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Bloomberg super PAC outspending Trump in Ohio ahead of Election Day: report

Billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s super PAC is poised to outspend President Trump’s campaign in Ohio in the final days of his 2020 election race against Democratic nominee Joe Biden, according to a report Wednesday.

The super PAC, Independence USA, is set to spend $3.7 million on broadcast television ads in support of Biden’s candidacy in the final week of the race, Cleveland.com reported, citing data from consulting firm Medium Buying. The ad blitz is focused on several major Ohio cities, including Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown.

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Trump is scheduled to spend $3.6 million over the same period, the majority of which will be spent on broadcast television ads. The Biden campaign has spent $6.2 million since the beginning of the month, according to the report.

The Ohio ad campaign is part of a last-minute spending push by Bloomberg, who is expected to spend a total of $15 million between Ohio and Texas, the New York Times reported. The billionaire media executive staged a brief campaign for the Democratic nomination, but dropped out of the race in March and ultimately endorsed Biden.

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Earlier this month, the Trump campaign canceled millions of dollars in planned ads in Ohio, in a move his representatives touted as a sign of the strength of their position with the state’s voters.

Ohio has 18 electoral votes and is considered a key swing state this election cycle. A recent Fox News poll showed Trump with a slight edge over Biden. The president won Ohio by eight percentage points in 2016.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez: Biden vs. Trump — Why Latinos in Florida are turning to Trump

Former Vice President Joe Biden is suffering from a major Latino-induced headache ahead of the election.

As expected, Biden is leading President Trump with Latino voters nationally, but he is seriously underperforming Hillary Clinton’s support among the community in 2016.

This is of particular concern in Florida, a key battleground state where Latinos represent 20% of the electorate.

In 2016, Clinton won 62% of the Latino vote in Florida but still lost the sunshine state. The most recent polls show Biden trailing Clinton among Latinos in Florida, in some cases by as much as 10 points.

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The other side of this equation has many Democrats perplexed: why are Latinos turning to President Trump over Biden? If they want to know the answer, they should start by asking the question many of us are asking ourselves: where is the Democratic Party of Obama of 2008?

Today’s Democratic Party is completely unrecognizable from the party many Latinos supported in 2008 and 2012. The 2020 party’s vision of America risks not reflecting the beliefs or values that drew our immigrant ancestors to this great nation.

In recent years, Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have pulled the party and its leadership so far left that it has left no room for Latinos who do not embrace extreme liberal or socialist positions.

It didn’t use to be this way.

I remember fondly sitting with then-Senator Barack Obama in Chicago in 2007 when he sincerely wanted to know about the interests and concerns of America’s quickly growing Latino — particularly evangelical — community.

Latinos helped Obama win both in 2008 and in 2012 because Obama’s Democratic Party understood that our community’s beliefs are not monolithic.

We have never been defined by a single issue. Even Latinos who identify as Democrats tend to be more moderate in their beliefs.

For example, while the current Democratic establishment supports defunding the police, Latinos embrace the idea of reforming law-enforcement without diluting or jeopardizing the necessary services that provide security for our families. Simply stated, Latinos are both pro-justice and pro-police.

In addition, while Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., both oppose charter schools and school choice, Latinos desire education equality and believe that all children deserve the highest quality education. In fact, education — not immigration — is one of the primary social concerns for Latinos, and Latino families support school choice.

On some issues, Latinos are actually more conservative than even their white counterparts.

The Latino community is the most pro-life community in the American electorate, according to Pew Research.

Many Latinos, especially people of faith like our exponentially growing evangelical community, have strong social conservative values and beliefs.

One study found that Latino evangelicals tend to have more conservative beliefs than white evangelicals when it comes to the dignity of every human life, and the community finds late-term abortion especially abhorrent.

Can you imagine what Latinos thought when Virginia’s Democrat governor seemed to advocate for infanticide? Arguably, this very issue is one of the primary reasons why 28% of Latino voters supported Trump in 2016, in spite of his tweets, comments and immigration rhetoric.

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In 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made the mistake of believing Latinos would blindly support her even after she endorsed late-term abortions.

Now, Biden, who in 2019 backtracked his support for the Hyde Amendment, is making the same mistake.

The fact that Sen. Harris has a record of targeting pro-life advocates does not help the Biden-Harris campaign.

Most recently, the Democrats’ hostile grilling of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s personal religious beliefs about the sanctity of human life during her recent confirmation hearings was off-putting for many Latinos.

Of particular concern for many Latinos is also the Democratic Party’s targeting of religious freedom, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Pew Research, Latinos are among the most religious communities in the U.S. and are strong supporters of religious liberty and freedom of speech, yet the Democratic Party has consistently chipped away at these, not realizing it’s targeting countless Latino families who consider their faith to be an integral part of their lives.

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When Obama won the 2008 and 2012 elections with strong Latino support he did so because he didn’t try to adapt the will of Latinos to the Democratic platform. Instead, he forced the Democratic party to acknowledge the will of Latinos. He recognized this is a representative democracy. In America, elite politicians do not superimpose their will on the people.

Biden would do well to remember that the issues of concern for Latinos largely remain as they were when I sat with Obama in 2007.

If he actually cares about winning our vote in November, he needs to start listening to what Latinos actually believe. But, it seems to me, it may already be too late.

Let’s remember Biden could have selected a Latino as his running mate — but he didn’t.

He could have selected a non-Latino that at least reflects the values of the vast majority of Latinos — but he didn’t.

Instead, Biden picked the single most liberal senator in Congress — yes, even further left than Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to GovTrack. By doing so, he chose to alienate the Latino vote.

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We shouldn’t be surprised if, come November, President Trump receives the same kind of support George W. Bush did in 2004 from the Latino community. Biden has opted to embrace political expediency over conviction, and with that embrace, he has let go of millions of Latinos.

It was his choice, not ours.

No. 4 Notre Dame, others look to end No. 1 Clemson’s ACC run

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly doesn’t try to hide it: The Fighting Irish are looking directly at No. 1 Clemson and the chance to end the Tigers’ domination of the league.

And maybe believing is the first step in knocking off Clemson.

“You’ve got to have a belief you can do it,” said EJ Manuel, an analyst for the ACC Network and former Florida State quarterback. “That’s important.”

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Clemson has been the ACC’s most dominant football program the last six seasons, going 75-5 in that stretch with five straight league titles, five consecutive trips to the College Football Playoff and a pair of national championships.

There is no shortage of schools that would like to derail the Tigers this year. Fourth-ranked Notre Dame, No. 12 Miami (which is hoping for a second shot at Clemson) and No. 15 North Carolina all believe they have the talent to get it done.

The Fighting Irish, who compete in several ACC sports, added football because of the challenges fielding a schedule due to the coronavirus. These days, t hat means getting through Clemson and Kelly acknowledged the Tigers are on his mind even with a game to play before their Nov. 7 showdown.

“It’s risky because, in some instances, people would stay, ‘You’re looking ahead,’” Kelly said. “Well, we are looking ahead a little bit.”

Clemson has not been caught napping much during its six-year run. The Tigers have only lost twice to ACC opponents (Pitt in 2016 and Syracuse a year later). They have won 27 straight against league competition and Clemson is two games away from the ACC record of 29 straight set during Florida State’s run of success from 1992-2000 when the Seminoles won eight league titles, two national titles and went 70-2 in conference play.

“It’s not really common that people win like this and for such a long time,” said Clemson linebacker Mike Jones Jr. “Eventually, something’s got to fold,”

Jones gets questions from family and close friends about the streak.

“I could see how if you’re not here everyday,” he said, “… to think, ‘How are these guys doing it?’”

Former Tulane and Clemson coach Tommy Bowden had an up-close view of Florida State’s ascension as the son of Seminoles great Bobby Bowden and from the opposite sideline after he became Tigers coach in 1999.

Tommy Bowden said Florida State’s success then and Clemson’s run now were built on superior recruiting, an easily repeatable plan of effective preparation and the constant reminder to players of living up to past standards.

To combat that formula, Bowden said those chasing the Tigers must be as relentless in their own belief that they can hang in all areas.

“It doesn’t hurt to have some really good players,” Bowden joked.

That’s something the Irish, Hurricanes and Tar Heels have in common.

— Notre Dame has excelled on defense this season, leading the ACC in fewest points and yards allowed. The strength of that unit is against the pass, allowing just two passing TDs this season. That could serve the Irish well against Clemson next month; safety Kyle Hamilton is Notre Dame’s leading tackler and the Irish also have two experienced defensive backs in Shaun Crawford and Nick McCloud. Quarterback Ian Book threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns against Pitt and appears to have the Irish offense humming along.

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— Miami missed its first opportunity this season in a 42-17 loss at Clemson earlier this month in what some thought would be a coming out party for the Hurricanes. But they are looking for a possible second shot at the Tigers in the ACC title game. The Hurricanes have bounced back from the loss to Clemson with two straight wins behind dynamic quarterback D’Eriq King, the transfer from Houston. The Hurricane defense, led by defensive back Bubba Bolden and linemen Jared Harrison-Hunte and Quincy Roche, is third in the ACC in fewest points allowed, behind only Notre Dame and Clemson.

— North Carolina has the firepower to keep up with the Tigers if the teams meet in the ACC title game. Sam Howell is perhaps the best quarterback in the league not named Trevor Lawrence and the Tar Heels’ tailback duo of Michael Carter and Javonte Williams are both averaging over 110 yards a game on the ground with a combined 13 touchdowns.

North Carolina coach Mack Brown still has plenty of questions about his team, particularly after his team fell behind Florida State by 24 points and couldn’t finish the comeback in the 31-28 loss two weeks ago.

Despite a rebound win over North Carolina State last Saturday, the Tar Heels have work to do to compete for an ACC title.

“We’re better than we were last year at this point,” Brown said. “We’re making progress. We see a lot of good things that are coming.”

Trump administration considers early biometric screening for visa seekers

WASHINGTON – The White House is developing a plan to create a new biometric database that prospective immigrants or visitors would need to enter before they apply for visas to come to the U.S., according to draft plans reviewed by The Wall Street Journal and two government officials involved in the conversations.

Under the change, visa applicants would need to submit their fingerprints and possibly other biometric information to be entered into a new database before they are permitted to submit applications online. Right now, visa applicants visit a U.S. consulate abroad after they file an application to do an interview and submit their fingerprints.

FILE: The White House as seen on Monday afternoon, Oct. 5, 2020, in Washington.
(AP)

The plan has been the subject of discussion for several months at the White House’s National Security Council. On Oct. 14, officials directed the Department of Homeland Security to begin purchasing fingerprinting machines to ship to consulates abroad, according to a “summary of conclusions” document reviewed by the Journal. Consulates already have machines they use to take fingerprints, but the machines used by DHS collect more detailed fingerprints.

The Department of Homeland Security referred comment to the National Security Council, which declined to comment for this article.

Administration officials have argued internally that collecting biometric information earlier will allow the government more time to conduct background checks, and it furthers President Trump’s promise in 2016 to crack down on foreign visitors.

The president had vowed to install “extreme vetting” policies for refugees, immigrants and other visitors to prevent potential terrorists from entering the country. His administration has taken numerous steps toward that goal, implementing “enhanced screening” procedures for refugees from certain countries and requiring visa applicants to submit social-media passwords with their applications.

Consulates already have machines they use to take fingerprints, like the one pictured, but the machines used by DHS collect more detailed fingerprints.

But some of the officials working on the policy questioned whether the administration would have a specific use for the biometrics before someone files a visa application.

Michele Thoren Bond, who headed the State Department’s consular affairs section under the Obama administration, said she hadn’t heard of the plan, but if it is implemented, it could prove counterproductive

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“Suppose you happen to have a hit. You have the fingerprints of someone in your system who’s a criminal or a terrorist,” she said. “You actually want them to apply, that way you get more information about them.”

Most visa applicants would be required to enter the biometrics database, eventually including citizens of Canada and the 39 countries currently enrolled in the visa waiver program—who generally don’t need to apply for visas before flying to the U.S.—to submit their biometric information at a consulate as well, the document states.

That expansion has sparked concerns among some Homeland Security officials that countries in the visa waiver program, who must also agree to allow American citizens to come without visas, might retaliate by imposing their own travel requirements, the people familiar with the matter said.

It isn’t clear how quickly such a plan could become reality. Two people involved in planning said it is unlikely the system would come online within the next couple months, as Trump’s first term ends.

The idea for an additional layer of biometric collection was first mentioned in a June presidential proclamation, which drew headlines for temporarily banning a number of employment-based visa categories, including the H-1B for foreign professionals, through the rest of 2020.

Section five of that proclamation contained a wish list of new policies to be implemented by the Homeland Security Department secretary.

The first item on the list directed DHS to make visa applicants ineligible “to apply for a visa or for admission or entry into the United States or other benefit until such alien has been registered with biographical and biometric information, including but not limited to photographs, signatures, and fingerprints.”

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Last month, DHS proposed another new policy that would require immigrants in the U.S. applying for green cards, citizenship or visas to submit a wider array of biometric information, including DNA samples, iris scans and voice recordings. American citizens sponsoring a family member to immigrate to the U.S. could also be required to submit biometric samples.

To read more from The Wall Street Journal, click here.

NXIVM founder Keith Raniere’s ex-girlfriend applauds his prison sentence: ‘The devil has been chained forever’

Keith Raniere‘s ex-girlfriend of nearly a decade is speaking out about the NXIVM leader’s prison sentence.

Raniere, the former leader of self-help group NXIVM, was sentenced to 120 years in prison on Tuesday in a federal case that accused him of turning some female members into his “sex slaves” branded with his initials.

Toni Natalie, who dated Raniere from 1991 to 1999, was one of over a dozen women who read victim impact statements at Tuesday’s hearing. On Wednesday, Natalie shared in a statement to Fox News how she feels about his lengthy sentence.

“To all the brave victims that stood up, and spoke out, we did it,” Natalie said. “You can’t buy justice in the Eastern District of New York. This should have been done years ago in the Northern District of New York! The devil has been chained forever.”

SEX CULT CONVICT KEITH RANIERE’S FORMER NEIGHBORS ‘TERRIFIED’ AFTER DOCUMENTARY CLAIMS HE POISONED WOMEN IN NY HOME

Natalie penned the book “The Program: Inside the Mind of Keith Raniere and the Rise and Fall of NXIVM” in 2019 about their former relationship. She battled Raniere in court for years and called for his arrest long before he was taken into custody in 2018.

The NXIVM Executive Success Programs sign outside of the office in Albany, New York. Its founder, Keith Raniere, was sentenced to 120 years in prison for crimes including racketeering, sex trafficking and wire fraud conspiracy.
(Amy Luke/Getty Images)

Most recently, she was featured on the Oct. 4 episode of HBO’s “The Vow.”

NXIVM SEX CULT LEADER KEITH RANIERE SPEAKS OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HIS ARREST: ‘YES, I AM INNOCENT’

Natalie’s statement follows actress Catherine Oxenberg’s comments about Raniere’s sentencing. The actress’s daughter, India Oxenberg, was among NXIVM’s former members.

After her daughter India fell victim to the cult, the “Dynasty” star openly campaigned for help in rescuing her daughter and bringing an end to the horrors of NXIVM’s master-slave sorority, also known as DOS.

On Twitter, a reporter noted that “Raniere professed his innocence in court, claimed the victims were lying in their statements and then said he was ‘deeply remorseful.'”

Oxenberg wasn’t buying it.

“Only a monster would discredit his victims,” she responded. “Remorseful for what? himself? Typical sociopath.”

NICKI CLYNE DEFENDS NXIVM SEX CULT LEADER KEITH RANIERE, CALLS HIM HER FORMER ‘PARTNER’ FOR ‘OVER A DECADE’

Keith Raniere, the ex-leader of NXIVM, was convicted in 2019 of seven counts that included racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, forced labor conspiracy, sex trafficking, sex trafficking conspiracy and attempted sex trafficking.
(YouTube)

Oxenberg also issued a statement to People magazine following the sentencing, stating: “Tragically, he abused and exploited my own beloved daughter and countless others. My faith in the justice system is renewed.”

Raniere’s sentencing comes weeks after Seagram’s heiress Clare Bronfman, 41, was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for her role in the federal conspiracy case. Prosecutors had only sought five years.

Along with Bronfman, Raniere’s teachings won him the devotion of Hollywood actors including Allison Mack of “Smallville.” Mack also has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

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Prosecutors said Raniere, 60, led what amounted to a criminal enterprise, inducing shame and guilt to influence and control co-conspirators who helped recruit and groom sexual partners for Raniere.

Fox News’ Nate Day and Tyler McCarthy contributed to this report.

Loaded No. 21 USC grateful to be in Pac-12 title chase

Southern California and the Pac-12 appeared to be on the way to spending 2020 without football until the Trojans got involved.

The USC players wrote a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom last month, pleading to be allowed to play safely amid the coronavirus pandemic. Nine days and a few political machinations later, the Trojans and their conference had a plan for a seven-game regular season starting in early November.

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The Trojans didn’t do it all themselves, but they’re hoping to make the most of an opportunity created in part by their persistence. USC knows it likely has the Pac-12 South’s most talented roster along with two topflight coordinators running both sides of the ball for coach Clay Helton, and the Trojans didn’t want to waste a year of their careers with so much to gain.

“It’s just been exciting being back in the locker room with the guys,” said quarterback Kedon Slovis, who threw 30 touchdown passes last season as a freshman. “It’s been such a long time. It’s exciting to be back out there and see what the offense looks like with 11 guys out there. Just really excited to get back out there and see everyone again.”

USC was picked to win the South in the preseason poll, and the rest of the nation sees the Trojans’ potential as well: USC is ranked No. 21 in the current AP Top 25 despite not yet taking the field. Oregon is the only Pac-12 team ranked higher.

“It hurts your soul to be able to watch other teams (play) and we weren’t getting that opportunity,” Helton said. “So to be able to have this opportunity, we’re grateful. The approach for us is just put the ball down.”

They’ll do just that in an empty Coliseum against Arizona State on Nov. 7 at the unsightly kickoff time of 9 a.m. The Trojans believe the team they’ll field that morning has the potential to be special.

Slovis spent the first few months of the offseason healing his throwing arm after an injury forced him out of the Holiday Bowl, but he’s back at full strength for his second season in Graham Harrell’s version of the Air Raid offense. So are several gifted skill-position teammates on an offense that produced 32.5 points per game last season, tops in the South.

“You forget that he was a true freshman last year,” Helton said of Slovis. “He’s a full-grown man now, and I think he’s developed a lot of core strength. He’s always had a lot of arm talent, but now he’s making every throw on the field. You’ve got to have some special strength and arm talent to do that.”

Helton fired defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast after USC gave up 49 points to Iowa in the Holiday Bowl, hiring former Texas coordinator Todd Orlando to replace him. Although Orlando didn’t get spring practices to teach his defense, he’s hoping a month of training camp will be sufficient.

“We’ve put a whole new system in, and we’re trying to learn as much as we can,” safety Talanoa Hufanga said. “You just try to be smart, absorb everything and run with it. More than anything, (Orlando) emphasizes run-and-hit, so that’s what we’re trying to do.”

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LOADED LINEUP

Tailback U. returns four quality running backs, with seniors Stephen Carr and Vavae Malepeai backed by Markese Stepp and speedster Kenan Christon. Sharing carries will be tricky if all four are healthy, but it’s a problem that most schools would love to have.

The Trojans are more top-heavy at receiver, but that top should be among the nation’s best: Tyler Vaughns and Amon-Ra St. Brown lead the way, with USC basketball player Drake London and former five-star recruit Bru McCoy also ready to contribute.

SLICK SECONDARY

USC’s secondary might be the best on the West Coast with the return of four regular starters from 2019, when it had the Pac-12’s fourth-best pass defense. Hufanga and Isaiah Pola-Mao are back at safety with Olaijah Griffin and Chris Steele at cornerback.

BIG BLOCK

The USC offense got a major boost three weeks ago when lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker reversed course and returned to school for another season. Vera-Tucker had opted out in September. His hulking presence is expected to protect Slovis’ blind side at left tackle.

VIRUS UPDATE

The football program paused workouts in August after a coronavirus outbreak among USC athletes apparently traced to parties near campus. The Trojans haven’t had a reported positive test in several weeks since.

SCHEDULE SCRAMBLE

The pandemic wiped out two huge non-conference games: The Trojans’ high-profile season opener against Alabama in Arlington, Texas, and the classic intersectional rivalry game against Notre Dame. USC and the Fighting Irish hadn’t missed their matchup since 1945, and the Trojans were scheduled to host this year. Starting with their visit from the Sun Devils next weekend, the Trojans are left with six scheduled games and a seventh to be determined.

Facebook, Twitter CEOs struggle to name a single liberal who has been censored on their platforms

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey struggled to name a single liberal person or entity who has been censored by their social media platforms on Wednesday during the Senate hearing on Big tech.

Twitter and Facebook have both been accused of bias against conservatives, so Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, asked Zuckerberg and Dorsey to name “one high-profile person or entity from a liberal ideology” who has been censored or had actions taken against them.

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“I can get you a list of some more of this but there are certainly many examples that your Democratic colleagues object to when… a fact-checker might label something as false if they disagree with it, or, um,” Zuckerberg said before he was cut off.

“I get that, I just want to be clear, I’m just asking you if you could name for me, one high-profile liberal person or company who you have censored,” Lee said. “I just want one name, one person or one entity.”

Zuckerberg was unable to answer the question and told Lee he needed time to think about it.

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“But there are certainly many issues on both sides of the aisle where people think we are making content-moderation decisions that they disagree with,” Zuckerberg said.

Lee then pointed out that most people on the call could easily identify high-profile conservatives who have been censored before asking the Twitter honcho if he had a better answer.

“Well, we can give a more exhaustive list, but again, we don’t have the political ideology of our accounts,” Dorsey said.

“I’m not asking for an exhaustive list, I’m asking for a single example. Just one individual, one entity,” Lee said.

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“We’ve taken action on tweets from members of the House for election misinfo,” Dorsey responded.

“Can you identity and example?” Lee asked.

Dorsey could not name the Democratic members of Congress off the top of his head.

“I’ll get those names to you,” he said.

Arozarena’s breakout postseason not quite enough for Rays

Randy Arozarena did pretty much everything during a breakout performance for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Except win it all.

Arozarena extended his big league record with his 10th postseason homer Tuesday night, but Tampa Bay lost 3-1 to the champion Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series.

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Arozarena batted .364 (8 for 22) with three homers and four RBIs in the Fall Classic, but it wasn’t enough. The rookie outfielder also set a major league record with 29 hits and 64 total bases for the postseason.

“That was unbelievable. We were watching him in San Diego, what he did against the two AL teams, and then he brought it over in the World Series. He never stopped,” Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger said. “Really special talent, clearly, and he’s going to have an unbelievable career ahead of him.”

One year ago, Arozarena was coming off his first stint in the majors with St. Louis. The Cuban Rocket hit .300 in 19 games with the Cardinals, and then went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in five appearances during the team’s run to the NL Championship Series.

Tampa Bay acquired Arozarena and utilityman José Martínez in a January trade that sent touted pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore to St. Louis.

Arozarena missed the start of this season after he tested positive for the coronavirus. He was working out at the team’s alternate training site when the Rays traded Martínez to the Cubs on Aug. 30, clearing the way for his promotion.

The 25-year-old Arozarena hit .281 with seven homers and 11 RBIs in 23 games during his first season with Tampa Bay, helping the team win the AL East for the first time in 10 years.

Arozarena put together a strong finish to the season, and then carried his momentum into the playoffs. He went 12 for 20 with three homers in his first five postseason games.

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His last homer in the World Series, an opposite-field drive to right in the first, gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead in Game 6.

“The home run the first inning, I was like, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Bellinger said. “A slider three inches away it seemed like, and he barreled it up and hit it out. I’m like, this guy is unbelievable.”

There were runners on first and second when Arozarena batted again in the second, but he struck out swinging for the final out of the inning.

Arozarena also singled with two outs in the fifth, but was stranded there when Austin Meadows bounced out.

Biden says ‘no excuse’ for looting in Philadelphia after Black man killed by police

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says there’s “no excuse whatsoever” for the ongoing looting and violence in Philadelphia.

The city’s been rocked for two straight nights by unrest following the death of 27-year-old Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man who was fatally shot by police on Monday.

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The former vice president, speaking with reporters after he and his wife Jill Biden cast their ballots in early voting in their hometown if Wilmington, Del., emphasized that “there is no excuse whatsoever for the looting and the violence. None whatsoever.”

Biden stressed that “to be able to protest is totally legitimate, totally reasonable.”

But in criticizing the looting, he pointed to the victim’s father. Walter Wallace, Sr. condemned the violence, telling reporters on Tuesday that “I would feel like everybody having respect for my family and my son to stop this violence and chaos that’s going on in this city with people that have businesses.”

Biden highlighted that moving forward, the questions of “how you diminish the prospect of lethal shooting and circumstances like the one we saw” will have to be answered.

And he said that if elected president, “that’s going to be part of the commission I set up to determine how we deal these changes.”

The Trump administration says it “stands proudly with law enforcement.” And in a statement, the White House charged that “the riots in Philadelphia are the most recent consequence of the Liberal Democrats’ war against the police.”

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Several hundred members of the Pennsylvania National Guard are being sent to the city at the request of Philadelphia County to assist with responding to the unrest.

Pope Francis blames ‘this lady called COVID’ for distance from faithful

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has blamed “this lady called COVID” for forcing him to keep his distance again from the faithful during his general audience, which was far smaller than usual amid soaring coronavirus infections in Italy.

Francis again eschewed a protective mask Wednesday even when he greeted a few maskless clergymen at the end of his audience. While the prelates wore masks throughout the hour-long audience, they took them off when they lined up to shake Francis’ hand and speak briefly with him one-on-one.

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Zampini said he hoped Francis would don a mask at least when he greeted people during the general audience. “We are working on that,” he said.

Francis has only been seen wearing a mask in public twice: On Sept. 9 as he entered and exited his general audience, and last week during a two-hour interfaith prayer service in downtown Rome.

Pope Francis shakes hands with Monsignor Luis Maria Rodrigo Ewart as he arrives in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican for his weekly general audience, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

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While Francis’ lung condition could explain his reluctance to wear a mask, there has been no comment from the Vatican about why protocol officials allow other people to get close to him without donning face protection. People who have had private meetings with him recently said no masks were worn and no proof of recent negative virus tests required. Vatican regulations require masks indoors and out when social distancing cannot be guaranteed.

A Vatican official who is a key member of Francis’ COVID-19 response commission, the Rev. Augusto Zampini, acknowledged Tuesday that at age 83 and with part of his lung removed after an illness in his youth, Francis would be at high risk for complications if he were to become infected. Zampini said he hoped Francis would don a mask at least when he greeted people during the general audience. “We are working on that,” he said. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

At the start of the audience, Francis again apologized that he wouldn’t descend into the crowd to greet well-wishers because he said doing so would create a crowd around him.

“And this goes against the precautions we need before this lady called COVID, who does us so much harm,” Francis said from the stage of the Vatican auditorium. “For this reason, please forgive me that I don’t go down to greet you. I greet you from here and I keep you in my heart, and please keep me in your heart and pray for me.”

Italy, the first country in the West to be slammed by the pandemic, has seen a sharp rebound in infections in recent weeks, prompting the government to close restaurants and bars at night and shutter theaters, gyms and pools. Public health officials are urging people to stay home as much as possible.

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Francis’ audience – which in pre-pandemic times would draw thousands of people each week to St. Peter’s Square or the auditorium – featured only a few hundred people Wednesday.

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