Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended

Biden news: Democratic sweep would be biggest boost for economy, analysts say

Democratic candidate says Trump’s election threats are ‘distraction’ from administration failures as polls show lead for former VP in swing states

Joe Sommerlad,Alex Woodward
Friday 25 September 2020 19:31 EDT
Comments
Donald Trump warns Democrats he might 'pack' Supreme Court if GOP holds White House and Senate

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.
A Democratic sweep in November would have the best odds of boosting employment and rebounding the economy, Moody’s found in its analysis of election scenarios.

“The economic outlook is strongest under the scenario in which Joe Biden and the Democrats sweep Congress and fully adopt their economic agenda," analysts said.

The Democratic nominee has meanwhile ridiculed Donald Trump for his ignorance of American history and highly questionable advice on using household bleach to combat the coronavirus, turning the tables on a president known for his insults.

“I’m not the guy who by the way said the problem with the Revolutionary War is we didn’t have enough airports," the candidate joked with a reporter in North Carolina. "I’m not the guy who said the attack that took down the trade towers was on 7-Eleven.” 

The president again mocked his challenger at a rally in Jacksonville, Florida, on Thursday night as the former vice president’s latet polling from Fox puts him ahead in the key states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Nevada, where the president trails by 11 points.

In an interview with MSNBC on Friday, Mr Biden refused to speculate on the doomsday scenarios that legal scholars and election analysts have considered following the president’s threats to the election, insisting that the president is using fear as a distraction from his administration’s failures.
The Democratic candidate instead suggested that the rule of law will prevail and American voters will have their voice heard at the polls.

“The last thing we need is the equivalent of a coup,” he said. “No one’s going to back him if that were to occur."

He added that “the whole notion of him talking about this … is to take our eye off the ball, not to talk about what’s happening about people dying of [Covid-19], not talking all the unemployment, not talking him being unwilling to bring Congress together and get off his golf course and out of the sand trap and have meeting in the White House.”

“It’s always about distraction with him,” he said.

He called the president’s attempts to undermine the results of the election “irresponsible and outrageous" and he suggested that a massive voter turnout will overwhelm the president’s claims that the results will be disputed.

“The people in this country are going to be heard on 3 November,” he said.

The candidate and his wife Jill Biden appeared in Washington DC on Friday to attend services for late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, lying in state at the US Capitol.

Mr Trump is expected to announce his third appointment to the high court on Saturday.

Vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris will deliver remarks on Monday in response.

Follow live coverage as it happened

Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load

These signs will tell you who is winning the presidential debate

Here’s Graig Graziosi with a look at what to watch out for in terms of the candidates’ respective body language during next Tuesday’s face-off in Cleveland.

This is how you’ll know who is winning the presidential debate

Debate experts weigh in on how to tell who is winning a debate

Joe Sommerlad25 September 2020 15:40

What Biden needs to do to win the debate, according to the experts

“Biden has said he’s going to fact check Trump in real life. Oh my God no, don't to that,” says Dr Todd Graham of Southern Illinois University. 

"Studies indicate that if you fact check someone, the audience is more likely to have a backfire effect and believe your opponents' claim. If he actually tries to fact check in detail he'll spend the entire debate on defense," 

This is what Biden needs to do to win the first debate, according to experts

Debate experts say if Joe Biden wants to win, his message must be more than ‘I’m not Trump’

Joe Sommerlad25 September 2020 16:20

White House slaps down FBI director for dismissing Trump election fraud claims

The White House came down on the director of the FBI on Friday after he testified there has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud in a major election.

In the Trump administration’s latest criticism of Christopher Wray, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said that the director may change his view if he got involved with the investigation of fraud allegations.

“With all due respect to Director Wray, he has a hard time finding emails in his own FBI let alone figuring out whether there is any kind of voter fraud,” Mr Meadows said during an interview with CBS This Morning.

His remarks followed Mr Wray's testimony before a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee contradicted Donald Trump’s claims that widespread mail-in voting would result in widespread voter fraud.

“We have not seen, historically, any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether it’s by mail or otherwise,” Mr Wray testified.

White House slaps down FBI director for dismissing Trump election fraud claims

It is the second major rebuke from the White House after the president hinted he was “looking at” replacing the head of the agency

Alex Woodward25 September 2020 17:20

Joe Biden attends Ruth Bader Ginsburg services as GOP leaders avoid ceremony

Joe and Jill Biden visited the US Capitol on Friday to pay respects to US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on 18 September.

Donald Trump and GOP house leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are not attending today’s ceremony.

Top Republicans skip Ruth Bader Ginsburg's memorial service at Capitol

Eulogizing rabbi credits late justice with ‘evening up the rights between women and men’ and ‘changing the course of law’

Alex Woodward25 September 2020 18:28

Kamala Harris to campaign in North Carolina following Trump’s SCOTUS announcement

Vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris is set to campaign in North Carolina on Monday to deliver remarks on the future of the US Supreme Court “and what’s at stake for the American people."

On Saturday, Donald Trump is expected to announce his pick, expected to receive a swift approval by the Republican-controlled Senate, to replace late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

He is scheduled to announce a decision at 5pm EST.

Alex Woodward25 September 2020 18:55

Cindy McMain: ‘I’m not going to change my party but I believe what I’m doing is the right thing’

The widow of late Republican Senator and former GOP presidential candidate John McCain, who ran against Barack Obama in 2008, has endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 race.

The campaign has released a video of Cindy McCain speaking with the former vice president.

“I’m not going to change my party but I believe what I’m doing is the right thing,” she said. “In this administration there is no character, integrity, or values. That’s why you’re so important, because you represent all of those things, and moreso.”

Alex Woodward25 September 2020 19:20

Ron Paul: Former presidential candidate in hospital after suffering medical emergency during livestream

Ron Paul was hospitalized after appearing to suffer a medical emergency during a live stream on Friday, according to reports.

The former presidential candidate was broadcasting an episode of Liberty Report on his YouTube channel when his speech began to suggest signs of an emergency.

The Independent is not publishing video circulating online due to its sensitivity.

Mr Paul, 85, who was discussing federal stimulus money at the time, was taken to hospital in Texas for “precautionary” reasons, Fox News reported.

Ron Paul in hospital after suffering medical emergency during livestream

The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.

Alex Woodward25 September 2020 19:40

Trump claims Joe Biden ‘cares more about citizens of other countries’ than black Americans

Donald Trump, appearing at a Black Economic Empowerment" event in Atlanta, claimed that "Joe Biden cares more about citizens of other countries" than black Americans.

"I will always put Americans first and that includes very very importantly black Americans," the president said.

The president’s alleged record with black Americans does not stand up to scrutiny.

Trump claims to have improved the lives of Black people. The numbers say otherwise

Trump’s bold claims about improving the lives of Black Americans do not stand up to scrutiny 

Alex Woodward25 September 2020 20:24

Trump attacks Black Lives Matter movement during black empowerment event

Donald Trump has condemned Black Lives Matter supporters are “fools” and claimed that the movement demanding justice for police brutality against black Americans is “hurting the black community.”

The president conflated its broad support with an “extreme socialist left” and said “wealthy liberal hypocrites” are “fools” for supporting it.

He is delivering remarks to a “black empowerment event” in Atlanta, where he has contrasted his term to Joe Biden, who the president claimed "cares more about citizens of other countries" than black Americans."

Alex Woodward25 September 2020 20:57

Trump supporters chant ‘fill that seat’ day before president to name Ginsburg successor

Donald Trump is set to name his nominee to the US Supreme Court on Saturday, a week after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Supporters in Atlanta at a “black economic empowerment” event chanted “fill that seat."

“The Democrats don’t think we should do it," he said. "Put them in our shoes … They would be working over the weekend. They have been not good to deal with.”

Alex Woodward25 September 2020 21:01

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in