‘America was built by John Lewises’

Powerful tributes to a civil rights icon. Alarming long-term effects of COVID-19. And yes, Election Day is still Nov. 3.

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But first, these birds are making people quite emu-tional: An Australian pub has banned emus — yes, the flightless bird — for “bad behavior.” Two of the birds, Carol and Kevin, apparently wreaked particular havoc when they figured out they could climb stairs last week.

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An ‘unbreakable’ man: Former presidents hail John Lewis

In a remarkable nod of respect from the highest level of government, Barack Obama called Rep. John Lewis “a man of pure joy and unbreakable perseverance” in joining George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in a rare gathering of former presidents to honor Lewis, a civil rights giant, at his funeral in a church where Dr. Martin Luther King once preached. Lewis died at the age of 80 following a battle with Stage IV pancreatic cancer after decades of fighting for civil rights and social justice on the front lines and in Congress.

  • Former President Obama, who said “America was built by John Lewises,” challenged the nation to honor his memory by picking up the fight for his signature issue, voting rights: “As exceptional as John was, here’s the thing: John never believed that what he did was more than any citizen of this country can do.”

  • Former President Bush called Lewis a believer willing to give up everything: “We live in a better and nobler country today because of John Lewis and his abiding faith in the power of God, the power of democracy and in the power of love to lift us all to a higher ground.”

  • Former President Clinton spoke of Lewis’ humanity, strength and his unwavering belief in a future without racism: “It is so fitting on the day of his service, he leaves us our marching orders: ‘Keep moving.'”

Obama speaks out on federal agents treatment of peaceful protesters at John Lewis' funeral.
Obama speaks out on federal agents treatment of peaceful protesters at John Lewis’ funeral.

Former presidential candidate Herman Cain dies after COVID-19 battle

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, 74, has died following a monthlong battle with COVID-19. “Herman Cain – our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us – has passed away,” wrote Dan Calabrese, the editor of Cain’s website, who noted that Cain was in a high-risk group because of his history with cancer. He was hospitalized at the beginning of July after developing coronavirus symptoms. Cain ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

Other significant COVID-19 developments:

  • New cases trending down nationally? Based on a seven-day rolling average, daily cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. have fallen to 65,266, down about 3% from a week ago, according to Johns Hopkins University.

  • Who are “America’s Frontline Doctors”? Wearing white lab coats, they made false claims of a coronavirus “cure” to millions of viewers. They may be real doctors, but experts say they don’t know what they’re talking about.

  • Potential long-term heart injury from COVID-19? The coronavirus has lasting impacts on the heart, a new study shows, with damage found in COVID-19 patients months after they recovered from the disease.

  • This Arizona woman filmed herself destroying a Target mask display. Now she wants to bring attention to mental illness during the pandemic. In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, Melissa Rein Lively says she regrets what happened and has sought help for mental illness.

Herman Cain, CEO, The New Voice, speaks during Faith and Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority event in Washington on June 20, 2014. Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died after a battle with COVID-19, according to posts on his Twitter account and on his website.
Herman Cain, CEO, The New Voice, speaks during Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority event in Washington on June 20, 2014. Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died after a battle with COVID-19, according to posts on his Twitter account and on his website.

What everyone’s talking about

Mark your calendars: Election Day is still Nov. 3

President Donald Trump lambasted mail-in voting Thursday, suggesting in a tweet that Election Day should be delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But don’t adjust your voting calendar just yet: Presidents don’t have the power to change the date of an election. Mail-in voting could be a crucial part of the election process this year as the pandemic discourages in-person polling. But Trump tweeted that that effort is “already proving to be a catastrophic disaster” and said it would make it easier for foreign governments and entities to influence the vote.

Regis Philbin’s cause of death revealed

Regis Philbin’s cause of death has been revealed as a heart attack stemming from coronary artery disease, a medical examiner’s office said Thursday. Philbin, a household name throughout his six-decade career on the small screen, died last Friday at age 88. Philbin was a dominant daytime TV force, co-hosting “Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee” and “Live With Regis and Kelly.” He briefly became the king of prime time, too, as host of ABC’s game-show phenomenon “Who Wants to Be A Millionaire.”

Longtime TV host Regis Philbin has died at age 88. The media personality is best known for
Longtime TV host Regis Philbin has died at age 88. The media personality is best known for

Real quick

It’s no longer ‘Speaker’ Larry Householder

A federal grand jury has indicted former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four others in what investigators say was a $61 million bribery scheme. The announcement came right before the Ohio House of Representatives voted 90-0 to remove the newly indicted Republican from his post as state house speaker. Householder, who was not present for the vote, was arrested last week on racketeering charges in an alleged conspiracy that funneled money from businesses through dark money groups and PACs.

Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four others were arrested in connection with a $60 million bribery case.
Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four others were arrested in connection with a $60 million bribery case.

A break from the news

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: John Lewis, Obama, Herman Cain, Trump, COVID-19 cases: Thursday’s news

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