In New York's June primary, Jamaal Bowman, an educator from the NYC suburbs running an unabashedly progressive insurgent campaign appeared to topple Rep. Eliot Engel, a 16-term incumbent, for the Democratic nomination in the state's 16th Congressional district, though Engel is now suing to challenge the validity of mail-in ballots.
Bowman told Cheddar on Thursday that he's "not worried at all" about the suit, noting that as more absentee ballots are counted, his vote count is actually widening and the delta is now about 13,000 votes.
"We want every vote to be counted as well," Bowman said. "We're very comfortable with where we are."
As Bowman seems likely to be heading to Congress — NY-16 is about as blue a district as there is and the Democratic nominee is expected to coast to victory in November — he says it's critical that the U.S. pandemic response takes a less "top-down" approach when it comes to vexing problems like whether or not to open schools in the fall.
Bowman, a middle school principal by vocation, said: "We are not ready to open schools, because we have not brought the full resources of the federal government to bear." He called on officials to get serious about "innovative" ways to safely reopen, from prioritizing alternative spaces for learning to redesigned ventilation systems in school buildings. But right now, there are "too many unanswered questions" to safely reopen, he said.
The presumptive nominee also said he'd give President Trump a grade of "less than zero" for his response to the racial unrest and protests that have gripped the nation since the death of George Floyd.
"President Trump is a racist. He is a fascist. And he wants to maintain an order of white supremacy," Bowman stated.
Education Sec. Betsy Devos's idea to use federal money to arm teachers is "insane," said Randy Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. "I cannot believe I'm actually talking about this," she said.
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Rep.Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) released a report titled "Earn Less, Pay More," that highlights the cost discrepancies between women's and men's products. She spoke to Cheddar about her findings on Women's Equality Day.
Does Donald Trump know how search engines work? Not according to Mashable's Michael Nuñez, who said the president's remarks about Google suppressing content fail to take into account that it's an algorithm, not a person, that does the ranking.
The red-hot cannabis market is not sustainable as is, according to industry analyst Matt Karnes. But that doesn't mean it isn't a great long-term story.
Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland is headed to Washington to continue trade negotiations with the U.S. On Monday, Mexico and the United States agreed to terms for a new trade deal.
Electronic Arts is canceling three qualifier events for its 'Madden NFL 19' tournament in the wake of Sunday's deadly shooting in Jacksonville, Florida. The company says it will conduct a review of safety measures to ensure the security of competitors and spectators.
And Kathy Ireland, Chairman Emeritus and Chief Brand Strategist at Level Brands, joins Cheddar after ringing the Opening Bell Tuesday morning. She talks about what has driven the recent success of Level Brands, a brand management and licensing company.
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White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told Cheddar that the trade framework with Mexico announced Monday could be used "as an example" to get Canada to rejoin negotiations.
Markets are finally starting to understand President Trump's negotiating strategy, said John Petrides, managing director of Point View Wealth Management. A trade deal with Mexico sent stocks soaring to record highs Monday.
The controversial conservative pundit and author of "Resistance Is Futile" told Cheddar that the midterms will decide whether Trump is impeached. Regardless, the famous provocateur isn't ready to give her endorsement for 2020 just yet.
