As Democrats confirm Biden as his opponent with a show of unity, Trump is retreating further

Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention this week plans to pledge to "build back better" if he is elected to serve as the 46th US president.

Biden's pitch is to renew and unify a nation devastated by the coronavirus and, he says, years of bungling by the administration of President Donald Trump.

Trump, in contrast, is doubling down on wedge issues of immigration and race, stirring the grievances essential to the "culture wars" that loomed large in his 2016 victory.

Trump and the GOP hope to make their conference next week a showcase for ordinary Americans they say are the victims of left-wing cancel culture and mob violence.
They will include the Covington High School student Nick Sandmann, who sued a slew of publications over their coverage of his encounter with a Native American protester in 2019, and the McCloskeys, a couple who threatened anti-racism protesters near their St. Louis mansion with weapons during June's anti-racism protests.

With the convention season in full swing, the contrast between the candidates seeking to lead the US through its gravest crisis in recent history could not be starker.

Julin Castro warns Democrats of 'potential slide of Latino support'

Julián Castro, the lone Latino to run for the Democratic presidential nomination this year, has warned at the outset of the party’s convention Democrats risk losing Latino support if they do not make greater efforts at inclusion.

“I think that we could win the battle and lose the war,” Castro told Axios, of the fight to defeat Donald Trump. “We could win in November, but you could see a potential slide of Latino support for Democrats.”

Castro spoke as activists directed a welter of criticism at the Democratic National Committee for inviting only three Latino politicians to speak independently during the four-day convention.

[link:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/18/julian-castro-democrats-latino-support|