“If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world during which the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous, he would, without hesitation, name that which elapsed from the death of Domitian to the accession of Commodus,” Edward Gibbon writes in The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. “The vast extent of the Roman empire was governed by absolute power, under the guidance of virtue and wisdom.
Barack Obama didn’t try to inspire Americans tonight: He wanted to scare them.There were no thousand-watt smiles or soaring rhetoric from the former president as he exhorted voters to elect Joe Biden and warned them about the perils of giving Donald Trump another four years in the White House.
Calls from the White House come in with the number blocked. People who are used to getting them know to pick up. And invitations to sit in the first lady’s box for the State of the Union address don’t come around very often. People who get them know to say yes.Kamala Harris received one of those invitations at the end of January 2012. She was in Washington, D.C.
Kamala Harris officially became the Democratic vice presidential nominee on Wednesday night, and stepped up to the occasion with the speech of her life—despite the lack of a live audience and having to follow former President Barack Obama giving perhaps the speech of his life.
Harris emphasized both sides of her family, saying her mother “raised us to be strong, proud Black women and she raised us to know and be proud of our Indian heritage.
The former president offered his most harsh critique yet of Trump, arguing he “hasn’t grown into the job because he can’t.
Trump has “shown no interest in putting in the work,” Obama said in a speech that also lauded “brother” Joe Biden for his character and resilience.
Updated on August 19, 2020 at 11:18 p.m. ETWhen Kamala Harris spoke at the Democratic National Convention tonight, she projected an image of absolute harmony with presidential nominee Joe Biden, the man who has lifted her to newfound fame and potential great power. Tomorrow night, Biden will glory in his history-making decision. The two candidates will bask in their mutual regard. But, if they’re elected, policy differences and irritations are going to arise.
Night three of the Democratic National Convention brings some serious star power, with former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (lest we forget, the winner of the popular vote in 2016), and Sen. Kamala Harris, the current vice presidential nominee. At this point we’re also coming to expect some surprises enabled by the remote format.
The main hour of programming begins at 10 PM ET. You can watch the DNC online at this portal.
On Aug. 19, 2020, at 11 AM PST, the FBI tweeted out a message that just included an attachment with the title: “Protocols of Learned Elders of Zion.” That’s pretty much all this story needs to say. But in case you don’t know what the significance of this is, it is somewhat similar to—though not the same as—tweeting out Mein Kampf with just a link to a PDF of the book by Adolf Hitler.
A Florida deputy is on administrative leave after video showed him trying to stifle the freedom of speech of a Black man he was detaining Saturday on a trespassing allegation. In the 13-second clip posted on social media, the deputy identified as Charles Rhoads by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office can be seen handcuffing 19-year-old Kevin Wygant and telling him he does not have the right to free speech, WPTV reported.
Racism has long proven to be as deadly as it is disheartening, and a new study published Monday indicates that newborn babies aren’t exempt from the dire effects of the long-practiced hatred. Black babies are more likely to die when white doctors are in charge of their care than when Black doctors care for them, researchers wrote in the study.
“I’ve heard these are people that love our country,” the president said of followers of the far-right conspiracy movement.
I’d much rather be in a gym with safety measures, but this is what I have.
One person noted that this is the first time in American history that “a president openly threatens to disregard an impending election and assume dictatorial power.
Every weekday evening, our editors guide you through the biggest stories of the day, help you discover new ideas, and surprise you with moments of delight. Subscribe to get this delivered to your inbox.Getty / Paul Spella / The AtlanticToday, Ed Yong, our staff writer whose coverage of this pandemic has been essential to understanding it, is back with a new piece about long-haulers. It’s worth your time.We caught up with Ed to talk about why these cases matter.
Pro-Trump pundits are treating a mild political event like it’s an attack against America.
Parenting advice on day care photos, sleeping worries, and grandma names.
Looking at how Ellen DeGeneres fits into the history and current landscape of queer media.
A Supreme Court decision on the lawsuit isn’t likely until the spring.
After massive public outcry against cuts to mail service ahead of November’s election, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has announced he will suspend changes to the U.S. Postal Service until after the election, when a record number of voters are expected to cast ballots by mail. President Trump has admitted he’s working to undermine the USPS in order to make it harder to vote by mail in November.
The Democratic National Committee has dropped a pledge to eliminate tax breaks and subsidies for the fossil fuel industry from its party platform, after a DNC spokesperson said the amendment was originally included in “error,” despite both Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris supporting it on the campaign trail.
As Democrats coalesce around Joe Biden ahead of the November presidential election, we speak with economist Darrick Hamilton, a former Bernie Sanders supporter who took part in the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force, about where the Democratic Party is headed on economic policy. Hamilton says that while Biden’s policies are not as radical as the moment requires, he can be pushed by social movements. “We will make Biden do it,” Hamilton says, quoting Franklin D.
As the Democratic Party formally selected Joe Biden as its nominee for president at the virtual Democratic National Convention, one of those who joined in the call to elect him was activist Ady Barkan, who is paralyzed and unable to speak due to terminal ALS. Barkan is a leading advocate of Medicare for All and has publicly challenged Biden, who does not support Medicare for All. “We live in the richest country in history. And yet we do not guarantee this most basic human right.
Joe Biden is the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, after he was formally picked by the party to challenge President Trump in November on the second night of the virtual Democratic National Convention.
She doesn’t pick up on cues that I just want to hang out with my friends alone.
The story is a lot bigger—and weirder—than a simple change in consumer tastes.
The photographer has a privileged “position of looking.
“A lot of people are being told to bring back the mail and then deliver it tomorrow, which creates a snowball effect.
