What A Day

Trump is now back in the White House after making a Trumpian and very public return, but doctors say he’s still not "out of the woods." Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tested positive along with two deputies in the communications department, but the White House’s contact tracing effort seems to be negligible at best. 

The Supreme Court began its new term yesterday by rejecting an appeals case from Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, who refused to give out same-sex marriage licenses due to religious objections. But Justices Alito and Thomas used the moment to voice their opposition to same-sex marriage as a constitutional right. We discuss what that means in light of Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, and what other cases the court will hear in the next month. 

And in headlines: police shoot a Black man in Texas who was trying to stop domestic violence, the EPA gives Oklahoma authority over environmental issues on tribal lands, and the rock gods rule in the case of Led Zeppelin vs. Spirit.

Amidst rosy reports about Trump's condition, we also learned that he received multiple drug treatments over the weekend including dexamethasone, which is typically reserved for patients with severe cases of coronavirus. We look at what his diagnosis, along with other positive cases among Senate Republicans, means for the country and the Supreme Court confirmation process.

Following a negative test on Friday, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tested negative again on Sunday. VP Pence and Senator Harris have also tested negative and are planning to move forward with their debate this Wednesday, though their podiums will be moved six feet further apart.

Only three US states are reporting a decline in new Covid-19 cases compared to last week. Wisconsin is having a major outbreak, with new daily case numbers doubling in the past two weeks.

And in headlines: Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron releases audio recordings from Breonna Taylor Grand Jury, continued fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and James Bond kills movie theater chain.

In a tweet overnight, President Trump said that he and the first lady had tested positive for the coronavirus. The news comes after a White House aid, Hope Hicks, tested positive. She had been traveling with the President in recent days, including to the debate on Tuesday.

House Dems passed a new slimmed down relief package yesterday, but Republicans still say it’s too expensive. In the meantime, layoffs continue across industries and about half the jobs that were lost between February and April still haven’t returned. 

The Senate officially subpoenaed the CEOs of Facebook, Google, and Twitter for a hearing on how they moderate content that’s posted on their platforms. As the election nears, Facebook says it is adding additional restrictions to political ads that will go into effect immediately, but critics stay it's still nowhere near enough.

Special guest Yedoye Travis joins for the headlines: the DOJ’s task force on policing gets halted because it’s almost all policemen, skateboarding cranberry juice guy boosts Fleetwood Mac’s sales numbers, and closing the loop on a British zoo’s swearing birds.

Show links:

Comedian and writer Yedoye Travis

https://twitter.com/yedoyeOT

https://www.instagram.com/professordoye/

Former Congressman and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy is running for Senate in Mississippi, hoping to be the first Democrat to represent the state in the Senate in over thirty years. He’s nearly tied with his opponent, incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde Smith, who’s previously joked about “public hangings” and held up the legacy of Confederate soldiers.

We talk to him about his race, Trump’s refusal to renounce White supremacists, the Supreme Court, and how the pandemic is impacting Mississippians.

And in headlines: California establishes path to reparations for slavery, fires in Brazil’s tropical wetlands, and Trump’s White House gives the go-ahead to cruise ships.

Show links:

votesaveamerica.com/getmitch

The first presidential debate took place in Cleveland last night. It was an extremely bumpy ride, with Trump failing to condemn white supremacy and suggesting once again he might not accept the election results. We discuss the highlights and lowlights of a night that was almost all lowlights. 

And in headlines: Kentucky’s AG to release grand jury proceedings from Breonna Taylor’s case, the UK and Canada impose sanctions on Belarusian officials, and David Attenborough kills it on Instagram.

Tonight is the first of three debates between Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Trump. The debate will cover six major topics, which include the economy, the pandemic, and the integrity of the election, but notably, not the environment. We discuss what else to expect and how this debate could affect the election. 

Reports have revealed a strategy that the Trump campaigned allegedly used in 2016 to suppress Black voters by convincing them not to vote. The campaign sorted 3.5 million Black Americans into a category labelled “deterrence,” then targeted them with Facebook videos meant to cause cynicism and disaffection. 

And in headlines: the global coronavirus death toll passes 1 million, Uber wins back its license to operate in London, and a small village in Romania re-elects their deceased mayor.

Show Links:

"Revealed: Trump campaign strategy to deter millions of Black Americans from voting in 2016"

https://www.channel4.com/news/revealed-trump-campaign-strategy-to-deter-millions-of-black-americans-from-voting-in-2016

The New York Times published a bombshell report on two decades of Trump’s taxes, showing he paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and in 2017. Trump received massive refunds after reporting losses on his businesses, one of which is currently being reviewed by the IRS, and could cost him $100 million if it’s found to be illegitimate. 

On Saturday, Trump formally announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for the Supreme Court. We discuss her past positions on abortion, gun rights, and more to see how she might rule.

And in headlines: Armenia and Azerbaijan declare martial law, Sri Lanka sends hazardous waste back to the UK, and astronauts prepare to vote from space.

Show Links:

"Trumps Taxes Show Chronic Losses And Years Of Tax Avoidance"

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/09/27/us/donald-trump-taxes.html