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astead herndon

What do you mean by that? What did you because what were you intending to communicate?

So I believe, going back to that conversation and what I can remember from it, I believe I was asked, would you vote for Trump, and then would you vote for him if he was convicted? And I said, I dont want to vote for him, but I also dont want to vote for Joe Biden. And then, even if he was convicted, I still wouldnt want to vote for him. But given the choice between the two, thats who I would vote for.

Mm-hmm, so thats how you felt back in October?

Yeah.

Has anything changed for you in the months following?

No, not really. I still dont want to vote for either of those people. But given our phenomenal system, those are the choices that Im given. So between the two of them, yeah, I guess Id have to go for the criminal.

Mm-hmm. A lot of people are in this position of not really liking both of their options. What leads you to Trump in that scenario over Biden?

A couple of things. Number one, under Donald Trump, I had affordable rent, I had affordable cost of living. Under Joe Biden, my cost of living, Im looking at housing, Im looking at inflation. Im looking at these major factors. Im looking at not only those, Im looking at the events happening in Israel and Palestine. And Im seeing the way that were handling those situations.

Do I believe that the Palestine thing would change much with Donald Trump? No, I dont. If anything, I believe it would probably be worse. But looking back at inflation, cost of living, housing, that type of stuff, I have major problems with those. And I believe that Donald Trump, his main goal is to handle that.

So youre saying your decision to go back to Trump over Biden is based in the belief that you were better off economically in those years versus how you feel now?

Yeah.

What did you think of the recent conviction of Trump?

Im not surprised. Im not a big fan of Donald Trumps moral character, I would say, without having personally met the man. I can say what Ive inferred from him. I sincerely doubt his moral character. So if someone came up and saying he had 34 charges of criminal misconduct, I would, in no way, be surprised.

Why, then, is a lack of moral character or even the reality now of a criminal conviction, why is that not disqualifying for you?

Because Im looking at my alternatives. And I see what the alternative has done in the last four years. I believe that thats worse.

Yeah, Im saying, I mean, if its purely about economics or kind of what the reality was while they were in office, where does moral character factor in to you? Does it factor in to you?

Ooh, OK. There we go. If I had the choice between candidates with good moral character that would lead our country into a more prosperous time, that would be my candidate, right? Thats who Im looking for the most. If you were to rank the importance of those two issues, moral character or economic prosperity, I would probably have to go economic prosperity because right now I work too damn hard for too little to be concerned with the exact moral character of the individual that got us there.

Can I ask how you voted in 2020 and in 2016?

I did not.

You did not vote in 2020?

I did not.

Did you vote in 2016?

I did not.

Will you vote this time?

I absolutely will be.

Im curious, what makes you motivated to vote this time that didnt motivate you before?

I suppose I was four and eight years younger, and the situation at hand didnt affect me or affected me less, right? As a 22-year-old, I was far less concerned with my economic well-being. Now, that matters to me a lot more. As Im getting into house purchasing age, as Im getting into needing to deal with all of the repercussions of these decisions myself, now Im much more interested in voting and making sure that I have some type of say in what were going to accomplish in the next four years.

Well, thank you, Dakota.

Yeah, absolutely. No worries.

Have a great day.

You as well. Bye. [MUSIC PLAYING]

Hi, my name is Astead Herndon. Im a reporter with The New York Times. I was looking for Walter Bear.

Yes, how can I help you?

Thank you. I appreciate it. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, Walter? What part of the country youre in, how old you are, what you do for work, things like that.

Im retired, live in Las Vegas.

Retired and live in Las Vegas, awesome. What did you do before you retired?

Oh, I was in real estate.

Are you someone whos considered themselves a Democrat, Republican, independent? Any political label?

Im not a Democrat. Im not a Republican. I only vote for who I believe is going to do the job. I dont care who you represent. If youre going to do the job and represent the people, then Im for you.

Well, let me ask specifically about the last couple of elections. Did you vote in 2020 for the presidential race?

Yes, I always vote.

Mm-hmm. Do you mind telling me who you voted for in 2016 and 2020?

I voted for Obama.

Well, Im asking in 2016, when it was between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, whatd you do?

Oh, I voted for Donald Trump. I did not vote for Hillary.

And what do you do when it was Donald Trump versus Joe Biden four years ago?

I vote for Donald Trump. I didnt vote for Joe Biden.

Well, since you voted for Trump in 2020, Im wondering what has soured you on him a little bit four years later.

Well, it really hasnt soured on that. I dont like some of the things hed been involved in. But then again, it just could be politics, you know?

Anything specifically?

Well, his court cases, you know? But then, the court cases are personal, really.

I was going to ask specifically about that. I think you told The New York Times polling last fall that you would think about voting for Trump, but you might change if he was convicted. What were you thinking at that time, and what changed?

Well, I really wanted to see what was really taking place, to see if he was really guilty of what he had been accused of.

And in this case, you have 34 guilty counts now on falsifying business records. For you, what was your reaction to that verdict?

The falsification that is taking place

I dont know. I really have mixed emotions about it, really.

Well, take me through that. What are your mixed emotions?

Well, is he really guilty? I mean, is this a plan of attack against him? And so I dont really like the way theyre really slamming him, you know? And I guess I really havent kept on top of it like I should have. And sometimes, when you hear the news, its not exactly the way it really should be.

So youre saying that when you mentioned it last time, you were open to seeing what type of evidence emerged, but theres something about this one that doesnt seem to have fully convinced you.

Well, that I havent really been following it.

But you havent really been following this one?

No, I really havent been keeping up with it like I should have. Ive been involved in a lot of other things, you know? Your personal life sometimes comes before everything else. This is politics, and politics is going to be what politics is, and you cant stop it.

I totally understand that, especially since you guys still got some months before the presidential race. Do you think youll catch up on the news? Do you think that the verdict will matter in terms of how you eventually land?

Im still in favor of Donald Trump, really. Something about Donald, I just sometime I think he really represents the stand for the truth of the people. Most politician are known for lying. All they do is all they are is paid liars. They just sit up there and lie. They say one thing and do a complete opposite.

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your time.

All right. You have a wonderful day.

Yes, you too. Bye.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Read more:
Trump's Guilty. Does Anyone Care? - The New York Times

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled for a pre-sentencing interview with a probation officer Monday after his hush money trial conviction last month, according to a Trump campaign official and two sources familiar with the matter.The interview will be virtual and, as CNN previously reported, Trump attorney Todd Blanche will be present. Typically, a convicted defendant meets with a probation officer without an attorney.Mondays routine pre-sentencing interview, which was first reported by NBC News, will form part of the report the probation department will submit to Judge Juan Merchan to help decide Trumps punishment ahead of his sentencing, set for July 11.Last month, a Manhattan jury found Trump the presumptive GOP presidential nominee guilty of all 34 charges in his hush money trial, making him the first former president to be convicted of a felony.Trump does not have to cooperate with the routine pre-sentencing investigation, but a judge can take a negative inference from a defendants lack of cooperation with the process.In the pre-sentencing interview, a defendant is typically asked about their conviction and other basic background information such as their employment and criminal history.As part of the process, Trumps legal team can submit letters of support from his friends and family to Merchan. The former presidents team is scheduled to submit its sentencing recommendation Thursday, according to a source familiar with the plan.President Trump and his legal team are already taking necessary steps to challenge and defeat the lawless Manhattan DA case, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement Saturday.The Manhattan District Attorneys Office will also submit a memo telling the judge what sentence it sees fit for Trump.Merchan could sentence Trump to probation or up to four years in state prison on each count, with a maximum of 20 years.Prosecutors have never sought to remand Trump into custody, so the former president is free as he awaits sentencing.

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled for a pre-sentencing interview with a probation officer Monday after his hush money trial conviction last month, according to a Trump campaign official and two sources familiar with the matter.

The interview will be virtual and, as CNN previously reported, Trump attorney Todd Blanche will be present. Typically, a convicted defendant meets with a probation officer without an attorney.

Mondays routine pre-sentencing interview, which was first reported by NBC News, will form part of the report the probation department will submit to Judge Juan Merchan to help decide Trumps punishment ahead of his sentencing, set for July 11.

Last month, a Manhattan jury found Trump the presumptive GOP presidential nominee guilty of all 34 charges in his hush money trial, making him the first former president to be convicted of a felony.

Trump does not have to cooperate with the routine pre-sentencing investigation, but a judge can take a negative inference from a defendants lack of cooperation with the process.

In the pre-sentencing interview, a defendant is typically asked about their conviction and other basic background information such as their employment and criminal history.

As part of the process, Trumps legal team can submit letters of support from his friends and family to Merchan. The former presidents team is scheduled to submit its sentencing recommendation Thursday, according to a source familiar with the plan.

President Trump and his legal team are already taking necessary steps to challenge and defeat the lawless Manhattan DA case, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement Saturday.

The Manhattan District Attorneys Office will also submit a memo telling the judge what sentence it sees fit for Trump.

Merchan could sentence Trump to probation or up to four years in state prison on each count, with a maximum of 20 years.

Prosecutors have never sought to remand Trump into custody, so the former president is free as he awaits sentencing.

Read more from the original source:
Trump scheduled for pre-sentencing interview with a probation officer after hush money conviction - WCVB Boston

Frank Bruni, a contributing Opinion writer, hosted a written online conversation with Josh Barro, who writes the newsletter Very Serious, and Olivia Nuzzi, the Washington correspondent for New York magazine, to banter and bicker about the potential political fallout of Donald Trumps conviction. Below is a lightly edited transcript of their conversation.

Frank Bruni: Josh, Olivia, great to be with you. I want to start not with Donald Trump but with Joe Biden. What happens on Nov. 5 has as much to do with Bidens navigation of the coming months as with Trumps, and Biden is getting all sorts of conflicting advice.

Whats the optimal balance between running against a felon and focusing on the day-to-day concerns of less partisan, less engaged voters? I for one think Biden needs to be very careful about overdoing the felon part voters are well aware of Trumps status, transgressions and, er, character. Your thoughts?

Josh Barro: A defining feature of this campaign, as Nate Cohn has written on extensively for The Times, is that Bidens support has been holding up well among highly engaged voters and has fallen terribly over the last four years among less-engaged Americans. Much of Bidens slide in the polls is because of worsening views of him among people who did not vote in the 2020 election. So Bidens big challenge is that he really needs to reach people who arent interested in politics and arent likely to hear any given message he sends out.

Most of those less-engaged voters were probably not following the trial closely, or at all. Its important for those people to hear that Trump is a felon. Im not sure they need to hear it from Biden personally it might be a message to be pushed in paid media, by the Biden campaign or by affiliated pressure groups.

Bruni: Hmm, Josh, I dont know. Theres disengaged and then theres living off the grid. They really need a reminder that Trump is a felon?

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Opinion | Trump Is Blocking Out the Sun: Three Writers on the Politics of the Guilty Verdict - The New York Times

Democratic President Joe Biden carries a slight edge in Minnesota over former Republican President Donald Trump into their rematch, although a new Minnesota Poll shows that advantage is short of the incumbents victory margin four years ago in a must-win state for Democrats.

Biden was preferred by just shy of 45 percent of respondents compared to about 41 percent for Trump in the live-interview poll conducted last week for MPR News, KARE 11 and the Star Tribune. Thats considered a dead heat given the polls margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points in the survey done by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy.

A small percentage preferred a third-party candidate independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had the support of about 6 percent while a sliver remained undecided.

The poll of 800 people reached on their home or cell phones in early June also shows that both major party nominees are deeply unpopular, with more than half of respondents disapproving of each. Many respondents lack enthusiasm about their choice.

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Thats the case with Angela Fairbanks Jacobson, who didnt take part in the poll but discussed her preference for Biden in an interview after she donated clothes at a free-store near the south Minneapolis intersection known as George Floyd Square.

Im just, Im sad, Fairbanks Jacobson said. Its unfortunate that we dont have younger candidates, but it is what it is right now.

Angela Fairbanks Jacobson of St. Paul says she'll vote for Joe Biden but wishes the presidential candidates were younger.

Mark Zdechlik | MPR News

About 3 in 10 Biden supporters said they are very enthusiastic about his reelection effort. Slightly more, about 36 percent, were somewhat enthusiastic and the rest were not very or not at all enthusiastic for the candidate they plan to vote for.

More than 61 percent of Trump supporters are very enthusiastic about his candidacy and about 18 percent lack much enthusiasm.

In 2020, Biden beat Trump in Minnesota by about 7 percentage points. It was a far bigger gap than in 2016 when Trump came up fewer than 2 points short of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The states 10 electoral college votes are deemed critical in Bidens reelection calculus.

In the new poll, the category of economy and jobs was the top issue for more than a quarter of respondents. That slightly trailed the state of democracy as a driving issue.

Democratic respondents said protecting democracy is their main concern followed distantly by climate change. Republicans pointed to the economy as their top concern followed by immigration.

Fairbanks Jacobson said her vote in November will be about preserving the nations democracy.

Definitely supporting anybody but Trump, Fairbanks Jacobson explained. I feel that Trump is a threat to our democracy. We do absolutely not want a dictator.

"I feel he's done an OK job," C.Terrence Anderson of Minneapolis says of Biden. "I think there's definitely been some successes like infrastructure and things like that, but very disappointing in Gaza. So I think it's a mixed bag.

Mark Zdechlik | MPR News

Around the corner, 36-year-old C. Terrence Anderson shared those fears that are also driving his support for Biden.

I feel hes done an OK job, Anderson said of Biden. I think theres definitely been some successes in like infrastructure and things like that, but very disappointing in Gaza. So I think its a mixed bag.

Along Main Street in downtown North Branch, an exurb 45 minutes north of the Twin Cities, the sentiment is different.

Sean Moe, 38, was resolute in his support for Trump and his disdain for Biden.

I think Bidens screwed up the country, Moe said. Everything is expensive.

Moe said he used to enjoy grocery shopping but now hates it because of the high prices.

On Main Street in North Branch, Sean Moe was resolute in his support for Trump and his disdain for President Joe Biden.

Mark Zdechlik | MPR News

Standing next to Moe, 46-year-old Justin Burvee also had nothing positive to say about the incumbent.

He hurt us more than hes helped us, Burvee said. In every way possible, like [the] economy. I mean, I havent seen one plus. I mean, gas prices, food, I mean, everything rose. Its terrible.

The poll found Trump to be far more popular among men than Biden. Its flipped among women, who are strongly in Bidens column.

Kaytee Broskoff, 22, was at a park in North Branch with her young son, Easton, as Hanna, the family dog, looked on. Broskoff said its hard for her to afford what she needs, and she blames Biden for inflation.

Its definitely a struggle to be a single mom and live in todays world, said Broskoff, who added she might not vote this fall.

I dont know who I would vote for, she said. If I did vote, I would probably vote for Trump and I say that because my parents support him.

Biden has a dominant edge in the populous Hennepin and Ramsey counties; Trump led in all other geographic regions.

While the new Minnesota Poll found tepid support for Trump and Biden, roughly 55 percent of respondents said they approve of DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchars job performance. She won her current term in 2018 with about 60 percent of the vote.

Klobuchar is running for a fourth term, with her November opponent to be decided in a multi-candidate GOP primary. Former professional basketball player and podcaster Royce White has the Republican endorsement but former Navy officer Joe Fraser has been pushed by prominent Republicans as an alternative.

A recent New York Times poll found that Democratic U.S. Senate candidates are outperforming Biden in key battleground states.

It remains to be seen how much Klobuchar might be able to help Biden in a seemingly competitive Minnesota.

Editors note: For more poll details and methodology around the poll, check out MPR News sister organization, the APM Research Lab.

Read more from the original source:
New Minnesota poll has Biden with narrow edge over Trump as both remain unpopular - MPR News

A supporter outside a fundraising event for Donald Trump in San Francisco on Thursday isn't put off by his conviction. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

For the first time in American history, a political party is set to nominate a felon as its presidential candidate.

Republicans continue to rally around Donald Trump, who was found guilty in the New York hush money trial on May 30. He will be sentenced on July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention begins in Milwaukee.

The team at NPR's Trump's Trials podcast broke down three ways the GOP is trying to use Trumps conviction to the party's advantage.

Donald Trump participates in a town hall event at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Ariz., on Thursday. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Within minutes of hearing the jurys decision in Trumps hush money case, Republican lawmakers flocked to his defense and attacked detractors.

That wasnt surprising. In fact, after Republican Senate candidate Larry Hogan, who is seen as a moderate and has been critical of Trump, wrote on the social media platform X that Americans should respect the verdict and that all leaders should reaffirm what has made this nation great: the rule of law, Trump adviser Chris LaCivita responded: You just ended your campaign.

Trump is expected to appeal the conviction after he is sentenced. For now, he is continuing to cast doubt on the judicial system.

Trump and his allies have, without evidence, said the case was rigged, accused the justice system of being weaponized by the Biden administration, and claimed the case was politically motivated. In doing so, they are seeking to cast suspicion on the validity of Trumps guilty verdict and further paint him as the victim of a conspiracy led by the Biden administration.

To be clear, the Department of Justice and the Biden administration were not involved in this case. Thats because this was a state case (which also means Trump would not be able to pardon himself if he wins the election in November).

At rallies and outside fundraising events, supporters have started bringing signs reading things like "our favorite felon" and "we stand proud w/ the convicted! Trump 24."

A supporter holds a sign reading "Our Favorite Felon" outside a fundraising event for Donald Trump on Thursday. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Conservatives' false claims that the trial was rigged are often followed by calls for revenge.

Fox News host Jesse Watters said on X, Were going to get back up and vanquish the evil forces that are destroying this republic. Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly said on her radio show, These Democrats will rue the day they decided to use lawfare to stop a presidential candidate.

Others have suggested pursuing legal action against the prosecutors and judge involved in the hush money case.

Trump himself was asked about retribution in an interview with Dr. Phil on Friday. In the interview, Dr. Phil said he believed that revenge and retribution was unhealthy for the country and Trump did not have time to get even if elected president again. Trump responded by saying: Revenge does take time, I will say that. And sometimes revenge can be justified.

The Trump campaign claims it raised $53 million in the first 24 hours after the verdict, and $141 million for the entire month of May. NPR Senior Political Editor and Correspondent Domenico Montanaro points out, [This] will make a significant dent in helping the Trump campaign catch back up to the Biden campaign, whos had a significant advantage all along.

But Trump may not use all this money on the campaign. As Trumps Trials reported in February, about $50 million, up until that point, had been diverted from one of his political PACs to pay for his legal fees.

Trumps certainly using this conviction, as he did the indictments, to try to help him shore up his base and raise money, Montanaro said. But again, does that mean independents, persuadable voters in key states, are going to look fondly [at this]? We dont know.

What to watch: In the coming weeks, we are expecting the Supreme Court to release its decision on whether sitting presidents have legal immunity. Trump is claiming he cannot be prosecuted for his alleged actions surrounding the attempts to overturn the 2020 election because he was president and therefore immune. The courts decision will determine if the federal election interference case goes to trial at all.

Want to dive more into the details and how the Trump campaign is trying to seize this moment? Listen to the full episode of the Trumps Trials podcast.

Read the rest here:
3 ways Republicans are trying to use Trump's conviction to their advantage - NPR