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HERSCHEL WALKER

Rival: Violent past should bar Herschel Walker from Senate

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said Thursday that GOP rival Herschel Walker's history of violence against women should disqualify him from being a U.S. senator, saying that Republicans should discuss Walker's problems now to avoid fatal Democratic attacks against a flawed candidate in the fall. “If he were a member of the United States Senate today and if he had committed the acts that he’s admitted to, he would be removed from office,” Black told reporters after touring a domestic violence center in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta. Walker, a former football great, launched his campaign in late August.

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As Herschel Walker eyes Senate run, a turbulent past emerges

A homegrown football hero and businessman supported by his longtime friend Donald Trump, Herschel Walker has an attractive profile for Republicans looking to reclaim a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia. An Associated Press review of Walker’s statements over the years, along with a cache of public records, some including previously unreported details, reflects a pattern of turbulent and sometimes threatening behavior that could dog Walker's Senate bid. The documents detail accusations of threats Walker made on his ex-wife’s life, exaggerated claims about private-sector success and erratic behavior that disturbed his business allies.

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In South Dakota, Noem bends — partially — on transgender ban

Kristi Noem speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Fla. Noem initially appeared eager to deliver what looked like an easy win for social conservatives. However, key business groups and figures lobbied heavily against the bill, including the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce. AdMeanwhile, the group of people perhaps most affected by the bill — transgender children and their families — say they have been left out of the conversation entirely. The bill could be devastating for transgender teens, they say, but Noem denied her initiative has anything to do with transgender people. Noem cannot make an informed decision without meeting with transgender South Dakotans to learn about their experiences, the daily challenges they face, and the damage this bill will inflict on their lives," Williams said.

Biden backs studying reparations as Congress considers bill

President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with labor leaders in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Washington. Biden backs the idea of studying the issue, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday, though she stopped short of saying he would sign the bill if it clears Congress. Even with Democrats controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House, passing a reparations bill could prove difficult. Most Black Americans favored reparations, 74%, compared with 15% of white Americans. AdRep. Burgess Owens, a first-term Republican from Utah, argued against a reparations commission.

Jake Scott, former Miami safety, Super Bowl MVP, dies at 75

Scott, the star safety who was the most valuable player in the Super Bowl that completed the Dolphins 1972 perfect season, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, in Atlanta. Scott played in three consecutive Super Bowls, won back-to-back championship rings and made the Pro Bowl five years in a row with Miami. At Georgia, Scott was an All-American and the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in 1968. Shula suspended Scott and then traded him to the Redskins for safety Bryant Salter, who lasted only one season. He grew up in Athens, Georgia, and was recruited as a receiver by Dooley, who then moved Scott to safety.

In Florida's Old South, a new political battleground emerges

“Black voters in this part of the state are critical to winning statewide,” said Adrianne Shropshire, the executive director of BlackPAC. Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 40,000 registered voters in Duval County, and more than half of the county's Democrats are African American. That was not the case when Hillary Clinton lost in Duval County to Trump in 2016. The area has also been a proving ground for Trump's attempt to peel off some Black voters — especially Black men — from Democrats. In Duval County, she won by a margin of fewer than 3,000 votes.

Trump on defense, courting voters in two must-win states

Trump campaigned 'Friday in Florida and Georgia, neighboring states he carried four years ago and must win again to extend his presidency. And earlier this week, Trump had to court voters in Iowa, a state he carried by almost 10 points four years ago. More to the point for Trump's Florida audience, he spoke directly to seniors who have increasingly soured on his handling of the pandemic. “Mishandling the pandemic isn’t enough for Trump,” Biden charged. While decidedly on the defensive on the ground in key states, Trump released a scathing new ad on Friday attacking Biden's record on race.

Former athletes, sports shows take lead on social justice

Former athletes have a pipeline to advance into sports media as commentators, and many popular shows feature a Black man or woman as a host. Instead, it turned into a forum for players to express their feelings about racial and social issues after practice was canceled. Brown added that athletes who speak out need to be articulate, informed and mindful that their words have staying power. For Rose, the era of athletes sticking to sports is over in part because President Donald Trump hasnt been shy about criticizing NBA and NFL players who disagree with him. If hes acknowledging NFL players who are kneeling and he says, They deserve to be fired, that now becomes a sports topic.

At RNC, GOP echoes racial code of Nixon's 1968 campaign

It came to be known as Nixon's Southern strategy: a campaign that used fear of crime and lawlessness to tap into white Southern voters opposition to racial integration and equality without using overtly racist language. Nixon had to peel away some Southern white voters from Wallace without alienating voters in other regions. As president, Trump denigrated as animals some immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally. Trump's take on the Southern strategy isn't necessarily aimed at Southern voters. His targets are more likely working-class white voters in battleground states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin, Abramowitz said.

Black Georgia Democrat makes pitch for Trump at RNC

In this image from video, Georgia State Rep. Vernon Jones speaks from Washington, during the first night of the Republican National Convention Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. Why is a lifelong Democrat speaking at the Republican National Convention? Polls show a close race in Georgia, where Democrats lean heavily on support from Black voters, adding to the pressure on Trump to peel voters away. Jones first announced his support for Trump this spring and all hell broke loose, he said Monday. Other Georgia Democrats quickly blasted Jones endorsement of Trump.

GOP convention showcases rising stars, dark warnings

As Trump faces pressure to expand his appeal beyond his loyal supporters, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the Senates sole Black Republican, and former U.N. Scrambling to find a message that sticks, Trumps team tried out multiple themes and tactics over the course of the night. The opening night of the four-day convention reflected the rising urgency fueling Trumps push to reshape a presidential contest that he is losing, at least for now, with Election Day just 10 weeks away. In a tweet Monday night, Biden told supporters to stay focused.The emphasis on diversity at Trump's convention was an acknowledgement that he must expand his coalition beyond his largely white base. The fact that the Republicans gathered at all stood in contrast to the Democrats, who held an all-virtual convention last week.

Trump 'No Mr. Nice Guy' shows softer side to win voters

In this image from video, House Minority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise, R.La., speaks from Washington, during the first night of the Republican National Convention Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. Republicans went all-out to depict a gentler Trump on Night One of their convention. First lady Melania Trump and two of the presidents children were due to speak Tuesday night about Trumps personal side. Campaign surveys showed Trump trailed Biden badly in how voters perceived them relating to and understanding Americans troubles. In one of the taped pieces shown Monday night, Trump talked to a half-dozen former hostages his administration had freed from foreign prisons.