In case you missed the publicity battle between seemingly every prominent woman politician in America, Joe Biden is still seeking a running mate. On Thursday, perhaps hoping to inspire the fervor that massive swathes of Democratic voters felt for his long-gone primary challengers, his camp asked Senator Amy Klobuchar to undergo the consideration process for the VP slot. This is definitely going to work!
CBS reporter Bo Erickson claimed on Twitter that Klobuchar will begin vetting procedures, the first step for any hopeful looking to secure their position of being the presidential scapegoat for whenever shit inevitably sours.
The news might be surprising to some, after reports in recent weeks saw public enthusiasm for other potential frontrunners like Stacey Abrams, Kamala Harris, and former Democratic frontrunner Elizabeth Warren. However, CBS News reports that in addition to Klobuchar, several others are expected to consent to the vetting process—which includes “a rigorous multi-week review of her public and private life and work by a hand-picked group of Biden confidantes”—including New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan, though Senator Jeanne Shaheen has declined.
CBS News also reported a few more names on Biden’s shortlist, including Florida Rep. Val Demings, Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. That brings the total number of women vying for the VP slot to exactly one million, as is to be expected when there’s a prize like Joe Biden waiting at the finish line. Klobuchar better pack a few extra salad forks, this vetting might take awhile. [CBS News]
As states begin to lift lockdown guidelines, researches from Columbia University now estimate that initial delays caused 36,000 deaths from covid-19. The New York Times reports:
If the country had begun locking down cities and limiting social contact on March 1, two weeks earlier than when most people started staying home, a vast majority of the nation’s deaths — about 83 percent — would have been avoided, the researchers estimated.
If you need cold, hard numbers, the death toll of 65,307, as of May 3, would have likely been 11,253, had states shut down cities on March 1. New York City, the hardest hit by the pandemic, didn’t receive orders to close schools until March 15, and didn’t see Gov. Cuomo issue statewide stay-at-home orders until March 22.
As the Times reports, all states have loosened restrictions on social distancing and essential businesses, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that it is the utterly wrong decision. Tens of thousands of lives were lost because of indecision, greed, and political maneuvering. How much more will suffer because our government refuses to listen to reason, science, or basic common sense? [New York Times]
- Joe Biden’s official stance on Palestine is bullshit.
- Kelly Loeffler’s husband and her million-dollar blowout donated $1 million to a pro-Trump Super PAC amid criticism that she sold off stocks in the lead-up to the pandemic, allegedly using information available to her before the public was warned of the virus. [Politico]
- Michael Cohen will enjoy a socially distanced house arrest, marking yet another Trump crony who’s dodged accountability for their extremely obvious crimes. [WSJ]
- Trump’s blood feud with the concept of masks endures. [CNN]
- Remember all those reports about massive covid-19 outbreaks in church congregations? You should probably expect more. [NBC News]
- Despite reopening, Georgia’s job market is a complete train wreck. [Politico]