Ed O'Keefe Profile picture
Jul 30, 2020 14 tweets 8 min read Read on X
Today’s #JohnLewis funeral is a fitting tribute to a patriot and an incredible gathering of American political power: 3 former presidents and a First Lady; the House Speaker; 3 women mentioned as possible future Vice Presidents; and a pastor who’s running for US Senate.
The funeral comes at a time of potentially big political change in Georgia, a state Democrats eagerly want to win in November and with two competitive Senate races that Republicans risk losing. And it’s ground zero in the ongoing battle among leaders over how to fight #COVID19.
Today’s tributes to @repjohnlewis from ex-presidents especially notable: Lewis voted against @BillClinton’s 1994 Crime Bill; boycotted @GWBLibrary’s 2000 inauguration because of the Recount. And @BarackObama likely to say that he wouldn’t have won without Lewis’s early work.
#JohnLewis funeral is part of a big day in Atlanta: Also the day of the death of another well-known resident, @THEHermanCain. And @Delta, based in the city and a major employer, announces 17,000 of its employees worldwide are taking voluntary buyouts.
#JohnLewis‘s funeral at landmark Ebeneezer Baptist Church comes after he fought hard to amass political power in his adopted hometown. In his ‘98 memoir, he writes about how he won his ‘86 congressional race: “I pounded the pavement not from dawn to dusk but from dawn to dawn.” Image
“He’s gone off yonder and left us with marching orders,” @BillClinton says of @repjohnlewis. Clinton adds that all Americans should thus “suit up, and march on.”
Jimmy Carter isn’t at the #JohnLewisMemorial because of the pandemic. Totally understandable. What I didn’t realize is that he and @repjohnlewis had a strained relationship. It began while Carter was governor. Carter “had earned my respect,” Lewis wrote in his ‘98 memoir: Image
Later, Jimmy Carter nominates #JohnLewis to help run a federal agency overseeing @PeaceCorps and other programs. But he resigned after two and a half years, “very frustrated and disheartened” by Carter, who “was not following through” on campaign promises to the poor. Image
Lewis’s resignation infuriated Carter, because the president thought Lewis was quitting to help Ted Kennedy’s 1980 presidential bid. Lewis wrote he was repeatedly “dismayed” to hear Carter refer to “my lack of loyalty.” Image
Things got REALLY weird between the ex-Presidenr and then-City Councilman Lewis in 1982 when Atlanta was debating where and how to build @CarterCenter. Lewis opposed the plan amid strong support from the rest of the council. Lewis recounts an awkward phone call with Carter: Image
Here’s what former President Jimmy Carter had to say about Lewis’s passing on July 18: cartercenter.org/news/pr/2020/c…
“If politicians want to honor John... there’s a better way than a statement calling him a hero. You want to honor John? Let’s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for.” - @BarackObama. #JohnLewisMemorial
“John wouldn’t want us to stop there, just trying to get where we already were. Once we pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, we should keep marching to make it even better. To make sure that every American is registered to vote.” - @BarackObama
“We can’t treat voting as an errand to run if we have some time. We have to treat it as the most important action we can take on behalf of democracy. And like John, we have to give it all we have.” - @BarackObama

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More from @edokeefe

Jun 30
FROM NEW ⁦@CBSNewsPoll⁩: an increased number of voters, including many Democrats, don't think @JoeBiden should be running for president at all. Nearly half his party doesn't think he should now be the nominee. cbsnews.com/news/poll-deba…
Look how the number changed in a month and a half… Image
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Jul 30, 2023
NEW FROM @cbsnewspoll: The economy's long, hot, and uncertain summer … and tough news for @POTUS Biden on how he’s handling it https://t.co/HHWdbrIT90cbsnews.com/news/economy-o…
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Have you heard about “Bidenomics?” Not many have, and if they have, it’s not necessarily for reasons the White House would want: “Higher Inflation” “Tax Increases” lead infrastructure and job creation.
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BIDEN APPROVAL: @POTUS slips to 40% overall, his worst from @CBSNewsPoll. On the economy, barely a third approve of his handling.
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NEW FROM ⁦@CBSNewsPoll⁩: In a divided nation, Americans do agree on this: @POTUS Biden should talk about economy cbsnews.com/news/biden-eco…
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Democrats are far more likely to say they'll watch the #StateOfTheUnionAddress. Most who say they're very likely to watch already approve of his job performance.
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Jan 21, 2023
JUST IN: The private home of the President of the United States was searched by the Justice Department on Friday, according to @POTUS Biden’s personal attorney. DOJ“took possession of materials it deemed within the scope of its inquiry.”
Here’s the full statement from Bob Bauer, noting that DOJ “took possession of materials it deemed within the scope of its inquiry, including six items consisting of documents with classification markings and surrounding materials.”
A separate statement from the White House Counsel’s Office notes “Neither the President nor the First Lady were present during the search. The President’s lawyers and White House Counsel’s Office will continue to cooperate with DOJ and the Special Counsel…”
Read 5 tweets
Oct 13, 2022
NEW: The consumer price index climbed 0.4% for the month. For the year, inflation was up 8.2% in September, down from the June peak of 9% but still on par with high peaks not seen since the 1980s.
ALSO NEW: Amid increasing prices, @SocialSecurity announces an 8.7% increase in benefits payments next year. That's expected to increase monthly checks by an average of about $150 per month. Notable: Biggest increase ever experienced by baby boomer seniors.
WATCH: @SocialSecurity payments jumping big time next year amid ongoing inflation.
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Oct 5, 2022
NEW ARIZONA BATTLEGROUND TRACKER FROM @CBSNewsPoll: @SenMarkKelly leads @bgmasters in #AZSEN. Majority approval of Kelly’s job performance and he is the most personally liked of the four statewide candidates tested for Senate and Governor. cbsnews.com/news/mark-kell…
Kelly enjoys wide lead among voters who say abortion very important, but that advantage countered somewhat by voters who emphasize immigration. Immigration is 3rd “very important” issue. Among voters saying immigration very important, Masters leads big, helping keep race close.
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Women, more so than men, say an illegal abortion should not result in a criminal penalty.
Read 15 tweets

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