Kamala Harris gives her first speech as Joe Biden's running mate, House Democrats call for changes to the Postal Service before the election, and coronavirus cases spike in kids.
Here's what we're watching today.
Attack Trump, mobilize voters: Kamala Harris' big task ahead
Kamala Harris gave her debut speech as Joe Biden’s running mate, saying that she was "incredibly honored by this responsibility" and that “America is crying out for leadership."
Harris' ability to deliver punchy one-liners against Trump is one reason supporters said she was a good fit for the job. But she will also need to mobilize Black voters and persuade suburban women to pick Biden over Trump, writes NBC News' Jonathan Allen in a news analysis.
"The fact that she has been able to take on, whether it was big banks or big oil or [Supreme Court Justice] Brett Kavanaugh, I think that also inspires and energizes women and people of all backgrounds, to be honest with you, because she's fearless," said Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., who was a co-chair of the Biden campaign team that vetted vice presidential hopefuls.
Democrats hope Harris will also help convince people who feel unwelcome in the political system to get involved, just as former President Barack Obama's election did more than a decade ago.
Take a look inside Biden's search for his running mate.
Meanwhile, Trump campaign advisers and allies are expressing concern that the GOP’s initial fumbling response to her selection signals there is no clear strategy to define the historic pick in the weeks ahead, according to several people involved in the discussions.
COVID-19 cases in kids rise sharply
The beginning of the school year is coinciding with new data showing a startling surge in children and teenagers diagnosed with COVID-19, as a new report finds that nearly half of all pediatric cases of the disease were diagnosed in a single month.
The source appears to be rooted in the communities those children are living in and the cases have occurred in states where there are surges among adults.
Meanwhile, with many schools relying on remote learning as the school year begins, students without fluent English speakers in their household are struggling.
"I think the students who are learning English, they need extra support, they need visuals, they need to be able to see the way pronunciation happens, see the way the mouth moves," said teacher McKenna Potter. "So it is extra important for them to be in class in real life."
In other coronavirus developments:
- Canceling college football is coming down to dollars and sense
- Florida sheriff orders deputies not to wear masks, bans civilians in masks from office
- Listen to our podcast, Into America: Teachers swap chalkboards for apps
- Watch NBC News' primetime special on coronavirus and the classroom at 8pm ET/7pm CT. Hosted by Lester Holt, it will share practical guidance for kids, parents and teachers as they navigate the return to school during the pandemic.
- Track U.S. hot spots where COVID-19 infection rates are rising
House Democrats demand Postal Service chief roll back changes ahead of Election Day
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and 174 other Democrats in the chamber signed a letter to the new Postmaster General demanding the agency reverse changes they argue would hamper mail-in voting on Nov. 3.
President Donald Trump's new head of the Postal Service, Louis DeJoy, recently made a series of changes to the agency that could disrupt mail for millions of Americans, particularly absentee and mail-in ballots ahead of Election Day.
A surge in interest in voting by mail because of the pandemic could also delay election results this year. That delay was part of a conversation between nine major U.S. tech companies and federal government officials on Wednesday as they discussed how to handle misinformation in the period after the vote as well as during the political conventions.
Meanwhile, amid a shortage of poll workers, a project founded by a group of college students has recruited approximately 1,500 young people in around three weeks.
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Plus
- This dangerous 'party drug' has been everywhere — even on Amazon
- Fire burns thousands of acres in L.A. County
- Watch: Police officer pulls trapped man from path of speeding train
- Salt Lake police suspend K9 program after video shows dog biting Black man with his hands up
- Puerto Rico ordered to resume primary after ballot shortage suspension
THINK about it
The push to play college football this fall ignores science, ignores the facts on the ground and ignores any nuance in every aspect of how the business of college football is constructed, writes Will Leitch in an opinion piece.
Live BETTER
College students and experts share their "pandemic house rules" for returning to campus and sharing a living space.
Shopping
Gas grills are handy for barbecues and for grilling meats and fish. Here’s what to know before buying one.
One fun thing
When Greg Dabice saw Janet Fenner on a dating app, he recognized her from their college days when she was the homecoming queen and he was the king.
Though they knew each other in college, they didn’t date, and it wasn’t until they reunited 30 years later that the sparks really flew.
He proposed in April and the two held a socially distant wedding on the football field where they were first crowned king and queen.
“You may need a little bit of patience to wait for your queen or king,” said Dabice.
“Patience — 30 years minimum, or maximum maybe,” said Fenner.
Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.
I’m filling in for Petra Cahill while she’s taking a break. If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: [email protected]
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