestyle, according to her agreement. and prosecutions. CEO Paul Stone, and five companies company statement defending its rental
Claims include false imprisonment, tied to billionaire investor Carl Icahn,
negligence, malicious abuse of process who sold his 39% stake in Hertz at a loss SeeHERTZ,Page2B
Dow Jones Industrial Avg.
Facebook
30,000
28,000 353.51
26,000 under
24,000
26,652
22,000 more
20,000
18,000
JAN. JULY pressure
AP
THURSDAY MARKETS
INDEX CLOSE CHG
Dow Jones Industrial Avg. 26,652.33 y 353.51 Boycott organizers
S&P 500 3,235.66 y 40.36
Nasdaq composite 10,461.42 y 244.71 release new video
T-note, 10-year yield 0.585 y 0.012
SOURCESUSA TODAY RESEARCH, BLOOMBERG
Jessica Guynn
Ascena Retail Group will reduce from about 2,800 stores to 1,200. GETTY IMAGES USA TODAY
USA TODAY SNAPSHOTS© Ann Taylor parent files for The civil rights groups behind the
monthlong advertising boycott of Face-
book turned up public pressure Thurs-
bankruptcy, closes stores
Gas Prices
day with the release of an animated
“Dear Mark” video.
Per gallon of regular unleaded. The message for
Kelly Tyko The company said in the bankrupt- Facebook CEO Mark
Yesterday Avg. ........................$2.187 USA TODAY cy filing that it plans to shutter all of its Zuckerberg in the wan-
Wednesday Avg. .....................$2.187 Catherines plus-size stores and “in- ing days of the Stop Hate
Week Ago Avg. .......................$2.201 The parent company of Lane Bry- tends to transition Justice to a primar- for Profit campaign: “You
Month Ago Avg. ......................$2.141 ant, Ann Taylor and the Justice tween ily online platform and continue Lou & can’t wait us out. This
Year Ago Avg. .........................$2.758 brand has filed for Chapter 11 bank- Grey within go-forward LOFT stores.” campaign is not going Zuckerberg
ruptcy protection, a move spurred by Like other apparel retailers with a away,” ADL CEO Jona-
the COVID-19 pandemic. heavy commitment to shopping malls, than Greenblatt said in a statement.
New Jersey-based Ascena Retail Ascena was grappling with declining The video casts Zuckerberg as un-
Group, which also operates Ann Taylor foot traffic long before the coronavirus willing to take action against the spread
Loft, Catherines, Lou & Grey and Ca- pandemic. It joins a rapidly growing of racial hatred and white supremacy
cique, plans to “reduce their store fleet list of retailers that have stumbled into even as Facebook gives hate groups “the
from approximately 2,800 stores to bankruptcy amid the wreckage of CO- biggest platform they have ever had.”
approximately 1,200 stores,” the com- VID-19, which temporarily shuttered “Dear Mark, there are things we like
pany said in court records Thursday. non-essential stores due to health about Facebook: birthdays, staying in
The planned closures are a 56% “re-
AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION duction in the total store fleet.” SeeBANKRUPTCY,Page2B SeeFACEBOOK,Page2B
2B ❚ FRIDAY,JULY 24,2020 ❚ USA TODAY MONEY
‘Halo Infinite’ a ‘spiritual reboot’ for Xbox game
Brett Molina up having this freedom to be able to ex- gaming portfolio,” said Wedbush Secu-
USA TODAY perience the story and to be able to rities analyst Michael Pachter. Several
choose your path through it,” he said. flagship Halo games have launched on
The last time game players witnessed Among the features in Infinite is a various Xbox consoles since, as well as
an Xbox launched with a Halo game was tactical map, where players can view spinoffs including the strategy game
nearly 19 years ago. So, it’s only fitting different installations to explore. Also Halo Wars. To date, lifetime sales of Ha-
the latest chapter in one of Microsoft’s new: a “grapple shot” where Chief can lo games have reached 77 million.
most important video game properties reach higher points, grab items in the The franchise has also spun off to
draws inspiration from the original. environment or pull enemies closer. various other mediums, including
On Thursday, Xbox unveiled the first “We spent a lot of time thinking books and TV shows. Two years ago,
footage of the campaign for Halo Infi- about what is iconic Halo,” said Bonnie Showtime confirmed it picked up a 10-
nite, set to launch this holiday season Ross, head of studio 343 Industries. episode season of a live-action series
along with the Xbox Series X console. It A scene from the video game “And then how do we take what we can based on Halo.
not only marks the comeback of Halo, “Halo Infinite.”MICROSOFT/343 INDUSTRIES do with a next-gen platform and a brand Ross said Microsoft has tried for
but of its signature star, Master Chief. new engine and maybe bring what we years to bring together a new Halo with
In an interview with USA TODAY, Ha- only dreamed of to life before.” the launch of a new console, and have
lo Infinite director Chris Lee describes gamers today. That’s really been a key Halo, created by video game studio been working with designers of Xbox
the game as a “spiritual reboot,” cen- creative inspiration for us.” Bungie, has been a pivotal franchise for Series X to match the vision they have
tered on continuing Chief’s story while As Thursday’s demo shows, Infinite Xbox since it first arrived. for both the game and console.
paying tribute to where it all began: appears to offer far more opportunities “We probably wouldn’t be here talk- “We have teams collaborating on
2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved. to explore. Lee said Infinite is “the most ing about Xbox if not for Halo: CE,” said what do we want to do, how do we want
Lee says the team at 343 Industries open and expansive” Halo campaign Phil Spencer, head of Xbox. “It really to bring this world to life, how do we
developing Infinite wanted to “go to the they have created to date. gave our console an identity at launch.” build the platform for the next 10 years,
roots of Halo, bring those elements for- “You’ll be able to choose how you’re Since then, Halo has become “the not just Halo but how the whole ecosys-
ward, and then modernize them for going to approach things, and you’ll end most important franchise in Microsoft’s tem is built,” she said.
Hertz ‘Utterly baffled’ millions of dollars it would otherwise Facebook
have to spend updating its broken sys-
Plaintiffs in the mass tort include tems and paying corporate security
Continued from Page 1B Shontrell Higgs, who lives in Miramar, personnel to verify the thousands of Continued from Page 1B
Florida, and was prosecuted in Broward theft reports it makes every year,” he
car fleet’s actions. County. In the complaint, she alleges said. touch, sharing our lives with our
In the statement, the company said it she spent more than 170 days in jail Malofiy accuses Hertz of using the friends,” the video begins. “But there’s a
has “extensively reviewed the lawsuit “solely as a result of Hertz’s false police criminal justice system as a “repo ser- more sinister side of Facebook, the one
and strongly disputes the claims.” report.” vice,” saying that in too many cases, that spreads hate, racism, misinforma-
“We have compiled significant evi- When officers showed up to arrest the company generates false police re- tion and gives extremists a way to com-
dence and will vigorously defend our Higgs while she was getting takeout ports because it simply loses track of municate and coordinate.”
case in court,” Hertz said. “The vast ma- with her godmother at a Little Caesars its cars or information and it’s an easy “These issues will not be resolved
jority of the claims involve renters restaurant in April of last year, she way to get their vehicles back. until Mark Zuckerberg makes the deci-
whose arrests resulted from their failure claims she was “utterly baffled.” In its company statement about the sion to stop profiting from hate,” Green-
to return rented vehicles for weeks past “It was a shock to me,” she said in a lawsuit, Hertz denies the attorney’s blatt said.
their due date, in violation of the rental phone interview. “I knew I had paid for characterization of its business prac- Some 1,100 advertisers, including
agreement and despite our repeated at- the car. I thought it was a joke at first.” tices, saying “alerting the authorities is most recently Walt Disney, Harley Da-
tempts to communicate with them Hertz’s theft report included nothing always a last resort,” but it’s “some- vidson, Novartis, Bayer and Blue Bottle
about the status of the vehicle.” about the company extending her rental times necessary after all options have Coffee, stopped buying ads on Facebook
Malofiy disagrees, saying his clients agreement or her contacting the compa- been exhausted to retrieve a vehicle and Instagram during July, with some
are innocent victims of Hertz’s bad ny to provide a new credit card to cover from a customer who has refused to advertisers pulling their spending
practices, which are no secret to the the additional costs, Malofiy said, put- return it, isn’t responding, and isn’t through the end of the year.
company. ting her at a big disadvantage in trying continuing payment. The advertising boycott began short-
“They know what they are doing,” he to defend herself. “Alerting the authorities typically ly before the release of a years-long in-
said of the company in a phone inter- Higgs stayed in jail for 37 days until only happens at the end of an exten- ternal civil rights audit that panned
view. “They know what they’re doing is her first court hearing, separated from sive, multi-week process that includes Facebook’s policies and practices, tak-
wrong.” her fiance and two children. When her phone calls, texts, emails, and certified ing particular exception with the com-
public defender told her at that hearing letters asking the customer to return pany’s decision not to take down in-
Growing complaints that she had to plead no contest or the vehicle.” flammatory rhetoric and false claims
spend another four months behind bars Customer safety and customer ser- from President Donald Trump.
Since filing the suit, Malofiy said waiting for another hearing, Higgs said vice remain a top priority for Hertz, the Organizers won’t say whether the
he’s received numerous calls from she agreed to take the pre-arranged company added, shown by its recent boycott will continue beyond next week.
others who claim they were falsely ar- deal, allowing her to go home. No. 1 ranking in customer satisfaction So far, Facebook has agreed to meet only
rested and put in jail because Hertz “Honestly, if they asked me to paint by J.D. Power, a global leader in data one of 10 demands, the hiring of an ex-
wrongly reported their rental vehicles the courthouse to go home, I would have analytics and consumer intelligence. perienced civil rights executive to guide
stolen. painted the courthouse to go home,” she The mass tort comes at a difficult policies and vet products, but at a lower
As word continues to spread about said. time for Hertz: It is fighting for its sur- level in the company than civil rights
the suit, the number of plaintiffs joining Not long after getting out of jail, vival amid the coronavirus pandemic. groups wanted.
it could easily double, he said. Higgs filed a motion to withdraw her The lawsuit was filed May 21, a day “There are still nine issues that re-
The plaintiffs are seeking compensa- plea after learning from an online before the company sought bankrupt- main totally unaddressed,” Greenblatt
tory damages for everything from lost search that Malofiy had represented cy protection after seeing its rental said.
jobs and wages to mental and emotional other customers like her who had faced revenue virtually vanish and the value Criticism of the company has inten-
stress. They’re also asking for punitive similar troubles with Hertz. When the of its rental fleet plummet with the sified since nationwide protests over the
damages. judge denied her motion in a lower spread of the deadly virus, leaving its death of George Floyd brought the issue
This isn’t the first time Hertz, which court, she appealed to a higher one. U.S. operations in dire financial straits of racial justice to the forefront.
operates the Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty Her motion is still pending in Flori- and unable to meet its debt obliga- Facebook maintains it is making
brands, has faced a lawsuit over its rent- da’s Fourth District Court of Appeal, tions. strides in identifying and removing mis-
al car theft reporting practices. which heard oral arguments on the case The bankruptcy filing put an auto- information and other harmful and divi-
The first cases surfaced more than July 14. A decision might not come for matic hold on the lawsuit – along with sive content. Zuckerberg has defended
five years ago. weeks — or even months. other pending litigation and credit Facebook’s commitment to free expres-
Hertz has successfully defended it- Higgs rented a vehicle from Hertz be- claims — to provide Hertz with the sion, even as competitors take steps to
self in some of the previous cases, while cause she couldn’t afford to fix her own breathing room it needs to come up address hate and disinformation on
it has lost or settled others. at the time and the company offered the with its restructuring plans. their platforms.
Since 2016, Malofiy has represented best deal she could find, she said. In a motion to lift the automatic stay Zuckerberg’s decision to leave up a
individual customers in false theft suits Little did she know how much that filed in bankruptcy court, Malofiy ar- post in which the president called pro-
against Hertz. decision would upend her life. gues the case should be allowed to ad- testers “thugs” – and warned “When the
In the first case, a jury awarded a While Higgs initially spent a little vance because Hertz has engaged in – looting starts, the shooting starts” – has
plaintiff in Philadelphia $100,000 in over a month in jail, she landed there and continues to engage in – conduct led to employee unrest, with some stag-
compensatory damages based on her again after failing to pay restitution to he describes as “atrocious and intoler- ing a virtual “walkout.”
claims of wrongful arrest for grand theft Hertz, a requirement of her plea bargain able in a civilized society.” The boycott has gotten the attention
auto – a felony – and unnecessarily that she says she didn’t fully under- Malofiy accuses Hertz of filing for of other platforms.
spending 12 days in jail. stand and couldn’t afford. bankruptcy protection in part to “stem Twitter this week said it would re-
Shortly after the award, the dueling As a result of her dealings with Hertz, the tide of former customers coming move and suspend accounts associated
sides reached a settlement, with “no ad- Higgs said she couldn’t graduate from forward to detail how they were with QAnon, a conspiracy theory group
mission of wrongdoing,” according to nursing school as planned and is still abused by the company,” and to avoid that has supported Trump.
court filings. trying to finish her requirements to earn paying them the damages they’re Reddit banned the subreddit “r/
False arrests, Malofiy said, occur be- her degree. She said her home health owed, while continuing to break the The_Donald,” a pro-Trump group with
cause Hertz’s computer systems gener- care business has faltered and she law. more than 790,000 followers, and other
ate inaccurate payment information, struggled to find work and went without “The debtors should not be able to communities that the company said vi-
delete details on rental extensions and a paycheck for months because of her issue securities, pay bonuses and en- olated its rules.
destroy other vital renter information – criminal record. joy the benefits of bankruptcy, while at Google-owned YouTube last month
and the company fails to verify or dou- The way Hertz reports rental thefts is the same time putting innocent con- shut down thousands of videos and
ble-check their theft packages before as “brilliant as it is evil,” Malofiy argues. sumers into the criminal justice sys- channels that promoted white suprem-
filing them with local authorities. It saves the company “millions upon tem,” he argued in his motion. acy in an attempt to clean up hate
speech on the popular video service.
Civil rights groups would not say
whether the Stop Hate for Profit cam-
Bankruptcy 40,000 employees. handling Modell’s Sporting Goods and paign would target other platforms.
According to frequently asked ques- Tuesday Morning closing sales. “Those platforms are demonstrating
tions posted on Ascena’s restructuring As many as 25,000 stores could what true leadership looks like,” Green-
Continued from Page 1B website, the final number of store clos- shutter this year as businesses con- blatt said. “Meanwhile, Facebook just
ings “will be determined based on the tinue to feel the impacts of the pan- doesn’t get it.”
concerns. ability of Ascena and our landlords to demic, according to a recent report
“The meaningful progress we have reach agreement on sustainable lease from Coresight Research.
made driving sustainable growth, im- structures.” Brooks Brothers, Lucky Brand, J.C.
Corrections & Clarifications
proving our operating margins and The closing sales are expected to last Penney, Neiman Marcus, Sur La Table
strengthening our financial foundation 30 to 60 days from “the filing date de- and J. Crew have all filed for Chapter 11 Corrections and clarifications: A story
has been severely disrupted by the CO- pending on the store location,” Ascena since May. on Thursday, July 23, misidentified
VID-19 pandemic,” Carrie Teffner, in- said. Other retailers that haven’t filed for the firm where Christine Montpeirous
terim executive chair, said in the re- Court records show that SB360 Cap- bankruptcy also plan to shutter loca- worked. She was employed by Ru-
lease. “As a result, we took a strategic ital Partners will manage Catherines’ tions, including Victoria’s Secret, benstein, not Rubenstein Public Rela-
step forward today to protect the future going-out-of-business liquidation sales Nordstrom and Signet Jewelers, the tions, which is a different company.
of the business for all of our stakehold- as well as the closing sales at its sister parent company of Kay, Zales and Ja-
USA TODAY is committed to accuracy.
ers.” brands. SB360 managed Charlotte red. To reach us at any time, call 800-872-7073 or e-mail
[email protected]. Please indicate whether you’re
The company says it has nearly Russe’s 2019 liquidation and is currently Contributing: Nathan Bomey responding to content online or in the newspaper.