Democrats make strong appeals to Native voters, but have they missed the mark?

On

WASHINGTON — The Native American Caucus, meeting at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, opened its first meeting earlier this week with a prayer. Amelia Flores, who chairs the Colorado River Indian Tribes in Arizona, introduced herself in the Mojave language and called on “Father, Creator” to bless Democrat leaders. “We ask that you grant them wisdom and that our spirits will remain in a positive attitude throughout the next four days here. … We are gung-ho for our vice president and newly elect, with your favor, the first woman president of the United States,” she said. More than 150 Nativemore

Leave a comment

Tim Walz’s nickname shines light on ‘period poverty’ in America

On

Washington — A schoolyard taunt against U.S. vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has vaulted a serious issue into the spotlight: that even in the world’s wealthiest nation, the struggle to afford menstrual supplies — known as “period poverty” — is a driving concern for the large portion of the population that menstruates.   In 2023, the Minnesota governor signed a state law mandating free menstrual products in schools. His support drew the ire of conservatives who questioned the bill’s language requiring pads and tampons in all school bathrooms — not just those designated for girls. And it earned him a moniker thatmore

Leave a comment

Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz, introduces himself to the nation

On

CHICAGO — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted his party’s nomination for vice president Wednesday night, using his Democratic National Convention address to thank the packed arena for “bringing the joy” to an election transformed by the elevation of his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris. “We’re all here tonight for one beautiful, simple, reason: We love this country,” Walz said as thousands of delegates hoisted vertical placards reading “Coach Walz” in red, white and blue. Walz described his upbringing in Nebraska and teaching and coaching football in Minnesota and told the crowd, “Thank you for bringing the joy to this fight.”more

Leave a comment

Pro-Palestinian protesters rally, march on Democratic convention’s 3rd night

On

CHICAGO — More than 2,000 pro-Palestinian protesters marched Wednesday past a park where pro-Israel demonstrators had gathered earlier and toward the arena hosting the third night of the Democratic National Convention. The demonstration, which stayed largely peaceful, came a day after violent clashes between police and protesters led to 56 arrests at a much smaller unsanctioned protest outside the Israeli Consulate. Organizers of Wednesday’s demonstration drew on the Chicago area’s Palestinian community, one of the largest in the country, by bringing buses from suburban mosques. Raed Shuk, 48, came with his children from the suburbs, including his 2-year-old son, who satmore

Leave a comment

US official holds talks in Africa on responsible use of military AI

On

Abuja, Nigeria — A U.S. State Department official was in Nigeria this week to meet with local and regional authorities about the responsible use of artificial intelligence in military applications. Mallory Stewart, assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability, said her two-day visit with Nigerian officials from the regional bloc ECOWAS was part of the United States’ commitment to deepen security cooperation in Africa. The U.S. government has been working with 55 nations, including African nations, “to agree upon responsible uses of AI in the military context, using AI in a manner consistent with internationalmore

Leave a comment

Trump holds first outdoor rally since last month’s assassination attempt

On

ASHEBORO, North Carolina — In his first outdoor rally since last month’s assassination attempt, Donald Trump appeared on stage in North Carolina to talk about national security as part of his weeklong trip across the country to draw attention away from Democrats and their national convention. “Seventy-six days from now, we’re going to win this state and we’re going to win the White House,” Trump said at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame from behind a podium surrounded by panes of bulletproof glass that formed a protective wall across the stage. Storage containers were stacked around the perimetermore

Leave a comment

DNC’s Day 2: Double dose of Obama firepower, a doting spouse and a dance party

On

CHICAGO — The Democratic National Convention’s second night showcased a double dose of Obama firepower to validate Vice President Kamala Harris and deliver an unsparing indictment of Republican Donald Trump. The convention also served up a raucous roll call of states that was essentially one big dance party. Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, ducked out of Chicago to hold a rally just up the interstate in Milwaukee, wooing voters in battleground Wisconsin. It was a recognition that, regardless of whatever good vibes may exist at the convention, Democrats expect this presidential election to be razor-close. Here aremore

Leave a comment

Obamas close DNC’s second night with rousing Harris endorsement

On

CHICAGO — Warning of a difficult fight ahead, former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama on Tuesday called on the nation to embrace Kamala Harris in urgent messages to the Democratic National Convention that were at times both hopeful and foreboding. “America, hope is making a comeback,” the former first lady declared. She then tore into Republican Donald Trump, a sharp shift from the 2016 convention speech in which she told her party, “When they go low, we go high.” “His limited and narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successfulmore

Leave a comment

Protesters arrested after clash with police outside Chicago’s Israeli consulate

On

CHICAGO — Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters charged a line of police in an intense standoff with hundreds of officers outside the Israeli consulate Tuesday on the second night of the Democratic National Convention. After the larger gathering began to disperse, splintering off into smaller groups, other interactions with police led to more than a dozen arrests. Officers called the demonstrations “an unlawful assembly.” Earlier in the night, officers carrying wooden clubs shouted “move” and penned the demonstrators in on the street, preventing them from marching. Some demonstrators set an American flag on fire in the street as the celebratory roll callmore

Leave a comment

Trump campaigns in Michigan with ‘Make America Safe Again’ speech

On

HOWELL, Michigan — Former President Donald Trump pledged Tuesday to “Make America Safe Again” while campaigning in Michigan as Democrats gathered in Chicago to nominate Kamala Harris.  As part of a battleground campaign swing designed to counter the Democratic National Convention, Trump stood alongside sheriff’s deputies in the city of Howell and tarred Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general, as the “ringleader” of a “Marxist attack on law enforcement” across the country.  “Kamala Harris will deliver crime, chaos, destruction and death,” Trump said in one of many generalizations about an America under Harris. “You’ll see levelsmore

Leave a comment

13 protesters arrested during first day of Democratic National Convention in Chicago 

On

CHICAGO — Thirteen people were arrested during protests on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, most of them related to a “brief breach” of security fencing “within sight and sound of the United Center,” the city’s police superintendent said Tuesday. More protests were planned throughout the week, including one Tuesday night outside the Israeli Consulate. However, attendance at the main rally on Monday was far below estimates of organizers who had predicted more than 20,000 would show up. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said Tuesday that the crowd was around 3,500 strong and that the vast majoritymore

Leave a comment

Obama and Emhoff are to headline the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday 

On

CHICAGO — Former President Barack Obama and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will speak Tuesday on the second day of the Democratic National Convention, turning the party’s attention toward Vice President Kamala Harris and her faceoff against Republican Donald Trump. The pivot toward the presidential campaign’s final 76 days follows an opening night that was designed to give a graceful exit to the incumbent president, who was greeted with a hero’s welcome for stepping aside for Harris. Speaking clearly and energetically, Biden appeared to relish the chance to defend his record, advocate for his vice president and assail Trump. His delivery wasmore

Leave a comment

Biden gets rousing ovation, gives Harris enthusiastic endorsement

On

Chicago — President Joe Biden delivered his valedictory address to the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, as his decision to end his reelection bid released newfound energy within his party with Vice President Kamala Harris’ elevation to the top of the ticket. After 52 years rising to the pinnacle of influence within his party, Biden, 81, received a hero’s welcome for the act of stepping aside for Harris, weeks after many in his party were pressuring him to drop his bid for reelection. One month after an unprecedented mid-campaign switch, the opening night of the convention in Chicago was designedmore

Leave a comment

DNC’s Day 1: Biden’s exit, talk of the glass ceiling, nod to Gaza protesters

On

CHICAGO — The Democratic National Convention ‘s first night showcased speeches from the last Democrat to lose to Donald Trump and the last one to beat him. Hillary Clinton spoke hopefully of finally breaking the “glass ceiling” to elect a female president. Joe Biden laced into Trump and directly acknowledged the concerns of protesters against the war in Gaza who demonstrated a few blocks from the convention hall. Here are some takeaways from the first night of the convention. Biden begins long political exit President Joe Biden wrapped up the convention’s opening night by beginning his long political farewell with anmore

Leave a comment

Democrats approve platform that mentions Biden’s ‘second term’ despite his making way for Harris

On

CHICAGO — Delegates at the Democratic National Convention voted Monday night to approve their 2024 party platform, which lays out familiar priorities for the party but wasn’t updated to reflect that President Joe Biden is no longer running for reelection. The largely ceremonial vote at Chicago’s convention signaled the party coalescing around a singular vision for the next four years — though a somewhat outdated one, as Vice President Kamala Harris has only outlined a few of her own specific policy positions since she took over the Democratic presidential ticket last month. The platform makes repeated reference to Biden’s “second term”more

Leave a comment

US intelligence officials blame Iran for hacks targeting Trump, Biden-Harris campaigns

On

washington — U.S. intelligence officials said Monday that they were confident that Iran was responsible for the hack of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, casting the cyber intrusion as part of a brazen and broader effort by Tehran to interfere in American politics and undermine faith in democratic institutions. Although the Trump campaign and private-sector cybersecurity investigators had previously said Iran was behind the hacking attempts, it was the first time the U.S. government had assigned blame for the attack. The joint statement from the FBI and other federal agencies also indicated that Iran was responsible for attempts to hack Vice Presidentmore

Leave a comment

Trump begins visits to battleground states, calls Harris a ‘country destroyer’

On

york, pennsylvania — As Democrats kicked off their convention in Chicago, Donald Trump sought Monday to regain his footing after weeks of adjusting to Vice President Kamala Harris as his rival.  The former president and GOP nominee spoke at a factory in Pennsylvania, the first in a string of stops aimed at undercutting the Democratic celebration. He is holding daily events in battleground states tied to subjects on which Republicans think they hold an advantage, including the economy, crime and safety, national security and the border.  “Kamala Harris is an economy wrecker and a country destroyer,” Trump told factory workers andmore

Leave a comment