Free Republic

“Though the change is small, it could be an indication that many believe Warren would not positively contribute to winning swing voters,” said Alex Donohue, analysts for U.S. Bookies. “It’s also worth noting that choosing other top candidates, such as [Senators] Kamala Harris or Amy Klobuchar, would not have this negative effect on Biden’s chances, and his odds would remain 13/10.”

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz fired back Friday at MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, comparing the “Morning Joe” host to a “teenage girl throwing her panties at the latest boy band.” The exchange began when Scarborough, along with a number of others, shared a deceptively-edited video of Vice President Mike Pence from late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel. The video made it appear as though Pence was pretending to deliver medical supplies into a Virginia nursing home while he really only carried empty boxes — but Pence actually did take part in delivering the supplies.

Things got pretty ugly on Twitter between Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., and MSNBC host Joe Scarborough over their evolving attitudes toward President Trump. The feud began after Scarborough shared a now-debunked video originally created by Jimmy Kimmel depicting Vice President Mike Pence carrying "empty" boxes of PPE into a hospital supposedly for just a photo-op. However, fuller footage from C-SPAN showed Pence helping out with full boxes of PPE and later jokingly asked that the remaining boxes, which were empty, could be used "just for the camera." Scarborough shared the video, not knowing that Twitter labeled it as "manipulated media,"...

A viral clip from comedian Jimmy Kimmel was edited to remove some important context. On his Thursday night show, late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel used a clip of Pence at the nursing home to suggest there was nothing inside the boxes. "Since it was going so well and also because he didn't realize he had a mic on, Magic Mike decided to keep it going," said Kimmel. "Listen in closely here." Kimmel then cut to video showing the vice president inquiring about the last boxes in the van before being told they were empty. "Well, can I carry the empty ones?...

So the story here is that Mike Pence gave a speech at a rehabilitation center in Virginia and, before the speech, he was part of a photo op unloading some boxes of PPE from a van and bringing them to the door of the center. At one point after unloading the van, he returned and there were still several boxes inside. Before Pence reached for them, someone there with him said, “Those are empty, sir. We’re good to go.”Pence replied, “Well, can I carry the empty ones? Just for the camera?” “Absolutely, they’re a lot easier,” came the reply.Jimmy...

The Senate failed Thursday to override President Donald Trump’s veto of a bill that would curb his ability to take military action against Iran. The Senate came up short of the two-thirds majority, and it voted 49-44, with seven GOP senators joining Democrats. Seven Republicans broke with Trump: Sens. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Todd Young of Indiana, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) joined Democrats in February to pass the bill, but he did not vote Thursday. Trump on Wednesday night,...

Indiana will continue easing the stay-at-home restrictions in stages over the next two months, as long as new COVID-19 cases don’t delay those plans. Gov. Eric Holcomb Friday unveiled a roadmap for the next two months, as midwestern states begin to move to a new normal from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the details below could change based on hospitalized COVID-19 patients, ICU and ventilator availability, testing capabilities, and centralized contact tracing, but this is the current plan state officials are using. Stage Two: May 4 – May 24 In stage two, the state plans to ease the restriction on...

The struggle between President Trump’s drive to reopen the American economy as quickly as possible, and the insistence by his public health team and many others that this has to be delayed until further hurdles are overcome, is largely a false dilemma. We can simultaneously increase protection for those who are most vulnerable to coronavirus and, with appropriate precautions, reopen most of our economy and society. The key to unlocking this false dilemma is a clear understanding of who, in fact, is most vulnerable to death from this novel killer — and who is not. As data from the deaths...

INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) – Mayor Joe Hogsett and Dr. Virginia Caine of the Marion County Public Health Department will announce today their intention to maintain local “stay-at-home” restrictions in Marion County to remain in effect through May 15. A 10 a.m. news conference is scheduled to address the decision. Current state and local orders are set to expire on May 1, with Gov. Eric Holcomb and state officials planning to provide guidance on future statewide restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indianapolis order would comply "to the greatest extent allowable" with any new statewide orders. “It’s clear from talking...

Four Indiana men who allegedly broke into a woman's home and confined her for hours to steal her stimulus check have been charged, police said. Paul Blankenship, Phillip Guzman and Jacob Baughman, all of Lake Station, along with Christopher Henderson, of Hobart, were taken into custody Sunday after the woman reported she had been the victim of a crime, Lake Station Police Chief James Richardson said. They were each charged Monday with burglary with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon and burglary of a dwelling and residential break and enter, court records show....

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA21) - No dates have been announced, but General Motors has notified "a small number" of employees about a pending return to work at the Fort Wayne Assembly. A spokeswoman tells ABC21 that the notifications are part of a planning effort that will lead to an eventual resumption of operations at the plant, which has been shut down for about a month. Workers at other General Motors facilities in North America are also being prepared for recall. The COVID-19 outbreak brought production at all major automotive plants to a halt in March.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (FOX19) - An extension and some slight modifications for Indiana’s Stay-At-Home order was announced on Monday by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. The Stay-At-Home order now goes until 11:59 p.m. May 1, the governor stated. Part of the governor’s updated Stay-At-Home order, hospitals can begin conducting non-emergent procedures as long as there is sufficient personal protective equipment. Examples of what are considered nonemergent procedures include: Diagnosing cardiac issues or cancer Upper or lower endoscopy Respiratory procedures Procedures to reduce pain Governor Holcomb said future restrictions on procedures will be reevaluated every seven days.

A bipartisan group of governors from seven states announced on April 16 that they would form a Midwest regional partnership to coordinate efforts to reopen their states’ economies amid the CCP virus pandemic. The partnership will see the governors exchanging expert data and advice to reopen their economies in a way that “prioritizes our workers’ health,” the governors said in a statement Thursday. It includes Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.), Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.), Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Gov. Eric Holcomb (R-Ind.), Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Ky.), Gov. Tony Evers (D-Wis.) and Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.). “We look forward to working with...

Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Wednesday endorsed Joe Biden for president, more than a month after ending her own presidential bid. "In this moment of crisis, it’s more important than ever that the next president restores Americans’ faith in good, effective government—and I’ve seen Joe Biden help our nation rebuild. Today, I’m proud to endorse," she tweeted, along with a video. The Massachusetts senator had withheld an endorsement ever since ending her campaign in early March, even as the race narrowed to essentially a contest between Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders. But with Sanders dropping out last week, Biden became the...

Illinois’ financial outlook was changed from ‘stable’ to ‘negative’ by two major ratings firms, raising the risk the state’s credit rating will formally fall to non-investment grade status.. ... the state is actually paying higher interest on its debt today than it was in June 2017, according to Crain’s Chicago Business. When investors demand higher interest it generally reflects a higher risk that borrowers will default. Illinois was the least prepared to weather a recession heading into the coronavirus crisis, with only about 15 minutes of state spending saved in a rainy day fund. Lower credit ratings mean investors will...

Governor Eric Holcomb today issued the following directive during his daily press conference: “To continue safely serving their communities, faith institutions are directed as follows: Church buildings and other physical locations for worship should be closed. Livestream or other virtual services are best. The minimum number of necessary personnel should be used at all times for any services. Staff and volunteers who are not speaking should wear masks. Drive-in services may be conducted only under these conditions: -Attendees must be inside vehicles at all times. -Attendees should not interact physically with clergy, staff or participants in other vehicles. -Vehicles should...

An executive order signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb calls for abortion clinics to cancel or postpone elective and non-invasive procedures that is mostly being praised by anti-abortion groups and legislators and viewed with some caution by pro-choice advocates. The executive order, signed March 30, relates to managing Indiana’s health care response during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to conserve personal protective equipment, the order calls for health care facilities, including abortion clinics, to cancel or postpone elective and non-urgent procedures beginning April 1, according to the order. In the order, Holcomb defines an elective and non-urgent procedure as including...

At least one Indiana abortion facility is continuing “business as usual” despite Gov. Eric Holcomb’s order halting all non-essential medical procedures during the coronavirus crisis. Whole Woman’s Health in South Bend, which already has a poor reputation with state health authorities, told WSBT 22 News that it is not stopping elective abortions. Earlier this week, the pro-life Republican governor ordered “all health care providers, whether medical, dental or other, and health care facilities, whether hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, dental facilities, plastic surgery centers, dermatology offices and abortion clinics” to cancel or postpone elective and non-urgent surgical or invasive procedures. The...

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has banned abortions in the state in order to preserve medical resources to help fight the coronavirus. Governor Holcomb has issued orders calling for a halt to all elective and non-urgent surgical procedures in Indiana and he included abortion clinics in the new emergency orders related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Gov. Eric Holcomb in the order called on “all health care providers, whether medical, dental or other, and health care facilities, whether hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, dental facilities, plastic surgery centers, dermatology offices and abortion clinics” to cancel or postpone elective and non-urgent surgical or invasive...

KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) — The Howard County commissioners on Friday approved a ban on the sale of nonessential goods from stores remaining open because they were deemed essential during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The commissioners’ order says the sale of nonessential goods at essential stores was “not fair” to the businesses selling only nonessential goods that have closed in compliance with the county’s public health emergency ordinance. The ban will begin at noon Saturday, the order says. Signs in the stores must notify shoppers of the ban. The nonessential goods include jewelry, furniture, home and lawn decor, toys/games, carpet/rugs/flooring, nonemergency...