thedenverpost--2020-11-11--B-24 tail gunner for famed Flying Tigers in WWII, now 95, remembers those who supported his missions

This Veterans Day , William “ Pete ” Peterson is thinking about all the support people who made it possible for him and the other members of the Flying Tigers to carry out their mission to defend the Chinese during World War II .
The 95-year-old Wheat Ridge man has “ 12 or 14 medals ” awarded to him personally or as a member of his outfit .
They include a Bronze Star and the China War Memorial Medal , which he received in 2018 for his service with the 375th Heavy Bombardment Squadron defending China against the Japanese .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he believes those who supported him — a tail gunner on a B-24 bomber — and the rest of his crew deserve similar recognition .
“ I never saw a cook that cooked for us overseas get a medal .
I never saw a person who folded our parachutes get one , or an MP ( military police ) .
The MPs guarded our camps .
We didn ’ t have an Army battalion guarding us , ” Peterson .
“ How about the guys who put in the gas , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so we don ’ t have bad gas ?
And the guys who loaded my guns ?
“ Don ’ t ask them how many combat hours they have because they have more than anyone , as far as I ’ m concerned .
If they don ’ t do their job , we can ’ t fly the plane.
” Peterson , who joined the U.S. Army Air Corps when he was 17 , flew on bombing missions and over the Himalayas with supplies into India .
He notched 205 combat hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left the corps .
But he figures he and the rest of the crews couldn ’ t have done what they did without support from the people on the ground .
“ My hat ’ s off to them .
My heart ’ s out to them , ” Peterson said .
“ I wish some senator or somebody would say ‘ That ’ s a good idea .
let ’ s give all those people medals.
’ Boy , I would love to see that.
” However , he ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still alive .
Peterson said he was in the second wave of service members who went to the Republic of China to fight the Japanese , and he ’ s not sure how many people in that group are still alive , either .
Peterson was born and raised in Milwaukee .
He and his buddies liked dancing and nice clothes .
After the attack on Pearl Harbor , he and the others in what he called the “ Rat Pack ” decided to quit school and join the service .
In 1943 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Corps , the aerial branch of the Army , like his older brother , Robert , did .
He went through training in Texas , Nebraska and Idaho before flying on to Bermuda , the Azore Islands , Morocco , across Africa , Iran , Iraq and India .
When he was at a camp in the jungle in India , Peterson contracted malaria .
He spent several months in China .
He thinks about the conditions during the war and in China , where many of the people lived in shacks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members gave food and candy to the children and got to know some of the people .
Although relations between the U.S. and China have become rocky , Peterson has a fondness for the people .
He recently participated in a Zoom call with people in China who wanted to talk about the Flying Tigers , the nickname the Chinese gave to the fighter squadrons .
The Chinese said the planes , which sported a shark ’ s mouth painted on the tips , darted around like flying tigers , Peterson said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , are dedicated to the people who helped defend the country during World War II .
A picture of Peterson ’ s crew hangs in the museum .
“ They wanted me to come over there two years ago .
They wanted me to be in their parade .
They love the Flying Tigers , ” Peterson .
But he refused .
Except for some flying lessons that ended abruptly when he hit turbulence , Peterson hasn ’ t been on an airplane since the war .
“ I will never fly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step in a plane .
Absolutely not.
” Going through wind and ice storms in the bomber and stalling out over mountains , Peterson said he “ got scared to death.
” The turbulence he hit during flying lessons shortly after getting out of the service “ brought all these memories flashing in front of me from over there.
” Peterson moved to the Denver area in 1953 .
His brother was stationed at the former Lowry Air Force Base and his mother had moved to Colorado .
Peterson met his future wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked .
“ I ’ d take messages for the pilots .
I ’ d have to take them down to communications , where there were all these lady typists .
There was this redhead , with long hair .
Beautiful , beautiful , ” he recalled .
Peterson and Ardath were married in Iowa , where she was from .
They had five sons and were married for 71 years .
She died in May of this year .
In his 70s , Peterson received a high school diploma through Operation Recognition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Board of Veterans Affairs and the Colorado Department of Education .
Peterson still works at his insurance business .
He has two offices in his house that are equipped with computers , phones and scanners .
Since the coronavirus pandemic started , Peterson said his children “ watch him like a hawk.
” He sticks around the house .
But Peterson still carries on with his mission to keep the history he lived through alive for people through Zoom calls with school children and others .

This Veterans Day, William “Pete” Peterson is thinking about all the support people who made it possible for him and the other members of the Flying Tigers to carry out their mission to defend the Chinese during World War II.
The 95-year-old Wheat Ridge man has “12 or 14 medals” awarded to him personally or as a member of his outfit. They include a Bronze Star and the China War Memorial Medal, which he received in 2018 for his service with the 375th Heavy Bombardment Squadron defending China against the Japanese.
While Peterson is proud of his service, he believes those who supported him — a tail gunner on a B-24 bomber — and the rest of his crew deserve similar recognition.
“I never saw a cook that cooked for us overseas get a medal. I never saw a person who folded our parachutes get one, or an MP (military police). The MPs guarded our camps. We didn’t have an Army battalion guarding us,” Peterson. “How about the guys who put in the gas, who made sure the gas was right, so we don’t have bad gas? And the guys who loaded my guns?
“Don’t ask them how many combat hours they have because they have more than anyone, as far as I’m concerned. If they don’t do their job, we can’t fly the plane.”
Peterson, who joined the U.S. Army Air Corps when he was 17, flew on bombing missions and over the Himalayas with supplies into India. He notched 205 combat hours and was a buck sergeant when he left the corps. The smaller P-40 fighter planes flew with the bombers to protect them.
But he figures he and the rest of the crews couldn’t have done what they did without support from the people on the ground.
“My hat’s off to them. My heart’s out to them,” Peterson said. “I wish some senator or somebody would say ‘That’s a good idea. let’s give all those people medals.’ Boy, I would love to see that.”
However, he’s not sure how many of those people are still alive. Peterson said he was in the second wave of service members who went to the Republic of China to fight the Japanese, and he’s not sure how many people in that group are still alive, either.
Peterson was born and raised in Milwaukee. He and his buddies liked dancing and nice clothes. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he and the others in what he called the “Rat Pack” decided to quit school and join the service. In 1943, Peterson joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, the aerial branch of the Army, like his older brother, Robert, did. He went through training in Texas, Nebraska and Idaho before flying on to Bermuda, the Azore Islands, Morocco, across Africa, Iran, Iraq and India.
When he was at a camp in the jungle in India, Peterson contracted malaria. He spent several months in China. He thinks about the conditions during the war and in China, where many of the people lived in shacks and had little to eat. The service members gave food and candy to the children and got to know some of the people.
Although relations between the U.S. and China have become rocky, Peterson has a fondness for the people. He recently participated in a Zoom call with people in China who wanted to talk about the Flying Tigers, the nickname the Chinese gave to the fighter squadrons. The Chinese said the planes, which sported a shark’s mouth painted on the tips, darted around like flying tigers, Peterson said.
A park and museum in Guilin, China, are dedicated to the people who helped defend the country during World War II. A picture of Peterson’s crew hangs in the museum.
“They wanted me to come over there two years ago. They wanted me to be in their parade. They love the Flying Tigers,” Peterson.
But he refused. Except for some flying lessons that ended abruptly when he hit turbulence, Peterson hasn’t been on an airplane since the war. “I will never fly again. I don’t even step in a plane. Absolutely not.”
Going through wind and ice storms in the bomber and stalling out over mountains, Peterson said he “got scared to death.” The turbulence he hit during flying lessons shortly after getting out of the service “brought all these memories flashing in front of me from over there.”
Peterson moved to the Denver area in 1953. His brother was stationed at the former Lowry Air Force Base and his mother had moved to Colorado. Peterson met his future wife at United Airlines, where they both worked.
“I’d take messages for the pilots. I’d have to take them down to communications, where there were all these lady typists. There was this redhead, with long hair. Beautiful, beautiful,” he recalled.
Peterson and Ardath were married in Iowa, where she was from. They had five sons and were married for 71 years. She died in May of this year.
In his 70s, Peterson received a high school diploma through Operation Recognition, a program offered by the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs and the Colorado Department of Education.
Peterson still works at his insurance business. He has two offices in his house that are equipped with computers, phones and scanners. Since the coronavirus pandemic started, Peterson said his children “watch him like a hawk.” He sticks around the house.
But Peterson still carries on with his mission to keep the history he lived through alive for people through Zoom calls with school children and others.


thedenverpost--2020-11-11--Wall Street looks beyond contested election and pushes higher

President Donald Trump has refused to concede the presidential election , alleging fraud and raising legal challenges that could drag on for weeks .
Final control of the U.S. Senate may not be determined until Jan. 5 , when two run-off elections are completed in Georgia .
New COVID-19 cases are surpassing levels seen this spring .
All that uncertainty should be bad for stock values .
But times are changing .
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is racing close to an all-time high , downtrodden stocks are soaring and investors appear to be looking elsewhere for their cues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ its novel coronavirus vaccine is 90 % effective , beyond the 50 % or 60 % expected , probably mattered more than anything else that has happened in recent weeks , analysts at UMB Bank said on a call to clients Tuesday .
“ The market is saying : Maybe a vaccine for COVID-19 is much more important than the election , ” said Will Reese , director of equity research at UMB Bank , during a call with clients on Tuesday to discuss election impacts on U.S. stock markets .
The hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has single-handedly forced a rotation out of the big-growth tech names that benefitted from a lockdown and sent downtrodden value stocks like cruise lines and airlines soaring .
But the White House transition promises to be anything but smooth .
The last time a presidential election was contested to this degree was in 2000 when the race between George W. Bush and Al Gore got hung up on a bunch of chads in Florida .
The S & P 500 fell 3.4 % the following week and ended down a daunting 21.1 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , if 2020 has taught the world anything , it ’ s that literally , anything can happen .
And frankly , it ’ s anyone ’ s guess how markets might react to events like a hotly contested election in which the incumbent refuses to accept the outcome , or an election hopelessly sullied by outside manipulation or widespread voter fraud , ” said Thomas Nun , a portfolio strategist at Great-West Investments , in a prescient note he wrote before the election .
Historically speaking , markets tend not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incumbents .
But the momentum of the market also matters .
In 2000 , the excesses of the dot-com boom hung over stock valuations and provided a better explanation for what went wrong that year .
“ Politics doesn ’ t matter that much to the economy and to financial markets , ” said KC Mathews , chief investment officer at UMB Bank .
“ Markets go up when financial conditions are easing .
Monetary and fiscal policy are what drive the market.
” A Joe Biden administration will likely seek higher taxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the corporate tax rate is increased from 21 % to 28 % , it could cut corporate earnings per share by 4 % to 13 % , Reese said .
But there are trade-offs .
Tariffs are likely to fall under a Biden administration , which could boost earnings , and a stimulus package , if one can be hammered out , would likely be larger .
Biden has proposed raising the capital gains tax from 20 % to 39.6 % for those earning more than $ 1 million a year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equities .
Previous increases in the capital gains tax in 2013 and 1987 , however , didn ’ t derail rising markets long-term , said Dan Trgovich , a senior securities analyst at UMB Bank .
What the fear of higher taxes might do is cause a spate of selling at the end of the year .
Higher capital gain taxes would likely be made retroactive to the start of 2021 .
Investors at risk of falling under them may sell this year rather than take any chances , especially with the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take action now , ” advised Christine Graham , director of trust administration at UMB Bank .

President Donald Trump has refused to concede the presidential election, alleging fraud and raising legal challenges that could drag on for weeks. Final control of the U.S. Senate may not be determined until Jan. 5, when two run-off elections are completed in Georgia. New COVID-19 cases are surpassing levels seen this spring.
All that uncertainty should be bad for stock values. But times are changing. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is racing close to an all-time high, downtrodden stocks are soaring and investors appear to be looking elsewhere for their cues.
Pfizer’s claim on Monday that its novel coronavirus vaccine is 90% effective, beyond the 50% or 60% expected, probably mattered more than anything else that has happened in recent weeks, analysts at UMB Bank said on a call to clients Tuesday.
“The market is saying: Maybe a vaccine for COVID-19 is much more important than the election,” said Will Reese, director of equity research at UMB Bank, during a call with clients on Tuesday to discuss election impacts on U.S. stock markets.
The hope for a return to normal next year has single-handedly forced a rotation out of the big-growth tech names that benefitted from a lockdown and sent downtrodden value stocks like cruise lines and airlines soaring.
But the White House transition promises to be anything but smooth. The last time a presidential election was contested to this degree was in 2000 when the race between George W. Bush and Al Gore got hung up on a bunch of chads in Florida. The S&P 500 fell 3.4% the following week and ended down a daunting 21.1% over the following year.
“Of course, if 2020 has taught the world anything, it’s that literally, anything can happen. And frankly, it’s anyone’s
guess how markets might react to events like a hotly contested election in which the incumbent refuses to
accept the outcome, or an election hopelessly sullied by outside manipulation or widespread voter fraud,” said Tom Nun, a portfolio strategist at Great-West Investments, Empower Retirement’s investment arm, in a prescient note he wrote before the election.
Historically speaking, markets tend not to like uncertain outcomes and the unseating of incumbents. But the momentum of the market also matters. In 2000, the excesses of the dot-com boom hung over stock valuations and provided a better explanation for what went wrong that year.
“Politics doesn’t matter that much to the economy and to financial markets,” said KC Mathews, chief investment officer at UMB Bank. “Markets go up when financial conditions are easing. Monetary and fiscal policy are what drive the market.”
A Joe Biden administration will likely seek higher taxes on corporations and high net-worth individuals. If the corporate tax rate is increased from 21% to 28%, it could cut corporate earnings per share by 4% to 13%, Reese said. But there are trade-offs. Tariffs are likely to fall under a Biden administration, which could boost earnings, and a stimulus package, if one can be hammered out, would likely be larger.
Biden has proposed raising the capital gains tax from 20% to 39.6% for those earning more than $1 million a year, which also could be a headwind to equities. Previous increases in the capital gains tax in 2013 and 1987, however, didn’t derail rising markets long-term, said Dan Trgovich, a senior securities analyst at UMB Bank.
What the fear of higher taxes might do is cause a spate of selling at the end of the year. Higher capital gain taxes would likely be made retroactive to the start of 2021. Investors at risk of falling under them may sell this year rather than take any chances, especially with the Senate still undecided.
“You may want to take action now,” advised Christine Graham, director of trust administration at UMB Bank.


thedenverpost--2020-11-11--National parks are giving veterans, Gold Star families free lifetime passes

Admission to Colorado ’ s four national parks and others across the nation will be free on Wednesday in commemoration of Veterans Day , and for veterans , it will mark the first day of lifetime free access .
The free entries apply to Rocky Mountain , Great Sand Dunes , Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Mesa Verde national parks as well as the Colorado National Monument and other public lands managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior , the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management .
It applies to all veterans and Gold Star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed in the line of duty ) .
“ With the utmost respect and gratitude , we are granting veterans and Gold Star families free access to the iconic and treasured lands they fought to protect starting this Veterans Day and every single day thereafter , ” Interior Secretary David L. Bernhardt said in a news release .
For non-veterans , annual passes good at all national parks currently cost $ 80 , and one for Rocky Mountain National Park alone costs $ 70 per year .
Seniors age 62 and over can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a one-time charge of $ 80 .
The current single-day price is $ 25 .
Wednesday will be the last free day at Rocky Mountain National Park this year .
Other free days are Jan. 20 ( Martin Luther King Day ) ; April 18 ( the first day of National Park Week ) ; Aug. 25 ( marking the date the parks service was created in 1916 ) ; and Sept. 26 ( National Public Lands Day ) .
Parts of Rocky Mountain National Park reopened last week after a two-week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Open areas include Wild Basin , Longs Peak , Lily Lake , Twin Sisters , Lumpy Ridge and Endovalley Road via the Fall River entrance .
The Beaver Meadows entrance remains closed as well as Bear Lake Road and the west side of the park .
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter , The Adventurist , to get outdoors news sent straight to your inbox .

Admission to Colorado’s four national parks and others across the nation will be free on Wednesday in commemoration of Veterans Day, and for veterans, it will mark the first day of lifetime free access.
The free entries apply to Rocky Mountain, Great Sand Dunes, Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Mesa Verde national parks as well as the Colorado National Monument and other public lands managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. It applies to all veterans and Gold Star families (immediate family members of veterans killed in the line of duty).
“With the utmost respect and gratitude, we are granting veterans and Gold Star families free access to the iconic and treasured lands they fought to protect starting this Veterans Day and every single day thereafter,” Interior Secretary David L. Bernhardt said in a news release.
For non-veterans, annual passes good at all national parks currently cost $80, and one for Rocky Mountain National Park alone costs $70 per year. Seniors age 62 and over can buy lifetime passes good at all parks for a one-time charge of $80. The current single-day price is $25.
Wednesday will be the last free day at Rocky Mountain National Park this year. Other free days are Jan. 20 (Martin Luther King Day); April 18 (the first day of National Park Week); Aug. 25 (marking the date the parks service was created in 1916); and Sept. 26 (National Public Lands Day).
Parts of Rocky Mountain National Park reopened last week after a two-week closure due to the East Troublesome fire. Open areas include Wild Basin, Longs Peak, Lily Lake, Twin Sisters, Lumpy Ridge and Endovalley Road via the Fall River entrance. The Beaver Meadows entrance remains closed as well as Bear Lake Road and the west side of the park.


thedenverpost--2020-11-11--“We just did it”: Meet two Colorado women who answered the call to serve their country during wartim

“We just did it”: Meet two Colorado women who answered the call to serve their country during wartime

To hear Leila Allen Morrison tell it , she never felt scared even as gunfire erupted near her Army hospital tent in France in 1944 as she treated wounded soldiers .
“ I made my peace with the Lord before I went .
I knew if anything happened , which it could have , I was ready to give my life for our freedoms , ” Morrison said .
“ I knew if I was working over a soldier and I was shaking and scared , he wouldn ’ t have much confidence in that nurse .
I didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Martha Baker , her work ordering supplies in an Army field hospital north of Saigon during the Vietnam War brought purpose to her already fulfilling life .
“ Just to be able to see what we could do to make it easier for the nurses helping the patients… the better treatment prolonged their lives and gave them a chance to go home , ” Baker said .
“ I just felt so useful.
” Those words describe two Front Range women , now in their 90s , who served as Army nurses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women to serve in all sorts of roles in the modern U.S. military .
As Americans observe another Veterans Day , The Denver Post interviewed Morrison and Baker about their legacies and heroism — even though they don ’ t really call it that .
War stories rarely involve the women who served , said Gail Beaton , a Denver teacher and historian who wrote the book “ Colorado Women in World War II.
” Beaton ’ s interest in women ’ s role in World War II developed as she taught history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the full story .
She started interviewing women and those interviews led her to write the book .
“ I was going to title my book ‘ We Just Did It ’ because that ’ s what they all said , ” Beaton said .
“ These women are so resilient and so humble .
‘ It was a job to be done and we just did it .
Everybody did their part and this is what I chose to do.
’ It ’ s no big deal to them , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now 98 , joined the Army Nurse Corps in 1944 after hearing that more nurses were needed to go overseas to care for wounded soldiers .
Her mother had died when she was a young child and her father passed away on her 20th birthday .
Knowing she wouldn ’ t have parents at home worrying about her made it easier to go .
After finishing training , Morrison traveled by trains , ships and trucks until she reached a ship anchored off the coast of Omaha Beach in Normandy , France .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces continued fighting across Europe .
She and the other new nurses swung their legs over the side of the ship and climbed a rope ladder into smaller boats that would take them to shore .
“ No one fell , ” she said .
“ We had been taught how to do that before we left the United States.
” From there , Morrison traveled with the 118th Evacuation Hospital as it moved with the fighting forces through France , Luxembourg and Germany .
“ A lot of times we didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually traveled at night , ” she said .
“ It was complete blackout.
” They worked as gunfire echoed around .
The shells from the German 88 mm Flak artillery cannons were especially powerful .
“ When it would go off close to us and our tents , the top of the tent would go up… whooosh !
” she said .
“ I ’ d think for sure , ‘ The top ’ s going to blow off . '
” Nurses and doctors in her unit triaged wounded soldiers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and eventually home to the United States .
They used plasma to bring the injured out of shock so they would be ready for emergency surgeries , she said .
“ The fellows were so nice , ” she said .
“ They never complained .
They were so thankful to see us.
” The most life-changing moment , though , came toward the end of her service after and Allied victory was declared in Europe .
Her unit , which had made it to the Czechoslovakian border , stopped near the Buchenwald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to aid former prisoners .
On the first day , only doctors went .
Then the nurses were called to help people who were starving and sick .
She saw rooms where the Nazis conducted medical experiments on Jews and the trenches where they dumped bodies .
And she saw the smiles of those who had been liberated .
“ That camp was a horrible thing , ” she said .
“ As I looked at that crematory I couldn ’ t believe what I was seeing .
I couldn ’ t believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our freedom.
” In 1945 , Morrison returned to the United States for a break with orders to deploy to Japan .
But while visiting a boyfriend , news came that the Japanese had surrendered .
She ’ d promised that boyfriend they would marry when the war ended .
She and Walt Morrison were married for 65 years before he died 10 years ago .
They raised three children in Iowa , and she worked as a civilian nurse until her retirement .
Today , Morrison lives in a senior citizen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her son .
She enjoys telling her story , and she ’ s not bashful to say , “ Oh no honey , we couldn ’ t have won the war without the women !
” “ I was so thankful to be able to do something and to help .
We figured we saved a lot of lives , ” Morrison said .
“ What more could you ask for than that ?
That ’ s a pretty big deal there , to be able to think you had a little portion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to join the military started with her co-workers at a tuberculosis hospital in New Jersey , Baker , 92 , said .
They talked about the Navy or the Air Force because the uniforms looked sharp .
But the women ended up with Army applications in hand because that branch only required a one-year commitment .
Baker ended up being the only one to sign up .
When she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1951 , Black and white nurses were barred from serving in the same unit .
The Korean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but promotions remained hard to come by for Baker , a Black nurse .
At first , Baker earned promotions simply through longevity .
After a long stint as a captain , she approached a nurse who was a lieutenant colonel to tell her she was ready for a promotion .
Even though that nurse was angling for a promotion , too , she told Morrison , “ You know , Captain Baker , a captain ’ s pay isn ’ t all that bad.
” “ As a nurse , I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ It was subtle but it was there .
I could tell.
” But Baker stuck with the military at the encouragement of her husband , Willard Baker , who also was an Army officer .
They met in Germany and married in 1957 in San Francisco .
He died in 1992 from cancer related to nuclear radiation exposure when he assigned to Camp Desert Rock in Nevada , she said .
“ Someone would close a door and there was always someone on the other side who said let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baker said .
“ There weren ’ t Blacks in position to help you .
You had to depend on the white race.
” The couple was stationed in Okinawa , Japan , in 1970 when she received orders for Vietnam .
She asked her husband if he would go , too .
“ He said , ‘ No .
I will wear a flag on my lapel and put a star in my window that says I have someone in Vietnam.
’ ” She was assigned to a field hospital north of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment .
The injuries were horrific , Baker said , declining to go into detail about what she saw .
“ We at the hospital saw the results of them having to fight , ” she said .
“ It was just so sad.
” Her job was to order supplies .
She would go to the working nurses to ask what they needed , and then she would order the bandages , medicine and other supplies .
She would sort the supplies and prepare trays to take to the nurses so those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for what they needed in an emergency .
“ On duty , I was able to do things where I could see or think I ’ m helping , ” she said .
And , finally , awards and promotions came .
Her first medal — one for meritorious service — was awarded in Okinawa nearly 13 years after she joined the Army .
She retired as a lieutenant colonel , finishing her career at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora .
After retirement , Baker went to work as a Junior ROTC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she faced obstacles because of her race and gender .
“ They said you ’ re taking a position from a man , you don ’ t have children and you were only a nurse , ” she said .
Again , she persevered , working 12 years in that role .
Today , she delights when she runs into a former student .
Baker said she wouldn ’ t change anything about her career and she would tell young people today that the military remains a solid career choice because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many good things happened , ” Baker said .
“ I have so much to be thankful for .
Places I traveled .
People I met .
It ’ s just unreal .
”

To hear Leila Allen Morrison tell it, she never felt scared even as gunfire erupted near her Army hospital tent in France in 1944 as she treated wounded soldiers.
“I made my peace with the Lord before I went. I knew if anything happened, which it could have, I was ready to give my life for our freedoms,” Morrison said. “I knew if I was working over a soldier and I was shaking and scared, he wouldn’t have much confidence in that nurse. I didn’t want to do that.”
And to Martha Baker, her work ordering supplies in an Army field hospital north of Saigon during the Vietnam War brought purpose to her already fulfilling life.
“Just to be able to see what we could do to make it easier for the nurses helping the patients… the better treatment prolonged their lives and gave them a chance to go home,” Baker said. “I just felt so useful.”
Strong. Trailblazing. Humble.
Those words describe two Front Range women, now in their 90s, who served as Army nurses and helped pave the way for other women to serve in all sorts of roles in the modern U.S. military. As Americans observe another Veterans Day, The Denver Post interviewed Morrison and Baker about their legacies and heroism — even though they don’t really call it that.
War stories rarely involve the women who served, said Gail Beaton, a Denver teacher and historian who wrote the book “Colorado Women in World War II.”
Beaton’s interest in women’s role in World War II developed as she taught history and realized textbooks didn’t tell the full story. She started interviewing women and those interviews led her to write the book.
“I was going to title my book ‘We Just Did It’ because that’s what they all said,” Beaton said. “These women are so resilient and so humble. ‘It was a job to be done and we just did it. Everybody did their part and this is what I chose to do.’ It’s no big deal to them, but it is a huge deal.”
Leila Morrison’s story
Morrison, now 98, joined the Army Nurse Corps in 1944 after hearing that more nurses were needed to go overseas to care for wounded soldiers. Her mother had died when she was a young child and her father passed away on her 20th birthday. Knowing she wouldn’t have parents at home worrying about her made it easier to go.
After finishing training, Morrison traveled by trains, ships and trucks until she reached a ship anchored off the coast of Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. The D-Day invasion was over but Allied forces continued fighting across Europe. She and the other new nurses swung their legs over the side of the ship and climbed a rope ladder into smaller boats that would take them to shore.
“No one fell,” she said. “We had been taught how to do that before we left the United States.”
From there, Morrison traveled with the 118th Evacuation Hospital as it moved with the fighting forces through France, Luxembourg and Germany.
“A lot of times we didn’t know where we were because we usually traveled at night,” she said. “It was complete blackout.”
They worked as gunfire echoed around. The shells from the German 88 mm Flak artillery cannons were especially powerful.
“When it would go off close to us and our tents, the top of the tent would go up… whooosh!” she said. “I’d think for sure, ‘The top’s going to blow off.'”
Nurses and doctors in her unit triaged wounded soldiers and prepped them to go to larger hospitals and eventually home to the United States. They used plasma to bring the injured out of shock so they would be ready for emergency surgeries, she said.
“The fellows were so nice,” she said. “They never complained. They were so thankful to see us.”
The most life-changing moment, though, came toward the end of her service after and Allied victory was declared in Europe.
Her unit, which had made it to the Czechoslovakian border, stopped near the Buchenwald death camp outside Weimar, Germany, to aid former prisoners. On the first day, only doctors went. Then the nurses were called to help people who were starving and sick. She saw rooms where the Nazis conducted medical experiments on Jews and the trenches where they dumped bodies.
And she saw the smiles of those who had been liberated.
“That camp was a horrible thing,” she said. “As I looked at that crematory I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I couldn’t believe it. We paid a big price for our freedom.”
In 1945, Morrison returned to the United States for a break with orders to deploy to Japan. But while visiting a boyfriend, news came that the Japanese had surrendered. She’d promised that boyfriend they would marry when the war ended. She and Walt Morrison were married for 65 years before he died 10 years ago. They raised three children in Iowa, and she worked as a civilian nurse until her retirement.
Today, Morrison lives in a senior citizen center in Windsor to be close to her son. She enjoys telling her story, and she’s not bashful to say, “Oh no honey, we couldn’t have won the war without the women!”
“I was so thankful to be able to do something and to help. We figured we saved a lot of lives,” Morrison said. “What more could you ask for than that? That’s a pretty big deal there, to be able to think you had a little portion in saving a life.”
Martha Baker’s story
The idea to join the military started with her co-workers at a tuberculosis hospital in New Jersey, Baker, 92, said. They talked about the Navy or the Air Force because the uniforms looked sharp. But the women ended up with Army applications in hand because that branch only required a one-year commitment. Baker ended up being the only one to sign up.
When she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1951, Black and white nurses were barred from serving in the same unit. The Korean War quickly changed segregation within the ranks but promotions remained hard to come by for Baker, a Black nurse.
At first, Baker earned promotions simply through longevity. After a long stint as a captain, she approached a nurse who was a lieutenant colonel to tell her she was ready for a promotion. Even though that nurse was angling for a promotion, too, she told Morrison, “You know, Captain Baker, a captain’s pay isn’t all that bad.”
“As a nurse, I was often bypassed for promotions,” she said. “It was subtle but it was there. I could tell.”
But Baker stuck with the military at the encouragement of her husband, Willard Baker, who also was an Army officer. They met in Germany and married in 1957 in San Francisco. He died in 1992 from cancer related to nuclear radiation exposure when he assigned to Camp Desert Rock in Nevada, she said.
“Someone would close a door and there was always someone on the other side who said let’s give her a chance,” Baker said. “There weren’t Blacks in position to help you. You had to depend on the white race.”
The couple was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, in 1970 when she received orders for Vietnam. She asked her husband if he would go, too.
“He said, ‘No. I will wear a flag on my lapel and put a star in my window that says I have someone in Vietnam.’”
She was assigned to a field hospital north of Saigon where wounded soldiers were brought for treatment. The injuries were horrific, Baker said, declining to go into detail about what she saw.
“We at the hospital saw the results of them having to fight,” she said. “It was just so sad.”
Her job was to order supplies. She would go to the working nurses to ask what they needed, and then she would order the bandages, medicine and other supplies. She would sort the supplies and prepare trays to take to the nurses so those women wouldn’t have to search for what they needed in an emergency.
“On duty, I was able to do things where I could see or think I’m helping,” she said.
And, finally, awards and promotions came. Her first medal — one for meritorious service — was awarded in Okinawa nearly 13 years after she joined the Army. She retired as a lieutenant colonel, finishing her career at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora.
After retirement, Baker went to work as a Junior ROTC officer in Denver Public Schools. Again, she faced obstacles because of her race and gender.
“They said you’re taking a position from a man, you don’t have children and you were only a nurse,” she said.
Again, she persevered, working 12 years in that role. Today, she delights when she runs into a former student. Baker said she wouldn’t change anything about her career and she would tell young people today that the military remains a solid career choice because of the skills it teaches.
“So many good things happened,” Baker said. “I have so much to be thankful for. Places I traveled. People I met. It’s just unreal.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-11--Broncos NFL power rankings tracker: How national experts rank Denver entering Week 10

Another big deficit , another big comeback for the Broncos ?
Eh , not quite .
Despite another strong fourth-quarter performance , Denver lost to Atlanta in Week 9 and fell to 3-5 on the year .
Next up : A trip to Vegas to face off against the Raiders in their new home .
Here ’ s a look at how various national experts rated the Broncos in their power rankings entering Week 10 : Bleacher Report ( No .
25 ) | Last week : No .
21 “ ” Let ’ s get real , Denver , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t the answer at head coach , and Drew Lock isn ’ t the long-term answer at quarterback .
Right now , the Broncos are in purgatory : too good to be really bad , but nowhere near good enough to be a real contender .
Another 6-10 or 7-9 season isn ’ t going to net the Broncos a high enough pick to get a franchise quarterback .
Can we interest you in a lightly used Jameis Winston ?
” Gary Davenport writes .
See the full rankings .
CBS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last week : No .
21 “ The good news against Atlanta is that Drew Lock continued to make progress .
The bad news is that it came in a loss , ” Pete Prisco writes .
See the full rankings .
ESPN ( No .
22 ) | Last week : No .
22 “ In a year when they believed they could get back in the playoff conversation , the Broncos have instead been ravaged by injuries from the moment Von Miller took an awkward step in a preseason practice to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ ve had to use three different starting quarterbacks and have trailed by at least 10 points at halftime in five of their first eight games .
They have played hard and practiced with purpose , but they ’ ll need all of the character they can muster down the stretch with a schedule that still includes the Chiefs , Raiders , Saints , Dolphins and Bills , ” Jeff Legwold writes .
See the full rankings .
NFL.com ( No .
23 ) | Last week : No .
18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epic last-second win over the Chargers .
The Broncos flew to Atlanta and proceeded to sleepwalk through most of the first three quarters of a 34-27 loss .
Sure , Drew Lock made it look close with another three-touchdown surge in the game ’ s final 15 minutes , but this was a flat effort from a team already on the verge of falling out of the playoff race .
Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam suffered a season-ending ACL tear and became the 17th Denver player to be placed on injured reserve this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Broncos ’ 3-5 record on rotten injury luck , but it shouldn ’ t be ignored , either , ” Dan Hanzus writes .
See the full rankings .
Sporting News ( No .
21 ) | Last week : No .
20 “ The Broncos played inspired comeback football with Drew Lock again in Atlanta , but it wasn ’ t enough despite their passing offense coming to life .
Vic Fangio ’ s defense keeps opening too many holes , ” Vinnie Iyer writes .
See the full rankings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) | Last week : No .
25 “ On one hand , the Broncos seem like one of the tougher teams to figure out in the league .
But everyone in our poll had them in a pretty tight range .
They have shown flashes of who they want to be , but still have plenty of room to grow.
” See the full rankings .
• Broncos offensive line looks to improve in second half of 2020 despite injuries , COVID issues : “ There are no excuses.
” • Analyzing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reprieve for their team ’ s poor performance , and who should be fired ?
• Broncos Mailbag : What can Vic Fangio do to kick-start dormant first-half offense ?
• Broncos lose rookie Albert Okwuegbunam to season-ending knee injury , creating further depth issues at tight end • Broncos After Further Review : Losing play following big play plagued offense in loss to Atlanta USA Today ( No .
23 ) | Last week : No .
19 “ Franchise-tagged S Justin Simmons will be one of the league ’ s most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t work out a deal next year , ” Nate Davis writes .
See the full rankings .
Yahoo Sports ( No .
24 ) | Last week : No .
18 “ One of the bright spots of Sunday ’ s loss was rookie receiver Jerry Jeudy .
He went for seven catches , 125 yards and a touchdown in a long-awaited breakout .
The Broncos season likely isn ’ t going anywhere , but progress from their young players would be something positive for the offseason , ” Frank Schwab @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Another big deficit, another big comeback for the Broncos? Eh, not quite.
Despite another strong fourth-quarter performance, Denver lost to Atlanta in Week 9 and fell to 3-5 on the year. Next up: A trip to Vegas to face off against the Raiders in their new home.
Here’s a look at how various national experts rated the Broncos in their power rankings entering Week 10:
Bleacher Report (No. 25) | Last week: No. 21
“”Let’s get real, Denver,” Davenport said. “Vic Fangio isn’t the answer at head coach, and Drew Lock isn’t the long-term answer at quarterback. Right now, the Broncos are in purgatory: too good to be really bad, but nowhere near good enough to be a real contender. Another 6-10 or 7-9 season isn’t going to net the Broncos a high enough pick to get a franchise quarterback. Can we interest you in a lightly used Jameis Winston?” Gary Davenport writes. See the full rankings.
CBS Sports (No. 24) | Last week: No. 21
“The good news against Atlanta is that Drew Lock continued to make progress. The bad news is that it came in a loss,” Pete Prisco writes. See the full rankings.
ESPN (No. 22) | Last week: No. 22
“In a year when they believed they could get back in the playoff conversation, the Broncos have instead been ravaged by injuries from the moment Von Miller took an awkward step in a preseason practice to suffer a season-ending injury. Since then, they’ve had to use three different starting quarterbacks and have trailed by at least 10 points at halftime in five of their first eight games. They have played hard and practiced with purpose, but they’ll need all of the character they can muster down the stretch with a schedule that still includes the Chiefs, Raiders, Saints, Dolphins and Bills,” Jeff Legwold writes. See the full rankings.
NFL.com (No. 23) | Last week: No. 18
“So much for building off that epic last-second win over the Chargers. The Broncos flew to Atlanta and proceeded to sleepwalk through most of the first three quarters of a 34-27 loss. Sure, Drew Lock made it look close with another three-touchdown surge in the game’s final 15 minutes, but this was a flat effort from a team already on the verge of falling out of the playoff race. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam suffered a season-ending ACL tear and became the 17th Denver player to be placed on injured reserve this season. You can’t put all of the Broncos’ 3-5 record on rotten injury luck, but it shouldn’t be ignored, either,” Dan Hanzus writes. See the full rankings.
Sporting News (No. 21) | Last week: No. 20
“The Broncos played inspired comeback football with Drew Lock again in Atlanta, but it wasn’t enough despite their passing offense coming to life. Vic Fangio’s defense keeps opening too many holes,” Vinnie Iyer writes. See the full rankings.
Sports Illustrated (No. 24) | Last week: No. 25
“On one hand, the Broncos seem like one of the tougher teams to figure out in the league. But everyone in our poll had them in a pretty tight range. They have shown flashes of who they want to be, but still have plenty of room to grow.” See the full rankings.
USA Today (No. 23) | Last week: No. 19
“Franchise-tagged S Justin Simmons will be one of the league’s most heavily pursued free agents if Denver can’t work out a deal next year,” Nate Davis writes. See the full rankings.
Yahoo Sports (No. 24) | Last week: No. 18
“One of the bright spots of Sunday’s loss was rookie receiver Jerry Jeudy. He went for seven catches, 125 yards and a touchdown in a long-awaited breakout. The Broncos season likely isn’t going anywhere, but progress from their young players would be something positive for the offseason,” Frank Schwab writes. See the full rankings.


thedenverpost--2020-11-11--Ask Amy: Cottage deep clean uncovers relationship mess

Dear Amy : I have been with my partner for six years .
We are both 30 .
We live together and own a small cottage together outside of the city .
His parents are very kind people , but they don ’ t seem to want to allow my partner to grow up and be independent .
The most recent , and so far most aggravating aspect of this is that his parents were supposed to stay at our cottage over a long weekend .
Instead of relaxing and enjoying themselves as they promised , they secretly went just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little projects around the house , and fixed up minor things , which we were preparing to do ourselves .
I felt guilty for the work they did , in addition to feeling like our place wasn ’ t sufficiently clean for them .
This may seem like a dream to others , but to me , it is just another way which I feel my partner ( who is the youngest of three ) , has shirked his responsibilities and failed to grow up !
I am the oldest of three , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on my own .
Currently , we have a leaking faucet .
Our own plumber said that we could do this on our own pretty easily .
I would like us to work together to fix it , but he just wants to call up his parents to have them come and take care of it .
How can I approach this situation ( and future projects ) , without sounding selfish and ungrateful for their kind efforts to help ?
I ’ ve grown up faster than my partner has .
Dear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little jobs around a cottage is as restful and relaxed as they can handle .
However , while some people might interpret family members “ deep cleaning ” their home as a welcome gift , you don ’ t like it ( I wouldn ’ t , either ) .
You seem to see this as an indictment of your partner and his parents ; I see this as a boundary issue which you , as an independent person and homeowner , can address .
You could say to them , “ Wow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you stayed at the house .
I honestly wish you hadn ’ t .
Also , I know it might be frustrating for you to see these little things around the house that need to be fixed , but we want to fix them on our own.
” If you believe that fixing a leaky faucet on your own is a sign of adulthood , then fix it .
There are plenty of YouTube videos available to demonstrate basic home repair ( or you could ask your guy ’ s mom to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one-person job , so get started .
In many families , “ acts of service ” are how family members express their love .
Letting these people be useful at things they are obviously good at might be a kindness to them .
But you get to set the boundaries .
Dear Amy : I ’ m sure you are getting a lot of mail about attending weddings in the time of COVID .
Here ’ s my dilemma : My niece is getting married in May 2021 in another state .
My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will be safe for us to travel across the country to attend her wedding .
My sister-in-law keeps talking about it as if it is a given that we ’ ll be there .
What should we tell her ?
Dear Worried : You should tell your sister-in-law that you are crossing your fingers that you will be able to travel safely to this wedding , but that so far , you just don ’ t know .
Ask her to be frank with you about the deadline for making your decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before that date .
The pandemic has forced most families to recalibrate their plans .
One thing I hope we have all learned is that each person needs to be responsible for their own safety , comfort , and health , regardless of the pressure they may feel to override their own judgment for the sake of appearances .
Dear Amy : “ Heartbroken ” relayed his pain when his long-time partner stayed with him through his battle with cancer , and then left after he recovered .
For years , I ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a medical center in Cleveland and was amazed at how many couples broke up when one was diagnosed .
Your answer was correct , compassionate and wise .
Heartbroken will do better with someone else , but will not understand that until later .
Dear Supportive : True understanding most often appears in the rearview mirror .

Dear Amy: I have been with my partner for six years. We are both 30. We live together and own a small cottage together outside of the city.
His parents are very kind people, but they don’t seem to want to allow my partner to grow up and be independent.
The most recent, and so far most aggravating aspect of this is that his parents were supposed to stay at our cottage over a long weekend. Instead of relaxing and enjoying themselves as they promised, they secretly went just to do a deep clean, started little projects around the house, and fixed up minor things, which we were preparing to do ourselves.
I felt guilty for the work they did, in addition to feeling like our place wasn’t sufficiently clean for them.
This may seem like a dream to others, but to me, it is just another way which I feel my partner (who is the youngest of three), has shirked his responsibilities and failed to grow up!
I am the oldest of three, and I’ve always fixed things on my own.
Currently, we have a leaking faucet. Our own plumber said that we could do this on our own pretty easily.
I would like us to work together to fix it, but he just wants to call up his parents to have them come and take care of it.
How can I approach this situation (and future projects), without sounding selfish and ungrateful for their kind efforts to help?
I’ve grown up faster than my partner has.
— Independent
Dear Independent: For many people, doing little jobs around a cottage is as restful and relaxed as they can handle.
However, while some people might interpret family members “deep cleaning” their home as a welcome gift, you don’t like it (I wouldn’t, either).
You seem to see this as an indictment of your partner and his parents; I see this as a boundary issue which you, as an independent person and homeowner, can address.
You could say to them, “Wow, you really did a deep clean when you stayed at the house. I honestly wish you hadn’t. Also, I know it might be frustrating for you to see these little things around the house that need to be fixed, but we want to fix them on our own.”
If you believe that fixing a leaky faucet on your own is a sign of adulthood, then fix it. There are plenty of YouTube videos available to demonstrate basic home repair (or you could ask your guy’s mom to show you). It is a one-person job, so get started.
In many families, “acts of service” are how family members express their love. Letting these people be useful at things they are obviously good at might be a kindness to them. But you get to set the boundaries.
Dear Amy: I’m sure you are getting a lot of mail about attending weddings in the time of COVID.
Here’s my dilemma: My niece is getting married in May 2021 in another state. My husband and I are not sure that it will be safe for us to travel across the country to attend her wedding. My sister-in-law keeps talking about it as if it is a given that we’ll be there. What should we tell her?
— Worried About Wedding
Dear Worried: You should tell your sister-in-law that you are crossing your fingers that you will be able to travel safely to this wedding, but that so far, you just don’t know.
Ask her to be frank with you about the deadline for making your decision, and promise to let her know before that date.
The pandemic has forced most families to recalibrate their plans. One thing I hope we have all learned is that each person needs to be responsible for their own safety, comfort, and health, regardless of the pressure they may feel to override their own judgment for the sake of appearances.
Dear Amy: “Heartbroken” relayed his pain when his long-time partner stayed with him through his battle with cancer, and then left after he recovered.
For years, I ran a support network for brain tumor patients at a medical center in Cleveland and was amazed at how many couples broke up when one was diagnosed.
Your answer was correct, compassionate and wise. Heartbroken will do better with someone else, but will not understand that until later.
— Supportive
Dear Supportive: True understanding most often appears in the rearview mirror.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-11-11--NHL could go with temporary realignment for next season

The NHL could go with a temporary realignment of its teams for next season during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The league also is contemplating a reduced schedule and temporary hubs .
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said realignment could help with ongoing travel restrictions for Canada and mandated quarantines for visiting certain states in the United States .
“ As it relates to the travel issue , which is obviously the great unknown , we may have to temporarily realign to deal with geography , because having some of our teams travel from Florida to California may not make sense , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Council Summit panel with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred .
“ It may be that we ’ re better off — particularly if we ’ re playing a reduced schedule , which we ’ re contemplating — keeping it geographically centric and more divisional-based ; and realigning , again on a temporary basis , to deal with the travel issues.
” The NHL is targeting a Jan. 1 start for next season .
But details are still being worked out in talks between the league and NHL Players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season in bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton , Alberta , but Bettman has ruled out using bubbles for an entire schedule .
“ We are exploring the possibility of playing in our own buildings without fans ( or ) fans where you can , which is going to be an arena-by-arena issue , ” Bettman said , according to an ESPN.com report .
“ But we ’ re also exploring the possibility of a hub .
You ’ ll come in .
You ’ ll play for 10 to 12 days .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without traveling .
You ’ ll go back , go home for a week , be with your family .
We ’ ll have our testing protocols and all the other things you need.
” The NHL also could use a hybrid model with some teams in a bubble and some at home , and teams moving in and out of the situations , Bettman said .

The NHL could go with a temporary realignment of its teams for next season during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The league also is contemplating a reduced schedule and temporary hubs. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said realignment could help with ongoing travel restrictions for Canada and mandated quarantines for visiting certain states in the United States.
“As it relates to the travel issue, which is obviously the great unknown, we may have to temporarily realign to deal with geography, because having some of our teams travel from Florida to California may not make sense,” Bettman said Tuesday during a Paley International Council Summit panel with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred.
“It may be that we’re better off — particularly if we’re playing a reduced schedule, which we’re contemplating — keeping it geographically centric and more divisional-based; and realigning, again on a temporary basis, to deal with the travel issues.”
The NHL is targeting a Jan. 1 start for next season. But details are still being worked out in talks between the league and NHL Players’ Association.
The NHL finished last season in bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta, but Bettman has ruled out using bubbles for an entire schedule.
“We are exploring the possibility of playing in our own buildings without fans (or) fans where you can, which is going to be an arena-by-arena issue,” Bettman said, according to an ESPN.com report.
“But we’re also exploring the possibility of a hub. You’ll come in. You’ll play for 10 to 12 days. You’ll play a bunch of games without traveling. You’ll go back, go home for a week, be with your family. We’ll have our testing protocols and all the other things you need.”
The NHL also could use a hybrid model with some teams in a bubble and some at home, and teams moving in and out of the situations, Bettman said.


thedenverpost--2020-11-12--For fall Masters, change comes to a tradition like no other

AUGUSTA , Ga. — The pimiento cheese sandwiches are still here , and so is the Hogan Bridge over Rae ’ s Creek .
So much else has changed at Augusta National this week , when the first fall Masters will be held without many of the traditions that make it a tradition unlike any other .
The azaleas have long since bloomed , the galleries will be sparse and even the green jacket presentation ceremony in Butler Cabin will look a little different for the pandemic-delayed tournament that tees off on Thursday — seven months after originally scheduled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed to the public , the roar of the crowds will be silenced and many of the fan-pleasing entertainment will be skipped .
“ We all miss the energy of the crowds .
And yes , this year is going to be very different , ” defending champion Tiger Woods said .
“ It ’ s one that none of us have ever experienced .
So we ’ re all going to go through it together at the same time .
It ’ s going to be a very different experience , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and be able to replicate what I did last year.
” With COVID-19 still raging in Georgia and spiking across much of the country , tournament organizers canceled the Par 3 Contest , usually held on the Wednesday of tournament week and a draw for the practice round galleries .
Another tradition diminished without fans : golfers trying to skip their shots across the surface of the pond in front of the 16th green .
Some players gave it a go — Jon Rahm notched a hole-in-one — but many more didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ egging them on .
“ I don ’ t think it will quite have the same effect if ( caddie Mick Donaghy ) is asking me to do it , ” Tyrrell Hatton said .
“ I think we ’ ll leave that one for next April , hoping that , obviously , we ’ ll have fans here again.
” The Masters Club Dinner hosted by the defending champion went on , but it was moved from the second-floor library to the Trophy Room downstairs to allow for more spacing .
Club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the green jacket over the winner ’ s shoulders on Sunday , said the presentation in Butler Cabin will go on , but with a little more social distancing than usual .
The ceremony on the putting green — which is mainly for the fans at the course — won ’ t happen .
“ We do think Butler Cabin is something that is really , not only part of the history , but emblematic of what the Masters is all about , giving the champion the green jacket , ” Ridley said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Butler Cabin .
Viewers may be seeing part of that room that they haven ’ t seen before because we are going to be more spread out , but we will have the same people in the cabin with the same basic ceremony .
I think we can do it appropriately.
” The ceremonial first shots by Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player will go off as usual on Thursday morning .
But missing will be the throngs who rush — but not run — toward the first tee when the gates open , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a glimpse of the former champions .
( Also absent : the chairs and other belongings they leave in place throughout the day to hold their spots ; at genteel Augusta National , no one would consider taking them . )
The change from spring to fall will also provide a different palette than the one that has been the backdrop for so many memorable shots over the years .
Out are the pink and peachy blooms of the azaleas and dogwoods ; in are the autumnal gold , red and brown in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bermuda grass that is usually dormant through April is mixed in among the emerald green rye , a surface players don ’ t see at Augusta .
The stately Magnolias lining the main driveway have retained their full canopy , and the United States-shaped flower bed that mimics the Masters logo is in bright yellow bloom .
But the crowd that usually lines up to take selfies in front of the iconic clubhouse is absent ; behind the building , the grand live oak that typically serves as a gathering place is surrounded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rain in the forecast , the lack of daylight could also come into play .
Sunset on Sunday is at 5:24 p.m. — more than 2 1/2 hours earlier than it would have been on April 14 .
Ridley said the tournament had already decided to abandon the rule that allows anyone within 10 strokes of the lead to make the cut .
But with the shorter days , that has the added benefit of keeping the field predictable and manageable .
“ It could come in handy as it relates to darkness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date also messed with the Masters ’ spot on the sports schedule .
Instead of the year ’ s first major , it will be the last , following the pandemic-delayed PGA Championship and U.S. Open .
( The British Open was canceled . )
So instead of slotting among the NCAA ’ s March Madness and Major League Baseball ’ s opening week , this year ’ s tournament comes in the middle of the NFL and college football seasons .
Justin Thomas said he usually rents two houses — one for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would come over for dinner or to watch the hockey playoffs but otherwise give him space to maintain his routine .
This year : No entourage ( players are only allowed to bring a significant other , coach and trainer ) .
No second house .
No hockey on TV .
“ In April there was quite a bit of sports on , ” he said .
“ It just kind of took my mind off of the big picture and the big moment of what was going on .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to stop me from still watching sports , ” he said .
“ I just won ’ t be doing it with them .
”

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The pimiento cheese sandwiches are still here, and so is the Hogan Bridge over Rae’s Creek. So much else has changed at Augusta National this week, when the first fall Masters will be held without many of the traditions that make it a tradition unlike any other.
The azaleas have long since bloomed, the galleries will be sparse and even the green jacket presentation ceremony in Butler Cabin will look a little different for the pandemic-delayed tournament that tees off on Thursday — seven months after originally scheduled. The biggest change: With the course closed to the public, the roar of the crowds will be silenced and many of the fan-pleasing entertainment will be skipped.
“We all miss the energy of the crowds. And yes, this year is going to be very different,” defending champion Tiger Woods said. “It’s one that none of us have ever experienced. So we’re all going to go through it together at the same time. It’s going to be a very different experience, and hopefully one that I can figure it out and be able to replicate what I did last year.”
With COVID-19 still raging in Georgia and spiking across much of the country, tournament organizers canceled the Par 3 Contest, usually held on the Wednesday of tournament week and a draw for the practice round galleries.
Another tradition diminished without fans: golfers trying to skip their shots across the surface of the pond in front of the 16th green. Some players gave it a go — Jon Rahm notched a hole-in-one — but many more didn’t see the point without fans egging them on.
“I don’t think it will quite have the same effect if (caddie Mick Donaghy) is asking me to do it,” Tyrrell Hatton said. “I think we’ll leave that one for next April, hoping that, obviously, we’ll have fans here again.”
The Masters Club Dinner hosted by the defending champion went on, but it was moved from the second-floor library to the Trophy Room downstairs to allow for more spacing.
Club Chairman Fred Ridley, who traditionally slips the green jacket over the winner’s shoulders on Sunday, said the presentation in Butler Cabin will go on, but with a little more social distancing than usual. The ceremony on the putting green — which is mainly for the fans at the course — won’t happen.
“We do think Butler Cabin is something that is really, not only part of the history, but emblematic of what the Masters is all about, giving the champion the green jacket,” Ridley said. “So we will be in Butler Cabin. Viewers may be seeing part of that room that they haven’t seen before because we are going to be more spread out, but we will have the same people in the cabin with the same basic ceremony. I think we can do it appropriately.”
The ceremonial first shots by Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player will go off as usual on Thursday morning. But missing will be the throngs who rush — but not run — toward the first tee when the gates open, and line the fairway hoping to catch a glimpse of the former champions. (Also absent: the chairs and other belongings they leave in place throughout the day to hold their spots; at genteel Augusta National, no one would consider taking them.)
The change from spring to fall will also provide a different palette than the one that has been the backdrop for so many memorable shots over the years.
Out are the pink and peachy blooms of the azaleas and dogwoods; in are the autumnal gold, red and brown in the deciduous trees shedding their leaves. Bermuda grass that is usually dormant through April is mixed in among the emerald green rye, a surface players don’t see at Augusta.
The stately Magnolias lining the main driveway have retained their full canopy, and the United States-shaped flower bed that mimics the Masters logo is in bright yellow bloom. But the crowd that usually lines up to take selfies in front of the iconic clubhouse is absent; behind the building, the grand live oak that typically serves as a gathering place is surrounded by fences and is off-limits.
With rain in the forecast, the lack of daylight could also come into play. Sunset on Sunday is at 5:24 p.m. — more than 2 1/2 hours earlier than it would have been on April 14.
Ridley said the tournament had already decided to abandon the rule that allows anyone within 10 strokes of the lead to make the cut. But with the shorter days, that has the added benefit of keeping the field predictable and manageable.
“It could come in handy as it relates to darkness,” he said.
The fall date also messed with the Masters’ spot on the sports schedule.
Instead of the year’s first major, it will be the last, following the pandemic-delayed PGA Championship and U.S. Open. (The British Open was canceled.) So instead of slotting among the NCAA’s March Madness and Major League Baseball’s opening week, this year’s tournament comes in the middle of the NFL and college football seasons.
Justin Thomas said he usually rents two houses — one for himself and one for an extended entourage that would come over for dinner or to watch the hockey playoffs but otherwise give him space to maintain his routine.
This year: No entourage (players are only allowed to bring a significant other, coach and trainer). No second house. No hockey on TV.
“In April there was quite a bit of sports on,” he said. “It just kind of took my mind off of the big picture and the big moment of what was going on.
“I’ll miss that, but nothing is going to stop me from still watching sports,” he said. “I just won’t be doing it with them.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-12--Kiszla: Wanna spark the slow-starting Broncos’ offense? Give Phillip Lindsay the dang rock!

Want to jump-start the Broncos ’ offense ?
The spark that ’ s been missing from the team ’ s painfully slow starts to games is a 5-foot-8 , 190-pound fireplug .
Why leave the Energizer Bunny on the sideline ?
Let Lindsay bang the drum for marches to the end zone .
A Denver offense in need of a stronger identity than abject four-quarter panic needs to take the pressure off young quarterback Drew Lock and re-establish its physicality .
“ Let ’ s just face it : The team that can run the ball the best is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s just how it goes , because you set the tempo and you set the tone .
You ’ re physical , you ’ re pushing it down the field , you ’ re punching them in the face .
On top of that , you ’ re taking clock away , ” Lindsay said Wednesday .
“ There ’ s only a handful , maybe one or two teams that can live off the pass 24/7 .
That ’ s just not how it is .
Football is a game of inches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ football has always been about running the football .
That ’ s how you have to win games .
You win games by controlling the clock , running the football and making big plays.
” Even a knucklehead like me can see that the Broncos should be a run-first team .
Play-action is the best friend of a QB like Lock , who ’ s constantly itching to throw it deep over a defender ’ s head .
OK , I ’ m not advocating for Denver to turn back the clock to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sweep .
Everybody knows you have to pass effectively in 2020 , when only three of 32 league teams are currently running on more than 50 percent of all offensive snaps .
But I hold this truth to be self-evident : Lindsay runs the ball better than Lock throws it .
So why doesn ’ t offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur lean more on his team ’ s strength ?
Beats me .
The Broncos are throwing the football 60.54 % of the time .
The Packers , who have some dude named Aaron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 56.64 % of the time .
This does not compute .
Could the math being employed by Shurmur be wrong ?
Yes , Denver ’ s recent nasty of habit of walking on the field and falling in a hole before halftime has inflated the number of passing attempts for Lock .
But I ain ’ t buying the suggestion Denver , whose completion percentage ranks dead last in the league , should give even more responsibility to its young quarterback , because Lock ’ s gunslinger tendencies don ’ t need further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miller or an ill Shelby Harris , the strength of this team remains defense .
If the Broncos are trying to win games 31-30 on a consistent basis , they ’ re doing it wrong .
If Shurmur wants to mix in more uptempo , there ’ s nothing that prevents him from getting to the line of scrimmage with more urgency to run the ball .
At 5.8 yards per rushing attempt , Lindsay ranks fourth among all NFL backs .
The Broncos can use him more , without running Lindsay into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elway still feels the urge to justify over-spending to acquire Melvin Gordon , but Elway loves nothing more than winning .
And when Lindsay rushes for 100 yards , the Broncos win .
( It ’ s true .
Look it up . )
This is not a demand to get Lindsay 20 touches per game , because nobody wants to break him .
But as Denver fell far behind in the opening half against both the Chargers and Falcons with the offense stuck in neutral , Lindsay got only five touches and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Combined .
That ’ s a waste of a playmaker ’ s talents .
Gordon does bring attributes to the Denver huddle that Lindsay does not .
Gordon runs bigger in short yardage , blocks better in pass protection and catches the ball more reliably .
Sounds like an ideal situational back to me .
But in the games against the Chargers and Falcons , Gordon played 80 cumulative snaps to Lindsay ’ s 57 .
If production carrying the rock is what matters most , the division of playing time between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Every running back likes to get in the flow , with sufficient touches to instinctively feel where the wide-open spaces are in a defense on any given Sunday .
I asked Lindsay the challenge of finding his rhythm in his role of No .
1B in this tandem .
“ It is what it is .
You can ’ t sit here and cry over it .
You ’ ve just got to take advantage of the reps you ’ re getting , ” Lindsay replied .
“ The fact is that when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it .
When you sit there and wait for your opportunity , you can ’ t do nothing about it .
You ’ ve got two really good running backs and hopefully they find ways to get us more involved.
” Lindsay is a gentleman , a diplomat and an exemplary teammate .
So I ’ ll say it for him :

Want to jump-start the Broncos’ offense?
Don’t overthink it, knucklehead.
Give Phillip Lindsay the dang rock!
The spark that’s been missing from the team’s painfully slow starts to games is a 5-foot-8, 190-pound fireplug. Why leave the Energizer Bunny on the sideline? Let Lindsay bang the drum for marches to the end zone.
A Denver offense in need of a stronger identity than abject four-quarter panic needs to take the pressure off young quarterback Drew Lock and re-establish its physicality.
“Let’s just face it: The team that can run the ball the best is going to win the game. That’s just how it goes, because you set the tempo and you set the tone. You’re physical, you’re pushing it down the field, you’re punching them in the face. On top of that, you’re taking clock away,” Lindsay said Wednesday.
“There’s only a handful, maybe one or two teams that can live off the pass 24/7. That’s just not how it is. Football is a game of inches, we all know that. And football has always been about running the football. That’s how you have to win games. You win games by controlling the clock, running the football and making big plays.”
Even a knucklehead like me can see that the Broncos should be a run-first team. Play-action is the best friend of a QB like Lock, who’s constantly itching to throw it deep over a defender’s head.
OK, I’m not advocating for Denver to turn back the clock to the 1960s and install the Lombardi power sweep. Everybody knows you have to pass effectively in 2020, when only three of 32 league teams are currently running on more than 50 percent of all offensive snaps.
But I hold this truth to be self-evident: Lindsay runs the ball better than Lock throws it. So why doesn’t offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur lean more on his team’s strength? Beats me.
The Broncos are throwing the football 60.54% of the time. The Packers, who have some dude named Aaron Rodgers playing quarterback, are throwing it 56.64% of the time. This does not compute. Could the math being employed by Shurmur be wrong?
Yes, Denver’s recent nasty of habit of walking on the field and falling in a hole before halftime has inflated the number of passing attempts for Lock. But I ain’t buying the suggestion Denver, whose completion percentage ranks dead last in the league, should give even more responsibility to its young quarterback, because Lock’s gunslinger tendencies don’t need further encouragement.
Even without injured edge-rusher Von Miller or an ill Shelby Harris, the strength of this team remains defense. If the Broncos are trying to win games 31-30 on a consistent basis, they’re doing it wrong. If Shurmur wants to mix in more uptempo, there’s nothing that prevents him from getting to the line of scrimmage with more urgency to run the ball.
At 5.8 yards per rushing attempt, Lindsay ranks fourth among all NFL backs. The Broncos can use him more, without running Lindsay into the ground. Maybe personnel chief John Elway still feels the urge to justify over-spending to acquire Melvin Gordon, but Elway loves nothing more than winning.
And when Lindsay rushes for 100 yards, the Broncos win. (It’s true. Look it up.)
This is not a demand to get Lindsay 20 touches per game, because nobody wants to break him. But as Denver fell far behind in the opening half against both the Chargers and Falcons with the offense stuck in neutral, Lindsay got only five touches and two pass targets. In two games. Combined. That’s a waste of a playmaker’s talents.
Gordon does bring attributes to the Denver huddle that Lindsay does not. Gordon runs bigger in short yardage, blocks better in pass protection and catches the ball more reliably.
Sounds like an ideal situational back to me.
But in the games against the Chargers and Falcons, Gordon played 80 cumulative snaps to Lindsay’s 57. If production carrying the rock is what matters most, the division of playing time between Lindsay and Gordon should be reversed.
Every running back likes to get in the flow, with sufficient touches to instinctively feel where the wide-open spaces are in a defense on any given Sunday. I asked Lindsay the challenge of finding his rhythm in his role of No. 1B in this tandem.
“It is what it is. You can’t sit here and cry over it. You’ve just got to take advantage of the reps you’re getting,” Lindsay replied. “The fact is that when you get an opportunity, take advantage of it. When you sit there and wait for your opportunity, you can’t do nothing about it. You’ve got two really good running backs and hopefully they find ways to get us more involved.”
Lindsay is a gentleman, a diplomat and an exemplary teammate.
So I’ll say it for him:
Give Phillip the dang rock!


thedenverpost--2020-11-12--Colorado high school football marches on amid rising coronavirus threat across state

Pueblo West athletic director Zach Odell pulled the plug on prep football this week .
He didn ’ t have a choice .
The Cyclones ( 3-1 ) have played enough games to qualify for the Class 4A postseason under CHSAA ’ s revised schedule amid the pandemic .
But after consecutive matchups were canceled against Vista Ridge and Rampart due to positive COVID-19 tests for Pueblo West , the school is running out of time to compete .
“ It ’ s a tough situation to be in , ” Odell said .
“ I really do think we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( teams ) in 4A .
It would have helped to play these last two games , but even if we did get put in that ( playoff ) bracket , we get off quarantine collectively as a team on that Thursday — meaning we would have one day of practice before that first Friday game .
“ That ’ s two-and-half weeks off with one day of practice .
We just couldn ’ t do it.
” Still , as the spread of COVID-19 rises across the state , the Colorado high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CHSAA announced Wednesday that it will host state championship games for all classifications Dec 3-5 at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl at CSU-Pueblo — just a 20-minute drive from the campus at Pueblo West .
The championship game location , moved from Empower Field at Mile High for Class 4A/5A , was selected after Pueblo County approved a variance that allowed for games to be played with strict health and social distance policies enforced .
Gov .
Jared Polis has not provided CHSAA with any revised guidelines moving forward despite many counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A Polis spokesman told The Denver Post : “ We have not provided any additional information to CHSAA since their season is about to conclude .
Spectators at sporting events must follow the guidelines for outdoor events based on their county ’ s level on the dial .
Some counties have even greater restrictions , which must be followed.
” Adam Bright , assistant CHSAA commissioner , told reporters during a Wednesday news conference that Colorado has faired better than many other states in maintaining its prep football season .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that general area where less than 10 percent of our games have been impacted , ” Bright said .
“ In talks with other associations across the country , everyone is averaging 15-to-20 percent of their games impacted weekly ( by COVID-19 ) .
We ’ ve been below that number until this last week .
I think the mitigation processes we put into place and the safety standards for our teams have made an impact.
” Bright added that the number of teams that have not found a game to play after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been less than 10 throughout this entire process.
” CHSAA has worked closely with programs to mix and match opponents , often at the last minute , to keep the season rolling .
That has continued as the final week of the regular season begins Thursday night , with Rampart switching out Pueblo West with Fountain-Fort Carson for a Friday night meeting after the Trojans ’ original opponents was also sidelined .
The timing simply didn ’ t work out for Pueblo West .
Odell described the more than 120 players on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also understood it was a safety thing , ” Odell said .
“ I can ’ t let these guys go almost three weeks without any physical practice , then step out and play a playoff game .
”

Pueblo West athletic director Zach Odell pulled the plug on prep football this week. He didn’t have a choice.
The Cyclones (3-1) have played enough games to qualify for the Class 4A postseason under CHSAA’s revised schedule amid the pandemic. But after consecutive matchups were canceled against Vista Ridge and Rampart due to positive COVID-19 tests for Pueblo West, the school is running out of time to compete.
“It’s a tough situation to be in,” Odell said. “I really do think we’re one of the top eight (teams) in 4A. It would have helped to play these last two games, but even if we did get put in that (playoff) bracket, we get off quarantine collectively as a team on that Thursday — meaning we would have one day of practice before that first Friday game.
“That’s two-and-half weeks off with one day of practice. We just couldn’t do it.”
Still, as the spread of COVID-19 rises across the state, the Colorado high school football season at large continues. CHSAA announced Wednesday that it will host state championship games for all classifications Dec 3-5 at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl at CSU-Pueblo — just a 20-minute drive from the campus at Pueblo West.
The championship game location, moved from Empower Field at Mile High for Class 4A/5A, was selected after Pueblo County approved a variance that allowed for games to be played with strict health and social distance policies enforced. Gov. Jared Polis has not provided CHSAA with any revised guidelines moving forward despite many counties tightening community restrictions to slow the pandemic.
A Polis spokesman told The Denver Post: “We have not provided any additional information to CHSAA since their season is about to conclude. Spectators at sporting events must follow the guidelines for outdoor events based on their county’s level on the dial. Some counties have even greater restrictions, which must be followed.”
Adam Bright, assistant CHSAA commissioner, told reporters during a Wednesday news conference that Colorado has faired better than many other states in maintaining its prep football season.
“We’ve been staying right there in that general area where less than 10 percent of our games have been impacted,” Bright said. “In talks with other associations across the country, everyone is averaging 15-to-20 percent of their games impacted weekly (by COVID-19). We’ve been below that number until this last week. I think the mitigation processes we put into place and the safety standards for our teams have made an impact.”
Bright added that the number of teams that have not found a game to play after their opponent was in quarantine “has been less than 10 throughout this entire process.” CHSAA has worked closely with programs to mix and match opponents, often at the last minute, to keep the season rolling.
That has continued as the final week of the regular season begins Thursday night, with Rampart switching out Pueblo West with Fountain-Fort Carson for a Friday night meeting after the Trojans’ original opponents was also sidelined.
The timing simply didn’t work out for Pueblo West.
Odell described the more than 120 players on the football team as heartbroken.
“They also understood it was a safety thing,” Odell said. “I can’t let these guys go almost three weeks without any physical practice, then step out and play a playoff game.”


thedenverpost--2020-11-12--Joe Biden’s plea for cooperation confronts a polarized Congress

WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden feels at home on Capitol Hill , but the place sure has changed since he left .
The clubby atmosphere that Biden knew so well during his 36-year Senate career is gone , probably forever .
Deal-makers are hard to find .
And the election results haven ’ t dealt him a strong hand to pursue his legislative agenda , with Democrats ’ poor performance in down-ballot races likely leaving them without control of Congress .
The dynamic leaves Biden with little choice but to try to govern from the vanishing middle of a Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tumult of the last decade .
With the forces of partisanship and gridlock entrenched , ending what Biden called the “ grim era of demonization ” could be the central challenge of his presidency — and one that could prove vexing if forces on the left and right refuse to go along .
“ There is a certain opportunity for bipartisanship , but it is all going to be deals in the middle , ” said Rohit Kumar , a former aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. “ What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ( Democratic and Republican ) parties will allow them to do that because the parties have gotten a lot more polarized.
” While it is not settled , Biden faces a high likelihood of becoming the first Democrat in modern history to assume office without his party controlling Congress .
Republicans are favored to retain control of the Senate heading into two runoff elections in Georgia in January .
Democrats have already won the House .
GOP control of the Senate would force Biden to curtail his ambitions , all but guaranteeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration and expanding “ Obamacare ” remain mostly unaddressed .
But it would also create space for a different kind of legislative agenda — one founded on bipartisanship and consensus that would seem to play to Biden ’ s strengths .
And some lawmakers say voters made clear in the election that governance from the middle is exactly what they want .
Among them is Sen. Susan Collins , R-Maine , who emerged from a brutal reelection campaign empowered to pursue a brand of pragmatic centrism that was once common among lawmakers but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen , based on the number of phone calls that I have received from both the Democratic senators and Republican colleagues , a real interest in trying to expand the center and work together to confront some of the challenges facing our nation , ” Collins said .
“ And I ’ m encouraged by that.
” The glass half-full also depends on a sympathetic appraisal of McConnell , a much-loathed nemesis of Capitol Hill Democrats with a penchant for hardball tactics — and who is no stranger to obstructionism .
McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s , and as vice president , Biden worked successfully with the Kentucky Republican to avert several tax- and budget-related crises during the Obama administration , including a tax increase on higher-income earners in exchange for renewing most of the 2001 Bush tax cuts .
“ Those deals were largely struck out of necessity in moments of crisis — fiscal cliff , debt limit , government shutdowns — those types of things , ” said Brendan Buck , a former top aide to former House Speaker Paul Ryan , R-Wis. “ That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and get things done .
I don ’ t know that there ’ s a great deal of history of proactively coming together on big policy issues.
” McConnell hasn ’ t let much legislation hit the Senate floor recently , but has the muscle memory to do bipartisan deals when he sees them .
Often , these smaller-bore bills offer political benefits to his members , like a 2016 bill to fight the opioid menace or a widely backed public lands bill this year .
Other recent deals include COVID relief , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancer-fighting “ moonshot ” bill that was delivered as a goodwill gesture to Biden , who lost his son Beau to brain cancer in 2015 .
But the space for bipartisanship has contracted , with hardly any political middle remaining on Capitol Hill .
Soon there will no longer be any white southern Democrats in the House or Senate , while in the GOP there are only a handful of moderates left .
Biden , by contrast , served in a Senate where Democrats represented strongly Republican states in the South and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now-Democratic bastions like Minnesota and Oregon .
Compromise came more easily under such circumstances .
Now the party breakdown of the chamber is mostly determined by whether a state is red or blue on the presidential map , with Republicans dominating the South and Midwest and Democrats controlling the West Coast and most of New England and the Middle Atlantic .
Democrats aren ’ t giving up on the two Georgia runoff elections , given the stakes .
Control of the chamber would afford Biden the opportunity to craft a Democrats-only budget bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s tax cuts , expand the Affordable Care Act , and boost tax credits for the poor .
“ The difference between a 50-50 Senate controlled by Democrats and a 51-49 Republican-controlled Senate could not be any more stark , ” said veteran Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois .
But even if Democrats win both Georgia runoffs , the hopes of progressives for ramming through a liberal agenda by getting rid of the legislative filibuster — the 60-vote threshold for most legislation — are simply gone .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be welcomed by Democratic moderates who warn the party ’ s messaging did not resonate in swing districts , and who would prefer to focus their energies on bipartisan areas such as infrastructure and rural broadband , COVID relief and annual spending bills .
“ There is the capacity within the Democratic Caucus to move forward and make some important gains on these issues and understanding that people are not always going to get 100 % of what they want , ” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen , D-Md .
The Biden-McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican ’ s stewardship of the Senate has been marked by sharp elbows and sometimes cutthroat tactics .
The Senate floor has been a legislative dead zone of late , but it could be a mistake to assume McConnell will be satisfied by simply stifling Biden ’ s agenda .
Instead , McConnell could seek opportunities to put points on the board for a challenging midterm cycle with competitive races and another shot at the White House in 2024 .
“ He has a remarkable record of shape-shifting to run his conference in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imperative of the moment , ” said former Senate Democratic leadership aide Mike Spahn .
“ So I would expect that to happen again .
”

WASHINGTON — President-elect Joe Biden feels at home on Capitol Hill, but the place sure has changed since he left.
The clubby atmosphere that Biden knew so well during his 36-year Senate career is gone, probably forever. Deal-makers are hard to find. And the election results haven’t dealt him a strong hand to pursue his legislative agenda, with Democrats’ poor performance in down-ballot races likely leaving them without control of Congress.
The dynamic leaves Biden with little choice but to try to govern from the vanishing middle of a Washington that’s been badly ruptured by the tumult of the last decade. With the forces of partisanship and gridlock entrenched, ending what Biden called the “grim era of demonization” could be the central challenge of his presidency — and one that could prove vexing if forces on the left and right refuse to go along.
“There is a certain opportunity for bipartisanship, but it is all going to be deals in the middle,” said Rohit Kumar, a former aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “What I don’t know is whether the (Democratic and Republican) parties will allow them to do that because the parties have gotten a lot more polarized.”
While it is not settled, Biden faces a high likelihood of becoming the first Democrat in modern history to assume office without his party controlling Congress. Republicans are favored to retain control of the Senate heading into two runoff elections in Georgia in January. Democrats have already won the House.
GOP control of the Senate would force Biden to curtail his ambitions, all but guaranteeing that big issues like climate change, immigration and expanding “Obamacare” remain mostly unaddressed.
But it would also create space for a different kind of legislative agenda — one founded on bipartisanship and consensus that would seem to play to Biden’s strengths. And some lawmakers say voters made clear in the election that governance from the middle is exactly what they want.
Among them is Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who emerged from a brutal reelection campaign empowered to pursue a brand of pragmatic centrism that was once common among lawmakers but is now quite rare.
“I have seen, based on the number of phone calls that I have received from both the Democratic senators and Republican colleagues, a real interest in trying to expand the center and work together to confront some of the challenges facing our nation,” Collins said. “And I’m encouraged by that.”
The glass half-full also depends on a sympathetic appraisal of McConnell, a much-loathed nemesis of Capitol Hill Democrats with a penchant for hardball tactics — and who is no stranger to obstructionism.
McConnell is an old friend of Biden’s, and as vice president, Biden worked successfully with the Kentucky Republican to avert several tax- and budget-related crises during the Obama administration, including a tax increase on higher-income earners in exchange for renewing most of the 2001 Bush tax cuts.
“Those deals were largely struck out of necessity in moments of crisis — fiscal cliff, debt limit, government shutdowns — those types of things,” said Brendan Buck, a former top aide to former House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. “That’s when they had to get together and get things done. I don’t know that there’s a great deal of history of proactively coming together on big policy issues.”
McConnell hasn’t let much legislation hit the Senate floor recently, but has the muscle memory to do bipartisan deals when he sees them. Often, these smaller-bore bills offer political benefits to his members, like a 2016 bill to fight the opioid menace or a widely backed public lands bill this year. Other recent deals include COVID relief, a 2015 highway bill and a 2016 cancer-fighting “moonshot” bill that was delivered as a goodwill gesture to Biden, who lost his son Beau to brain cancer in 2015.
But the space for bipartisanship has contracted, with hardly any political middle remaining on Capitol Hill. Soon there will no longer be any white southern Democrats in the House or Senate, while in the GOP there are only a handful of moderates left.
Biden, by contrast, served in a Senate where Democrats represented strongly Republican states in the South and the Great Plains, and where Republicans represented now-Democratic bastions like Minnesota and Oregon. Compromise came more easily under such circumstances. Now the party breakdown of the chamber is mostly determined by whether a state is red or blue on the presidential map, with Republicans dominating the South and Midwest and Democrats controlling the West Coast and most of New England and the Middle Atlantic.
Democrats aren’t giving up on the two Georgia runoff elections, given the stakes. Control of the chamber would afford Biden the opportunity to craft a Democrats-only budget bill that could reverse some of President Donald Trump’s tax cuts, expand the Affordable Care Act, and boost tax credits for the poor.
“The difference between a 50-50 Senate controlled by Democrats and a 51-49 Republican-controlled Senate could not be any more stark,” said veteran Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois.
But even if Democrats win both Georgia runoffs, the hopes of progressives for ramming through a liberal agenda by getting rid of the legislative filibuster — the 60-vote threshold for most legislation — are simply gone.
That’s a disappointing blow to the left but could be welcomed by Democratic moderates who warn the party’s messaging did not resonate in swing districts, and who would prefer to focus their energies on bipartisan areas such as infrastructure and rural broadband, COVID relief and annual spending bills.
“There is the capacity within the Democratic Caucus to move forward and make some important gains on these issues and understanding that people are not always going to get 100% of what they want,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
The Biden-McConnell relationship is obviously crucial. The Kentucky Republican’s stewardship of the Senate has been marked by sharp elbows and sometimes cutthroat tactics. The Senate floor has been a legislative dead zone of late, but it could be a mistake to assume McConnell will be satisfied by simply stifling Biden’s agenda.
Instead, McConnell could seek opportunities to put points on the board for a challenging midterm cycle with competitive races and another shot at the White House in 2024.
“He has a remarkable record of shape-shifting to run his conference in a unique manner determined by the political imperative of the moment,” said former Senate Democratic leadership aide Mike Spahn. “So I would expect that to happen again.”