Feb 5, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Beto O’Rourke tells Oprah he'll decide on 2020 run by end of month

Beto O'Rourke in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on Tuesday in New York City. Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Beto O’Rourke told Oprah Winfrey in an interview Tuesday that he has been thinking about running for president in 2020, and that he will make a decision "before the end of this month."

"That’s a big question for us to think through. I gotta tell you — I’m so excited at the prospect of being able to play that role. I want to make sure [with my family] that we’re all good with this."
— O’Rourke told Oprah, per The Texas Tribune's Patrick Svitek

The big picture: O'Rourke's Texas Senate campaign against Ted Cruz in the 2018 midterms brought the 46-year-old former congressman to national prominence, though he ultimately lost the election by about 3%. If O'Rourke launches a bid, he would join what is already a crowded Democratic field, which includes Sens. Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker and others.

Go deeper: Track which candidates are running in 2020

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Fadel Allassan
9 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Americans reflect on Independence Day amid racism reckoning

A Black Lives Matter banner and a United States flag on the facade of the U.S. embassy building in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Simon Shin/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

America's leaders are rethinking how they view Independence Day, as the country reckons with the historic, unequal treatment of people of color during a pandemic which has disproportionately affected nonwhite Americans.

Why it matters: The country’s legacy of racism has come into sharp focus in the weeks of protests following the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. From Confederate statues to Mount Rushmore, Americans are reexamining the symbols and traditions they elevate and the history behind them.

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Axios
Updated 11 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 7 p.m. ET: 11,031,905 — Total deaths: 523,777 — Total recoveries — 5,834,337 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 7 p.m. ET: 2,788,395 — Total deaths: 129,306 — Total recoveries: 790,404 — Total tested: 34,213,497 — Map.
  3. States: ICU beds in Arizona's hot spot reach near capacity.
  4. Public health: The states where face coverings are mandatory — Fauci says it has been a "very disturbing week" for the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S.
  5. Economy: The economy may recover just quickly enough to kill political interest in more stimulus.
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Rashaan Ayesh
14 hours ago - Sports

Washington Redskins to review team name amid public pressure

Photo: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

The Washington Redskins have announced they will be conducting a review of the team's name after mounting pressure from the public and corporate sponsors.

Why it matters: This review is the first formal step the Redskins are taking since the debate surrounding the name first began. It comes after weeks of discussions between the team and the NFL, the team said.

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