Beginning of autumnal colors – The burgeoning national economy – Amy Dorris – Evening statistics
Autumn is beginning at last. The past three nights have been sufficiently cool to initiate the process. The maple leaves are beginning to redden, although at this point they are a subdued burgundy. It will require several more days before they achieve the brilliant scarlet color for which they are known. The majority of the other trees are still green for the most part, but the onset of the color change can be discerned. I expect the colors to be a good deal more varied when I return from Maine. In Maine itself, presumably, the process is further advanced, and I and the others should be able to get a glimpse of the famed splendor of a New England autumn.
There have been new developments in the campaign today. The economy has been growing at a greater pace than most experts have predicted. The third quarter is now projected to have a GDP growth of 31.7%; at the end of July it was projected to be only 12%. Retail growth has been relatively modest, but steady, with increases every month for four months running. Outlays in August not only exceed those of July; they are 2.6% higher than 2019 totals.
All of which means that Trump’s popularity has increased – perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he is less unpopular than he was formerly. The polls still show Biden leading, but the gap between the two candidates has narrowed. According to one poll, for instance, Biden is leading by 6.2%, as opposed to 9% in July. The Democrats are now in an uncomfortable bind as a result. Nancy Pelosi and her colleagues have blocked increased relief measures, including a $300 billion package promoted by GOP senators. Their reluctance to boost the economy is understandable; any increase of job gains will strengthen Trump’s position. But if they are perceived as standing in the way of these gains, Biden’s campaign will suffer as a result. I think in their position that I would try to promote such gains and then claim the credit for them, but that is admittedly a difficult feat to pull off.
However, Trump’s campaign has also had an unexpected setback. Amy Dorris, a former model, has accused Trump of groping and manhandling her at the 1997 US Open tennis tournament. At the time she had been dating a friend of Trump, Jason Binn, a publisher and an entrepreneur. She was invited to the event as his girlfriend. She claims that she told Binn afterward that Trump was physically mistreating her and that it was up to him to intervene; Binn himself has stated that he has no recollection of this interchange between them. It is now some 24 years after the event and accusations of this sort are notoriously difficult to prove, especially as she continued to remain in Trump’s company as his guest for several days after this episode. Trump himself has denied it strenuously, but that counts for nothing. No doubt Trump is wedded to the truth, but he treats it as badly as he has treated his other wives. I myself think that the charge is possible, indeed probable. It is well-known that he began his involvement with Marla Maples while he was married to his first wife; and many other women have made similar accusations of sexual harassment. I doubt if Dorris’ claims will have much impact; still, it is possible that they may make a bit of a dent in his campaign, particularly with regard to his attempts to obtain votes from suburban women.
It will be a relief to get away from all of this election news for a week! Not that we will be isolated from it, of course, but one tends to regard headlines less when one is traveling. I had to make an effort to scan them while I was vacationing in Jim Thorpe last month.
Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 30,332,359; # of deaths worldwide: 950,110; # of cases U.S.: 6,872,850; # of deaths U.S.: 202,168. Nearly 45,000 new cases today and only just a bit under 1,000 deaths. The death rate in the U.S. from the virus at this point is nearly 1 for every 1,600 – which doesn’t sound like a very large fraction, but it mounts up when applied to a population of several hundred million. And, of course, this is only the official figure. As has been pointed out in previous entries, the actual death toll is probably higher, perhaps more than 35% higher,