President Trump Criticizes Senator Harris’ Selection as Biden’s Running Mate
President Trump Criticizes Senator Harris’ Selection as Biden’s Running Mate
PRRI data from 2018 shows that a majority of Americans (60%) think the country would be better off with more women in office, but Democrats and Republicans are far apart on the issue. Eight in ten (80%) Democrats say the country would be better off if more women held office, while only 31% of Republicans agreed. Shortly after saying former Vice President Joe Biden was insulting men by choosing a female vice-presidential candidate, President Donald Trump criticized his pick, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA). “I was a little surprised that he picked her,” Trump said, opining that Sen. Harris “did very, very poorly in the primaries.”
Tuesday Marked Three Years Since Deadly White Supremacist Rally
A majority (57%) of Americans say that President Trump’s decisions and behavior have encouraged white supremacist groups. Fewer than one in ten (6%) say he has discouraged white supremacist groups, and around one-third (36%) say his behavior has not had an impact either way. Tuesday August 11, 2020 marked three years since a group of white supremacists clashed with protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident left one counter-protestor dead and inspired President Trump to declare that there were “very fine people on both sides,” of the skirmish. In a piece for CNN, Roberta Kaplan and Deborah Lipstadt write of the lasting impacting of Charlottesville. “Sadly, it is now clear that the violence and hatred evident at Charlottesville was not a passing moment or a onetime event. Its ideology has served as the inspiration for many others,” they write.
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Elana Schor: Kamala Harris Brings Baptist and Interfaith Roots to the Democratic Ticket
PRRI data shows that three-quarters (75%) of Democrats identify as religious. Seven in ten (70%) Democrats say they are Christians, while 5% say they follow other religions. On Tuesday, former Vice President Joe Biden announced that Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) would join him on the Democratic presidential ticket as the vice-presidential nominee. According to the Associated Press, Harris identifies as Baptist but also attended a Hindu temple as a child, reflecting her diverse background. “While she has not spoken about her faith as frequently as Biden, Harris at times invoked biblical values during her Democratic presidential primary bid, which ended last year,” writes Elana Schor for The Associated Press.
Vermont Candidate Poised to Become First Openly Transgender Lawmaker in the State
Taylor Small, the director of health and wellness at Pride Center of Vermont has won the Democrat Primary to appear on the ballot for the Vermont State House of Representatives. Small will face off against an independent candidate in the general election. PRRI data shows that more than six in ten (62%) Americans say they have become more supportive toward transgender rights in the last five years. By contrast, about one in four (25%) say their views are more opposed to transgender rights in the last five years. Small’s primary victory comes more than two years after Virginia’s Danica Roem assumed office as the first openly transgender member of a state representative body.
Portland Church Becomes Living Memorial
In a new article for HuffPost, Brittany Wong tells the story of a Portland, Oregon church that has turned Black Lives Matter graffiti into an impromptu memorial. Instead of painting over it, Imago Dei has transformed the graffiti into artwork which memorializes Black Americans lost to incidents involving police officers. “More than two months since the building was tagged, the mural has become a neighborhood memorial. People take photos in front of it. They even add forgotten or new names to the wall. Passersby tell church staff that talk of the mural has made its way to the dinner table,” Wong writes.