V26, N9 Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020 Trump-induced blue wave forming What happens down ballot in Indiana if the president’s reelection bid collapses? By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – We all knew this elec- tion was going to be about HIM. So what hap- pens down ballot when President Trump’s reelec- tion bid collapses? There is mounting evidence that a Demo- crat tsunami is forming. CNN/SSRS had Joe Biden with a 16-point lead nationally, 57-41%, on Monday, coming on the heels of NBC/Wall Street Journal Sunday that had Biden up 53-39%. The CNN poll revealed 69% don’t trust what the White House is telling the public about the president’s health. North Carolina and Florida. And almost all of these polls Biden leads by 9% in the Real Clear Polling com- were conducted prior to Trump’s hospitalization for COVID posite, crossing the 50% milepost. In swing states, Biden has crossed the 50% mark in Pennsylvania and Wiscon- Continued on page 3 sin, is at 49% in Michigan and Arizona, and is at 48% in Pence/Harris debate By BRIAN A. HOWEY INDIANAPOLIS – The Mike Pence/Kamala Harris veep debate showdown did not reshape the contours of the 2020 presidential election. The two nominees empha- sized with a much greater degree of civility two core issues “I just plead with everyone to do confronting American voters during this bizarre cycle, and offered a glimpse into 2024 when the two may be seek- your part. It doesn’t matter what ing the top job, as President Trump and Joe Biden are the two oldest community you’re in or how nominees in history, with the for- small or large an event. It could mer currently battling COVID 19. But the most conspicuous be a funeral, a wedding, a foot- element of this debate was ignored ball game. We just see the odds by both candidates when modera- tor Susan Page asked them wheth- of this virus spreading when you er they would accept the election results and participate in a peace- let your guard down.” ful transfrer of power. Neither the - Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday Page 2 vice president or the senator directly confidence.” As for the Rose Garden answered. Pence said he expects event announcing the Supreme Court President Trump to win. nomination of Judge Amy Coney Bar- Sen. Harris quickly confronted rett that may have resulted in dozens Vice President Pence on the pandem- of COVID infections, Pence said, ic, which she called the “the greatest “My wife and I were there. It was Howey Politics Indiana failure of any presidential administra- an outdoor event, which all of our WWWHowey Media, LLC tion in the history of scientists regularly c/o Business Office our country.” Trump and routinely ad- PO Box 6553 and Pence “still don’t vise. We are tested have a plan,” she routinely. Joe Biden Kokomo, IN, 46904 said. and Kamala Harris www.howeypolitics.com Pence, who consistently talk heads the White about mandates. Brian A. Howey, Publisher House Coronavirus They talk about Mark Schoeff Jr., Washington Task Force, respond- government control ed with a jab of his own. After saying and the Green New Deal. We’re Mary Lou Howey, Editor the administration had “reinvented about freedom.” Susan E. Joiner, Editor testing” and had begun “developing a “The difference here is Presi- vaccine,” he added, “If you read the dent Trump and I trust the American Subscriptions Biden plan, it reads like what we’ve people to make choices in the best done every step of the way. It looks a interest of their health,” Pence said. HPI, HPI Daily Wire $599 little bit like plagiarism, like Joe Biden Harris responded, “You respect the HPI Weekly, $350 would know.” That was in reference American people when you tell them Lisa Hounchell, Account Manager to an earlier Biden presidential miscue the truth.” (765) 452-3936 telephone dating back to his first run back in the AP fact-checker: The (765) 452-3973 fax 1980s. event, introducing Supreme Court [email protected] Harris said, “Clearly it hasn’t nominee Amy Coney Barrett, drew worked if you’re looking at 210,000 more than 150 people and flouted Contact HPI dead bodies. The vice president is safety recommendations in mul- [email protected] head of the task force.” tiple ways, such as a lack of social Howey’s cell: 317.506.0883 Pence accused the Democratic distancing and most attendees not ticket of “playing politics with people’s wearing masks. And it was not all Washington: 202.256.5822 lives” and added, “The president outside. Business Office: 765.452.3936 wanted people to remain calm.” He Another flashpoint occurred added that the death toll could have over the George Floyd murder by © 2020, Howey Politics been “2 million Americans” if Presi- Minneapolis police, the ensuing Indiana. All rights reserved. dent Trump hadn’t shut down travel Black Lives Matter movement and between the U.S. and China. “The civil strife. “We are never going Photocopying, Internet forward- reality is that we will have a vaccine, to condone violence but we must ing, faxing or reproducing in any we believe, before the end of this year always fight for the values that we form, whole or part, is a violation and it will have the capacity to save hold dear,” Harris said. “I’m a former of federal law without permission countless American lives.” career prosecutor. I know what I’m from the publisher. Harris shot back, “How calm talking about. Bad cops are bad for were you when you didn’t know good cops.” where you’d get the next roll of toilet Pence said his “heart Jack E. Howey paper” or whether “your kid was go- breaks” for Breonna Taylor’s family editor emeritus ing to school.” but added that he “trusts” the U.S. 1926-2019 Asked about the White justice system. The vice president House and Trump campaign hold- added that it is “remarkable” that ing “super spreader events,” Pence Harris, as a former California attor- insisted, “From the very first day, ney general and prosecutor, would President Donald Trump has put the question the grand jury’s decision in health of Americans first.” the case not to charge an officer with “The American people dem- killing her. He also struck the Trump onstrated, when given the facts, campaign’s law and order theme it President Trump and I have great tried to emphasize over the pandem- Page 3 ic. “I want everyone to know who puts on the uniform of in 2019. But that’s a pyrrhic victory at best as overall U.S. law enforcement every day, President Trump and I stand economic growth slowed from 3% to 2.2% because of the with you,” Pence said. “We don’t have to choose between trade uncertainty. supporting law enforcement, proving public safety and On health care, Pence said, “President Trump and I supporting our African American neighbors.” have a plan to improve health care and to protect preexist- Harris tried to make Trump’s tax returns as an is- ing conditions for all Americans.” sue. “It’d be really good to know who the president owes AP Fact Checker: No, there is no clear plan. People money to,” Harris said. “The one thing we know about Joe, with preexisting conditions are already protected by the he puts it all out there. He is honest, he is forthright. Don- Obama-era Affordable Care Act, and if the Trump admin- ald Trump, on the other hand, has been about covering up istration succeeds in persuading the Supreme Court to everything.” overturn it, those protections will be in jeopardy. Pence shifted on that issue, saying that while Republican pollster Frank Luntz, who watched the Trump has paid “his fair share” of taxes, he added, “On debate with a group of undecided voters, observed, “My Day One, Joe Biden’s going to raise your taxes.” undecided voters think Mike Pence is more professional, On climate change, Sen. Harris observed, “We but that he looks tired. They think Kamala Harris is more have seen a pattern with this administration, which is, they passionate, but her reaction-faces are really bothering don’t believe in science.” Pence turned that issue into an people.” economic one. “Sen. Harris was one of 10 senators to vote Pence biographer, Tom LoBianco, added, “As in against the USMCA. You put your agenda ahead of the 2016 (when Pence took a question about Trump’s insults American people and American jobs.” He added that China and said Clinton and Kaine were the truly insulting pols) should be “blamed” for the pandemic. “They did not let Pence is doing a great job at stagecraft and parrying, but U.S. personnel in until February.” whiffing on facts and answering the question.” Harris responded that President Trump removed Politico’s Ryan Lizza: Let’s say this at the outset: U.S. epidemiologists who had been on the ground in China This was a boring, unfocused debate between two well- for the purpose of monitoring for this type of pandemic. prepared and polished candidates who had little interest in “Joe Biden wants to go back to the economic answering the questions posed to them — and were under surrender to China, that when we took office, half of our virtually no pressure from the moderator to do so. Harris international trade deficit was with China alone,” Pence and Pence are both younger, more well-spoken, and closer said. “And Joe Biden wants to repeal all of the tariffs that to the beating hearts of their respective parties.