Election 2020: Trump Positive Test Result, CA Ballot Measure
On Thursday, the White House announced that President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus, sending a jolt to an already fraught, highly divisive presidential campaign just weeks before Election Day. Meanwhile, in California, most counties will start mailing ballots to more than 20 million registered voters in the state starting next week. California is one of nine states that will send ballots to all registered voters by mail, a decision prompted by the ongoing pandemic. President Trump has lodged repeated attacks on voting by mail and sought to sow doubts about the integrity of the November election. At the first presidential debate on Tuesday, he once again falsely claimed that voting by mail is rife with fraud and refused to say he would accept the results of the election. President Trump also repeatedly interrupted, personally attacked and talked over his Democratic presidential rival, Joe Biden, who called him “a clown” and told him to “shut up, man.” The Commission on Presidential Debates said that it will make changes to the format to “ensure a more orderly discussion” prior to the next showdown between the two rivals.
Guests:
- Scott Shafer, KQED senior editor of politics and government
- Guy Marzorati, KQED politics and government reporter
“Older and Overlooked” KQED Series Reveals Fire Danger to Seniors
As firefighters continue to battle wildfires that have burned millions of acres in California, an investigation by KQED and CalMatters has found roughly two million people aged 65 and older live in areas at high risk for wildfires. The investigation also revealed that wildfires are a significant hazard for more than a third of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in California. State law requires the facilities to have emergency plans, conduct training and fire drills. But enforcement by state regulators is scarce and emergency plans are a big question mark, leaving vulnerable seniors potentially exposed to deadly wildfires.
Guests:
- Molly Peterson, reporter, KQED Science
- Lisa Pickoff-White, KQED senior producer and data journalist
“Something Beautiful: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass”
For the past nineteen years, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has put on a free music festival the first weekend of October in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The annual three day festival celebrates roots music traditions across the country and has historically drawn more than 750-thousand attendees. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass will celebrate its 20th anniversary online this year. The all-virtual festival this year will kick off Saturday, featuring performances by Emmylou Harris, The McCrary Sisters and Shakey Graves, as well as information on how to donate to artists affected by COVID-19.