WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Wednesday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes.
· The dearth of much actual news on the day before the final presidential debate was a challenge for news producers everywhere Wednesday. Barack Obama began campaigning on the ground for Joe Biden in Philadelphia. “I’ve been mad. I’ve been frustrated, but I haven’t lost hope.” The president was in Gastonia, N.C. with familiar themes at a MAGA rally, embellished with a few jibes at Obama, whom he said campaigned hard – and futilely – for “crooked Hillary.” President Trump’s “friendly chat” – as described by Variety – with fan Eric Bolling, otherwise known as the moderator, was played back on more than 290 Sinclair TV stations. Recorded Tuesday, the hour of questions did not generate any big headlines. What could he have done better in fighting the virus? “Not much,” Trump answered. Asked what his policy toward China would be in a second term Trump answered “Plenty.” Asked to fill out that answer, he said, “I’m not going to talk to you about that.”
· Moving along, maybe there was something to report on President Trump’s debate coaching sessions, helpfully provided by Fox News Wednesday night in between the My Pillow commercials. The key to success, according to Trump confidante Sean Hannity and some contributors would be to use a prop, specifically an FBI receipt for Hunter Biden’s laptop. Then Laura Ingraham suggested another prop, a copy of Hunter Biden’s emails. Another contributor stressed to make the issue Biden, not his son Hunter. Ingraham also advised, “Be respectful and calm.”
· On the opposite end of the spectrum, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow concentrated on the day’s announcement by the new Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, billed by his office as an update on election security. Reporters had about a half hour notice only to find Ratcliffe was taking no questions, so there were a few answers still missing afterwards. Ratcliffe said Iran and Russia are stepping up efforts, using hacked voter registration data, to cast doubt on the integrity of the elections and damage Trump. He was apparently referring to the slew of ominous emails sometimes personally addressed and attributed to the right-wing Proud Boys that ordered recipients to vote for Trump or suffer some dire consequences. With Ratcliffe was FBI Director Christopher Wray who did not refer to anything Ratcliffe said, delivering instead a boilerplate warning to employ “a healthy dose of skepticism” toward any suspicious election-related communications. There were several reports Wednesday that Trump is considering firing Wray, who has apparently been disappointingly remiss in not publicly acknowledging any investigations of Bidens or other political opponents. Biden, deep his own debate prep, did call all the Hunter Biden incoming another “smear campaign.” So amid all the high-toned discussion of fiscal and foreign policy, perhaps the Thursday night’s debate will include some mention of family matters.
· Speaking of political warfare, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer Wednesday night confirmed his troops will make a last-gasp attempt to slow down the Judiciary Committee’s assured vote to recommend the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the full Senate by not showing up for Thursday’s session. The committee has a rule that requires two Democrats to be present for its vote. The final word on such rules, however, rests with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell so the delaying tactic is likely to be short lived. The full Senate vote to approve Barrett is tentatively set for Monday. The story that Barrett served for three years on the board of a private Christian school that barred children of same-sex parents seemed to get little traction.
· Speaking of Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went from optimism about a pandemic relief deal to certainty, declaring on MSNBC, “There will be a bill.” She talked to Treasury’s Stephen Mnuchin in midafternoon, a conversation which presumably did not change that outlook. So all that remains is the formal announcement of a deal and enough Senate votes to pass it, and the president’s signature. Perhaps after Election Day, Pelosi said, introducing a new concept, “retroactive.” How that would pay the rent Nov. 1 wasn’t clear.
· CDC officials held a rare news conference Wednesday to change its guidance about when to consider oneself at risk of getting the coronavirus. Instead of a passing contact with someone with the virus for all of 15 minutes or more now the danger zone is extended to be near infected people for a total of 15 minutes over an entire 24-hour day.
· Upcoming economic data includes the weekly Labor Department report on claims for unemployment benefits by the newly laid off at 8:30a ET. Existing home sales arrives at 10a. The Kansas City Fed’s Manufacturing Index is at 11a. Wednesday’s Fed Beige Book survey of economic activity found no sign of a V-shaped recovery under way, as detailed elsewhere on this macenews.com site.
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