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Biden campaign staffs up with former White House aide Cedric Richmond and fundraising leaders
Read full article: Biden campaign staffs up with former White House aide Cedric Richmond and fundraising leadersAfter having just four official staffers on payroll last quarter, President Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign has announced that former White House aide and congressman Cedric Richmond is joining as co-chair.
Biden's next 2 years: Changes afoot whatever midterms bring
Read full article: Biden's next 2 years: Changes afoot whatever midterms bringPresident Joe Biden is set to deliver remarks about the midterm election later Wednesday as Democrats showed surprising strength against Republicans in Tuesday's races.
Will voters stick with Biden outlook or take US another way?
Read full article: Will voters stick with Biden outlook or take US another way?With his party’s control over Congress teetering on the brink, President Joe Biden has traveled the country this fall trying to turn the midterm elections into a choice between two visions for America.
VP Harris fights for Democrats' future — and her own
Read full article: VP Harris fights for Democrats' future — and her ownVice President Kamala Harris has been campaigning all across the country — not for herself but to boost Democratic candidates as her party struggles to keep control of Congress and statehouses.
Biden rallies for Democrats, slams 'semi-fascism' in GOP
Read full article: Biden rallies for Democrats, slams 'semi-fascism' in GOPPresident Joe Biden is calling on Democrats “to vote to literally save democracy once again” in the midterm elections — and comparing Republican ideology to “semi-fascism” — as he leads a kickoff rally and a fundraiser in Maryland.
Black members of Biden's Cabinet mark Black History Month
Read full article: Black members of Biden's Cabinet mark Black History MonthBlack members of President Joe Biden's Cabinet came together Thursday for a Black History Month event highlighting their roles in the administration, some of which are historic firsts.
Bipartisan infrastructure deal back on track after walk-back
Read full article: Bipartisan infrastructure deal back on track after walk-backA bipartisan deal to invest nearly $1 trillion in the nation’s infrastructure appears to be back on track after a stark walk-back by President Joe Biden to his earlier insistence that the bill be coupled with an even larger Democrat-backed measure in order to earn his signature.
Families of Black men slain by police are hopeful for reform
Read full article: Families of Black men slain by police are hopeful for reformThe family and representatives of Black men killed by the police have met at the White House with senators and Biden administration officials and say they left feeling optimistic.
Leaders honor late Rep. Hastings as an outspoken fighter
Read full article: Leaders honor late Rep. Hastings as an outspoken fighterCongressional leaders and colleagues have used a memorial service for Rep. Alcee Hastings to remember him as a straight-talking champion for the disadvantaged who overcame hurdles in his own life.
Biden aims for bipartisanship but applies stealthy pressure
Read full article: Biden aims for bipartisanship but applies stealthy pressurePresident Joe Biden has begun publicly courting Republicans to back his sweeping infrastructure plan, but his reach across the aisle is intended just as much to keep Democrats in line as it is a first step in an uphill climb to any bipartisan deal.
Biden team readies wider economic package after virus relief
Read full article: Biden team readies wider economic package after virus reliefA White House proposal could come out in March. Democrats passed a $1.5 trillion package in the House last year, but it went nowhere with the Trump administration and the Republican-led Senate. AdDuring the presidential campaign, Biden pledged to deploy $2 trillion on infrastructure and clean energy, but the White House has not ruled out an even higher price tag. “He’s been a long fan of investing in infrastructure — long outdated — long overdue, I should say,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. Rep. Peter DeFazio, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told the AP that he foresees a comprehensive House package that will go beyond roads, bridges and public transit.
Biden team pitches US on big virus aid as Senate starts work
Read full article: Biden team pitches US on big virus aid as Senate starts work“The public is not getting caught up in process — what they want is results,” said Cedric Richmond, the White House director of public engagement. A White House aide said the goal is to provide an open and bipartisan debate. The Biden package comes after $4 trillion in rescue spending that cushioned the financial blow from the pandemic but did little to stop the disease. The White House can point to at least one Republican who considers Biden’s plan essential: Jeff Williams, the mayor of Arlington, Texas. Williams knows there could be a partisan backlash to supporting Biden’s plan.
Biden meets Republicans on virus aid, but no quick deal
Read full article: Biden meets Republicans on virus aid, but no quick dealPresident Joe Biden meets Republican lawmakers to discuss a coronavirus relief package, in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, in Washington. From left, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. AdRepublicans are tapping into bipartisan urgency to improve the nation's vaccine distribution and vastly expand virus testing with $160 billion in aid. Psaki said earlier Monday there is “obviously a big gap” between the $1.9 trillion package Biden has proposed and the $618 billion counteroffer. Biden himself has been on the phone to some of the Republicans, the official said.
Inaugural event to celebrate resiliency of Black Americans
Read full article: Inaugural event to celebrate resiliency of Black AmericansVice President-Elect Kamala Harris campaigns for Democratic U.S. Senate challengers the Rev. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is slated to speak at Tuesday's event, “We Are One,” which will also honor the historic nature of her being the first Black and South Asian woman to become U.S. vice president. Black voters nationwide helped deliver Biden’s presidency, overwhelmingly supporting him from the start of his White House bid. The event will pay homage to the legacy of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, as well as Black sororities and fraternities. It'll be hosted by Terrence J and feature Leslie Jones, DJ D-Nice, and Black cultural icons such as Frankie Beverly, The O’Jays, and Rapsody.
Inaugural event to celebrate resiliency of Black Americans
Read full article: Inaugural event to celebrate resiliency of Black AmericansVice President-Elect Kamala Harris campaigns for Democratic U.S. Senate challengers the Rev. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is slated to speak at the event, “We Are One,” which will also honor the historic nature of her being the first Black and South Asian woman to become U.S. vice president. Black voters nationwide helped deliver Biden’s presidency, overwhelmingly supporting him from the start of his White House bid. The event will pay homage to the legacy of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities, as well as Black sororities and fraternities. It'll be hosted by Terrence J and feature Leslie Jones, DJ D-Nice, and Black cultural icons such as Frankie Beverly, The O’Jays, and Rapsody.
Biden fills out State Department team with Obama veterans
Read full article: Biden fills out State Department team with Obama veteransBiden will nominate Wendy Sherman as deputy secretary of state and Victoria Nuland as undersecretary of state for political affairs — the second- and third-highest ranking posts, respectively. They were among the 11 officials announced to serve under the incoming secretary of state, Antony Blinken. America is back.”Among the others are:—longtime Biden Senate aide Brian McKeon, to be deputy secretary of state for management. —Derek Chollet, a familiar Democratic foreign policy hand, to be State Department counselor. Price and Porter intend to return to the practice of holding daily State Department press briefings, officials said.
Louisiana Congressman-elect Luke Letlow dies from COVID-19
Read full article: Louisiana Congressman-elect Luke Letlow dies from COVID-19Luke Letlow, who was only 41 and had no known underlying health conditions, died Tuesday night at Ochsner-LSU Health Shreveport — days before he was scheduled to be sworn into office, according to his spokesman Andrew Bautsch. Ghali, of LSU Health Shreveport, told The Advocate that Letlow didn't have any underlying health conditions that would have placed him at greater risk of developing complications from COVID-19. "There was no one like Luke Letlow, and there was no one who loved this state and its people more. Luke was a part of our family, and we are so incredibly proud of the man he was.”Before working for Abraham, Letlow had worked for former Gov. Letlow is one of more than 7,000 people in Louisiana who have died from COVID-19 since March, according to data from the state health department.
The Latest: Tenn. governor enacts new virus restrictions
Read full article: The Latest: Tenn. governor enacts new virus restrictionsAll Australian states have imposed restrictions on travelers from Sydney and parts of New South Wales because the coronavirus risk. The state on Sunday reported 1,536 new COVID-19 cases and 46 more deaths. ___TOPEKA, Kan. — A FedEx executive says a higher-than-normal volume of Christmas-season package deliveries won’t interfere with the company’s effort to ship coronavirus vaccine doses. The first wave of coronavirus infections in New York “came from Europe and we did nothing,” the Democratic governor said. ___WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s surgeon general is defending Trump’s not getting a coronavirus vaccine, saying there are medical reasons for it.
Biden may time confirmation votes to protect House majority
Read full article: Biden may time confirmation votes to protect House majorityFILE - In this Sept. 17, 2020, file photo, House Majority Whip James Clyburn, of S.C., speaks during a news conference about COVID-19, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Pelosi will start the Biden era with a narrow majority, 222-211, with a few races still undecided. Biden's first pick from the House, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., would join the administration quickly once the president-elect is inaugurated Jan. 20, Clyburn said. Democrats are already deep into political soul-searching after a dismal November outcome for House Democrats. The danger zone was close enough that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer warned Biden last month off taking any more Democrats from his ranks.
Biden adviser Cedric Richmond tests positive for coronavirus
Read full article: Biden adviser Cedric Richmond tests positive for coronavirusRichmond, who is set to resign from Congress to join the incoming Biden administration as a senior adviser, tested positive on Thursday, Dec. 17, for the coronavirus, according to the Biden transition. – One of President-elect Joe Biden’s closest advisers tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, according to his transition team. Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond, who is set to resign from Congress to join the incoming Biden administration as a senior adviser, tested positive two days after traveling to Atlanta to attend a campaign rally that Biden headlined for Democratic Senate candidates Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Raphael Warnock, Biden transition spokesperson Kate Bedingfield said in a statement. Bedingfield said Richmond was not in close contact with Biden, Ossoff or Warnock, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In historic pick, Biden taps Haaland as interior secretary
Read full article: In historic pick, Biden taps Haaland as interior secretaryFILE - In this March 5, 2020, file photo Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., Native American Caucus co-chair, speaks to reporters about the 2020 Census on Capitol Hill in Washington. President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate Haaland as interior secretary. The historic pick would make her the first Native American to lead the powerful federal agency that has wielded influence over the nation's tribes for generations. Scott Applewhite, File)President-elect Joe Biden selected New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland as his nominee for interior secretary on Thursday, a historic pick that would make her the first Native American to lead the powerful federal agency that has wielded influence over the nation's tribes for generations. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made it clear Wednesday that Biden had her blessing to choose Haaland, saying she would make an “excellent choice” as interior secretary.
Biden's challenge: Building Cabinet that meets all his goals
Read full article: Biden's challenge: Building Cabinet that meets all his goals(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON – Shortly after President-elect Joe Biden’s victory last month, Cabinet hopeful Marcia Fudge pointedly noted that Black people are often typecast into positions such as housing secretary. He’s pledged to nominate the most diverse Cabinet in history and restore experience at beleaguered federal agencies. The GOP has barely acknowledged Biden's victory so the cooperation of its senators in the confirmation process is far from certain. “That’s why we are worried.”One prominent feature of Biden’s picks so far: deep ties to the Obama administration. Brent Colburn, a former Obama administration official who served in several agencies, encouraged Democrats to consider the bigger picture as they judge Biden's Cabinet.
Biden tells civil rights leaders he'll advance racial equity
Read full article: Biden tells civil rights leaders he'll advance racial equity(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)DETROIT – In a meeting with leaders of some of the nation’s top civil rights organizations, President-elect Joe Biden reaffirmed Tuesday that his administration will prioritize racial justice and assemble a diverse Cabinet that can tackle pressing equity issues. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond, who will join the Biden administration as a senior adviser, also participated in the nearly two-hour virtual meeting with seven civil rights leaders. The talk touched on how racial justice will be a common thread as the Biden administration works to address policing and criminal justice reform, COVID-19, the nation’s racial wealth gap, voting rights and more. The civil rights leaders said they made clear that Biden's supporters expect him to deliver on his promises. Although Tuesday’s meeting with the Biden transition team seemed reserved for leaders of historic civil rights groups, other leaders are also in line for opportunities to lobby the incoming administration.
The Latest: Trump questions Pa. speaker on electoral votes
Read full article: The Latest: Trump questions Pa. speaker on electoral votesWASHINGTON – The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):9:15 p.m.President Donald Trump is continuing his futile appeal to battleground state lawmakers to subvert the votes of their constituents. A person briefed on the matter said Trump pressed for the state’s legislature to replace the electors for President-elect Joe Biden with those loyal to Trump. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., said Monday the group was specifically asking Biden’s team to elevate the nomination of Vivek Murthy for Surgeon General to a Cabinet-level position. He also tapped former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to serve in that post again. __9 a.m.President-elect Joe Biden is naming some of his most prominent allies to be the co-chairs for his upcoming inauguration.
Biden adds Obama administration veterans to top staff
Read full article: Biden adds Obama administration veterans to top staffWASHINGTON – President-elect Joe Biden is adding four Obama-Biden administration veterans to his top ranks as he continues to build out his White House team. Cathy Russell, who was Jill Biden’s chief of staff during the Obama administration, will serve as director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, evaluating applicants for administration roles. Louisa Terrell, who served as a legislative adviser to the president in the Obama administration and worked as deputy chief of staff for Biden in the Senate, will be director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs. Carlos Elizondo, who was social secretary for Jill Biden during the Obama administration, will reprise his role and serve as social secretary for the incoming first lady. Her role hints at what Biden may focus on as first lady — Adiga previously worked as a director for higher education and military families at the Biden Foundation, and also advised Jill Biden on policy during the Obama administration.
Biden filling top White House team with campaign veterans
Read full article: Biden filling top White House team with campaign veteransPresident-elect Joe Biden has announced top White House staff positions, drawing from the senior ranks of his campaign and some of his closest confidants. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)ATLANTA – President-elect Joe Biden announced a raft of top White House staff positions on Tuesday, drawing from the senior ranks of his campaign and some of his closest confidants to fill out an increasingly diverse White House leadership team. Richmond will leave his Louisiana congressional seat to fill the White House job. Late last week, Biden tapped former senior campaign adviser Ron Klain to serve as his chief of staff. She is a veteran political operative who worked on both of Barack Obama’s White House bids.
Biden filling out top White House team with campaign vets
Read full article: Biden filling out top White House team with campaign vets(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)ATLANTA – President-elect Joe Biden is drawing from the senior ranks of his campaign to fill out an increasingly diverse White House leadership team. Richmond will leave his Louisiana congressional seat to fill the White House job. Late last week, Biden tapped former senior campaign adviser Ron Klain to serve as his chief of staff. She is a veteran political operative who worked on both of former President Barack Obama's White House bids. Richmond was a key figure in helping Biden, a former senator and two-term vice president, leverage his own long-standing relationships with CBC members.
The Latest: Trump heaping attention on 1 Nebraska district
Read full article: The Latest: Trump heaping attention on 1 Nebraska districtAn image of President Donald Trump is projected on a large screen as supporters wait for his arrival to a campaign rally in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)WASHINGTON – The Latest on the presidential campaign (all times local):9:25 p.m.President Donald Trump is heaping attention on Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District in the home stretch before Election Day. She seemed to relish contrasting Biden’s record with President Donald Trump’s, laughing as she described how he recently said science doesn’t know what’s fueling Western wildfires. Both Texas and Ohio were previously seen as solidly supporting President Donald Trump, and he won both states in 2016. ___3:35 p.m.President Donald Trump has started a busy day of campaigning with a cold, rain-soaked rally in Lansing, Michigan.
Biden vows to unify and save country; Trump hits Midwest
Read full article: Biden vows to unify and save country; Trump hits Midwest“This election is a matter of economic survival for Michigan,” the president said, arguing that the state's economy was strong before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Gretchen Whitmer for moving aggressively to shut down much of the state's economy to slow the virus' spread. “The tragic truth of our time is that COVID has left a deep and lasting wound in this country,” Biden said, scoffing at Trump's pronouncements that the nation is turning a corner on the virus. The former vice president plans to travel to Iowa, which Trump took by 10 points in 2016, later in the week. First lady Melania Trump was on the road, too, making her first solo campaign trip of the year in Pennsylvania.
Biden makes push for voters on National Black Voter Day
Read full article: Biden makes push for voters on National Black Voter DayHarris will speak about what's at stake for Black Americans in November and urge voters to register and make a plan to vote. National Black Voter Day was created this year as a collaborative effort by the National Urban League, BET and a number of civil rights organizations. Black Americans have also been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, suffering high rates of deaths and unemployment from its economic fallout. Biden’s campaign, along with several other organizations marking the first National Black Voter Day, are channeling resources behind that effort. But Brown said the final days will be key toward connecting with some Black voters who feel Biden needs to do more to earn their vote.
With the conventions now over, what's next in campaign 2020?
Read full article: With the conventions now over, what's next in campaign 2020?FILE - In this July 14, 2020, file photo Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event in Wilmington, Del. Five key questions as the 2020 campaign moves toward the fall home stretch:WHAT WILL A COVID-19 CAMPAIGN LOOK LIKE? Campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond said the former vice president will be active but emphasized that Biden's events still will follow public health guidelines. Bidens campaign believes that he is enough of a known quantity that voters beyond Trumps base simply wont buy the presidents descriptions of the former vice president. Joe Biden is really good at debates, Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller has been saying, portraying Biden as much more skilled than Hillary Clinton.
Biden, Harris prepare to travel more as campaign heats up
Read full article: Biden, Harris prepare to travel more as campaign heats upThroughout his unusual home-based campaign, Biden blasted Trump as incompetent and irresponsible for downplaying the pandemic and publicly disputing the government's infectious disease experts. He's said only that he would be willing to make such a move as president if public health experts advise it. Harris on Friday talked about the idea in slightly different terms than Biden, acknowledging that a mandate would be difficult to enforce. Biden and Harris have worn protective face masks in public and stayed socially distanced from each other when appearing together at campaign events. Trump has urged Americans to wear masks but opposes a national requirement and personally declined to do so for months.
From farm to beach, Democrats across America nominate Biden
Read full article: From farm to beach, Democrats across America nominate Biden(Democratic National Convention via AP)SACRAMENTO, Calif. A Montana cattle range, a California beach, a historic bridge in Alabama. These were the sometimes kitschy, sometimes poignant scenes from the first-ever virtual roll call vote at the Democratic National Convention. Fred Guttenberg spoke about Biden's compassion following the murder of his daughter at the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Each state also cast some votes for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the last Democrat in the race to challenge Biden. Following tradition, Delaware, Biden's home state, was the final state to announce its support for Biden, with Gov.
Congressional group wants Landis name pulled from MVP plaque
Read full article: Congressional group wants Landis name pulled from MVP plaqueFILE - In this Jan. 22, 2006, file photo,a Joe DiMaggio 1947 MVP Award plaque is displayed at a news conference in New York. A group of House Democrats called Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, for the name of former baseball commissioner Landis to be pulled off future Most Valuable Player plaques. We recognize that Commissioner Landis namesake on the award is the result of his role in creating the system by which the Baseball Writers Association of America picks each leagues MVP recipient, the letter said. All 28 Democrats have played in the Congressional Baseball Game, an annual charity event at Nationals Park. Manfred, in a letter to Cisneros and Richmond, noted that the BBWAA administers the MVP process.
Body of John Lewis arrives in DC to lie in state at Capitol
Read full article: Body of John Lewis arrives in DC to lie in state at Capitol(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)WASHINGTON The body of the late Rep. John Lewis has arrived in Washington to lie in state as lawmakers gather to pay tribute to the long-time Georgia lawmaker and icon of the civil rights movement. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who served in Congress alongside Lewis, is expected to visit the Capitol to pay his respects. Lewis was the youngest and last-living of the featured speakers for the March on Washington in 1963, where the Rev. In Selma, Alabama, on March 7, 1965, Lewis suffered a beating at the hands of an Alabama state trooper that became one of the defining moments of his life. President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on Aug. 6 of that year.
Civil unrest could influence Biden's search for running mate
Read full article: Civil unrest could influence Biden's search for running mateWASHINGTON Joe Bidens search for a running mate could be reshaped by the police killing of George Floyd and the unrest it has ignited across the country, raising questions about contenders with law-and-order backgrounds and intensifying pressure on the presumptive Democratic nominee to select a black woman. Biden, who has already pledged to pick a woman, has cast a wide net in his search. Biden was pressed to pick a black woman on Monday when he visited a black church in Wilmington, Delaware. Well, weve never seen a black woman selected as a vice presidential candidate, she said. Its important for him to see the candidate, talk to the candidate, get body language from the candidate.
Atlanta is home to 2 potential contenders for Biden's VP
Read full article: Atlanta is home to 2 potential contenders for Biden's VPNeither public rivals nor personal friends, Bottoms and Stacey Abrams spent years climbing parallel ladders from nearby outposts at Atlanta City Hall and the Georgia Capitol. Now the Atlanta mayor and the former Georgia governor candidate find themselves at the same political intersection on Joe Biden's list of potential running mates. Bottoms, the 50-year-old Atlanta mayor, is a top surrogate for Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Now, the pair occupy the same political intersection: Bidens list of potential running mates. Bottoms, conversely, had the backing of outgoing Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, himself once viewed as a potential governor.
Biden aims to move left without abandoning centrist roots
Read full article: Biden aims to move left without abandoning centrist rootsBut they left many of the partys strongest liberals worried that little progress would be made toward their sweeping goals. Asked whether his recent moves mean hell govern as a progressive, Biden retorted on CNBC: Im going to be Joe Biden. Biden aides say hes uniquely positioned for a wide Biden coalition because voters prioritize experience and temperament, along with policy. Republicans who dislike Trump the kind who cut deals with Sen. Biden or Vice President Biden arent likely to back President Biden's proposed public option health insurance expansion when theyve never embraced the Affordable Care Act. Winning back just that cohort back could be enough to secure Biden to the presidency alone this cycle, he said.