7 Things: The American media prepares for Doug Jones’ defeat, Mayor Woodfin wants a holiday for voting, Joe Biden’s media protection is impervious to reality and more …

7. Alabama man known for charitable deeds asking for help with green card

• The Huntsville man who has made a name for himself by starting a charity to mow lawns for veterans and the elderly for free, Rodney Smith, was born in Bermuda, but he’s now trying to gain his permanent residence in the United States. Smith is now trying to start a letter-writing campaign and is asking for services from an immigration lawyer. He has already garnered support from U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville), who has released a letter in his favor.
• Fifteen years ago, Smith immigrated to the United States legally, but he’s explained that his “stay here is in jeopardy” and he “may be forced to leave the country” as his green card was denied by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Smith is arguing that his charity, Raising Men Lawn Care Services, qualifies him for an EB-1 work visa. Smith also graduated with a master’s in social work from Alabama A&M University in Huntsville.

6. National Guard deployed after police shooting in Philadelphia

• In Pennsylvania, the National Guard has been deployed to Philadelphia as more riots took place for a second night following the police shooting of Walter Wallace, who charged police officers with a knife. Riots took place on Monday and Tuesday nights as police warned residents that looting was taking place in the city and to stay indoors to remain safe.
• Several hundred members of the National Guard have been sent to assist local law enforcement in “protecting life, property and the right to peacefully assemble and protest,” according to Lieutenant Col. Keith Hickox.

5. State of Emergency declared in Alabama

• Ahead of Tropical Storm Zeta making landfall, Governor Kay Ivey has declared a State of Emergency. The Mobile and Dauphin Island area are most likely to be impacted by the storm, and it’s likely that the system will be a hurricane by the time it reaches land.
• In a statement, Ivey said that Zeta “is not expected to have an impact as large as storms we’ve seen move through the Gulf earlier this year.” But she explained the State of Emergency is there so we can “be in the best place possible to respond to anticipated rain, storm surge and mass power outage.”

4. A monumental price

• Madison County Commission Chair Dale Strong has made some of his first public statements on the Confederate monument outside of the Madison County Courthouse being moved to the Maple Hill Cemetery.
• Strong maintained that the county “operated legally” in the removal, but Attorney General Steve Marshall has said the move is under review. For the actual removal, though, the City of Huntsville paid $33,250 for the almost nine-hour process. Strong did clarify that if they’re ordered to pay the $25,000 for violating state law, Madison County would cover that, not the City of Huntsville.

3. The gatekeeping on Hunter Biden continues 

• Last night, Fox News’ Tucker Carlson interviewed former Hunter Biden business partner Tony Bobulinski, who laid out in detail, and with proof, the interactions he had with Hunter and Joe Biden about peddling influence to foreign nations both when Joe Biden was vice president and leading up to his run for president.
• If you expected to wake up this morning and see media coverage of the Bobulinski story, you haven’t been paying attention to the media over the last 20 years. This is classic gatekeeping, and they all know exactly what they are doing.

2. Mayor Randall Woodfin wants Election Day to be a holiday

• Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has announced that he’s “officially making Election Day a city holiday in Birmingham,” because he wants to “make voting easier, not harder.” He’s even cited that the “US Census Bureau survey found that 14% … said the main reason they do not vote was because they were too busy to do so.”
• In a thread of tweets, he explained, “Making Election Day a day that is free from work should help those who are normally unable to take time off to go vote, particularly employees who work long shifts, have more than one job, and often must balance all of that with childcare.”

1. It’s almost over for Doug Jones

• The American media has spent most of 2020 covering the race between U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) and former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville like it is a close race, but with one week to go and a 14-point poll showing Tuberville leading, it appears that they have changed their tune.
• CNN released a list of U.S. Senate seats most likely to flip with Jones on top. a Wall Street Journal headline declared, “Doug Jones Faces Long Odds in Keeping Alabama Senate Seat.” NBC News is reading his political obituary by acknowledging, “Alabama Senate race offers GOP its best chance to gain a seat as Democrat Doug Jones battles Tommy Tuberville.”