Tulsi Gabbard’s Campaign Calls On the DNC to Ensure Transparency in Debate Requirements  

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. The campaign of Congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard is calling on the Democratic National Committee to revise their list of debate qualifying polls in light of numerous irregularities in the selection and timing of those polls, to ensure transparency and fairness.  The DNC set a threshold that candidates must meet 2% in four DNC-certified polls in order to qualify for the third and fourth Democratic primary debates. However, the DNC has not released their criteria for selecting the 16 polling organizations they deem “certified.”  Rep. Gabbard has exceeded 2% support in 26 national and early state polls, but only two of them are on the DNC’s “certified” list. Many of the uncertified polls, including those conducted by highly reputable organizations such as The Economist and the Boston Globe, are ranked by Real Clear Politics and FiveThirtyEight as more accurate than some DNC “certified” polls.  After examining the list of certified and non-certified polls, Michael Tracey wrote in Real Clear Politics, “Tulsi Gabbard is on the verge of being excluded from the next Democratic presidential debate on the basis of criteria that appear increasingly absurd.”    The Democratic National Committee has the responsibility to facilitate more conversations between the future leaders of this country, not less. Notably, there have been only four qualifying polls released after the second Democratic primary debate compared with fourteen qualifying polls released in the month after the first Democratic primary debate.  Having received 2% in a qualifying CNN poll released Tuesday, August 20th, Gabbard is now two DNC-certified polls away from qualifying for the debates in Houston next month. According to Tracey, “Gabbard has [also] polled at 2% or more in two polls sponsored by the two largest newspapers in two early primary states, but the DNC -- through its mysteriously incoherent selection process -- has determined that these surveys do not count toward her debate eligibility. Without these exclusions, Gabbard would have already qualified.”  In a 2018 memo laying out their proposed framework for the debates, the DNC wrote, “Given the fluid nature of the presidential nominating process, the DNC will continuously assess the state of the race and make adjustments to this process as appropriate.”  The Gabbard campaign is calling on the DNC to hold true to their promise and make adjustments to the process now to ensure transparency and fairness. Crucial decisions on debate qualifications that impact the right of the American people to have the opportunity to participate fully in the Democratic process should not be made in secret by party bosses. For the sake of democracy, those decisions must be made openly, with clear and consistent standards and a sufficient window of opportunity for candidates to demonstrate genuine grassroots momentum and enthusiasm.  Additional Background Timing of polls released after the first and second Democratic primary debates  As the campaigns head into the second half of August, only four of the DNC’s list of sixteen qualifying polling organizations - Monmouth, Fox, Quinnipiac and CNN/SRSS - have released any new polls following the second July 30-31 Democratic presidential debate in Detroit.  In the two weeks after the first Democratic primary debate in Miami, the period between June 28 and July 13, six DNC-certified polls were released. After the second debate in Detroit, when Rep. Gabbard had one of the strongest performances on the stage, only two certified polls were released in the two weeks following her break-out appearance.

No major news source released a national poll in the two week period following the second debate, compared to five polls released by seven major news organizations after the first debate. For example, CNN released DNC-certified polls on a regular monthly basis since March until after the Detroit debate (which CNN co-hosted) when they inexplicably stopped releasing polls. Following the first debate in Miami, 14 of the DNC’s qualified polling organizations released numbers, and four of these organizations releasedmultiple polls. This contrasts starkly with the almost dormant activity of these same polling organizations following the second debate.  The delayed release of polls so long after the debates is particularly harmful to candidates with lower name-recognition. Delayed poll releases are an advantage for high-name recognition candidates such as Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris. DNC’s polling criteria is unknown; disadvantages Rep. Gabbard In addition, the campaign is concerned that the DNC has not made their criteria for poll selection known and, in some cases, the DNC is relying on inferior, less accurate polls.  As of Aug 20th, Rep. Gabbard has qualified for two DNC-certified polls, but she has exceeded 2% support in 24 uncertified non-qualifying polls since June 28 (as reported by Real Clear Politics and FiveThirtyEight).  Rep. Gabbard’s qualifying/non-qualifying polls above 2% since June 28th DNC-Qualifying Polls Over 2% Since June 28th New Hampshire (CBS/YouGov) 2% (July 2019) National (CNN/SSRS) 2% (July 2019) Non Qualifying Polls 2% and Over Since June 28th (national and early states only) (Currently 24) National (Harvard/Harris) 2% (July 2019) National (Emerson) 2% (July 2019) National (Economist/YouGov) 2% (July 2019) New Hampshire (Change Research/PollerCoaster) 2% (July 2019) South Carolina (Change Research/PollerCoaster) 2% (July 2019) New Hampshire (603/Change Research) 3% (July 2019) National (ABC News/Washington Post) (July 2019) (*qualifying poll but “non-qualifying” question. received 2% in open-ended question) National (The Economist/YouGov) 2% (July 24th 2019) National (YouGov/PerryUdem) 2% (July 29th) National (ChangeResearch) 2% (July 29th 2019) National (Echelon Insights) 2% (July 29th 2019) National (The Economist/YouGov) 2% (July 31st 2019) National (HarrisX) 3% (August 2nd 2019) National (HarrisX) 2% (July 30th 2019) National (HarrisX) 2% (July 31st 2019) New Hampshire (Suffolk University/Boston Globe) 3% (August 6th 2019) National (The Economist/YouGov) 3% (August 7th 2019) National (ChangeResearch) 2% (August 8th 2019) New Hampshire (Gravis Marketing) 5% (August 13th 2019) National (YouGov/The Economist) 2% (August 14th 2019) Iowa (ChangeResearch) 2% (August 15th, 2019) South Carolina (ChangeResearch) 2% (August 15, 2019) Nevada (Gravis Marketing) 2% (August 20th 2019) National (The Economist/YouGov) 2% (August 21st 2019) While conventional wisdom might assume DNC-certified polls are more accurate than non-qualifying polls, this is not always true. Many non-qualifying polls are more accurate than the DNC’s preferred polls (Sources: American Research Group and FiveThirtyEight). For example, Rep. Gabbard had 3% support Suffolk and Emerson polls (both rated B+). These polls are not approved by the DNC, but received higher accuracy ratings on FiveThirtyEight than some other DNC-approved polls, such as NPR (rated B-). In addition, Rep. Gabbard met the 2% threshold in the Politico/Morning Consult poll, which is non-qualifying and is rated the same as the DNC-“certified” NPR poll. The DNC also “certifies” a poll taken by SurveyMonkey, which received a “D-” accuracy rating, just because the pollster was commissioned by NBC, which is a DNC-approved sponsor. We are calling on the DNC to certify the Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll and the Economist/YouGov polls, which show that Congresswoman Gabbard increased her support to 3%, as well as the Post and Courier poll, conducted by the highest-circulation newspaper in South Carolina. There is no justifiable reason for the DNC to exclude these polls, or polls from other credible organizations.   Journalists with questions should reach out to press@tulsi2020.com and cullen@tulsi2020.com.    Additional background and commentary from Michael Tracey https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/08/21/gabbard_victimized_by_dncs_dubious_debate_criteria_141055.html Tulsi Gabbard is on the verge of being excluded from the next Democratic presidential debate on the basis of criteria that appear increasingly absurd. 1. Take, for instance, her poll standing in New Hampshire, which currently places Gabbard at 3.3% support, according to the RealClearPolitics average as of Aug. 20. One might suspect that such a figure would merit inclusion in the upcoming debates -- especially considering she’s ahead of several candidates who have already been granted entry, including Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, and Andrew Yang. 2. But a poll sponsored by the newspaper with the largest circulation in New Hampshire (the Globe recently surpassed the New Hampshire Union Leader there) does not count, per this cockamamie criteria. 3. A South Carolina poll published Aug. 14 by the Post and Courier placed Gabbard at 2%. One might have again vainly assumed that the newspaper with the largest circulation in a critical early primary state would be an “approved” sponsor per the dictates of the DNC, but it is not. Curious. 4. But Gabbard has polled at 2% or more in six additional YouGov polls -- except those polls are sponsored by The Economist, not CBS. Needless to say, The Economist is not a “sponsoring organization,” per the whims of the DNC. It may be one of the most vaunted news organizations in the world, and YouGov may be a “qualified” polling firm in other contexts, but the DNC has chosen to exclude The Economist’s results for reasons that appear less and less defensible.

About Tulsi Gabbard:   Tulsi is the first female combat veteran to ever run for U.S. president and, along with Tammy Duckworth, one of the first two female combat veterans elected to Congress. Currently a major in the Army National Guard, she has been serving as a Soldier for over 16 years and deployed twice to the Middle East.   Tulsi is a Democrat and was first elected to Congress in 2012. She has been serving there for more than 6 years, including on the Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs, and Armed Services Committees.   Tulsi was Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2013 until she resigned in 2016 to endorse Bernie Sanders in his bid for President.   Tulsi’s campaign for president is powered completely by people. She does not accept campaign contributions from corporations, lobbyists, or any political action committees.   Tulsi was born a US citizen on April 12, 1981 in American Samoa. When she was two years old, her family moved to Hawaii, where she grew up. As is typical of many residents of Hawaii, she is of mixed ethnicity, including Asian, Polynesian, and Caucasian descent. Attachment: PDF Version [Download]   More Information and Updates from Tulsi Gabbard:   TULSI2020.com https://twitter.com/tulsigabbard https://facebook.com/tulsigabbard https://medium.com/@tulsigabbard https://youtube.com/tulsigabbard https://instagram.com/tulsigabbard

Slavery shaped America's pathology on race and whiteness

Four hundred years ago this month, the White Lion, a warship commanded by English privateers, docked at Point Comfort in the colony of Virginia. On board were “20 and odd” Africans who had been captured by Portuguese slavers in present-day Angola and then stolen during an act of piracy on the high seas. Once on land, the African men and women were bought by the “Governor and Cape Marchant … at the best and easiest rate they could,” wrote John Rolfe, the colony’s first successful tobacco planter.

The arrival of the White Lion is frequently thought of as the beginning of chattel slavery in what is now the United States and, as such, the genesis of African-American history and culture.  

But there are many historical inaccuracies about this event that have been passed down through the years. The reality is, though the new arrivals were the first documented enslaved Africans brought to the English-controlled territory in North America, slavery in the present-day United States actually predated them.

The English, along with the Spanish and French, had earlier enslaved Indigenous peoples. And the Spanish, who had been transporting enslaved Africans to present-day Latin America since the early 1500s, had brought them to colonies in the Carolinas and St. Augustine in Florida.

There are, in fact, many other inaccuracies about slavery in popular culture. And, in many ways, our country remains in denial about the foundational role that slavery and white supremacy played in America’s history. 

In part – even a half century after the Jim Crow era came to a close – it’s because our schools do not do a good job teaching this history. To address this deficit, SPLC's Teaching Tolerance program last year released “Teaching Hard History: American Slavery.”

With this groundbreaking initiative, the SPLC offered a suite of resources to help teachers improve how slavery is taught in American schools. Just this week, Teaching Tolerance introduced a new teaching framework for grades K-5 that provides critical lessons and facilitates important conversations. And, in the coming week, we’re launching Season 2 of our podcast series about slavery, the Civil War and the lasting impact of white supremacy.

Right now, much of what elementary-age students learn about slavery lacks the context needed to help them understand it. They may receive passing references to the “peculiar institution” or the creation of the Constitution, but there is no real emphasis on the role slavery played in the nation’s formation and growth. When this role is downplayed in the classroom, students fail to recognize the fullness of our nation’s history or how the legacy of slavery continues to affect our country.

The Teaching Tolerance curriculum debunks the falsehoods that slavery was not the cause of the Civil War and that it was a purely Southern institution. It also reveals an even-less-frequently discussed notion: Slavery shaped America’s pathology on race and whiteness.

It’s well documented that white supremacist ideology evolved to justify such barbaric – and profitable – treatment of human beings. The solution was simple: Cease considering enslaved Africans and African-Americans as people. When people were converted to property in the white imagination, it became easier to sell them like cattle, to separate them from their families, to calculate their worth by age, sex and productivity, to believe they were unable to feel pain, or to rationalize a belief in biological inferiority.

It also became easier to reconcile the inherent contradiction of the dehumanizing institution of slavery with the promise of equal rights enshrined in our country’s founding documents.

Ever since, this white supremacist culture has underpinned a reiterative racial caste system that has given us Black Codes, racial lynchings, convict leasing, Jim Crow segregation, federal housing loan discrimination, the destruction of black neighborhoods for “urban renewal,” environmental injustice, wealth inequality, voter disenfranchisement, mass incarceration, and police brutality. 

The illnesses of white supremacist ideology still infect our country. That’s clear even ingovernment at the highest levels, and it continues to fuel racial violence, hate crimes and mass shootings.

Another significant truth that “Teaching Hard History” reveals about the legacy of slavery: America's economic success was largely made possible by the coerced labor provided by such a cruel institution. The business of slavery fueled the growth of Wall Street, the insurance industry, and shipping fortunes. The labor of enslaved people reaped the cotton that fed the New England mills that launched the Industrial Revolution and built a sprawling rail network, propelling the country’s enormous economic growth in the nineteenth century. That wealth, created by enslaved labor, attracted millions of European immigrants to the nation’s shores well into the 1920s. And when slavery was outlawed, our society built systems that would keep African Americans in as close a condition to slavery as possible. 

It has created a reality in which the economic vitality of our country has been entangled with predatory capitalism and racial subjugation. The economic system produced by slavery, and the vast inequalities it was predicated on, had no small part in ensuring that the United States remains one of the most unequal developed nations in the world. The southeastern United States, where slavery was most prevalent, has suffered particularly from economic stagnation, affecting poor white people and people of color alike.

This inequality lies at the root of the SPLC’s work fighting hate, seeking justice and teaching tolerance.

We’re fighting to rid the South – and the country – of the racist systems and policies that are firmly rooted in the institution of slavery and white supremacist beliefs that continue to marginalize communities of color and people living in poverty.

It’s our hope that by accepting the truth about America’s history and the ways in which our country’s original sin continues to echo in society, our country can put itself on the path toward a more equitable future, one where everyone’s rights are, in fact, “unalienable.”

The Editors of SPLC Weekend Read

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A couple of days ago, we wrote you about Trump’s racist tweet.

Now I’m writing because things have gotten worse.

Last night, at a rally in North Carolina, Trump stood by joyfully as the crowd, in response to false claims he made about U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, bellowed, “Send her back.”

You can’t hear that chant or see a video clip and not be chilled.

Trump is fomenting a fascist movement in this country.

Whatever premeditation went into his initial tweet, Trump’s ongoing attacks against the new women of color members of Congress are now very intentional.

Multiple news reports make clear: His racist demagoguery is going to continue — and get worse.

This will do lasting damage to the country.

This torrent of hate from the president will intensify white resentment and racism.

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There’s one thing that could really make a difference right now: Republicans could speak out publicly and denounce what Trump is doing.

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Time is Running Out...Stand with Our Music Creators

Dear Music Fans,

The summer sun is in full force and so are broadcasters' efforts to recruit supporters to their incredibly misleading resolution: The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA).

Though the name might suggest otherwise, LRFA does nothing to protect or support local radio. In reality, it preserves a decades-old subsidy for the multi-billion-dollar radio industry that refuses to pay music creators fairly for their hard work.

Other more innovative and popular platforms like satellite radio and digital streaming services pay artists for the use of their sound recordings. AM/FM radio doesn't.

LRFA is all about protecting broadcasters' bottom lines and we need to make sure Congress knows what's really going on here.

Click here to send a letter to your member of Congress telling him or her to stand with music creators, not the multibillion-dollar radio industry, and keep their name off of LRFA.

If your member has already signed on – we’ve got you covered. You can send a customized letter to say you're disappointed in them for falling for the NAB's rhetoric and taking the side of the multibillion-dollar industry over hard-working artists.

Music creators deserve to be paid fairly for their hard work. Every other major platform pays artists, it's time for radio to do the same.

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NEED YOUR URGENT SUPPORT TO DEFEND THE VENEZUELAN EMBASSY PROTECTORS

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NEED YOUR URGENT SUPPORT TO DEFEND THE 
VENEZUELAN EMBASSY PROTECTORS

Dear Friend of Peace and Justice,

Embassy Protection Collective (EPC) members stayed in the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington, DC for 37 days to protect the Vienna Convention and prevent an escalation of conflict with Venezuela. During that time, EPC members inside were cut off from receiving food, electricity and water. Those who tried to deliver food to them from outside were physically assaulted. All EPC members were subjected to loud noises, strobe lights, harassment, threats and intimidation. On May 16, federal agents raided the embassy and arrested the four remaining EPC members inside.

Four members of the Embassy Protection Collective — Kevin Zeese, Margaret Flowers, David Paul and Adrienne Pine — have been charged with “interfering with protective services" of the federal government. They face up to a year in jail and up to a $100,000 fine. There are also other activists who were arrested outside the Embassy and are now facing trials, including the costs for one EPC member who was severely injured by the pro-coup mob while trying to deliver food.

Your donation will support EPC members who are now facing federal charges by a state with unlimited resources. The government is intent on making an example of EPC members. 

We must be aware that these trials are going to have far-reaching implications that go beyond the issue of the Venezuelan Embassy. A negative outcome could be used to silence any opposition to the government's violations of the law in the future.

We need to raise $50,000 to pay the legal fees for three lawyers who are not court-appointed and to cover costs involved with discovery / information requests and reviewing the data.

With your tax-deductible support, the Embassy Protectors Defense Committee will help the EPC members put forward a strong defense of their actions.

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