Speed ReadsPolitical adsThe Biden campaign has rolled out a searing new ad that takes aim at President Trump for using teargas and flash grenades on peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square, near the White House, earlier this month. "The nation marches for justice, and like a deer in the headlights, [Trump is] paralyzed with fear," the narrator intones over footage of the George Floyd demonstrators. "He doesn't know what to do, so he hides in his bunker. Then he's afraid he looks too weak, so he has tear gas and flash grenades used on peaceful protesters just for a photo-op."NEW AD: “Then...…Speed ReadsPolitical adsThe Biden campaign has rolled out a searing new ad that takes aim at President Trump for using teargas and flash grenades on peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square, near the White House, earlier this month. "The nation marches for justice, and like a deer in the headlights, [Trump is] paralyzed with fear," the narrator intones over footage of the George Floyd demonstrators. "He doesn't know what to do, so he hides in his bunker. Then he's afraid he looks too weak, so he has tear gas and flash grenades used on peaceful protesters just for a photo-op."NEW AD: “Then...WW…

Speed Readsjust asking questionsSen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is bringing out the big guns — by tagging President Trump in his tweets.On Thursday, Grassley announced his intention to "place holds" on approving Trump administration nominees until he receives satisfactory answers pertaining to the firings of two federal watchdogs, Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson and State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, . Atkinson was in April after informing Congress about the whistleblower complaint regarding Trump's communications with Ukraine that eventually led to his...…Speed Readsjust asking questionsSen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is bringing out the big guns — by tagging President Trump in his tweets.On Thursday, Grassley announced his intention to "place holds" on approving Trump administration nominees until he receives satisfactory answers pertaining to the firings of two federal watchdogs, Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson and State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, . Atkinson was in April after informing Congress about the whistleblower complaint regarding Trump's communications with Ukraine that eventually led to his...WW…

Speed ReadsPresident Trump's aversion to taking his annual physical is starting to get … a little weird. It has now been six months since the president claims to have "started" his routine physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, , with Trump that he is simply "too busy" to do the second part. But even his process is mysterious, since physicals aren't typically conducted in multiple stages over the course of several months.ADVERTISEMENT: Article continues belowThere is plenty of reason for the public to feel invested in the president's physical wellbeing right now, too....…Speed ReadsPresident Trump's aversion to taking his annual physical is starting to get … a little weird. It has now been six months since the president claims to have "started" his routine physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, , with Trump that he is simply "too busy" to do the second part. But even his process is mysterious, since physicals aren't typically conducted in multiple stages over the course of several months.ADVERTISEMENT: Article continues belowThere is plenty of reason for the public to feel invested in the president's physical wellbeing right now, too....WW…

Speed Readsmeanwhile in washingtonAs protests against police brutality have spread across the nation in the wake of the killing of George Floyd last week, nowhere have tensions between demonstrators and the Trump administration . On Friday, the city of Washington, D.C., made it abundantly clear which side it's on, writing "Black Lives Matter" in 35-foot-tall letters on a two-block stretch of city street just north of the White House:Local muralists and city staff are painting “Black Lives Matter” in massive letters here on 16th Street in front of the White House— Rachel Chason...…Speed Readsmeanwhile in washingtonAs protests against police brutality have spread across the nation in the wake of the killing of George Floyd last week, nowhere have tensions between demonstrators and the Trump administration . On Friday, the city of Washington, D.C., made it abundantly clear which side it's on, writing "Black Lives Matter" in 35-foot-tall letters on a two-block stretch of city street just north of the White House:Local muralists and city staff are painting “Black Lives Matter” in massive letters here on 16th Street in front of the White House— Rachel Chason...WW…

Speed ReadsWatch thisNetflix's forthcoming six-part docuseries Immigration Nation is being hailed as "" and a "" operate. One of the most disturbing moments comes when ICE agents defend a policy of pushing migrants into known dangerous territory — both to make them easier to catch, and also evidently because it could result in their deaths.The policy dates back to the 1990s, when politicians wanted to force migrants to cross in more remote areas. "There are policy documents where they're trying to evaluate the efficacy of this program and the one that has always stuck with me is this …...…Speed ReadsWatch thisNetflix's forthcoming six-part docuseries Immigration Nation is being hailed as "" and a "" operate. One of the most disturbing moments comes when ICE agents defend a policy of pushing migrants into known dangerous territory — both to make them easier to catch, and also evidently because it could result in their deaths.The policy dates back to the 1990s, when politicians wanted to force migrants to cross in more remote areas. "There are policy documents where they're trying to evaluate the efficacy of this program and the one that has always stuck with me is this …...WW…

Under normal circumstances, I tend to disagree with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) about basically everything other than . But with his latest legislative effort, he might just have my support.Earlier this week, that Cruz plans to introduce the SCRIPT Act (or "the Stopping Censorship, Restoring Integrity, Protecting Talkies Act," named in ), which would discourage the widespread practice of studios reworking movies to be more palatable to Chinese government censors by blocking Department of Defense cooperation with the production of those films. That would be a great thing — but not necessarily...…Under normal circumstances, I tend to disagree with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) about basically everything other than . But with his latest legislative effort, he might just have my support.Earlier this week, that Cruz plans to introduce the SCRIPT Act (or "the Stopping Censorship, Restoring Integrity, Protecting Talkies Act," named in ), which would discourage the widespread practice of studios reworking movies to be more palatable to Chinese government censors by blocking Department of Defense cooperation with the production of those films. That would be a great thing — but not necessarily...WW…

Speed ReadsSciencePresident Trump commemorated the 75th anniversary of VE Day on Friday with eight World War II veterans, the youngest of whom was 96 and the oldest of whom was 100, . The president, however, did not wear a mask around the veterans despite the CDC's warning that anyone over the age of 65 is at a higher risk for severe illness if they catch COVID-19.Trump, notably, by one of his personal valets, who tested positive for COVID-19 this week and when he interacted with the president. Asked if Trump gave "any consideration to wearing a mask" with the veterans "given that his valet...…Speed ReadsSciencePresident Trump commemorated the 75th anniversary of VE Day on Friday with eight World War II veterans, the youngest of whom was 96 and the oldest of whom was 100, . The president, however, did not wear a mask around the veterans despite the CDC's warning that anyone over the age of 65 is at a higher risk for severe illness if they catch COVID-19.Trump, notably, by one of his personal valets, who tested positive for COVID-19 this week and when he interacted with the president. Asked if Trump gave "any consideration to wearing a mask" with the veterans "given that his valet...WW…

Speed Readsjobs reportPresident Trump put on a cheery face on Friday as the country reeled from that reflected the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the American economy. "I created, as president — we had the strongest economy in the history of the world, the strongest economy we've ever had, and we had to close it, which is artificial," Trump said during a wide-ranging interview with Fox & Friends. "Those jobs will all be back, and they'll be back very soon. And next year, we're going to have a phenomenal year."Unemployment spiked to 14.7 percent in April, the highest...…Speed Readsjobs reportPresident Trump put on a cheery face on Friday as the country reeled from that reflected the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the American economy. "I created, as president — we had the strongest economy in the history of the world, the strongest economy we've ever had, and we had to close it, which is artificial," Trump said during a wide-ranging interview with Fox & Friends. "Those jobs will all be back, and they'll be back very soon. And next year, we're going to have a phenomenal year."Unemployment spiked to 14.7 percent in April, the highest...WW…

Speed Readsi don't like the futureA good way to get people to take social distancing seriously is to send a horrifying robot dog to yell at them. At least, that's the thinking in Singapore, where a four-legged robot innocuously named "Spot" is patrolling the grounds of Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park to remind people to keep six feet apart, .For now, the pilot program only involves broadcasting a recorded message about proper protocol in public spaces during the pandemic, although the robot is also fitted with cameras that will also help authorities keep track of potential crowding (the cameras are...…Speed Readsi don't like the futureA good way to get people to take social distancing seriously is to send a horrifying robot dog to yell at them. At least, that's the thinking in Singapore, where a four-legged robot innocuously named "Spot" is patrolling the grounds of Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park to remind people to keep six feet apart, .For now, the pilot program only involves broadcasting a recorded message about proper protocol in public spaces during the pandemic, although the robot is also fitted with cameras that will also help authorities keep track of potential crowding (the cameras are...WW…

Speed ReadsFlorida womanFlorida's top coronavirus data scientist has launched to rival the state's after . Rebekah Jones claims that she was removed from her post over her refusal to "manipulate" data, and her new website shares "far more COVID-19 information than she said the state allowed her to report as an employee, including statistics contradicting Florida's official coronavirus numbers and the push to reopen the state," ."We weren't allowed to really draw attention to deaths, which is why I added hospitalizations and deaths, which use something we buried in a PDF but never showed on...…Speed ReadsFlorida womanFlorida's top coronavirus data scientist has launched to rival the state's after . Rebekah Jones claims that she was removed from her post over her refusal to "manipulate" data, and her new website shares "far more COVID-19 information than she said the state allowed her to report as an employee, including statistics contradicting Florida's official coronavirus numbers and the push to reopen the state," ."We weren't allowed to really draw attention to deaths, which is why I added hospitalizations and deaths, which use something we buried in a PDF but never showed on...WW…